The Archives
Stupid Humans
Thursday, July 03, 2008 - 7:53:18 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
So apparently it's okay to torture people, so long as God told you to do it. I mean seriously? Seriously? Shouldn't the law have a "chilling effect" on actions that harm others? Why can't the rapture come and take these people somewhere else...
Comments - [0] Permanent link
John Adams
Tuesday, July 01, 2008 - 7:32:17 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
On Sunday evening I finished the seven part HBO miniseries John Adams. It covers his life from his successful legal defense of the British soldiers who carried out the Boston Massacre through his revolutionary days, times in Europe with Franklin, his presidency and on to his death on the day of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It was a great series and worth watching in this season of the celebration of our Independence from England.
It also has one of the most kickass openings for a TV show of all time:
Comments - [0] Permanent link
The Website Is Down
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - 2:42:40 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Funniest shit...evar...today.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Michelle Obama
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 4:41:08 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
A good opinion piece on the perception of Michelle Obama in the public eye. For my part I find her to be much as I find Barack, an honest, intelligent voice in an otherwise disturbing political theater.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Is That A Huge TV In Your Pants?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 8:34:13 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
Yes...it is actually. I have replaced my man junk with a Series 7 1080p Samsung Monstrocity! I've also acquired a Blue Ray player, and now my standard def cable looks like complete ass. Looks like it's time for HD Tivo! ;)
The most amazing thing though, is watching Planet Earth on Blueray. The clarity of an already beautiful production is just amazing. This last week or so has been a rough one at work, and taking a break watching that show in High Def is better than Valium.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
George W. Bush Memorial Sewage Plant?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 8:27:08 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
As funny as the idea of naming the local sewage plant after Bush sounds, it's probably a stupid idea. It's one of those things that you laugh at over beers, not vote into reality. Anyway, doesn't the sewage plant actually make shit clean? Shouldn't it then be the Obama Sewage Treatment facility?
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Christian Cliches And Phrases
Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 7:35:02 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Recovering from the weekend, more to come. But in the meantime, for your reading pleasure.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
The Hits Keep Coming
Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 7:57:19 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
The Bush Administration is the word for failure on the lips and hearts of all Americans. Looks like habeas corpus is the law of the land.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Have Some Evolution, In The Lab
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 12:21:21 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I remember from the time that I was a Creationist, one of our main gotcha lines was supposed to be that evolution was not testable in lab conditions. Technically, because of the time lines involved, this is one of those sorta true things, but only because of semantics. Creationists have a view of water animals becoming land animals, etc. but these are changes that require deep time to achieve so of course you can't do that in a lab. But Speciation has been observed in the lab with flies and through animal husbandry.
This morning on Metafilter I saw this really cool article about how they've seen natural selection in E. coli, in the lab. Check it out.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Movie Review
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 7:07:54 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull = A Steaming Shit Sandwich.
Evidence:
For the record, so there can be no mistakes from here on out.
Not Indiana Jones.
Not Indiana Jones.
Indiana Jones.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
A High And Beautiful Wave
Saturday, June 07, 2008 - 8:44:55 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I've been sitting here for the last few minutes, trying to find a way to sum up the last eight years. Politically, for me and many others in the rest of the world, our journey with the Bush Administration has been a trip down the dark side of the human condition. It has been eight years of ineptitude, lies, corruption, war, carelessness, profiteering, and tyranny with side orders of naked elitism, eroded civil liberties, and a precipitous backward slide from our vision of liberty. When I think back upon these years, from the first bumbling days of an unremarkable President, to the first time I saw the towers fall through a video feed in a satellite receiving room, to the war and reelection, I can not help but feel a great sense of loss and failure. It has been a failure of the democratic process, a failure of the people. It has cost countless lives, all around the world. It has cost us billions upon billions, upon billions of dollars. It has cost us our national pride, it has tarnished our sacred honor, it has made us ignore our principles. It is as if a great black thunderhead of doubt, fear, shame, and cynicism hang forever over these years of our lives. Only the most hard headed of fools still grasp at the words of Bush, looking for some truth in the false straight-talking Texan idiot character that he's been playing for nearly a decade.
To make matters worse, no matter where we looked for some voice of reason, some embodiment of sanity, neither party seemed able to bring it. No elected politician seemed to have the guts to say anything against the status quo, or to put their ass on the line to tell the truth in a time where lies were made easy, where lies upon lies are expected or were perhaps required to survive. Those who stood against this tide, were pushed aside, or made to seem childish in their idealism. It seemed like there could be no hope, even for those drawn into short sighted xenophobic nationalism, cloaked as "patriotism" screaming "God Bless America" while the founding fathers spun in their graves at the sight of a generation that had forgotten that freedom is hard. For in our desire to cling to blind flag waving nationalism, bigoted "religious" ideologies spouted by conservative drug addicts, we reveal an inner hopelessness, and scratch the surface of that deep deep fear that all of this could end badly. There was no hope. Not from any corner, not from any person. Not for me or you. Just the simple daily hopes were all that were left to us.
And then there was one.
When people wonder how Barack Obama became such a juggernaut, they should look no further than the state of our Republic. The tide of history has turned yet again and it is on the high wave of that tide that Obama is riding. I can't help but find myself, in the midst of these troubling times, filled with...dare I call it hope? Hope that things may get better, that reason may rule again in the land of blind fear. Hope that we may progress again, toward our unreachable goal of the more perfect union. Is the reason that I will vote for Obama when the time comes based on emotion? At some level, it very much is. There are things that Obama says that I do not agree with. There are some of his plans that are yet unclear. But what I hear from his mouth, and what I see in his actions are important to me. I see character. I see hope. I see compassion. I see honesty. Most importantly though, I see his belief that what he is proposing for our future, is right. Not because polls told him so, or because everyone who watches this or that tv news show thinks so, but because his overriding belief in the ideals of this nation tell him so.
I see an end to this dark night of tyranny. Obama can restore pride to the office, and through him, our tool that we the people will place into the office, we can restore pride to this nation, this dim but ever present light in the world.
Reasons to Vote For Barack Obama:
There are many many others, but these are just a few. You won't find the kind of ideas that Obama has in the back pocket of John McCain. What you'll find there is the dust covered play book of the Bush Administration. When your time comes, Register to Vote.
Make sure you vote!
Vote for Barack Obama!
Obama Links:
Issues
Voting record
Campaign finance records
Do something!
Donate!
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Bad Day
Friday, June 06, 2008 - 9:45:14 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Today was the worst work day I've had since the new Years Day I spent fixing something for 14 hours straight.
We had an early morning failure at 5am that I got up for, and then another huge failure and a ton of small fires.
But I just spent the last few hours playing "Up!" with our friend's child, and I'm now drinking a cold beer. So things are looking up.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Cyclone Donations Update
Monday, June 02, 2008 - 7:27:52 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Hsan sent me a note that had been passed on from his mother and uncle. Yesterday, part of the donations were distributed in the form of rice, cooking oil, salt, and medicine which are the big four in terms of what the people who are without homes need. They also gave a small amount of money. The email has names, so I'm just going to excerpt a bit here as I'm not sure what's okay to share:
The victims [...] cried when they see the group because they are so happy. Refugees said they are forgotten by the authority. They have no supply by any UN or NGOs since the storm occurred. Monk taking care of the people at his monastery compound. They have no house, no money and no food at all. [They] feel they are [ignored by] any aid.
Here are the photos of the stuff being distributed.
I don't think I can say enough about what this means. It know a lot of people who sent money were dismayed at only being able to send $20 or $50, but as you can see, this is a lot of money. There is still money left after this distribution so expect more updates. A big thanks to Hsan's family who gave their time, and labor to get the materials to people. Hsan's mom is starting to take on the image of a saint to me.
Interesting reading.
Several people asked, but according to Hsan the white paste on people's faces is called Thanaka, a cosmetic paste made from trees, that is used as a sunscreen and to give the skin a cool feeling.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
Shit Box
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 10:30:45 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Just what it says, Shit Box.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Important Knowledge
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 12:07:01 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Some important knowledge that was gleaned from the weekend.
1. A fine Cab Sav tastes just as good to me in a plastic cup.
2. My personality requires me to push forward conversation so there is no uncomfortable silence, but my introversion sees to it that afterward I find myself utterly exhausted.
3. Pregnant women have a beauty that no one else seems to possess. Thanks, Evolution.
4. Once you understand a language, you quickly forget what it feels like not to understand.
5. When you're busy holding up liquor stores with a pistol, it's too easy to forget there's a more powerful weapon. The human brain.
6. People on Fox news are still remarkably stupid.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Why The Wire Is So Good
Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 6:47:24 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Maybe white people do like it, but there's a damn good reason that The Wire is good fucking television. Keep in mind that I've just watched the first season, so I'm basically talking about Season 1.
Like all good drama, it's about people. You like the characters, even the "bad guys". Their motivations, no matter how odious their actions (and I'm talking about the cops and the dealers here), are familiar to you. But the real deal for me is this, it's like life in a certain way. This show is about that one chance or series of moments in life, where a group of average but passionate individuals come together with a common purpose, and find to their own surprise that this common goal not only allows them to work together against their own self interest, but also allows them success against the odds and forces external to themselves that they believed insurmountable. Indeed they do something that is great enough, and so uncanny that they surprise even themselves. Poetically, they find the fruits of their labor, the ending of their partnerships, and the cost of their struggle to be bitter sweet...but worth it. Like that H.S.T. nostalgic remembrance of the sixties in the imagery of almost being able to see the place in the hills where the waves reached, only to inevitably roll back.
If you've never had this moment in life, you may be missing out. But what's amazing about it, is that you figure out you're in it near the end, and how you react to that knowledge shapes your feelings about it later. If you accept its ending, it stays with you forever as a shinning point, and if you try to prolong it unnaturally, against the tide of the entropy all around you, it leaves you bitter. I was lucky, I had summoned enough wisdom to let it end. Now when I look back on those moments after spurred on by the show it leaves me with warm emotions.
This is why The Wire rocks, it grabs hold of that dynamic and lets you ride it to the end of the game. I don't care if the rest of the seasons suck, season 1 made me a believer.
Comments - [4] Permanent link
Open Source, FTW
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 8:03:24 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Love of developers is a rare thing. Most of the communications we receive are negative. I was awoken this morning at 5 am to the sound my iPhone's text message alert. That sounds means something has failed, and it was my code. It's a complicated system, that before today had an uptime of over a year. It's an elegant monster, processing megs and megs of text every single hour of every single day. This morning, for the first time in over a year, it failed. No rhyme or reason, the machine just died. I was greeted by a chorus of emails and forum posts complaining of the failure of software that when compared to say your windows box, runs like a champ and even fails like a champ. That puts a sour taste in my mouth.
But I just saw this on the Ubuntu mail lists. Ubuntu is a FREE operating system, a Windows replacement that cost nothing and is developed by volunteers in their free time. A small excerpt is below, and it reminds me that software is important in our lives, and that makes us, the people who write it, important too. The fact that people even take a second out of their morning to sling some vitriol my way means that something I made is important to them, and they want it to work. If nothing else, it gives me purpose.
I thank you to the point of tears.
Earlier this week I installed Kubuntu
on a refurbished AMD computer I purchased for $184 from a discount online vendor, it came with no OS. It now runs like a champ.
We cant afford much and this was my 14 year old daughter's birthday present this past week...I cant tell you how much I appreciate the work you all have done. Its a work of art. If I could thank each and every one of you I would.
You have given her the world to learn and explore.
Linkie
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Shower Thoughts
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 8:42:06 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
In the shower this morning something occurred to me, as things often do. I wondered, is English the only language that sounds even better in other accents? Then, once again proving my psychic powers, I saw this video:
Not that the video answers the question, but poses it instead.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
DomiMatrix?
Monday, May 19, 2008 - 12:11:20 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I think the news that AIs are being developed in Second Life makes me fear for the future of the species. Sure, we'll all be serving our machine mind overlords soon, but do we want our machine mind overlords (MMO?) to be deeply enthralled with simulated furry-on-furry, goat fucking bondage porn? I vote no.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
A War Like No Other
Monday, May 19, 2008 - 7:48:30 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but I read fiction at home or before bed and I read non-fiction on the train ride to and from work. It seems I've accidentally stumbling into a stepping off point from my desire to study world history. I wanted to read more about the war between Greece and Persia, after having read Herodotus in college, and I bought two books thinking that they both were on the subject. As it turns out, only one was, the second book A War Like No Other
was about the civil war between Athens (plus 'allied' states) and Sparta (plus 'allied' states) that ended in the downfall of Athenian empire and the destruction of the Long Walls which happened after the war against Persia. Very, very good read, with lots of great examples of battle, long descriptions of the life and times, examination of Athenian, Spartan, and regional politics, and a healthy dose of the personalization of war costs.
I'm happy that the second book was an error. I've decided to strike out from this point and move forward in Greek history, while at the same time moving backward, and outward. So I have ordered several books, one on Epaminondas, the Theban general who precedes the coming of Alexander, one book covering pre-Athenian golden age Aegean societies (Minoans, etc.), and one on Alexander. So that's forward and backward in Grecian history. For outward, I've chosen the Persians whom I freely admit to having developed quite an interest in through the Greek history I've already ingested. They seem to be an imperial power like no other. Ballsy, aggressive, ambitious, and organized to the rafters. They are an empire seemingly lost to the west, so I will report on how I find the texts I've chosen. If anyone has any suggestions, shoot them at me.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Cyclone Fund!
Friday, May 16, 2008 - 9:30:23 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I wanted to take a quick second and give everyone a super thanks for their donations to the Burma Cyclone Nargis fund. We alone raised $500 and all told we pulled in just under $2,000! That shit is amazing, and it will go a long way once we get it across the border. Hsan's uncle works for the UNHCR inside Burma, and here was his message back to all of us:
I am really appreciate all you and your friends effort for the donation. This is noble job for you and all donators...I want to repeat job job As Well done, well done and well done.
We'll be getting updates about where the money is going, and I'll be passing them along here. Again, thanks so much everyone! Every little bit of your generosity helped!
Here's a link I saw today, and eyewitness account in English of what's going on in Burma.
I met with a guy yesterday from Bogale which was the most destroyed area. He had seen a sea of dead people in the river, no water to drink and no food to eat. Many families were killed and there were children bodies all over. People started to have affected diarrhea.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Roll That Up In Your Bigotry And Smoke It!
Friday, May 16, 2008 - 8:06:26 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Yeah, we rule. Now all we have to do is beat their little referendum, and freedom will have won another victory against the tyrants, and self-serving proponents of bigotry and hatred.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Seen/Haven't Seen
Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 7:15:46 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
Things I've Seen This Week:
Cats shitting in our garden.
Three inch layer of dust in a 5 year old computer.
The process of capping one's own Ethernet cables.
A cursing tug-of-war between a shopkeeper and a shoplifter ending in a foot chase.
A yelling, near fist fight on MUNI.
A baby's first language, "Bababababa".
A San Francisco heatwave.85 95 100 degrees, oh noes!
A Mac Daddy playa, drunk in the early hours of morning, getting shot down on MUNI by a married 29 year old Latina.
Things I've Not Seen This Week:
The inside of the gym.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
It Was A Lot Like Legos
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 8:29:54 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
So I just kept doing it. See what I made.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Burma Fund Reminder, Weird/Interesting Shit
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 7:27:12 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
Hsan will be sending the money on the 15th. I've had a lot of people get in touch with me off line, and at this point we're still taking donations. If you want to send me a note pledging some cash, feel free to do so and I will front it if your money doesn't arrive in time. Super thanks to everyone who already put up some cash, it's awesome to see some of the good parts of humanity come out in tragedy. Are you confused about what's going on? Check out this entry.
Weird shit of the day:
A blog dedicated to photos of father's and their children's heads swapped. Seriously.
