Rabbit Fumes

A Pretty Good Saturday

2012-01-28T21:13:00.001-08:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

The Last Adult ...

2012-01-16T11:44:00.000-08:00

... has left the Republican race.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Meanwhile, at the mothership ...

2012-01-01T14:58:00.000-08:00

A new approach.

Happy New Year!

Thus spake the rabbit.

Hitch

2011-12-16T06:13:00.000-08:00

Christopher Eric Hitchens - 1949 - 2011

Unrestrained, unapologetic and unconverted, even as the lights were dimming. Hitch was the intellectual prize that came along with my subscription to Vanity Fair. As contributing editor, he took positions that made the suits cringe, made people drop their subscriptions and made less rigorous thinkers scratch their heads. I will miss his voice.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout

2011-11-14T08:05:00.001-08:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Tycho

2011-11-01T15:24:00.001-07:00

We have to say goodbye to my fuzzy buddy Tycho Brahe.

Tycho has been my constant companion for the last ten years. He will always rank as the single best Christmas present I've ever received.

Tycho Brahe

2001-2011

Thus spake the rabbit.

Sabrina

2011-10-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout

2011-09-10T18:39:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Second Edit, a Meditation, Jefferson City

2011-08-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Yet Another Cruise Night

2011-08-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Rideabout, Little Blue Trace

2011-07-16T14:44:00.000-07:00

It was sultry.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Photography is Easy

2011-07-16T06:37:00.001-07:00

Indonesian macaque takes self-portrait, but can't figure out how to post on Facebook.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Universal Sufferage

2011-07-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

Apparently, "universal" doesn't mean what it used to ...

Thus spake the rabbit.

Never Mind

2011-06-27T21:35:00.000-07:00

On the left, Presidential candidate Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN), on the right, Emily Litella. In a face-off for high public office, my vote goes to Litella. Though she may be a bit off-kilter, Emily realizes when she's totally missed the point. Ms. Bachmann has no such device for reconciling her ignorance. Otherwise they're about the same. Really makes you wonder about Minnesota voters.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Want Ad

2011-06-22T21:39:00.000-07:00

For one brief moment, this seemed like the answer. Then I reconsidered the actual question and went back to work.

Thus spake the rabbit.

My Home Town

2011-06-18T20:47:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Cruise Night

2011-06-18T20:45:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Diagnosis

2011-06-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Dunning-Kruger Effect: [Wikipedia] is an example of cognitive bias in which "people reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it". They therefore suffer an illusory superiority, rating their own ability as above average. This leads to a perverse result where less competent people will rate their own ability higher than relatively more competent people. It also explains why actual competence may weaken self-confidence because competent individuals falsely assume that others have an equivalent understanding. "Thus, the miscalibration of the incompetent stems from an error about the self, whereas the miscalibration of the highly competent stems from an error about others."

Kruger and Dunning proposed that, for a given skill, incompetent people will:

tend to overestimate their own level of skill;
fail to recognize genuine skill in others;
fail to recognize the extremity of their inadequacy;
recognize and acknowledge their own previous lack of skill, if they can be trained to substantially improve.

Still Life With Tadpoles

2011-06-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Cruise Night

2011-06-12T10:49:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Crepuscular Rays

2011-06-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

Near Manhattan, Kansas.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Half-Tank Cruise

2011-06-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

Along US 36 in Kansas.

Thanks to outstanding photographer and writer Tom Parker, his wife Lori, and a bold, nameless collared lizard for a most pleasant Thursday afternoon in the Flint Hills.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Another Cruise Night

2011-05-21T19:25:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Cruise Night

2011-05-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Half-Tank Cruise

2011-05-16T18:38:00.001-07:00

Keyword: Stochasticity

Thus spake the rabbit.

Gold-Plated Time Suck

2011-05-12T08:01:00.000-07:00

The Library of Congress has posted 10,000 digitized recordings that make up the genesis of the National Jukebox. The first round of postings is collected from the Victor Talking Machine archives from 1901 to 1925 and includes some real beauties, such as Will Rogers delivering an after-dinner speech in New York to a hall full of bankers. He lays them out like pilchards in the sun.

My personal favorite - for now - is the Harry Lauder's 1913 recording of The Kilty Lads.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Happy Beltane

2011-05-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

You pagans, you. I'd rather be in Edinburgh. Or maybe Wakeeny.

