Being an Atheist in America Isn't Easy - Newsweek Society - MSNBC.com

A good read and it should make you think.
Being an Atheist in America Isn't Easy - Newsweek Society - MSNBC.com

Cox & Forkum: Divine Intervention

This cartoon nails it!!!

Cox & Forkum: Divine Intervention

Rumsfeld eyes ICBMs in terror war

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. An ICBM as a terrorist deterrent???
Rumsfeld eyes ICBMs in terror war - Yahoo! News

The Cheney presidency - The Boston Globe

Interesting.... ;-)

The Cheney presidency - The Boston Globe

Christian zealots destroy ancient Arctic petroglyphs

Just shows that there are fanatics and zealots in every religion.
Christian zealots destroy ancient Arctic petroglyphs

The Day The Earth Fell Over - Yahoo! News

I've read about this theory a couple of times. Very interesting and scary if true.
The Day The Earth Fell Over - Yahoo! News

Pepsi Girl

LOL! The Pepsi Girl for your viewing pleasure. :-)

There are some sick people out there...

Sometimes you read a story and just have to say: WTF are they thinking? This is one of those stories...

Man receives four years for necrophilia - gainesvilletimes.com

Beloit College's Mindset List for the class of 2010.

I've seen this list before but never knew where it came from. Very interesting.

Beloit College

Stargate SG-1 cancelled, Atlantis renewed

They say all good things must come to an end but this absolutely makes no sense! One of the best shows on television period and they're going to shut it down. At least Atlantis will live on but I'm gutted by this. The cast and crew have been a part of my life for the last 10 years. You will be missed.

Stargate SG-1 cancelled, Atlantis renewed

Still angry...

Activists Try to Curtail Hotels' In-Room Porn

Just another example of a religious group trying to impose their moral beliefs on everyone else because they're offended.
Activists Try to Curtail Hotels' In-Room Porn

I'm offended that they are offended.

Final boarding call for Mr. Terrorist.

Blatantly stolen from Seaeagle's blog. It's a funny one!

Red Green shorts

If you ever want a good laugh this is a show to check out. Keep your stick on the ice.

Beach Balls - Ouch!

Something to remember when going on holiday to the beach.

  

Black Jack rescinds housing regulation

Good to hear that this family is "allowed" to live together. How kind of the city of Blackjack.... (that was sarcasm by the way)

Black Jack rescinds housing regulation

That's Carry On!!!

That's Carry On!

More Carry On!

More Carry On!

Carry On At Your Convenience

Man I love these films!

AN-124

AN-124
Originally uploaded by matneym.

Side view of the AN-124 Condor at the Scott Air Force base airshow today. A very big plane indeed!

B-25 Nose Art

B-25 Nose Art
Originally uploaded by matneym.

Nose art from one of the B-25s at the air show today.

U.S. Lags World in Grasp of Genetics and Acceptance of Evolution - Yahoo! News

Why am I not surprised? :-(
U.S. Lags World in Grasp of Genetics and Acceptance of Evolution - Yahoo! News

Ananova - Mountain resembles breasts

Fun story... :-)
Ananova - Mountain resembles breasts

New August Podcast from Magnum

Latest update on Magnum in the studio. Can't wait for the album to come out!

magnumonline.co.uk

Wired News: The Eternal Value of Privacy

If I posted this before I apologize but it's worth reading again and again.
Wired News: The Eternal Value of Privacy

Funny political joke

Know the best way to keep College Republicans from showing up at an event?

Make sure there are some Army recruiters there...

Uncle Sam wants you – even if you’re 42 years old

Me thinks recruiting isn't going as well as they would have us believe.
Army Times - News - More News.

Bush submits new terror detainee bill - Yahoo! News

Can we just stomp on the Constitution a few more time for fun? What is this country coming to?
Bush submits new terror detainee bill - Yahoo! News

Unfortunately this quote from Star Wars is so relevant: "So this is how liberty dies, to the sound of thunderous applause" - Padme.

