First Looks category archive

Linus Torvalds:

Intelligence is the ability to avoid doing work, yet getting the work done.

Via Funny or Die.

The calendar says it’s too early for this.

Who cares?

Off to drink liberally.

Date: Saturday, February 26th

Time: 9-11 a. m.

Special Guest Speaker: Louisa Strayhorn, the last African American to serve on the Virginia Beach City Council

Location: Bubba’s Deli & BBQ, 3600 Dam Neck Rd, Virginia Beach (Map).

Cost: Adults $10.00, Under 12 $6.00 for all-you-can-eat buffet (it’s a pretty good buffet, too–plenty of variety).

More information here.

Struggling start-up needs your help.

When: Thursday, February 24, 6 p

Where:

One Fish Two Fish
Long Point Bay Marina
2109 West Great Neck Road
(Four blocks south of Shore Drive)
Virginia Beach, Va. (Map)

Showing up (and paying your own check) is the only qualification for membership.

State of Maryland demands prison guard job applicant’s social networking login information and reads his posts and messages.

This goes beyond being careful, which is wise, to being creepy. The State of Maryland is confusing itself with the TSA.

The ACLU has more details, plus a petition to the Secretary of Public Safety of Maryland for you to sign.

Addendum, the Next Day:

The policy has been suspended for 45 days pending review.

Harry Shearer tells of his encounter with TSA en-pants-ed patdowns on Sunday’s Le Show (the story’s in the first few minutes of the show; you can listen at the link).

He silently put up with it because he wanted to make his plane.

He strikes back:

Break time.

• What: Virginia Beach Democratic Committee Third Thursday Dinner
• When: February 17th, 6:00 PM
• Where: Kelly’s Hilltop Tavern, 1936 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 (map), in the nonsmoking section.

Show up, order off the menu (separate checks), socialize, and talk politics–or whatever else interests you.

I have attended several of these. They tend to be smaller gatherings, highly informal, and a lot of fun. Don’t know whether I’ll make it this week, though–a cold seems to have caught me.

For more information, email VaBeachBoy@aol.com

Who cares?

Every time you watch Jersey Shore . . .

Via Funny or Die.

In todays’s local rag, Mike Gruss describes the machinations involved in getting the Super Bowl military flyover (or any flyover) to happen at just the right time.

The timing comes down to the second. The pilot is allowed to arrive a little late, but not a few seconds early because that would ruin the experience for the television producers and the 111 million people watching on television.

Officials initially told Hewlett he would need to fly over the stadium at 17:22 military time – that’s 5:22 p.m. Central. A few months later, it was amended, down to the second. He would arrive at 17:22.45.

So, what happens when the national anthem is sung more slowly than in the rehearsal? Gruss answers that question.

From The Secret of Kells: