Photo Film Strip Experiment

Through the always helpful Lifehacker I found a new piece of software called Photo Film Strip. What it does is create the "Ken Burns" effect with a some of your photographs. I gave it a shot with a few shots from my trip to last weekend's race. I like how it turned out.

Season Record for Strikeouts

Here's a fun graphic. This chart tracks the Major League single season strikeout record for a batter. The sudden big numbers put up by the Arizona player Mark Reynolds in the last two seasons is something we probably can safely say is not attributable to steroid use.























Thanks to the incredible Baseball Reference site for the numbers.

Martinsville

I've been wanting to go to a short track for a NASCAR race for a long time and this weekend I finally went to Martinsville, VA for a race. I took a bunch of pictures and the video below. The video is from a restart early in the race. Jeff Gordon is leading. As you can see we had great seats.

My favorite part of the race was when Montoya took the lead from Jimmie Johnson. The Martinsville crowd is so sick of watching Johnson win that they actually cheered the foreigner. That was almost as odd as hearing the rednecks cheer for Jeff Gordon at Darlington.

Elvis needs boats

I still remember the very first time I heard Mojo Nixon. I was sitting in a restaurant at Camp Kinser in Okinawa. This song came on the video jukebox. I have never recovered.

Adrian Peterson

Amazing run.

Big Bucks

A couple of months ago I started running Google ads on this blog for the hell of it. Since then I have earned $7.54 I guess I'll leave them up, they don't seem to be that intrusive and no one has told me they hate them. I figure in about 20 years I'll have enough money in my account to take a vacation.

anita with the nation

anita with the nation
Originally uploaded by j_pidgeon

Fandom is fandom. I like that.

Ouch

I enjoy my football violence as much as the next guy but this is crazy.

Readin'

You may not believe it but being a librarian isn't all about learning how to use the current social media technology, helping people apply for jobs online and blogging about video games. We also find time to read occasionally.

I've started and stopped a couple of books recently. I was getting antsy because I was having trouble find a book to really focus on. I started one the other day that had been sitting on my desk for a few weeks and it has really grabbed me. The book is a science fiction novel called Orbital Resonance by John Barnes. It's the story of 13-year-old girl living on a space station that has been fashioned out of an asteroid. Asteroid space stations were created to grow food for a planet Earth that has ruined itself through war and disease. The children the book focuses on are the first generation born on the space station and their lives are nothing more than attending a grueling schooling that is preparing them to continue the work of the space stations. I can't believe I've never heard of this book before. There's so much I don't know.

There are two new novels that I am greatly anticipating getting my hands on, Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld and Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. Coincidentally, both books are steampunk. I've read one book by each of these authors in the last couple of years. Westerfeld's Peeps is a vampire novel that truly has a unique take on the vampire story and Priest's Fathom which is a great take on the old gods subgenre of science fiction. Priest has the distinction of being pimped by both Warren Ellis and John Scalzi. It looks like steampunk may soon become the new vampire so this is a good chance to read some good steampunk before every hack in the world starts pumping them out.

Need For Speed Crash
Originally uploaded by zzazazz

I really love how newer video games allow you to take screen captures and movies from your game play.

This weekend I purchased Need for Speed: Shift and I am really enjoying it. It nicely straddles that line between simulation and arcade and it's designed to be played while using the driver's view instead of the chase camera. The game really gives you a nice sense of speed, the cars' handling change as your speed increases. I'm hooked and sold.

I've been playing while using the Honda S2000 and it's fun to drive, really hugs the road. That's the purple car in the picture you see sending another airborne. Get out of my way!

President Obama and Nobel Peace Prize

I'm as surprised as anyone and I think Josh Marshall has a good view of it. Wow, how much did Bush suck if just having a rational foreign policy will get you the Nobel Peace Prize?

The Moon

The Moon
Originally uploaded by zzazazz

We were out walking this morning and there was the moon floating in the blue sea of the blue sky. I love the lens on that Canon.

Mojo!

Not only does Mojo Nixon have a new album coming out this week but he is releasing his back catalog for free. You go, Mojo.

Anti-Obama Billboard: 2009

Anti-Obama Billboard: 2009
Originally uploaded by mtfrazier

What in the hell is wrong with Kansas?

Big Bird Speaks the Truth

It's about time! Where is the birth certificate?!?! What is he afraid of? View this very important video here.