A song made entirely of Call of Duty 4 weapon sounds.
Things younger than John McCain.
Interesting stuff:
A new book coming out about closeted homosexuality in rap music.
The last bit is an article from the New York Times on the recent indictment of General Vang Pao, who led our Hmong Laotian allies against the North Vietnamese during the war. Pao is being tried on trumped up terrorism charges for continuing the fight which is simply the last in a long line of betrayals by our government toward the Hmong. It's amazing that anyone will be our allies at this point. Modern history of Laos. Hmong people who live almost silently among us, most of them from simple hunter/gatherer animist stock, ripped from their homes because of our war.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Surprise, Obama Has Experience AND Character
Monday, May 12, 2008 - 10:22:37 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
A good article on some of Obama's legislative achievements.
Consider a bill into which Obama clearly put his heart and soul. The problem he wanted to address was that too many confessions, rather than being voluntary, were coerced -- by beating the daylights out of the accused.
Obama proposed requiring that interrogations and confessions be videotaped.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Linoleum Knife!
Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 9:17:37 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
If they put this in front of every movie, I would actually go to the theater.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
River Of Gods
Friday, May 09, 2008 - 12:26:42 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
If you like Sci-Fi even a little bit, you should read River of Gods
. I finished it last night...WOW. It's a sprint to the finish, full of nutered humans, outlaw AI's, Krishna Cops, photo journalists, assassinations, philosophy, and on to the creation of the Universe.
Also, support Burma.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
Burma Help. This Blog
Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 10:16:42 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I've gotten a lot of emails from people asking about Hsan's family and Burma, etc. Hsan's family is fine, very lucky. They had minimal damage to their house, no damage to themselves. That's the awesome part. The not so awesome part is that once again the government is showing what absolute fuckers they are by making getting aid into the country quite difficult. At the same time it looks like the death toll is going to top 100,000 and the displaced number is already near a million and is probably much higher. Well, they're saying send the aid, but not the aid workers...riiiight. Because we so trust the Burmese regime to distribute that to those in need.
So Hsan asked us last night if we might want to try something else. Instead of sending aid through the regular channels, he thought it might be better to funnel it through his mom. I'm hoping that if we do that, goods and whatnot can get directly to people who need it since his mom knows pretty much everybody. So from friends and family, I'm going to ask that if you want to contribute to help people who are suffering in Burma, you can contact me off line or through the site email and we can get some cash to his mom. At least then we know where it's going, and that she'll be able to find the people who need help most. As Hsan said, the worst is really yet to come, because now the starvation, water shortages, and disease start. Now things get really bad. We want to help stop that. If you want to help stop that, you let me know and we'll make it happen. I can offer no assurances other than my and Hsan's word, just like the old days when people trusted each other.
I've decided to get back into writing on this blog. I'm going to try and post something everyday for a while. It probably won't be that interesting, but it's got to happen.
--End Of Line--
Update: Sorry about the totally shitty grammar in this post. I wrote it quickly at work. Repairing now.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
Finally...Japan Pictures
Saturday, April 26, 2008 - 3:36:47 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I got off my lazy ass today and got the Japan pictures up on Flickr. Check them out.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
Olympic Torch
Wednesday, April 09, 2008 - 10:55:43 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
The run here in the city starts right by my office. We went down there just now and there are tons and tons of people on the street. Lots and lots of pro-Chinese people, and a growing number of pro-Tibet. Saw a protester get arrested right across the street from us. When the run starts I'll probably drop downstairs to check it out.
Update: 2:00pm Fuckers! They bypassed us because of the different groups protesting down by the ball park getting into a conflict. I just wanted to see the torch, and stop Elaine from getting arrested (success!). Got some decent iPhone photos of it though. The funniest thing I saw involved a single white dude with a large Tibetan flag who was very calmly talking to some pro-China protesters with large Chinese flags. They were irritated enough with what he was saying to eventually begin covering his flag with theirs. That's maybe not the message you'd want to send being in their position?
Photos!
Update 3:27 Word is that they've canceled the torch ceremony, and are having it in a "surprise location". Huh? What's the point of bringing the torch around if no one gets to see it? Fucking cowards.
Updated 7:43pm WTF!?! I feel pretty cheated. Personally, I think China sucks balls when it comes to Tibet AND Burma AND the Sudan, but I just wanted to see the fucking torch, see people do their protest thing, and it would all be good. I never felt like the crowd was dangerous where we were, and there was no reason to fuck over the city like this. This is about politics, and it smells dirty. Fuck the Olympics, especially if this is the way it's going to be. I'm on boycott mode.
Comments - [6] Permanent link
Price Point
Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 10:32:29 pm PDT
Posted by :: eek!
It’s interesting how the mind works. I have paid a couple of bucks for a cup of coffee. I have gone to bar and paid $5 for a pint of beer. I have gone to a baseball game and paid $7 for the same, while this hurts a little, I still don’t think too much about it. I have paid $10 for a martini. I went threw a phase with wine where anything under $20 a bottle was too cheap to buy and probably not good quality (I know a little better now).
But…. when I would go to the liquor store and look at a 6 pack for $10, a 750mL for $15, or a single bottle for $8, I would stare and stare and stare and think and think and think. Is it worth it?
Hell yes its worth it!!!
First, most of these beers are big beers, high in alcohol with lots of flavor. These take more ingredients, more hops, more grain, more yeast and more time. For the most part, these beers are more expensive because they are expensive to make. You are getting what you paid for.
Second, you are getting the cream of the crop. These “expensive” beers can be really interesting. They might be aged in whiskey barrels or wine barrels for months. They might have experimented with different exotic grains, sugars or fruits.
Unlike wine, tequila, whiskey, vodka, ect. where the best of the best is outrageously expensive. Award winning beer, the best of the best, is very accessible.
A bottle of wine is roughly 26 oz., about two 12 oz. bottles. $8 for a 12 oz. beer sounds expensive. What about $16 for a bottle of wine? A $15 dollar six pack or 3 bottles of $5 wine.
Next time, try buying a cheap bottle of wine and an “expensive” bottle of beer.
Comments - [4] Permanent link
Leaving
Tuesday, April 01, 2008 - 10:59:22 am JST
Posted by :: Aaron
We're leaving today, but our flight's not until 6pm. So we're just sitting around packing, me chasing away the remnants of a quick fire cold, Makoto still feeling the full effects. I hate leaving Japan. There's always a part of me that is ready to return home, but there is a part of me that believes I should not leave here. I always do the same thing, frivolously looking over the job boards here. I've got no real plans to stay, but it's fun to think about.
Most of all I'll miss Makoto's family, but I know I will see them again. I dream of a life where it's possible to live between both of my worlds, and perhaps...perhaps that's possible. This is a daring adventure after all...or nothing.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
Photos, Etc.
Friday, March 28, 2008 - 1:04:09 pm JST
Posted by :: Aaron
There's an interesting contradiction in modern Japan, and why not. There's contradiction everywhere. The cherry blossom, the Sakura, in an ancient symbol in Japan. In modern Japan it is a symbol of the common spring, and as spring is upon us the blossoms are appearing everywhere and everyone seems quite obsessed with them. They, ourselves as well, seem quite obsessed with taking photographs of them. Photographs are a way to "save" a moment in time. At least they are to me, and I think most people. The funny thing to me is that the cherry blossom in Japanese culture was/is a symbol of impermanence. That the blossoms quickly come into full and beautiful bloom, only to just as rapidly fall and rot is symbolic of all things, and especially human life. We are born, blossom, fall and rot. This is the heart of Japanese aesthetics. To take a photo of it, seems to be a departure from this tradition. I'm not critical of it, just interested in what other societal changes it signifies.
I might sound like the mean old man next door, but I notice fewer and fewer young people surrendering their train seats to obviously impaired elders. It's like an American city of faceless strangers.
I decided to upload photos of all the food we've had first, since they're the easiest photos to sort through. Enjoy.
Comments - [7] Permanent link
All Japan, All The Time
Thursday, March 27, 2008 - 11:29:12 pm JST
Posted by :: Aaron
Parents and Jim left Japan today. Everyone was wiped out. We've been going going going since we hit the ground. We've been on a train almost every single day, been on the bullet train three times, traveled to four different cities, ridden buses, walked uphills and down hills, eaten everything from pumpkins to eels, and drunk more green tea than any human probably should.
If we can drag ourselves out of bed, Makoto and I have an appointment to tour the interior of the Imperial Palace tomorrow.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Arrived!
Tuesday, March 19, 2008 - 11:02:46 am JST
Posted by :: Aaron
We all made it, without incident. Business class is the stone cold shit. Food was good, seat was great, entertainment was awesome. It's cool and nice here, and very nice to see everyone. Today we acquire our rail passes, and will probably hit an electronics store. I'm going to buy a wireless router for the house so we'll no longer have to steal the neighbor's wireless.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
As It Says
Monday, March 17, 2008 - 11:28:09 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
I would like to possit that Uggs or Crocs or whatever they call those boots should be wiped from the face of the Earth. I simply cannot find them appealing in any way. We're waiting in the business class lounge for JAL. Makoto may find the experience unappealing but I prefer free food, booze, wi-fi to the alternative.
I think this is how air travel should be for everyone.
Comments - [5] Permanent link
Passport To InSaNiTy!
Monday, March 17, 2008 - 1:31:56 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
In about 12 hours we'll be heading to Japan. I'm waiting for the last load of laundry to complete so I can get my packing mostly done. I'm really excited for this trip, but it's been a hell of a week getting ready. Tuesday morning I had a dream, probably similar to dreams anyone has had, where you're too tired to wake up so you dream that you've already gotten up and out of bed to start your day. I dreamed I was taking a shower and it occurred to me that my passport was expired. In the dream this thought freaked my shit right out, so it woke me up with a start. I asked Makoto where my passport was and when I went to find it, I found that it had been expired since July of last year.
Ten years, when thinking of the time in aggregate, seems like a short amount of time but when imaging all of the things that have happened to me in the ten years since I got my first passport to go to Japan...it seems like a stretch of time so long as to be unfathomable. But the ten years have passed, and sitting there Tuesday morning with two plane tickets in my pocket, five rail passes, and four other people depending on me being on a plane Monday afternoon caused me to about shit. I felt that cold come over me that always seems to happen when I'm in trouble. There's always a moment of panic, but afterward that cold feeling in my belly that whatever must be done, must be done. I called the Passport center here in the city to request an appointment. They have a completely unhelpful automated appointment system that told me in the halting pidgin English of machine creole that, "the next available appointment is...March...18th." Yeah, that's the day after I leave. Not going to work.
As I told Makoto, I'm not too fond of some of the more vile parts of capitalism, but having lived in a capitalist society all of my life I've come to understand that if you want something done, all it really takes in a little bit of will and a lot of cash. Indeed, that's all it really took. It turns out that there are businesses that make their money by getting passports rushed through the system. Yes, it's now obvious why there are no appointments to be had. The invisible hand of the market is actually a clenched fist full of procured passport appointments.
So I got my passport on Friday. When I imagine showing up at the airport on Monday and handing them my passport, ignorant of its expiration, a chill runs up my spine. It's the stuff of nightmares. Thankfully I've been clutching the new passport like my life depended upon it. Sometimes I open it, just to double check it. I think I've looked at it more than I've looked at the food menu for Business Class on the JAL web site.
I have to say that the new passports look like Steven Colbert's eagle mascots ate Barry Manilow and shat out some of the large indigestible bits.
With that lovely image, I leave you. I'm going to fold some clothes and try to get some sleep, but I'm sure sleep will be hard to come by with all of this goddamn excitement.
Side note: Flight entertainment will consist of the much lauded River of Gods and my to sate my continuing obsession with Greek history A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War
Thanks to everyone who suggested music, it has not fallen on deaf ears!
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Time Change
Monday, March 10, 2008 - 9:57:54 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
I must be getting old or something. Every time the time changes it hits me worse and worse. I feel completely out of sorts this morning. I slept unsoundly, with strange dreams of eggs boiling in their shells. Need a nap.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Moving To Japan
Sunday, March 09, 2008 - 11:05:35 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
For two weeks that is. In another week we're leaving for Japan, and taking the folks with us. Added bonus is that our friend Jim is coming as well, a setup we've been threatening the world with since 2003 at least. Oh...what...not rock star enough for you? Well, Makoto and I also will be flying business class on JAL! Boo yah! How you like me now? We're going to Makoto's house, with long days in Tokyo, and a four day jaunt via bullet train to Osaka (food!) and Kyoto (history!). I'm so stoked I can barely think straight, but I maintain my cool exterior.
I am, however, confronted with a rather arduous task. Making at ravel play list of music. How does one select travel music? I am already allowing myself the guilty pleasure of listening to Glamorous by Fergie, due to the business class. I'm told this is not something you should say in public, but that's not stopped me before. My first tactic was to search for words like flying, travel, trip, etc. This has given me an eclectic mix of music from Creedence to David Bowie. However, the number of tracks are too few, and my iPhone remains a sad sad little iPhone. :( Does anyone have suggestions on how to get or remember good travel music?
Comments - [4] Permanent link
Kill All The White People
Thursday, February 28, 2008 - 7:31:01 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Stuff White People Like
Aaron guilty as charged: Coffee, Film Festivals, Barack Obama, Wes Anderson Movies, Asian Girls , Tea, Microbreweries, Wine, Daily Show, Breakfast Places, Netflix, Sushi, Public Radio, Grocery Co-ops, Irony, Apologies, Japan, Toyota Prius, Expensive Sandwiches, Recycling, and Bottles of water.
That's 21 out of 77. Apparently I'm not as white as I thought, but to be honest the more recent ones are starting to sound forced, like they're being phoned in from a Michael Bolton concert or something. Come on white people, you can self-analyze better than "Musical comedians". Seriously.
Also Stuff Asian People Like.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
Pub Quest
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 - 1:34:31 pm PDT
Posted by :: eek!
Pubquest
There have been other versions of this idea but this is the best I have seen by far. Other ones you have to pick a specific city. You can with this one but you can also just look around randomly. Especially nice if you are going on a road trip.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
Give Me Your Freedom, I'll Make You Safe
Friday, February 15, 2008 - 12:31:24 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Maybe you've heard of the FISA bill, and maybe you haven't. It basically does two important things.
1. It makes it legal to spy on American's communications without a warrant.
2. Gives legal immunity to telecom companies that helped spy on Americans illegally under the orders of the government.
There's something rotten in America, and it's laws like this. The Senate passed the bill (Obama voted against, McCain voted for, Clinton didn't show up) and today the House was supposed to be voting on it. The House put it on a shelf and called foul, and I thank what ever it was, sense or political motivations, that caused the House Dems to grow a pair. Bush, unsurprisingly, is saying that if we don't pass this bill, Americans are going to die because we'll be waiting on warrants to wiretap communications. I call, as have many, bullshit on this idea. A cursory glance at the way the FISA courts have worked in the past will show you that no such thing is happening. A wiretap that goes to FISA courts can actually be started legally before there is a warrant, so long as a request for a warrant appears in the courts within a given period of time. There is no loss of intelligence while waiting for the courts, and to suggest so is simply a fear mongering lie, plain and simple.
That lie alone is irritating enough, but the immunity for telecoms is so overwhelmingly wrong I have trouble maintaining composure when I think about it. This whole thing stinks of the F-word. Fascism. Police state. Bring more power to the center, bring more control to the executive, remove more rights in exchange for protection from some nebulous threat, and do it all with fear and threatening language in the mouths of the Executive's talking heads. Yes, I dare say it, Fascism. That's the road we're walking on, and I for one will not walk it. I would rather die in a terrorist attack tomorrow than give one more sliver of my liberty away. I would rather this country face the faceless enemy forever, than to bow down to fear and lay our principles and hard won freedom in the dust like some cowardly wretch. Death in a falling tower, or in a train bomb, or shot, or decapitated is preferable to a life without freedom. The world has tried that unlife for millennia and found it sorely lacking. Where would freedom be if the Athenians had bowed down to the Persian kings, or the colonists had simply given up to the strutting powers of the King of England, or the black man simply accepted his place? We'd be in a hell of our own making. I won't live in hell and if you call yourself free, then you won't either.
