FC 41 - Its Whats For Dinner

The past two comics have been geared towards certain people. My hope is that larger audiences can appreciate them, but at their heart, they are kind of like inside jokes with a specific person (whether that person knows about it or not). This week is keeping with that tradition. Deanna delivered this comic last Thursday and I just about stopped the presses on the comic I was working on and moved this one to the front of the queue because I liked it so much. While I still really like how it turned out after I did my captioning and coloring, the original pen and ink drawing by itself is just too precious. I'd be glad to sell the rights for publication to PETA...if the price is right. (Don't worry Deanna, I'll totally go 50/50 with you*.)

Thursday July 17 2008

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on Fri 18th Jul, 2008 08:05 am PDT Saxtor said: It's what's for dinner! ************************ on Fri 18th Jul, 2008 10:31 am PDT Andrew said: Ahhh hell gya! ************************

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Counter-Quote for Wednesday

Yeah, yeah, so I neglected to post a quote this Monday. I was all caught up in the excitement of sleeping in the pop-top of a VW van*. Plus, I figure posts about actual happenings in my life should take precedence over filler posts. But since there isn't anything happening in my life now, I will resort to good old filler. (Hopefully next week we'll be back on track with Monday quotes.) While spreading the word of Despair, Inc. today, I ran across another great source for counter-quotes, that is quotes that are meant to sound inspirational, profound, motivational, etc. but aren't so much. Ashleigh Brilliant has an awesome name but a horrible website. Still, if you wade deep enough, you'll come across such gems as "I try to take it one day at a time -- but sometimes several days attack me at once", "When I find true wisdom, I'll let you know (if letting you know still seems important)", and "Any day is a good day to have a mother". But since I should probably choose one in particular to encapsulate my mood on this Wednesday, I'll choose this: "There's only one thing more beautiful than a beautiful dream, and that's a beautiful reality."

Wednesday July 16 2008

File under: quote

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Oregon Country Fair 2008

The word I've most often been using to describe the Oregon Country Fair (which I attended this weekend) is "magic". Others include: body paint, juggling, dressed in drag, food(!), uninhibited (or not dressed at all), art, impossible, music, good people, harmony, fantastical, freedom, and HOT. If you've never been, you should go and experience it. Words and pictures cannot do it justice. But the fair was only part of the adventure. Transportation for the weekend was a pop-top '77 VW bus, crammed with 2 more people than seat belts. At the first stop, 30 minutes into the long drive, we realized the starter didn't work. Luckily my childhood provided much wisdom and know-how regarding push starting a VW bus which came in handy the rest of the weekend*. Long, late-night drives, sleeping in a rest area, and running out of gas only added to the adventure of it all.

Monday July 14 2008

File under: pics, misc

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on Tue 15th Jul, 2008 08:10 am PDT Saxtor said: Hippy* ************************ on Fri 18th Jul, 2008 09:12 am PDT Sweet Julie said: So Fun! So Fun! So Fun! ************************

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What is it

One of my favorite non-personal blogs, Neatorama, has a sometimes feature of "What is it?". It is exactly what you might imagine: from pictures, you gotta decide what it is. There has been an it lying around our house for a while that has us quite perplexed. I've done some research as to what it is, but have so far been thwarted. Then I figured, why not open it up to everyone to play along. Here are some pictures: 1, 2, 3. If you can't tell from the picture, the logo reads "Rex" with "Made in Finland" below. The metal spikes on the inside are angled downwards and towards the upturned tip. The two tags read "105208, $4.00" in handwritten script and "Devil's Thumb, $4.00", neither of which I think have anything to do with it's origin. Anyway, if anyone thinks they've got a clue to what it is, post it in the comments. If you have a source to prove you're right, you will be reigning champion...OF THE WORLD*! (I know the title/headline to this post should have a question mark, but whoever wrote this crappy blog software doesn't properly encode headlines, so it will have to remain an implied question mark.)

Saturday July 12 2008

File under: misc, contest

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on Sat 12th Jul, 2008 09:04 pm PDT soreyes said: It is a emergency xc ski tip. ************************ on Sat 12th Jul, 2008 10:47 pm PDT Andrew said: I was gonna go with a ski-tip protector. ************************ on Sat 12th Jul, 2008 11:15 pm PDT Saxtor said: Soreyes has it, a "reserve tip" from Rex. I honestly would have said it's some sort of protector for wax application, given that most of their other products are waxing-related. I guess it's if you bang your xc trip into a rock/tree and need a quick fix to get you back to the car or lodge before the bears get to you. Crazy stuff. ************************ on Sun 13th Jul, 2008 01:42 pm PDT cardboard said: wrens not much a skiier apparently. Soreeyes is the man. ************************

