The Adventures of AccordionGuy in the 21st Century
Need to catch up on this when I have a chance.
Friday, December 28, 2001
Thursday, December 27, 2001
Sunday, December 23, 2001
CAP ALERT
Now with more than 40 mathematical equations in every movie review!
I don't know what it is about fundementalism which completely deadens the intellect to such things as allegories, fantasies, and the like, but it's really annoying. He also compares J.R.R. Tolkien to Satan which is also really annoying.
Now with more than 40 mathematical equations in every movie review!
I don't know what it is about fundementalism which completely deadens the intellect to such things as allegories, fantasies, and the like, but it's really annoying. He also compares J.R.R. Tolkien to Satan which is also really annoying.
Friday, December 21, 2001
School district upholds decision against rat
This is the biggest bunch of nonsense I've ever read. Put the picture in the darn book!
This is the biggest bunch of nonsense I've ever read. Put the picture in the darn book!
Thursday, December 20, 2001
Pravda.RU An American Populist: PRAVDA.Ru interviews Patrick Buchanan
"Why is the West dying? First, for a simple reason, its people are dying. There is not one European country, except Moslem Albania, where the population is not stagnant or falling. In not one European nation are women having enough children to keep the nation alive. In some twenty European nations, there are already more burials than births, more caskets than cradles."
"Why is the West dying? First, for a simple reason, its people are dying. There is not one European country, except Moslem Albania, where the population is not stagnant or falling. In not one European nation are women having enough children to keep the nation alive. In some twenty European nations, there are already more burials than births, more caskets than cradles."
Wednesday, December 19, 2001
A Chip ID That's Only Skin-Deep
"The bottom line is, when people are trying to regain their peace of mind, they're more open to new approaches," said Keith Bolton, Applied Digital's chief technology officer.
No, he's not a fictional George Orwell character.
"The bottom line is, when people are trying to regain their peace of mind, they're more open to new approaches," said Keith Bolton, Applied Digital's chief technology officer.
No, he's not a fictional George Orwell character.
Tuesday, December 18, 2001
Touring Information for Kurt Elling
Is it just my eyes or does that page look 3-dimensional to anyone else?
Is it just my eyes or does that page look 3-dimensional to anyone else?
Monday, December 17, 2001
This I knew, but I think they're woefully misrepresenting the Victor Dog.
Take the Corporate Mascot Test at Willaston's Lounge!
Take the Corporate Mascot Test at Willaston's Lounge!
Saturday, December 15, 2001
Friday, December 14, 2001
All this, and daikon radish! Theme of Kobe-chan
Very cool! I got props here for my song!!!
"As well as having a theme song, Victor Lams wrote a song called "Hooray for Kobe-san!". You can download it at Victor Lams' website. I downloaded it recently, and it was the funniest thing I'd heard all day. XD"
So, thank you very much fellow Kobe-san Fan! You have made my day for it seems that all those hours I spent last January putting that song together have not been all for naught.
Very cool! I got props here for my song!!!
"As well as having a theme song, Victor Lams wrote a song called "Hooray for Kobe-san!". You can download it at Victor Lams' website. I downloaded it recently, and it was the funniest thing I'd heard all day. XD"
So, thank you very much fellow Kobe-san Fan! You have made my day for it seems that all those hours I spent last January putting that song together have not been all for naught.
Bonfire Films of America presents G I G A N T I C (A Tale of Two Johns) | A film by A.J. Schnack
Already looks like a winner!
Already looks like a winner!
Thursday, December 13, 2001
Saint Edith Stein
"The darker it becomes around us , the more we ought to open our hearts to the light that comes from on high."
"The darker it becomes around us , the more we ought to open our hearts to the light that comes from on high."
Wednesday, December 12, 2001
Russian Archives Online
A nice collection of former Soviet-Union propoganda. It's kind of like reading propoganda for cancer or heart-disease, though.
A nice collection of former Soviet-Union propoganda. It's kind of like reading propoganda for cancer or heart-disease, though.
Tuesday, December 11, 2001
Salon.com News | Bush to withdraw from ABM treaty
Sorry to blogpoach, but here is additional indication that on SOME websites there is no fact/value distinction in how they report the news.
Please note: the 1972 AMB treaty was signed by the United States and the Soviet Union (not Russia). The Soviet Union collapsed ten years ago. The treaty should've been dissolved at that time (along with every single nuclear warhead on the planet, in my opinion).
It would be as if the U.S. and China signed a treaty and then after the U.S. fell apart everyone assumed that the treaty would still be valid between China and Virginia.
Sorry to blogpoach, but here is additional indication that on SOME websites there is no fact/value distinction in how they report the news.
Please note: the 1972 AMB treaty was signed by the United States and the Soviet Union (not Russia). The Soviet Union collapsed ten years ago. The treaty should've been dissolved at that time (along with every single nuclear warhead on the planet, in my opinion).
It would be as if the U.S. and China signed a treaty and then after the U.S. fell apart everyone assumed that the treaty would still be valid between China and Virginia.
Monday, December 10, 2001
MP3.com - Victor Lams
Aw yeah! My music has been played 1,250 times.
Since January 2000.
All right, so I know that's not all that impressive.
And I know I won't get my $6.73 they owe me until I've been played enough to get $50 worth.
And I know I'll have to be played about 10,000 times to get $50 worth.
So don't remind me.
Especially don't remind me that this guy has a computer sing his lyrics and he's been played 8,702 times.
But is he a novelist?
Probably.
Aw yeah! My music has been played 1,250 times.
Since January 2000.
All right, so I know that's not all that impressive.
And I know I won't get my $6.73 they owe me until I've been played enough to get $50 worth.
And I know I'll have to be played about 10,000 times to get $50 worth.
So don't remind me.
Especially don't remind me that this guy has a computer sing his lyrics and he's been played 8,702 times.
But is he a novelist?
Probably.
Sunday, December 09, 2001
Salon.com People | Waiting on the prez
So I don't want to hear anything about how I never blogged a story from Salon.com. It's a good story.
So I don't want to hear anything about how I never blogged a story from Salon.com. It's a good story.
At this early stage of the game, Walker's story, whether you consider him a traitor or if you just consider him someone who was following his dreams, seems to be the sad result of two things:
1) a young man struggling to find meaning and permanence in the pop-culture-drenched and impermanent world around him and 2) the utter failing of Chrisitan evangelization to be there for him.
But then all the facts are hardly in at this point.
1) a young man struggling to find meaning and permanence in the pop-culture-drenched and impermanent world around him and 2) the utter failing of Chrisitan evangelization to be there for him.
But then all the facts are hardly in at this point.
Sperm Donor Must Pay Child Support - Report
I guess you could say that in some bizarre way you always get what you deserve.
I guess you could say that in some bizarre way you always get what you deserve.
Dreidel For One - FoxNews.com
Beneath the awful, awful pun in that headline is a rather somber and moving news story about the two remaining Jewish people in Afghanistan. Who hate each other. This would make a fascinating play or movie, if anyone's interested.
Beneath the awful, awful pun in that headline is a rather somber and moving news story about the two remaining Jewish people in Afghanistan. Who hate each other. This would make a fascinating play or movie, if anyone's interested.
Will Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings Be True to Tolkien?
This is a very good article, I think, for anyone considering that question.
This is a very good article, I think, for anyone considering that question.
LETTER TO FAMILIES
Here's an excerpt:
"Among these many paths, the family is the first and the most important. It is a path common to all, yet one which is particular, unique and unrepeatable, just as every individual is unrepeatable; it is a path from which man cannot withdraw. Indeed, a person normally comes into the world within a family, and can be said to owe to the family the very fact of his existing as an individual. When he has no family, the person coming into the world develops an anguished sense of pain and loss, one which will subsequently burden his whole life. The Church draws near with loving concern to all who experience situations such as these, for she knows well the fundamental role which the family is called upon to play. Furthermore, she knows that a person goes forth from the family in order to realize in a new family unit his particular vocation in life. Even if someone chooses to remain single, the family continues to be, as it were, his existential horizon, that fundamental community in which the whole network of social relations is grounded, from the closest and most immediate to the most distant. Do we not often speak of the 'human family' when referring to all the people living in the world?"
Here's an excerpt:
"Among these many paths, the family is the first and the most important. It is a path common to all, yet one which is particular, unique and unrepeatable, just as every individual is unrepeatable; it is a path from which man cannot withdraw. Indeed, a person normally comes into the world within a family, and can be said to owe to the family the very fact of his existing as an individual. When he has no family, the person coming into the world develops an anguished sense of pain and loss, one which will subsequently burden his whole life. The Church draws near with loving concern to all who experience situations such as these, for she knows well the fundamental role which the family is called upon to play. Furthermore, she knows that a person goes forth from the family in order to realize in a new family unit his particular vocation in life. Even if someone chooses to remain single, the family continues to be, as it were, his existential horizon, that fundamental community in which the whole network of social relations is grounded, from the closest and most immediate to the most distant. Do we not often speak of the 'human family' when referring to all the people living in the world?"
Friday, December 07, 2001
ESPN.com: MORESPORTS - Alleged pirates claim self-defense in Blake death
I'm still staring at this story and asking myself: "This happened in 2001? Priates!?"
I'm still staring at this story and asking myself: "This happened in 2001? Priates!?"
AU Press Release -- November 29, 2001
An update from some who have forgotten (forgotten/made-an-industry-out-of-spouting-off) that any so-called "separation of church and State," intended by those who put together our Bill of Rights (and the phrase itself appears nowhere in the Constitution) was intended to protect the church from the State (these were, to some degree, people who had left England because they were being persecuted for their religious beliefs). The idea that the Imperialist State which taxes and punishes with impunity would need to be protected from someone who wants to put the Ten Commandments up in a classroom is only an indication of how much some people fear being reminded of their own mortality. Especially since the entire notion of individual liberties like freedom of speech, et al, did not exist until a fundamentally Judeo-Christian worldview took hold which upheld the fundamental dignity of humankind. People forget that some of the first people who tried to create a separation between church and State for the reason of protecting their faith (as well as their lives) were the early Christians. Try telling Nero Caesar that there's a division between church and State and that he's not really a god. A lot of Christians tried to do just this and a lot of Christians were crucified, beheaded, or killed in the games.
So I do not think that the AU is truly looking out for anyone's best interest here -- not even their own. One of the things I have learned is that some people just really hate to be confronted with the truth or with the permanent issues of God, Freedom, and Immortality. Confront someone with an unwelcome fact and don't be surprised if they take your head off just because they don't want to hear it. Yeah, it's mature. But such is the prevailing ideology these days: If I don't want to hear something, there's no reason why I or anyone else should have to hear it. We're reduced to a nation of spoiled, rebellious teenagers but what are you gonna do?
