August 3, 2004, 4.08 am
Last night I had dreams that involved automatic weapons, guard dogs, snipers, and massive sword fights.
And I haven't even seen KillBill 2 yet.
Tonight, I can't sleep. It's not because of drinking; I only had a few beers. It's not because of NOT drinking; although I have been regularly consuming alcohol the last few nights... But not very much, all things considered...
And why is it that a thought pops into your head and some nagging problem suddenly gets resolved, or something you left out suddenly comes to light at FOUR-OH-FIVE in the morning? What's with that?
And I haven't even seen KillBill 2 yet.
Tonight, I can't sleep. It's not because of drinking; I only had a few beers. It's not because of NOT drinking; although I have been regularly consuming alcohol the last few nights... But not very much, all things considered...
And why is it that a thought pops into your head and some nagging problem suddenly gets resolved, or something you left out suddenly comes to light at FOUR-OH-FIVE in the morning? What's with that?
categorized as life of donzilla
August 3, 2004, 12.58 am
Well, it's about the right time to deplore the demise of my bedtime. Once again.
I decided to self-impose a bedtime (in bed, lights out) of 12:00. This worked for two days, and both nights I had a glorious sleep of 11 hours +. Now, coming off of two 11-hours-of-sleep nights, I'm wide awake at five till one. And not getting ready for bed anytime soon.
Maybe it's that I haven't been getting things done recently, and that I got a whole lot of things done today, and I feel like I'm on a roll. Maybe it's that The Muse of Programming seems to only come to me in the wee, wee hours of the morn.
Ah, well...
Oh, and that muse seriously likes substance abuse, whether it be caffeine, Mate, No-Doz, or alcohol... Hmm, what a girl, that muse...
I decided to self-impose a bedtime (in bed, lights out) of 12:00. This worked for two days, and both nights I had a glorious sleep of 11 hours +. Now, coming off of two 11-hours-of-sleep nights, I'm wide awake at five till one. And not getting ready for bed anytime soon.
Maybe it's that I haven't been getting things done recently, and that I got a whole lot of things done today, and I feel like I'm on a roll. Maybe it's that The Muse of Programming seems to only come to me in the wee, wee hours of the morn.
Ah, well...
Oh, and that muse seriously likes substance abuse, whether it be caffeine, Mate, No-Doz, or alcohol... Hmm, what a girl, that muse...
categorized as life of donzilla
August 2, 2004, 10.53 pm
I finally coaxed one of my guitars into modeling with my new Panama hat. This guitar is pretty shy; she's fairly well-traveled, hailing from Japan, and getting on in years. She's a classical, Spanish-style, six-string acoustic. Nylon strings. Pretty much your standard nylon-string classical.
But have you ever heard slide on one of these? Since I'm not able to afford a Martin D-28 right now, I'm sticking to the ol' classical for a while, for pure, acoustic, bluegrass. What this means is that anytime I pick up a decent six string steel acoustic, I'm transported into a different world, a world were I can finger those chords like none other, and where the pickin' sounds great...
But have you ever heard slide on one of these? Since I'm not able to afford a Martin D-28 right now, I'm sticking to the ol' classical for a while, for pure, acoustic, bluegrass. What this means is that anytime I pick up a decent six string steel acoustic, I'm transported into a different world, a world were I can finger those chords like none other, and where the pickin' sounds great...
categorized as music
August 2, 2004, 10.09 pm
I was raised differently. I remember a story that my father told me many times of a union strike in the coal mines in "Bloody Harlan" County, Kentucky many years ago. My grandfather, who died long before I was born, was in management and he crossed the picket line every day to keep the mine running. That pissed off the strikers and they came to give him a "Miner's Baptism" one day.
About thirty of the drunken bastards showed up at the house one afternoon and announced their intention of taking "Pete," as my grandfather was known, down to the Cumberland River where they intended to beat his ass and throw him in the water. My grandfather told the rest of the family to get under the bed and DO NOT come outside, no matter what happened. He went out to sit in his porch swing with a hog-leg .45 pistol in his hand.
"Pete, we're gonna whip your ass and throw you in the river," the leader of the mob announced.
My grandfather cocked that pistol and said, "Six of you won't. Who wants to be the first one through the gate?"
About thirty of the drunken bastards showed up at the house one afternoon and announced their intention of taking "Pete," as my grandfather was known, down to the Cumberland River where they intended to beat his ass and throw him in the water. My grandfather told the rest of the family to get under the bed and DO NOT come outside, no matter what happened. He went out to sit in his porch swing with a hog-leg .45 pistol in his hand.
"Pete, we're gonna whip your ass and throw you in the river," the leader of the mob announced.
My grandfather cocked that pistol and said, "Six of you won't. Who wants to be the first one through the gate?"
linkage: http://gutrumbles.com
This is an AWESOME story.
Why don't I own a gun?
As soon as I move out of here...
Why don't I own a gun?
As soon as I move out of here...
categorized as heroes
August 2, 2004, 7.38 pm
Why do passport photos ALWAYS make the person look like an ex-con?
I've had passport photos taken of me four times, and every single one made me look like a convict. All I was missing was the number. Maybe it has to do with that huge honkin' camera they use.
I always start with a smile on my face... And then the girl counts down 3...2... and by the time she fires, the smile is gone. Tarnation!
I've had passport photos taken of me four times, and every single one made me look like a convict. All I was missing was the number. Maybe it has to do with that huge honkin' camera they use.
I always start with a smile on my face... And then the girl counts down 3...2... and by the time she fires, the smile is gone. Tarnation!
categorized as life of donzilla
August 2, 2004, 2.56 pm
Augh. Rushing around trying to get Kenyan trip details ironed out, while also fielding calls from people I work for, and trying to close a few ebay deals. It's not easy being me, let me tell ya, heh-heh...
categorized as life of donzilla
August 1, 2004, 11.38 pm
Shot of California Street in San Francisco, from yesterday. I used to fly down this street, catching air in the computer game "Driver".
categorized as life of donzilla
August 1, 2004, 10.52 pm
And now, a new feature here on Equivocal Catharsis.com, DRUNKEN PURCHASES.
DRUNKEN PURCHASE: From Amazon, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
There were others.
DRUNKEN PURCHASE: From Amazon, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
There were others.
categorized as life of donzilla
August 1, 2004, 7.57 pm
Quick, in an effort to bury that embarrisingly personal post, visit Instapoet and read Maedhros' poem on California. It's good.
categorized as life of donzilla
August 1, 2004, 7.56 pm
I haven't talked to her in just about three days, and it seems like a LIFETIME.
To skewer an expression from my youth, "What gives?"
To skewer an expression from my youth, "What gives?"
categorized as life of donzilla
August 1, 2004, 6.43 pm
There's something really cool about Sundays, and this Sunday in particular.
After I got home from Mass at 11:00 am, I field two calls and missed one, all of which were from old-time friends who are far away now.
It was really cool.
It was like people miss the socialization that typically happens on Sundays when you have a large group of people living in close proximity with friends... Sunday becomes a true day of rest, and visiting, and generally delighting in the company of others.
And it's nice that those folks with phones can still echo that sentiment.
After I got home from Mass at 11:00 am, I field two calls and missed one, all of which were from old-time friends who are far away now.
It was really cool.
It was like people miss the socialization that typically happens on Sundays when you have a large group of people living in close proximity with friends... Sunday becomes a true day of rest, and visiting, and generally delighting in the company of others.
And it's nice that those folks with phones can still echo that sentiment.
categorized as life of donzilla
August 1, 2004, 6.40 pm
I like doing a whole series of posts that end with formal finality, all in a row, so that reader thinks that I left after each one, when, really, I didn't.
So, that's all folks! See ya next time!
So, that's all folks! See ya next time!
categorized as meta-blogging
August 1, 2004, 6.39 pm
Well,
(how many posts do I begin like that?)
my little brother's surprise birthday party is going on.
The surprise has fizzled (fizz-LED ???) out, but the party is still going strong. I'm off to join it.
(how many posts do I begin like that?)
my little brother's surprise birthday party is going on.
The surprise has fizzled (fizz-LED ???) out, but the party is still going strong. I'm off to join it.
categorized as life of donzilla
August 1, 2004, 6.37 pm
A Simple(r) Life
Well, as I was sitting down to blog, I put my beer -- recently purchased at the 7-11 down the street for an EXHORIBANT price -- down on my desk/table. Well, folks, it, perhaps sensing its impending demise, leapt off the table, doing a back flip. My reflexes being pretty good, and my disproportionate investment being at stake, I lunged forward, caught the beer, and then pounded it.
"You will NOT get away from me, beer," I said vehemently. "Butr I will give your eleven brothers the mercy of a quick end."
That is all.
"You will NOT get away from me, beer," I said vehemently. "Butr I will give your eleven brothers the mercy of a quick end."