Gibson's Anti-Semitic Tirade -- Alleged Cover Up - TMZ.com

Mel, Mel, Mel...maybe he's been taking lessons from Ann Coulter. I've loved him in his movies but he seems to need some help.

Gibson's Anti-Semitic Tirade -- Alleged Cover Up - TMZ.com

Tonights playlist

Tonight's playlist.

Tornado Friday!

Well, I've finally got my internet service back up so I'm catching up. If you didn't hear we had 2 tornadoes blow through Troy last Friday. We were lucky at the Matney house and only had some minor damage, nothing that can't be easily fixed. Many of my neighbours weren't as lucky. We were without power for just over 24 hours. I've never seen so many trees down and destruction from a storm in my life. Below are a few links that show some of the damage in the area.

KSDK NewsChannel 5 - Photogallery

Storm photos

At one point over half a million people throughout the St. Louis area had no power. Even today some still don't have it back. Thankfully all my friends and family are safe.

Vacation Photos

Finally getting around to posting some photos from my vacation out to Oregon earlier in the month. Enjoy!

Vacation Photos

Spanish MPs push for apes' rights

An interesting concept and sure to generate a lot of controversy. This very subject has been in quite a few science fiction books that I have read over the years. As our understanding of animals, intelligence and how animals communicate increase I forsee more of this kind of debate.

BBC NEWS | Europe | Spanish MPs push for apes' rights

Daughter discovers birth-mom is co-worker

This is an awesome and amazing story.
Daughter discovers birth-mom is co-worker

Politicians need not abandon religion - Yahoo! News

An interesting article by Senator Obama.

Politicians need not abandon religion - Yahoo! News

Pink Floyd Founder Dies - Yahoo! News

I've never been a big fan of Pink Floyd but there is no denying their impact on rock music history. Without Syd there would have been no Pink Floyd. May he RIP.

Pink Floyd Founder Dies - Yahoo! News

Fallen Wiccan soldier left with no memorial

This is downright shameful. This man died serving his country and the VA treats him like this soley because his religion is Wicca. Shame on the VA!

Chron.com | Fallen Wiccan soldier left with no memorial

Magnumania in Oregon

Here's one of me with me Magnumania shirt at Crater Lake, Oregon.

 

ABC News: Awkward Moments Abound in Penis Pump Trial

I just got selected for jury duty. Maybe I'll get one of these "fun" trials.

ABC News: Awkward Moments Abound in Penis Pump Trial

Effort to outlaw flag burning fails in Senate - Yahoo! News

The American people and the Constitution won today. May the flag fly free!

Effort to outlaw flag burning fails in Senate - Yahoo! News

President Freezes Terrorists' Assets

All this outrage from the left and right over a program that was announced by the President himself back 0n 24 September 2001. Sheesh!

President Freezes Terrorists' Assets

Oregon State wins College World Series - Yahoo! News

I've always been a Duck fan in regards to the in-state rivalry but congratulations Oregon State! Love to see one of the home state teams win the big one.

Oregon State wins College World Series - Yahoo! News

Oregon State wins College World Series - Yahoo! News

I've always been a Duck fan in regards to the in-state rivalry but congratulations Oregon State! Love to see one of the home state teams win the big one.

Oregon State wins College World Series - Yahoo! News

The Electric Six - Gay Bar

A funny video, just for Ray.

Soldiers missing in Iraq found dead - Yahoo! News

My thoughts go out to the families of these 2 men. May they RIP and may we find the bastards who did this.

Soldiers missing in Iraq found dead - Yahoo! News

Show's over for Top of the Pops

Sad to see the show go. There have been some great performances over the years and part of the culture.

MediaGuardian.co.uk | Media | Show's over for Top of the Pops

Today's video - Zodiac Mindwarp & The Love Reaction

The first time I ever saw this video I instantly became a Zodiac Mindwarp & the Love Reaction fan.

U.S. bounces back to tie Italy 1-1 - Yahoo! News

Nice game gentlemen! You definitely held your own against a great Italian team. The refs certainly didn't make things easy for you, or Italy for that matter. Now all we need is to bet Ghana on Thursday!!!