Honestly, what else can you say about a group which calls itself a "watchdog group," and every group which shares an opposing point of view is a "religious-political extremist group," or a "regime."
Not that I'm going too vehemently to defend any Fundamentalist Christian group, because I believe that they are to no small degree fundamentally flawed in regards to their interpretation of both Scripture and the role and authority of the Church. Oddly enough, though, I was recently called a Fundamentalist Christian once, though. Even though it was meant as a pejorative term, I did feel a little honored because I know a lot of Fundamentalist Christians and they're some of the most courageous, stalwart people I've ever met. Either way, I had to laugh.
What it comes down to is this: you better damn well know yourself and you better damn well check to make sure that whatever it is that you believe and attempt to get others to believe is not just something you've made up to cover up your own personal faults or intellectual or moral shortcomings (such as: I don't have the character to hold religious beliefs therefore I should never ever have to be confronted with religious or ethical questions). As I am to no small degree a libertarian, it makes me very angry when people do this: they shouldn't have to interfere with my life or my personal freedoms to cover up for their own inequities.
An update from some who have forgotten (forgotten/made-an-industry-out-of-spouting-off) that any so-called "separation of church and State," intended by those who put together our Bill of Rights (and the phrase itself appears nowhere in the Constitution) was intended to protect the church from the State (these were, to some degree, people who had left England because they were being persecuted for their religious beliefs). The idea that the Imperialist State which taxes and punishes with impunity would need to be protected from someone who wants to put the Ten Commandments up in a classroom is only an indication of how much some people fear being reminded of their own mortality. Especially since the entire notion of individual liberties like freedom of speech, et al, did not exist until a fundamentally Judeo-Christian worldview took hold which upheld the fundamental dignity of humankind. People forget that some of the first people who tried to create a separation between church and State for the reason of protecting their faith (as well as their lives) were the early Christians. Try telling Nero Caesar that there's a division between church and State and that he's not really a god. A lot of Christians tried to do just this and a lot of Christians were crucified, beheaded, or killed in the games.
So I do not think that the AU is truly looking out for anyone's best interest here -- not even their own. One of the things I have learned is that some people just really hate to be confronted with the truth or with the permanent issues of God, Freedom, and Immortality. Confront someone with an unwelcome fact and don't be surprised if they take your head off just because they don't want to hear it. Yeah, it's mature. But such is the prevailing ideology these days: If I don't want to hear something, there's no reason why I or anyone else should have to hear it. We're reduced to a nation of spoiled, rebellious teenagers but what are you gonna do?
Honestly, what else can you say about a group which calls itself a "watchdog group," and every group which shares an opposing point of view is a "religious-political extremist group," or a "regime."
Not that I'm going too vehemently to defend any Fundamentalist Christian group, because I believe that they are to no small degree fundamentally flawed in regards to their interpretation of both Scripture and the role and authority of the Church. Oddly enough, though, I was recently called a Fundamentalist Christian once, though. Even though it was meant as a pejorative term, I did feel a little honored because I know a lot of Fundamentalist Christians and they're some of the most courageous, stalwart people I've ever met. Either way, I had to laugh.
What it comes down to is this: you better damn well know yourself and you better damn well check to make sure that whatever it is that you believe and attempt to get others to believe is not just something you've made up to cover up your own personal faults or intellectual or moral shortcomings (such as: I don't have the character to hold religious beliefs therefore I should never ever have to be confronted with religious or ethical questions). As I am to no small degree a libertarian, it makes me very angry when people do this: they shouldn't have to interfere with my life or my personal freedoms to cover up for their own inequities.
Kinko's is a very attractive place to me, and I think that that is because of my love for all blank media: blank CD-Rs, printer paper, blank Digital-8 video cassettes. I love the possibility of spontaneous creation and then having something tangible to hold afterwards: something actualized. Kinkos is the place where you can take in a CD-R and come out with anything printed in color. That's very exciting to me.
Thursday, December 06, 2001
Tuesday, December 04, 2001
Sexy Santa 2001
Call me old fashioned, but MSN's turning of Christmas into a "sinsual," holiday is pretty much just asking to have the Wrath of God brought down upon their collective head, in my opinion.
So keep your eyes on those XBox sales, Microsoft.
Call me old fashioned, but MSN's turning of Christmas into a "sinsual," holiday is pretty much just asking to have the Wrath of God brought down upon their collective head, in my opinion.
So keep your eyes on those XBox sales, Microsoft.
They Might Be Giants: Better Living through Better Music
Where you can download TMBG videos if you're patient.
Where you can download TMBG videos if you're patient.
Do not mourn the blog for what it is (which is still pretty cool!). Rather, celebrate what it was and what it will be again.
Monday, December 03, 2001
Sunday, December 02, 2001
The next time we twenty-somethings start talking about how much our job sucks, we'd do well to recall the life of these poor workers, in age our peers but in every other way some of the most pitiable people I've ever heard of.
More Ginger details may be coming
Okay, so it's not THE people mover, but A person mover. Like some sort of climbing scooter or something with a good sense of equalibrium.
You know, anti-gravity boots would be a lot cooler.
Okay, so it's not THE people mover, but A person mover. Like some sort of climbing scooter or something with a good sense of equalibrium.
You know, anti-gravity boots would be a lot cooler.
CBS News | The Wizard Of IT | Wed, 07 Mar 2001 09:00:07 EST
Did you know that this whole IT thing has been going on for almost a year? And now, after all the hype the biggest thing they could come up with is the people mover?
Did you know that this whole IT thing has been going on for almost a year? And now, after all the hype the biggest thing they could come up with is the people mover?
We saw Legally Blonde last night. I had been worried that the dialogue in the novel I'm writing seemed stilted, or artificial, or fake and unrealistic. After seeing that movie, and realizing just what a big hit it was, I'm no longer worried. I would include some of the choice bits here but I've been able, thankfully, to forget most of them. I sure hope Reese Witherspoon sees another good role after Election.
Saturday, December 01, 2001
Friday, November 30, 2001
WARNING: Don't read this next post if you disagree with it.
What can you say about a country where it's legal to chop up babies but illegal to send innocuous powder through the mail?
Not that it's good or right or just or excusable in any way shape or form to fool people into thinking their lives are in danger, but I mean, really... How far can you really blame someone if their sense of judgment is not sufficiently developed so as to pick up the sublte nuances which allow such a dichotomy?
What can you say about a country where it's legal to chop up babies but illegal to send innocuous powder through the mail?
Not that it's good or right or just or excusable in any way shape or form to fool people into thinking their lives are in danger, but I mean, really... How far can you really blame someone if their sense of judgment is not sufficiently developed so as to pick up the sublte nuances which allow such a dichotomy?
Thursday, November 29, 2001
Wednesday, November 28, 2001
No, the story's not done yet. But I beat 50k by the end of the month!
Time to celebrate with a rousing chorus of the "Red Dwarf," ending theme-song.
Tuesday, November 27, 2001
If I could, I would make Buffy so much better than it has become.
Here are some suggestions:
1) Cast Jon Polito as a goofy, wannabe vampire slayer and have him become really evil.
2) Cast Dwight Shultz as a neurotic mad-scientist and have him become really evil.
3) Bring back Armin Shimerman as The Translucent Blue Ghost of Principal Schneider.
The point: two years ago any of these ideas would have sounded really really lame, but now -- and I defy anyone to prove me wrong on this -- any one of these hacneyed plot developments would be considered a blessing.
The show has officially jumped the shark.
Here are some suggestions:
1) Cast Jon Polito as a goofy, wannabe vampire slayer and have him become really evil.
2) Cast Dwight Shultz as a neurotic mad-scientist and have him become really evil.
3) Bring back Armin Shimerman as The Translucent Blue Ghost of Principal Schneider.
The point: two years ago any of these ideas would have sounded really really lame, but now -- and I defy anyone to prove me wrong on this -- any one of these hacneyed plot developments would be considered a blessing.
The show has officially jumped the shark.
Where else are you going to find such an eccentric group of Buffy wallpapers... including one dedicated to 'Ted.'
The Star Trek edition of "The Weakest Link." Now THAT is good television!
I'm not going to spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but I would like to just say that I predicted who the winner would be (accurately) back when I saw the first promos for it on Saturday.
I'm sorry Armin didn't win, but hey -- you can't beat Reading Rainbow for an education!
I'm not going to spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but I would like to just say that I predicted who the winner would be (accurately) back when I saw the first promos for it on Saturday.
I'm sorry Armin didn't win, but hey -- you can't beat Reading Rainbow for an education!
Monday, November 26, 2001
Perhaps Johnny Cash put it best, when he described his taste in music: "I love songs about horses, railroads, land, judgment day, family, hard times, whiskey, courtship, marriage, adultery, separation, murder, war, prison, rambling, damnation, home, salvation, death, pride, humor, piety, rebellion, patriotism, larceny, determination, tragedy, rowdiness, heartbreak and love. And mother. And God."
Saturday, November 24, 2001
Friday, November 23, 2001
Wednesday, November 21, 2001
FDA Approves World's First Contraceptive Skin Patch
Wrap your mind around this one: the FDA, a government agency, okays a way to enable the population of the country it represents to effectively slow the rate of population growth until, at some time in the future (for Britain this will be the year 2006, by all reports) deaths outnumber births and without a steady influx of new residents (say from Central America or the Middle East) with large families, that nation dies off.
I mean, the government has been doing this for years, and I think it's finally starting to catch up with us. When Social Security is bankrupt, don't come crying to me because you didn't have any kids. Likewise, when there's no teenagers to work at Wendy's or McDonalds or to bag groceries, don't complain to me that the lines are all too long and that service is terrible.
By all accounts our planet could sustain a population some 20 or 30 times what it is now without any degredation in so-called "quality of life," or even any noticeable environmental impact. So one assumes that the push to eradicate our spieces is not driven by concern for our species or even the planet itself.
Which begs the question: who, or what, wants to see humankind wiped out? Then ask yourself if you're helping that agenda along just a little bit.
Like Moses said (and Victor paraphrases) "you have before you life and death, a blessing or a curse." I don't know anyone who would consider a birth-control patch a "blessing," except in the most cynical sense. Now children, on the other hand... those are blessings.
Wrap your mind around this one: the FDA, a government agency, okays a way to enable the population of the country it represents to effectively slow the rate of population growth until, at some time in the future (for Britain this will be the year 2006, by all reports) deaths outnumber births and without a steady influx of new residents (say from Central America or the Middle East) with large families, that nation dies off.
