OJ Simpson Verdict

OJ Simpson has been found guity of armed robbery in Las Vegas. He faces a minimum of 15 year for the kidnapping charge, plus additional time for the other 11 charges of which he was convicted. The verdict helps to portray Simpson as a morality-free thug who doesn't mind using a gun to get what he wants (in this case, he says he was merely 'retrieving' stolen sports memorabilia that was rightfully his).

Some people will use this conviction as an indicator that Simpson did kill his wife Nicole. (Simpson was cleared of that charge in criminal court, but convicted of the same charge in civil court).

Strangely enough, despite all that has happened, when the Night Googler hears the name OJ Simpson, the Googler still gets a pleasing visual image of an freakish athlete with unique lateral mobility weaving through would-be tacklers on the way to another long run for the Buffalo Bills. It seems it is hard to separate the beauty of an elite athlete's movements with that same athlete's flawed personality.

morse code

Let's not forget our old, outmoded, outdated, yet elegantly simple technologies like Morse Code. Fortunately, Robert Williams of Bozeman, Montana didn't. On a Sunday night in September, 2008, he was testing out his ham radio when he picked up a signal from a hiker stranded on Glacier Peak, over 600 miles away in the neighboring state of Washington. Williams called 911 and spent the day relaying messages and GPS coordinates from the hiker to rescuers, all via Morse Code. The next day, rescue crews reached the hiker and carried him to safety on horseback.

When I was a kid, I had this cool Morse Code flashlight with a big opening and sort of venetian blinds covering the lens. There was a trigger that opened and closed the blinds, and a basic Morse Code 'glossary' on the side for easy reference.

Wish I'd kept it!

joe sixpack

The Night Googler isn't really a typical Joe Sixpack. If anything, in my drinking days I might have been known as a Joe SixCarafe. But it's over now, and the question is, 'Who won the vice presidential debate?'

At this point in the election, most of the undecided/likely to change voters are lower middle to middle class. So both parties are trying to appeal to those groups. When Palin talks about tax cuts for business, she talks about how it's going to help 'our families'. Biden mentions meeting a friend in line for gas who doesn't know how much it costs to fill up his tank because he can't afford to fill it up anymore. Palin says that Joe Sixpack and Hockey moms need to ban together and just say 'never again' by managing their investments and not over-borrowing.

The Night Googler IS decided but would rather not bring politics into this forum, preferring to simply say, "I wish the election was over and the party I want to get in gets in." I'm sure you agree.

OK Go and their Happy Treadmill Dance

Need cheering up? Don't mind listening to a bit of rock music? Watch this coordinated treadmill dance by the group OK Go. It never fails to put a smile on my face.

Then, if you really loved it and can appreciate the work that went into it, imagine, for a moment, that you are in high school (say, for example, Granbury High School, Granbury, Texas, USA) and it's the talent show, and you are able to increase your popularity by doing this:

click here if you cannot view the above video

Fringe

The Night Googler has limited time and energy, and must make the tough decisions when it comes to choosing what to watch. J. J. Abrams new show Fringe made it onto the radar. I'm interested in all things J. J., especially in the leadup to his upcoming Star Trek movie. My greatest fear is that his star will drop due to shoddy projects, and Fringe is the start of that possible decline.

First off, the Night Googler is not a big fan of the X Files, although I have enjoyed those few episodes I watched. Fringe appears to be a copy of this format, with lots of wisecracks, gray area science, and illogic. It's like they took all the bits of Lost I don't like and spun off a new show from those dregs. Granted, I am making a snap judgement after watching 25 minutes of the first episode. But sometimes the Night Googler has to be ruthless.

So I'm not going to watch any more. Goodbye, Anna Torv, and good luck to you. I'll miss your confused and worried expressions.

B&B Benedetto Diotti

(The Night Googler reserves the right to blog about anything the Googler wants to blog about, hence this entry).

Recently, we had a hankering to see the Duomo in Milan (Italy), but did not want to pay the exhorbitant Euro prices for hotel rooms. While looking for a B&B (Bed and Breakfast) in or near Milan, I found some, but there were no reviews. We chose B&B Benedetto Diotti. Located a short bus and train ride from the city centre, the friendly and obliging host of this B&B will make you feel at home. The two dogs in the garden are friendly and will help to make you feel secure, as will the locked gate.

The B&B is located in suburban Milan; there are some shops within walking distance, but the larger shops are a very short bus ride away. Fortunately, your culinary needs for lunch and dinner can be sated completely by the talented people at Acqua Azzurra, a family-run restaurant just a couple of doors away. The pasta dishes are amazing!

This B&B's host has very limited English, so if you really want to force yourself to learn enough Italian to communicate, this is the place to go.

I highly recommend this B&B as a budget way of disovering Milan and Italy.

Teach yourself to speak with a British accent

This woman thinks that if you can say been, again, and garage, you are well on your way to sounding British.
Click here to view the YouTube video