That is all.
categorized as drinks
August 1, 2004, 6.22 pm
Well, I've been trying to get some good shots of flowers recently, but all the flowers I've been around lately have been uncommonly shy.
These purty little orange-and-yellow thangs almost spoke to me... But they remained reserved and abashed and...distanced...
Sigh.
These purty little orange-and-yellow thangs almost spoke to me... But they remained reserved and abashed and...distanced...
Sigh.
categorized as life of donzilla
August 1, 2004, 2.08 pm
SLEEP REPORT: Best sleep I've had in a while last night, from 11:53 pm to 10:42 am.
DAMAGE REPORT: After checking my bank account online, the damage from yesterday's excursion to REI is as grim as was expected. Firgures stayed within three digits, but still, there are cries of "atrocity."
But you should see my Panama hat. Or maybe that's what those crying "atrocity" are protesting...
DAMAGE REPORT: After checking my bank account online, the damage from yesterday's excursion to REI is as grim as was expected. Firgures stayed within three digits, but still, there are cries of "atrocity."
But you should see my Panama hat. Or maybe that's what those crying "atrocity" are protesting...
categorized as life of donzilla
July 31, 2004, 11.31 pm
Just One Blog Before I Go
Wow. That was a heck of a day.
It's a good thing that this glass of scotch was waiting for me.
Of course, now the bottle's unhappy.
Ah, well.
After getting WAY too little sleep these past few nights because of going too bed WAY too late, I got and left the house this morning at 11:00. I just got back a few minutes ago.
We went to a luncheon, but my stomach was still in breakfast mode, and hadn't expanded the appetite to the normal midday size. So I stuffed myself on a relatively small amount of chicken and potatoes and then STEAK! Go to the Outback Steakhouse near you. The luncheon was a thank-you for all the people who worked with the Special Olympics. My little brothers helped out a lot this year, and I went to help with the computers there once, so we were all invited. And the Outback hosted us for free -- and there were seventy or so of us.
Anyways, the day went on from there. After an endless and exhausting trek from store to store, we tired of capitalistic America and headed into Golden Gate Park in San Fran. There we met up with a buncha friends, mostly old friends from college, and we hung out in the city.
We trekked down in the downtown, exploring, and trying to find a particular cigar shop that was supposed to be somewhere near the TransAmerica pyramid.
Anyways, more later.
I bought a Panama hat at REI.
It's a good thing that this glass of scotch was waiting for me.
Of course, now the bottle's unhappy.
Ah, well.
After getting WAY too little sleep these past few nights because of going too bed WAY too late, I got and left the house this morning at 11:00. I just got back a few minutes ago.
We went to a luncheon, but my stomach was still in breakfast mode, and hadn't expanded the appetite to the normal midday size. So I stuffed myself on a relatively small amount of chicken and potatoes and then STEAK! Go to the Outback Steakhouse near you. The luncheon was a thank-you for all the people who worked with the Special Olympics. My little brothers helped out a lot this year, and I went to help with the computers there once, so we were all invited. And the Outback hosted us for free -- and there were seventy or so of us.
Anyways, the day went on from there. After an endless and exhausting trek from store to store, we tired of capitalistic America and headed into Golden Gate Park in San Fran. There we met up with a buncha friends, mostly old friends from college, and we hung out in the city.
We trekked down in the downtown, exploring, and trying to find a particular cigar shop that was supposed to be somewhere near the TransAmerica pyramid.
Anyways, more later.
I bought a Panama hat at REI.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 31, 2004, 3.38 am
I watched There's Something About Mary last night.
I don't know what it is, but there is definately something about Mary. Perhaps it's simply the fact that Cameron Diaz is a devilishly beautiful woman...
July 31, 2004, 3.28 am
I've been doing a bunch of web design work over at Pilgrim of the Absolute. I just wrote a whole bunch of php that forms the nexus of a photo gallery system. I've been meaning to do this for a while; in fact, oone of my clients paid me in advance to design something like this for them oh, about two years ago. So I'm finally going to deliver...
Of course, this, like all my other computer projects, will most likely get stalled in a three weeks, when I'm in Kenya, so we'll see. If I come back, and I don't have any of those brain-eating parasites making me insane, perhaps I will finish these projects up.
Of course, this, like all my other computer projects, will most likely get stalled in a three weeks, when I'm in Kenya, so we'll see. If I come back, and I don't have any of those brain-eating parasites making me insane, perhaps I will finish these projects up.
categorized as tech
July 31, 2004, 2.56 am
Wow. Last night I was up till 4:29 or something. Tonight it's 2:44. You get to that point after you've brushed your teeth and whatnot, and stopped drinking, where your stomach gets all upset with you just because it's the middle of the night, and then you need to go and put some food in it. Which is what I'm going to do right now.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 30, 2004, 8.28 pm
Crap. I have to re-register for an absentee-ballot in order to vote before November, when I will be in Kenya, and, most likely, completely inaccessible via normal mail. Mail sent to me there will, in all likelihood, not get to me until after I get back.
(I'm assuming this, really, I have no idea what the mail service is like over there from actual experience...)
(I'm assuming this, really, I have no idea what the mail service is like over there from actual experience...)
categorized as on the road
July 30, 2004, 7.20 pm
The nurse/doctor said that the typhoid shot would make my arm sore.
I didn't feel anything until about forty minutes after the shot, when I was rummaging around behind a computer, unpluging the monitor cable.
I changed the angle of my arm, and suddenly felt a rush of matter from my shoulder down my arm. It felt like there was a rather large mass of sludge under my skin that had shifted and moved downhill.
Now my left arm feels like, well, it got shot.
I didn't feel anything until about forty minutes after the shot, when I was rummaging around behind a computer, unpluging the monitor cable.
I changed the angle of my arm, and suddenly felt a rush of matter from my shoulder down my arm. It felt like there was a rather large mass of sludge under my skin that had shifted and moved downhill.
Now my left arm feels like, well, it got shot.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 30, 2004, 4.19 am
Originally 3-megapixels, resized. Shot from the Fairfax-Bolinas road on the way to the beach last Sunday.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 29, 2004, 11.56 pm
Ah. Anyone need a USB 2.0 card? 'Cause here's a fine one...
categorized as mercantilism
July 29, 2004, 10.23 pm
We regret the need to do this. Most Swift boat veterans would like nothing better than to support one of our own for America's highest office, regardless of whether he was running as a Democrat or a Republican. However, Kerry's phony war crimes charges, his exaggerated claims about his own service in Vietnam, and his deliberate misrepresentation of the nature and effectiveness of Swift boat operations compels us to step forward.
linkage: http://www.swiftvets.com/
hat-tip: acidman
categorized as many blood sucking parasites
July 29, 2004, 3.50 pm
Sign of a Good Night #147
When a plurality of corks are found in bizarre locations.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 29, 2004, 3.05 pm
My chiropracter put a sticky wrap on my ankle to protect it because it is all still swollen and sprained.
As I watched him stick it on I was thinking to myself:
"Don't you usually shave the ankle that you are putting it on so that it doesn't rip all that hair out when you take it off?"
I distinctly remember that, because we would all make fun of the other soccer guys because they "shaved their legs" and tease them mercilessly...
I just had to rip that wrap off because I was showering. It took about three or four good rips, and now my right ankle has just about the same quantity of hair on it that it would have if it had been shaved. It was painful, let me tell you... In a ridiculous sort of way...
As I watched him stick it on I was thinking to myself:
"Don't you usually shave the ankle that you are putting it on so that it doesn't rip all that hair out when you take it off?"
I distinctly remember that, because we would all make fun of the other soccer guys because they "shaved their legs" and tease them mercilessly...
I just had to rip that wrap off because I was showering. It took about three or four good rips, and now my right ankle has just about the same quantity of hair on it that it would have if it had been shaved. It was painful, let me tell you... In a ridiculous sort of way...
categorized as life of donzilla
July 28, 2004, 3.53 pm
One of my coworkers pointed out a certain disconnect (is there a French word for this, I feel like there should be?) between the sex, love, and rock & roll, spaced-out-seventies-acid-rock that was playing on my computer and the beautiful f/a-18-hornet-at-sunset wallpaper.
Kindof like, not the whole peace-thing, man.
Well...
I can't help it if these killer airplanes are a thing of beauty, man. And it's a different kind of peace that I'm talking about, anyway. It's not the world's peace.
And I can't help but mention mlah's post on kerry's anti-defense votes.
He voted against the Hornet! And against the Falcon! And the Strike Eagle, perhaps the coolest version of the F-15! Forget him!
Kindof like, not the whole peace-thing, man.
Well...
I can't help it if these killer airplanes are a thing of beauty, man. And it's a different kind of peace that I'm talking about, anyway. It's not the world's peace.
