Strange Maps has a cool entry on a state formed in 1939 as an attempt to secede from the United States: Absaroka. It didn't last long, but the story is interesting nonetheless.

I've enjoyed reading Marginal Revolution for some time, but I think this recent post is one of the best. Tyler Cohen builds a mental model of many voters think. He is quick to point out that this does not apply to all voters, and he is assuredly correct about that. Note that all groups inconsistenly apply their own ideals, such as "individual responsibility", using them only when it helps their case and ignoring them when it would hurt their case.

Philadelphia has not had the honor of hosting a championship parade for a major league sports team since the 1983 76ers. Technically, the drought is still alive. But let's hear it for the 2008 Arena Football League Champions: The Philadelphia Soul! In an exciting ArenaBowl 22, Philadelphia triumphed 59-56.

It was our first game of the playoffs, and a night of wild playoff strategy. At the start, we had none of our regular pitchers. Coach Mike filled in nicely for two outs and two earned runs before an experienced pitcher showed up midway through the inning. Then, announcing the lineup Mike made a curious decision, putting me at leadoff instead of my usual #8 spot. We told him that we hoped he didn't hurt his brain coming up with all of these playoff tricks!

The Grandpas steadily built and maintained a solid lead, not often looking threatened. My personal favorite inning was the fourth. After a few hits given up and runs scored, a hitter sent a hard line drive towards the right field line. I ran full-out, and with my maximum possible extension pulled in the ball on the very tip of my glove. Not only that, but I managed to hold the runners with a suprisingly good throw. Next batter hit a routine fly ball to me in right, routine catch, and already I've got a usual game's worth of fielding activity in just this inning. Surprisingly, the next batter also went to right, this one on a blooper. I sprinted towards the fall thinking I had a chance to dive at it. Right at the end, I realized I slightly overran it and slid under it instead. The ball hit my glove..... and slid out.... right onto my stomach! I proudly thrust the ball into the air and received some congratulations.

In the end, the Grandpas prevailed 19-10. My line: 3-5, 2R, 2RBI, and a season-high four putouts.

We did a 20 mile ride in the up-to-100 degree heat tonight. There's got to be some unit of measurement that lets me write a 2000 in here somewhere...

Note from Coach Mike:

Congratulations! After last week's heroics, we've finishing the season as regular season champions (which doesn't get us anything but, as my mom used to tell me, "the pride and satisfaction of a job done well").

Looks like the Grandpas are running wild again!

Last night the Grandpas played a rare doubleheader on the IBM Rec fields. After a two-week layoff, the Grandpas' bats showed no signs of rust. Of course, it helped that the opposition only had eight players, leaving huge holes in the field. It was heaven for opposite-field hitters like me! We built a large lead, then saw it dwindle away to almost nothing. Still, the Grandpas prevailed 16-14. My line: 3-3, BB, 3R, 2RBI.

We had a ninety minute layover between games, then returned to face the same team as the first game. This time they had ten players to our nine. The face of the game was completely different from the game 1 slugfest, as nearly every defensive play was WebGem-worthy. Well, except the right fielder who let my line drive glance off his glove and allowed me to circle the bases for an inside-the-park-homer/4-base error, depending on how you score things at home. We won 6-4, securing a 9-3 overall record on the season, likely good enough for the 2 or 3 seed in the upcoming playoffs. My line: 1-4, HR, R, RBI.

Here's a fun web game for you: Chronotron. The premise is simple... in each level, you need to find parts for your time machine, using past versions of yourself to help you.

When I saw this set, I thought I'd never see anything better. And then I saw this set. Wow. Just wow.

I'm not sure who to attribute this to, as I've seen it all over the internet. Enjoy!

Doggy Dictionary

LEASH: A strap which attaches to your collar, enabling you to lead your person where you want him/her to go.

DOG BED: Any soft, clean surface, such as the white bedspread in the guest room or the newly upholstered couch in the living room.

DROOL: A liquid which, when combined with sad eyes, forces humans to give you their food. To do this properly you must sit as close as you can and get the drool on the human.

SNIFF: A social custom used to greet other dogs, similar to the human exchange of business cards.

GARBAGE CAN: A container which your neighbors put out once a week to test your ingenuity. You must stand on your hind legs and try to push the lid off with your nose. If you do it right you are rewarded with margarine wrappers to shred, beef bones to consume and moldy crusts of bread.

BICYCLES: Two-wheeled exercise machines, invented for dogs to control body fat. To get maximum aerobic benefit, you must hide behind a bush and dash out, bark loudly and run alongside for a few yards. The person then swerves and falls into the bushes, and you prance away.

DEAFNESS: This is a malady which affects dogs when their person wants them in and they want to stay out. Symptoms include staring blankly at the person, then running in the opposite direction, or lying down.

THUNDER: This is a signal that the world is coming to an end. Humans remain amazingly calm during thunderstorms, so it is necessary to warn them of the danger by trembling uncontrollably, panting, rolling your eyes wildly, and following at their heels.

WASTEBASKET: This is a dog toy filled with paper, envelopes, and old candy wrappers. It is important to evenly distribute its contents throughout the house before your person comes home.

BATH : If you find something especially good to roll in, humans get jealous, and they use this degrading form of torture to get even. Be sure to shake only when next to a person or a piece of furniture.

LEAN: Every good dog's response to the command "sit!," especially if your person is dressed for an evening out. Incredibly effective before black-tie events.

BUMP: The best way to get your human's attention when they are drinking a fresh cup of coffee or tea.

GOOSE BUMP: A maneuver to use as a last resort when the regular bump doesn't get the attention you require ... especially effective when combined with the sniff. See above.

CHILDREN: Short humans of optimal petting height. Standing close to one assures some good petting. When running, they are good to chase. If they fall down, they are comfortable to sit on.

LOVE: A feeling of intense affection, given freely and without restriction. The best way you can show your love is to wag your tail. If you're lucky, a human will love you in return.