charlesboyer's blog

us vehicle mpg has improved only three miles per gallon since the days of the ford model t
 If you think that the cars of today are more efficient than ever, think again.  ...
Today at 1:00 p.m.

outdoor 'ice' skating rinks coming to soon to raleigh
You may not find a lot of frozen ponds in Raleigh, but that won’t stop one company from bringing outdoor skating to the City of Oaks. Warté Designs, a local events design and interior...
Nov. 10, 2009

aussies have a choice when they head to the poles, err polls 12/5
 The recently vacated seats of Higgins and Bradfield [in the Australian Parliament] have got some interesting new candidates in the running for December 5. The Australian Sex Party's leader Fiona...
Nov. 9, 2009

woman deceives husband, friends into believing she had breast cancer; they raise money, she gets "enhancements" instead
 Count Trista Joy Lathern’s husband and co-workers among those who now feel misled and betrayed by her alleged pretense that she had breast cancer and was undergoing the rigors of chemotherapy....
Nov. 9, 2009

say it ain't so: the media got it all wrong (as usual) covering the ft hood shootings
 Last night, right-wing blogger (and law professor) Glenn Reynolds promoted this ...
Nov. 6, 2009

promoters building a wall to keep out unticketed fans at concert marking fall of berlin wall
U2 fans are outraged over plans to restrict the view of the band's free concert in Berlin, Germany - after organisers decided to limit the number of people allowed to catch a glimpse of the Irish rockers. ...
Nov. 5, 2009

swine flu detected in a cat
 The swine flu virus has been confirmed in a cat treated at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Officials said Wednesday it's the first known case of the virus to be...
Nov. 4, 2009

boeing picks sc over nc and washington state for new 787 plant
 Boeing Co. will open a second assembly line for its long-delayed 787 jetliner in South Carolina, expanding beyond its longtime manufacturing base in Washington state to take advantage of economic...
Oct. 29, 2009

women's stockings being used to measure whale libidos
"To see if a whale’s libido is going full-throttle, grab a pair of nylons and head to the ocean, reports the New...
Oct. 28, 2009

woe be to pirates: the navy's new 50+ mph ship
 The Independence is a 418-foot warship built in Alabama, and she boasts a top speed in excess of 45 knots, or about 52 mph.  Independence cruised at 44 knots for four hours during builder...
Oct. 22, 2009

weather channel to start showing...movies
  The Weather Channel plans to show movies for the first time in its 27-year history, according to AP. "The Perfect Storm," will be the first one. The George Clooney and...
Oct. 21, 2009

your "private" medical records are up for sale
It not widely known  to patients,  but an increasing number of outside vendors that manage electronic health records also have access to that data, and are reselling the information as a commodity....
Oct. 20, 2009

the price of vacation around our office
 One of our good friends at work just got back from a sunny Caribbean cruise to this.  http://www.wral.com/golo/image_gallery/6244637/  Thanks...
Oct. 20, 2009

cable news and balloon boys parents played y'all for suckers
PT Barnum once said that "a sucker is born every minute" when asked why people accepted his outlandish claims about the wonders of his circus shows.  And he was right.  People...
Oct. 16, 2009

the "none of the above" party
I am sick of both of the major political parties.  The truth is that neither one of them truly has the common American family in mind.  They both want to serve their special interests, and...
Oct. 15, 2009

earth and moon, as seen from mars
This is an image of Earth and the Moon, as seen from Mars.  It was acquired at 5:20 a.m. October 3rd, 2007, at a range of 142 million kilometer using the High Resolution Imaging Science...
Oct. 15, 2009

scifi film that might just really happen: splice
A video clip has been released from Vincent Natali’s upcoming science fiction film, Splice. The film...
Oct. 14, 2009

possibility of a hyperdrive to be tested at lhc
 "In 1924, the influential German mathematician David Hilbert calculated that a stationary mass should repel a particle moving towards or away from it at more than half the speed of light...
Oct. 8, 2009

dell closing winston-salem plant
According to the N&O:   http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/130736.htmlThis turned into a very good use of tax money, n'est c'est pas? Dell plans to close its computer...
Oct. 7, 2009

friday fun: who is this???
 Here's a little quiz for you.  Who is this lady?  Hints: 1. At 58 years old, she's aged very well. 2. You may have spent the night with her once, but you never met...
Sep. 18, 2009

only 2.8% of okla. students pass citizenship test
The Oklahoma Council of Public Affair, a conservative public policy research organization commissioned a study aimed at determining the...
Sep. 18, 2009

is it time to split the us into two countries?
Bill McMcLellan of the St. Louis Post states the obvious: We...
Sep. 17, 2009

i grew up in that house on millbrook road that's burned down (updated)
 In 1 973, we moved to North Carolina and moved into the house at 1005 Millbrook Road that was on the news tonight that caught fire and has the road closed. Wow.  We lived there for...
Sep. 15, 2009

american communist party disappointed by schoolkids' reaction to obama speech
Sam Webb, the leader of the American Communist Party (ACP) stated that he was disappointed today after schoolkids' largely failed to react to the speech given to them by President Barack Obama. "We...
Sep. 9, 2009

bev perdue to annouce flu tax
In another attempt to raise funds "for the children of North Carolina" Governor Bev Perdue plans to sign an Executive Order today enacting a special Influenza Tax.  Anyone who catches...
Sep. 8, 2009

