The Adventures of Kung Fu Monkey and Secret Squirrel

What DIDN'T the Flintstones have?

2007-10-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

I was over at my mom's house last night and came across some of my old kid's books she's been holding onto. Amongst the piles of books was this little gem, published in 1974! I wish I could scan in the whole thing, but I don't think Hanna and Barbera would consider it fair use. Suffice it to say the story within is...unique:

Wilma's uncle Lulu and Betty's aunt Charlie come to town to visit at the same time. Wilma and Betty decide to try and get the two together as they are both single. Upon their arrival however, the pair immediately set to their nagging, complaining and awful ways and are completely disinterested in one another. To get them out of their houses, Fred and Barney start to scheming. To convince Lulu and Charlie that they are, in fact, perfect for one another, Fred concocts a plan to use the "municipal computer" (a room-sized behemoth of course) to prove it once and for all. And that's where things get crazy!

I have no idea if this book still exists anywhere, but trust me, it's worth tracking down at the library or on eBay. It is truly hilarious and bizarre.

Say it with me...Pantman F1

2007-10-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

As reported by Gizmodo earlier today, the Pantman F1 may very well be the best named pants-related product on the market. Like my profile says, "pants" is one of the greatest words in the English language.

Lego AT-AT? Yes, please!

2007-09-24T15:33:00.001-07:00

Every damn year, without fail, LEGO keeps making stuff I want. Like this totally radical AT-AT, that ACTUALLY WALKS! Granted, it costs $130, but still, IT WALKS! I always wanted the AT-AT when I was a kid. It never happened, probably due to cost, but now's my chance! Now, if they just came out with a LEGO G.I. JOE Aircraft Carrier...

Colin McRae : 1968-2007

2007-09-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

It is a sad day for world rally fans. Colin McRae, one of my all-time favorite rally drivers and the reason I got interested in WRC in the late 90s, apparently died in a helicopter accident earlier today.

BBC News
The Guardian
The Telegraph

I will always remember the amazing combo of McRae/Grist and their thrilling knife's edge race wins or spectacular crashes. It was often maddening being a fan of the duo because you never knew if they were going to finish the rally. One of my favorite memories came a few years after McRae retired, at the X Games of all places. Moments from certain victory in the inaugural rally racing event, McRae rolled the car once, then without hesitating, continued on to the finish (sans front fascia) and came in second place by only 1/2 a second.

Consummate professional. Fun to watch, always. He will be missed.

FOR SALE: 1984 Porsche 928 S

2007-09-14T12:12:00.000-07:00

Well, the inevitable has come to pass. I have to sell Gertrude. Who is Gertrude you ask? She is a beautiful 1984 Porsche 928 S which belonged to my father and now resides in my garage. I have finally come to the realization that I cannot hang onto her any longer. I lack the time and the funds to take proper care of her. Take a look for yourself.

Waffles anyone?

2007-09-10T10:04:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I ventured to my mom's place to help her break in her newly acquired Kitchenaid Pro Line Waffle Baker. The first thing I noticed was the ginormousness of the thing. Then I tried to lift it. It weighs over 20 pounds...roughly equivalent to 2.5 gallons of milk. The word "overkill" came to mind. How were the waffles you ask?

Well just look how happy my mom is with the first waffle. As expected, the waffles came out looking very professional and very delicious.

After much syrup and butter, the waffles looked even better. And after one waffle, the couch looked very inviting. You can see the whole experience here. Enjoy!

Google's Gmail Watch?

2007-08-31T20:22:00.000-07:00

No, not really. But I noticed something funny about my newish watch the other day. Take a look at the winding knob:

Look closer:

That "M" on the side sure looks a lot like the Gmail "M". In reality, the watch is a Michael Kors design (yes, the designer that used to be a judge on Project Runway) as and is really quite cool (if I don't say so myself):

Not only is the watch a classic, clean and timeless design, it also wont break the bank. It's a true chronograph with the sweep second hand (seen above in the 12 o'clock position) acting as the stopwatch second hand while the top and middle dials register minutes and hours respectively. The bottom dial is the second hand for the watch, which has taken some getting used to.

