And so, at the appointed hour, Cornflake and I began our great quest. First we had to provision ourselves with the proper travel food.
Captain Mojo
The Great American Road Trip
Today marks the beginning of what looks to be a fine summer road trip. Starting from my homebase here in Seattle, I’ll be accompanying my stalwart comrade and former co-blogger, Commander Cornflake, on a great cross-continental trek.
My destination: Washington D.C.
As a service to you, the fine Chicago Boyz reader, I shall endeavor to document this journey (internet access permitting) as I avoid the dangers of the American wilderness and outwit a countless stream of communist saboteurs.
Talk to you soon…
The Globalization Of American Politics
I’m constantly astounded by the degree to which Europeans concern themselves with American politics. You’d think I’d be used to it now, 45 years on. I remember one day in 1999 listening to the Diane Rheem show on my car radio coming back to work from lunch. The topic was the upcoming election and the guests were several European reporters covering them. I was surprised by both the number of international callers and the vehemence of their opinions.
Todays Telegraph has an article by Rachel Sylvester that brings that home to me once again:
…whatever happens in the United States in November will speed back, like a ricocheting bullet, to the British general election next year. There is an agreement across the political spectrum in Westminster that this presidential election is the most important for decades…
Proof That We Are Living In The Future
What do you get when you mix these three things?
The Heckler & Koch G36 Assault Rifle (currently fielded by the German and Spanish armies)
The M41-A Pulse Rifle (used by Colonial Marines in the movie Aliens)
The Lazer Tag StarLyte Pro Toy (used by me in my 80’s childhood)
The answer is the Army’s new XM-8 Carbine / Assualt Rifle.
StrategyPage says the new rifle is getting good reviews. It currently fires NATO standard 5.56mm rounds, but may be rechambered for the new 6.8mm ammo the Army is considering.
Now the M-16 / M-4 family looks cool and all, but the XM-8 looks like the guns we were promised for “The Future”, along with all the flying cars, despotic coporate police states, and zero-G brothels. The rest of civilization may be failing us, but at least the military is keeping up its end of things. If only they could get those orbital weapons platforms working, we’d be all set…
Music news you can lose
Fantastic* news coming from our favorite leporidae-flavored warmonger: William Shatner has recorded a new album.
The new record, produced by alternarock piano-man and sometime pop-genius Ben Folds, will feature a guest appearance by former black flag front-man, and long-time professional angry person, Henry Rollins.
For those of you unclear as to this event’s importance (how can you be so uncultured!?!), please visit William Shatner Sings for examples of the man’s great talent. My personal favorite is his rendition of Lucy In The Sky, but they’re all… well, how do I put this… let’s just say they’re all entertaining.
*In using that adjective “Fantastic” in this context, I am perhaps twisting its meaning a bit. Although the dictionary does have fantastic defined as “Quaint or strange in form, conception, or appearance” that doesn’t quite get the meaning I was after. I was really trying for a word that meant, “so fundamentally terrible that the brain rejects it and latches onto ironic humor as protection.” I apologize for any confusion.