helicopter halos in afghanistan
 Check out these photos of helicopter static-electric phenomenon resulting in beautiful rings of light. The alo effect named after two lost soldiers who already earned their own:  The...
Aug. 26, 2009

the telephone terrorists living in their mom's basements
The Internet Tough Guy "Dex" has been found and identified.  He is the leader of the infamous online group "Pranknet" -- which has incited hundreds of thousands of dollars in...
Aug. 10, 2009

the last time the feds ran a car company
 Imagine you could buy a new car, using a well-developed and long-used technology that would result in your shiny new vehicle having: A considerable reduction in maintenanceA...
Aug. 4, 2009

madd criticized as neo-prohibitionists (and they are)
No longer a voice against stopping the horrors of drunk driving, MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is now a group that is increasingly dedicated to re-enacting the Failed "Noble Experiment"...
Aug. 4, 2009

study on driving while yapping on cellphones quashed
The other morning, I was pulling our boat to the northern end of Kerr Lake on I-85.  On the way we were nearly sideswiped -- twice -- by a Cadillac Escalade that drifted into my lane as if I weren't...
Jul. 27, 2009

wsj: executives receive 1/3 of all pay in us
According to a Wall Street Journal analysis of Social Security Administration data, more than one-third of all pay in the U.S. now goes to executives...
Jul. 23, 2009

my nc tax hike protest: buying out of state
It looks like Boozin' Bev has gotten her way with the legislature and that we're all going to pay an extra 1-cent "temporary" (like NC *ever* had a *temporary* tax they didn't make permanent)...
Jul. 22, 2009

a different take on moon landings (by james warner)
 Today, July 20, 2009, marks the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing by astronaut Neil Armstrong. Almost everyone who was alive at the time will remember the day. They will remember where...
Jul. 20, 2009

nasa images apollo landing sites
NASA released photographs of nearly all of the Apollo project's lunar landing sites today, clearly showing the remaining equipment left behind from the missions, but also evidence of human footprints....
Jul. 17, 2009

the duel in the sun, 32 years later
 This post is for golf fans, and is an excerpt from an article I wrote last week for my golf blog, "Me And Old Man Par."  This week, professional golf plays its third major tournament...
Jul. 14, 2009

scientists: sperm travels faster toward attractive females
From the Department of You Just Can't Make This Stuff Up: A new study has shown that even sperm can be superficial. Researchers...
Jul. 10, 2009

"free bird" 35 years old today
 If you had a nickel for every time you've heard this song, you might be able to pay for a nice vacation.  It's still popular, especially here in the south, and along with Led Zeppelin's "Stairway...
Jul. 7, 2009

michael scheuer says america's only hope is a nuclear attack by bin laden.
Michael Scheuer on Fox News: "The only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deploy and detonate a major weapon in the United States. Because it's going...
Jul. 1, 2009

dear north korea, our icbms work better than yours. with love, the us air force
The Air Force says it has successfully launched an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile from a California base, firing it to targets in the Pacific Ocean. Lt. Raymond Geoffroy...
Jun. 30, 2009

it's official, cats are stupid
"Cats are not as clever as people think, according to experts at the University...
Jun. 17, 2009

iran: the twitter revolution
The authortarian Iranian government is trying its best to squelch the Green Revolution taking place there right now, but it is failing because of two tools that Americans like to poo-poo as a waste...
Jun. 17, 2009

sad ruth madoff can't afford her luxuries anymore
Have you ever had a moment where you wonder exactly how bad you should feel for Ruth Madoff and the specific things you should feel bad about for her? Don't...
Jun. 15, 2009

italian woman who missed ill-fated air france flight dies in wreck
 A woman who missed the ill-fated Air France Flight 447 died yesterday in a car crash:  Italian...
Jun. 11, 2009

lightning from the top of a thunderstorm
One of the hardest and most elusive weather phenomena to photograph is something called a "blue jet" - which...
Jun. 10, 2009

last night's storm
After dark last night, southern Wake County had a long-lived and slow moving lightning show over the area, and for fun, I got out the camera and tripod and set it up on my front porch to capture the...
Jun. 10, 2009

ncsu fires mary easley
 http://www.newsobserver.com/executive_privilege/story/1560714.html  "N.C. State University's Board of Trustees has terminated the contract of Mary Easley. "The trustees...
Jun. 8, 2009

rbc center getting new hidef jumbotron
The RBC Center's old low, low definition scoreboard is being replaced with new panels and will have much higher clarity for next season. You can view photos of the construction of the new scoreboard...
Jun. 5, 2009

new virus from africa: lujo...prepare for the hype!!!
Just wait until CNN and Fox get wind of this -- the "we're all gonna die, everyone panic" stories are sure to be amusing.  They'll surely claim a global outbreak of hemorrhagic fever...
May. 29, 2009

atlantis lifts off on monday
Here is the view from Monday's launch of the orbiter Atlantis shortly after she left the pad on her way to the Hubble Telescope.  Other than launch personnel and the press, 5.5 nautical miles is...
May. 13, 2009

does wral over-use their screen crawl?
For the past several weeks, I have been rather amused when we watch WRAL's HD broadcasts that they stream a message across the bottom of the screen that they are ending analog broadcasts in June. ...
Apr. 30, 2009

i thought you wanted out of the us, governor perry!
 After calling for secession, Texas governor Rick Perry is now seeking  federal...
Apr. 28, 2009

