Thursday, March 22, 2007
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Homeward bound
This event went better than anticipated. Midnight Madness, where the merchants stay open extra late, didn't suck as it had in years past. Sales overall were much improved. The weather the last 2 days? great.
We abandoned the site on wednesday because the food selection at the event is miserable. The food served at the 'Bunk House' rates worse than a school cafeteria and I can only take so many gyros from Phils grill. We ate at a place called Copelands of New Orleans. It was a bit swankier than we were expecting but the food was great. There were eight of us, merchants all, including Scott from 'viking-u-like'. He's Dainish but lives in Germany. Funny guy with a lot of great stories. He knows all manner of stuff about Vikings, Danes, Rus, you name it. He'd never had cajun food before but I think he likes it.
After the meal we cought 300 again. Awesome. There was a trailer for 'Pathfinder' which I commented on in an earlier post. The depictions of the vikings is truly cringeworthy. I asked Scott what he thought.
'I think I want to see it, but I feel kind of dirty about it.'
Maybe a protest is in order. The christians are always bitching about how jesus is portrayed. But who speaks for the peace loving Vikings? Anyone want to dress up like a Viking and carry a sign?
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Gulf Wars: Good and bad
We made it here without incident. Set up was smooth except for one missing pole which was replaced by a trip to a Home Depot. Sales are good so far. The weather is hot in the morning but pleasant by night.
Sounds pretty normal doesn't it? Well I just don't have the energy to relate the story of the young couple in the pickup truck that had 'just married' spraypainted on it in Kentucky, or the reunion with an old acquaintance who used to make chain mail at Pennsic. He is now a she.
Then there's the argument with the merchant coordinator over her demand that we put up a sheet wall behind our booth to hide our mundane tents, despite the fact that the road is only for cars! Ahhhrg! We're handling all the strangeness in stride. Glad to be doing what we love. Glad to be away from the winter.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Funniest video EVAR
If you're not familiar with the British show Top Gear you are really missing something. Alas, I can;t get it here but thanks to youtube some of the best of it is available to all.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Dangerocity Part II
With only a few days to go before heading out on the road I managed to get a day set aside for Ballista work with Grimm. Those of you awaiting pictures of us firing flaming projectiles at unsuspecting targets will have to wait.
Our fist order of business was actually fixing my welder. While it wasn't exactly broken, the knob that holds the dial controlling how many thousands of volts are used in the welding process was not holding. After dis assembly we found that the hole for the knob was stripped. Grimm pulled out his tap and die set and I got to tap some bolt holes. A first for me.
Wow, I am actually uncomfortable with reading that.
Anyhow, with repairs made we got down to some serious thinking. The design we are using requires two steel plates to be fabricated. Not having actual plates of steel large enough, Grimm prepared to weld a good dozen smaller pieces of steel together to achieve the same thing.
In my opinion this is like making a windshield from several panes of broken glass. Yes, it might work, no I don't want to be there when its in use. Grimm seemed confident in its structural soundness but it would involve a ton of cutting and welding. Instead I searched the internets and found a company that has a water jet. This VERY cool toy will cut 1/4 inch thick plate steel using a jet of high pressure water. Yes, I asked my wife if I could have one, the answer was no. We fired off the specs and decided to work on shortening the axle.
Out comes our old friend the circular saw. Lots of sparks. I made the second cut but did not have the advantage of long sleeves. Lets just say burning arm hair is not a pleasant smell.
With a 1 foot section removed from the middle of the axle we set up the welding rig outside, where it was bitter cold. Grimm did the welding and a fine job it was. When cool, each of us took turns standing on the axle and so far it has held our weight.
Then...more thinking. Grim has two gears for the winding mechanism. These need to be mounted to a shaft, the shaft needs to be held by several bearings and the center of the shaft needs a drum to wind the draw string onto. We also need to add crank handles. This is by far the most complex part of the operation but we worked out the parts we needed and how we would assemble them. Alas, it was getting late and we didn't have all the tools we needed. We called it a day.
Our fist order of business was actually fixing my welder. While it wasn't exactly broken, the knob that holds the dial controlling how many thousands of volts are used in the welding process was not holding. After dis assembly we found that the hole for the knob was stripped. Grimm pulled out his tap and die set and I got to tap some bolt holes. A first for me.
Wow, I am actually uncomfortable with reading that.
Anyhow, with repairs made we got down to some serious thinking. The design we are using requires two steel plates to be fabricated. Not having actual plates of steel large enough, Grimm prepared to weld a good dozen smaller pieces of steel together to achieve the same thing.
