From the files of the Black Baron: Casefile #101225 - Lesser Barons

Since search engines tend to bring folks here looking for other items sharing my title, so I decided, in my infinite wisdom, to post links to a few others that share my title... if not my infamy.

Michael Wittmann, German tank commander during World War 2.

Robert Munro, 18th Baron of Foulis in Scotland.

18th Aviation Brigade of the United States Army. (inactive)

The Birmingham Black Barons, professional Negro League baseball team from 1920 to 1960.

Brabus E V12 Black Baron, modified 2010 E-Class Mercedes Benz.

Red Army March - White Army, Black Baron performed by the Red Army Choir.

All right you primitive screwheads, listen up!

This is a heads-up from your beloved Baron!

On Sunday November 7 at 8:00 pm ET, Turner Classic Movies will be showing the recently refound and restored version of Metropolis, having restored to the film much of what had been lost earlier in the 20th century due to ham-handed executive meddling.

So, if you're a fan of the great grand-daddy of modern science fiction you'll be there on November 7th with popcorn in hand.

Metropolis

Metropolis - The Restoration

Metropolis Refound

Be there, or else.

The last thing I remember...

...is screaming...

...and I'm not sure who it was.

From the files of the Black Baron: Casefile #100529 - "Service... what's that?"

This will be a short post since I'm still having trouble believing it myself.

Just a bit of setup before the payoff...

The lab assistant and myself ventured forth to a local eatery called "McCobb's" that specializes in various sorts of deep-fried comestibles and a uniquely New Jersey invention called a Texas Wiener, of which the lab assistant wanted to get herself a couple of with onion rings and for myself I just wanted some fish & chips.

Upon arriving at the establishment we perused the menu to make sure our original choices were what we wanted before making our way to the counter to place the order where this exchange took place...

Interlude...

From Butternut Squash

From the files of the Black Baron: Casefile #100313 - Conundrum

On the same trip that led me to those most interesting wrenches I mentioned in a previous missive I also discovered a certain item that, while I didn't care to purchase it, intrigued me as to it's use and purpose...

Recent Acquisitions

This past friday I was able to take delivery of two of three items I've been waiting a couple months to receive.

My lab assistant's offspring and part-time minion (when she's not in college) was able to procure these two lovelies for me, for only $16 for them both.

In an Ideal Universe...

...something like this would be an everyday occurrence.

Unfortunately, we're stuck on this mundane mess known as earth prime... which is, sadly... and ironically, Primeless.

Bah, Humbug...

This as close to a holiday special as you'll find here, folks.

Liberated from http://www.yirmumah.com/.

The Mystery Revealed...

Well now, that clears things up nicely.

From the files of the Black Baron: Casefile #091030 - The Klunk Saga.

In the not too distant past I spent a six month period visiting with a friend that lived in a small town in Indiana.

Now while the nature and purpose of this visit is really no one's business but my own there were a handful of episodes well worth sharing with the world at large.

Among these is one I like to refer to as "The Klunk Saga".

Boredom rears it's ugly head...

I managed to get myself bored last night so I made up a badly comped piece of fanart for one of my favorite webcomics, Monster Commute.

And here it is...


Try not to make too much fun of it, art is not really my thing.

I'm fully aware of the fact that I couldn't even draw flies if I stopped bathing, so save your scorn for the more deserving.

Carry on, Patriot.

From the files of the Black Baron: Casefile #090908 - The P.C. Police have arrived.

In my travels I've seen many a strange thing, attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion, C-beams glittering in the dark near the Tannhauser gate... no, wait, I've done that gag before...

The point still stands, however.

I've seen a myriad of strange, wondrous, and, sometimes, horrifying things during the length of my interminable existence and, while most are noteworthy, some are truly beyond the ken of mortal man.

Case in point, it would now appear that a local constabulary is taking lessons in manners and decorum.

The Awesomest Thing Ever.

You know it had to happen sooner or later...


Here endeth the internet.

New Banner! (With apologies to Charles Schulz)

As I'm sure you've noticed by now, I've recently been provided with a shiny new banner graphic for this blog whatsit by the amazing Spiderfox.

Clicken to embiggen.

I've been wanting a pic like this pretty much since I started this blog thing and now, thanks to Spiderfox and a small amount of begging, I have it.

Watch the skies... for you never know when The Black Baron shall strike!

Another Tale of the "Hole In The Head Gang"... Sort of.

This tale is only "sort of" a tale of the Hole in the Head Gang in that it just involves yours truly...

Allow me to set the scene for you...

I'm driving along in my mucus green 1973 Ford Galaxy two-door... well it was mostly mucus green, the nose was white since it had been replaced after my aunt killed a VW Rabbit a couple years before I inherited the vehicle in question...

As I was saying, I was tooling along the highway at a nice sedate 65-70mph, minding my own business, while avoiding any law enforcement types.

I love days like this...

Took the Old Man out for a spin today for the first time in way, way too long and realized a few things...

Foremost among them is the fact I'm criminally out of shape and am in incredible pain at the moment, but that's only a temporary thing.

Secondly, most folks are still idiots... now I know this is pretty much considered standard knowledge but every once in a while I like to be reminded of the fact lest I get complacent.

Dear Sir...

Dear Sir:

We have the distinction of being members of a committee to raise $200,000,000 to be used for placing a statue of George W. Bush in the Hall of Fame in Washington, D.C. The committee was in a quandary about selecting the proper location for the statue.

It was thought unwise to place it beside that of George Washington, who never told a lie, or beside that of Richard Nixon, who never told the truth, since George W. Bush could never tell the difference.

From the files of the Black Baron: Casefile #090419 - Highway Hijinks

On a recent excursion for items varied and sundry, it was required that I make use of one of the several interstate highways in the area, a task I'm not entirely fond of on a good day... and it's been rather a long time since I had a good day.

It was during this particular excursion that I saw a sight that, once again, made me wish I had a camera small enough to keep with me at all times...

I came up on a family minivan appropriately loaded with various younglings and other animals some keep about their domiciles, which would explain the fact the driver was carrying a boxed item atop the roof of their vehicle, since it obviously wouldn't fit inside it with all the wildlife taking up room.

From the "Wish I'd thought of that myself" files.

Ok, found this on Instructables and thought it well worth sharing as all good ideas should be.

Presented here are the steps necessary to quite easily construct a keyring capable of being used as a hex bit driver.


It's so damn simple you'd think it would have been obvious...

Considering the debris I have in my tool box I should be able to knock out a couple of these to keep handy.

All right... that's it, you can all go about your business now.