the baby hit by a baseball at a bulls game reminded me of my dad
 Recently, an infant with his parents was struck by a foul ball at a Durham Bulls game. That reminded me of something that happened when I was a young buck: when I was about 8, my family...
Apr. 17, 2009

roadrunner testing usage caps
 Time Warner Cable is planning to roll out new internet service trials that would limit monthly usage to 40 GB for typical users. Initial tests will take place in Greensboro...
Apr. 13, 2009

sing along: meekerville's city anthem
Sung to the tune of Margaritaville: Nibblin on cheesecake Watching the sun bake All of our streets are covered in cars So I'll build a new train To run past my front porch...
Apr. 13, 2009

marines give south park creators signed picture of saddam
Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of South Park, were given a very special gift by US marines: a...
Apr. 9, 2009

unc football recruit arrested for sex w/ 14 yo
Angelo Hadley, a University of North Carolina football recruit, was arrested on two felony charges of lewd and lascivious battery on Sunday by the Hillsborough County (Tampa, Fla.) sheriff's office. http://blogs.tampabay.com/preps/2009/04/exhawk-hadley-arrested.html According...
Apr. 9, 2009

ever seen a moondog? i bet studley put it up there for us tonight
 Go out and look up at the moon tonight (here around Raleigh anyway.)  See it? Look at the white ring that' circling it.  I've read the outpouring of sympathy and thoughts for Studley...
Apr. 4, 2009

consensual parenting: or how to raise a neurotic narcissist
 The way kids are being raised is far different than when I was young.  Back then, it was do as you were told -- or else.  There were strict boundaries, and automatic punishments for...
Mar. 31, 2009

today in history: 3/27/1851: the discovery of the yosemite
 Perhaps the most beautiful place in the entire US is Yosemite Valley in California.  With four of the ten highest waterfalls in North America, Yosemite is an incredible place that defies...
Mar. 27, 2009

nc state's own jill wagner
 With all of the talk about too fat, too thin, how about one just right with some major Raleigh ties?  Jill is from Winston-Salem, has a BS in business (and graduated with honors) from...
Mar. 24, 2009

new reality show looking for america's hottest "momshells'
There's no apron, no mommy jeans or frump of any kind. These days, it's all about being a "momshell," the latest term used to describe a new generation of bombshell moms.  And now...
Mar. 23, 2009

a ditty for my friend's ex
One of my friends has the proverbial ex-from-hell, the kind of person so immature that she is using her child as a platform for her ideas of revenge.  She does all she can to make life difficult...
Mar. 23, 2009

pelosi dodges chance to end automatic raises
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday would not commit to holding a vote on a bill to do away with the annual cost-of-living increases. She pointed out that Congress recognized the economic crisis...
Mar. 13, 2009

did dinosaurs exist until the middle ages in se asia? 12th cetnury carvings say yes.
 "This image is from Ta Prohm Temple, located in what is now the Cambodian jungle, and built in 1186. Carvings on it seem to suggest that dinosaurs were a part of the locals' life.Now a rumor...
Mar. 11, 2009

tarp money fuels drug co merger; 35,000 jobs to be lost
The Law of Unintended Consequences strikes again: according to banking and pharmaceutical analysts, the pending merger between drug-makers Merck and Schering would have been impossible without moneys...
Mar. 10, 2009

chuck norris turns 69 tomorrow
Tomorrow, 69 turns Chuck Norris.  The popular martial arts actor and political activist was born on March 10, 1940. Some fun Chuck facts: When a tsunami happens, it’s because...
Mar. 9, 2009

things you will never hear bev perdue say
Bev Perdue is going to give us a speech tonight at 7pm.  I can hardly wait, after all, we know we can count on Bev. Unfortunately, we can count on her to tell us a load.  If she talked to...
Mar. 9, 2009

canes trade to get erik cole back
 NHL Trade Deadline News:  The Canes sent Justin Williams to the LA King in exchange for Patrick O’Sullivan. Carolina then packaged O’Sullivan and shipped him off to Edmonton...
Mar. 4, 2009

conservatives think chicago getting nuked would be funny
 This morning, former U.N. ambassador John Bolton spoke to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). He tried to up the fear...
Feb. 27, 2009

conservatives think chicago getting nuked would be funny
 This morning, former U.N. ambassador John Bolton spoke to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). He tried to up the fear...
Feb. 27, 2009

the fbi warned of mortgage fraud in 2004
More bad news for banks:  the FBI has been warning of an "epidemic" of mortgage fraud since September 2004. It also reports that lenders initiated 80% of these frauds. ...
Feb. 26, 2009

wake county school board members: reduce your salaries!
 A Florida school board, faced with financing challenges, has reduced their own pay in order to match that of a first year teacher. In a time of fiscal strain for citizen and government...
Feb. 25, 2009

calvin and hobbes describes the bailout perfectly!
 A fifteen year-old Calvin and Hobbes comic strip describes the bailout/stimulus/whatever plan to a T.   If you would like to see the full size version of the cartoon, please...
Feb. 11, 2009

did the usa almost collapse on 9/18/08? some folks are saying yes
 Motley Fool calls this the "The One Jaw Dropping Video that Every Fool Must See". In...
Feb. 10, 2009

finally a politician that we can get behind....
 A "Draft Stormy" movement has begun in Louisiana in an attempt to get adult film star Stormy Daniels to run against David Vitter in the next election. Non-partisan Politico...
Feb. 9, 2009