Bush said, "There's still an enemy which would like to do us harm..." Indeed there is. They're currently occupying the White House. We're about to ask you nicely to leave. Try not to shit on the rug.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Bring Out Your Dildos!
Thursday, February 14, 2008 - 7:51:08 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Texas finally wakes up to the fact that the era of repressed sexuality is history. I meant to say sued into wakefulness, but you get it. By judicial fiat, the good people of the state of Texas are no longer restricted from buying items to stick up their hoo ha's, cha cha's, wang doodles and...vaginas.
Another age old question has just been answered. Can you write the word vagina on this blog? Yes, we can.
Comments - [6] Permanent link
Canadian Healthcare
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 12:32:37 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
This was on Metafilter today. Great read:
Mythbusting Canadian Health Care -- Part I
Mythbusting Canadian Healthcare, Part II: Debunking the Free Marketeers
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Land Before Time
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - 9:18:55 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
This photo is constantly being linked all over the place. It's a photo taken from a kite flying high above San Francisco after the 1906 Earthquake which along with the fire afterward consumed and destroyed the city. If your browser is like mine, then it's probably automatically minimized the photo but you can click on it to zoom in. It's amazing to see the city this way, and with no Golden Gate, no microwave towers, huge rail yards along the Embarcadero where now there are condos. Change is inevitable, and often times fascinating to see when contrasted so greatly over time.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Almost Famous
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - 8:52:26 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
So my hometown is now semi-famous. But not in a good way. Stupidity? Racism? Total nutty right-wing douchbaggery? Yeah, we got it.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
A Little Ray Of Light
Wednesday, February 06, 2008 - 10:21:36 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
The sun has finally returned to The City. After weeks of rain, the sun is now reflecting into my office from the building across the courtyard. I was missing it, a lot. AND Obama is still in the running. I have to say that this election cycle feels historic. People seem to give a shit, like they woke up one day and realized that government has an influence on their lives. They ran out of ballots here on the democrats side, so that's something. I suppose we have the anti-American Bush Administration to thank for that.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Monday, February 04, 2008 - 7:43:27 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Ever since my cousin Derek moved to the city I've been bragging up this pizza place called Little Star. They make, in my opinion, the best Chicago style deep dish this side of the Rockies. It has cornbread crust, and is just piled high with a strong thick tomato sauce. I love the stuff, but they don't deliver, so I rarely make the trip to get some. Saturday night, the house made the decision to get us some Little Star. Makoto didn't make it home until 6, so we left after that, in the middle of the rain, making our way quickly down to the far end of Valencia. Parking, as usual, was a complete bitch, so Derek and Hsan decided to jump out and put our names in. All the while Makoto and I are circling endlessly for a spot. We drove around for probably ten minutes, not a spot in sight. In the back of my mind I noticed sirens, but in the city sirens are so common you only pay attention when they're on your ass so I thought nothing of it.
It was about that moment that Makoto's phone starts to ring. Hsan was letting us know that they had been kicked out of the restaurant, because the building was on fire. Yeah, you read that right, it was on fire. That's some awesome za. At this point my stress level was on the increase, my stomach was empty, and we were rapidly approaching the hours of hell in weekend San Francisco dining, between 6:30 to 9:00 where tables are not to be had in any reasonable period of time. I don't like failures in my delicate little plans.
Even with these insurmountable odds, I put on my best Leonidas face and said, "Tonight...we dine...at LITTLE STAR!" And pointed our noble chariot toward the other branch on Divisadero street.In between the time we left Valencia, and got to Little Star on Divisadero all of the following happened.
1. Almost killed a pedestrian.
2. Fought with Makoto.
3. Got rained on.
4. Failed to parallel park in small spot, causing fight with Makoto.
5. Got rained on again.
By the time we actually get into the restaurant, we find the time to seat is 45 minutes. Faced with the awful choice of waiting 45 minutes wating another who knows how long to actually eat food, or carryout, or find something else, Makoto goes into damage control. Rapidly ordering the troops into position, ordering carryout, sending me to bring the car closer, putting Hsan and Derek into wait mode.
Long story longer, we actually got our pizza, took it out and home, and ate it while watching movie on the couch. Here's how good Little Star is: By the time we ate and settled, when the question came up, "Was it worth it?" there was an unqualified Yes that echoed throughout the ranks.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
9/11
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 10:15:21 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I've only got one thing to say. 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11? 9/11, 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11. See ya, Rudy. Listening to you speak was like being John Malkovich, inside John Malkovich's own head, except 9/11, tyrannical, and very closeted gay.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Engage The Silent Drive
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 7:39:57 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
It took two full evenings crouched down at floor level to put together the Tower of Power machine. The CoolerMaster Cosmos 1000 case is a miraculous piece of technology. Sturdy, huge, and perfectly designed for wiring up a machine's innards. The pieces had gone in rather nicely, but at one point I was forced to make a quick decision, either grasp the motherboard in a location other than designated human-hands-allowed-areas or drop it onto the floor. I elected to get touchy, and I spent the rest of the build process wondering if some static charge in my hands might have fried the whole goddamn thing rendering my exhaustive labors as wasted effort. As any prostitute knows, you spend that long on your knees and you expect something in return.
My current, dying, game rig was at one time a goddamn monster. It sounds like a monster. When you turn it on the high RPM case fans sound like a Cessna warming up for take-off. If you actually decide to tax the video card it goes into full-on Mach 8 jet engine of doom mode. You can hear it in the living room. It is for this reason, and also due to the fact that I had plugged in the wrong monitor, that when I finally hit the power switch on the Tower of Power, saw the blue power light snap on but saw nothing on the monitor and heard almost zero noise from the case, I feared the worst. I was sure at that point that I'd broken the processor or fried the mother board, etc. I was panicked for about two seconds, until I realized I plugged in the other monitor. I turned on the screen, and there looking back at me was the BIOS screen. It turns out that the Tower of Power is the fucking Red October of the computer world. The case has four low RPM fans drawing cold air from outside of the box up from the bottom, past the components, and out the top. You can barely hear the fans whirring away inside, and from even a couple feet away you can't hear them at all. The 10,000 RPM hard drive? Nary a click nor a clack. The only thing you can hear is the DVD burner and even that, not so much.
I haven't been able to install enough software yet to see if the gaming ability on this monster is up to snuff, but how could it not be? Can't...wait...for...day...to...end.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
Tower Of Power
Thursday, January 24, 2008 - 9:45:15 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Taking a bit of a break this morning to drool over my almost ready for prime time machine. Check out these stats:
Intel Core 2 Quad at 2.66GhZ (That's 4 cores)
Full copper low RPM Zalman cooler
2GB 1066 Corsair Dominator RAM
GeForce 8800 GTX 786MB Video Card (Will burn face off)
150GB 10,000RPM Raptor X Drive for speed loading
WD 750 GB drive for storage.
All powered by 850W Coolermaster PSU
Housed in the CoolerMaster Cosmos 1000
I basically took the rig they built in last month's PCGamer and upgraded it's parts. I really liked the look and room of the case, so that's what I built it around. For the moment I'll run Windows XP, which leaves me in 32-bit land for a while, and I think that limits me to 2GB of RAM, but as Vista gets better I suppose I'll "upgrade" to that in 64-bit. I wanted to get a Mac, but to get a similar mac was actually...impossible. Their video cards stink compared to what I'm sporting, and to get something similar would have cost close to $4k. I got all this for a little over $2k. So now I can afford to get a nice big gamer monitor, putting me in triple monitor heaven. I plan on turning my old machine into a water cooled (just to see if I can do it) ubuntu box, because I miss having Linux at home. I am toying with the idea of getting a MacBook though. However, too much consumption at one time is bad for the soul, so I need to hold off after this probably.
The motherboard, video card, and case are probably being delivered to the office today, leaving my DVD burner and sound card for tomorrow or Monday. Can't wait to start building.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
I Just Failed
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 - 11:17:00 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Someone just made a completely antisemitic statement and I failed to confront them in the flow of conversation. I feel dirty. I hate when people include you in their racism because you're waspy looking.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
The Free Man
Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 10:06:06 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
You may have never played the game Half-Life. You may not have even heard of it. But if you are a gamer chances are you have, simply because it was a game that revolutionized the genre. It made people realize that a good game could be made great by having an amazing story. It was the first game that gave me the feeling I was involved, like you wish you could be involved in the story-line of a great movie.
This isn't to gush over Half-Life, a game that is now over 10 years old. What it is about is how iconic the main character, Gordon Freeman has become in geek culture. So iconic that someone called into the conspiracy, alien, believe in whatever Coast To Coast AM show pretending to be Gordon Freeman. I'm not sure what's funnier, how easily the caller incorporates the game elements into the call, or how easily the host buys it. Just so you know, every single thing the caller says is something that actually happens in the game.
The power of The Internets makes it even better:
Comments - [3] Permanent link
Babies Hate Me
Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 1:04:17 pm PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
They hate me because they see through this affectation of humanity, into the dark burning fire of which I, the dark wandering rebellious prince of the air, am composed. Either that or my deep voice and scary white man face.
Scene 1 Act 1 - The Crying Child
Young Kannon Sophia, namesake of the Merciful Bodhisattva and the wise goddess of the west, screams with dripping tear pooled eyes upon sight of me. She turns her small head into mom's breast, tiny hands clasping loose folds of sweater, surprisingly large voice wailing into the dark fold of her mother's armpit. She steels herself, turns thin haired scalp and wet eyes to face my false smile, and finds herself once again crying into the safe confines of that dark warm armpit.
Rinse. Repeat.
Exit Apartment. (Stage Right)
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Well
Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 8:00:21 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I had this long entry written describing how I came to be sick, and how United Airlines is a dog shit stinking pile of offal with lousy customer service, but I decided I was bored by it. Needless to say I was supposed to fly into Bloomington early this week but a failure by United, plus my being completly sick had me canceling the flight and entering a NyQuil coma for a period of 36 hours.
I'm feeling much better now. Sorry if I left a semi coherent message on your phone, or called you sounding like an idiot. It was the NyQuil. I am now a fervent believer in the NyQuil coma though. I believe that willfully placing yourself into a stupor for a day or two is probably the best way to get over anything.
My cousin Derek has moved out to the city and in with us. I predict he will be a better city dweller than I am, he being more of an out and about sort. He's a welcome addition to the hive at any rate.
My PC at home is showing the first signs of breakdown, with this funky sound card problem or maybe the video card that is causing the whole system to reboot randomly. That's not so good for game playing. So I'm spending this evening finishing up my hardware selections for a new rig I'm going to build. But I'm multi-tasking and watching the new Terminator show on TV, no judgment so far, but I do feel that if a Terminator were going to protect me I would choose Summer Glau over the Governator. Easier on the eyes, ears.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
2007, Up in Smoke
Thursday, January 10, 2008 - 8:34:58 pm PDT
Posted by :: eek!
2007 was a good year for beer. My favs of the year. Anybody have anything that blew your socks off?
Dogfish Head Punkin Ale – The best pumpkin beer I have ever had. 7% with lots of spices.
New Glarus Unplugged Enigma – a sour Flanders Red from Wisconsin, delicious.
Gouden Carolus Triple – Triple used to be my go to but I haven’t had a lot lately. I dived back in. Big malty beginning with a taste of toffee and a great dry finish.
The Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter –Got lucky in N.C. liquor store and grabbed something different. Tastes of figs and raisons and other dark fruit with a good punch and lots of malt sweetness.
Alaskan Smoked Porter – I drank my words. I said that I didn’t like smoked beers but this proved my wrong. No taste of bacon just a good addition of smoke to a nice smooth and slightly sweet porter.
Honorable mention.
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
Founders Breakfast Stout
Bells Hopslam
St. Bernardus Abt 12
Rodenbach Grand Cru
Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus
Cheers.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
From The "Our Society Is Doomed" Dept.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008 - 7:08:16 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Damn liberals, always making more daylight!
$20 says this person is a Creationist.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
No Props Or Mini Rant
Monday, January 07, 2008 - 7:52:25 pm PDT
Posted by :: eek!
I watch a lot of cooking shows. It’s kind of an addiction. Its usually what the three of us do on Saturday nights. Most cooking shows end with the host enjoying the meal with wine and rarely beer. I am very happy when they include beer but ….. they don’t ever seem to talk about the beer. They seem to go on and on and on about the wine. Its blaa blaa grape and you get hints of blaa blaa blaa and notes of blaa blaa. But when it comes to the beer its pretty basic. Or recipes the include beer. It almost always says beer. Not an IPA or American Lager. Just beer. Not even a light beer or a dark beer. Just beer. How different would a recipe be if you put in a Imperial Stout or a Hefe weizen . Totally different. Thanks for letting me vent. I needed that.
Prost!
Comments - [2] Permanent link
3.5 Bodies Per Gallon
Monday, January 07, 2008 - 7:46:52 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Happy New Year fellow subjects of the empire. May the fires in our engines never go out.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
The Weather
Friday, January 04, 2008 - 11:37:09 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
We're getting pummeled by weather this morning in case you hadn't heard. Some of our stations are showing 70 mph wind gusts on Mt. Diablo and in the coastal hills the wind is up around 30 to 50 mph. Not to mention the rain is also dropping massive as well.
Makoto and I saw, I shit you not, a fucking palm tree broken in half on the way in to work this morning, and everyone at work says there's lots of debris on the streets. My office mate said there's an inch or so of water in the ball park across the street.
Then someone started sending around the satellite photos. Check out this massive spinning beast just sitting off the coast. It's pulling tons of moisture soaked air right up into the bay area. It's going to be a rainy weekend.
Update: Check this photo of the storm heading into Tahoe.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Now It's On! Obama!
Friday, January 04, 2008 - 7:44:41 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Comments - [4] Permanent link
Phone Call From The Future
Monday, December 31, 2007 - 11:21:45 am CST
Posted by :: Aaron
Makoto called me this morning from the year 2008. You'll be sad to learn that:
I did forget to ask about flying cars, so there's hope. I for one hope that all three of you reading this have a good new year. My plans for the holiday are tame. I think the parents and I are making gyoza, and probably turning in early. My flight home is early tomorrow, and while it's been a good trip I'm looking forward to getting back home and into my daily routine. Although I'm looking at the weather to the right and see that it's only 44 degrees there right now. That's not much of an improvement over the 30 degrees here. :(
Comments - [2] Permanent link
The Cave
Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 9:51:27 am CST
Posted by :: Aaron
I call the room where I used to sleep in my parent's house, The Cave. The reason for this is obvious when you see it. It's a windowless basement room that is pretty much a complete blackout when you shut the door. My room in San Francisco is a room with two windows that face west, and are pretty much light by 7 am. On most nights I can't remember my dreams at all, or even if I've had them or not. It seems that the cave somehow gives me the power of dream experience.
For the first few nights here, I had a dream about a homicidal little girl chasing me around. No one else seemed to understand that she was a murdering psychopath, so they would unlock doors she was outside and generally ignore her. To make it worse, she had that long black hair you see on creepy Japanese horror movies.
Last night took the cake though. I dreamed that one of my coworkers, usually a really nice guy, decided that we needed to water board all new employees. He was absolutely convinced this was a good business practice. When I tried to tell my boss he said, "I trust him, don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure it's not torture." So they water boarded some guy while I was yelling at them to stop. That was freaking bizarre.