And I can't help but mention mlah's post on kerry's anti-defense votes.
He voted against the Hornet! And against the Falcon! And the Strike Eagle, perhaps the coolest version of the F-15! Forget him!
categorized as many blood sucking parasites
July 28, 2004, 3.21 pm
I'm going to see my chiropracter in an hour or so. I've needed to go for several months, to take care of these kinks in my neck and back. I have learned how to do various streches and whatnot to relieve them, but those things are temporary, and sometimes you just need an adjustment.
And my chiropracter is on of my computer consulting clients from way back. We generally don't charge each other for our work; we just keep track of it and barter, swapping computer consulting hours for chiropractic adjustments.
I have a bunch of clients that I do that with, for various services, and it's really cool. It gives a kind of small-town, middles-ages, wholesome feel to it all.
linkage:
San Anselmo Chiropractic -- I cannot recommend highly enough...
Your Computer Genius -- My computer consulting company...
And my chiropracter is on of my computer consulting clients from way back. We generally don't charge each other for our work; we just keep track of it and barter, swapping computer consulting hours for chiropractic adjustments.
I have a bunch of clients that I do that with, for various services, and it's really cool. It gives a kind of small-town, middles-ages, wholesome feel to it all.
linkage:
San Anselmo Chiropractic -- I cannot recommend highly enough...
Your Computer Genius -- My computer consulting company...
categorized as life of donzilla
July 27, 2004, 11.19 pm
The two most important things on my desk this evening.
One's a rusty nail (left).
The other (right) is an Ammeter that originally was in a MiG jet. It's going in the Silver Bullet soon. Isn't it beautiful? I bought it from a Ukranian...
One's a rusty nail (left).
The other (right) is an Ammeter that originally was in a MiG jet. It's going in the Silver Bullet soon. Isn't it beautiful? I bought it from a Ukranian...
categorized as the silver bullet
July 27, 2004, 8.06 pm
For some reason I did most of my work today on my home computer, but via a vpn from the office. Why? I dunno.
28 days until I land in Africa, +/- the international date line.
28 days until I land in Africa, +/- the international date line.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 27, 2004, 7.30 pm
I'm the kind of guy who, when he gets something he ordered in the mail, and it's broken, instead of returning it, he tries to fix it.
Luckily, most of the time this results in a working device.
I guess it's because I don't want to go through the hassle of returning something and the cost for me and for the company who produced it and shipped it if its something i can easily (or sometimes not so easily) fix with my own two hands.
Of course, usually it ends up costing a few hours of time, and some bloody knuckles, like today, but damn it, it makes me feel productive. Hmm.
Luckily, most of the time this results in a working device.
I guess it's because I don't want to go through the hassle of returning something and the cost for me and for the company who produced it and shipped it if its something i can easily (or sometimes not so easily) fix with my own two hands.
Of course, usually it ends up costing a few hours of time, and some bloody knuckles, like today, but damn it, it makes me feel productive. Hmm.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 27, 2004, 2.01 pm
Work.
Blog?
Work.
Blog?
Work?
Blog.
Work-blog?!
Wog.
Snap!
Listen to Jimmy Buffet.
Fin
(Eric of Straight White Guy fame posted about good ol' Jimmy the other day, so that's probably why I was thinking 'bout Jimmy...)
Blog?
Work.
Blog?
Work?
Blog.
Work-blog?!
Wog.
Snap!
Listen to Jimmy Buffet.
Fin
(Eric of Straight White Guy fame posted about good ol' Jimmy the other day, so that's probably why I was thinking 'bout Jimmy...)
categorized as life of donzilla
July 27, 2004, 1.05 am
Craig at mtpolitics wrote rather extensively here about P2P (i.e. peer to peer) file sharing programs. The gist of his post is that the folks who download (i.e. swap) music files with other P2P software users may not just be swapping music. Apparently all sorts of things are out there for all the world to see, some of which is quite shocking and even dangerous. Craig wrote:
...Most people think that if they download and install Kazaa, Limewire, etc., all it does is download music. They don’t understand that the program scans their hard drive for files to share, and doesn’t care whether it’s music or not. The concepts of Spyware, Adware and file sharing just don’t resonate with them
...Most people think that if they download and install Kazaa, Limewire, etc., all it does is download music. They don’t understand that the program scans their hard drive for files to share, and doesn’t care whether it’s music or not. The concepts of Spyware, Adware and file sharing just don’t resonate with them
WinMX is clean, but there are many P2P programs that maliciously exploit unknowing users. People install these things, or simply don't use anti-virus and anti-spyware and don't fix Windows with the windows updates available from Microsoft and these omissions leave their computers vulnerable to port scanners, websites, and a whole plethora of passive and active attacks from the internet. People don't understand computers, and it hurts everybody.
People in the computer industry have known this for years; in fact, there are so many people who inadvertantly share their entire hard drives that sometimes it is easier, when fixing someone's computer, to download a few windows dll's or some drivers from someone's windows directory. It's amazing really, that these machine continue to function as much as they do!
People in the computer industry have known this for years; in fact, there are so many people who inadvertantly share their entire hard drives that sometimes it is easier, when fixing someone's computer, to download a few windows dll's or some drivers from someone's windows directory. It's amazing really, that these machine continue to function as much as they do!
categorized as tech
July 27, 2004, 12.54 am
Sorry, dude. I'll make up for it with this picture of the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard.
OH CRAP. I just saw that they have DOH on dvd at amazon.com. Crap crap crap...
OH CRAP. I just saw that they have DOH on dvd at amazon.com. Crap crap crap...
July 27, 2004, 12.30 am
I just watched one of the episodes of the original Starsky & Hutch t.v. show. Pretty funny in a dry sort of way, VERY seventies. Not too much car action, which is what I was hoping for, but enjoyable none-the-less. I don't quite think that it will replace Dukes of Hazard as my favorite, but we'll see. This DVD I rented has four more episodes.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 27, 2004, 12.26 am
Wow. What was I thinking? I have a big prickture of Kerry on my blog. Damn. I've been trying to avoid that. At least it's a bobble-head.
categorized as many blood sucking parasites
July 26, 2004, 3.49 pm
Check this out. Good for some laughs.
categorized as many blood sucking parasites
July 25, 2004, 1.43 pm
My sprinklers were going haywire. I looked outside; saw the source of the hose-noise: two sprinkler-heads had popped off, and they were wantonly spraying water around, mostly into a couple of -- i though -- empty planting pots.
After I fixed the sprinklers, I examined the pots. Ahh, they were not empty. They were full of half-covered cigarette butts, mostly filters. Meaning Camel filters. Someone is trying to grow cigarette trees in my back yard!
After I fixed the sprinklers, I examined the pots. Ahh, they were not empty. They were full of half-covered cigarette butts, mostly filters. Meaning Camel filters. Someone is trying to grow cigarette trees in my back yard!
categorized as life of donzilla
July 25, 2004, 10.35 am
Lightning Strike Energizes Maine Man
"I'm feeling like my body is light. It's the best I've probably felt as far as energy in 10 years," said John Corson, 56, the day after he was struck by lightning while working outside his home.
...
The lightning left redness around his shoulders, he said. The bolt went through his body and tripped three breakers in the garage.
...
Corson said he thought people who are hit by lightning die, and he now believes in guardian angels.
...
The lightning left redness around his shoulders, he said. The bolt went through his body and tripped three breakers in the garage.
...
Corson said he thought people who are hit by lightning die, and he now believes in guardian angels.
linkage: http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040723_477.html
hat-tip: newsfeed
July 25, 2004, 10.29 am
I'll let you all stew into the wonderfuleness of my ninetten posts from yesterday, most of them beautifully illustrated, as I go to Mass and then to the beach today.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 25, 2004, 1.26 am
I own one of these.
I carry it, pretty much everywhere I go. I use it quite a bit in my line of work.
But the question at hand:
Do I take it to Africa with me?
Chances are good that we will be mugged over there. It's probably, even. Sure we'll take precautions. Do not go out at night. Never go anywhere alone. But still chances are...
And when we do get mugged, it would be best not to defend oneself -- at least if robbery is all they're up to. So do I carry the knife and let the first muggers take it off me? Or do I leave it behind, and forsake what may be a necessary survival tool? Hmm.
I carry it, pretty much everywhere I go. I use it quite a bit in my line of work.
But the question at hand:
Do I take it to Africa with me?
Chances are good that we will be mugged over there. It's probably, even. Sure we'll take precautions. Do not go out at night. Never go anywhere alone. But still chances are...
And when we do get mugged, it would be best not to defend oneself -- at least if robbery is all they're up to. So do I carry the knife and let the first muggers take it off me? Or do I leave it behind, and forsake what may be a necessary survival tool? Hmm.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 25, 2004, 1.22 am
I installed one of these in my dining room today.