10 valentine's day woes, with solutions
I found this list of Valentine's Day gripes on MSNBC.com.  I thought to myself, heck, these aren't insurmountabgle problems.  Actually, most are pretty easy if you have half a brain. Love...
Feb. 4, 2009

cash4gold will rip you off if you let them
Some things are too good to be true, and if you hear it on AM radio or on late night TV, it probably is.  Turns out that the Cash4Gold company that advertises everywhere these days (including the...
Feb. 2, 2009

brandon costner not returning to nc state next year
NC State starter Brandon Costner doesn't plan to return to the Wolfpack hoops team next year.  Costner will receive his degree this spring, and after that, he plans to give a shot to playing basketball...
Jan. 29, 2009

jessica alba punks bill o'reilly...twice.
Looks like Bill OReilly has a weaker grasp of history than Jessica Alba.  But that won't stop him from being a blowhard about it:  Via my friend Karl Frisch: Bill...
Jan. 29, 2009

breaking up is ugly
One of my friends broke up with his other half recently, and I sent this to him to give him some perspective. All of us (friends AND family) told him not to get married, but of course he didn't...
Jan 27, 2009

the "hokey pokey" is about cocaine? who knew?
You learn something every day: that a song you've heard all your life, one that was on the cartoons we watched as kids, one we hear at Virginia Tech songs, etc., is...
Jan 21, 2009

crash in nyc is why the olf shouldn't be built near plymouth
Yesterday, when we saw the miracle that was no one getting killed after a US Airways Airbus crashed into the Hudson River, we also saw the best reason why the proposed OLF should never be built near...
Jan 16, 2009

how much the bank bailout costs you, and boa needs anouther $82 from each person in the us
Bank of America is back in Washington with its palms upwards, looking for more handout (ooops, bailout) money.  This time, $25 billion dollars. That's nearly $82 from each person in the US,...
Jan 15, 2009

weather channel says snow next friday
 Granted it is eight days away, but the Weather Channel's web site is predicting snow for the Raleigh area a week from tomorrow:  forecast Here's...
Jan 8, 2009

astronaut from fayetteville to pilot next shuttle mission
Astronaut Tony Antonelli, who was raised in Indiana and North Carolina, will make his first journey into orbit, serving as the pilot on space shuttle Discovery's upcoming mission to the International...
Jan 6, 2009

the hot christmas gift this year was snuggies?!?
I would have never guessed it, but it looks like this year's "cool' gift was Snuggie Blankets -- that blanket with sleeves thingy that most all...
Dec 26, 2008

shoe thrower begging for pardon
The man who flung his shoes at President Bush is now begging for a pardon from the Iraqi Prime Minister: Shoe...
Dec 18, 2008

bettie page in critical condition after heart attack
Pin-up model Bettie Page has been taken to a hospital in Los Angeles following a heart attack. Agent Mark Roesler...
Dec 8, 2008

manhunt in my neighborhood, ken smith reporting from the end of my street!
As I got home from work tonight, I was surprised by literally a dozen sheriff's cars zooming around our quiet neighborhood in Eagle Ridge.  As I turned onto the street I live, there was Channel...
Aug 20, 2008

i might skip florida next week
A tropical depression off of Puerto Rico is expected to strengthen before aiming at the east coast.  Current models have it aimed towards Florida, but it may do us well to keep an eye on this storm...
Aug 15, 2008

department of the obvious: beer goggles are real
Scientists have proven that drinking makes the opposite sex more attractive.  Nooooo kidding.  I wonder if they conducted this research sometime late in the evening, perhaps near closing time....
Aug 14, 2008

what's your dream job (or life?)
Yesterday's post about the beach stirred up an old daydream for me: quitting working in an office, selling everything and moving down to an island in the Caribbean and buying a beachfront Tiki Hut bar,...
Aug 13, 2008

a practical joke i played on a friend...
One of the things that continually plague folks who work in Information Technology is the dreaded "can I ask you a quick question about my computer at home?" I don't mind helping folks,...
Aug 12, 2008

follow the money: congress members' oil co holdings
One of the strongest instincts anyone has is to what's good for them.  That in mind, the chart below shows the stock holdings in the leading oil companies by members of the House of Representatives....
Aug 11, 2008

mistress: elizabeth edwards 'gave off bad energy'
From TMZ.com: John Edwards' mistress Rielle Hunter didn't like the look of Elizabeth Edwards from the very beginning -- or her energy. She told a Newsweek reporter that Elizabeth...
Aug 11, 2008

us government stockpiles 500,000 coffins in atlanta
Nothing to worry about, I am sure, but the US government has stockpiled one-half million coffins near Atlanta's airport -- which is a major logistical hub for travel at home and abroad.  A half...
Aug 7, 2008

like really old music? here's an online collection of 78s
 Back in the day, records were "78's" - singles that played at 78 RPM.  These records came to vogue in the 1920's, when electronic...
Aug 1, 2008

delta makes woman with muscular dystrophy crawl off plane
The 'good' folks at Delta Airlines recently made a woman with Muscular Dystrophy crawl off of an airplane rather than assist her in making a connection.  Then, when she missed the plane, gave her...
Jul 30, 2008

earthquake rattles la
This just in: a magnitude 5.8 earthquake has rattled Los Angeles, California.  I'm sure that we'll all be seeing plenty of reports as the afternoon progresses.  Hope everyone is okay.  ...
Jul 29, 2008

