my EGYPT accident

today on the way home, we were involved in an accident. it's the worst so far that i've been in, but that's still a far cry from the carnage you can see on the egyptian highways. we all had our seat belts on, and TheDriver did the very best he could to avoid an accident that wasn't his fault. i'm proud of him, we're still alive with no injuries.

we were on a feeder road onto the alex-cairo agricultural road which we take all the way to alex. as you can see from the pix at the bottom, we were heading WNW on the feeder; whereas, this truck made it's own road from the highway offramp that loops east. he tried to get across our feeder to the gas station before we got to him. it didn't happen. TheDriver got as far to the right of our lane as possible to avoid him and started on the brakes. sadly, since this is in the desert, sand collects at the edge of the road, so though he was turning right (towards the gas station lot), his tires were nevertheless sliding forward. since he was on the brakes, our momentum threw the front end down so we basically slid under the side of the truck. we stopped in the lot ready to talk to TheTruckDriver until he bolted. well, TheDriver would have none of that. he threw it back into driver and bolted after him, even as the bumper and other hood underparts were grinding away at the tire. we caught him after 1/4 mile and forced him to the shoulder. THEN TheDriver, ThePartsGuy, and TheTeaBoy all bolt out of the car dragging TheTruckDriver out of his truck!! TheTeaBoy had procured a ball-peen hammer from somewhere and was threatening TheTruckDriver with it (i think this is actually common in egyptian accidents, i've seen bats and pipes pulled out on at least two other occasions). they yelled for a bit, we made some calls, some other drivers came out to bring the cops, and i was sent home while TheDriver had to go to the police station to file the report. i offered to go to ensure that he wasn't in trouble, because it was 0% his fault, but the cop (through a driver translating) told me he knows the problem, and i wouldn't be needed.

so, here's the damage...

the damage we received from the right (TheDriver's side)

the damage we received from the left (my side)

the damage WE inflicted... a bent bolt for securing the load and a bent sheet-metal mudflap.

that's a truck full of LNG (liquified natural gas ~ propane) tanks we ran into

how our accident happened... click the pic to read it a bit better

btw, there is a new poll up. whatcha think of my style?!

help NASA name node 3

node 3 of the international space station (ISS) is looking for a new name. stephen colbert, host of the popular "the colbert report", wants us to help get node 3 named after him. i think it would be funny if it could happen. if you want to help, go here and "submit your own". in the box, put "colbert", and submit. you'll feel better doing it, being a part of pop culture if he wins. he's already ahead of scientology's "xenu".

i did it

so, normally, friday's are off, but we had a lube oil flush that the supervisor's wanted to make progress on, so jules and i had to come into work. we were able to leave site by around 2:15pm and booked it home to get to TheMech's pool ASAP for some leisure time and margaritas. many margaritas later, jules and i went home to make some dinner. we settled on fajitas and watched the end of 'saving private ryan'. after that, i got the brilliant idea to cut my hair. it was either shave or cut my hair, and surprisingly, people are kinda digging my beard. the photo here doesn't really do it justice (i'll get a more representative one later), but believe you me, it's short. i haven't NOT had hair on my neck in 14 years. it's... strange. it doesn't really know what it wants to do yet. jules is trying to train the part-in-the-middle out, we'll see what happens with it. so... let me know on the survey what you think.

been a long time gone

wow! that's been a busy 3 weeks. i hate to leave you hanging like that. i wish i had a big picture post or something to show you how much fun i had, but most of the fun was unphotographable, if you know what i mean **WINK, WINK, NUDGE, NUDGE. no, not really. i guess i should start from the beginning... this may be boring.

i flew home, the trip was rather unexciting which is the way i like it. no need to have excitement at 21,000 feet. oh, there was one cool thing. i flew air france from cairo to paris, and paris to JFK. during the flight, they have an actual camera facing straight down so you can see real-time video of what is passing under you. they have another camera that points in front of the plane that shows you real-time video of the take-off and landing. seeing them lineup the runway from so far away is pretty neat.

i got home just in time to drive up to columbus to throw Chump his bachelor party. on the way, i had to buy him something perverse/goofy; it's a bachelor party tradition, AND he did get me "lactating hermaphrodites" from the porno bargain bin as a gag gift on my birthday many moons ago. so i bought him a tasteful blowup doll and "transexual midgets" DVD. sadly the DVD WASN'T from the bargain bin. you don't want to know how much i spent for it, but nothing is too good for my boooooooy. hah. i piecked up Chump and went to the hotel to wait for the guys for lunch, then meeting up for the activities of the evening. when we got back from lunch, it was a waiting game for everyone to show up. T and JHo arrived after a bit, leaving only red and wasko who called to say they were coming late. our 2nd-floor room had a sliding glass door onto a faux-balcony that faced the parking lot. JHo, Chump, and T were out smoking when a black SUV, of sorts, pulls up. i'm thinking "finally, rick and red" so i grab the blowup doll and hang it out the window, simulating procreation activities on it, until the guy steps out of his truck laughing. the guy... not being rick... with his wife... with his kids... i'm an ass. he took it in good humor, and i think we were lucky enough for the kids (maybe 10 and 12 yrs old) in the backseat not to see my adolescent foolishness. thank goodness for people who can take a joke.

ah crap... i just got a load of work to do during lunch. i'll catch you up later... and btw, who's been BLOWIN' UP the "YES"s in the poll. i left egypt and it was close with the "NO"s leading, i got home, and *KABLOW, the "YES"s had it. i DIDN'T have the time to cut it while home, so jules and i are looking up procedures to do it right so it looks good AND so locks of love can use it. later.

"should-i-cut-my-hair?" poll

i posted a new and VERY IMPORTANT poll on the left there. it won't be up for long. depending on the overall consensus and how i feel, IF i do cut my hair, i'll be doing it the day after chad's wedding before i fly back to egypt. so that means i need your opinion by 12-april-08.

new scratch-n-sniff poll, well sniff, at least

there's a new poll to the left. it's something that's bothered me for a long time, really. i just don't know what's proper. if you chose "other", let me know in the comments, what you do? i don't think this is something miss manners teaches, it's more of a trial-by-fire kinda learning.