Big

2011-04-25T16:55:00.001-07:00

This is for all you big mens out there.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout, Independence

2011-04-25T16:54:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

I Suspected as Much

2011-04-01T09:19:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Radiation Explained

2011-03-22T17:58:00.000-07:00

Without hand-wringing, wailing or gnashing, a fear-free chart of relative absorbed-dose radiation amounts, courtesy of XKCD. Click the image for the complete chart.

I realize that facts don't sell papers or television airtime, but the truth about nuclear power and radiation is far less scary than the ravings that we've received since the Fukushima calamity began. Knowledge is power.

Thus spake the rabbit.

For Jan, Continued

2011-03-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

A rare case of Inverse Apostrophic Possessive Syndrome.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout, Independence

2011-03-22T17:52:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Free At Last

2011-03-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

I feel as though they've been sliding my meals under the door. I managed to gnaw through the straps and run for it.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout, Cabin Fever Edition

2011-02-22T13:53:00.000-08:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Second Edit

2011-02-02T14:52:00.001-08:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

For Jan

2011-01-16T17:57:00.000-08:00

Because we're all cranks and nothing makes me crankier than "apostrophic possessive syndrome". The horror:

Thus spake the rabbit.

Quiet Contemplation of the Ordinary #3

2011-01-02T15:16:00.001-08:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Quiet Contemplation of the Ordinary #2

2011-01-01T18:26:00.000-08:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Quiet Contemplation of the Ordinary

2010-12-28T15:02:00.001-08:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Thought for a New Year

2010-12-28T12:32:00.000-08:00

I don't make resolutions, but I found this over at 20x200, and it harmonized so nicely with my own feelings as we hurtle toward 2011:

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout

2010-12-27T11:29:00.000-08:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Well, that's over

2010-12-26T08:05:00.000-08:00

The days are getting longer.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout Kauffman Center, Truman Road

2010-11-29T15:23:00.001-08:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Meanwhile, in Scotland

2010-11-23T06:00:00.001-08:00

It was Raisin Weekend at the University of St. Andrews. Foam, yes. Raisins, not so much.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Second Edit, River District

2010-11-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Convergence.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Noon

2010-11-14T12:32:00.001-08:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Remember

2010-11-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

Just once, I'd like to see the majority of Americans vote, and then I'd like to see them vote in their own best interests.

This, once again, seems unlikely.

Link via Andrew Sullivan.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout

2010-11-01T18:43:00.001-07:00

Vonnegut's Locking Season begins today.

Thus spake the rabbit.

The Light

2010-11-01T14:02:00.001-07:00

One look at this image will tell you why I want to live and work in Scotland. See the beautiful late afternoon light raking across Edinburgh Castle? Look at how it defines everything and creates just the right amount of modeling and contrast.

Now look closer. This is a screen capture from the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo website. It was grabbed today at 6:00 a.m. Kansas City time, or 11:00 a.m. Edinburgh time. This delicious late afternoon light is in the middle of the day on 1 November. Granted the day is short, and the weather a tad unpredictable, but still ...

According to WolframAlpha, Edinburgh (55.95 degrees lat.) is the rough latitudinal equivalent of one time zone north of Kansas City (39.0763 degrees lat.). One hour equals 15 degrees latitude. Even in the dead of summer, the light is way sweeter than in the sub-tropical forests of Missouri. Toss in a few high clouds, and you have a perfect shooting environment, and we haven't even gotten to the sunsets and true sweet light yet.

This image of Eilean Donan was captured in the middle of the day - in August. Can you think of a better place to offer imaging and post-processing advice to busloads of tourists than a country with all-day sweet light? I can't.

Now, if only a large packet of cash would simply fall from the sky, I can fire off a message to the Scottish Government and tell them I'm on my way.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Return of the Pedantic Smart-Ass

2010-10-28T17:56:00.000-07:00

Invocation of a forty-five year-old high-camp TV version of young Robin's over-used emotive style to Batman, with its "Pow" and "Zapp" starburst onomatopoeia, leads me to believe that the shirts do not have actual holes, but rather something made the creator of this sign believe that this was, in some way, a funny or ironic reference to a long-dead cultural milepost. In my mind, it is neither.