The Cave was a good place to sleep when working nights, but I think I'll take my well lighted room over it.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Home For The Holidays
Friday, December 28, 2007 - 11:37:33 am CST
Posted by :: Aaron
Getting some good holiday time with friends and family this year. It's also snowing like it doesn't know how to stop, which is a cool change. Most of my winter survival powers have been completely destroyed by the climate of Northern California. I have a 15 degree range of temperature comfort now, so they should just rename San Francisco, Hotel California. You can checkout anytime you want but there's no leaving.
Mom and I stopped by a really nice wine store the other day on the way to the airport. I picked up an Oberon for about ten dollars cheaper than I'd seen it other places, and then got a nice looking Bordeaux.
Hit Free State in Lawrence with Rico and Paul this week also. Great brews there. I had the Hop jack Ale, and it was a wonderful taste. Very strong, lots of hops, but not overpoweringly bitter. To add to that the food was top fucking notch. The fish and chips was a great meal to slide down with some brews. Lawrence is lucky to have a quality brewery like Free State.
Afterward we went back to Paul's house and pretended to watch Eastern Promises. I'd say we're all now a little too familiar with the dangling parts of Viggo's anatomy. I think I had too much beer to say if the movie was good or not.
I must say though that seeing Rico and Paul makes me want to buy an xbox, as at least then we could probably game together. Tempting...
Not having Makoto here is a real downer. When we're apart for a couple of days it's not so bad, but I'm at my limit. It's good to be apart sometimes, as it reminds you of how much you take the other person for granted, but it's not long term good.
Nothing really new to report, other than one final thing. I'm reading World War Z
and it's pretty damn good. Yes, it's a zombie book, but the style it is written in makes it all worth it. It's an oral history, so it's the retelling of a past zombie outbreak from the mouths of survivors from all over the world. Very awesome.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Waterboarding
Monday, December 24, 2007 - 12:40:22 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
You can read about some dude waterboarding himself to see what it's like. Long story short...well I'll let him:
I'll put it this way. If I had the choice of being waterboarded by a third party or having my fingers smashed one at a time by a sledgehammer, I'd take the fingers, no question.
It's horrible, terrible, inhuman torture. I can hardly imagine worse. I'd prefer permanent damage and disability to experiencing it again. I'd give up anything, say anything, do anything.
Go read.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
This Flying Business
Sunday, December 23, 2007 - 10:29:41 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I'm not a fan of flying. I'm not super freaked out by it, but I have to say that falling 30,000 feet to my doom ranks near the top of shitty ways to die in my mind. Although once you get past the screaming terror it's a pretty quick lights out I'd imagine.
Every time I fly though, it forces me to confront my mortality, which is something that I try to do anyway. From that angle I guess it's good. The truth is, it's a totally irrational concern. Flying IS really safe, especially in the States. It's one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country, and beyond that the physics of flight is really on your side in an air plane. At the speed an airplane flies the air around you is like water in consistency as all the molecules try to get the hell out of the way of a sleek 500 mph piece of aluminum. At that speed the plane WANTS to be aloft. These are the things I tell myself anyway.
Truth be told it didn't bother me that much when I was younger. But flying is unfortunately wrapped up in memories for me, memories that left an indelible impression on me. I took my first international flight during my deconversion from Christianity. I remember taking off for Japan, not even a full two months after a nervous breakdown, somewhere between fervent believer and apostate. I was confused about my beliefs, I was obsessed with understanding, and I was clinging desperately to a faith that was no longer a comfort. I was in the midst of doubt, trying desperately to believe, and rocketing through the sky over a vast ocean to a country I had never seen and a woman who I believed would go to hell if I didn't save her. I wondered if I crashed at that moment, would I go to hell? I imagined the terrors of hell as they had been told to me, the eternal torments and suffering for all time. I prayed a lot on that flight, asking for God's guidance, begging for His illumination. The only illumination was from the video screens of bad movies, and the full moon over a black ocean as vast and frightening as eternity itself.
It was in Japan, in a noodle shop, that I realized I no longer believed and that no amount of begging, no about of rationalizing would bring back my previous state of mind. I had looked into the ugly face of my dogma, into my own poisoned soul and saw the truth of my small little world. I was illuminated, not with ultimate truth, but with acceptance that my beliefs could not win against my logic, and my ethics. Of my many thoughts that afternoon I remember several often, and one in particular. I thought to myself, that blind fear is no reason to believe anything. Fear is no indicator of Truth, and it was Truth for which I was looking. My flight home, while sad, was not filled with fear.
I have a flight tomorrow and so I am meditative. Even though I always wonder to myself before I fly, that when it comes my time to die, will I pray or beg? Will fear win? I told Makoto the other day that while I was mad at Christianity when I first left the religion, I no longer am. The only thing that ever really angers me is that I fear religion has stolen my ability to have a peaceful death. I will wrestle with irrational fear until my dying breath or at least that's what I'm afraid will happen. When you believe something fully for so long, it becomes a part of you, no matter how stupid it is. The animal in me fears death itself, it fears my non-existence, it fears the ending of me even if there were no hell fear in me. But I am not an animal. I am a man, and a man cannot let the animal within him rule. So I must always remind myself of death, and bring it before my sight constantly, so that when it comes it will not find me surprised and unprepared. It comes. Sooner, later, I know not, but it comes and I must not go to it in fear.
I am not without hope, and I am not crushed by my ending anymore. I feel like I have to stress this when I talk about death. It's a popular misconception amongst those who hate us heretics that we have nothing to hope for, or that, as I read in an opinion piece earlier, that our hope is unfounded. I do not live in fear, I do not cower before devils or gods. I have lived, and it was more likely that I would never be, but I have tasted this life. Each day is filled with beautiful things, and beautiful moments, no matter how simple or obscured by hardship. I have been fortune's child in many ways, and have done and seen things that others will never do more than hope for. I have loved, and been loved. My regrets are small, and my hope for the future of this planet after I am gone is cautiously optimistic.
Besides, I upgraded myself to business class. Boo ya! It was only $65, and since I just got my bonus, $65 is under my "fuck it" threshold. I looked at the seating chart for the plane and it was completely packed without a single seat to spare. So I will now be riding in wide leather seat style, and I have just finished The Golden Compass
, and starting The Subtle Knife so I will be entertained.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
My Parents're Really Nice People, Mutha Fucka!
Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 7:25:51 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Probably everyone's seen this by now, but I just saw it. Awesome funnies:
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Travel Plans
Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 7:23:28 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
It seems I will be traveling a lot in the next few months. First I'm going to Kansass for the holidays, begining on the 24th, and returning to The City on the 1st. I have it on good authority that Mr. millontonshithammer will be joining our collective sometime after the first of the year. Our powers grow, as the opposition's diminish. Muahahahaha!
I'll be in Bloomington, IL on a short business trip from January 13th through January 15th and am hoping to see a large number of people in a short amount of time. I haven't been back to Bloomington since I left...so that's been quite some time. Almost four years? Over three for sure.
I also talked my boss into sending me to a career fair at my alma mater, KU! Hopefully I'll find some good Kansans who can hack. But otherwise, it will be a nice trip. That's in the middle of February.
Makoto's in Japan right now, as of Monday, but we'll be going together in Spring.
Time for work...
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Nixon's Spirit
Friday, December 14, 2007 - 7:07:34 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Last night, after an evening filled with food and booze at our office holiday party, I had a fucked up dream. I dreamed that Hunter S. Thompson was reading to me the excerpt of his letter upon Nixon's death that Paul Oakenfold put into his song Nixon's Spirit. HST read it to me over and over and over again, to the point that I'm pretty sure I can now type it directly from memory. Let's see shall we...
Nixon's Spirit will be with us for the rest of our lives, whether you're me, or Bill Clinton, or you, or Bishop Tutu, or Kieth Richards, or Amy Fischer, or Boris Yeltsin's daughter or your fiancee's sixteen year old, beer drunk brother, with his braided goatee and his whole life like a thundercloud out in front of him. This is not a generational thing. You don't even have to know who Richard Nixon was to be a victim of his ugly, Nazi, spirit.
It looks like I missed Kirk Cobain. It also goes on, but I can't remember the rest because each time HST would say, "like a thundercloud" I would see the vision of a giant storm rolling across the plains and it would distract me. Finally I told him that while I was happy he was reading to me, I wished he would read something new. He looked at me kind of bewildered over his glasses and said, "There is no new." Then the dream ended.
After a night like that, I'm tired.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Ain't Science A Bitch
Wednesday, December 12, 2007 - 7:35:15 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
A couple of months ago one of DNA's mapping greats, James D. Watson said that Africans are genetically disposed to be less intelligent than European Whites, which is a direct cause of all the troubles in Africa. Forget colonialism, religion, climate change, culture and all that, it's the genes. Now, I've never been a big fan of Watson, mostly because I'm fairly sure he stole research from Rosalind Franklin and Raymond Gosling, which pretty much allowed him to make his big break. Without the photos that Rosalind took, who knows what would have happened, but he probably wouldn't have received a Nobel Prize. A good person would have given her credit, but maybe he thought women were genetically inferior. So when Watson made his recent comments, it struck me as another aging scientist turned stupid.
To me, this is one of the great strength of science over religion. In religion, some old guy who is celibate making rules about sex and relationships is seen as normal. A mullah that makes some pronouncement against an author without reading the book the author wrote is considered quite sane. In science, when you say something stupid, whether you won the Nobel Prize or not, someone is going to come along at some point and say, "Dude, you're black!" Yeah that's right, Watson has 16 times the number of African genes as an average European, and while he may be morally infantile he is or was quite intelligent. Hmm...this theory of yours may have flaws, old boy. For more info on this false tendency to explain cultural and economic differences through heredity, I suggest The Mismeasure of Man
by Steven J. Gould.
I think it was Sun Tzu that said if you wait by the river long enough, you'll see the body of your enemy floating by. That river is Science!
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Running, Reading, Watching, Seeing
Monday, December 10, 2007 - 10:46:10 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I went to the gym tonight for the first time in probably six months. I hate the gym, although it's not a meat head festival so that's workable. I also try to drag myself there with interesting listening material. Music drives me insane, so I started with history podcasts and now books in MP3 format. I've got these kickass headphones (I didn't pay even close to $300 for them so ignore the price on that page) which sit way down in the ear canal and block out all sound. The Big One could bring the building down on me and I probably wouldn't know it until a concrete slab crushes my skull. It makes for good, uninterrupted listening.
Right now I'm listening to American Gods, and damn is it good. I'd go back to the gym just to keep listening to it, which is the plan.
I'm also reading Sun of Suns, which is book one in the story of a whole world that exists in a water and air filled bubble that's floating in space. The denizens of this world have to build their own artificial suns to generate light and build cities on rotating platforms to generate gravity. It's a very detailed and expressive universe.
On the train I'm reading Foucault's Pendulum which I'd have a hard time recommending. I suppose you could call it a "thinking person's Da Vinci Code" but I would hesitate to do so. It's more like a thinking person's character study of the surrender of logic to endless belief, and the grasping mind's reach to align all facts into preconceived notions. That means no car chases but a lot of drawn out discussions over historical instances, mythical personages and conspiracy theories. I do say mad props for throwing in Le Comte, who it's was pointed out to me is the subject of some very "trashy but still awesome if you're in the mood for it" vampire books
of which I've read three.
Other media I'm consuming...Dexter. It's a show about a serial killer who kills serial killers and it's fucking goddamn killer ass super awesome. Michael C. Hall, who played David Fisher, the gay, uptight brother from Six Feet Under plays Dexter. I have to say that Hall's acting really shows here. The Fisher character is truly gone, replaced by Dexter, with his false emotions and effortless violence. The title sequence alone, with it's obvious but still masterful symbolism, should win the show awards.
After suggestions by a coworker and prodding by Paul I've resumed watching Journeyman. It's the story a San Francisco newspaperman who finds himself spontaneously traveling into past eras of The City to fix things that went wrong. I know, you're thinking "Quantum Leap again, what?" but really the show is growing better and better with each episode. Most of the interesting bits are the people in his life dealing with his time traveling, and the reemergence of his thought to be dead, but totally a time traveler too, smoking hot ex-fiancee. She's played by, wait for it, Korinna Moon Bloodgood I shit you not. That is perhaps the coolest name, ever. The show is pure San Francisco porn, with some really over the top shots of the city as it has never existed. They've already done the 89 quake AND aDylan Mclean D.B. Cooper episode, for the win. Good stuff that seems to just be getting better.
One last note for the benefit of my mom. It seems that the report from a month ago of the woman who was raped twice by the same dude five days apart, only a few blocks from our house, was bullshit. I believe both Hsan and I said at the time that the story sounded more fishy than the wharf, but we gave it the benefit of the doubt as is required. So, panic mode off. The double homicide two blocks away six months ago? Totally real, totally unsolved.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
His Dark Materials
Monday, December 10, 2007 - 7:14:30 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
When I was a Fundamentalist, there were many movies and pieces of culture that were considered off limits. It was not that they were forbidden to me, certainly not forbidden by my parents or anything. We were free to sample all but the most crude forms of media. When I was younger, my sister and I spent many hours watching MTV and watching movies that were rated R, which was often forbidden to our friends. But I do distinctly remember "boycotting", of my own free will, The Last Temptation of Christ. By boycotting I mean not going to see it although truth be told I would not have see it anyway had not heard that I should boycott it. I do remember that there was quite a movement against the film, and that the regular fundie rags would berate the film and the director for daring to retell the story of Christ outside of canonical textual material. I must say that I was very drawn into the concept of boycotting the film, believing it to be filth while never having seen the film myself.
During the time that I was leaving my religion and exploring other mystical traditions and religious practices, I began watching a lot of controversial media about religion. In my quest for information I had become aware of "competing" spiritual concepts in early Christianity, such as gnosticism, which had never been examined in the context of my modern church learning. This new knowledge made me very curious about films and stories that were based on these competing concepts. The Last Temptation of Christ is somewhat based upon the idea that Christ was human. It's interesting that this idea does not occur to believers, as it was a very heavily debated topic in early Christian societies. For example, the Byzantine empire's foundation was steeped in the controversy surrounding Christ's divinity which had very political roots as one emperor after another tried to establish their favored doctrine. Modern Christianity was created by sheer political will, through the maneuvering of political and religious authorities. By the time Protestantism rolled around, they forgot that the church system which the were protesting against had created all of the doctrine that had been shoved down their throats. The competing teachings had been burned out of existence.
It was in this spirit that I first watched The Last Temptation of Christ. I found it to be a fine film, well made, with an interesting message about Christ. I suggest you watch it if you find yourself with the time and inclination.
I am thinking about this now with the new movie The Golden Compass in mind. I have heard that the movie is not so good, but lets avoid that for a moment. The thing that interests me is that the Catholic League and other religious authorities have come out against the movie, going so far as to celebrate its low box office earnings. I quote from that link:
“Let this be a lesson to militant atheists like Pullman: keep your hollow beliefs to yourself. And ease up on demonizing Catholicism—no other religion has done more to promote human rights, science and goodwill. Why not make a movie about that?”
That right there is an
Stupid Humans
Thursday, July 03, 2008 - 7:53:18 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
So apparently it's okay to torture people, so long as God told you to do it. I mean seriously? Seriously? Shouldn't the law have a "chilling effect" on actions that harm others? Why can't the rapture come and take these people somewhere else...
Comments - [0] Permanent link
John Adams
Tuesday, July 01, 2008 - 7:32:17 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
On Sunday evening I finished the seven part HBO miniseries John Adams. It covers his life from his successful legal defense of the British soldiers who carried out the Boston Massacre through his revolutionary days, times in Europe with Franklin, his presidency and on to his death on the day of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It was a great series and worth watching in this season of the celebration of our Independence from England.