All in all, it is a fantastic addition to any man's watch collection, especially those who do not have two grand to spend on a Tag Heuer but want a watch that looks the part. I have actually gotten more compliments on this watch than any other in my (sadly small) collection.

How NOT to spend $60,000

2007-08-10T16:45:00.000-07:00

I can think of many things that I'd like to spend $60,000 on. A bed is not one of those things. Apparently, Swedish bed maker Hästens makes the "best" beds on the planet. According to Seattle P-I reporter Meghan Peters, the secret is horsehair:

Unlike most beds, often constructed with manmade materials such as latex, Hastens describes its beds as completely organic. The cotton, flax and wool breathe, and horsehair wicks away moisture.

Maybe I'll just start sleeping in barns. All-organic after all!

What happens in my office when the power goes out?

2006-12-15T13:18:00.000-08:00

Pizza party! Mind you, the power isn't actually out IN the office. But some people came into work with wet hair and mismatched socks. As a prize for making it in to work despite the numerous power outage related hardships, our team in legal was rewarded with delicious Pagliacci pizza:

Thanks boss!

Winter Wind Storm 2006 - Not so funny anymore...

2006-12-15T10:13:00.000-08:00

From MSNBC:
Powerful storm socks Northwest; 4 dead
1.5 million homes, businesses without power; schools, major bridges closed

From CNN:
Storm cuts power across two states

UPDATE:
Storm's death toll now 13

I should have taken a "sick" day:

2006-12-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

Be happy you were not on this plane...

2006-12-15T09:54:00.000-08:00

High winds make for a scary landing at Sea-Tac

Winter Storm Blast 2006 - v. 2.0!

2006-12-15T08:46:00.000-08:00

So last night in the Pacific Northwest was a little crazy. I had the displeasure of driving home in rain so heavy that everyone on the freeway slowed to 40 MPH. They seemed to have forgotten that their windshield wipers have a "HIGH" setting. That, and you know, it NEVER rains up here.

The high winds and torrential rains overnight knocked out power to nearly a million and half people in the area. Here's a screenshot from the Puget Sound Energy website this morning:

Yes, it says TWO-THIRDS of PSE customers are without power. I was one of the lucky few that awoke with power. It went out at some point during the night but only for a brief moment. It was probably one of the several moments I awoke to loud noises coming from our roof - the kinds of noises that prompted me to tell the cat "That doesn't sound good." Needless to say, trying to sleep through the night was a little terrifying.

I made it into work without incident, noting during the bus ride that about half of the normal traffic was absent from the roads. For about 15 minutes, until about 8:30 am, I was the only person in our wing of the office. I was kind of hoping that no one would show. What's that rule? If no one shows by 9:00 you get the day off? Sadly, my co-workers slowly but surely began filtering in (about half of them in any case). The brave warriors that fought their way in today are getting a pizza party. Yay. I'd rather have a "snow day" like most of the kids around town...no power, no classes. Sometimes I miss being 12 years old.

How to score 830 points in Scrabble

2006-10-27T09:59:00.000-07:00

I once broke 350 in a game of Scrabble. I would have lost to ONE MOVE made by the guy who just broke the single game point record. Read about the incredible game HERE.

Fra-Gee-Lay. It must be Italian!

2006-10-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, the Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story. A major award indeed. Now you can have your own!

Remember Ring - Never Forget an Anniversary!

2006-09-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

Gizmodo recently ran the story of the conceptual "Rememeber Ring," a marvelous piece of tech THAT BURNS YOUR FINGER to remind you of your anniversary. Uh. Strangely, it is only available in men's sizes. That hardly seems fair.