It is also likely that said creator is pushing, or possibly pulling, sixty.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout

2010-10-28T15:41:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout 40 Highway

2010-10-27T15:31:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout Blue Ridge

2010-10-13T20:45:00.001-07:00

Slaying the demons of perfection and safety.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Half-Tank Cruise

2010-10-09T18:24:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Triptych

2010-10-05T17:02:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout Downtown

2010-10-05T16:55:00.000-07:00

In search of phantoms.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout

2010-10-04T18:09:00.000-07:00

After the neutron bomb ...

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout Nelson

2010-09-29T17:35:00.000-07:00

Way to go, Frank. Well done.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Second Edit

2010-09-20T18:43:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Half-Tank Cruise

2010-09-20T18:21:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout Westport, Cont.

2010-09-14T18:22:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout Westport, Cont.

2010-09-11T17:50:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout Westport

2010-09-08T18:06:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Half-Tank Cruise

2010-09-02T18:13:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

From the Archive

2010-08-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

Weston, Colorado - 5 September, 2007

Thus spake the rabbit.

Stranded

2010-08-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

...at a Chevy dealership.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Second Edit

2010-08-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Second Edit, a Meditation

2010-08-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

Even in color, this elevator is in black and white.

No apostrophe here. "Farmers" is not possessive. "J" has been here at least twice.

I'm willing to bet that everyone in town knows who "J" is. I'd love to believe there's a rebellious, though modestly-dressed Amish boy attacking the boundaries of his piety and anonymous humility with a rattle-can of dark blue paint. He never finishes his name.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Signs

2010-08-16T16:18:00.001-07:00

This hastily-scrawled sign, with three added, extra-sparkly stars, shone far too briefly on the front of a small, now-defunct local watering hole. Its failure may have been preceded by the brief flash of realization on the part of the proprietor that their attempt at wry humor and folksy wordplay was, in itself, a parody of a parody. Probably not.

Back when it was a cute and comfortably rare occurrence, a bar named the "Dew Drop Inn" might raise a chuckle among the passersby, a clear and punny reference to the invitation, "Do Drop In". There have been a number of roadside attractions to bear the Dew Drop mantle, not the least of which is the Dew Drop Inn of Mobile, Alabama. A hot dog to die for and also from.

This latter-day attempt fails in so many ways, not the least is the failure of the sign's instigator to realize that they have totally sidestepped the entire wink and nudge in favor of a direct entreaty without benefit of humor, irony or a little thought.

While I'm a common word-snob, there is also a genre of signage that tweaks my upturned nose. One such sign in a distant neighborhood, some years ago, proclaimed the existence of "Jim and I's Place". This is a tragic failure of the elementary school system of grammatical correction.

The scenario: Debbie raises her hand in class and asks the teacher, "Can me and Jim go to the cafeteria?"

Teacher: "You mean, "Can Jim and I go to the cafeteria?"

Debbie: "Like whatever, can Jim and I go to the cafeteria?"

Fast forward a few years. Debbie and Jim are married, and one night at McDonald's they decided to start their own business - a restaurant and bar - and together they could make a go of it. Debbie would serve her famous chicken-fried pancakes-on-a-stick and Jim would sling frothy Pabst beers at the bar.

Now, for a name. The name must reflect the commitment that Debbie and Jim bring to the endeavor, and since Jim is using his GM pension money to set the ball in motion, he should get top billing. "Jim and Debbie's" comes to mind. No, Debbie didn't think that was clever enough. She once saw a Fred MacMurray / Claudette Colbert movie about chickens, and thought the title, "The Egg and I" was clever and maybe a bit funny. It must have been funny, because Ma and Pa Kettle were in that movie, too, and Debbie thought they were freaking hilarious.

So, mindful of her fourth-grade knockdown, and completely sure that "Jim and Me" was dead wrong, Debbie told the sign-painter,

"Jim and I".

The helpful sign-painter, who was also a big Kettles fan, reminded Debbie that "Jim and I" showed no possession. There should be an apostrophe somewhere. Maybe an "s" or two as well.

A grateful Debbie thanked the sign-painter for his wisdom and gave her permission for the final version of the shingle's message, "Jim and I's Place".