I mean, the government has been doing this for years, and I think it's finally starting to catch up with us. When Social Security is bankrupt, don't come crying to me because you didn't have any kids. Likewise, when there's no teenagers to work at Wendy's or McDonalds or to bag groceries, don't complain to me that the lines are all too long and that service is terrible.
By all accounts our planet could sustain a population some 20 or 30 times what it is now without any degredation in so-called "quality of life," or even any noticeable environmental impact. So one assumes that the push to eradicate our spieces is not driven by concern for our species or even the planet itself.
Which begs the question: who, or what, wants to see humankind wiped out? Then ask yourself if you're helping that agenda along just a little bit.
Like Moses said (and Victor paraphrases) "you have before you life and death, a blessing or a curse." I don't know anyone who would consider a birth-control patch a "blessing," except in the most cynical sense. Now children, on the other hand... those are blessings.
Tuesday, November 20, 2001
Forbes.com: Harry Potter Is A Fraud
Well, not the books, or the movie... but rather the numbers which show it the most profitable movie, in terms of its opening weekend. I don't much care either way, but it's a fun article.
Well, not the books, or the movie... but rather the numbers which show it the most profitable movie, in terms of its opening weekend. I don't much care either way, but it's a fun article.
Monday, November 19, 2001
The story arc they'd been crafting since, it turns out, the middle of last season has just been resolved on Angel. Well, not resolved so much, as taken to the next level. It was unqualifiaby one of the best hours of television I've watched. Epic. There are so many people I know who need to be watching this show.
It's a shame.
It's a shame.
Harry Potter vs. Gandalf
Another thing, like the Harry Potter books themselves, I need to read when I get the time.
Another thing, like the Harry Potter books themselves, I need to read when I get the time.
Sunday, November 18, 2001
Saturday, November 17, 2001
Witchcraft fears keep Fargo kids from Harry Potter
A misleading headline, but the story actually makes sense: I doubt very much the public schools would authorize a field trip to see The Greatest Story Ever Told for example, despite the fact that it's based on the most widely read book in the world.
If witchcraft is a religion, as so many of its so-called practicioners claim, then to have the public schools authorize a trip to a movie during school hours which promotes witchcraft would seem to be in violation of the so-called "separation of church and State."
Hmm.... I wonder what it would take to get secular humanism listed as a religion? Hopefully we'll be hearing a lot more abou the light being shed on secular militants and secular intolerance for religion.
A misleading headline, but the story actually makes sense: I doubt very much the public schools would authorize a field trip to see The Greatest Story Ever Told for example, despite the fact that it's based on the most widely read book in the world.
If witchcraft is a religion, as so many of its so-called practicioners claim, then to have the public schools authorize a trip to a movie during school hours which promotes witchcraft would seem to be in violation of the so-called "separation of church and State."
Hmm.... I wonder what it would take to get secular humanism listed as a religion? Hopefully we'll be hearing a lot more abou the light being shed on secular militants and secular intolerance for religion.
Friday, November 16, 2001
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Story of a "Cradle Convert"
A bit brief. I think I have the complete version of this talk in print somwhere, though.
A bit brief. I think I have the complete version of this talk in print somwhere, though.
24,140 words.. so close to the 25,000 words which I needed to reach today (to be on schedule) and yet so far away. In honor of today, Friday, being the opening of a certain movie, I thought I'd give you a sample from my as-yet-untitled novel:
"She recalled one of her favorite series: the Richie Weaver books. Originally intended for children, the series of novels had found a most appreciative audience among legions of adult readers as well. So much so that even at work, Randall, her co-worker — who wasn’t the type, she thought, who’d appreciate lyrical fiction, or really even reading in general — and herself could spend much of their shift talking about the books and relating favorite passages.
"The novels told the story of Richie Weaver, a child whose parents had been killed when he was very young. He had been sent to live with his godparents who were exceedingly harsh and uptight: especially when it came to ensuring that Richie went to church every Sunday. Eventually Richie was able to escape his repressive foster parents and fled to the Asmadean Druidic Academy, a sort of preternatural boarding-school where the students were all trained in the Ancient Ways of the Druidic Arts. As it turned out, unassuming Richie Weaver had inherited great Druidic power from his real parents and excelled at all of his classes at the Academy — except of course, Sacrificial Feline Vivisection 204 (and Katherine had thought, as she read the passages where Mrs. Mugwhump detailed to the class the proper pouring of the cat’s blood over the huge stone altar, that she, an animal lover since childhood, would not have done very well in that class either). At any rate, Katherine really appreciated the handling of the internal, as well as the external, conflicts Richie faced: for example, while he certainly would have been justified in seeking revenge against the bigoted and autocratic foster parents who had tried to subvert his natural Druidic tendencies, Richie never did. Or at least he hadn’t yet: the sixth book wasn’t due out until next March."
(c) 2001, Victor Lams and all that.
"
"
(c) 2001, Victor Lams and all that.
Thursday, November 15, 2001
Wednesday, November 14, 2001
A Catholic Exchange Columnist's Report from Inside the Oval Office
Need to read that when I have the time.
Need to read that when I have the time.
Tuesday, November 13, 2001
Everything the New York Times Thinks About the Florida Recount Is Wrong! - It turns out the U.S. Supreme Court really did cast the deciding vote!
I have a feeling the Sore/Loserman folks will be nursing this wound for decades. Undercounts, chads, etc... If the Gore folks hadn't been bribing homeless people with cigarettes or by employing the usual Democrat strategy of scaring minority voters it wouldn't have been a close race to begin with.
Also note that the problem for these people is not that the U.S. Supreme Court made the decision, but that it didn't make the decision they would've liked.
As for me, I'm just sad that Harry S. Browne or Howard Phillips didn't win.
I have a feeling the Sore/Loserman folks will be nursing this wound for decades. Undercounts, chads, etc... If the Gore folks hadn't been bribing homeless people with cigarettes or by employing the usual Democrat strategy of scaring minority voters it wouldn't have been a close race to begin with.
Also note that the problem for these people is not that the U.S. Supreme Court made the decision, but that it didn't make the decision they would've liked.
As for me, I'm just sad that Harry S. Browne or Howard Phillips didn't win.
Sunday, November 11, 2001
Noo nee noo nee noo... (Types on his head and a sheet of words comes out of it)
16,169 words, to be exact. To be perfectly on schedule I'd need to have 16,667 words, or be 1/3 of the way to 50k, seeing as how it's the 10th. But I can finish this NaNoWriMo novel!
16,169 words, to be exact. To be perfectly on schedule I'd need to have 16,667 words, or be 1/3 of the way to 50k, seeing as how it's the 10th. But I can finish this NaNoWriMo novel!
Saturday, November 10, 2001
Another story from the "I can't believe they actually needed a scientific study to prove this," category.
"WASHINGTON, DC, (CWNews.com/LSN.ca) - During Tuesday's US House debate on the Unborn Victim of Violence Act (UVVA), a photo of a mother holding the body of her dead son was displayed on the House floor.
"The photo is of Tracy Marciniak of Wisconsin holding the body of her son Zachariah, who was killed in her womb during a criminal assault. Under current federal law, if a criminal assaults a pregnant woman and kills her unborn baby, he is charged only with assault because the unborn baby is not legally recognized as a victim. Under the proposed Unborn Victims of Violence Act, any criminal who injures or kills an unborn baby while committing a federal crime will be charged with two offenses, because he has claimed two victims."
The Photo. Keep in mind that children this old or older are killed in this country, legally, everyday.
"The photo is of Tracy Marciniak of Wisconsin holding the body of her son Zachariah, who was killed in her womb during a criminal assault. Under current federal law, if a criminal assaults a pregnant woman and kills her unborn baby, he is charged only with assault because the unborn baby is not legally recognized as a victim. Under the proposed Unborn Victims of Violence Act, any criminal who injures or kills an unborn baby while committing a federal crime will be charged with two offenses, because he has claimed two victims."
The Photo. Keep in mind that children this old or older are killed in this country, legally, everyday.
I can certainly appreciate the efforts of those who would mail envelopes of benign white powder to abortion clinics in an attempt to disrupt their daily "business." What so many people don't realize is that in many respects, this is a war (at least insofar as the "war," on terrorism is a war). As certainly as a complete lack of respect for human life can lead misguided Islamic fundamentalists to crash loaded passenger jets into office buildings, that same lack of respect for human life can lead a 'doctor,' to convince a woman to murder her own child. The response of each act of undeclared war must be the same: an encouragement to the responsible parties for a renewed respect of life. If the responsible parties, be they terrorists or those responsbile for murdering the unborn do not seem open to even discuss the issue at hand (and show a picture of an aborted baby to most people and you'll find out just how unwilling they are to even consider the facts presented by that simple picture), then perhaps to some folks it becomes necessary to disrupt the efforts of those who would continue to commit evil.
This is the "American," mindset: to stop the evil-doers even if it means you wind up "bringing justice to them." This is not always incompatible with the Christian mindset: to pray for the conversion of the souls of the evildoers. Perhaps the middle way is to disrupt the plans and activities of those who would commit murder without becoming a murderer yourself. The folks who mail coffee-creamer to the abortion clinics may just have found a way to do this: stop the killing for however brief a period of time without harming anyone in the process.
Anyway, of course, I can appreciate their efforts in large part because I lack the courage it would take to do anything like that myself.
Bottom line: you can't consider yourself a "basically good person," as so many people consider themselves to be and not acknowledge that since 1973 almost 50,000,000 babies have been killed in this country, by Americans, intentionally.
This is the "American," mindset: to stop the evil-doers even if it means you wind up "bringing justice to them." This is not always incompatible with the Christian mindset: to pray for the conversion of the souls of the evildoers. Perhaps the middle way is to disrupt the plans and activities of those who would commit murder without becoming a murderer yourself. The folks who mail coffee-creamer to the abortion clinics may just have found a way to do this: stop the killing for however brief a period of time without harming anyone in the process.
Anyway, of course, I can appreciate their efforts in large part because I lack the courage it would take to do anything like that myself.
Bottom line: you can't consider yourself a "basically good person," as so many people consider themselves to be and not acknowledge that since 1973 almost 50,000,000 babies have been killed in this country, by Americans, intentionally.
Thursday, November 08, 2001
Iron Chef USA
Friday, November 16, 2001... Allez Shatner!
Hmm... There are four Iron Chefs (American, French, Italian, and Asian)... none from the original series. Oh no: Bruce Vilanch and Ron Popeil are judges.
The intro voice over is pretty much the same, except they're calling it Kitchen Arena, not Kitchen Stadium. And instead of saying "The heat will be on!!!" it looks like they're going to say "Turn up the heat!!" at the end (which is a little more lame, but I'm not a big otaku fanboy or anything so it doesn't bother me much).
Friday, November 16, 2001... Allez Shatner!