they never said that!
 People often quote famous lines from different people, but in many cases, those people never said the quote in the first place.  Here's a brief list of some of them:  "Play...
Jul 29, 2008

xm/sirus merger approved
The FCC approved the Sirius and XM merger over the weekend, and the two services will soon merge their programming.  This is good news for sports fans, who will now be able to get ACC, NFL, MLB,...
Jul 28, 2008

madonna: as she really looks
Here's a picture of Madonna that was recently on TMZ.com.  No makeup artists, Photoshop jobs, no help at all: this is Madge as she really is...old.  Used up.  Tired. I really wish...
Jul 27, 2008

what doctors think (but don't say)
Reader's Digest polled a number of doctors about what they thought to themselves where their patients were concerned as well as other issues that they confront.  It's not surprising, after all,...
Jul 22, 2008

bender for president! (the heck with mccain and obama!!!)
Bender is honest about his platform: Bender. Bender tells the truth and doesn't care what you think. Bender lives on beer. What other qualifications does one need?  Since you...
Jul 18, 2008

consumers are getting bored with the whole "green" movement
Critics have already started to expose what they see as greenwash advertising. A French group called l’Alliance Pour la Planète, for example, cites an ad for a Japanese sport utility...
Jul 18, 2008

this is the real us (my wife and i)
Warts and all.  We are what we is.  larger version
Jul 17, 2008

what's the failure rate of hard drives? exactly 100%
When I got into work this morning, I got a frantic voice-mail message from a friend, asking me to give him a call as soon as I could.  Fearing the worst, I dialed him up to ask what was the matter. "My...
Jul 17, 2008

unprotected pc on twc road runner lasts an average of 4m12s until it is hacked
Sometimes, I need to make a point to the user community that I manage here at MegaCorp(tm), so I did a little experiment to do exactly that in a Powerpoint presentation that I am preparing for a talk...
Jul 16, 2008

erin esurance on vacation
Even cartoon characters need to relax.  All of those pens, erasers and paintbrushes can wear out even the hardest working two-dimensional person. Paparazzi...
Jul 15, 2008

low blow by pub partisan, or a preview of fall?
The billboard in the picture above was originally put up by a private Republican partisan near Orlando, Florida, and has been decried by both Democrats and Republicans alike down in the sunshine state. Interestingly,...
Jul 15, 2008

some random thoughts
Life is sexually transmitted. Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. Men have two emotions: Hungry and Horny. If you're not in the mood, give him a sammich. Give...
Jul 11, 2008

spankins: good for the whole family?
I kid, I kid, I do NOT advocate domestic violence. That said, I had a friend who confided in me once (liquor=truth serum) that his wife enjoyed a good spanking and would do things to "ask...
Jul 10, 2008

where ships go to die: alang
At Alang, India, on a six-mile stretch of oily, smoky beach, 40,000 men spend their days tearing apart half of the world's discarded ships, each one a buffet of toxic waste: oils, hazardous chemicals,...
Jul 9, 2008

cruise ship: fail
A cruise ship with 51 people on board ran aground and was stuck for about nine hours in Alaska. The ship was eventually towed to safety and a National Park Service vessel was transferring passengers...
Jul 9, 2008

summer and lightning
This is a photo I made last Friday night at our campsite at Kerr Lake.  As you can clearly see, the lightning stroke was very close -- we all felt the EMP (electro magnetic pulse) of it as it happened...
Jul 8, 2008

sascha baron cohen (borat) fools arkansas fight fans into being extras in his new movie
Lured by $1 beer and the prospect of "hot chicks" and "hardcore fights," thousands of Arkansans were duped last month into appearing as extras in comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's...
Jul 8, 2008

the real ron burgundy dies at 70
Ron Hunter, who was the inspiration for Will Ferrell's character Ron Burgundy in the film "Anchorman" has died at 70 in Las Vegas.  "In his long career, Ron Hunter anchored top...
Jun 29, 2008

former republican guiding light offers withering critique of the gop
Republicans are turning on their own.  Kevin Philips, who predicted the prolonged Republican dominance...
Jun 28, 2008

maker of hot wheels worth more than gm
General Motors, once the largest company in the US, has seen it's stock fall from over $94 a share in 2001 to less than $12.  That puts the market cap at slightly less than Mattel, maker of Hot...
Jun 27, 2008

home for sale includes buxom young wife
For a mere $500,000, you can buy not only a house, but get the woman that lives in it as part of the deal: A struggling single parent and real estate agent is trying to sell her house and...
Jun 27, 2008

philly news anchor fired for hacking his co-anchor's computer
Philadelphia's TV news is really a soap opera these days.  KYW-TV...
Jun 25, 2008

wilbur hardee passes on; founded hardee's restaurants
Wilbur Hardee, the fouder of Hardee's restaurants has passed on at the age of 89.  Hardee's Founder Found Dead  He...
Jun 24, 2008

amy winehouse has emphysema
Talented but troubled British chanteuse Amy Winehouse has been diagnosed with emphysema, according to the BBC.  In the same article, her father begged drug dealers and bad influences to stay away...
Jun 23, 2008

nasa will have two shuttles on the pad this fall
NASA this September will have fully assembled shuttles on both of its Kennedy Space Center launch pads for the first time since 2001 and for only the 17th time in more than a quarter-century...
Jun 20, 2008