Mother went outside and turned off the breaker at the breaker box. We didn't know which one it was because most of the breakers aren't labeled, and the wiring in the house is screwed up, so we plugged a fan into the outlet below the plug, and she flipped them off one by one, and I hollered out the window when the fan went off. I told her to turn the rest of the breakers back on, and come back inside.
Then I did my work, pulling the knob off, unscrewing the plate, unscrewing the old dimmer switch, taking off the wirenuts one-by-one and putting in the new switch. Throughout the whole thing I used insulated tools, and never touch the wires in a dangerous position. I treated them as if they were hot the whole time.
When I was finished, I flipped the switch on, testing the action. To my surprise, the lights came on. I look at Mom. She gasped, and nearly had a heart attack.
However, I was not shaken-up. This was a dramatic proof of the principles I have always held.
Things become dangerous when they are in the hands of those who do not understand them. I am not preaching knowledge as the cure-all for evil here, but merely saying that a rational being need not fear that which he understands.
Electricity, guns, cars: all these things highlight man's ability to either rationally control something, or irrationally fear it.
When working with electricity, to be safe, you did what I did: treat the wires as if they are always hot. Not once in the whole course of the operation did I touch the wires with my bare hands. Not once did I have two "live" wires uncapped. I worked with one wire at a time. I worked with one hand in the box at a time. I used insulated tools to twist and crimp the wires (and of course my Guardian Angel was their to keep me from doing anything stupid).
The same thing applies to guns. If you (1) never point the gun at anything you wouldn't mind shooting, and (2) treat every weapon as a loaded weapon, there shouldn't ever be a problem.
I don't fear guns or electricity. But there's a reason why you need a license to deal with these things.
Mother went outside and turned off the breaker at the breaker box. We didn't know which one it was because most of the breakers aren't labeled, and the wiring in the house is screwed up, so we plugged a fan into the outlet below the plug, and she flipped them off one by one, and I hollered out the window when the fan went off. I told her to turn the rest of the breakers back on, and come back inside.
Then I did my work, pulling the knob off, unscrewing the plate, unscrewing the old dimmer switch, taking off the wirenuts one-by-one and putting in the new switch. Throughout the whole thing I used insulated tools, and never touch the wires in a dangerous position. I treated them as if they were hot the whole time.
When I was finished, I flipped the switch on, testing the action. To my surprise, the lights came on. I look at Mom. She gasped, and nearly had a heart attack.
However, I was not shaken-up. This was a dramatic proof of the principles I have always held.
Things become dangerous when they are in the hands of those who do not understand them. I am not preaching knowledge as the cure-all for evil here, but merely saying that a rational being need not fear that which he understands.
Electricity, guns, cars: all these things highlight man's ability to either rationally control something, or irrationally fear it.
When working with electricity, to be safe, you did what I did: treat the wires as if they are always hot. Not once in the whole course of the operation did I touch the wires with my bare hands. Not once did I have two "live" wires uncapped. I worked with one wire at a time. I worked with one hand in the box at a time. I used insulated tools to twist and crimp the wires (and of course my Guardian Angel was their to keep me from doing anything stupid).
The same thing applies to guns. If you (1) never point the gun at anything you wouldn't mind shooting, and (2) treat every weapon as a loaded weapon, there shouldn't ever be a problem.
I don't fear guns or electricity. But there's a reason why you need a license to deal with these things.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 25, 2004, 12.10 am
Paul Martin unveils new cabinet
linkage: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2004/07/18/548074-cp.html
just a quick one... always wanted to pun with that word...
hat-tip: newsfeed
categorized as many blood sucking parasites
July 24, 2004, 11.18 pm
What's that? Use Opera [7.51] for my newsfeeds? Why, sure! Why didn't you say so before?
It's perfect: always running anyway, unobtrusive notices, all kinds of controls -- awesome!
It's perfect: always running anyway, unobtrusive notices, all kinds of controls -- awesome!
categorized as tech
July 24, 2004, 11.09 pm
Well, my bro and Dad and I justed watched The Bourne Identity on a projector and big screen in my room.
It rocked. This was the first time I've seen it, and I really enjoyed it. Now I'm prepared to watch that new one, although I've got a good guess as to the plotline...
It rocked. This was the first time I've seen it, and I really enjoyed it. Now I'm prepared to watch that new one, although I've got a good guess as to the plotline...
July 24, 2004, 10.13 pm
Two things happened that pissed me off today.
One of them was inconsequential; I'll let it pass. Here it is:
I woke up this morning to a message on my preferred file sharing program which in no unclear terms called me the l-word, among other things.
That pissed me off. This little bandito de internet does not even know what a leech is. I mean, sure, I appeared to be a leech, but with these crappy DSL lines, you can't go both ways, if you know what I mean. You've gotta go one way at a time, which is what I do [I hope somebody takes that out of context]. So anyways...
On to number two.
Two of my little brothers are three thousand miles away. I call their cell phone. Some schmuck answers their phone. Pretends to be my brother. Is insistent.
Damn it, I know what my brother sounds like on the phone, prick! Quit playing your f*cking games with me!
Eventually I weasel it out of him that my brother left the phone in the hotel room, and went out.
But he still is monkeying around, pretending to be my brother. I volunteer to come to Florida and inflict bodily harm on him, in no uncertain terms. In fact, in rather rude terms. Using anglo-saxon four-and-three letter words.
I don't know, but there is something about family matters that gets my blood up. If someone threatens me, I can deal with it, I am cool, I back off, talk them down, dispell the fight.
But if someone goes after a member of my family, they'd better have made things alright with their Maker, because I'm gonna lose it. And that goes for my friends too. If I've got your back they'll be peeling either me or them off the pavement, because I won't stop.
I hope that that prick doesn't tell my brother that I called, for his own safety. I further hope that I never meet him, because I certainly feel like giving him a piece of my mind. Or a knuckle-sandwich.
I'll bet five bucks that he's a single child. Or he takes his siblings for granted.
Every one of my brothers has four brothers to look after them. We're a band. You fuck with one of us, you fuck with all of us. And we'll take you down.
Ok, now the "Christain Charity" reminder light is going off. Blink, blink! Remember "Christian Charity."
Yeah, sure.
"Turn the other cheek."
When it comes to me, yes. I can do that. That's my department.
But when it comes to turning the cheeks of those I love, that I cannot do. I would rather die.
One of them was inconsequential; I'll let it pass. Here it is:
I woke up this morning to a message on my preferred file sharing program which in no unclear terms called me the l-word, among other things.
That pissed me off. This little bandito de internet does not even know what a leech is. I mean, sure, I appeared to be a leech, but with these crappy DSL lines, you can't go both ways, if you know what I mean. You've gotta go one way at a time, which is what I do [I hope somebody takes that out of context]. So anyways...
On to number two.
Two of my little brothers are three thousand miles away. I call their cell phone. Some schmuck answers their phone. Pretends to be my brother. Is insistent.
Damn it, I know what my brother sounds like on the phone, prick! Quit playing your f*cking games with me!
Eventually I weasel it out of him that my brother left the phone in the hotel room, and went out.
But he still is monkeying around, pretending to be my brother. I volunteer to come to Florida and inflict bodily harm on him, in no uncertain terms. In fact, in rather rude terms. Using anglo-saxon four-and-three letter words.
I don't know, but there is something about family matters that gets my blood up. If someone threatens me, I can deal with it, I am cool, I back off, talk them down, dispell the fight.
But if someone goes after a member of my family, they'd better have made things alright with their Maker, because I'm gonna lose it. And that goes for my friends too. If I've got your back they'll be peeling either me or them off the pavement, because I won't stop.
I hope that that prick doesn't tell my brother that I called, for his own safety. I further hope that I never meet him, because I certainly feel like giving him a piece of my mind. Or a knuckle-sandwich.
I'll bet five bucks that he's a single child. Or he takes his siblings for granted.
Every one of my brothers has four brothers to look after them. We're a band. You fuck with one of us, you fuck with all of us. And we'll take you down.
Ok, now the "Christain Charity" reminder light is going off. Blink, blink! Remember "Christian Charity."
Yeah, sure.
"Turn the other cheek."
When it comes to me, yes. I can do that. That's my department.
But when it comes to turning the cheeks of those I love, that I cannot do. I would rather die.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 24, 2004, 4.56 pm
I just went swimming. It requried a HUGE mental effort to go do it, but once I jumped in the water, I felt like a million bucks...until I realized just how out of shape I am.
I used to swim competitively on a team that regularly sent people to the olympic qualifiers, and even had people win those trials.