Hmm... There are four Iron Chefs (American, French, Italian, and Asian)... none from the original series. Oh no: Bruce Vilanch and Ron Popeil are judges.
The intro voice over is pretty much the same, except they're calling it Kitchen Arena, not Kitchen Stadium. And instead of saying "The heat will be on!!!" it looks like they're going to say "Turn up the heat!!" at the end (which is a little more lame, but I'm not a big otaku fanboy or anything so it doesn't bother me much).
Wednesday, November 07, 2001
K-PAX This movie, on the other hand, seems to be as dreadful in it's pop-psycholgy overtones as I'd feared.
Buffy Slays. Now What? - The least-watched great show on TV grows up. By Tim Appelo
This is the most intelligent commentary on the post-Joss Buffy I've yet read. It doesn't pull any punches, but it's fair and clearly written by someone who's been a fan from day one, episode one. I got something out of it, anyway.
This is the most intelligent commentary on the post-Joss Buffy I've yet read. It doesn't pull any punches, but it's fair and clearly written by someone who's been a fan from day one, episode one. I got something out of it, anyway.
Christmas Canceled in English Town
The more I read about the United Kingdom the more I think "these are our greatest allies?" And I then I look around at these United States and realize, "yeah."
The more I read about the United Kingdom the more I think "these are our greatest allies?" And I then I look around at these United States and realize, "yeah."
I really enjoyed the Buffy The Vampire Slayer musical. You can really tell when Joss just steps in and takes over for an episode. Not only are the Willow/Tara scenes a lot more explicit but there's also a lot more single-entendres in the dialogue, too. Oh, and the characterizations are also a lot more focused and deep. That's a mixed whatever, but you get the point.
Jackie and I both agree that "Sweet," was the best villian demon they've ever had on there (even though he reminded me a bit, personally, of VeggieTale's "Nebby K. Nezzar," character when he'd sing "The Bunny Song,"). And who else caught the cameos by Marti Noxon and David Furty (and of course, Joss singing the "Grr! Argh!" at the end)? Anyway, next week will all be fallout from this week and will probably suck.
Anyway, very nicely done on the musical. Letterboxed, even. I like. One other interesting thing: the episode rang long, 70-minutes. Good thing we checked before we set the VCR! It'll be chopped up for reruns and syndication, so we're glad we got the whole thing. I wonder how they got UPN to agree to cutting into Roswell by 10 minutes?
Jackie and I both agree that "Sweet," was the best villian demon they've ever had on there (even though he reminded me a bit, personally, of VeggieTale's "Nebby K. Nezzar," character when he'd sing "The Bunny Song,"). And who else caught the cameos by Marti Noxon and David Furty (and of course, Joss singing the "Grr! Argh!" at the end)? Anyway, next week will all be fallout from this week and will probably suck.
Anyway, very nicely done on the musical. Letterboxed, even. I like. One other interesting thing: the episode rang long, 70-minutes. Good thing we checked before we set the VCR! It'll be chopped up for reruns and syndication, so we're glad we got the whole thing. I wonder how they got UPN to agree to cutting into Roswell by 10 minutes?
Tuesday, November 06, 2001
Baby Names by Category
Good for people writing novels or naming their child or both!
UPDATE : That site is actually run by a really scary cult. Evidence of their twistedness can be witnessed by the fact that plugging in both my name and Mayize's turns up the exact same personality description.
I think that with 600,000 names to describe the Kabalarians had to kut korners.
Good for people writing novels or naming their child or both!
UPDATE : That site is actually run by a really scary cult. Evidence of their twistedness can be witnessed by the fact that plugging in both my name and Mayize's turns up the exact same personality description.
I think that with 600,000 names to describe the Kabalarians had to kut korners.
Monday, November 05, 2001
I don't know how long this story will stay at that URL, but I'm linking it anyway because it just goes to show you that no matter how bad you think the world has become, how godless and chaotic it all seems, there is simlicity and beauty.
Sunday, November 04, 2001
Saturday, November 03, 2001
Friday, November 02, 2001
Powerpuff DVD spreads "FunLove" virus
This is pretty tragic. "Sorry kids, but your dad can't get his report of the computer because your PowerPuff DVD wrecked it. Hope you're happy."
This is pretty tragic. "Sorry kids, but your dad can't get his report of the computer because your PowerPuff DVD wrecked it. Hope you're happy."
Bin Laden makes this into an Islam vs. Christianity conflict, an assertion undermined, somewhat, by the fact that virtually every Christian organization on the planet is saying "uh-unh!" to the whole Islam vs. Christianity angle. Besides, the notion that Osama is on a par with those representatives of Islam who once battled it out with the Spanish, Venetians, and Genoese at Lepanto is pretty insulting.
Osama's a thug.
It's like Babyface Nelson declaring a Holy War against the 1st National Bank.
Or Bobby Kennedy declaring War against the Mob.
Osama's a thug.
It's like Babyface Nelson declaring a Holy War against the 1st National Bank.
Or Bobby Kennedy declaring War against the Mob.
Thursday, November 01, 2001
Wednesday, October 31, 2001
NaNoWriMo is coming! This will impact my blogging but hopefully a novel will result!
So bear with me!
So bear with me!
Monday, October 29, 2001
Sometimes you just have to say "No." Not that the world as will and representation will stop continually affirming itself, no, it's not that... it's just a temporary "No." A hiccup along the grand march into the leibenswelt of cosmic actualization. A brief stop at the gas station of restorative reorientation at an Illinois turnpike oasis. The "No," is not the Hardee's which refuses to close. The "No," is the normative utterance which makes everything right again. So again I say, sometimes you just have to say "No."
Oh, and this was in my Spam folder today if you can believe it... wonder what it means? Helpin' Uncle Udo to the Other Side.
Oh, and this was in my Spam folder today if you can believe it... wonder what it means? Helpin' Uncle Udo to the Other Side.
Sunday, October 28, 2001
I told you Speilburg was taking out the Fed's guns! And a CG E.T.? What's up with that... he's supposed to be a crummy-looking muppet. I thought that was the point.
Friday, October 26, 2001
Thursday, October 25, 2001
Wednesday, October 24, 2001
So some ideas for the novel:
A scene where the character suddenly realises he's not a kid anymore, feels old, and decides not to grow up anyway.
A driving scene with the other main male character.
The meeting of that character with the psychologist which results in his being blackballed.
The character who lives through celebrities, surely she can't be the one in the triangle -- she's really not worth leaving the other girl over.
The other girl, through no fault of her own (except her own uncompromising williness to please the main character) isn't treated too fairly by that main character.
The boss of the main character.
The dad of the other male character, who is perhaps the most admirable, if a bit prone to flights of fancy.
So, some themes:
The whole bioethics thing, a la' Percy, of course.
Escapism: both through refusing to become a man when the situation demands it (repeatedly) and through living the life of others (through celebrity worship).
There's more of course, but I only have a month to write it. The whole point of NaNoWriMo is quantity over quality, but I hate to turn out crap. Note: I never said I don't do it, just that I hate to do it.
Explorer is crashing on me now. Must post.
A scene where the character suddenly realises he's not a kid anymore, feels old, and decides not to grow up anyway.
A driving scene with the other main male character.
The meeting of that character with the psychologist which results in his being blackballed.
The character who lives through celebrities, surely she can't be the one in the triangle -- she's really not worth leaving the other girl over.
The other girl, through no fault of her own (except her own uncompromising williness to please the main character) isn't treated too fairly by that main character.
The boss of the main character.
The dad of the other male character, who is perhaps the most admirable, if a bit prone to flights of fancy.
So, some themes:
The whole bioethics thing, a la' Percy, of course.
Escapism: both through refusing to become a man when the situation demands it (repeatedly) and through living the life of others (through celebrity worship).
There's more of course, but I only have a month to write it. The whole point of NaNoWriMo is quantity over quality, but I hate to turn out crap. Note: I never said I don't do it, just that I hate to do it.
Explorer is crashing on me now. Must post.
The They Might Be Giants show ROCKED this evening. Probably the best rock concert I've ever been to. They played (if you count all of the Fingertips songs individually) about 22 encores (if you count them as one big song, it was about five encores). Never once did they seem to fatigue. They did a neat new feature where they tuned a radio to a few local stations for a few seconds and then played whatever song or commercial happened to be on the radio at that moment. This included a version of the original Candle In The Wind and a session of trading fours with their drummer Dan Hickey, and a drum solo on WEMU. All in all, very very cool.
I felt old, though. Most of the fans were in their teens. Also it didn't help I was in the balcony, which remained seated and orderly for most of the show. The floor seating areas got up and danced. I'd have liked to have been down there at times, but how pathetic would that have been. Oh to be a teenager again. I wouldn't waste it again. Anyway, rock n' roll makes you feel young, so it's no surprise why so many boomers and Gen X'ers like it.
An awesome rock show all around.
I use that word rocked too much. I should say the performers excelled.
Oh, and Buffy rocked again tonight, on the light-hearted tip. Very very nice.
I felt old, though. Most of the fans were in their teens. Also it didn't help I was in the balcony, which remained seated and orderly for most of the show. The floor seating areas got up and danced. I'd have liked to have been down there at times, but how pathetic would that have been. Oh to be a teenager again. I wouldn't waste it again. Anyway, rock n' roll makes you feel young, so it's no surprise why so many boomers and Gen X'ers like it.
An awesome rock show all around.
I use that word rocked too much. I should say the performers excelled.
Oh, and Buffy rocked again tonight, on the light-hearted tip. Very very nice.
Tuesday, October 23, 2001
Taliban Fighter Captured While Buying Cigarettes
This is the most sad, pathetic thing I've ever read.
This is the most sad, pathetic thing I've ever read.
Monday, October 22, 2001
AOL Signs Landmark Deal With China
Oh boy! I can't wait. I wonder how Time/Warner is going to convinve their american viewers that State-Sponsored Chinese Programming is going to be the next CNN or whatever.
Of course that's not the greatest problem: I'm guessing a lot of viewers aren't going to be able to tell Communist China's State-Sponsored television channel from America's own PBS.
Oh boy! I can't wait. I wonder how Time/Warner is going to convinve their american viewers that State-Sponsored Chinese Programming is going to be the next CNN or whatever.
Of course that's not the greatest problem: I'm guessing a lot of viewers aren't going to be able to tell Communist China's State-Sponsored television channel from America's own PBS.
Sunday, October 21, 2001
I've long known about Hanoi Jane's actions during the Vietnam war, but I found this article from snopes on Tomgirl's site and decided to post it here as well.
Tomgirl: just keep on keepin' on!
Tomgirl: just keep on keepin' on!