It also has one of the most kickass openings for a TV show of all time:
Comments - [0] Permanent link
The Website Is Down
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - 2:42:40 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Funniest shit...evar...today.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Michelle Obama
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 4:41:08 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
A good opinion piece on the perception of Michelle Obama in the public eye. For my part I find her to be much as I find Barack, an honest, intelligent voice in an otherwise disturbing political theater.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Is That A Huge TV In Your Pants?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 8:34:13 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
Yes...it is actually. I have replaced my man junk with a Series 7 1080p Samsung Monstrocity! I've also acquired a Blue Ray player, and now my standard def cable looks like complete ass. Looks like it's time for HD Tivo! ;)
The most amazing thing though, is watching Planet Earth on Blueray. The clarity of an already beautiful production is just amazing. This last week or so has been a rough one at work, and taking a break watching that show in High Def is better than Valium.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
George W. Bush Memorial Sewage Plant?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 8:27:08 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
As funny as the idea of naming the local sewage plant after Bush sounds, it's probably a stupid idea. It's one of those things that you laugh at over beers, not vote into reality. Anyway, doesn't the sewage plant actually make shit clean? Shouldn't it then be the Obama Sewage Treatment facility?
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Christian Cliches And Phrases
Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 7:35:02 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Recovering from the weekend, more to come. But in the meantime, for your reading pleasure.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
The Hits Keep Coming
Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 7:57:19 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
The Bush Administration is the word for failure on the lips and hearts of all Americans. Looks like habeas corpus is the law of the land.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Have Some Evolution, In The Lab
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 12:21:21 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I remember from the time that I was a Creationist, one of our main gotcha lines was supposed to be that evolution was not testable in lab conditions. Technically, because of the time lines involved, this is one of those sorta true things, but only because of semantics. Creationists have a view of water animals becoming land animals, etc. but these are changes that require deep time to achieve so of course you can't do that in a lab. But Speciation has been observed in the lab with flies and through animal husbandry.
This morning on Metafilter I saw this really cool article about how they've seen natural selection in E. coli, in the lab. Check it out.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Movie Review
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 7:07:54 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull = A Steaming Shit Sandwich.
Evidence:
- Aliens
- Tarzan scene
- Helper monkeys
- Prairie dogs
- "The space, between spaces!"
- "Indyyyyyyyyyyyy!"
- "I've got a great idea. Everyone loves the Indy mobile fight scenes, so lets just do that badly for the whole movie!"
- Am I watching Indiana Jones or the Mummy?
For the record, so there can be no mistakes from here on out.
Not Indiana Jones.
Not Indiana Jones.
Indiana Jones.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
A High And Beautiful Wave
Saturday, June 07, 2008 - 8:44:55 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I've been sitting here for the last few minutes, trying to find a way to sum up the last eight years. Politically, for me and many others in the rest of the world, our journey with the Bush Administration has been a trip down the dark side of the human condition. It has been eight years of ineptitude, lies, corruption, war, carelessness, profiteering, and tyranny with side orders of naked elitism, eroded civil liberties, and a precipitous backward slide from our vision of liberty. When I think back upon these years, from the first bumbling days of an unremarkable President, to the first time I saw the towers fall through a video feed in a satellite receiving room, to the war and reelection, I can not help but feel a great sense of loss and failure. It has been a failure of the democratic process, a failure of the people. It has cost countless lives, all around the world. It has cost us billions upon billions, upon billions of dollars. It has cost us our national pride, it has tarnished our sacred honor, it has made us ignore our principles. It is as if a great black thunderhead of doubt, fear, shame, and cynicism hang forever over these years of our lives. Only the most hard headed of fools still grasp at the words of Bush, looking for some truth in the false straight-talking Texan idiot character that he's been playing for nearly a decade.
To make matters worse, no matter where we looked for some voice of reason, some embodiment of sanity, neither party seemed able to bring it. No elected politician seemed to have the guts to say anything against the status quo, or to put their ass on the line to tell the truth in a time where lies were made easy, where lies upon lies are expected or were perhaps required to survive. Those who stood against this tide, were pushed aside, or made to seem childish in their idealism. It seemed like there could be no hope, even for those drawn into short sighted xenophobic nationalism, cloaked as "patriotism" screaming "God Bless America" while the founding fathers spun in their graves at the sight of a generation that had forgotten that freedom is hard. For in our desire to cling to blind flag waving nationalism, bigoted "religious" ideologies spouted by conservative drug addicts, we reveal an inner hopelessness, and scratch the surface of that deep deep fear that all of this could end badly. There was no hope. Not from any corner, not from any person. Not for me or you. Just the simple daily hopes were all that were left to us.
And then there was one.
When people wonder how Barack Obama became such a juggernaut, they should look no further than the state of our Republic. The tide of history has turned yet again and it is on the high wave of that tide that Obama is riding. I can't help but find myself, in the midst of these troubling times, filled with...dare I call it hope? Hope that things may get better, that reason may rule again in the land of blind fear. Hope that we may progress again, toward our unreachable goal of the more perfect union. Is the reason that I will vote for Obama when the time comes based on emotion? At some level, it very much is. There are things that Obama says that I do not agree with. There are some of his plans that are yet unclear. But what I hear from his mouth, and what I see in his actions are important to me. I see character. I see hope. I see compassion. I see honesty. Most importantly though, I see his belief that what he is proposing for our future, is right. Not because polls told him so, or because everyone who watches this or that tv news show thinks so, but because his overriding belief in the ideals of this nation tell him so.
I see an end to this dark night of tyranny. Obama can restore pride to the office, and through him, our tool that we the people will place into the office, we can restore pride to this nation, this dim but ever present light in the world.
Reasons to Vote For Barack Obama:
- He wants to make math an science education a national priority.
- He wants to actually fund the No Child Left Behind program, and make the program less about standardized tests, and more about individual education.
- He has pushed for and will continue to push for 50% reductions in Carbon emissions by 2050.
- Inject $150 billion dollars into clean energy in ten years.
- Require 25% renewable energy by 2025. Increase the fuel economy standards.
- Wants to finally raise the minimum wage in this age of massive corporate profits and large numbers of working poor.
- Will reverse the tax cuts for the wealthy.
- Will attempt to end the abuse of tax havens by businesses.
- Will immediately begin removing troops from Iraq
- Will reengage with Middle Eastern countries diplomatically.
- Will not start a war with Iran before attempting strong diplomatic efforts with them.
- Actually attempt to secure the country from terrorist attacks, instead of pretending to be Jack Bauer.
- Will crack down on the employers of illegal immigrants, and revamp the awful immigration system.
- Most importantly, finally provide universal health care that the people demand.
There are many many others, but these are just a few. You won't find the kind of ideas that Obama has in the back pocket of John McCain. What you'll find there is the dust covered play book of the Bush Administration. When your time comes, Register to Vote.
Make sure you vote!
Vote for Barack Obama!
Obama Links:
Issues
Voting record
Campaign finance records
Do something!
Donate!
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Bad Day
Friday, June 06, 2008 - 9:45:14 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Today was the worst work day I've had since the new Years Day I spent fixing something for 14 hours straight.
We had an early morning failure at 5am that I got up for, and then another huge failure and a ton of small fires.
But I just spent the last few hours playing "Up!" with our friend's child, and I'm now drinking a cold beer. So things are looking up.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Cyclone Donations Update
Monday, June 02, 2008 - 7:27:52 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Hsan sent me a note that had been passed on from his mother and uncle. Yesterday, part of the donations were distributed in the form of rice, cooking oil, salt, and medicine which are the big four in terms of what the people who are without homes need. They also gave a small amount of money. The email has names, so I'm just going to excerpt a bit here as I'm not sure what's okay to share:
The victims [...] cried when they see the group because they are so happy. Refugees said they are forgotten by the authority. They have no supply by any UN or NGOs since the storm occurred. Monk taking care of the people at his monastery compound. They have no house, no money and no food at all. [They] feel they are [ignored by] any aid.
Here are the photos of the stuff being distributed.
I don't think I can say enough about what this means. It know a lot of people who sent money were dismayed at only being able to send $20 or $50, but as you can see, this is a lot of money. There is still money left after this distribution so expect more updates. A big thanks to Hsan's family who gave their time, and labor to get the materials to people. Hsan's mom is starting to take on the image of a saint to me.
Interesting reading.
Several people asked, but according to Hsan the white paste on people's faces is called Thanaka, a cosmetic paste made from trees, that is used as a sunscreen and to give the skin a cool feeling.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
Shit Box
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 10:30:45 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Just what it says, Shit Box.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Important Knowledge
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 12:07:01 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Some important knowledge that was gleaned from the weekend.
1. A fine Cab Sav tastes just as good to me in a plastic cup.
2. My personality requires me to push forward conversation so there is no uncomfortable silence, but my introversion sees to it that afterward I find myself utterly exhausted.
3. Pregnant women have a beauty that no one else seems to possess. Thanks, Evolution.
4. Once you understand a language, you quickly forget what it feels like not to understand.
5. When you're busy holding up liquor stores with a pistol, it's too easy to forget there's a more powerful weapon. The human brain.
6. People on Fox news are still remarkably stupid.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Why The Wire Is So Good
Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 6:47:24 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Maybe white people do like it, but there's a damn good reason that The Wire is good fucking television. Keep in mind that I've just watched the first season, so I'm basically talking about Season 1.
Like all good drama, it's about people. You like the characters, even the "bad guys". Their motivations, no matter how odious their actions (and I'm talking about the cops and the dealers here), are familiar to you. But the real deal for me is this, it's like life in a certain way. This show is about that one chance or series of moments in life, where a group of average but passionate individuals come together with a common purpose, and find to their own surprise that this common goal not only allows them to work together against their own self interest, but also allows them success against the odds and forces external to themselves that they believed insurmountable. Indeed they do something that is great enough, and so uncanny that they surprise even themselves. Poetically, they find the fruits of their labor, the ending of their partnerships, and the cost of their struggle to be bitter sweet...but worth it. Like that H.S.T. nostalgic remembrance of the sixties in the imagery of almost being able to see the place in the hills where the waves reached, only to inevitably roll back.
If you've never had this moment in life, you may be missing out. But what's amazing about it, is that you figure out you're in it near the end, and how you react to that knowledge shapes your feelings about it later. If you accept its ending, it stays with you forever as a shinning point, and if you try to prolong it unnaturally, against the tide of the entropy all around you, it leaves you bitter. I was lucky, I had summoned enough wisdom to let it end. Now when I look back on those moments after spurred on by the show it leaves me with warm emotions.
This is why The Wire rocks, it grabs hold of that dynamic and lets you ride it to the end of the game. I don't care if the rest of the seasons suck, season 1 made me a believer.
Comments - [4] Permanent link
Open Source, FTW
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 8:03:24 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Love of developers is a rare thing. Most of the communications we receive are negative. I was awoken this morning at 5 am to the sound my iPhone's text message alert. That sounds means something has failed, and it was my code. It's a complicated system, that before today had an uptime of over a year. It's an elegant monster, processing megs and megs of text every single hour of every single day. This morning, for the first time in over a year, it failed. No rhyme or reason, the machine just died. I was greeted by a chorus of emails and forum posts complaining of the failure of software that when compared to say your windows box, runs like a champ and even fails like a champ. That puts a sour taste in my mouth.
But I just saw this on the Ubuntu mail lists. Ubuntu is a FREE operating system, a Windows replacement that cost nothing and is developed by volunteers in their free time. A small excerpt is below, and it reminds me that software is important in our lives, and that makes us, the people who write it, important too. The fact that people even take a second out of their morning to sling some vitriol my way means that something I made is important to them, and they want it to work. If nothing else, it gives me purpose.
I thank you to the point of tears.
Earlier this week I installed Kubuntu
on a refurbished AMD computer I purchased for $184 from a discount online vendor, it came with no OS. It now runs like a champ.
We cant afford much and this was my 14 year old daughter's birthday present this past week...I cant tell you how much I appreciate the work you all have done. Its a work of art. If I could thank each and every one of you I would.
You have given her the world to learn and explore.
Linkie
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Shower Thoughts
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 8:42:06 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
In the shower this morning something occurred to me, as things often do. I wondered, is English the only language that sounds even better in other accents? Then, once again proving my psychic powers, I saw this video:
Not that the video answers the question, but poses it instead.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
DomiMatrix?
Monday, May 19, 2008 - 12:11:20 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I think the news that AIs are being developed in Second Life makes me fear for the future of the species. Sure, we'll all be serving our machine mind overlords soon, but do we want our machine mind overlords (MMO?) to be deeply enthralled with simulated furry-on-furry, goat fucking bondage porn? I vote no.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
A War Like No Other
Monday, May 19, 2008 - 7:48:30 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but I read fiction at home or before bed and I read non-fiction on the train ride to and from work. It seems I've accidentally stumbling into a stepping off point from my desire to study world history. I wanted to read more about the war between Greece and Persia, after having read Herodotus in college, and I bought two books thinking that they both were on the subject. As it turns out, only one was, the second book A War Like No Other
was about the civil war between Athens (plus 'allied' states) and Sparta (plus 'allied' states) that ended in the downfall of Athenian empire and the destruction of the Long Walls which happened after the war against Persia. Very, very good read, with lots of great examples of battle, long descriptions of the life and times, examination of Athenian, Spartan, and regional politics, and a healthy dose of the personalization of war costs.I'm happy that the second book was an error. I've decided to strike out from this point and move forward in Greek history, while at the same time moving backward, and outward. So I have ordered several books, one on Epaminondas, the Theban general who precedes the coming of Alexander, one book covering pre-Athenian golden age Aegean societies (Minoans, etc.), and one on Alexander. So that's forward and backward in Grecian history. For outward, I've chosen the Persians whom I freely admit to having developed quite an interest in through the Greek history I've already ingested. They seem to be an imperial power like no other. Ballsy, aggressive, ambitious, and organized to the rafters. They are an empire seemingly lost to the west, so I will report on how I find the texts I've chosen. If anyone has any suggestions, shoot them at me.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Cyclone Fund!
Friday, May 16, 2008 - 9:30:23 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I wanted to take a quick second and give everyone a super thanks for their donations to the Burma Cyclone Nargis fund. We alone raised $500 and all told we pulled in just under $2,000! That shit is amazing, and it will go a long way once we get it across the border. Hsan's uncle works for the UNHCR inside Burma, and here was his message back to all of us:
I am really appreciate all you and your friends effort for the donation. This is noble job for you and all donators...I want to repeat job job As Well done, well done and well done.
We'll be getting updates about where the money is going, and I'll be passing them along here. Again, thanks so much everyone! Every little bit of your generosity helped!
Here's a link I saw today, and eyewitness account in English of what's going on in Burma.
I met with a guy yesterday from Bogale which was the most destroyed area. He had seen a sea of dead people in the river, no water to drink and no food to eat. Many families were killed and there were children bodies all over. People started to have affected diarrhea.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Roll That Up In Your Bigotry And Smoke It!
Friday, May 16, 2008 - 8:06:26 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Yeah, we rule. Now all we have to do is beat their little referendum, and freedom will have won another victory against the tyrants, and self-serving proponents of bigotry and hatred.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Seen/Haven't Seen
Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 7:15:46 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
Things I've Seen This Week:
Cats shitting in our garden.
Three inch layer of dust in a 5 year old computer.
The process of capping one's own Ethernet cables.
A cursing tug-of-war between a shopkeeper and a shoplifter ending in a foot chase.
A yelling, near fist fight on MUNI.
A baby's first language, "Bababababa".
A San Francisco heatwave.
A Mac Daddy playa, drunk in the early hours of morning, getting shot down on MUNI by a married 29 year old Latina.