Of course, when I started I was no good at swimming, and I couldn't even make the slowest intervals on the teams. But, after much hard work and much encouragement from the coach, I was in the best shape of my life. My buddies on the team and I were in a rare group of people, where there was only a small subset of the human race that eclipsed us in terms of pure physical prowess (ok, I'm starting to get carried away here, but it's true!). We would play ultimate frisbee on the weekends, and we would get out there and just run and run and run and we'd look back and see how we'd covered these vast expanses of land, all effortlessly, and we'd laugh and do it again...
So anyways, then came a time of binge-drinking, cigarette-smoking, college women, pneumonia, and other forms of abuse. Which pretty much beat that world-class swimmer outta me.
But i'm going to get back in shape, dammit!
linkage: Marin Pirates Swim Team
I used to swim competitively on a team that regularly sent people to the olympic qualifiers, and even had people win those trials.
Of course, when I started I was no good at swimming, and I couldn't even make the slowest intervals on the teams. But, after much hard work and much encouragement from the coach, I was in the best shape of my life. My buddies on the team and I were in a rare group of people, where there was only a small subset of the human race that eclipsed us in terms of pure physical prowess (ok, I'm starting to get carried away here, but it's true!). We would play ultimate frisbee on the weekends, and we would get out there and just run and run and run and we'd look back and see how we'd covered these vast expanses of land, all effortlessly, and we'd laugh and do it again...
So anyways, then came a time of binge-drinking, cigarette-smoking, college women, pneumonia, and other forms of abuse. Which pretty much beat that world-class swimmer outta me.
But i'm going to get back in shape, dammit!
linkage: Marin Pirates Swim Team
categorized as life of donzilla
July 24, 2004, 1.21 pm
I've been listening to the Grateful Dead's show, Live at Cornell University 1977. Here's a link to it.
It has been called:
"the best live performance by any band in the history of live music"
Which is why I'm downloading it in lossless right now.
It has been called:
"the best live performance by any band in the history of live music"
Which is why I'm downloading it in lossless right now.
BTW, The Dead have long been supporters -- sometimes actively -- of bootleggers of their shows, unlike the other greedy %&%^ folks in the music "industry."
Witness this:
======= Message from Grateful Dead Productions // Ice Nine =========
STATEMENT TO MP3 SITE OPERATORS
The Grateful Dead and our managing organizations have long encouraged the purely non-commercial exchange of music taped at our concerts and those of our individual members. That a new medium of distribution has arisen - digital audio files being traded over the Internet - does not change our policy in this regard.
Our stipulations regarding digital distribution are merely extensions of those long-standing principles and they are as follows:
No commercial gain may be sought by websites offering digital files of our music, whether through advertising, exploiting databases compiled from their traffic, or any other means.
All participants in such digital exchange acknowledge and respect the copyrights of the performers, writers and publishers of the music.
This notice should be clearly posted on all sites engaged in this activity.
We reserve the ability to withdraw our sanction of non-commercial digital music should circumstances arise that compromise our ability to protect and steward the integrity of our work.
Pretty durn cool, huh?
Witness this:
======= Message from Grateful Dead Productions // Ice Nine =========
STATEMENT TO MP3 SITE OPERATORS
The Grateful Dead and our managing organizations have long encouraged the purely non-commercial exchange of music taped at our concerts and those of our individual members. That a new medium of distribution has arisen - digital audio files being traded over the Internet - does not change our policy in this regard.
Our stipulations regarding digital distribution are merely extensions of those long-standing principles and they are as follows:
No commercial gain may be sought by websites offering digital files of our music, whether through advertising, exploiting databases compiled from their traffic, or any other means.
All participants in such digital exchange acknowledge and respect the copyrights of the performers, writers and publishers of the music.
This notice should be clearly posted on all sites engaged in this activity.
We reserve the ability to withdraw our sanction of non-commercial digital music should circumstances arise that compromise our ability to protect and steward the integrity of our work.
Pretty durn cool, huh?
categorized as music
July 23, 2004, 8.01 pm
I guess my camera was still feeling the effects of last night when it took this shot this morning afternoon.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 23, 2004, 4.56 pm
Cell Phone Research
...from the overcomplicated-is-an-understatement dept...
I did some MASSIVE research on cell phones over the last few days, so now I know EVERYTHING that there is to know about cell phones and networks and whatnot.
Basically to switch GSM phones between service providers you need to unlock your phone. Some companies (T-mobile, Cingular I think?) will unlock them if they have had you as a customer for a certain period of time. Other (AT&T) will not unlock them at all. You can unlock most popular models by posting your data on the internet and having some kind soul run the software and provide you with the code, or by paying a few dollars ($2-5) for someone to do the same. Some of the Samsung (I think) phones require a data cable and a computer and some fancy lifting there... but most Nokia and Motorola are easy (or so I'm told).
The other thing you have to take into account is the frequency on which the phone operates. In the United States, the GSM band is 1900. Some companies, most notable AT&T and Cingular (which are in the process of merging, or so I'm told) supplement their service with the 850 band (the same as the 800 that you hear people talk about). This band has a better range and so on, so it is more likely that it will be used in distant areas. You cannot escape this band even if you have a different service, because even T-Mobile has roaming agreements where its users use other networks.
However, internationally, the GSM frequency is 1800. 900 is also used to supplement this, and in fact, in Kenya, 900 is the only band in use.
Most GSM phones sold in the U.S. are "dual-band" GSM, and they run on the two U.S. bands: 1900 and 850. Most phones sold internationally use the 900/1800 bands. So to obtain a phone to use in Kenya, you need to get a phone that supports the 900 frequency. There are phones that are sold that are "tri-band" phones, and these come in two varieties: U.S. or international. The U.S. models typically do the two U.S. frequencies, 850 and 1900, as well as 1800, the main International one. This type of phone would be useless in Kenya, as it does not support the 900 band. The other type of tri-band phone is the International type, which has the 900/1800/1900 frequencies. This phone is usable in the U.S., as long as you aren't foreced to go on the 850 band. I just bought an unlocked Nokia 3650 from an amazon seller, with a return agreement if it doesn't work with my service here at home (i.e. if my service at home is too heavily based on the 850 band...).
Of course, ideally the solution would be to buy a "quad-band" "world" phone, but there are only a few models that support 850/900/1800/1900, and they are still rather expensive.
Basically to switch GSM phones between service providers you need to unlock your phone. Some companies (T-mobile, Cingular I think?) will unlock them if they have had you as a customer for a certain period of time. Other (AT&T) will not unlock them at all. You can unlock most popular models by posting your data on the internet and having some kind soul run the software and provide you with the code, or by paying a few dollars ($2-5) for someone to do the same. Some of the Samsung (I think) phones require a data cable and a computer and some fancy lifting there... but most Nokia and Motorola are easy (or so I'm told).
The other thing you have to take into account is the frequency on which the phone operates. In the United States, the GSM band is 1900. Some companies, most notable AT&T and Cingular (which are in the process of merging, or so I'm told) supplement their service with the 850 band (the same as the 800 that you hear people talk about). This band has a better range and so on, so it is more likely that it will be used in distant areas. You cannot escape this band even if you have a different service, because even T-Mobile has roaming agreements where its users use other networks.
However, internationally, the GSM frequency is 1800. 900 is also used to supplement this, and in fact, in Kenya, 900 is the only band in use.
Most GSM phones sold in the U.S. are "dual-band" GSM, and they run on the two U.S. bands: 1900 and 850. Most phones sold internationally use the 900/1800 bands. So to obtain a phone to use in Kenya, you need to get a phone that supports the 900 frequency. There are phones that are sold that are "tri-band" phones, and these come in two varieties: U.S. or international. The U.S. models typically do the two U.S. frequencies, 850 and 1900, as well as 1800, the main International one. This type of phone would be useless in Kenya, as it does not support the 900 band. The other type of tri-band phone is the International type, which has the 900/1800/1900 frequencies. This phone is usable in the U.S., as long as you aren't foreced to go on the 850 band. I just bought an unlocked Nokia 3650 from an amazon seller, with a return agreement if it doesn't work with my service here at home (i.e. if my service at home is too heavily based on the 850 band...).
Of course, ideally the solution would be to buy a "quad-band" "world" phone, but there are only a few models that support 850/900/1800/1900, and they are still rather expensive.
categorized as tech
July 23, 2004, 4.32 pm
I'm doing some image-editing for a friend so that we can sell her transmission-dead car on ebay and I thought that this was funny enough to share w/ y'all.
July 23, 2004, 4.03 pm
Permanet Idling for your Community's Benefit
I don't know about you, but I like to keep my car idling 24/7. Hey, you never know when you're gonna need it!
The neighbor's kids really enjoy my car running outside their window. Occasionaly the little darlings play with it, seeing how much stuff they can put in the exhaust pipe before it flies out, and reving it by spraying hair-spray in the air intake. Their parents have thanked me repeatedly for keeping the car running, because it provides a nice noise buffer so they don't have to listen to their four kids' asmatic coughing that wakes them up at all hours of the night.
