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  • Broken Metaphors

    John Travolta vehicle “Broken Arrow” has made colorful DoD slang pertaining to nuclear weapon “whoopsies” popular . Here’s an official version, and here’s how I understand them. With examples, of course.

    Nucflash
    Detonation or unauthorized launch of a nuclear weapon that might start a war
    What Captain Kong did in “Dr. Strangelove”

    Broken Arrow
    Like Nucflash, but without war starting and stuff
    What Jack Bower did in a “24” episode

    Empty Quiver
    Nuclear weapon stolen or misplaced
    What evil Scientologist John Travolta did in “Broken Arrow” (ironic, I know)

    Rogue Spear
    Empty Quiver is confirmed
    Again evil Scientologist , blah blah.

    Bent Spear
    Major accident where a nuke gets dropped, damaged or even burned, but does not detonate
    Something like this

    Dull Sword
    Guard asleep, weapon duct taped to the plane, etc. Business as usual
    Hiring people who did this, snapped a photo and posted it on the web.

    Faded Giant
    Nuclear power plant meltdown
    What Homer Simpson did in numerous episodes of “The Simpsons”

    With capitalism being what it is, makes the best of a somber situation. In case of Broken Arrow you can always order some flowers from Broken Arrow Florists.

  • Dang!

    I missed the Solstice at the Sun Triangle yet again, and this morning I missed the launch of the White Knight / Space Ship One on TV because they delayed it by about 20 minutes. Anyway, Happy Monday, Happy Solstice and Happy Capitalist Space Day, everyone!

  • And Here I Am, Without a Screwdriver

    I thought that thoughtful MTA electricians left these exposed boxes in subway walls so that individuals low on hope could tap in. But it turned out that this is simply a product of HOPE Electrical Products Co., Inc.

  • Look Ma, No Photoshop!

    This weekend I took a walk with my wife over Manhattan Bridge. Taking pictures from it is rather hard because of the moving trains that produce a lot of vibration.

    I wonder if I could sell this to Verizon folks for a calendar or something.

  • Windowlets

    Previous generations had a different attitude towards natural light. Of course, some might say that it was because gas and kerosene lamps were expensive and unsafe. But I think I am beginning to understand why Tesla could not find any takers for his evilest invention (yes, eviler than the earth splitting device and the death ray) – the fluorescent lamp. Who would agree to work in an inhuman greenish glow instead of natural light?

    Well designed early skyscrapers had plenty of large windows, even the factory floors were sun drenched. I’ve read in Henry Petroski’s “The Book on the Bookshelf” about library stacks that had glass floors, transparent enough to admit light to the lower floors, but opaque enough not to allow upskirt peeks.

    Here’s a similar concept: store’s trapdoors that have little glass windowlets that admit light from above. I wonder what ripped so many of them out. I’ve seen other steel doors like that, and it seems to me that it’s pretty hard to mess them up. The thick glass is firmly embedded into steel and they are flush to the surface.

  • The Mythical Man-Moth

    This little moth found refuge on a phone wire under a decrepit light fixture in a subway stairwell. 1/15 sec at F2.8 if you care about such things.

  • I’d Buy That For A Dollar!

    This bag, standing abandoned near a phone booth and some garbage bags quickly reminded me of Cyril Kornbluth’s masterpiece “The Little Black Bag” and it’s follow up story “The Marching Morons”. I strongly recommend you get acquainted with Mr Kornbluth ASAP. If you are not cheap, splurge on NESFA’s fine compilation.

    I bet that bag held a laptop from the year 2047 that could write “Enterprise quality” software by itself. But I somehow chickened out and did not check its contents. Could be a severed head just as well.
    This bag, standing abandoned near a phone booth and some garbage bags quickly reminded me of Cyril Kornbluth’s masterpiece “The Little Black Bag” and it’s follow up story “The Marching Morons”. I strongly recommend you get acquainted with Mr Kornbluth ASAP. If you are not cheap, splurge on NESFA’s fine compilation.

    I bet that bag held a laptop from the year 2047 that could write “Enterprise quality” software by itself. But I somehow chickened out and did not check its contents. Could be a severed head just as well.

  • Wha-what’s happening? I’m losing the crowd. Down to 201 “friends”.

    It could be the obscure Mat Groening references, or the photos, or maybe the cubicle monkey. I don’t know, but continuing posting junk as planned. Here, at Deadprogrammer Light Industries we stopped caring about the consumer a long time ago.

    Anyway, here are two absolutely excellent commercials that completely stuck in my mind. They totally make me want to drink Starbucks® Double ShotTM drinks in Puma® running shoes despite my knowledge that these are indeed inferior products.

    Ok, maybe I am not going to start purchasing Starbucks® and Puma® products, but I do drive my wife nuts singing “Mike, Mike, Miiike! … And he knows one day he just might become … a Director ” and saying “Stick! Stick! Stick! Go! Go! Go!”.

    Lyrics to “Glenn! Glenn! Glenn!” are a bit hard to understand, but actually pretty funny:

    Glenn
    Glenn Glenn Glenn
    Glenn Glenn Glenn
    Glen Glen Gleeeeeeenn

    Glen’s the man going to work
    Got his tie
    Got ambition

    Middle management is right in his grasp
    It’s a dream he will never let die
    Glen’s the man of the hour
    He’s the king of his cube
    Status com reports’ve finally met their rival
    Burning candle at both ends on his way to the top
    He knows one day he just could become …
    Supervisor

    Interestingly enough “status com reports” is only once referenced by google – and even at that on the site discussing “Glenn!” lyrics.

    I also wonder why they chose such a sterile and clean bathroom and kitchen to use in the commercial. I mean, have you ever met a “Glenn” who would clean his apartment that clean?

  • Number One, I Order You To Take Number Two

    1 Broadway – where it all begins. According to this previously the site used to house Washington’s revolutionary headquarters. The nautical theme remains from previous tenants, a cruise ship company of some sorts. Still actual today – Mercury is for investment banking and Poseidon for underwater stock options.

  • The Tinkles Enter The Age Of RSS

    WIGU, now in RSS flavor: .