In my opinion this is like making a windshield from several panes of broken glass. Yes, it might work, no I don't want to be there when its in use. Grimm seemed confident in its structural soundness but it would involve a ton of cutting and welding. Instead I searched the internets and found a company that has a water jet. This VERY cool toy will cut 1/4 inch thick plate steel using a jet of high pressure water. Yes, I asked my wife if I could have one, the answer was no. We fired off the specs and decided to work on shortening the axle.
Out comes our old friend the circular saw. Lots of sparks. I made the second cut but did not have the advantage of long sleeves. Lets just say burning arm hair is not a pleasant smell.
With a 1 foot section removed from the middle of the axle we set up the welding rig outside, where it was bitter cold. Grimm did the welding and a fine job it was. When cool, each of us took turns standing on the axle and so far it has held our weight.
Then...more thinking. Grim has two gears for the winding mechanism. These need to be mounted to a shaft, the shaft needs to be held by several bearings and the center of the shaft needs a drum to wind the draw string onto. We also need to add crank handles. This is by far the most complex part of the operation but we worked out the parts we needed and how we would assemble them. Alas, it was getting late and we didn't have all the tools we needed. We called it a day.
Monday, March 05, 2007
About Ann Coulter
*Notice* Harsh language and strong opinions ahead.
If you're not familiar with conservative opinionista Ann (not a tranny) Coulter there is little I can say to bring you up to speed about this rather hateful harpy. Do a little googleing, and keep a trash can nearby for vomiting.
Her latest attempt at humor was at a Conservatives conference where she was the keynote speaker. And what was her crowning glory? Referring to John Edwards as a "faggot".
I'm not kidding. This is not taken out of context or a misspoken word. She outright called John Edwards a faggot.
Now I have a sense of humor. I love a good laugh and conservatives certainly have the right to make fun of the Democrats, the liberals, the Barbara Streisand's and Michael Moore's of the world. But if you're going to throw harsh language around, you better know how the fuck to do it. There are many great filthy comedians. And a well placed "motherfucker" can add a great deal of punch to a joke (just ask Samuel L. Jackson). But if you're idea of a joke is to say "John Edwards of a faggot" then you need to sit down and study the works of Richard Pryor or even Andrew Dice Clay. Comedy isn't about saying naughty words, it's about being funny. Calling someone a faggot isn't really funny.
I suppose you could have still tried the joke using some clever euphemisms. A deft double entendre'. But no Ann, you went right for faggot, just like last year you used the term "Raghead" to describe Muslims. Which is, admittedly, better than "Sand Nigger" which is what I am sure you were grasping for.
Maybe you are just lashing out. Striking back. After all, there have been some unkind things said about you. If I called Ann Coulter a scabby kneed, disease ridden cum guzzler, she might feel I had crossed a line. But this expression is an absurdly wild and obvious untruth. I am also not speaking to an audience of fellow liberals nor representing my joke as the opinion commonly held by said liberals. But humor is subjective. And I guess that your idea of a good yuck is to use one of the most hateful epithets still around.
And the most obvious thing is, you don't bill yourself as a comedienne. You are a pundit. An opinion giver. A representative of the conservative movement. Am I to believe that this is the common opinion of your fellow republicans? I am happy to have several conservative friends. Does this woman speak for you? Maybe you don't like John Edwards, maybe you don't like gays. But I have a hard time imagining anyone these days blurting out such a phrase. Honestly, I haven't heard the term "So and so is a faggot" since... I don't know, 1986?
In the end, they are only words. Stupid, hateful, biggoted words, but just words. And I would not stop her from speaking even if I could. Because Ann Coulter serves a purpose. The same purpose the Neo Nazi's serve. And the frothing at the mouth fundies. They are a powerful reminder of how far wrong ideas can go. Shining beacons of stupidity. Keep talking Ann. You're helping our country is ways you can't even imagine.
p.s. Check out Henry Rollins take on Ann here.
If you're not familiar with conservative opinionista Ann (not a tranny) Coulter there is little I can say to bring you up to speed about this rather hateful harpy. Do a little googleing, and keep a trash can nearby for vomiting.
Her latest attempt at humor was at a Conservatives conference where she was the keynote speaker. And what was her crowning glory? Referring to John Edwards as a "faggot".
I'm not kidding. This is not taken out of context or a misspoken word. She outright called John Edwards a faggot.
Now I have a sense of humor. I love a good laugh and conservatives certainly have the right to make fun of the Democrats, the liberals, the Barbara Streisand's and Michael Moore's of the world. But if you're going to throw harsh language around, you better know how the fuck to do it. There are many great filthy comedians. And a well placed "motherfucker" can add a great deal of punch to a joke (just ask Samuel L. Jackson). But if you're idea of a joke is to say "John Edwards of a faggot" then you need to sit down and study the works of Richard Pryor or even Andrew Dice Clay. Comedy isn't about saying naughty words, it's about being funny. Calling someone a faggot isn't really funny.