It's altogether possible that Debbie and Jim may have reproduced, and helped their children with their homework. You probably work for one of their kids.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Sunday Walkabout 40 Highway

2010-08-15T16:25:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Half-Tank Cruise

2010-08-14T18:55:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

From the Archive

2010-08-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

8 August, 2008

Castle Doune

Bidean nam Bian, Glencoe

Thus spake the rabbit

The Long Way Home

2010-08-06T17:10:00.001-07:00

There seem to be a lot of dark places to visit.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Half-Tank Cruise

2010-07-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

Marshall, Missouri

Lexington, Missouri

Orrick, Missouri

Norborne, Missouri

Carrollton, Missouri

Lexington, Missouri

Thus spake the rabbit

More Tubes

2010-07-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

... with the liberal application of the Photoshop sledgehammer.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout 40 Highway Redux

2010-07-07T18:26:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout Flashback

2010-07-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

Necropolis, Glasgow

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout Kauffman Center

2010-07-02T17:43:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout Rainbow Boulevard

2010-07-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout 40 Highway

2010-06-28T14:46:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout Chouteau

2010-06-15T13:29:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Wet Paint

2010-06-11T13:39:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout L.A.

2010-06-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

I am not making this up

2010-06-04T07:53:00.001-07:00

Director James Cameron was invited to Washington to advise on ways to stop the oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico. Talk about a ship of fools. The inmates are running the asylum.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Towel Day

2010-05-25T06:49:00.001-07:00

I nearly forgot.

Thus spake the rabbit.

Walkabout

2010-05-22T18:40:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

From the Archive

2010-05-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

Because we'd rather be on the road with Tom.

The Moonglow Inn, Walsenburg, Colorado

Thus spake the rabbit.

Day Trip

2010-05-02T08:09:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Nash

2010-04-26T17:19:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Reds

2010-04-23T17:34:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Blues

2010-04-23T17:32:00.000-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Cemetery Walkabout

2010-04-21T16:41:00.001-07:00

Thus spake the rabbit.

Driving Scotland

2010-04-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Since Google Maps has released their extensive StreetView images of the UK, (the British counter-terror-wonks were none too happy about the SAS headquarters being outed, though anyone can stop by and snap a few holiday pics with mum at the front gate) you can now navigate most of the UK on Google. The views of Scotland, including the Highlands and Islands, along with many of the truly awesome single-track roads on Skye and elsewhere (yes, those are real roads) can all be had from the surfing comfort of your favorite coffee hangout.

So why is it, even with the snail-slow, click-by-click Maps navigation, I again managed to miss the exit on the A90 for the Edinburgh Airport?

Thus spake the rabbit.

The Season Nears

2010-04-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

It's nearly Senior Season, that time of year when high school seniors begin to exercise their under-educated egos in public - in shoe polish.

This year, I plan to stalk and bag one photographically.

Every year for the past six or seven, I have seen at least one misspelled rear window exultation in my blue-collar neck of the woods. It is always the same: "S E N O I R S", followed by "Rule", "Rock", "KIck Ass" or the year of their undeserved matriculation.

I intend to bring one home for the trophy wall this year. I urge you to do the same.

Maybe send a copy to the school.

Thus spake the rabbit.

UP 844

2010-04-04T16:08:00.001-07:00

At Union Station, Kansas City, Sunday 4 april 2010

Thus spake the rabbit.

- Hat tip to Tom for the heads up.

This is why government costs so much, Part Two

2010-03-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

We received a letter from the U.S. Census Bureau yesterday.

We were thus duly informed that we would soon be receiving a letter from the U.S. Census Bureau. May I assume that maybe 200 million such letters were delivered?

If the total cost per letter - labor, materials, delivery - is only a dime, the net cost would be 20 million dollars. I'm of the opinion that it's more likely that each letter costs 35 cents, or 70 million bucks. Jeez.

Thus spake the rabbit.

XVII

2010-03-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

Grandbunny J is seventeen today.

Haggis-munching, Ford-truck-driving veteran of cruise nights at "Burger King*"

Happy Birthday, man. You're almost there.

Grandbunny J at Fort Augustus, Scotland, at the south end of Loch Ness.

*J and I used to go to hot rod cruise nights at Hooters, but we told his mom it was Burger King.

Thus spake the rabbit.

This is why government costs so much

2010-03-03T07:09:00.000-08:00

I lost my Social Security Card years ago.

I needed one for a job application, so I went to the local office and applied for a new one.

Yesterday I got a letter in the mail telling me that I had applied for a new Social Security Card.

Really?

Thus spake the rabbit.

Distillation

2010-03-02T06:25:00.000-08:00

Image source unknown.

Thus spake the rabbit.