"These movies get a tremendous amount of hype before opening, but those who are vocal about wanting to see the movie are a very select group. They're the sci-fi geeks who sit on their computer all day and have read all Tolkien's books — they don't represent the mainstream."
Hey, watch it, there! I haven't read all of Tolkein's books! But for $40 you can have your name in the DVD credits, that's pretty cool. And there's this, from Swingers guy:
"I want to see hobbits and orcs, not spies and terrorists; show me good and evil in a way I can stomach. I think I speak for all of us when I say that right now, I feel like a confused hobbit about to enter Mordor."
Hey, watch it, there! I haven't read all of Tolkein's books! But for $40 you can have your name in the DVD credits, that's pretty cool. And there's this, from Swingers guy:
"I want to see hobbits and orcs, not spies and terrorists; show me good and evil in a way I can stomach. I think I speak for all of us when I say that right now, I feel like a confused hobbit about to enter Mordor."
Independent News
In knew it was only a matter of time before we'd have to deal with invincible ants!
In knew it was only a matter of time before we'd have to deal with invincible ants!
I got a really nice email from someone who liked the Robot Love CD, who is also a fellow musician! They don't have a website, so I can't link to it here.
I also had a very fun night on the U of M campus at the Smithee MegaMeta II Awards.
I also had a very fun night on the U of M campus at the Smithee MegaMeta II Awards.
Saturday, October 20, 2001
MOLLY MICHIGAN - MOLLY MICHIGAN - MOLLY MICHIGAN
This is, quite frankly, a great idea. I suggest every artist immediately grab some markers, some heavy paper, and head over to eBay. You could make tens of dollars!
This is, quite frankly, a great idea. I suggest every artist immediately grab some markers, some heavy paper, and head over to eBay. You could make tens of dollars!
Friday, October 19, 2001
sweetcherrie.com :: rock divas :: which rock diva were you in a past life? take the test!
What's up with this? Who is this person?
What's up with this? Who is this person?
Thursday, October 18, 2001
It's a crime, not a war.
If my memory serves me correctly, we would've been more than happy to 'dialogue,' with bin Laden after any one of his numerous attacks on our embassies or interests. He set the tone of this 'discussion,' himself. We're only making sure now that we get the last word.
Seriously, though, it's a bit ironic, that statement from the Quakers in light of the historical context which led, if not the Quakers, certainly the Anabaptists to be driven from Europe: their strict adherence to pacifism was what was inciting the Muslims of the time to attack Europe ("See how easy these Christians are to conquer -- they don't even fight back!").
It was a bad idea then, and it's a bad idea now.
If my memory serves me correctly, we would've been more than happy to 'dialogue,' with bin Laden after any one of his numerous attacks on our embassies or interests. He set the tone of this 'discussion,' himself. We're only making sure now that we get the last word.
Seriously, though, it's a bit ironic, that statement from the Quakers in light of the historical context which led, if not the Quakers, certainly the Anabaptists to be driven from Europe: their strict adherence to pacifism was what was inciting the Muslims of the time to attack Europe ("See how easy these Christians are to conquer -- they don't even fight back!").
It was a bad idea then, and it's a bad idea now.
Mayize mentioned (in regards to my previous post) that perhaps these girls are just at that stage during which most teenagers rebel. That may be the case, but I still don't see why people would choose such a... common way in which to rebel. When my friends and I rebelled in High School, we took our 1200 and 2400bps modems and learned how to make MIDI interfaces for our computers, or we installed a second SID chip to give our C-64s that six-voice stereo vibe, or we listened to jazz all the time -- stuff that 95% of the kids weren't already doing.
And if the grounds for your rebellion be of a sexual nature, at least do something unique and counter-cultural... dress like Edith Head (not the best picture, I'm afraid) and get a reputation for being uber-chaste and ascetic to the point where it ceases to be dorky or lame to the point where people are actually in awe of your severeness. Anyone can be popular to a point if they sleep with a different guy every weekend (note how many pieces of meat Burger King sells -- and they even have to charge a buck a piece!). But to go to the opposite extreme and then turn that into something alluring, well that takes real finesse. Real style.
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that for as creative and neuveau-post-modern as a lot of people claim to be, their manners and actual output (or should that be 'put out?') are frightfully plebian. Frighfully base. Frightfully, again, common.
And if the grounds for your rebellion be of a sexual nature, at least do something unique and counter-cultural... dress like Edith Head (not the best picture, I'm afraid) and get a reputation for being uber-chaste and ascetic to the point where it ceases to be dorky or lame to the point where people are actually in awe of your severeness. Anyone can be popular to a point if they sleep with a different guy every weekend (note how many pieces of meat Burger King sells -- and they even have to charge a buck a piece!). But to go to the opposite extreme and then turn that into something alluring, well that takes real finesse. Real style.
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that for as creative and neuveau-post-modern as a lot of people claim to be, their manners and actual output (or should that be 'put out?') are frightfully plebian. Frighfully base. Frightfully, again, common.
Wednesday, October 17, 2001
So I've been poking around at other people's blogs and one thing I note is that teenage girls nowadays, at least those with blogs, are intensely (you were warned) crude -- this, however, is nothing you couldn't learn by just going to a movie theater or to Target on a Saturday night. Seriously, check it out for yourself. And if you don't think that maybe if it came down to their "I'm a HOE, tee-hee!" form of American culture vs. some form of fundamentalist Islam in a culture-war-to-the-finish that maybe Islam would rightfully triumph, then maybe you need to look a lil' bit harder. And where did this nihilistic, degenerate culture come from anyways? I'll blame MTV (sorry -- VH1) for now, but seriously, there's not a whole lot in common between the more flamboyant members of Gen. Y and those stalwarts of The Greatest Generation. Honestly, I really hope most of these people live to be a ripe old age doing whatever they're qualified to do (and please let it not just be collect welfare or write for Salon.com) and never have to die as they lived, wallowing in their own hopeless stupidity. Not that I'm talking about anyone in particular here, just what I see as a cultural trend, and that's what I do (on a part-time, amateur basis) -- analyse cultural trends.
Aaaaaanyway, back to the point: a lot of these blogs, in a fit of further self-aggrandization (an ailment sadly not unique to teenage girls) think it's cool to show a screen-capture of whatever their computer desktop looks like.
Well, I guess it's only fair, then, to show folks a screen-capture of what my computer 'desktop' looked like when I was their age:
Oh yeah... that's sweet.
Aaaaaanyway, back to the point: a lot of these blogs, in a fit of further self-aggrandization (an ailment sadly not unique to teenage girls) think it's cool to show a screen-capture of whatever their computer desktop looks like.
Well, I guess it's only fair, then, to show folks a screen-capture of what my computer 'desktop' looked like when I was their age:
Oh yeah... that's sweet.
The Times
It's about time! I mean, honestly: how many times have you wanted to see Rowan Atkinson imprisoned? If only for Bean: The Movie, if nothing else.
PS. Buffy was pretty cool last night. I was just wondering when we'd see Jonathan again... bringing Warren back as well as (the brother of) the guy who sent the werewolves to the prom was just too excellent.
It's about time! I mean, honestly: how many times have you wanted to see Rowan Atkinson imprisoned? If only for Bean: The Movie, if nothing else.
PS. Buffy was pretty cool last night. I was just wondering when we'd see Jonathan again... bringing Warren back as well as (the brother of) the guy who sent the werewolves to the prom was just too excellent.
Tuesday, October 16, 2001
Star Wars Personality Test!
Openness:
Yoda -- This wise, philosophical, and thoughtful Jedi master
challenges the establishment, encouraging his pupils to
unlearn what they have learned and see the world in novel,
creative ways.
Conscientious:
Admiral Ozzel -- A generally conscientious soldier who is
susceptible to occasional lapses & blunders, such as the
mistake he made at the beginning of the imperial assault on
the rebel base at Hoth.
Extraversion:
Wampas -- reclusive creatures of the ice planet Hoth.
They are rarely seen & generally shy, leading a
solitary existence.
Agreeableness:
Boba Fett -- A mean and menacing bounty hunter, known
for his ruthlessness.
Neuroticism:
R2-D2 -- A brave droid, who remains calm,
confident and unperturbed even during the most
dangerous of missions.
Openness:
Yoda -- This wise, philosophical, and thoughtful Jedi master
challenges the establishment, encouraging his pupils to
unlearn what they have learned and see the world in novel,
creative ways.
Conscientious:
Admiral Ozzel -- A generally conscientious soldier who is
susceptible to occasional lapses & blunders, such as the
mistake he made at the beginning of the imperial assault on
the rebel base at Hoth.
Extraversion:
Wampas -- reclusive creatures of the ice planet Hoth.
They are rarely seen & generally shy, leading a
solitary existence.
Agreeableness:
Boba Fett -- A mean and menacing bounty hunter, known
for his ruthlessness.
Neuroticism:
R2-D2 -- A brave droid, who remains calm,
confident and unperturbed even during the most
dangerous of missions.
Md., Va. Warn Tax Revenue Shrinking
In other words, "Ooops!" You can only get so much in taxes from any one person, and, not to beat a dead horse here, if people aren't making new people, new taxpayers, revenues are going to fall regardless. It's ironic then that the State which relies on a steady influx of new taxpayers for its own survival would legalize and pay for a procedure which kills new taxpayers before they're born.
In other words, "Ooops!" You can only get so much in taxes from any one person, and, not to beat a dead horse here, if people aren't making new people, new taxpayers, revenues are going to fall regardless. It's ironic then that the State which relies on a steady influx of new taxpayers for its own survival would legalize and pay for a procedure which kills new taxpayers before they're born.
Colonies in space may be only hope, says Hawking
I'm not sure that's the answer. The Human Race's (well, at least the Western-Civilized portion of it, which for all intents and purposes is really the only portion of the human race which could colonize space) isn't at risk from a doomsday virus as the good doctor suggests, but is bound for exiction due to its death-rate surpassing its birth-rate. For Britain, this day will come in 2006, they believe. Did you know that 20% of pregnancies in Britain end in abortion? There's never been a virus, not even Spanish Influenza, which has wiped out 20% of a population, year after year (I believe the plague took several decades to kill 1/3 of Europe's population, if that's even correct).
I'm not sure that's the answer. The Human Race's (well, at least the Western-Civilized portion of it, which for all intents and purposes is really the only portion of the human race which could colonize space) isn't at risk from a doomsday virus as the good doctor suggests, but is bound for exiction due to its death-rate surpassing its birth-rate. For Britain, this day will come in 2006, they believe. Did you know that 20% of pregnancies in Britain end in abortion? There's never been a virus, not even Spanish Influenza, which has wiped out 20% of a population, year after year (I believe the plague took several decades to kill 1/3 of Europe's population, if that's even correct).