Now HERE'S a Camping Gadget I Really Need

2006-09-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves coffee, especially when camping. Unfortunately, one must master the art of cowboy coffee if one wants a decent cup of joe. This can be a frustrating experience and is best done in a big, heavy coffee pot. Enter a slew of expensive and bulky modern-day alternatives. They may make a better cup of joe but who wants to spend that much money and carry ANOTHER gadget? Next!

The beloved French Press. Not only is it less expensive it's also a hell of a lot easier to use and use well. Sure, you can tote your glass IKEA french press along with you or even buy an indestructible Lexan plastic one from REI, but again, it's one more bulky thing to carry. Enter the Press-Bot. It's an ingenious $20 gadget that mounts directly to the Nalgene water bottles you'll be carrying whether you drink coffee or not on the trail. When not in use, it folds into a lightweight, compact shape and hides away in your pack. Go get one now at REI. Have some GOOD coffee on the trail...sans grounds in your teeth.

UPDATE! Even more coolness...unscrew the cap from the pushrod and you've got yourself a makeshift camping tripod!

The Last Pocketknife You'll Ever Need

2006-08-28T12:15:00.000-07:00

Wenger, the maker of the Genuine Swiss Army Knife, has outdone itself with the "Most Incredible Knife" (MIK). Sure, 18 tools is okay, but 85 tools is better. At $1200, the MIK costs $14.12 per tool. Sure, that's a little more than the $5.56 for the 18-tool knife and the MIK does weigh in at nearly three pounds, but there will NEVER be a problem you can't fix. Place your order today!

I Got In Trouble With Microsoft...and Lived!

2006-08-28T12:04:00.000-07:00

Ooooo...busted! I posted some cool Xbox 360 accessory news last week. Because the news was so strange and felt to me to be merely conceptual, and because no one (and I mean NO ONE) reads this blog, I thought it was okay to post. I guess it was more confidential than I thought because I got a call to take down the post. I feel a little dirty, but also a little pleased that for a mere second, I had a scoop. My apologies to my source for any trouble I may have caused. It was certainly not my intention. That said, keep an eye on the Xbox 360 in the months to come as some cool stuff may be making an appearance!

Skatefall! - Pitfall! For the Y-Generation

2006-08-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

Pitfall! is my all-time fave for the Atari 2600. A clever gentleman, John Freeborn, has created an updated version of that classic: SKATEFALL! This might just be the coolest Flash game yet.

Formula One Has-Been a Popstar Could-Be?

2006-06-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

Former Formula One champion (1994) Jacques Villeneuve is releasing an album up in Canada. Up to this point, I have not paid it much mind, thinking of it as another vanity project on his part. Now that I have heard a snippet of the first single, I may have changed my mind. Well actually, no, I haven't. But it is worth listening to so you have one more thing to make fun of Jacques for.

Coolest. Star Wars Items. Ever.

2006-06-21T15:14:00.000-07:00

First off is something that I personally could not bring myself to buy and wear, but that is undoubtedly cool. I present to you the YODA BACKPACK:

Next up is something that I MUST HAVE. It combines two of the coolest things ever: Transformers and the Millennium Falcon. What more can I say?

By the way, my birthday is just around the corner...

Karate Chimp - Nuff Said

2006-04-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

This is Charlie, the Karate Chimp. He is a friend of Kung Fu Monkey. Kung Fu Monkey would like you to watch this video of Karate Chimp kicking ass.

SXSW Offers Nearly 1000 Free Songs...AGAIN!

2006-03-20T09:06:00.000-08:00

Last year, the SXSW music festival offered a torrent of roughly 750 full songs from the bands playing the festival. They're up to their old tricks again this year. Make sure you have a BitTorrent client of some kind and head HERE. Enjoy the music!

From the Wha-Huh?! Files

2006-03-16T14:48:00.000-08:00

Man sues himself for vehicle damage. Or, "how not to file a lawsuit."