Things I've Not Seen This Week:
The inside of the gym.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
It Was A Lot Like Legos
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 8:29:54 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
So I just kept doing it. See what I made.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Burma Fund Reminder, Weird/Interesting Shit
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 7:27:12 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
Hsan will be sending the money on the 15th. I've had a lot of people get in touch with me off line, and at this point we're still taking donations. If you want to send me a note pledging some cash, feel free to do so and I will front it if your money doesn't arrive in time. Super thanks to everyone who already put up some cash, it's awesome to see some of the good parts of humanity come out in tragedy. Are you confused about what's going on? Check out this entry.
Weird shit of the day:
A blog dedicated to photos of father's and their children's heads swapped. Seriously.
A song made entirely of Call of Duty 4 weapon sounds.
Things younger than John McCain.
Interesting stuff:
A new book coming out about closeted homosexuality in rap music.
The last bit is an article from the New York Times on the recent indictment of General Vang Pao, who led our Hmong Laotian allies against the North Vietnamese during the war. Pao is being tried on trumped up terrorism charges for continuing the fight which is simply the last in a long line of betrayals by our government toward the Hmong. It's amazing that anyone will be our allies at this point. Modern history of Laos. Hmong people who live almost silently among us, most of them from simple hunter/gatherer animist stock, ripped from their homes because of our war.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Surprise, Obama Has Experience AND Character
Monday, May 12, 2008 - 10:22:37 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
A good article on some of Obama's legislative achievements.
Consider a bill into which Obama clearly put his heart and soul. The problem he wanted to address was that too many confessions, rather than being voluntary, were coerced -- by beating the daylights out of the accused.
Obama proposed requiring that interrogations and confessions be videotaped.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Linoleum Knife!
Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 9:17:37 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
If they put this in front of every movie, I would actually go to the theater.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
River Of Gods
Friday, May 09, 2008 - 12:26:42 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
If you like Sci-Fi even a little bit, you should read River of Gods
. I finished it last night...WOW. It's a sprint to the finish, full of nutered humans, outlaw AI's, Krishna Cops, photo journalists, assassinations, philosophy, and on to the creation of the Universe.Also, support Burma.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
Burma Help. This Blog
Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 10:16:42 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I've gotten a lot of emails from people asking about Hsan's family and Burma, etc. Hsan's family is fine, very lucky. They had minimal damage to their house, no damage to themselves. That's the awesome part. The not so awesome part is that once again the government is showing what absolute fuckers they are by making getting aid into the country quite difficult. At the same time it looks like the death toll is going to top 100,000 and the displaced number is already near a million and is probably much higher. Well, they're saying send the aid, but not the aid workers...riiiight. Because we so trust the Burmese regime to distribute that to those in need.
So Hsan asked us last night if we might want to try something else. Instead of sending aid through the regular channels, he thought it might be better to funnel it through his mom. I'm hoping that if we do that, goods and whatnot can get directly to people who need it since his mom knows pretty much everybody. So from friends and family, I'm going to ask that if you want to contribute to help people who are suffering in Burma, you can contact me off line or through the site email and we can get some cash to his mom. At least then we know where it's going, and that she'll be able to find the people who need help most. As Hsan said, the worst is really yet to come, because now the starvation, water shortages, and disease start. Now things get really bad. We want to help stop that. If you want to help stop that, you let me know and we'll make it happen. I can offer no assurances other than my and Hsan's word, just like the old days when people trusted each other.
I've decided to get back into writing on this blog. I'm going to try and post something everyday for a while. It probably won't be that interesting, but it's got to happen.
--End Of Line--
Update: Sorry about the totally shitty grammar in this post. I wrote it quickly at work. Repairing now.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
Finally...Japan Pictures
Saturday, April 26, 2008 - 3:36:47 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I got off my lazy ass today and got the Japan pictures up on Flickr. Check them out.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
Olympic Torch
Wednesday, April 09, 2008 - 10:55:43 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
The run here in the city starts right by my office. We went down there just now and there are tons and tons of people on the street. Lots and lots of pro-Chinese people, and a growing number of pro-Tibet. Saw a protester get arrested right across the street from us. When the run starts I'll probably drop downstairs to check it out.
Update: 2:00pm Fuckers! They bypassed us because of the different groups protesting down by the ball park getting into a conflict. I just wanted to see the torch, and stop Elaine from getting arrested (success!). Got some decent iPhone photos of it though. The funniest thing I saw involved a single white dude with a large Tibetan flag who was very calmly talking to some pro-China protesters with large Chinese flags. They were irritated enough with what he was saying to eventually begin covering his flag with theirs. That's maybe not the message you'd want to send being in their position?
Photos!
Update 3:27 Word is that they've canceled the torch ceremony, and are having it in a "surprise location". Huh? What's the point of bringing the torch around if no one gets to see it? Fucking cowards.
Updated 7:43pm WTF!?! I feel pretty cheated. Personally, I think China sucks balls when it comes to Tibet AND Burma AND the Sudan, but I just wanted to see the fucking torch, see people do their protest thing, and it would all be good. I never felt like the crowd was dangerous where we were, and there was no reason to fuck over the city like this. This is about politics, and it smells dirty. Fuck the Olympics, especially if this is the way it's going to be. I'm on boycott mode.
Comments - [6] Permanent link
Price Point
Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 10:32:29 pm PDT
Posted by :: eek!
It’s interesting how the mind works. I have paid a couple of bucks for a cup of coffee. I have gone to bar and paid $5 for a pint of beer. I have gone to a baseball game and paid $7 for the same, while this hurts a little, I still don’t think too much about it. I have paid $10 for a martini. I went threw a phase with wine where anything under $20 a bottle was too cheap to buy and probably not good quality (I know a little better now).
But…. when I would go to the liquor store and look at a 6 pack for $10, a 750mL for $15, or a single bottle for $8, I would stare and stare and stare and think and think and think. Is it worth it?
Hell yes its worth it!!!
First, most of these beers are big beers, high in alcohol with lots of flavor. These take more ingredients, more hops, more grain, more yeast and more time. For the most part, these beers are more expensive because they are expensive to make. You are getting what you paid for.
Second, you are getting the cream of the crop. These “expensive” beers can be really interesting. They might be aged in whiskey barrels or wine barrels for months. They might have experimented with different exotic grains, sugars or fruits.
Unlike wine, tequila, whiskey, vodka, ect. where the best of the best is outrageously expensive. Award winning beer, the best of the best, is very accessible.
A bottle of wine is roughly 26 oz., about two 12 oz. bottles. $8 for a 12 oz. beer sounds expensive. What about $16 for a bottle of wine? A $15 dollar six pack or 3 bottles of $5 wine.
Next time, try buying a cheap bottle of wine and an “expensive” bottle of beer.
Comments - [4] Permanent link
Leaving
Tuesday, April 01, 2008 - 10:59:22 am JST
Posted by :: Aaron
We're leaving today, but our flight's not until 6pm. So we're just sitting around packing, me chasing away the remnants of a quick fire cold, Makoto still feeling the full effects. I hate leaving Japan. There's always a part of me that is ready to return home, but there is a part of me that believes I should not leave here. I always do the same thing, frivolously looking over the job boards here. I've got no real plans to stay, but it's fun to think about.
Most of all I'll miss Makoto's family, but I know I will see them again. I dream of a life where it's possible to live between both of my worlds, and perhaps...perhaps that's possible. This is a daring adventure after all...or nothing.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
Photos, Etc.
Friday, March 28, 2008 - 1:04:09 pm JST
Posted by :: Aaron
There's an interesting contradiction in modern Japan, and why not. There's contradiction everywhere. The cherry blossom, the Sakura, in an ancient symbol in Japan. In modern Japan it is a symbol of the common spring, and as spring is upon us the blossoms are appearing everywhere and everyone seems quite obsessed with them. They, ourselves as well, seem quite obsessed with taking photographs of them. Photographs are a way to "save" a moment in time. At least they are to me, and I think most people. The funny thing to me is that the cherry blossom in Japanese culture was/is a symbol of impermanence. That the blossoms quickly come into full and beautiful bloom, only to just as rapidly fall and rot is symbolic of all things, and especially human life. We are born, blossom, fall and rot. This is the heart of Japanese aesthetics. To take a photo of it, seems to be a departure from this tradition. I'm not critical of it, just interested in what other societal changes it signifies.
I might sound like the mean old man next door, but I notice fewer and fewer young people surrendering their train seats to obviously impaired elders. It's like an American city of faceless strangers.
I decided to upload photos of all the food we've had first, since they're the easiest photos to sort through. Enjoy.
Comments - [7] Permanent link
All Japan, All The Time
Thursday, March 27, 2008 - 11:29:12 pm JST
Posted by :: Aaron
Parents and Jim left Japan today. Everyone was wiped out. We've been going going going since we hit the ground. We've been on a train almost every single day, been on the bullet train three times, traveled to four different cities, ridden buses, walked uphills and down hills, eaten everything from pumpkins to eels, and drunk more green tea than any human probably should.
If we can drag ourselves out of bed, Makoto and I have an appointment to tour the interior of the Imperial Palace tomorrow.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Arrived!
Tuesday, March 19, 2008 - 11:02:46 am JST
Posted by :: Aaron
We all made it, without incident. Business class is the stone cold shit. Food was good, seat was great, entertainment was awesome. It's cool and nice here, and very nice to see everyone. Today we acquire our rail passes, and will probably hit an electronics store. I'm going to buy a wireless router for the house so we'll no longer have to steal the neighbor's wireless.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
As It Says
Monday, March 17, 2008 - 11:28:09 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
I would like to possit that Uggs or Crocs or whatever they call those boots should be wiped from the face of the Earth. I simply cannot find them appealing in any way. We're waiting in the business class lounge for JAL. Makoto may find the experience unappealing but I prefer free food, booze, wi-fi to the alternative.
I think this is how air travel should be for everyone.
Comments - [5] Permanent link
Passport To InSaNiTy!
Monday, March 17, 2008 - 1:31:56 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
In about 12 hours we'll be heading to Japan. I'm waiting for the last load of laundry to complete so I can get my packing mostly done. I'm really excited for this trip, but it's been a hell of a week getting ready. Tuesday morning I had a dream, probably similar to dreams anyone has had, where you're too tired to wake up so you dream that you've already gotten up and out of bed to start your day. I dreamed I was taking a shower and it occurred to me that my passport was expired. In the dream this thought freaked my shit right out, so it woke me up with a start. I asked Makoto where my passport was and when I went to find it, I found that it had been expired since July of last year.
Ten years, when thinking of the time in aggregate, seems like a short amount of time but when imaging all of the things that have happened to me in the ten years since I got my first passport to go to Japan...it seems like a stretch of time so long as to be unfathomable. But the ten years have passed, and sitting there Tuesday morning with two plane tickets in my pocket, five rail passes, and four other people depending on me being on a plane Monday afternoon caused me to about shit. I felt that cold come over me that always seems to happen when I'm in trouble. There's always a moment of panic, but afterward that cold feeling in my belly that whatever must be done, must be done. I called the Passport center here in the city to request an appointment. They have a completely unhelpful automated appointment system that told me in the halting pidgin English of machine creole that, "the next available appointment is...March...18th." Yeah, that's the day after I leave. Not going to work.
As I told Makoto, I'm not too fond of some of the more vile parts of capitalism, but having lived in a capitalist society all of my life I've come to understand that if you want something done, all it really takes in a little bit of will and a lot of cash. Indeed, that's all it really took. It turns out that there are businesses that make their money by getting passports rushed through the system. Yes, it's now obvious why there are no appointments to be had. The invisible hand of the market is actually a clenched fist full of procured passport appointments.
So I got my passport on Friday. When I imagine showing up at the airport on Monday and handing them my passport, ignorant of its expiration, a chill runs up my spine. It's the stuff of nightmares. Thankfully I've been clutching the new passport like my life depended upon it. Sometimes I open it, just to double check it. I think I've looked at it more than I've looked at the food menu for Business Class on the JAL web site.
I have to say that the new passports look like Steven Colbert's eagle mascots ate Barry Manilow and shat out some of the large indigestible bits.
With that lovely image, I leave you. I'm going to fold some clothes and try to get some sleep, but I'm sure sleep will be hard to come by with all of this goddamn excitement.
Side note: Flight entertainment will consist of the much lauded River of Gods
and my to sate my continuing obsession with Greek history A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian WarThanks to everyone who suggested music, it has not fallen on deaf ears!
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Time Change
Monday, March 10, 2008 - 9:57:54 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
I must be getting old or something. Every time the time changes it hits me worse and worse. I feel completely out of sorts this morning. I slept unsoundly, with strange dreams of eggs boiling in their shells. Need a nap.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Moving To Japan
Sunday, March 09, 2008 - 11:05:35 am PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
For two weeks that is. In another week we're leaving for Japan, and taking the folks with us. Added bonus is that our friend Jim is coming as well, a setup we've been threatening the world with since 2003 at least. Oh...what...not rock star enough for you? Well, Makoto and I also will be flying business class on JAL! Boo yah! How you like me now? We're going to Makoto's house, with long days in Tokyo, and a four day jaunt via bullet train to Osaka (food!) and Kyoto (history!). I'm so stoked I can barely think straight, but I maintain my cool exterior.
I am, however, confronted with a rather arduous task. Making at ravel play list of music. How does one select travel music? I am already allowing myself the guilty pleasure of listening to Glamorous by Fergie, due to the business class. I'm told this is not something you should say in public, but that's not stopped me before. My first tactic was to search for words like flying, travel, trip, etc. This has given me an eclectic mix of music from Creedence to David Bowie. However, the number of tracks are too few, and my iPhone remains a sad sad little iPhone. :( Does anyone have suggestions on how to get or remember good travel music?
Comments - [4] Permanent link
Kill All The White People
Thursday, February 28, 2008 - 7:31:01 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Stuff White People Like
Aaron guilty as charged: Coffee, Film Festivals, Barack Obama, Wes Anderson Movies, Asian Girls , Tea, Microbreweries, Wine, Daily Show, Breakfast Places, Netflix, Sushi, Public Radio, Grocery Co-ops, Irony, Apologies, Japan, Toyota Prius, Expensive Sandwiches, Recycling, and Bottles of water.
That's 21 out of 77. Apparently I'm not as white as I thought, but to be honest the more recent ones are starting to sound forced, like they're being phoned in from a Michael Bolton concert or something. Come on white people, you can self-analyze better than "Musical comedians". Seriously.
Also Stuff Asian People Like.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
Pub Quest
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 - 1:34:31 pm PDT
Posted by :: eek!
Pubquest
There have been other versions of this idea but this is the best I have seen by far. Other ones you have to pick a specific city. You can with this one but you can also just look around randomly. Especially nice if you are going on a road trip.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
Give Me Your Freedom, I'll Make You Safe
Friday, February 15, 2008 - 12:31:24 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Maybe you've heard of the FISA bill, and maybe you haven't. It basically does two important things.
1. It makes it legal to spy on American's communications without a warrant.
2. Gives legal immunity to telecom companies that helped spy on Americans illegally under the orders of the government.
There's something rotten in America, and it's laws like this. The Senate passed the bill (Obama voted against, McCain voted for, Clinton didn't show up) and today the House was supposed to be voting on it. The House put it on a shelf and called foul, and I thank what ever it was, sense or political motivations, that caused the House Dems to grow a pair. Bush, unsurprisingly, is saying that if we don't pass this bill, Americans are going to die because we'll be waiting on warrants to wiretap communications. I call, as have many, bullshit on this idea. A cursory glance at the way the FISA courts have worked in the past will show you that no such thing is happening. A wiretap that goes to FISA courts can actually be started legally before there is a warrant, so long as a request for a warrant appears in the courts within a given period of time. There is no loss of intelligence while waiting for the courts, and to suggest so is simply a fear mongering lie, plain and simple.