Thoroughly enjoyed Angel tonight. Perfect blend of comedic farce, horror, and pathos (for poor 'Fred!). And it's clear that Angel still loves Buffy more than life (so to speak) itself. Some people I could name need to be watching this show.
Monday, October 15, 2001
I knew these guys were nuts, but not this evil nuts. They're evil nuts.
Muslim Rebel Threatens U.S. Beheading
Muslim Rebel Threatens U.S. Beheading
Okay, that mystery is explained. WB20 just went a little funny in the head and broadcast last week's episodes this week and at weird times.
But I figure, hey! kismet! Maybe this Mutant X show is a show I should be watching, and this is just providence that the VCR happened to tape it instead of Andromeda (sob!). But, no, I could only watch about 30 minutes of Mutant X... the pacing, especially for a series premiere, was just WAY too logey.
But I figure, hey! kismet! Maybe this Mutant X show is a show I should be watching, and this is just providence that the VCR happened to tape it instead of Andromeda (sob!). But, no, I could only watch about 30 minutes of Mutant X... the pacing, especially for a series premiere, was just WAY too logey.
Sunday, October 14, 2001
I'm just too puzzled... I could've sworn I'd set the VCR to record Andromeda tonight -- I even set it to start a minute early -- and what's on the tape is the last minute of the credits from what appears to be last week's episode and then last week's episode of Mutant X where Andromeda should be. I'm puzzled, and I'm going to have another look at that tape.
Saturday, October 13, 2001
I'm trying to think of a more destructive organization.
Not even the Taliban wants to kill the unborn kids in Chile. Perhaps the Nazis compare? The Nazis promoted abortion, too, but then again, they were mainly concerned with their own country.
Not even the Taliban wants to kill the unborn kids in Chile. Perhaps the Nazis compare? The Nazis promoted abortion, too, but then again, they were mainly concerned with their own country.
Friday, October 12, 2001
Thursday, October 11, 2001
Oh, and I guess today would be the day on which I recorded the first few notes of my next album. Oh, and I'm not supposed to be working on any more albums, so "shhhhhhhhhhhh."
I also added (in the past 1/2 hour) a search page to my weblog so you can search the et cetera archives, if you want.
I also added (in the past 1/2 hour) a search page to my weblog so you can search the et cetera archives, if you want.
There's something about listening to Parliament's "Theme From The Black Hole," which causes me to smile everytime I hear it. I don't know if it's because the song blows up at the end (something to do with Sir Nose and his cohorts trying to turn Starchild into a Donkey or something and it backfires, if I remember the comic book that came with that album correctly) or not. Still I like listening to that.
Shoot. Now I'm wondering where I misplaced my "Fred Wesley and The Horny Horns" albums. I'm going to spend the rest of the night looking for those.
Shoot. Now I'm wondering where I misplaced my "Fred Wesley and The Horny Horns" albums. I'm going to spend the rest of the night looking for those.
It truly is comforting at times to know you're not alone. Of course some people can sing a lot better than I can.
jessica martins dot com
jessica martins dot com
The Mirror Project
I guess you could consider this, Do-Light-Waves-Bounce-Off-Of-Me,Hit-A-Reflective-Surface-Bounce-Off-Of-That-And-Then-Hit-A-Camera-Lens-Or-Not.com
I guess you could consider this, Do-Light-Waves-Bounce-Off-Of-Me,Hit-A-Reflective-Surface-Bounce-Off-Of-That-And-Then-Hit-A-Camera-Lens-Or-Not.com
Weblog Wannabe
That's the first weblog I've ever linked here. Well, the first one in about four months. But since I was using so many of their links already. Just go there, it's got a very clean design and the content's pretty good, to boot. Quack.
That's the first weblog I've ever linked here. Well, the first one in about four months. But since I was using so many of their links already. Just go there, it's got a very clean design and the content's pretty good, to boot. Quack.
Looks like someone is getting a jump on the Nanowrimo project. Perhaps I should start creating some, like, plot outlines or something.
At times the melancholy becomes accute, and a hangover is desired.
"That man with the squeegee, he was like our gaurdian angel!"
"That man with the squeegee, he was like our gaurdian angel!"
I'm angry at my radio now. I can't stand to listen to talk radio anymore. The callers, and increasingly the hosts (except for Tony Snow or Al Kresta, of course), are all pretty much idiots. Not because they disagree with me (or I disagree with them) but because no one thinks anymore... they just talk. At least on the radio.
And what's up with smooth jazz? Bascially listen to what Courtney Pine is doing, and 6 years later someone will water it down, plagarize it and call it smooth jazz. That's not right.
And what's up with smooth jazz? Bascially listen to what Courtney Pine is doing, and 6 years later someone will water it down, plagarize it and call it smooth jazz. That's not right.
Wednesday, October 10, 2001
Tuesday, October 09, 2001
I enjoyed Angel last night, even though it was one of the more difficult episodes to watch (especially the scene with the poor slurpee monster). But it really took the whole human vs. demon, black vs. white premise of both Buffy and Angel and stood it on its head. That it could create such moral ambiguity (which quickly turned out to be moral evil) sympathetic to the demons, after only introducing the whole friendly demon premise last season is quite remarkable. Remarkable mainly, I guess, in that that they opted to do it at all. Anyway, 'Fred's really coming into her own, though I'm not 100% sure what they're going to wind up doing with her character yet.
Monday, October 08, 2001
I didn't know there were so many Edisonphobic film-classes out there. The filmmakers moved out to Hollywood because the weather was nicer and in 1914 D.W. Griffiths was going to shoot a Western in Wyoming, but found the scenery better in California. The barn he rented there became the first movie studio. Besides, no one was using Edison's cameras by then, they were using the lighter Lumiere-style cameras and projectors. Or so they say.
I don't know where this vicious slander against Edison by academic professionals comes from. Probably out of jealousy for his capitalist genius.
I don't know where this vicious slander against Edison by academic professionals comes from. Probably out of jealousy for his capitalist genius.
Sunday, October 07, 2001
“Increasingly, Christians are portrayed in the media in ways reminiscent of how the Jews were demonized during the 1930s in Nazi Germany,” Knight said. “First, they were ridiculed as buffoons. Then they were shown to be subhuman, and finally, as enemies of the state. This set them up for eventual persecution. We need to actively expose and resist this trend in America.”
On more note on Andromeda: regarding Rev's quote from Dante's Inferno, Canto 17 (the bit about the beast with the tail, destroying mountains and castles): the beast referred to is Fraud. So regarding Bloodmist's, the head Magog's, question, is the beast himself (Rev), Bloodmist, or the Spirit of the Abyss?, I'm guessing the beast Rev is referring to is the Spirit of the Abyss, a fraudulent god.
I watched the season premiere of Andromeda and I didn't really realize how badly I've missed that show. No other show, not even DS9, has been able to make me want to laugh, cry, cheer, and then go read Dante within the space of about 10 minutes. The show rocks: it's a real shame that Enterprise (pah!) is getting all the publicity when Kevin Sorbo ("That's me, Captain Idiot!" hee hee) and Andromeda's excellent writers are able to totally put the latest Trek series to shame so effectively. I mean, the difference between watching the two shows is like the difference between watching a supercharged version of ER and watching Baywatch (Nights). Go on, watch it: you'll see what I mean.
Not sure if this is such a good idea for a product or not: naming it after a Vincent Price movie, I mean.
The Tingler, Head Massager
The Tingler, Head Massager
Saturday, October 06, 2001
All righty. Enough politics and news. Here's another poem, circa 1996 or so.
Your Glasses Make Me Angry
by Victor J. Lams
Your glasses make me angry,
I wish they’d go away.
But since you need them to see
The Mess that is Me...
Well, I guess they have stay.
Your glasses make me angry,
You need them to see far—
Far enough, you recognize
Hatred running from my eyes...
So, I’ll crush them with my car.
Your glasses make me angry,
I wish you’d take them off,
Along with your hair,
And the rest you wear...
And with them please get lost.
Your glasses make me angry—
But I like it when they’re steamed up.
You’ll have no clue,
As to what I’ll do,
When I do all that I’ve dreamed up.
Your Glasses Make Me Angry
by Victor J. Lams
Your glasses make me angry,
I wish they’d go away.
But since you need them to see
The Mess that is Me...
Well, I guess they have stay.
Your glasses make me angry,
You need them to see far—
Far enough, you recognize
Hatred running from my eyes...
So, I’ll crush them with my car.
Your glasses make me angry,
I wish you’d take them off,
Along with your hair,
And the rest you wear...
And with them please get lost.
Your glasses make me angry—
But I like it when they’re steamed up.
You’ll have no clue,
As to what I’ll do,
When I do all that I’ve dreamed up.
I don't know if this is such a good idea.
But think of it: 40-million people died in the 1918 epidemic... shouldn't there be movies about this? How many people can really understand just how great that number is?
But think of it: 40-million people died in the 1918 epidemic... shouldn't there be movies about this? How many people can really understand just how great that number is?
You know, it's stories like this one which really make me love my fellow Americans just a little bit more.
I guess if anyone really wonders whether or not it is not unexpected that we, as a culture (not as a people or nation) have planes run into our buildings, perhaps we can look no further than Peter Singer for the answer. Could we ask the question: what makes the life of anyone killed in the September 11th massacre any more valuable then the infants Singer wants to kill (bearing in mind that the burden of proof is fully on Singer to prove that a human isn't a human until some arbitrary criteria of "consciousness," are met)? Would the answer be nothing: that the lives are both equally precious? Do we then conclude that there really is no big deal... to this, the attacks, or to anything?
Friday, October 05, 2001
I found a bunch of poems I wrote in College...
Mirror Lake
by Victor Lams
My Love the Lake
doth call to me
with eyes of pools
and kisses wet—
And I mistake,
though tragic’ly,
her for the Love
I have not met.
My Love the Daisy
does not care for me
her petals closed,
yea, closed, and yet—
With vision hazy,
in mystery
another flower
we shall beget;
And I shall find her, in the Lake
Which from my eyes
has been so wet.
Mirror Lake
by Victor Lams
My Love the Lake
doth call to me
with eyes of pools
and kisses wet—
And I mistake,
though tragic’ly,
her for the Love
I have not met.
My Love the Daisy
does not care for me
her petals closed,
yea, closed, and yet—
With vision hazy,
in mystery
another flower
we shall beget;
And I shall find her, in the Lake
Which from my eyes
has been so wet.
Thursday, October 04, 2001
My Eye Teeth
So today, for the first time in over three-and-a-half years, I went to the dentist. I was nervous at first because it'd been three-and-a-half years and I wondered what sort of stuff had been happening to my teeth in that time: would I need a root canal? Did I have any new cavaties? I didn't know. But it turns out my teeth are fine. Perfect, even. The dentist and hygenist marvelled at my teeth. "Some people would kill for your teeth," said the hygenist, and that gave me something new to worry about.