what would you ask john mccain?
If you could ask presumptive Republican nominee one question, what would it be?  This is a follow-upo to Ladyblue's most excellent blog post: "What...
Jun 19, 2008

reverend al sharpton may be in trouble with the irs
[A] probe into the Rev. Al Sharpton's finances intensified this week, with the IRS sending out a flurry of subpoenas to his most generous corporate donors, The Post has learned. ...
Jun 19, 2008

if raleigh had the tallest building in the world, it would look like this
Placed to scale in the current city skyline, here is the Burj Dubai, which at 160 stories will be the tallest building in the world when completed.  It is currently under construction in Dubai,...
Jun 18, 2008

send your name to the moon on nasa's next probe
You can sign up at NASA’s “Send Your Name to the Moon” website and your name will be etched onto a microchip installed on a lunar spacecraft that will explore the moon for years. NASA...
Jun 17, 2008

n&o surprise: newspapers are obsolete in the internet age
In the age of the Internet, newspapers are increasingly finding that their place in the world is not unlike that of Morse Code and telegraph: once king, but replaced by faster and better technologies. ...
Jun 16, 2008

house democrats scuttle proposal to search for more us oil
From the Department of You Have Got To Be Kidding Me: A House subcommittee on Wednesday rejected a Republican-led effort to open up more U.S. coastal waters to...
Jun 12, 2008

"see rock city" - southern americana at its best
Years ago, from Texas to Michigan, all the way into central North Carolina, travellers would pass by barns painted with the phrase "See Rock City" in huge letters on their roofs.  They...
Jun 10, 2008

cute ad: "every bird should get to fly"
The idea behind this ad is really great: every bird should get a chance to fly -- even penguins and chickens.  Enjoy. Every...
Jun 9, 2008

the greatest race horse ever: secretariat's three triple crown races
Big Brown failed to deliver in the Belmont Stakes yesterday, and disappointed a lot of folks interested in seeing the Triple Crown of horse racing won for the first time in over thirty years. Probably...
Jun 8, 2008

a snow white dove is hanging out in the yard this afternoon
I've seen and photographed a lot of birds in my time, but this is a new one: a pure white dove hanging out beneath an azalea bush in our front lawn this afternoon.  He's obviously of some interest...
Jun 7, 2008

god rest ye, jim mckay: longtime abc announcer dies
Jim McKay, 86, best known for hosting "ABC's Wide World of Sports" and 12 Olympic Games, has died of natural causes in Maryland, according to a statement from the McKay family.  ...
Jun 7, 2008

progress energy seeks 16% rate hike
Progress Energy today asked state officials to approve a whopper of a rate increase to cover the soaring cost of fuel needed to run power plants. The Raleigh-based utility wants to...
Jun 6, 2008

check out buger king's new ads
Burger King has employed ".start" - a German ad firm - to design their new European ad campaign.  To say the least, it is eye-opening. Tray...
Jun 5, 2008

government looking at replacing gas tax with per-mile tax
Imagine every highway as being a "virtual" toll road where you pay taxes for every mile you drive your vehicle.  Right now, a system is being tested where you would be billed for your...
Jun 5, 2008

another virus scare in email...another hoax
As an IT guy, "helpful" friends seemingly always forward messages warning me of the next virus plague.  In every single case, the messages have been hoaxes perpetrated on unwitting folks. ...
Jun 5, 2008

ice road truckers: season 2 starts sunday
Ice Road Truckers will be back Sunday night on The History Channel.  It will be a little different this year, with a new road but with many of the same characters:   On The Road...
Jun 4, 2008

airlines may start charging passengers by the pound
Imagine two scales at the airline ticket counter, one for your bags and one for you. The price of a ticket depends upon the weight of both. That may not be so far-fetched. ...
Jun 3, 2008

oil - from algae? a startup company has started making it
A San Diego start-up says it is using algae to make oil that can be refined into gasoline and other fuels that are renewable, and it plans to produce 10,000 barrels a day within five years. ...
Jun 3, 2008

cereal mascots reunion
I always wondered what happened to the cereal mascots when they retired...now we know.  I found the painting (click to see larger) on illustrator...
Jun 2, 2008

wake county schools are bad? check out clayton county ga
The mere mention of the name "Wake County Public Schools" gets a lot of folks riled up, and from time to time, myself included.  Me personally, I think that they are an inefficient...
Jun 2, 2008

mccain considering sarah palin for vp slot
Alaska's governor, the very attractive Sarah Palin, is among those being considered for the VP slot on the Republican ticket this fall.  Palin, at 44, is younger than Barack Obama, and is, of course,...
Jun 1, 2008

mccain considering sarah
Jun 1, 2008

delta sued by passenger for $1m
I have to say I have mixed feelings about this: on one hand, it sounds like a lawyer is grandstanding and aiming for a rich settlement out of court, but on the other hand, US airlines have gotten incredibly...
May 29, 2008

un secretary-general: "notable progress" being made in iraq
It should be interesting to see how the presidential candidates spin this one, and I expect we will hear from them by the end of the news day.  The UN's Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, noted yesterday...
May 29, 2008

think your kid is trouble? check out semaj....
Semaj Tries to Sneak On a Jet Again  Semaj Booker, the Tacoma 10-year-old who...
May 28, 2008

japanese plan to brew "space beer"
A Japanese brewery Tuesday said it was planning the first "space beer," using offspring of barley once stored at the International Space Station. Researchers said the project...
May 28, 2008