It sits out there on the curb, running, pretty much always. I had a secondary 48-gallon tank installed last year, which lets it idle for a day or two without a refill. Of course, the weight of the extra gallons actually decreased my gas mileage to the point where I can't travel very far on a tank at all. I can only drive for 80 or 90 miles before I have to refill it! I guess 60 gallons of gas weighs an awful lot! But it is a great setup for permanent idling.
Of course, at my home and at my office I have gas lines that feed directly into the car. This allows the car to refill itself right from the big tank so it never has to cease idling. I like to think of myself as directly connected to the earth mother because of my direct link to her wonderful fossil fuels.
My neighbor's children also really enjoy the weekly deliveries of gas to my underground tank. They love the big truck, and after they watch it with wonder, they ride their bicycles around. The fumes from the gasoline make them quite dizzy, and they have a great time crashing into things and playing "doctor."
I put a new engine in the car every year, and the old ones I just dump in the lake behind my house...
There aren't any plants in my yard anymore, but that's ok. I have a few fake ones in pots, and I've always liked asphalt better, anyhow...
The kids don't have any pets anymore, but Suzy has a growth on her arm that we have named "Guzbo." We water and feed Guzbo twice a day, and the kids don't miss Sparky much anymore...
With all the benefits that come from a permanent idle, I think that everyone should step off the pedal, leave the key in the ignition, and do their community a favor!
The neighbor's kids really enjoy my car running outside their window. Occasionaly the little darlings play with it, seeing how much stuff they can put in the exhaust pipe before it flies out, and reving it by spraying hair-spray in the air intake. Their parents have thanked me repeatedly for keeping the car running, because it provides a nice noise buffer so they don't have to listen to their four kids' asmatic coughing that wakes them up at all hours of the night.
It sits out there on the curb, running, pretty much always. I had a secondary 48-gallon tank installed last year, which lets it idle for a day or two without a refill. Of course, the weight of the extra gallons actually decreased my gas mileage to the point where I can't travel very far on a tank at all. I can only drive for 80 or 90 miles before I have to refill it! I guess 60 gallons of gas weighs an awful lot! But it is a great setup for permanent idling.
Of course, at my home and at my office I have gas lines that feed directly into the car. This allows the car to refill itself right from the big tank so it never has to cease idling. I like to think of myself as directly connected to the earth mother because of my direct link to her wonderful fossil fuels.
My neighbor's children also really enjoy the weekly deliveries of gas to my underground tank. They love the big truck, and after they watch it with wonder, they ride their bicycles around. The fumes from the gasoline make them quite dizzy, and they have a great time crashing into things and playing "doctor."
I put a new engine in the car every year, and the old ones I just dump in the lake behind my house...
There aren't any plants in my yard anymore, but that's ok. I have a few fake ones in pots, and I've always liked asphalt better, anyhow...
The kids don't have any pets anymore, but Suzy has a growth on her arm that we have named "Guzbo." We water and feed Guzbo twice a day, and the kids don't miss Sparky much anymore...
With all the benefits that come from a permanent idle, I think that everyone should step off the pedal, leave the key in the ignition, and do their community a favor!
linkage: http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20951~2288609,00.html
July 23, 2004, 3.35 pm
House passes Marriage Protection Act
The House approved a bill Thursday to strip the federal courts of jurisdiction over same-sex marriage cases. The Marriage Protection Act was adopted 233 to 194.
Right. Pardon my ignorance, but can't those same judges just strike down this statute as unconstitutional? Hmm...
"We applaud the House for passing this bill. However, because it is only a statute, like the Defense of Marriage Act, this measure is vulnerable to being struck down by an activist judge. For that reason, we will continue to push for both the House and Senate to pass an amendment to the US Constitution protecting marriage. Only then will the hands of activist judges at all levels be tied," Perkins added.
Ah, yes. Later in the article... Hmm...
categorized as many blood sucking parasites
source: http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=31053
July 23, 2004, 1.46 pm
A fairly recent shot of the makeshift control system in The Silver Bullet. It, of course, doesn't even begin to reveal the extent of the electronics that thrive in this environment...
categorized as the silver bullet
July 23, 2004, 2.00 am
Sometime ya just gotta buy your own twelver and wait for her to call. And if she doesn't, well, you drink the whole thing and listen to George Carlin. Humph.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 23, 2004, 1.20 am
Don't get me wrong now, I got nothing against New Jersey, I like the place myself, I used to live right across the river from Jersey, and I would wave to the people, you know, they couldn't see me -- it's a mile and a half -- but fuck 'em, I waved anyway.
linkage: media/GeorgeCarlin-MoreStuffonCarsandDriving.mp3
July 23, 2004, 12.56 am
I thought of this phenomenon, with outrage, some time ago. Glad to see someone blogged about it.
It hits us where we laugh
"Women would certainly be screaming and complaining if men were kicking women in the genitals [in popular culture]," said Murray Davis, author of "What's So Funny: The Comic Conception of Culture and Society." "But men by and large still hold almost all the positions of power in society, and the powerful are always targets for humor."
linkage: http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/showcase/la-et-miller19jul19.story
hat-tip: straight white guy
July 23, 2004, 12.27 am
During the great depression, when the federal gov'ment emploeyed a ton of people, some o' dem interviewed former slaves, people who were in the last generation that had former slaves. Check out this transcript.
I 'membahs de time when mah mammy wah alive, I wah a small chile, afoah dey tuk hih t' Rims Crick. All us chilluns wah playin' in de ya'd one night. Jes' arunnin' an' aplayin' lak chillun will. All a sudden mammy cum so de do' all a'sited. "Cum in head dis minnit," she say. "Jes look up at what is ahappenin'", and bless yo' life, honey, de sta's wah fallin' jes' lak rain. Mammy wah tebble skeered, but we chillun wa'nt afeard, no, we wa'nt afeard. But mammy she say evah time a sta' fall. somebuddy gonna die. Look lak lotta folks gonna die f'om de looks ob dem sta's. Ebbathin' wah jes' as bright as day. Yo' cudda pick a pin up. Yo' know de sta's don' shine as bright as dey did back den. I wondah wy dey don'. Dey jes' don' shine as bright. Wa'nt long afoah dey took mah manny away, and I wah lef' alone.
thanks to my elder brother
July 22, 2004, 11.48 pm
Alcohol-and-Pink-Floyd-fueled, it's time to tackle PHP Uploading. It's go time!
categorized as meta-blogging
July 22, 2004, 11.12 pm
Well, I started playing a Bob Dylan song on the ol' guitar, and I could actually smell the pot very strongly. Or maybe it's the beer I've been drinking causing a sense-thingy. I dunno know.
categorized as music
July 22, 2004, 10.20 pm
Ahh yes, Velociman. I've fallen off on my reading of him, but with him conjuring up posts like this one I feel dreadfully ashamed of myself. I'm back, now.
Tour de Lance
I've always said an American, especially a Texan, with one nut can beat a Frenchman with two. Or five, for that matter.
linkage: http://www.velociworld.com/
July 22, 2004, 10.14 pm
I usually don't do these quizzes (and yes, quizzes has two z's, for all you scrabble afficianados...), but i started it, and this just seemed to fit. Now if it had said car that probably would have been a better fit, because I get 4-5 hits per day on my car, of people who stop and stare at her. And that's just the ones I see doing it while I'm sitting at my desk.
Q: What does your room look like?
A: People who come in look constantly in shock. Whether that's good or bad, I don't know.
A: People who come in look constantly in shock. Whether that's good or bad, I don't know.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 22, 2004, 10.07 pm
Well, I've have a few good photos from today. Most of them, however, have been studies in the fleeting-ness of life, the elusive-ness of beauty, and the inability of ME to hold still. Ah well. I think I will post a photo per day, as someone-whose-blog-I-was-just-reading is doing. First, let me code the php to do it easily. BRB.
July 22, 2004, 7.40 pm
I really wanna play here, I wanna play this here guitar
You know I really want to stay here, I wanna show you what I'm all about
I want to rock and roll and drink 'til the break of dawn
I didn't drive a thousand miles to sulk and have no fun
Fuck that hotel room, I'll break the TV
We came here for music and when we get it, we're gonna leave
The Gadjits, Cleveland, Ohio
categorized as music
July 22, 2004, 6.02 pm
New Item on Ebay! And I actually went to the moon to take this picture! I love this new camera! But I need to shoot a few "rolls" of "film" first to get the hang of it! And Strunk & White would shoot me if they read this post!
categorized as life of donzilla
July 22, 2004, 4.43 pm
I think it's great that InstaPoet comes up sixth on a google search for "Bad Metaphors."
Then again, our esteemed InstaPoet Seldom Sober penned a piece by that title, so it's not so surprising.