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FC 40 - That Darn Economy

It's funny how there are whole sub-cultures out there that, if you aren't exposed to them, you know nothing about, but when you find yourself aware of them, you notice them everywhere. I guess that is all part of expanding your mind-brain. But that's just an aside. This week's comic is a product Paint Shop Pro 5.0 with yours truly at the helm. I feel like my technical skillz with the program are improving, which is nice. While I can't compete with the photoshop masters out there, I'm figuring out quicker and easier ways to accomplish the tasks I want (distorting, tweaking coloring on only a portion of an image, etc. etc.). Anyway, I hope you enjoy. (P.S. Sean, this comic is mostly for you. I figure you might get a chuckle even if no one else does.)

Friday July 11 2008

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on Fri 11th Jul, 2008 07:52 am PDT Sean said: The problem was the chain started out in Berkely, and Code Pink shut them down. ************************ on Fri 11th Jul, 2008 04:31 pm PDT Joe Wilbur said: hehe...clever ************************

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Mathematical Mythbusting

Two occasions recently have had me pondering the speed of sound. The first such occasion was a lightening storm, of which we have very few here in the rain shadow of the Cascades. Lightening and thunder filled the sky all evening and into the night. Secondly, as I mentioned in my previous post, I watched the fireworks from a significant distance, which had an influence not only on the volume of the bang, but also on the delay. In talking to people (esp. about the lightening, although I don't see what it wouldn't also apply to the fireworks), the rule of 1 second between sight and sound equals one mile of distance to said sight was oft cited. I myself used this rule in my early days. This time around, however, I got a little curious about that rule of thumb and wanted to run the numbers. Perhaps to your surprise, the rule isn't so accurate. Observe*: Givens Speed of Sound Ss = 761 mph (or .2 miles per second) Speed of Light Sc = 670,616,629 mph (or 186,282 miles per second) System of equations Time it takes light to reach you tc = d/Sc Time it takes sound to reach you ts = d/Ss Time elapsed between light and sound te = ts -tc Solving Solving for tc tc = ts - te Replacing for tc and ts d/Ss - te = d/Sc Moving stuff around d/Ss - d/Sc = te Factoring for d d(1/Ss - 1/Sc) = te Solve for d d = te / (1/Ss - 1/Sc) Plugging givens back in (using miles per second) d = te / (5 - .000001*) This shows that instead of every one second between lightening and thunder equating to one mile, every 5 seconds equals to a mile. So next time you hear that thunder 5 seconds after the lightening, don't go rushing outside thinking you've got a 5 mile buffer because it's a lot closer than you think.

Thursday July 10 2008

File under: misc

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on Thu 10th Jul, 2008 10:46 am PDT Saxtor said: As with all equations like this, it is also the assumption that it is happening in a vacuum. I would also guess that anomalies such as winds, obstacles and Jessica Lynch of Slow Loris Shirts could also cause delay variables. ************************ on Thu 10th Jul, 2008 10:52 am PDT Wren said: Actually, Saxtor, sound doesn't propagate in a vacuum*, although winds and obstacles are sure to make a difference. ************************ on Fri 11th Jul, 2008 12:25 am PDT Horge said: Seems logical to me. I wonder if there are any other formulas out there that could be figured out to produce (and spread) more common sense rules of thumb. Like, how far away does a cat have to be for a dog to start barking at it? I imagine it's a bit more complex, involving the speed of light (vision), the speed of sound (the resulting barking, or yipping if you have a chihuahua) and the speed of smell. I think that studies of the speed of smell are grossly understudied... ************************ on Fri 11th Jul, 2008 07:50 am PDT Sean said: I've never heard of that rule and I'm glad, cause whoever started spreading that should be kicked in the junk.Now what about the speed of gravity? If the sun exploded we'd instantaneously feel the effects, ja? ************************ on Fri 11th Jul, 2008 09:52 am PDT Sweet Julie said: Ooh, Ooh! Can you do a post about the Golden Number aka Fibonacci Numbers? I love geeky science stuff! :) (just a reminder- voting is still going on for the Gray Whale Fluke!) ************************ on Mon 14th Jul, 2008 09:51 pm PDT Ryan Walters said: Sean--no, gravity propagates at the speed of light, so if the sun were to suddenly disappear we wouldn't notice for about eight minutes.Wren--Anacortes is in the rain shadow of the Olympics, not the Cascades. ************************

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Kayamping

After trying to talk people into it for years*, I finally had success in finding someone to go kayak camping with*. Saddlebag Island was the location (about an hour paddle from South Harbor Park). July 4th was the date. From our perch on the rocks, we could see the whole valley lighting off their tributes to America. The highlight, and what we positioned ourselves for, was the Anacortes display, which, as always, didn't disappoint. Watching the fireworks from such a distance and surrounded by such natural beauty was a great new experience. No deafening booms and no car alarms were just a few of the perks. Not only was the fireworks watching good times, but the camping was good times as well. Dinner was Frito chili pie and corn. Pre-fireworks entertainment was tree climbing and [further*] exploration of the island. Other than the wicked headwind and broken rudder [again...] on the paddle home, we had a grand old time.