every office needs this guy: terry tate, office linebacker
He thinks out of the box.  A true paradigm shifter.  A one-man action item. He is #56, Terry Tate, Office Linebacker. The OSPN (Office Sports Programming Network) Office...
May 27, 2008

fail at the beach...
I just got this is e-mail from a friend who took this picture earlier this spring.  He posted it here: Shipment...
May 27, 2008

what music are you listening to these days?
Every now and again, I get tired of listening to the CDs I already have and go and listen to some new stuff and then head out and buy it, make a copy for the car and the iPod and then jam out for a...
May 27, 2008

man claims to allergic to wifi; wants ban
Group Wants WiFi Banned From Public Buildings  A group in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is seeking a ban...
May 25, 2008

man claims to allergic to
May 25, 2008

man claims to allergic to
May 25, 2008

the 1811 "volcanic eruption" in nc
In late 1811, an Asheville resident, John Clarke Edwards, wrote a letter that was published in the Chillicothe Fredonian in...
May 23, 2008

remember this lady?
Since we've talked a little bit about old-time WRAL people today on GOLO, I thought I would mention Adele Arakawa, the former WRAL news anchor who is in Denver these days: KUSA...
May 22, 2008

poll asks: should we bring back 55 mph national speed limit
One of the most hated laws of the 20th century, the 55 MPH National Speed Limit may be poised for a comeback, according...
May 22, 2008

ai contestant luke menard has cancer
Here's hoping he has a full and quick recovery. Idol Singer Diagnosed...
May 21, 2008

way bigger than ai: eurovision 2008 semifinals are tonight
Since its inauguration in 1956, and running every year since, Eurovision is one of the longest-running television programs in the world. It is also one of the...
May 20, 2008

the world will not end in 2012: here's why
You may have heard this already, but if you haven't yet, you're going to as the date draws near: some say the world is going to end on December 21, 2012.  That's the day the Mayan...
May 20, 2008

spielberg making blackbeard movie?
This could be really good.  It would be even better if it were filmed in NC, because that's where Blackbeard lived part of his life. Entrepreneur Pat Croce is about to...
May 19, 2008

ball of confusion, that's what the world is today (hey hey)
This song is as true today as it was on the day that it was written:  The Tempations: "Ball of Confusion"...
May 17, 2008

please support the back home box foundation
Here's an organization that I can (and do) support, and I really encourage you good folks to do the same.  It's run by an online friend of mine, and he's a really good guy and this is a real charity,...
May 17, 2008

duke lax accuser gets her degree in police psychology
The exotic dancer who falsely accused the Duke Lacrosse Players in 2006 has gotten her bacherlor's degree in Police Psychology. Perhaps I missed this when I was on vacation last...
May 16, 2008

syrian blogger gets three years in jail
If you think the prisons are full in the US now, consider what would happen if people were jailed here for excercising free speech. Article...
May 15, 2008

tired of traffic? get one of these!
For years and years, magazines and futurists have promised us "flying cars" that would speed us to our destinations in a carefree manner, ostensibly while we ate bon-bons and watched WRAL's...
May 15, 2008

president bush says he gave up golf to honor iraqi dead
While I don't doubt that the President meant very well by this, it may have best been left unsaid -- mainly because it really sends some free ammo to his detractors:  Bush...
May 14, 2008

woman does study on "catcalling" - some women hate it, some women love it.
A woman walks down a city street, or in a public place and gets whistled at, or has a comment made about their sexiness.  Some women find that offensive, others, not so much.  So says Holly...
May 14, 2008

horses abandoned out west as feed prices rise
I think one of the easiest ways to judge a person's character is in the way that they treat their animals.  No, I am not a PETA moonbat, or a person who has 53 cats in their house, but I do think...
May 14, 2008

postcard from sint maarten: island time at the airport
Hello all from Sint Maarten, DWI.  I'm on an island today in the Lesser Antilles, about 190 miles east of Puerto Rico.  Sint Maarten is roughly 35 square miles in size, and is partitioned...
May 6, 2008

hell's jukebox: what would be on it?
If you've been very bad, when you go to your great reward and find the elevator headed down, what music would be playing when you entered into the Gates of Hell? Some nominations: Muskrat...
May 2, 2008

photobombing: sneaking in to others' photos
I learn something every day, for example, that there is a word for stuff we know about in every day life, but didn't know that there is a specific word to describe it. For example, the word "...
May 2, 2008

disney complains about racy hannah pics, but has 12 year old in their underwear on billboards in china
Talk about hypocrisy: Disney, producers of the Hannah Montana TV show, was all up in arms expressing their disappointment about Miley Cyrus's somewhat provocative photos that are in Vanity Fair...
May 1, 2008

some scenes around nc
Here's a few photos from my collection of NC photos: Image Gallery Hope you enjoy them and hopefully see some places that you've been. ...
May 1, 2008

vegetarian demands freedom from "second hand bbq smoke"
From the Department of Get The Hello Over Yourself: Vegetarian Wants Advice on How To Insist Her Friends Do Things Her Way A...
Apr 29, 2008

no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow!
I found this photo on Spaceweather.com this morning and thought I would share it: a rainbow's end, and unfortunately, no pot of gold.   
Apr 25, 2008