That lie alone is irritating enough, but the immunity for telecoms is so overwhelmingly wrong I have trouble maintaining composure when I think about it. This whole thing stinks of the F-word. Fascism. Police state. Bring more power to the center, bring more control to the executive, remove more rights in exchange for protection from some nebulous threat, and do it all with fear and threatening language in the mouths of the Executive's talking heads. Yes, I dare say it, Fascism. That's the road we're walking on, and I for one will not walk it. I would rather die in a terrorist attack tomorrow than give one more sliver of my liberty away. I would rather this country face the faceless enemy forever, than to bow down to fear and lay our principles and hard won freedom in the dust like some cowardly wretch. Death in a falling tower, or in a train bomb, or shot, or decapitated is preferable to a life without freedom. The world has tried that unlife for millennia and found it sorely lacking. Where would freedom be if the Athenians had bowed down to the Persian kings, or the colonists had simply given up to the strutting powers of the King of England, or the black man simply accepted his place? We'd be in a hell of our own making. I won't live in hell and if you call yourself free, then you won't either.
Bush said, "There's still an enemy which would like to do us harm..." Indeed there is. They're currently occupying the White House. We're about to ask you nicely to leave. Try not to shit on the rug.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Bring Out Your Dildos!
Thursday, February 14, 2008 - 7:51:08 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Texas finally wakes up to the fact that the era of repressed sexuality is history. I meant to say sued into wakefulness, but you get it. By judicial fiat, the good people of the state of Texas are no longer restricted from buying items to stick up their hoo ha's, cha cha's, wang doodles and...vaginas.
Another age old question has just been answered. Can you write the word vagina on this blog? Yes, we can.
Comments - [6] Permanent link
Canadian Healthcare
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 12:32:37 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
This was on Metafilter today. Great read:
Mythbusting Canadian Health Care -- Part I
Mythbusting Canadian Healthcare, Part II: Debunking the Free Marketeers
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Land Before Time
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - 9:18:55 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
This photo is constantly being linked all over the place. It's a photo taken from a kite flying high above San Francisco after the 1906 Earthquake which along with the fire afterward consumed and destroyed the city. If your browser is like mine, then it's probably automatically minimized the photo but you can click on it to zoom in. It's amazing to see the city this way, and with no Golden Gate, no microwave towers, huge rail yards along the Embarcadero where now there are condos. Change is inevitable, and often times fascinating to see when contrasted so greatly over time.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Almost Famous
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - 8:52:26 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
So my hometown is now semi-famous. But not in a good way. Stupidity? Racism? Total nutty right-wing douchbaggery? Yeah, we got it.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
A Little Ray Of Light
Wednesday, February 06, 2008 - 10:21:36 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
The sun has finally returned to The City. After weeks of rain, the sun is now reflecting into my office from the building across the courtyard. I was missing it, a lot. AND Obama is still in the running. I have to say that this election cycle feels historic. People seem to give a shit, like they woke up one day and realized that government has an influence on their lives. They ran out of ballots here on the democrats side, so that's something. I suppose we have the anti-American Bush Administration to thank for that.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Monday, February 04, 2008 - 7:43:27 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Ever since my cousin Derek moved to the city I've been bragging up this pizza place called Little Star. They make, in my opinion, the best Chicago style deep dish this side of the Rockies. It has cornbread crust, and is just piled high with a strong thick tomato sauce. I love the stuff, but they don't deliver, so I rarely make the trip to get some. Saturday night, the house made the decision to get us some Little Star. Makoto didn't make it home until 6, so we left after that, in the middle of the rain, making our way quickly down to the far end of Valencia. Parking, as usual, was a complete bitch, so Derek and Hsan decided to jump out and put our names in. All the while Makoto and I are circling endlessly for a spot. We drove around for probably ten minutes, not a spot in sight. In the back of my mind I noticed sirens, but in the city sirens are so common you only pay attention when they're on your ass so I thought nothing of it.
It was about that moment that Makoto's phone starts to ring. Hsan was letting us know that they had been kicked out of the restaurant, because the building was on fire. Yeah, you read that right, it was on fire. That's some awesome za. At this point my stress level was on the increase, my stomach was empty, and we were rapidly approaching the hours of hell in weekend San Francisco dining, between 6:30 to 9:00 where tables are not to be had in any reasonable period of time. I don't like failures in my delicate little plans.
Even with these insurmountable odds, I put on my best Leonidas face and said, "Tonight...we dine...at LITTLE STAR!" And pointed our noble chariot toward the other branch on Divisadero street.In between the time we left Valencia, and got to Little Star on Divisadero all of the following happened.
1. Almost killed a pedestrian.
2. Fought with Makoto.
3. Got rained on.
4. Failed to parallel park in small spot, causing fight with Makoto.
5. Got rained on again.
By the time we actually get into the restaurant, we find the time to seat is 45 minutes. Faced with the awful choice of waiting 45 minutes wating another who knows how long to actually eat food, or carryout, or find something else, Makoto goes into damage control. Rapidly ordering the troops into position, ordering carryout, sending me to bring the car closer, putting Hsan and Derek into wait mode.
Long story longer, we actually got our pizza, took it out and home, and ate it while watching movie on the couch. Here's how good Little Star is: By the time we ate and settled, when the question came up, "Was it worth it?" there was an unqualified Yes that echoed throughout the ranks.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
9/11
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 10:15:21 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I've only got one thing to say. 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11? 9/11, 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11. See ya, Rudy. Listening to you speak was like being John Malkovich, inside John Malkovich's own head, except 9/11, tyrannical, and very closeted gay.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Engage The Silent Drive
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 7:39:57 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
It took two full evenings crouched down at floor level to put together the Tower of Power machine. The CoolerMaster Cosmos 1000 case is a miraculous piece of technology. Sturdy, huge, and perfectly designed for wiring up a machine's innards. The pieces had gone in rather nicely, but at one point I was forced to make a quick decision, either grasp the motherboard in a location other than designated human-hands-allowed-areas or drop it onto the floor. I elected to get touchy, and I spent the rest of the build process wondering if some static charge in my hands might have fried the whole goddamn thing rendering my exhaustive labors as wasted effort. As any prostitute knows, you spend that long on your knees and you expect something in return.
My current, dying, game rig was at one time a goddamn monster. It sounds like a monster. When you turn it on the high RPM case fans sound like a Cessna warming up for take-off. If you actually decide to tax the video card it goes into full-on Mach 8 jet engine of doom mode. You can hear it in the living room. It is for this reason, and also due to the fact that I had plugged in the wrong monitor, that when I finally hit the power switch on the Tower of Power, saw the blue power light snap on but saw nothing on the monitor and heard almost zero noise from the case, I feared the worst. I was sure at that point that I'd broken the processor or fried the mother board, etc. I was panicked for about two seconds, until I realized I plugged in the other monitor. I turned on the screen, and there looking back at me was the BIOS screen. It turns out that the Tower of Power is the fucking Red October of the computer world. The case has four low RPM fans drawing cold air from outside of the box up from the bottom, past the components, and out the top. You can barely hear the fans whirring away inside, and from even a couple feet away you can't hear them at all. The 10,000 RPM hard drive? Nary a click nor a clack. The only thing you can hear is the DVD burner and even that, not so much.
I haven't been able to install enough software yet to see if the gaming ability on this monster is up to snuff, but how could it not be? Can't...wait...for...day...to...end.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
Tower Of Power
Thursday, January 24, 2008 - 9:45:15 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Taking a bit of a break this morning to drool over my almost ready for prime time machine. Check out these stats:
Intel Core 2 Quad at 2.66GhZ (That's 4 cores)
Full copper low RPM Zalman cooler
2GB 1066 Corsair Dominator RAM
GeForce 8800 GTX 786MB Video Card (Will burn face off)
150GB 10,000RPM Raptor X Drive for speed loading
WD 750 GB drive for storage.
All powered by 850W Coolermaster PSU
Housed in the CoolerMaster Cosmos 1000
I basically took the rig they built in last month's PCGamer and upgraded it's parts. I really liked the look and room of the case, so that's what I built it around. For the moment I'll run Windows XP, which leaves me in 32-bit land for a while, and I think that limits me to 2GB of RAM, but as Vista gets better I suppose I'll "upgrade" to that in 64-bit. I wanted to get a Mac, but to get a similar mac was actually...impossible. Their video cards stink compared to what I'm sporting, and to get something similar would have cost close to $4k. I got all this for a little over $2k. So now I can afford to get a nice big gamer monitor, putting me in triple monitor heaven. I plan on turning my old machine into a water cooled (just to see if I can do it) ubuntu box, because I miss having Linux at home. I am toying with the idea of getting a MacBook though. However, too much consumption at one time is bad for the soul, so I need to hold off after this probably.
The motherboard, video card, and case are probably being delivered to the office today, leaving my DVD burner and sound card for tomorrow or Monday. Can't wait to start building.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
I Just Failed
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 - 11:17:00 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Someone just made a completely antisemitic statement and I failed to confront them in the flow of conversation. I feel dirty. I hate when people include you in their racism because you're waspy looking.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
The Free Man
Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 10:06:06 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
You may have never played the game Half-Life. You may not have even heard of it. But if you are a gamer chances are you have, simply because it was a game that revolutionized the genre. It made people realize that a good game could be made great by having an amazing story. It was the first game that gave me the feeling I was involved, like you wish you could be involved in the story-line of a great movie.
This isn't to gush over Half-Life, a game that is now over 10 years old. What it is about is how iconic the main character, Gordon Freeman has become in geek culture. So iconic that someone called into the conspiracy, alien, believe in whatever Coast To Coast AM show pretending to be Gordon Freeman. I'm not sure what's funnier, how easily the caller incorporates the game elements into the call, or how easily the host buys it. Just so you know, every single thing the caller says is something that actually happens in the game.
The power of The Internets makes it even better:
Comments - [3] Permanent link
Babies Hate Me
Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 1:04:17 pm PDT
Posted by :: Aaron
They hate me because they see through this affectation of humanity, into the dark burning fire of which I, the dark wandering rebellious prince of the air, am composed. Either that or my deep voice and scary white man face.
Scene 1 Act 1 - The Crying Child
Young Kannon Sophia, namesake of the Merciful Bodhisattva and the wise goddess of the west, screams with dripping tear pooled eyes upon sight of me. She turns her small head into mom's breast, tiny hands clasping loose folds of sweater, surprisingly large voice wailing into the dark fold of her mother's armpit. She steels herself, turns thin haired scalp and wet eyes to face my false smile, and finds herself once again crying into the safe confines of that dark warm armpit.
Rinse. Repeat.
Exit Apartment. (Stage Right)
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Well
Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 8:00:21 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I had this long entry written describing how I came to be sick, and how United Airlines is a dog shit stinking pile of offal with lousy customer service, but I decided I was bored by it. Needless to say I was supposed to fly into Bloomington early this week but a failure by United, plus my being completly sick had me canceling the flight and entering a NyQuil coma for a period of 36 hours.
I'm feeling much better now. Sorry if I left a semi coherent message on your phone, or called you sounding like an idiot. It was the NyQuil. I am now a fervent believer in the NyQuil coma though. I believe that willfully placing yourself into a stupor for a day or two is probably the best way to get over anything.
My cousin Derek has moved out to the city and in with us. I predict he will be a better city dweller than I am, he being more of an out and about sort. He's a welcome addition to the hive at any rate.
My PC at home is showing the first signs of breakdown, with this funky sound card problem or maybe the video card that is causing the whole system to reboot randomly. That's not so good for game playing. So I'm spending this evening finishing up my hardware selections for a new rig I'm going to build. But I'm multi-tasking and watching the new Terminator show on TV, no judgment so far, but I do feel that if a Terminator were going to protect me I would choose Summer Glau over the Governator. Easier on the eyes, ears.
Comments - [1] Permanent link
2007, Up in Smoke
Thursday, January 10, 2008 - 8:34:58 pm PDT
Posted by :: eek!
2007 was a good year for beer. My favs of the year. Anybody have anything that blew your socks off?
Dogfish Head Punkin Ale – The best pumpkin beer I have ever had. 7% with lots of spices.
New Glarus Unplugged Enigma – a sour Flanders Red from Wisconsin, delicious.
Gouden Carolus Triple – Triple used to be my go to but I haven’t had a lot lately. I dived back in. Big malty beginning with a taste of toffee and a great dry finish.
The Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter –Got lucky in N.C. liquor store and grabbed something different. Tastes of figs and raisons and other dark fruit with a good punch and lots of malt sweetness.
Alaskan Smoked Porter – I drank my words. I said that I didn’t like smoked beers but this proved my wrong. No taste of bacon just a good addition of smoke to a nice smooth and slightly sweet porter.
Honorable mention.
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
Founders Breakfast Stout
Bells Hopslam
St. Bernardus Abt 12
Rodenbach Grand Cru
Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus
Cheers.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
From The "Our Society Is Doomed" Dept.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008 - 7:08:16 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Damn liberals, always making more daylight!
$20 says this person is a Creationist.
Comments - [3] Permanent link
No Props Or Mini Rant
Monday, January 07, 2008 - 7:52:25 pm PDT
Posted by :: eek!
I watch a lot of cooking shows. It’s kind of an addiction. Its usually what the three of us do on Saturday nights. Most cooking shows end with the host enjoying the meal with wine and rarely beer. I am very happy when they include beer but ….. they don’t ever seem to talk about the beer. They seem to go on and on and on about the wine. Its blaa blaa grape and you get hints of blaa blaa blaa and notes of blaa blaa. But when it comes to the beer its pretty basic. Or recipes the include beer. It almost always says beer. Not an IPA or American Lager. Just beer. Not even a light beer or a dark beer. Just beer. How different would a recipe be if you put in a Imperial Stout or a Hefe weizen . Totally different. Thanks for letting me vent. I needed that.
Prost!
Comments - [2] Permanent link
3.5 Bodies Per Gallon
Monday, January 07, 2008 - 7:46:52 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Happy New Year fellow subjects of the empire. May the fires in our engines never go out.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
The Weather
Friday, January 04, 2008 - 11:37:09 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
We're getting pummeled by weather this morning in case you hadn't heard. Some of our stations are showing 70 mph wind gusts on Mt. Diablo and in the coastal hills the wind is up around 30 to 50 mph. Not to mention the rain is also dropping massive as well.
Makoto and I saw, I shit you not, a fucking palm tree broken in half on the way in to work this morning, and everyone at work says there's lots of debris on the streets. My office mate said there's an inch or so of water in the ball park across the street.
Then someone started sending around the satellite photos. Check out this massive spinning beast just sitting off the coast. It's pulling tons of moisture soaked air right up into the bay area. It's going to be a rainy weekend.
Update: Check this photo of the storm heading into Tahoe.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Now It's On! Obama!
Friday, January 04, 2008 - 7:44:41 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Comments - [4] Permanent link
Phone Call From The Future
Monday, December 31, 2007 - 11:21:45 am CST
Posted by :: Aaron
Makoto called me this morning from the year 2008. You'll be sad to learn that:
- There are no widespread service robots.
- George Bush Jr. is still president.
- It's a lot like 2007.
I did forget to ask about flying cars, so there's hope. I for one hope that all three of you reading this have a good new year. My plans for the holiday are tame. I think the parents and I are making gyoza, and probably turning in early. My flight home is early tomorrow, and while it's been a good trip I'm looking forward to getting back home and into my daily routine. Although I'm looking at the weather to the right and see that it's only 44 degrees there right now. That's not much of an improvement over the 30 degrees here. :(
Comments - [2] Permanent link
The Cave
Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 9:51:27 am CST
Posted by :: Aaron
I call the room where I used to sleep in my parent's house, The Cave. The reason for this is obvious when you see it. It's a windowless basement room that is pretty much a complete blackout when you shut the door. My room in San Francisco is a room with two windows that face west, and are pretty much light by 7 am. On most nights I can't remember my dreams at all, or even if I've had them or not. It seems that the cave somehow gives me the power of dream experience.