U.S. bounces back to tie Italy 1-1 - Yahoo! News

NPR : Teens Turn 'Repeller' into Adult-Proof Ringtone

I guess I'm not an adult (even though I'm 40) because I can hear the damn thing and it's annoying.

NPR : Teens Turn 'Repeller' into Adult-Proof Ringtone

Google Earth update

If you haven't ever used Google Earth you're missing quite a treat. For those who do but haven't heard there is a new release, Beta 4. Haven't had any problems with it yet. I've got a lot of places bookmarked that I used to live at and favourite places I've visited. Anyone want to swap kml files?

Google Earth - Home

Rush X3

Look what came in the post today.... Woooohoooo!!! Time to fire up the ol' DVD player and 5.1 sound.

Bowling For Soup - Emily video

Today's video is Emily by Bowling For Soup. Fantastic band and they have some funny vids.

Thunderhead

A Rush tribute band that I went and saw last night. A very enjoyable time and a great bunch of guys.

Thunderhead

GUN - Word Up

In my opinion the best cover of a song ever.

YouTube - Olbermann exposes O'Reilly on Malmedy

Ouch! Slam dunk and a home run all in one. Go Mr. Olbermann!!!

YouTube - Olbermann exposes O'Reilly on Malmedy

"'Conservative' Doesn't Mean What You Think"

An interesting take on being a conservative.

After the Future: "'Conservative' Doesn't Mean What You Think"

The Boulevards

Wow! A young Tony Clarkin.

The Boulevards

Magnum - Vigilante

Watch and enjoy!

Dixie Chicks Take "Long Way" to No. 1 - Yahoo! News

Good for them. The CD is really good.

And so much for the theory that their career is in the tank because of Maine's rant against the President.

Dixie Chicks Take "Long Way" to No. 1 - Yahoo! News

Teams Ready To Test Sex Shop "Weapon of Mass Destruction"

Just a reminder that not all terrorists are foreign.

First Coast News - Local News - Teams Ready To Test Sex Shop "Weapon of Mass Destruction"

Report clears Armstrong of '99 doping allegations

Somehow I don't think these people will let go of this. They just can't stand that the guy was winning.

ESPN.com - CYCLING - Report clears Armstrong of '99 doping allegations: "Report clears Armstrong of '99 doping allegations"

Magnum in the studio

Magnum are back in the studio working on their next album. Al Barrow has set up a nice little video podcast to watch so head over and see what the guys are up to.

magnumonline.co.uk

Memorial Day

I didn't forget as we were away all weekend (see me previous post) but today is Memorial Day here in the United States. The day we pay respect to the men and women who have fallen defending our country and of our allies who have also died in the cause of liberty and freedom. May you all R.I.P.

Memorial Day Weekend

Just got back from Wisconsin where we spent Memorial Day weekend with the in-laws. We kept busy helping them get ready for their new house to be put on the foundation on Tuesday. But it wasn't all work as I did get to play a little. Here's me on the quad having a little fun.

Chron.com | Veterans' ID Theft May Be Largest Ever

They waited two weeks to inform the FBI???? Someone needs to be fired right now.

Chron.com | Veterans' ID Theft May Be Largest Ever: "Veterans Affairs officials waited two weeks to call in the FBI to investigate the theft of sensitive personal data, delaying a warning to 26.5 million veterans now at risk in one of the nation's largest security breaches. Lawmakers from both parties demanded answers."

Personal data on millions of US veterans stolen - Yahoo! News

Flippin' wonderful. Can't anyone safeguard all this personal info anymore? Hopefully I won't get hit by this though I'm one of them who's on the list.

Personal data on millions of US veterans stolen - Yahoo! News

Trojan Nuclear Cooling Tower Implosion

I remember driving by the Trojan plant many times when I was a kid.

Trojan Nuclear Cooling Tower Implosion

Lawmaker taped accepting cash: court document - Yahoo! News

Idiot!