I suppose you could have still tried the joke using some clever euphemisms. A deft double entendre'. But no Ann, you went right for faggot, just like last year you used the term "Raghead" to describe Muslims. Which is, admittedly, better than "Sand Nigger" which is what I am sure you were grasping for.
Maybe you are just lashing out. Striking back. After all, there have been some unkind things said about you. If I called Ann Coulter a scabby kneed, disease ridden cum guzzler, she might feel I had crossed a line. But this expression is an absurdly wild and obvious untruth. I am also not speaking to an audience of fellow liberals nor representing my joke as the opinion commonly held by said liberals. But humor is subjective. And I guess that your idea of a good yuck is to use one of the most hateful epithets still around.
And the most obvious thing is, you don't bill yourself as a comedienne. You are a pundit. An opinion giver. A representative of the conservative movement. Am I to believe that this is the common opinion of your fellow republicans? I am happy to have several conservative friends. Does this woman speak for you? Maybe you don't like John Edwards, maybe you don't like gays. But I have a hard time imagining anyone these days blurting out such a phrase. Honestly, I haven't heard the term "So and so is a faggot" since... I don't know, 1986?
In the end, they are only words. Stupid, hateful, biggoted words, but just words. And I would not stop her from speaking even if I could. Because Ann Coulter serves a purpose. The same purpose the Neo Nazi's serve. And the frothing at the mouth fundies. They are a powerful reminder of how far wrong ideas can go. Shining beacons of stupidity. Keep talking Ann. You're helping our country is ways you can't even imagine.
p.s. Check out Henry Rollins take on Ann here.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Wakey Wakey
I dislike alarm clocks, but they are a necessary evil sometimes. If one MUST be awakened, I can think of no better way than with this clock.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
WTF??
For those of you who do not yet know of Wikipedia (all three of you) I urge you to visit the site and then bookmark it. It is a great resource for all manner of information. Editable by all, constantly growing thanks to user contribution and available in several languages.
But there is a dark side to Wikipedia. As Stephen Colbert once said "Facts have a well known liberal bias". So some creative people have make Conservapedia. It's like Wikipedia, but without all the whacko, liberal, fact-checking hippies.
There's little I can add to this review by, of all people, a conservative. It'll give you a good chuckle. And if you're really brave, go take a look at the site for yourself. I did. Check out this tidbit about kangaroos:
Wow.
But there is a dark side to Wikipedia. As Stephen Colbert once said "Facts have a well known liberal bias". So some creative people have make Conservapedia. It's like Wikipedia, but without all the whacko, liberal, fact-checking hippies.
There's little I can add to this review by, of all people, a conservative. It'll give you a good chuckle. And if you're really brave, go take a look at the site for yourself. I did. Check out this tidbit about kangaroos:
Like all modern animals, modern kangaroos originated in the Middle East[1] and are the descendants of the two founding members of the modern kangaroo baramin that were taken aboard Noah's Ark prior to the Great Flood.
Wow.
Guns.
An interresting link can be found at http://www.armedamerica.org/
It is a collection of photos and short stories about gun owners and their guns.
It's strange. One thinks of photos of armed men and women as a product of the past. Civil War soldiers and square jawed lawmen. Or maybe smirking gangsters or on the lamb bank robbers. But there are just ordinary people who happen to own guns.
I myself remain on the fence about guns. On the one hand I was raised on really cool gun fights. I like the technology and the artistry of the gun. I just wish that they were somehow smarter than the people that wield them. That they could somehow know when they were being handled by a six year old, or that the bearer was drunk or depressed. I'm a big believer in science. Maybe someday guns will be that smart.
I still don't own one. I've been tempted. But the responsibility of owning an object that can kill another person just by pointing it at them, either intentionally or unintentionally, is just too much for me. There's a ghost that haunt me whenever I look at a table of handguns. And in the end I say "Not today".
It is a collection of photos and short stories about gun owners and their guns.
It's strange. One thinks of photos of armed men and women as a product of the past. Civil War soldiers and square jawed lawmen. Or maybe smirking gangsters or on the lamb bank robbers. But there are just ordinary people who happen to own guns.
I myself remain on the fence about guns. On the one hand I was raised on really cool gun fights. I like the technology and the artistry of the gun. I just wish that they were somehow smarter than the people that wield them. That they could somehow know when they were being handled by a six year old, or that the bearer was drunk or depressed. I'm a big believer in science. Maybe someday guns will be that smart.
I still don't own one. I've been tempted. But the responsibility of owning an object that can kill another person just by pointing it at them, either intentionally or unintentionally, is just too much for me. There's a ghost that haunt me whenever I look at a table of handguns. And in the end I say "Not today".