I haven't had a cavity since I was three, and that tooth fell out when I was six. My previous dentist said once that I had "Hollywood teeth," and it's nice to know they're still intact. The hygenist suggested I get them all sealed since they're in such perfect shape, lest something untoward happen to them in the future. But how many of my Hollywood teeth would I have to sell to pay for that? Ha ha. Anyway, we figure that there must be something in my saliva which is harmful to the bacteria which cause cavaties. Or else it doesn't contain those kinds of bacteria. Also, I don't drink pop. Anyway, if anyone would like a sample of my saliva for analysis or whatever else, just ask.
You may want to hold off on that, though, until you hear the rest: my saliva is not so good at killing the bacteria that cause gingivitis. Also, I infrequently, if never, floss. My top gums were okay, the little probe only went into my gums to depths of 3 or less-than-3 mm, but the back, bottom gums bled a little. So now it turns out I have to go back and have them take out all the infectious muck back there and then use a special mouthrinse for a while. Oh, and it also turns out that, even though I've never been conscious of it, I clench my jaw a lot. This is likely due to stress, and I've never noticed this because when I'm stressed, I'm usually so focused on whatever is causing the stress that I never notice my jaw. Anyway, this would explain my headaches, my sore neck, my stiff jaw, and perhaps something else interesting I learned about my mouth today: my mouth only opens 30mm. Most normal mouths open 40mm or more. But not mine. This could explain why I've never been much good at eating Zingermann's sandwiches like a pro.
But at least I still got my Hollywood teeth!
This story is the first I've seen of the sketch, and the story. I think it's really cool that the web makes things like this possible.
Oh, well. Perhaps it really was too much to expect that the majority of Americans had fully gained a newfound appreciation for life after seeing 6,000 of them snuffed-out, and that that newfound appreciation would actually affect our culture.
Wednesday, October 03, 2001
Monday, October 01, 2001
So I finally watched the 2-hour premiere of Enterprise last night. And... what the heck is up with that opening? The only thing I can figure is that they were running a little over budget, came time to design the opening and someone said, "Well, let's just use all this NASA stock footage we have lying around." And then since David Hasselhoff was someplace else, they got someone else to record their little "Flying On Rocket-Powered Faith (or Faith-Powered Rocket)," song or whatever it is.
Anyway, it's clear that they're trying to break out of the ST:TNG mold, and they've succeeded, undoing 12-years (I'm not couning the years from when DS9 ended and Voyager still ran) of ever-more-intricate and intelligent plots. No, this is Star Trek for the masses, though they do toss some scraps to the more devoted fans. And I have to admit that Dr. Phlox is a fairly cool character -- even if he isn't a Cardassian in the strictest sense. I'll say nothing of the decontamination gel scene except that the cinematography didn't match the acting or the pacing or the writing of that scene, so I have to assume it was completely gratuitous (imagine if Picard was facing off against Q and then, unexplained, the camera started slowly zooming in on his crotch or something).
I personally think that Braga/Berman peaked around the time of ST:TNG's 7th season Parallels episode. Like I said, though, Enterprise is definately not like any other Trek show, and I guess that's not a bad thing. Though it's unfortunate that while humans aren't as fully "advanced," as they are in the ST:TNG universe (and I think their "advancement," itself is a crock, but more on that later) and are a bit more impulsive (I like Trip, The Yahoo)... where was I, oh yes, it's unfortunate that they've already "wiped out war, disease, poverty, famine, pestilence, itchy rashes, etc.," in the past 50 years. Now that was something I'd have liked to have seen!
Anyway, it's clear that they're trying to break out of the ST:TNG mold, and they've succeeded, undoing 12-years (I'm not couning the years from when DS9 ended and Voyager still ran) of ever-more-intricate and intelligent plots. No, this is Star Trek for the masses, though they do toss some scraps to the more devoted fans. And I have to admit that Dr. Phlox is a fairly cool character -- even if he isn't a Cardassian in the strictest sense. I'll say nothing of the decontamination gel scene except that the cinematography didn't match the acting or the pacing or the writing of that scene, so I have to assume it was completely gratuitous (imagine if Picard was facing off against Q and then, unexplained, the camera started slowly zooming in on his crotch or something).
I personally think that Braga/Berman peaked around the time of ST:TNG's 7th season Parallels episode. Like I said, though, Enterprise is definately not like any other Trek show, and I guess that's not a bad thing. Though it's unfortunate that while humans aren't as fully "advanced," as they are in the ST:TNG universe (and I think their "advancement," itself is a crock, but more on that later) and are a bit more impulsive (I like Trip, The Yahoo)... where was I, oh yes, it's unfortunate that they've already "wiped out war, disease, poverty, famine, pestilence, itchy rashes, etc.," in the past 50 years. Now that was something I'd have liked to have seen!
Sunday, September 30, 2001
Well, here's how that post SHOULD'VE read...
Poppenhuizen! Wereldwijd, even! (Apparently this Nederlandse page has linked Jackie's Dollhouse to its front page).
Poppenhuizen! Wereldwijd, even! (Apparently this Nederlandse page has linked Jackie's Dollhouse to its front page).
Saturday, September 29, 2001
Whoa! Whoever thought that Patrick Buchanan would come out in favor of a Bush/Powell foreign policy against the neocons? Since everyone from the traditionally left-wing Hollywood Establishment to, now, Pat Buchanan is applauding Bush's studied response... well, there's probably something to it.
Friday, September 28, 2001
Today has been rather a forgotten day. I intended to write some music, but never felt enough energy to do so (though I did get some yard work done). I'm feeling a bit better now, but the lethargy has not fully retreated. Ah, well, doubtless I'm recovering after a rather brutal week. Perhaps tomorrow.
Thursday, September 27, 2001
Just turned on the O'Reilley Factor for a couple of minutes and the allegations now are that (then) Vice-President Gore (what's up with the mountain man scruff beard?), serving on the council to improve airline safety, decided against instituting a number of safety precautions (in the words of someone who actually was on that council, nothing was done to improve airline safety) which would've cost the airline industry huge amounts of money to implement. For those of you familiar with the Clinton/Gore administration, you know what happened within the next couple of days. That's right: huge contributions (some in the hundreds of thousands of dollars) poured in to the Democratic National Committee coffers from each airline.
That's not just bribery. It's aiding with murder. Over 7,000 murders, to be precise (and this guy almost got elected president!). And of course, now the federal government -- excuse me, the taxpayers -- are paying for these exact same safety measures (to the tune of several billion dollars) which Gore didn't implement because it would've cost him his bribe. Well, certainly the airlines are feeling the heat now, but it's not as hot as it's going to get.
On the brighter side of things, we just watched Just Visiting an American remake (by the same filmmakers and core actors) of the French film, Les Visiteurs. I actually enjoyed the American version better, set in Chicago. As the concept plays on culture shock, it was better received by my American sensibilities... plus Christina Applegate can act! A very cute, funny movie, and highly recommended, even though the critics hated it.
That's not just bribery. It's aiding with murder. Over 7,000 murders, to be precise (and this guy almost got elected president!). And of course, now the federal government -- excuse me, the taxpayers -- are paying for these exact same safety measures (to the tune of several billion dollars) which Gore didn't implement because it would've cost him his bribe. Well, certainly the airlines are feeling the heat now, but it's not as hot as it's going to get.
On the brighter side of things, we just watched Just Visiting an American remake (by the same filmmakers and core actors) of the French film, Les Visiteurs. I actually enjoyed the American version better, set in Chicago. As the concept plays on culture shock, it was better received by my American sensibilities... plus Christina Applegate can act! A very cute, funny movie, and highly recommended, even though the critics hated it.
I thought this was a really good and interesting article about the moral imagination: Imagining the Abortion Link.
Wednesday, September 26, 2001
The Onion completes their long, slow march from witty satire into completely self-righteous nonsense.
Ah, I remembered what I was thinking about before I fell asleep last night. I was thinking about how little I really understand (or understood, there on the threshhold of unconsciousness). And I recalled that one of the things I thought I really understood was Berkeley's idealism. In order to prove to myself that I understood it, I started running through it in my mind: all that really exists are ideas, thought by minds. Things which appear to exist in absense of human minds actually exist as thoughts of God. Then somehow I started thinking of how this could be restated to be more attractive to contemporary audiences (you know, presumably if I wanted to just rehash it, publish it, and make a mint). Then I thought about how everything could be made out of fractals, but then realized that Mr. Adams had already written a booklet on that, but he hadn't made a mint writing books, he made his fortune selling suction cups. But then I thought how sad it was that in the mid-1990s no one could get enough fractals. They were everywhere: on posters, on bookcovers, on computer desktops. Now no one has any use for fractals. On computer desktops everywhere you see computer-generated, 24-bit rendered landscapes. To some people they may look cool, but me, I just see sterile fantasies. And I suppose that's where Berkelian Idealism really breaks down. Fractals, on the other hand, are grounded in mathematics, reality.
Military Codename Generator (courtesy of Mayize, who posted it on her blog). Just keep hitting refresh to see all the names... "Operation: Shining Bat... Operation: Sharp Dancer," (those were generated for my naval battle in Africa!).
Tuesday, September 25, 2001
Sunday, September 23, 2001
This report, IF TRUE, just goes to show you that the real enemies of freedom aren't so much radical Islamic-fundamentalist terrorists as our own overlarge, monolithic federal government.
Also it shows-to-go-ya that the majority of Brits are pro-socialist weenies.
Er, sorry... this post was a bit reflexive and not very insightful. Well, I guess it can only serve to prove that the little libertarian (not librarian) inside of me isn't completely dead yet, crushed as it is under the worries of (as the car commercial says) security in an insecure world. From deep within my belly it still cries, "I'm not hurting anyone, don't tread on meeeeee."
Also it shows-to-go-ya that the majority of Brits are pro-socialist weenies.
Er, sorry... this post was a bit reflexive and not very insightful. Well, I guess it can only serve to prove that the little libertarian (not librarian) inside of me isn't completely dead yet, crushed as it is under the worries of (as the car commercial says) security in an insecure world. From deep within my belly it still cries, "I'm not hurting anyone, don't tread on meeeeee."
