The Fire Ant Gazette - A Midland, Texas Blog

Random Thursday
Category: Random Thursday...
Posted Thursday, November 29, 2007 at 09:10 AM [GMT-6]

If the Sudanese government really believes that severe punishment is merited for the naming of "Mohammed the Teddy Bear," then I respectfully submit to them that they need to also lash (1) the schoolchildren who named the bear, (2) the children's parents, for obviously failing to properly educate their kids in the great theological issues of the day, and (3) all the local imams, for obviously failing to educate those parents.

The line of the day comes from local early morning TV meteorologist Greg Morgan who, in response to a story about American Airlines spinning off short-haul carrier American Eagle, said that the latter company should be called "American Bumblebee." Anyone who's ever bounced along on one of those turboprops understands exactly where Morgan is coming from.

Song lyric of the day comes from Lucy Woodward's Geographical Cure in which she exhorts her date to take her on a tour of NYC and buy her a "mocha-cappu-frivolous." That would be a great addition to a Starbucks menu.

One of the purchases we'll make when we move into the new house is a flat screen TV to hang over the fireplace, allowing us to get rid of the ginormous 15-year-old RCA console that now dominates our living room. I have a lot of angst over which model to choose, but I figured I had a few more months to decide. That is, until last night, when said RCA suddenly became unresponsive. We couldn't turn it on with the remote, or manually. Not knowing what else to do, but feeling I needed to do something, I wrestled the box away from the wall in order to better peer into the tangled mass of cables that lurk in the dark places behind our electronics. (This is not unlike what I do with car troubles: pop the hood and tap randomly on things, not with any expectation or knowledge, but with a desperate desire for a serendipitous restoration of a life-giving circuit or mechanical connection. It never works, of course, but that doesn't stop me from trying.) What I spied made my heart soar like an eagle (or bumblebee). The power cord had fallen from the plug in the back of the TV. I may not be an electronics whiz but I immediately sensed that this could somehow be related to the problem. Now, the bigger question is how does a power cord just fall away from a plug? All we can hypothesize is that Abbye got disoriented and managed to squeeze behind the entertainment center, and in the process step on just the right cable in just the right way before putting it in reverse and extricating herself. Perhaps she figures that if she can't watch TV, neither should we.

So, we were having dinner with friends at our favorite Tex-Mex restaurant when the conversation turned to the Thanksgiving snowfall. I shared how my parents in Fort Stockton lost their power for most of Saturday night and we empathized at how hard it probably was to stay warm. Suddenly, my spirit left my body and I found myself staring down at the table from a point close to the somewhat greasy ceiling, and I recoiled inwardly (you just had to be there) as I simultaneously anticipated and heard these words coming from my mouth: "...and I don't think they even have an electric blanket in the house."

Comments

The electric blanket comment is, sadly, something I would say. I have so many of this exact type of statement that plague me 15 - 20 years after the fact that it's a constant source of amusement for friends and family.

I'm glad I'm not the only resident of whatever bizzaro land that causes these kinds of mental lapses.

Posted by: beth at November 29, 2007 09:35 AM

I think the Muslims are missing-out on a great PR opportunity with "Mohammed the Teddy Bear" ..... a kinder, gentler and more accessible take on The Prophet ..... sort of like "Buddy Christ"

Posted by: Jeff at November 29, 2007 10:24 AM

My ole RCA gave up last year, so I sold the wife on a "Hidden TV", and she loves it. She was tired of all the dvd, AV, sat box, game dealyos so I came up with a front projector. All the AV equipment is hidden away in a cabinet from Ikea and the drop down screen is hidden behind a "valance", so all you really see is a small gray box hanging from the ceiling. When the living room is in TV/Movie mode you get a 121" HD screen, THX surround sound etc. With the screen up, you get tasteful track lighting and a somewhat normal living room without a black box screen to be seen anywhere. BTW, since I did the install myself (it not that hard) I put the system in for less that most of these flat screens.
Also what has proven to be a HUGE success at family gathering is Apple TV, I put together a "slideshow" of hundreds of family photos that show randomly to a nice quiet soundtrack, the family LOVES IT.
As far as the plug goes, I vote for gravity finally won ...

Posted by: Bleu at November 29, 2007 11:41 AM

...so all you really see is a small gray box hanging from the ceiling

To certain members of my family, that would be like saying "all you really see is a flaming red pimple on the tip of your nose on prom night." Which, I'm pretty sure, is not a good thing.

If we had a separate home theater, I'd definitely consider a projection TV. Everything I've read sounds great, but it's not happening in our new house. (Plus, we don't have the width for the screen without it obscuring built-in bookshelves.)

You're probably right about gravity; it's sneaky that way.

Posted by: Eric at November 29, 2007 02:14 PM

And it shows as the electronics wiz comes out...don't have an electric blanket!!! The blanket would help and if by chance the power comes back on they are really covered!

Posted by: lyle at November 29, 2007 03:14 PM

I attack car repairs much the same way...I learned to open the hood after paying good money to tow my car. The mechanic lifted the hood, saw the loose hose flapping around, plugged it back in and off I went. *sigh* Of course, ever since then, I've opened the hood, looked around, seen nothing of interest, and called for a tow. But sure as you don't look, it will be something as simple as plugging in the TV.

Posted by: gwynne at November 29, 2007 05:29 PM

So you're saying that the TV was unplugged because you were using that outlet to power your electric blanket?

Posted by: Jim at November 29, 2007 05:52 PM

It WAS fun being there and hearing you utter such nonsense.....that's usually MY role!

Posted by: Toni at November 30, 2007 12:43 PM

Never let it be said that I haven't learned from the best! ;-)

Posted by: Eric at November 30, 2007 01:12 PM

"Never let it be said that I haven't learned from the best!"

And which of us were you looking at when you said THAT?

Posted by: Jeff at November 30, 2007 01:14 PM

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