For the first few nights here, I had a dream about a homicidal little girl chasing me around. No one else seemed to understand that she was a murdering psychopath, so they would unlock doors she was outside and generally ignore her. To make it worse, she had that long black hair you see on creepy Japanese horror movies.
Last night took the cake though. I dreamed that one of my coworkers, usually a really nice guy, decided that we needed to water board all new employees. He was absolutely convinced this was a good business practice. When I tried to tell my boss he said, "I trust him, don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure it's not torture." So they water boarded some guy while I was yelling at them to stop. That was freaking bizarre.
The Cave was a good place to sleep when working nights, but I think I'll take my well lighted room over it.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Home For The Holidays
Friday, December 28, 2007 - 11:37:33 am CST
Posted by :: Aaron
Getting some good holiday time with friends and family this year. It's also snowing like it doesn't know how to stop, which is a cool change. Most of my winter survival powers have been completely destroyed by the climate of Northern California. I have a 15 degree range of temperature comfort now, so they should just rename San Francisco, Hotel California. You can checkout anytime you want but there's no leaving.
Mom and I stopped by a really nice wine store the other day on the way to the airport. I picked up an Oberon for about ten dollars cheaper than I'd seen it other places, and then got a nice looking Bordeaux.
Hit Free State in Lawrence with Rico and Paul this week also. Great brews there. I had the Hop jack Ale, and it was a wonderful taste. Very strong, lots of hops, but not overpoweringly bitter. To add to that the food was top fucking notch. The fish and chips was a great meal to slide down with some brews. Lawrence is lucky to have a quality brewery like Free State.
Afterward we went back to Paul's house and pretended to watch Eastern Promises. I'd say we're all now a little too familiar with the dangling parts of Viggo's anatomy. I think I had too much beer to say if the movie was good or not.
I must say though that seeing Rico and Paul makes me want to buy an xbox, as at least then we could probably game together. Tempting...
Not having Makoto here is a real downer. When we're apart for a couple of days it's not so bad, but I'm at my limit. It's good to be apart sometimes, as it reminds you of how much you take the other person for granted, but it's not long term good.
Nothing really new to report, other than one final thing. I'm reading World War Z
and it's pretty damn good. Yes, it's a zombie book, but the style it is written in makes it all worth it. It's an oral history, so it's the retelling of a past zombie outbreak from the mouths of survivors from all over the world. Very awesome.Comments - [0] Permanent link
Waterboarding
Monday, December 24, 2007 - 12:40:22 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
You can read about some dude waterboarding himself to see what it's like. Long story short...well I'll let him:
I'll put it this way. If I had the choice of being waterboarded by a third party or having my fingers smashed one at a time by a sledgehammer, I'd take the fingers, no question.
It's horrible, terrible, inhuman torture. I can hardly imagine worse. I'd prefer permanent damage and disability to experiencing it again. I'd give up anything, say anything, do anything.
Go read.
Comments - [0] Permanent link
This Flying Business
Sunday, December 23, 2007 - 10:29:41 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I'm not a fan of flying. I'm not super freaked out by it, but I have to say that falling 30,000 feet to my doom ranks near the top of shitty ways to die in my mind. Although once you get past the screaming terror it's a pretty quick lights out I'd imagine.
Every time I fly though, it forces me to confront my mortality, which is something that I try to do anyway. From that angle I guess it's good. The truth is, it's a totally irrational concern. Flying IS really safe, especially in the States. It's one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country, and beyond that the physics of flight is really on your side in an air plane. At the speed an airplane flies the air around you is like water in consistency as all the molecules try to get the hell out of the way of a sleek 500 mph piece of aluminum. At that speed the plane WANTS to be aloft. These are the things I tell myself anyway.
Truth be told it didn't bother me that much when I was younger. But flying is unfortunately wrapped up in memories for me, memories that left an indelible impression on me. I took my first international flight during my deconversion from Christianity. I remember taking off for Japan, not even a full two months after a nervous breakdown, somewhere between fervent believer and apostate. I was confused about my beliefs, I was obsessed with understanding, and I was clinging desperately to a faith that was no longer a comfort. I was in the midst of doubt, trying desperately to believe, and rocketing through the sky over a vast ocean to a country I had never seen and a woman who I believed would go to hell if I didn't save her. I wondered if I crashed at that moment, would I go to hell? I imagined the terrors of hell as they had been told to me, the eternal torments and suffering for all time. I prayed a lot on that flight, asking for God's guidance, begging for His illumination. The only illumination was from the video screens of bad movies, and the full moon over a black ocean as vast and frightening as eternity itself.
It was in Japan, in a noodle shop, that I realized I no longer believed and that no amount of begging, no about of rationalizing would bring back my previous state of mind. I had looked into the ugly face of my dogma, into my own poisoned soul and saw the truth of my small little world. I was illuminated, not with ultimate truth, but with acceptance that my beliefs could not win against my logic, and my ethics. Of my many thoughts that afternoon I remember several often, and one in particular. I thought to myself, that blind fear is no reason to believe anything. Fear is no indicator of Truth, and it was Truth for which I was looking. My flight home, while sad, was not filled with fear.
I have a flight tomorrow and so I am meditative. Even though I always wonder to myself before I fly, that when it comes my time to die, will I pray or beg? Will fear win? I told Makoto the other day that while I was mad at Christianity when I first left the religion, I no longer am. The only thing that ever really angers me is that I fear religion has stolen my ability to have a peaceful death. I will wrestle with irrational fear until my dying breath or at least that's what I'm afraid will happen. When you believe something fully for so long, it becomes a part of you, no matter how stupid it is. The animal in me fears death itself, it fears my non-existence, it fears the ending of me even if there were no hell fear in me. But I am not an animal. I am a man, and a man cannot let the animal within him rule. So I must always remind myself of death, and bring it before my sight constantly, so that when it comes it will not find me surprised and unprepared. It comes. Sooner, later, I know not, but it comes and I must not go to it in fear.
I am not without hope, and I am not crushed by my ending anymore. I feel like I have to stress this when I talk about death. It's a popular misconception amongst those who hate us heretics that we have nothing to hope for, or that, as I read in an opinion piece earlier, that our hope is unfounded. I do not live in fear, I do not cower before devils or gods. I have lived, and it was more likely that I would never be, but I have tasted this life. Each day is filled with beautiful things, and beautiful moments, no matter how simple or obscured by hardship. I have been fortune's child in many ways, and have done and seen things that others will never do more than hope for. I have loved, and been loved. My regrets are small, and my hope for the future of this planet after I am gone is cautiously optimistic.
Besides, I upgraded myself to business class. Boo ya! It was only $65, and since I just got my bonus, $65 is under my "fuck it" threshold. I looked at the seating chart for the plane and it was completely packed without a single seat to spare. So I will now be riding in wide leather seat style, and I have just finished The Golden Compass
, and starting The Subtle Knife so I will be entertained.Comments - [1] Permanent link
My Parents're Really Nice People, Mutha Fucka!
Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 7:25:51 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Probably everyone's seen this by now, but I just saw it. Awesome funnies:
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Travel Plans
Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 7:23:28 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
It seems I will be traveling a lot in the next few months. First I'm going to Kansass for the holidays, begining on the 24th, and returning to The City on the 1st. I have it on good authority that Mr. millontonshithammer will be joining our collective sometime after the first of the year. Our powers grow, as the opposition's diminish. Muahahahaha!
I'll be in Bloomington, IL on a short business trip from January 13th through January 15th and am hoping to see a large number of people in a short amount of time. I haven't been back to Bloomington since I left...so that's been quite some time. Almost four years? Over three for sure.
I also talked my boss into sending me to a career fair at my alma mater, KU! Hopefully I'll find some good Kansans who can hack. But otherwise, it will be a nice trip. That's in the middle of February.
Makoto's in Japan right now, as of Monday, but we'll be going together in Spring.
Time for work...
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Nixon's Spirit
Friday, December 14, 2007 - 7:07:34 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
Last night, after an evening filled with food and booze at our office holiday party, I had a fucked up dream. I dreamed that Hunter S. Thompson was reading to me the excerpt of his letter upon Nixon's death that Paul Oakenfold put into his song Nixon's Spirit. HST read it to me over and over and over again, to the point that I'm pretty sure I can now type it directly from memory. Let's see shall we...
Nixon's Spirit will be with us for the rest of our lives, whether you're me, or Bill Clinton, or you, or Bishop Tutu, or Kieth Richards, or Amy Fischer, or Boris Yeltsin's daughter or your fiancee's sixteen year old, beer drunk brother, with his braided goatee and his whole life like a thundercloud out in front of him. This is not a generational thing. You don't even have to know who Richard Nixon was to be a victim of his ugly, Nazi, spirit.
It looks like I missed Kirk Cobain. It also goes on, but I can't remember the rest because each time HST would say, "like a thundercloud" I would see the vision of a giant storm rolling across the plains and it would distract me. Finally I told him that while I was happy he was reading to me, I wished he would read something new. He looked at me kind of bewildered over his glasses and said, "There is no new." Then the dream ended.
After a night like that, I'm tired.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
Ain't Science A Bitch
Wednesday, December 12, 2007 - 7:35:15 am PST
Posted by :: Aaron
A couple of months ago one of DNA's mapping greats, James D. Watson said that Africans are genetically disposed to be less intelligent than European Whites, which is a direct cause of all the troubles in Africa. Forget colonialism, religion, climate change, culture and all that, it's the genes. Now, I've never been a big fan of Watson, mostly because I'm fairly sure he stole research from Rosalind Franklin and Raymond Gosling, which pretty much allowed him to make his big break. Without the photos that Rosalind took, who knows what would have happened, but he probably wouldn't have received a Nobel Prize. A good person would have given her credit, but maybe he thought women were genetically inferior. So when Watson made his recent comments, it struck me as another aging scientist turned stupid.
To me, this is one of the great strength of science over religion. In religion, some old guy who is celibate making rules about sex and relationships is seen as normal. A mullah that makes some pronouncement against an author without reading the book the author wrote is considered quite sane. In science, when you say something stupid, whether you won the Nobel Prize or not, someone is going to come along at some point and say, "Dude, you're black!" Yeah that's right, Watson has 16 times the number of African genes as an average European, and while he may be morally infantile he is or was quite intelligent. Hmm...this theory of yours may have flaws, old boy. For more info on this false tendency to explain cultural and economic differences through heredity, I suggest The Mismeasure of Man
by Steven J. Gould.I think it was Sun Tzu that said if you wait by the river long enough, you'll see the body of your enemy floating by. That river is Science!
Comments - [0] Permanent link
Running, Reading, Watching, Seeing
Monday, December 10, 2007 - 10:46:10 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
I went to the gym tonight for the first time in probably six months. I hate the gym, although it's not a meat head festival so that's workable. I also try to drag myself there with interesting listening material. Music drives me insane, so I started with history podcasts and now books in MP3 format. I've got these kickass headphones (I didn't pay even close to $300 for them so ignore the price on that page) which sit way down in the ear canal and block out all sound. The Big One could bring the building down on me and I probably wouldn't know it until a concrete slab crushes my skull. It makes for good, uninterrupted listening.
Right now I'm listening to American Gods, and damn is it good. I'd go back to the gym just to keep listening to it, which is the plan.
I'm also reading Sun of Suns, which is book one in the story of a whole world that exists in a water and air filled bubble that's floating in space. The denizens of this world have to build their own artificial suns to generate light and build cities on rotating platforms to generate gravity. It's a very detailed and expressive universe.
On the train I'm reading Foucault's Pendulum which I'd have a hard time recommending. I suppose you could call it a "thinking person's Da Vinci Code" but I would hesitate to do so. It's more like a thinking person's character study of the surrender of logic to endless belief, and the grasping mind's reach to align all facts into preconceived notions. That means no car chases but a lot of drawn out discussions over historical instances, mythical personages and conspiracy theories. I do say mad props for throwing in Le Comte, who it's was pointed out to me is the subject of some very "trashy but still awesome if you're in the mood for it" vampire books
of which I've read three.Other media I'm consuming...Dexter. It's a show about a serial killer who kills serial killers and it's fucking goddamn killer ass super awesome. Michael C. Hall, who played David Fisher, the gay, uptight brother from Six Feet Under plays Dexter. I have to say that Hall's acting really shows here. The Fisher character is truly gone, replaced by Dexter, with his false emotions and effortless violence. The title sequence alone, with it's obvious but still masterful symbolism, should win the show awards.
After suggestions by a coworker and prodding by Paul I've resumed watching Journeyman. It's the story a San Francisco newspaperman who finds himself spontaneously traveling into past eras of The City to fix things that went wrong. I know, you're thinking "Quantum Leap again, what?" but really the show is growing better and better with each episode. Most of the interesting bits are the people in his life dealing with his time traveling, and the reemergence of his thought to be dead, but totally a time traveler too, smoking hot ex-fiancee. She's played by, wait for it, Korinna Moon Bloodgood I shit you not. That is perhaps the coolest name, ever. The show is pure San Francisco porn, with some really over the top shots of the city as it has never existed. They've already done the 89 quake AND a
One last note for the benefit of my mom. It seems that the report from a month ago of the woman who was raped twice by the same dude five days apart, only a few blocks from our house, was bullshit. I believe both Hsan and I said at the time that the story sounded more fishy than the wharf, but we gave it the benefit of the doubt as is required. So, panic mode off. The double homicide two blocks away six months ago? Totally real, totally unsolved.
Comments - [2] Permanent link
His Dark Materials
Monday, December 10, 2007 - 7:14:30 pm PST
Posted by :: Aaron
When I was a Fundamentalist, there were many movies and pieces of culture that were considered off limits. It was not that they were forbidden to me, certainly not forbidden by my parents or anything. We were free to sample all but the most crude forms of media. When I was younger, my sister and I spent many hours watching MTV and watching movies that were rated R, which was often forbidden to our friends. But I do distinctly remember "boycotting", of my own free will, The Last Temptation of Christ. By boycotting I mean not going to see it although truth be told I would not have see it anyway had not heard that I should boycott it. I do remember that there was quite a movement against the film, and that the regular fundie rags would berate the film and the director for daring to retell the story of Christ outside of canonical textual material. I must say that I was very drawn into the concept of boycotting the film, believing it to be filth while never having seen the film myself.
During the time that I was leaving my religion and exploring other mystical traditions and religious practices, I began watching a lot of controversial media about religion. In my quest for information I had become aware of "competing" spiritual concepts in early Christianity, such as gnosticism, which had never been examined in the context of my modern church learning. This new knowledge made me very curious about films and stories that were based on these competing concepts. The Last Temptation of Christ is somewhat based upon the idea that Christ was human. It's interesting that this idea does not occur to believers, as it was a very heavily debated topic in early Christian societies. For example, the Byzantine empire's foundation was steeped in the controversy surrounding Christ's divinity which had very political roots as one emperor after another tried to establish their favored doctrine. Modern Christianity was created by sheer political will, through the maneuvering of political and religious authorities. By the time Protestantism rolled around, they forgot that the church system which the were protesting against had created all of the doctrine that had been shoved down their throats. The competing teachings had been burned out of existence.
It was in this spirit that I first watched The Last Temptation of Christ. I found it to be a fine film, well made, with an interesting message about Christ. I suggest you watch it if you find yourself with the time and inclination.
I am thinking about this now with the new movie The Golden Compass in mind. I have heard that the movie is not so good, but lets avoid that for a moment. The thing that interests me is that the Catholic League and other religious authorities have come out against the movie, going so far as to celebrate its low box office earnings. I quote from that link:
“Let this be a lesson to militant atheists like Pullman: keep your hollow beliefs to yourself. And ease up on demonizing Catholicism—no other religion has done more to promote human rights, science and goodwill. Why not make a movie about that?”
That right there is an