Saturday, September 22, 2001
Friday, September 21, 2001
Okay, here's my first attempt at accurately portraying my gritty real-life escapades:
My neck hurts. Man, does it hurt -- really bad. I don't know why, only that I haven't been taking very good care of myself lately. It didn't start to hurt until I walked to the record store yesterday to buy the new They Might Be Giants CD. Then I realized my neck was really sore. And stiff. Work's been taking it's toll on me. No $950 web-backed Aero chair can help the kind of sitting I do. I sit so much it makes me physically exhausted what with all the blood just sitting there idle in my veins and arteries. Oh, and they raised the price of the bottled water at work. So now I have to bring my own, and now there's no excuse to get up and walk to the vending machines, so I'll be doing even more sitting in the weeks to come. And our cat, Molly, caught a mouse last night. She wanted to give it to us fresh (i.e. still alive), so she brought it up into our bed as we were asleep. We woke up and freaked out of course and ran around in circles, the cat trotting after us the whole way, mouse in mouth, until I tried to get the poor thing away from her to give it a decent burial and it ran away. So now we have a dying, bleeding mouse somewhere in our house, unless one of the cats ate it (and we'll know in a few weeks, obviously, if it died someplace the cats couldn't reach it). Oh and now the damn dog up the street is barking again... I get no rest from the innumerous, infatiguable hellhounds on this street, those wretched spawn of Cerberus... Life is just so hard, sometimes.
Mmmmm... edgey.
My neck hurts. Man, does it hurt -- really bad. I don't know why, only that I haven't been taking very good care of myself lately. It didn't start to hurt until I walked to the record store yesterday to buy the new They Might Be Giants CD. Then I realized my neck was really sore. And stiff. Work's been taking it's toll on me. No $950 web-backed Aero chair can help the kind of sitting I do. I sit so much it makes me physically exhausted what with all the blood just sitting there idle in my veins and arteries. Oh, and they raised the price of the bottled water at work. So now I have to bring my own, and now there's no excuse to get up and walk to the vending machines, so I'll be doing even more sitting in the weeks to come. And our cat, Molly, caught a mouse last night. She wanted to give it to us fresh (i.e. still alive), so she brought it up into our bed as we were asleep. We woke up and freaked out of course and ran around in circles, the cat trotting after us the whole way, mouse in mouth, until I tried to get the poor thing away from her to give it a decent burial and it ran away. So now we have a dying, bleeding mouse somewhere in our house, unless one of the cats ate it (and we'll know in a few weeks, obviously, if it died someplace the cats couldn't reach it). Oh and now the damn dog up the street is barking again... I get no rest from the innumerous, infatiguable hellhounds on this street, those wretched spawn of Cerberus... Life is just so hard, sometimes.
Mmmmm... edgey.
Urbankitten
Cosmically Exhilarating....
Uhh, yeah. I just realized my blog is SO not-hardcore. I need to get an edge....
Cosmically Exhilarating....
Uhh, yeah. I just realized my blog is SO not-hardcore. I need to get an edge....
Thursday, September 20, 2001
A very nice speech. I much prefer the practice of British Parliament, voicing their assent with nearly subliminal "Hear, hear!"s as opposed to the stopping and the standing and the ovations every other sentence. But it was very encouraging to see that the support is clearly behind our President. And that people universally appreciate Guliani (I'm never going to be able to spell that right).
I think Bush meant if you're not with us (i.e. not harboring terrorists) you're against us (i.e. you're harboring terrorists). I think Switzerland will get called in only to follow the trail of money.
This hasn't been the most enlightening post, but I'm pretty tired.
I think Bush meant if you're not with us (i.e. not harboring terrorists) you're against us (i.e. you're harboring terrorists). I think Switzerland will get called in only to follow the trail of money.
This hasn't been the most enlightening post, but I'm pretty tired.
Anyway, I suppose the American Flag does itself present a paradox: on the one hand it is the most visible symbol of a strong nation (not a perfect one). As such a symbol it's often the first target of those who, in that same nation, seek to exercise their right to speak out against the actions of that nation. The paradox is, of course, that the flag -- representing that free nation -- also represents that freedom of speech. So to oppose the display of the flag, you're opposing the symbol of the very freedoms which allow you your opposition.
Right or wrong, it's still the best thing going.
Right or wrong, it's still the best thing going.
Probably a prudent move :) But in my own defense, I must say that, for me, the urge to scribble in the margins of what others have written goes beyond a guilty little pleasure into the realm of compulsion: I can't help it.
I am working to overcome my little problem, though: all of my books now have contact paper covering the pages and I've been denied access to any writing impliment other than a dry-erase marker.
I am working to overcome my little problem, though: all of my books now have contact paper covering the pages and I've been denied access to any writing impliment other than a dry-erase marker.
Seriously, folks, because I'm still worked up about those last two links (below). I don't know if they're just the result of weak, delusional, escapist minds, incapable of dealing with last week's events, or if they really believe that ... crap they're spouting, but in any case it would do them well to consider the following:
It's January 26, 2002. You haven't heard from your family on the west coast and you begin to fear the worst. The fourth terrorist attack invovling serin nerve toxin has just occurred in the middle of San Francisco, and 25,000 are feared dead. As you consider the all-too-likely possibility that your parents lie dead in the street, choked by their own vomit, their nervous systems turned to jelly -- killed, unsuspecting as they were just going about business that day -- I sincerely hope that your first thoughts are not that you should be feeding the Taliban or that you don't want to fly the American flag because your leftist friends will think you're becoming a Republican.
It's January 26, 2002. You haven't heard from your family on the west coast and you begin to fear the worst. The fourth terrorist attack invovling serin nerve toxin has just occurred in the middle of San Francisco, and 25,000 are feared dead. As you consider the all-too-likely possibility that your parents lie dead in the street, choked by their own vomit, their nervous systems turned to jelly -- killed, unsuspecting as they were just going about business that day -- I sincerely hope that your first thoughts are not that you should be feeding the Taliban or that you don't want to fly the American flag because your leftist friends will think you're becoming a Republican.
Another fool misses the point entirely. Sure, feed them. Build them a mosque. They'll still hate us. It's not because they're hungry that we're hated. It's because we send our women to school, and let them work outside the home. It's because our men do not, by and large, run their households like a totalitarian dictatorship. It's because we believe that each individual human being (not the ones who haven't been born yet, but that's coming) has a right to life, and a right to speak their mind, not just when the leader or president decrees it, but always, that we're hated.
Remember: Christ forgave those who crucified Him. He didn't build them a brand-spanking new temple to Jupiter.
Remember: Christ forgave those who crucified Him. He didn't build them a brand-spanking new temple to Jupiter.
And this is why no one will ever mistake us self-indulgent, Gen-X knuckleheads for The Greatest Generation. 5,400 Americans lie dead -- most will only be identified after several months because the one unrecognizable piece of their flesh that could be found contained a DNA match with a dirty pair of underwear brought in by a loved one -- and all the writers at Salon.com can offer is a self-gratificatory etude on their love-hate relationship with the American flag? This is beyond treason.
Wednesday, September 19, 2001
Tomgirl rocks, too. As co-president of our mutal admiration society, I have to say that while it's true that we don't agree all the time, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have backing me up in a knife fight against a horde of crack-crazed hessians in a darkened alley. She's got kung-fu.
Tuesday, September 18, 2001
I really hope this doesn't shape up to be a war of culture. Let's see: we rally behind Ellen Degeneres, Hannibal Lecter, The Foo Fighters, our DVD players, and Playstation 2. They rally behind their unshakeable faith that Allah will reward them for their attacks upon the infidels.
We really do need some pretty heapin' helpin's of religion coming this way. Fast.
We really do need some pretty heapin' helpin's of religion coming this way. Fast.
"This changes everything." This, actually, could be quite encouraging. There were a lot of things, quite honestly, which needed to be changed.
Still thinking....
Any religion which depends on the actual conquering of territory and people, as opposed to the conversion of their hearts, is a pretty shoddy religion.
In virtue of its being a religion, though, it's still more powerful than non-religion or secularism.
So the solution would seem to be to foster belief in religions which are not as shoddy, ergo more powerful, than the opposing belief.
Because, without at least an equally powerful opposing belief, we're all doomed.
Any religion which depends on the actual conquering of territory and people, as opposed to the conversion of their hearts, is a pretty shoddy religion.
In virtue of its being a religion, though, it's still more powerful than non-religion or secularism.
So the solution would seem to be to foster belief in religions which are not as shoddy, ergo more powerful, than the opposing belief.
Because, without at least an equally powerful opposing belief, we're all doomed.
Saturday, September 15, 2001
In the wake of 09/11/01, sensible and balanced commentary and opinion are again stated. Not all of it is easy to take.
I hope this isn't any indication of how much Buffy is going to suck this fall. Especially check out the Nine Candles "game."
Friday, September 14, 2001
Thursday, September 13, 2001
It may seem quaint to mention it, but we're going to have to keep an eye on our civil liberties as well, and those in power, hopefully, will be able to walk the delicate tightrope between security and liberty. Anyway, here's a story about the feds already deploying Carnivores to monitor data.
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
I can't believe I didn't go see St Paul's (Outside The Walls) Basilica in Rome when I was there. And I'll probably never get back there. Argh. This is the kind of regret which strikes tourists years after they come back so plan those iterneraries!!!!
Monday, September 10, 2001
Sunday, September 09, 2001
No way!!! My 2nd-favorite (and a close 2nd, he's only second because in addition to playing Weyoun, he also played Brunt, a character who sucked -- though it wasn't his fault and they did have that Magnificent Ferengi episode which helped redeem him) Star Trek: Deep Space Nine guest star, Jeffrey Combs, is already in an episode of Enterprise as... an Andorian!!!
I know I'm way, way too geeked about this but I don't care. Now please bring back Casey Biggs (who has the worst dot-com.... ever -- though it's not his fault) as Harry Mudd's grandfather or something and I'll be set. Note: the official Casey Biggs site, above, actually seems to be hosted here at the moment. The two web ounters seem inextricably entwined.
I know I'm way, way too geeked about this but I don't care. Now please bring back Casey Biggs (who has the worst dot-com.... ever -- though it's not his fault) as Harry Mudd's grandfather or something and I'll be set. Note: the official Casey Biggs site, above, actually seems to be hosted here at the moment. The two web ounters seem inextricably entwined.
I didn't finish the whole article but here's a nice piece on Justice Clarence Thomas. I'll blog it here so I can come back to it later.
Saturday, September 08, 2001
Friday, September 07, 2001
Here's a video I made of the Plymouth Fall Festival. You'll need at least a cable or DSL connection to view it.
Here's a smaller version of that same 2-minute movie, if your broadband connection sputters on the larger file linked above.
Here's a smaller version of that same 2-minute movie, if your broadband connection sputters on the larger file linked above.
Thursday, September 06, 2001
This is completely ridiculous. What part of it? The whole thing. It reads like an Onion article. I'm dumbfounded by the degree to which all parties should be subjected to ridicule.
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