Monday July 7 2008

File under: Anacortes, misc

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on Tue 08th Jul, 2008 10:23 am PDT Sean said: What? No exploding cans of beans? No Pokor through a tree? And you want to be my latex salesman... ************************ on Tue 08th Jul, 2008 10:43 am PDT per said: Hah! Hot poker through a tree. . . Ahh good times. Wren, does this mean you'd like to paddle the 100mi wilderness waterway sometime outside mosquito season? ************************ on Tue 08th Jul, 2008 04:41 pm PDT Joe Wilbur said: very cool wren. can't wait to hear all the "details". ;-) ************************ on Wed 09th Jul, 2008 12:54 pm PDT Saxtor said: Did you do any krumping while on your kayamping trip? ************************

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Quote for Monday 3

"I began to enjoy the exhilarating delight of traveling, a life of desire, gratification, and liberty." -Jules Verne in A Journey to the Center of the Earth

Monday July 7 2008

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Green Juggling in the Parade

Last year, I posted about Anacortes's 4th of July Parade, the quintessential small town parade. The big highlight for me was the Beat the Heat group who marched to advocate living a lighter impact life specifically through less carbon emissions. This year, since I've become a member(ish) of the group, I decided to walk with them and effectively restart my annual tradition of juggling in the parade. Since just juggling wouldn't really make any sense in the context of beating the heat, I had to get a creative. My solution: themed juggling clubs. And for those who couldn't really tell what the idea was, I made a little sign I wore on my back. While I don't think anyone really got it*, people seemed to at least enjoy the juggling. The point of the exercise was as much to have fun both in the artistic endeavor of creating the clubs and walking in the parade as it was to influence/get people to think. I think the whole thing can be called a success. Thanks to Gretchen, Ma, and Ron for snapping a few photos while I walked.

Saturday July 5 2008

File under: juggling, Anacortes

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on Sat 05th Jul, 2008 07:36 pm PDT Wren said: P.S. A shout out thanks to Andrew as well who carried my repair supplies in the trail electric car. ************************ on Sun 06th Jul, 2008 07:20 pm PDT Joe Wilbur said: very cool wren. i totally got the sign ;-) ************************

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FC 39 - For the Birds

This comic is for bird nerds*. If you aren't a bird nerd, you probably won't get it, at least not right off the bat. Maybe you will. I don't know you. For the non-bird nerds in the audience, I've left a bit of an explanation in the comments section below. I really like how this one turned out, both graphically and otherwise. It feels good when a mini-project comes together so nicely (even if it did take way longer than it should have). Maybe one of these days I will do a comic out on paper. Perhaps it would allow me to be less finicky about details and technical conundrums (anti-aliasing vs. non) and complete a comic in less than 4 hours. For now, however, I enjoy my Paint Shop Pro 5.0. Besides, you would not want to see my free hand interpretation of a bald eagle.

Thursday July 3 2008

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on Thu 03rd Jul, 2008 11:52 pm PDT Wren said: The olive-sided flycatcher's call is distinct in the bird world. It sounds like the bird is saying "Quick, three beers!". It is one of the few bird calls I know. The other one is "cheeseburger, cheeseburger", but I don't remember what bird that is from. ************************ on Fri 04th Jul, 2008 12:38 pm PDT Andrew said: My mother should know. Kathleen? ************************ on Fri 04th Jul, 2008 09:29 pm PDT Root Mama said: a goldenarcher - of course. ************************ on Sat 05th Jul, 2008 01:58 pm PDT Sweet Julie said: Very funny! Well done! ************************ on Sat 05th Jul, 2008 08:18 pm PDT Mom said: Good call, R. Mama. These birds are easily identified in the field by the bright ketchup colored feathers around their beak, usually found sitting on the wires around fastfood parking lots. ************************ on Sat 05th Jul, 2008 10:37 pm PDT Wren said: Har har, ladies. I was thinking of the Black-capped Chickadee.1 ************************

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