Tom Fairlie.com

I'm So, So Sorry!

2009-05-05T07:28:00.003-05:00

Although I had no personal responsibility in electing her, I still want to apologize on behalf of Minnesota for Michele Bachmann. An alleged "representative" of our fine state, all Bachmann has managed to do (besides embarrass us repeatedly) is raise the bar on what it means to be batshit crazy.

I literally cannot imagine how or why anyone voted for her (although some Minnesotans also tried to put the intellectually challenged Mark Kennedy into the Senate in 2006). In any case, I wanted to say I'm sorry for "mooning" the country with Minnesota's backside.

My Favorite Car Stunt

2009-03-30T07:18:00.001-05:00

I saw this on TV when it first happened. Glad to know that YouTube preserved it.

Awesome Gymnastics!

2009-03-14T07:20:00.001-05:00

I watched the Olympics last summer, and none of them was as good as this act.

Everything's Amazing; Nobody's Happy

2009-02-26T15:20:00.003-06:00

I'll let Louis C.K. speak for himself...

No Snickering: That Road Sign Means Something Else

2009-01-25T08:42:00.005-06:00

Enjoyable article in the New York Times this week.

The Faux News Fear Imbalance

2009-01-24T10:26:00.000-06:00

I love Jon Stewart.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Fox News Fear Imbalance

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Stonehenge Solved?

2009-01-18T15:00:00.002-06:00

I think this guy is onto something. I'm sure that our druidic ancestors accomplished quite a bit—simply because they didn't have so many distractions.

My Semi-Famous Wife

2008-12-06T21:14:00.003-06:00

My wife Stephanie has the perfect job. For the holiday season, the American Girl store at the Mall of America is paying her to style doll hair. Yes, you heard me correctly. She is being paid (and well more than minimum wage) to play with dolls.

On top of that, she even made the national news. Well, she wasn't the topic of the news story, but they still featured her in a Nightline video last Friday. She appears about 1:16 into the video (marked as -4:49 in the bottom right corner). Check it out by clicking on the image below.

Speeding Ticket Fail

2008-11-21T23:39:00.000-06:00

Shopping Cart Fail

2008-11-20T23:40:00.000-06:00

Cool Biking!

2008-11-14T11:06:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I wish I was young (and foolish) again. These kids are probably being reckless, but their stunts are fun to watch.

Poor Kim

2008-11-07T22:04:00.001-06:00

I've seen a lot of stupid bidders on The Price is Right (take for example this one), but Kim really made me laugh. In case you don't watch the show, contestants get a shot to win cool merchandise only after winning one of the many bidding rounds. To win such a round (against several other players), your bid on a piece of merchandise must be the closest to its actual cost without exceeding it.

Thus, if a new stereo system cost around $750, you might guess somewhere around $675-725, leaving yourself some margin in case it was really below $750. The best strategy, especially if you're the last bidder, is to determine if there's a sufficient gap between the other bidders and the item's probable price (e.g., everyone is in the $600-675 range and you're sure the stereo is around $750) and then bid $1 more than the highest bid (e.g., $676). Then, if your estimate ($750) was right, you will automatically be the closest without going over.

Kim, however, got the idea that she would bid less than the last bidder, giving herself only one possible chance for success: guessing the price exactly! Let's see how she did. (Sorry, I could only find this summary video of Kim's adventure.)

Gas Probems, Solved!

2008-10-27T22:40:00.002-05:00

Seeing as I just paid $2.20 per gallon to fill up my car this morning, I guess that our oil supply problems are solved. About a month ago, I paid at least $3.25 for a gallon, so that means the price has dropped by about 1/3.

Can you think of any other commodity item that has dropped in price by more than 30% in the last year, let alone the last month?

I'm sure that the laws of supply and demand are in effect here because I would hate to attribute the recent price drop to something as simple as the fact that it's election season. So, with "free market" pricing rules in effect, that means that we have developed a huge oil or gas surplus in the supply chain somewhere.

Hooray! That's great news for all of us Americans. Now we don't have to drill in ANWR or any other protected area. I'm glad that's over...

Red Bull Rampage 2008

2008-10-23T01:13:00.003-05:00

I was too old to get involved in mountain biking when it became popular, but it looks like these kids have taken the sport to a whole new level.

See more skate, snow, surf, and moto videos at Shred or Die

Embarrassing Politics

2008-10-21T22:18:00.004-05:00

I cannot wait for the 2008 election season to be over. While I enjoy studying politics, I prefer to do post hoc analysis (i.e., read about events after the fact) because watching politicians in real-time is unsettling.

First of all, we get to watch the masses display their ignorance and hatred on a national stage. Then we get to hear all of the candidates pitch a series of ~~lies~~ promises that will likely be buried once their true costs are exposed (or worse, implemented). Finally, we have to put up with singularly inane comments from individuals like Michele Bachmann (R-MN).