"ufo" lights in arizona were faked
Sorry, but it doesn't look like you'll need to lend your cellphone to ET so he can call back to his house.  Once again, Occam's Razor cuts the chase: "the simplest explanation is almost...
Apr 23, 2008

the stealth fighter is retiring today
America's first "ninja plane" is flying off into the sunset today:  F117 Night Hawk Stealth Retiring...
Apr 21, 2008

what kind of sicko looks at child porn?
Every other day there seems to be a new article on WRAL.com and other sites about some local guy that's been arrested for possessing or worse, creating child porn.  If they are guilty, I saw throw...
Apr 19, 2008

nc state wolfpack sports blogs list
During the NCAA Tournament, I tossed out some UNC blogs that were interesting for fans to read, and I promised that I would write another entry focusing this time on the Wolfpack.  Since the Spring...
Apr 18, 2008

you cannot vote for the president...unless you are a member of the electoral college
It constantly amuses me when people talk about who they are going to vote for in November for President.  When I tell them that not only can they not vote for the President, that their vote might...
Apr 17, 2008

peggy whitson to set us space endurance record
The current commander of the International Space Station, Peggy Whitson, will return home Saturday after she shatters the record for total time spent in space by an American.  Score one...
Apr 17, 2008

husband clings to hood as wife speeds down interstate
"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." -- William Congreve From the Department of Don't...
Apr 16, 2008

survivor to be broadcast in hd
After 8 years and 16 seasons, CBS' Survivor reality TV series is finally upgrading its cameras...
Apr 15, 2008

progressives and their intellectual snobbery
It's said that one is often defined by their friends -- and for Barack Obama in November, his friends may indeed prove to be his undoing.  Consider last week when Obama said to wealthy supporters...
Apr 15, 2008

fayetteville street restaurant requires credit card for reservation, then charges $20 per person who doesn't show
It's not every day that a Raleigh restaurant makes the top post at Consumerist.com, a website devoted to pointing out the shams, ripoffs and...
Apr 14, 2008

what's dick cheney looking at? a naked lady?
http://www.whitehouse.gov/vicepresident/photoessays/outdoors/06.html Take a look at the photo above of Vice President Dick Cheney....and look at the reflection inhis sunglasses.  Hmmm,...
Apr 11, 2008

the not so secret chinese military operation in the us yesterday
This seems to have escaped the notice of most of the American public, but alongside the Olympic Torch in San Francisco yesterday were several Chinese paramilitary agents whose job was "to keep...
Apr 10, 2008

i miss calvin and hobbes!
Until about thirteen years ago, one of my favorite morning rituals was cracking open the comics page in the newspaper and reading the day's Calvin and Hobbes cartoon.  More often than not, C&H...
Apr 7, 2008

i found a photo of my dad working on apollo 11
 One of the fun things I love to do is to look for photos of my grandfather or Dad in the old NASA archives from the Apollo series.  This afternoon, I...
Apr 4, 2008

the annual bout with uncle sam: april 15th is coming quickly
I'd Rather Have a Root Canal Than Do Taxes.  Last night, I had a Title Defense Bout with Uncle Sam, refereed by "The Box."  The prize was our checkbook and savings account,...
Apr 4, 2008

advertisers to start help writing tv shows...will programs just be ads?
This recently popped up on the New York Times: NYT...
Apr 3, 2008

the best show on television returns friday night
When people hear the name "Battlestar Galactica" they automatically think "geek."  If they do, they have no idea what they are missing.  BSG has been, by far, the...
Apr 2, 2008

april fool's is tomorrow
Today ends the last of March, which came in like a lamb and is going out like a lion.  Tomorrow, however, is one of my favorite sort-of holidays: April Fool's Day. There have been some great...
Mar 31, 2008

why aren't these fraudsters in jail
No doubt you have read the forecasts of gloom, doom and recession sweeping the country-- the news is full of it.  If you are a homeowner, you've probably discovered that your home's value is either...
Mar 28, 2008

time lapse photo of the international space station over raleigh
I went behind our house last night about 8:15 and set up my digital camera, and took this photo of the ISS as it orbited almost directly over my house.  It was supposed to show up at 8:24pm, and...
Mar 27, 2008

out of this world: a second space tourism plane is announced
A Competitor To SpaceShip Two Is Announced California aerospace company Xcor Aerospace...
Mar 26, 2008

some sweet 16 online reading
UNC fans are no doubt excited about their game tomorrow night against Washington State as  their Tar Heels continue down the Road to the Final Four.  Already, there are plenty of folks wearing...
Mar 26, 2008

"what life will be like in 2008"- 1968 popular mechanics article
Here's an interesting look back at an old magazine article that tried to tell readers back then what life would be like today:  What...
Mar 24, 2008

the international space station will be visible early wednesday evening over raleigh
This coming Wednesday evening, you can see the International Space Station as it flies over the Raleigh area roughly an hour after the sun sets.  It should be one of the brightest objects...
Mar 24, 2008

excited about the lunar eclipse? a total solar eclipse in nc in 2017
Folks getting excited over tonight's relatively common lunar eclipse might be interested in knowing that in a little less than 10 years, there will be a total SOLAR eclipse over parts of North Carolina...
Feb 20, 2008

how to photograph tonight's eclipse
Over the Raleigh area tonight, a total lunar eclipse will be in the sky.  Clouds willing, it will be a spectacular opportunity for some great photography.  Folks with digital or film SLR cameras...
Feb 20, 2008