Then again, our esteemed InstaPoet Seldom Sober penned a piece by that title, so it's not so surprising.
July 22, 2004, 3.50 pm
"Gender equality" partly to blame for fertility decline
New York, Jul. 22 (C-fam.org/CWNews.com) - In a speech delivered this spring that was largely ignored by the news media, the United Nation's chief demographer declared that the very existence of some nations has now been endangered by fertility decline, and the international community's insistent call for "gender equality" is making the problem even worse.
linkage: http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=31018
Hmm. I just got a book called Taking Sex Differences Seriously, and while I haven't read very much of it, it has served as an amazing conversation piece. Dozens of people have picked it up off my nightstand in my bedroom -- yes, dozens of people have been in my bedroom, and close to my nightstand in the last week -- and it has sparked many conversations. You should read it, or at least buy it and leave it conspicuously lying about.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 22, 2004, 2.44 pm
The pied piper plays the fiddlers' flute,
The mother's whistle spurns the chute,
The western sky is a funneling spoon,
And the washed-out parade will be ending soon.
-&-
A second affair caused himself to hate,
A followed brush with disaster's fate;
A splitting whirl with nemesis' breath,
Left him closer and closer to death.
-&-
Why flung from the hand the weapon's cord,
Shadows surround with no fear of the sword,
Swept from the darkness a flash of fire,
Love's one victory: a win by desire.
The mother's whistle spurns the chute,
The western sky is a funneling spoon,
And the washed-out parade will be ending soon.
-&-
A second affair caused himself to hate,
A followed brush with disaster's fate;
A splitting whirl with nemesis' breath,
Left him closer and closer to death.
-&-
Why flung from the hand the weapon's cord,
Shadows surround with no fear of the sword,
Swept from the darkness a flash of fire,
Love's one victory: a win by desire.
July 22, 2004, 1.30 pm
Well, my FujiFilm S5000 arrived today. Expect my ebay pics to become much more glamorous.
I had played around with the S7000 at costco, even thought about buy it, but the thing may very well get stolen in Africa, so the extra $250 isn't worth it, I think. I can tolerate a $300 camera being stolen. I don't know about $550 one. Anyways I was pleasantly surprised to find that the S5000 is quite a bit smaller than the S7000. It's nice.
I had played around with the S7000 at costco, even thought about buy it, but the thing may very well get stolen in Africa, so the extra $250 isn't worth it, I think. I can tolerate a $300 camera being stolen. I don't know about $550 one. Anyways I was pleasantly surprised to find that the S5000 is quite a bit smaller than the S7000. It's nice.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 22, 2004, 1.54 am
Two favorite searchs of today [both from Yahoo, which maybe loves my site for reasons unknown]:
"funny pictures of george bush dipping snuff"
and
"heart beeps band music from san jose"
Do you, uh, smoke crack?
Craaaaaaaaack...
(Get it?)
"funny pictures of george bush dipping snuff"
and
"heart beeps band music from san jose"
Do you, uh, smoke crack?
Craaaaaaaaack...
(Get it?)
categorized as life of donzilla
July 22, 2004, 1.52 am
Everytime the "Quality Assurance Agent" runs, everything associated with mozilla, firefox, and thunderbird crashes. I love these guys, but they gotta get their fucking act together.
categorized as tech
July 22, 2004, 1.47 am
I've been getting these great blog-thoughts, mainly because I got up at 8:00 am (yes, AM) and am still up. But, unfortunately, they are all going out my other ear, probably for the same reason. If only I could do away with the journalistic medium, and just channel the blog-thoughts right into xml.
I'll post what I remember tommorrow (afternoon).
I'll post what I remember tommorrow (afternoon).
categorized as life of donzilla
July 21, 2004, 7.39 pm
...from the fascinating-things-i-had-not-thought-of-yet dept...
I link to this article on the right. I hadn't thought about this, but calling a victory when it is still undecided is an effective political attack. It turns disenfranchised voters away from the poles. Ok, voters, this time stay true and stay there and vote. At least if you're voting for the right guy, wink, wink.
The false announcements that the polls were closed, as well as the premature calls (the Presidential race ten minutes early; the Senate race an hour early), may have cost Bush thousands of votes from the conservative panhandle, as discouraged last-minute voters heard that their state had already been decided; some last-minute voters on their way to the polling place turned around and went home. Other voters who were waiting in line left the polling place. In Florida, as elsewhere, voters who have arrived at the polling place before closing time often end up voting after closing time, because of long lines. The conventional wisdom of politics is that supporters of the losing candidate are most likely to give up on voting when they hear that their side has already lost.
linkage: http://www.davekopel.org/Terror/Fiftysix-Deceits-in-Fahrenheit-911.htm#2000_Election_Night
categorized as many blood sucking parasites
July 21, 2004, 6.57 pm
What's not so surprising is that people meet people in airplanes and airports...
Love is in the air: Southwest passengers find love in an empty seat
Over the years, the Dallas-based airline which calls the city's Love Field its home has received thousands of letters and scores of wedding invitations addressed to top executives from couples who met on one of the airline's flights.
linkage: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5444145/
...but what IS so surprising is that in a 900-word post entitled "Love is in the air: Southwest passengers find love in an empty seat" there is ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION of the mile-high club. I mean, sheesh. C'mon.
hat-tip: Nail In Coffin
categorized as life of donzilla
July 21, 2004, 4.13 pm
You can tell that's it's definately summer around here, 'cause in the building were I work -- yes, sometimes I actually GO to work -- , this "lovely" old building with no air conditioning, if you turn on the cold tap in the upstairs bathroom, you get about 7 glorious seconds of refreshingly cold water. Then the water turns piping hot. Why? Because the metal piping wraps around the outside of the building in, you guessed it, the hot western sun.
It scared the crap outta me the first time I turned it on (Heh) and it did that. "Woah, did I hit the wrong tap?"
It scared the crap outta me the first time I turned it on (Heh) and it did that. "Woah, did I hit the wrong tap?"
categorized as life of donzilla
July 20, 2004, 10.37 pm
Despite the fact that I have been linking to NewsfeedOnline since, well, practically forever, I am linking to him again here for the sole, crass, materialistic purpose of getting my hands on one of those T-shirts. So there.
July 20, 2004, 9.36 pm
I try to maintain a healthy disdain for the material objects in my life.
If I forget that rocks and trees and greenry are more real than computers and cars and socks, I lose my sanity.
But in an unfortunate twist of irony, distain for material things tends to destroy those things eventually. Sigh.
If I forget that rocks and trees and greenry are more real than computers and cars and socks, I lose my sanity.
But in an unfortunate twist of irony, distain for material things tends to destroy those things eventually. Sigh.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 20, 2004, 8.41 pm
I just got a phone call from a friend of mine who is up fighting fires in Eastern Oregon. And then I realized that my dreams of adventure in far-off places are soon to be realized in Africa. It's like I have a place in my soul that, once turbulent, is now calm, smooth waters, as I wait for the time to leave.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 20, 2004, 5.21 pm
I had no reason to be over-optimistic,
But somehow when you smile, I could brave bad weather.
The Who, Tommy
But somehow when you smile, I could brave bad weather.
The Who, Tommy
categorized as music
July 20, 2004, 5.07 pm
Wow, I've been doing a bunch of css changes to EC here. I dunno what I like better, but expect it to keep changing, like the work in progress that it is.
July 20, 2004, 1.23 pm
I have mixed feelings about this. I mean, I was the ONLY result on google, which omitted the other 101 references in my favor. Hmm.
July 20, 2004, 2.33 am
Got this in an email from a friend. Read the first third of it. Very interesting.
“Catholics are the key,” says Deal Hudson, editor of Crisis magazine and a Bush campaign adviser. “If we lose any of the Catholic vote we’ll lose the election.” And to an unprecedented degree, the White House and a network of conservative Catholics have been working hard to get several million American Catholics to vote Republican.
linkage: http://www.beliefnet.com/story/146/story_14691.html
categorized as life of donzilla
July 20, 2004, 2.03 am
While running -- yes, LITERALLY running, we were late -- into town to se a movie, I stepped off a curb and rolled my anchor. My past years of karate (along with my Guardian Angel) intervened, and I plunged into a combat roll instead of breaking my ankle.
But it's definately sorn, somewhat strained, if not sprained. I walked the rest of the way to the movie, sat through it -- it was I, Robot, very decent movie, enjoyable -- and walked back home. Then elevated it and iced. I wonder God's trying to tell me with all these minor injuries that keep happening...
categorized as life of donzilla
July 19, 2004, 1.47 pm
Well, I took a two-day hiatus from blogging quite by accident. Anyways, the last of the party-goers just left my house, bound for Portland, Oregon.
They put us up when I was up there in February, and I expect to see them in early August when I pass through there again. Truly a wonderful couple.