Watching Bachmann on Hardball the other night was as painful as it was [almost] hilarious. Bachmann, already a strong contender for Craziest-Sounding Politician™, is now saying that she felt trapped and that she didn't mean to call Obama "anti-American." This would be an acceptable defense if she didn't use the term (or imply it) more than half a dozen times. What an imbecile!

Late update: It looks like others want to get into the act as well. Robin Hayes (R-NC) apparently just said that, "liberals hate real Americans." Good grief!

Pretty Funny

2008-10-21T13:29:00.001-05:00

I don't know who these guys are, but I enjoyed their act.

Help Me: Welfare Queen

2008-10-19T03:45:00.005-05:00

My second in a series of political cartoons. Hope you like it.

Make-Believe Maverick

2008-10-19T01:30:00.004-05:00

I used to think that John McCain was a useful politician to have around. Appearing on popular talk shows, McCain used to skewer both his friends and enemies with humorous anecdotes and witty putdowns.

Now that he has morphed (for the tenth time) into yet another personality (that of "far right-wing man"), it's now clear that this isn't a new McCain, but another facet of the old one.

Rolling Stone has an excellent summary this month of why his qualities might be kind of cool if he was a local politician, but not so hot when he's running for president. (Hint: What kind of person picks Sarah Palin as a running mate?)

Don't Count Your Chickens Before They're Hatched

2008-10-18T00:45:00.002-05:00

I really, really feel sorry for this guy. Of course, he did this to himself, so I really just feel bad that he was that dumb to begin with.

Police Fail

2008-10-17T01:47:00.002-05:00

I like watching when criminals make stupid mistakes. Unfortunately, the police sometimes make them too.

I Cannot Stop Laughing...

2008-10-16T21:18:00.004-05:00

My favorite new blog is the FAIL Blog. Dedicated to all of the funny people out there (accidentally or intentionally; it doesn't matter), the FAIL Blog is giving me a lot of laughs on a regular basis and that's a good thing.

For example, they helped bring my favorite fail of all time to YouTube.

The Eyeballing Game

2008-10-12T23:45:00.005-05:00

For all of you geometry fans out there (or perhaps those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), there's a fun new game to play called the Eyeballing Game.

Okay, so it's more like a test than a game, but you get the picture. Just remember: real men (and women) don't use straightedges! Please, just use your eyeballs (and maybe your hand) and post your best score here.

My highest score is 2.22 so far. Try and beat that!

Car Doesn't Notice Kids' Skate Ramp

2008-09-29T07:54:00.002-05:00

It was just a matter of time before an adult decided to have this kind of fun, but with a car?

Car Doesn't Notice Kids Skate Ramp - Watch more free videos

Walt Disney World - Part 1 of 2

2008-09-24T22:34:00.004-05:00

My family and I are at Disney World in Orlando, Florida this week and it is absolutely wonderful. If you love to eat (and drink, of course), there are some places I'd like to recommend:

Citricos at the Grand Floridian
Chef Phil Ponticelli and servers Bruce or Danny will make sure that your trip is memorable. My picks: gâteau of crab for starters; braised veal shank for the entrée; and warm chocolate banana torte for dessert. Let Bruce pick your wines from their outstanding selection. Your tummy will thank you. Definitely the best Disney dining experience (except maybe V & A). Say, "Hi!" to Bruce from us if you go.
California Grill at the Contemporary Resort
The experience here was exciting. The menu was daring, the open kitchen was entertaining, the staff was professional, and the food and drink were top notch. Plus, the rooftop view lets you watch the evening fireworks at Magic Kingdom. If you're not feeling adventurous, just get the oak-fired filet of beef (but ask for Cedric's smashed potatoes instead of mashed). Wow!
Flying Fish Café at Disney's Boardwalk
Chef Tim Keating has an approach similar to Chef Ponticelli's at Citricos (not surprising, since they grew up in the same neighborhood): an open kitchen, an excellent menu, and good service. Personally, I think Citricos has the edge, but Chef Tim decided to make a special foie gras french toast for my wife (to mourn its impending demise) with fresh peaches and a matching wine. It was absolutely unique and wonderful (but my citrus cheesecake with a perfectly matched Riesling ice wine was better ;-).

My wife and I hope to try Victoria & Albert's next time.

For those of you into pin trading, I thought I would share what I picked up. First, I was able to score four of the five Disney Villain "snowglobe" series. Then, I was able to get a couple more "hidden Mickey" pins, including a Peter Pan Fastpass ticket (my family adores this ride) and a coveted monorail. Next time, I'll definitely be on the hunt for more monorails.

Windshield "Saves" Plunging Man

2008-09-17T22:12:00.001-05:00

This video [link] was taken in Australia, where a drunk named Bruce tried to jump off a bridge. Fortunately, an emergency vehicle arrived at the scene to save Bruce from hitting the pavement. Too bad it saved him by using its windshield.