Lawmaker taped accepting cash: court document - Yahoo! News

Iceland's Silvia Night Goes Crazy

Guess she was a wee bit upset... LOL!

YouTube - Eurovision Song Contest - Iceland's Silvia Night Goes Crazy

Unleash the Fury!

Unleash the fury! Went to Pops last night and saw Yngwie Malmsteen unleash the fury on us. I do have to say the man is an impressive guitarist but...it didn't do a lot for me. His playing is phenomenal but everyone else in the band is just there in the background. The songs themselves aren't really what I would call songs. Just a vehicle for him to solo and do guitar histronics. Not that there is anything wrong with that or that at times I don't want to see and hear it. But after seeing Steve Vai last year and what he does with his band I was left underwhelmed by Yngwie.

On a more positive note the opening band was Orange Sky from Trinidad. I was impressed by them as it seemed was the crowd. The lead singer/guitarist put it this way: "we aren't out to be the loudest or heaviest, just to make good music". That they did so check them out.

The Sun Online - News: Rev's let us pee in church

Oops!

The Sun Online - News: Rev's let us pee in church

Students see red over Mao send-up

Aye carumba! Will this madness never stop? It's called satire people!

New Zealand news on Stuff.co.nz: Students see red over Mao send-up

New music this week - Hoobastank

The latest CD in my collections is Hoobastank - Every Man For Himself. If you like their previous releases you will like this one too.

YouTube - Kiefer tackles the christmas tree

There must have been a terrorist behind that tree! Go Jack!
YouTube - Kiefer tackles the christmas tree

Unwed couple with kids lose vote

This is just so wrong. This is a family but since they don't meet the "Christian" definition they can't be a family? Welcome to America 2006.
Unwed couple with kids lose vote

New Air Force dress uniform?

Have to admit it doesn't look to bad. The colour might need to be a little lighter blue as to get away from the stormtrooper look though.
Flickr: Photos from Paplikaplik

Laura Bush doesn't believe bad polls - Yahoo! News

Maybe if she got out away from the handpicked crowds and talked to the man/woman in the street reality might set in.
Laura Bush doesn't believe bad polls - Yahoo! News

!!! BREAD IS DANGEROUS !!!

!!! BREAD IS DANGEROUS !!!

Research on bread indicates that:

1. More than 98 percent of convicted felons are bread users.

2. Fully HALF of all children who grow up in bread-consuming households score below average on standardized tests.

3. In the 18th century, when virtually all bread was baked in the home, the average life expectancy was less than 50 years; infant mortality rates were unacceptably high; many women died in childbirth; and diseases such as typhoid, yellow fever, and influenza ravaged whole nations.

4. More than 90 percent of violent crimes are committed within 24 hours of eating bread.

5. Bread is made from a substance called "dough." It has been proven that as little as one pound of dough can be used to suffocate a mouse. The average American eats more bread than that in one month!

6. Primitive tribal societies that have no bread exhibit a low incidence of cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and osteoporosis.

7. Bread has been proven to be addictive. Subjects deprived of bread and given only water to eat begged for bread after as little as two days.

8. Bread is often a "gateway" food item, leading the user to "harder" items such as butter, jelly, peanut butter, and even cold cuts.

9. Bread has been proven to absorb water. Since the human body is more than 90 percent water, it follows that eating bread could lead to your body being taken over by this absorptive food product, turning you into a soggy, gooey bread-pudding person.

10. Newborn babies can choke on bread.

11. Bread is baked at temperatures as high as 400 degrees Fahrenheit! That kind of heat can kill an adult in less than one minute.

12. Most American bread eaters are utterly unable to distinguish between significant scientific fact and meaningless statistical babbling.