We stopped at TRE's Aunt and Uncle and Cousins' house last night on our way back from the south bay area. They live north of the bay, just a few minutes from my house.
The wine was flowing, and we ate a wonderful meal. They love to cook, and they serve meals in courses, like traditional French chefs, including the salad and cheese courses at the end of the meal. We also made homemade ice cream, which was incredibly rich, and good.
Then we played these mind-numbingly-frustrating "parlor" games that lasted into the wee hours of the morning as I -- literally -- banged my head on the wall, trying to figure it out.
Apparently these games haved been passed down over centuries, and they originated before TV and whatnot. They are great. It's hard to explain it here, but, if our paths ever cross and we have an evening and some drinks...
The cool thing is that no one EVER tells you what the secret of the game is: and no one has EVER been told it. Each person has to figure it out for themselves. And it has been going on for CENTURIES. I wish I could explain better...
They put us up when I was up there in February, and I expect to see them in early August when I pass through there again. Truly a wonderful couple.
We stopped at TRE's Aunt and Uncle and Cousins' house last night on our way back from the south bay area. They live north of the bay, just a few minutes from my house.
The wine was flowing, and we ate a wonderful meal. They love to cook, and they serve meals in courses, like traditional French chefs, including the salad and cheese courses at the end of the meal. We also made homemade ice cream, which was incredibly rich, and good.
Then we played these mind-numbingly-frustrating "parlor" games that lasted into the wee hours of the morning as I -- literally -- banged my head on the wall, trying to figure it out.
Apparently these games haved been passed down over centuries, and they originated before TV and whatnot. They are great. It's hard to explain it here, but, if our paths ever cross and we have an evening and some drinks...
The cool thing is that no one EVER tells you what the secret of the game is: and no one has EVER been told it. Each person has to figure it out for themselves. And it has been going on for CENTURIES. I wish I could explain better...
categorized as life of donzilla
July 19, 2004, 12.57 am
Wow, just got home from a wonderful weekend spent with friends, new and old, celebrating life and the marriage of two great people. Lotsa things to write home about. More soon.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 16, 2004, 6.50 pm
So I woke up yesterday on a couch in my buddy's house in Los Altos.
Vaguely the memory of the previous night seeped through my alcohol-soaked head.
Limos. There were definately limos involved.
And the bachelor-dude puked in one of them!
Which we paid for.
But seriously, we had a wonderful bachelor party for my buddy who is getting married tommorrow. We surprised him, piled into the waiting limo, and headed north to San Francisco. After hitting up a cool bar just northwest of Chinatown, where a cool band was playing slide guitar. The drummer beat on two overturned buckets with his hands and spoons.
We bought the bachelor-boy muchos rounds of drinks. The band sung "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" at his request. They also wished him "Happy Birthday," even though it wasn't. Bachelor party, birthday party, who wants to pick nits?
We hit up some more bars, made the limo drive over steep hills which made these awful grinding noises on his transmission. We almost got stuck multiple times.
Then we had a nice time exploring the embarkadero while looking for a bathroom, which we found, sort of. Let's just say that there was puddle before we got there. And it wasn't any smaller after we triple-tag-teamed it.
More bars, more drinks, pizza. Lots of fun. Then bachelor dude had to puke, and we were back in the limo on the way back.
"Oh, puke in the champagne bucket. It's removable," said one concerned friend.
The bachelor tried to do so.
However, the bucket was not removable, which caused a very funny scene to develop. Not funny when we were handing over the cash for the limo half an hour later, and when we had to explain how the paper bag we substituted for the champagne bucket had leaked all over the limo.
Quotation from the next morning:
"I've been drinking water and Maylox for four hours, and I've still been puking THAT up!"
It was AWESOME.
Vaguely the memory of the previous night seeped through my alcohol-soaked head.
Limos. There were definately limos involved.
And the bachelor-dude puked in one of them!
Which we paid for.
But seriously, we had a wonderful bachelor party for my buddy who is getting married tommorrow. We surprised him, piled into the waiting limo, and headed north to San Francisco. After hitting up a cool bar just northwest of Chinatown, where a cool band was playing slide guitar. The drummer beat on two overturned buckets with his hands and spoons.
We bought the bachelor-boy muchos rounds of drinks. The band sung "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" at his request. They also wished him "Happy Birthday," even though it wasn't. Bachelor party, birthday party, who wants to pick nits?
We hit up some more bars, made the limo drive over steep hills which made these awful grinding noises on his transmission. We almost got stuck multiple times.
Then we had a nice time exploring the embarkadero while looking for a bathroom, which we found, sort of. Let's just say that there was puddle before we got there. And it wasn't any smaller after we triple-tag-teamed it.
More bars, more drinks, pizza. Lots of fun. Then bachelor dude had to puke, and we were back in the limo on the way back.
"Oh, puke in the champagne bucket. It's removable," said one concerned friend.
The bachelor tried to do so.
However, the bucket was not removable, which caused a very funny scene to develop. Not funny when we were handing over the cash for the limo half an hour later, and when we had to explain how the paper bag we substituted for the champagne bucket had leaked all over the limo.
Quotation from the next morning:
"I've been drinking water and Maylox for four hours, and I've still been puking THAT up!"
It was AWESOME.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 16, 2004, 4.44 pm
CWNews has two great articles, one about homosexuality, and one about Catholicism in general. I highly recommend them.
Spanish archbishop speaks out on homosexual tendencies
What Catholicism Is: an election-year reminder
Spanish archbishop speaks out on homosexual tendencies
What Catholicism Is: an election-year reminder
July 16, 2004, 3.30 pm
De Beste has a well-written article on the War in Iraq, including a neat fisking of someone else. And I'm not just saying that because I agree with his conclusions. It's because he puts them so neatly and concisely.
linkage: http://denbeste.nu/cd_log_entries/2004/07/CanIMayI.shtml
hat-tip: instapundit
categorized as many blood sucking parasites
July 15, 2004, 7.10 pm
This is scary. This also shows how I am correct to push for Fifth Element style air travel: Pack all travelers in oxygen-fed tubes, and give 'em laughing gas or sleeping pills. Everyone's self contained, no moving around, etc...
None of this cummy airline food, or bizarre waiting-on that happens. Have you ever noticed how bizarre and messed up air travel is? It's ridiculous.
Of course, that's beside the point. The point is that there is a whole class of people, religious fanatics who, quite simply, want to kill as many of as possible.
Do we have a moral obligation to be "nice" to people? Sort of. But our first obligation is to defend ourselves. However, in this lady's story it's not the race that's the defining characteristic, and the reason why they should have been singled out. It's the suspicious behavior.
After seeing 14 Middle Eastern men board separately (six together, eight individually) and then act as a group, watching their unusual glances, observing their bizarre bathroom activities, watching them congregate in small groups, knowing that the flight attendants and the pilots were seriously concerned, and now knowing that federal air marshals were on board, I was officially terrified..
hat-tip: little green footballs
categorized as many blood sucking parasites
July 15, 2004, 6.07 pm
Most of you probably know my blogfather, Seldom Sober, but I decided to post this to help him out anyway.
He is driving cross country, and thought up a Blogs Across America travel plan.
So if you can host a fellow blogger for a night or so, or even just meet him for a beer somewhere, I invite you to extend a warm hand of welcome to him.
As his sometime-roommate and housemate, I can vouch for him having sanitary behavior. He cleans up after himself. And did I mention he can cook?
Hold on to your liquor cabinet keys, though.
categorized as on the road
July 14, 2004, 2.29 pm
I went TO work today.
And I worked!
I got shtuff done!
And I didn't even blog!
Ok, maybe a little...
But, still!
So now I'm going to go biking in the city, where it is apparently a beautiful day!
I hope my knees hold up.
And I worked!
I got shtuff done!
And I didn't even blog!
Ok, maybe a little...
But, still!
So now I'm going to go biking in the city, where it is apparently a beautiful day!
I hope my knees hold up.
categorized as life of donzilla
July 14, 2004, 1.43 pm
The durn "Quality Service Agent" in the latest version of Mozilla Thunderbird makes the durn thing crash! Oh, the irony of it all!
Next time, I'm NOT installing the "Quality Service Agent," because when it asks me: "What were you doing when Thunderbird crashed?" my response has always been, "Well, $%#^%&^ I was puttering along just fine until the Quality Service Agent decided to run and crash my program!"
$#^^@%
Next time, I'm NOT installing the "Quality Service Agent," because when it asks me: "What were you doing when Thunderbird crashed?" my response has always been, "Well, $%#^%&^ I was puttering along just fine until the Quality Service Agent decided to run and crash my program!"
$#^^@%
categorized as tech
Commentary:
August 3, 2004, 1.13 pm
blimehouse(at symbol removed)tjca.org
A kick-ass song, if a bit depressing.
Prufrock