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Pics of Paradise
Remember how I said that Arizona was one stunning looking fair? I took pics of the best looking booths for inspiration. If you want to see what Rennie Paradise looks like, here you go:
Amazing
If you haven't seen this ad yet, do it now. Yes, its for a shoe. But that doesn't matter because its really just a very short but very powerful movie.
I listened to hundreds of hours of Opera back when I was a butler and can identify quite a lot of it. But actual operas are really quite long and often boring. I'm sure they were the Lord of the Rings extended edition DVD's of their time. I'll take an aria here and an overture there but not an entire opera. That doesn't mean that this music isn't simply amazing, and when joined with these visuals the results are no less emotional than a full length movie. I actually wept when I saw this commercial. The story is told without words as they are unnecessary. Everything is there. You understand the emotions, motivations and pain of every face on the screen.
Nike has a history of making some kick ass commercials, such as the Demon Smiting Nike ad some years ago. Yes, it's as ad, but that doesn't mean it ain't art. If you doubt me, go check out the BMW short film series 'The Hire'. (sadly, only available on youtube instead of high quality video) They were actually better than several films that came out the same year. After one particularly aweful film I forced my friends to watch these films and they agreed that the films were better than what we had just seen (check out Powderkeg, its the best).
p.s. The song is Lacrimosa from Mozarts Requiem
I listened to hundreds of hours of Opera back when I was a butler and can identify quite a lot of it. But actual operas are really quite long and often boring. I'm sure they were the Lord of the Rings extended edition DVD's of their time. I'll take an aria here and an overture there but not an entire opera. That doesn't mean that this music isn't simply amazing, and when joined with these visuals the results are no less emotional than a full length movie. I actually wept when I saw this commercial. The story is told without words as they are unnecessary. Everything is there. You understand the emotions, motivations and pain of every face on the screen.
Nike has a history of making some kick ass commercials, such as the Demon Smiting Nike ad some years ago. Yes, it's as ad, but that doesn't mean it ain't art. If you doubt me, go check out the BMW short film series 'The Hire'. (sadly, only available on youtube instead of high quality video) They were actually better than several films that came out the same year. After one particularly aweful film I forced my friends to watch these films and they agreed that the films were better than what we had just seen (check out Powderkeg, its the best).
p.s. The song is Lacrimosa from Mozarts Requiem
Home again, home again...
Managed to pull the show out of the fire with some last minute sales. I enjoyed the warm Arizona days but it was time to go. The wind was kicking up and dust began once again to settle on everything. You constantly felt gritty. We packed up everything, handed our stock to the SCA UPS person praying that it would get delivered to a UPS store (UPS doesn't pick up at the site for some reason) and headed out.
On the way to the airport for our Midnight flight we visited the Arizona Ren Fair. Man, I work in a freakin ghetto. A slum. Ohio Ren? Great Lakes? They just can't hold a candle to this show. I need to get in there. Amazing grounds, stunning booths. Alas, we couldn't stay long as there was a road closed and we had to take a lengthy detour and did'nt want to risk getting lost.
Home now, safe but sick. Hack! wheeeeze.
On the way to the airport for our Midnight flight we visited the Arizona Ren Fair. Man, I work in a freakin ghetto. A slum. Ohio Ren? Great Lakes? They just can't hold a candle to this show. I need to get in there. Amazing grounds, stunning booths. Alas, we couldn't stay long as there was a road closed and we had to take a lengthy detour and did'nt want to risk getting lost.
Home now, safe but sick. Hack! wheeeeze.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Brutal
Midnight Madness today. 15 hours straight for so so sales. At least the night is warm. Tomorow we'll open for a few hours and try to pry a few last minute sales. Then we pack it all up. We don't fly out till midnight but it will still be a busy day tomorrow.
This show can do better, we just need to be in a better spot.
In some ways this event feels more period. Unlike Pennsic there is no barn, no Coopers house or other modern buildings in the merchant area. When I walked along the dusty roads today among the tents I could have been wandering the tent souks and markets a thousand years ago.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
The mother of invention...
We're flying out soon and the last minute packing is almost done. Fly out shows are a bear. Weight is the enemy. Get the weight down while still taking enough to do the show. I ordered a heavy duty corset rack and will have it shipped right to the site. I plan on selling it after the event at a slight loss.
Then there were the 2 lightweight racks we use for skirts and shirts. I hadn't looked at them since last summer and when I did I found 1 piece of plastic missing, effectively making one rack useless. I went to buy another one at WalMart but it's no longer carried. The new cheapie racks suck. So it's off to the hardware store. Some copper tubing and a few conectors, about 20 minutes in the shop with a saw and a torch and the upgrade is complete. Didn't even set myself on fire. I added about 35 inches to the rack. Larger rack, fewer parts and everything will fit into the luggage.
I yearn for warmth.
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