In light of these frightening statistics, it has been proposed that the following bread restrictions be made:

1. No sale of bread to minors.

2. A nationwide "Just Say No To Toast" campaign, complete celebrity TV spots and bumper stickers.

3. A 300 percent federal tax on all bread to pay for all the societal ills we might associate with bread.

4. No animal or human images, nor any primary colors (which may appeal to children) may be used to promote bread usage.

5. The establishment of "Bread-free" zones around schools.

DOJ Moves to Dismiss AT&T Class Action under Cover of Night

State secrets, warrantless wiretaps....

EFF: DOJ Moves to Dismiss AT&T Class Action under Cover of Night

NSA has your phone records; 'trust us' isn't good enough - Yahoo! News

Exactly right, "trust us" just doesn't work anymore. Any good will I had is gone.


NSA has your phone records; 'trust us' isn't good enough - Yahoo! News

Students Disciplined For Facebook Content

Another example of the government intruding into our lives. What right does the school have to do this? It was away from the school, in the privacy of their own home and yet the school is dictating their lives now. If you think about it this is related to the story I posted below about the teacher getting fired for something she did in her past that wasn't illegal. What's happening to our freedoms?

KSDK NewsChannel 5 - Students Disciplined For Facebook Content

WBIR.COM - Teacher fired for making adult movie 11 years ago

Is this the direction our country truly is headed? This woman has turned her life around but that doesn't matter. How many more good people are going to have their lives ruined by something that happened in their past that has no bearing on what they are doing now. Just sad...

WBIR.COM - Teacher fired for making adult movie 11 years ago

Top 10 sci-fi films

Not a bad list. I haven't seen the original Solaris but the new version with George Clooney wasn't too bad.

Guardian Unlimited | Science | Top 10 sci-fi films

What if...

An interesting article on the BBC that poses some moral dilemmas.

BBC NEWS | Magazine | What if...: "Suppose you could save five
lives by taking one - what would be the correct thing to do?"

kangaroo - Google Video

This is a funny video to watch.

kangaroo - Google Video

New Beginning for "Battlestar" - Yahoo! News

If it's half as good as the new BSG this will be awesome!

New Beginning for "Battlestar" - Yahoo! News

I miss my car...

Man, do I miss England and driving this car. It was only a 518 but there was nothing better than driving through the East Anglia countryside listening to Magnum. Those are memories I will always treasure.

 

Don't take that picture

Here she is again, the big chicken.  

It's Cookie!

Here's a picture of Cookie out on the lawn. She was acting like a 'fraidy cat tonight when I got the camera out.

 

Headbanging, academia meet in heavy-metal documentary - Yahoo! News

Looks like a documentary I'll need to see.

Headbanging, academia meet in heavy-metal documentary - Yahoo! News

Nut Bra

Bollocks!

Nut Bra

Girl's heart restarted after donor organ removed - Yahoo! News

Absolutely amazing.

Girl's heart restarted after donor organ removed - Yahoo! News

Union Jack - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Union Jack is 400 years old today.

Union Jack - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jack Coming Back for More "24" - Yahoo! News

Wooohooo!

Jack Coming Back for More "24" - Yahoo! News

NP: All About Eve - Keepsakes A Collection

If you're an All About Eve fan this is a must. The DVD with all the videos is worth the price alone. Just to hear Julianne's voice is sheer pleasure.








All About Eve

Senior Republican to Bush: say "exactly what happened" - Yahoo! News

I don't think that's asking too much.
Senior Republican to Bush: say "exactly what happened" - Yahoo! News

India retires Cold War spy MiGs

Another piece of the Cold War goes to the dustbin of history.

BBC NEWS | South Asia | India retires Cold War spy MiGs

YouTube - Public Service Announcement From Damone

LOL, this is good.
YouTube - Public Service Announcement From Damone

RIP Gene Pitney

Another legend passes away.'
Independent Online Edition > RIP Gene Pitney

Today's CD Purchases

Pink - I'm Not Dead













And....

Lacuna Coil - Karmacode

US military plane crashes at base

It's amazing that no one was killed. People just don't realize how huge a C-5 is. I give a lot of credit to the pilots and the crew. Glad to see you all made it!

BBC NEWS | World | Americas | US military plane crashes at base