AquaDoom

A coupon lured me to AquaZoom for a V-hicle cleansing. I chose the Plano location rather than the Dallas location for the obvious reason.

But first, don't rush off to either aquazoom.net or aquazoom.com to learn more about this exciting new option for getting your car cleaned — neither seems to have the right info and a Google search didn't place the car wash's web site (if they have one) in the first page of results.

So what did I think of AquaZoom? I think I won't be going back.

It's not that they didn't do a decent job or that they they charged too much. The problem is basically ease of use. Both the entry and exit to the washing tunnel require turns which are beyond the capabilities of my V-hicle (i.e. within my turning radius). I tend to avoid maneuvers which require me to switch repeatedly between 'D' and 'R', especially when I am being followed by overly eager Bimmer drivers.

There are other things that you may find nice, or not so nice, about AquaZoom and you are free to draw your own conclusions after visiting them.

Under and Over

Last Saturday I nearly dropped my Big Gulp when I saw a petrol station selling the lowest grade of fuel for under $2 per gallon! True, $1.999 isn't much under, but it is under.

Then, bust my britches if the pump didn't sail past $50.00 without stopping and making me start a second transaction to complete my fillup!

Now that I think about it, I should've bought a lottery ticket!

What's In A Name?

As you've doubtless read in my profile (tasty bits displayed to the right) Gene-Bob believes that everyone in Texas has the middle name, Bob. If your parents didn't have the good sense to make it official (i.e. on your birth certificate) then you are obligated to use it as a nickname. So says Gene-Bob. If you read his blog you'll see references to Trish-Bob (who has a blog), Jill-Bob (who used to have a blog), and the aforementioned Judy-Bob.

Monday last, at the local bowling center, I met Judy-Bob. Gene-Bob decided to mosey over in honor of the last week of competition for the Monday night bowling league and he brought Judy-Bob along. I may be wrong, but I don't think Judy-Bob is a blogger, and I don't think she quite gets the whole "Bob" thing. But if you're going to hang around Gene-Bob you have to be ready to shrug your shoulders and say, "whatever", when non-sequiturs pop up.

Shallow Thought #321-½: Are compound names, like Gene-Bob, supposed to be hyphenated?

Speaking of Bananas Foster, I wonder what's up these days with Amber, my "digital" advisor. She sure doesn't sound like a "Bob".

Truth or Consequences?

Last week Newspeak reported that interviewers at Camp Cuba flushed a copy of the Koran down the toilet. This week they are retracting that claim.

In light of the many cases of reporters making up sources and facts to give their stories more "punch" I can believe that this is one more such case. On the other hand, given the desires of the current majority party to silence critics (e.g. the "nuclear option" to eliminate the filibuster) I can also believe that Newsweek is caving to pressure following the increasing unrest that the story has spurred in the middle east.

Will we ever know the truth about this story?

Howard?

After reading this story I am left wondering what his middle name is.

Actually, I don't see how the government can stop this guy. A quick search of on-line phone books shows lots of people with the last name Christ, and certainly we've all met hispanic men named Jesus (pronounced hay-SOOS). So what's wrong with the combined name?

It also brings to mind the story of the man who changed his name to "They" because he thought it would be fun to claim credit for all the things "they" do.

Cat. C-A-T. Cat.

Like most people, my memory of my early elementary school years is limited. But I do remember that reading, of the "Dick and Jane" sort, started in first grade.

Aside #1: Two (possibly large) factors: 1) it was publik skool, and 2) it was in Alabama.

The words on our spelling tests were certainly similar in difficulty to the books we were reading. And I'm pretty sure that 2nd grade was a little harder than 1st.

Things are different now. Here is a table of actual spelling words from my youth and from this week's 2nd grade spelling list:

1970   2005
----   ----
cat    rafflesia
dog    ecosystem
run    biodiversity
see    endangered
ball   extinct
red    genus

It goes on, but I think you get the idea. Things are different now.

Aside #2: Actual is too strong of a word. I'm invoking artistic license and making up the 1970 list, and it is more likely to be early 1st grade level. But I'd be shocked if anyone could produce a 1970 Alabama reading text that included words like my kid is reading, and spelling, now in the 2nd grade.