Dreader

2005-09-30T14:13:00.000-04:00

CNN.com - Bennett under fire for remarks on blacks, crime - Sep 30, 2005 I believe it's conservatives who are saying that liberals are racist these days? Well, this clearly shows what an accepting, wonderfully tolerant group conservatives really are. This is the kind of person that they breed, clearly. Someone who won't appologize for saying that all black babies, if aborted, would reduce crime. That sounds just like Hitler's eugenics programs. Thanks Bill, for letting us know what your conservative GOP really stands for: racism and intollerance. See, conservatives cannot exist in a free society, because they DON'T BELIEVE IN FREEDOM. They believe in some perverse evangelical homogonized dystopia. It's getting clearer by the day.

2005-05-12T11:02:00.000-04:00

So, I'm well on my way to buying an apartment, provided no one throws boiling coffee at the other party at the closing

That said, I feel like there are some things that I wish someone had told me before I got into the process. The things I learned, (in no particular order) are these:

1. Never listen to your real estate agent. Just understand that it's always in his or her best interest for you to buy quickly. That applies to sellers too. They want you to sell as soon as possible. The good thing is that they don't really care about price too much -- only as it relates to extending the buying process (in that if you low-ball and negotiation ensues, it could take a longer time than if you just offered at the asking price). I wouldn't say that they were particularly helpful or reliable in the beginning.

2. Listen to your real estate agent when you've had a bid accepted and you're ready to buy. They become your advocate for getting the process over and done with as quickly as possible at that point. Generally, that can be in your interest if you want to close quickly. Plus, they know and understand everything that needs to happen and they'll tell you what you need to do.

3. Get a lawyer that your friends recommend. This is someone that you need to trust. If you don't have any friends who've used a lawyer, look around on chat boards for advice. This is someone who is worth what you pay them.

4. Do a long period of researching prices before you go out and look for real. The best thing you can do is understand what it costs to live in the areas you're interested in. If you don't know what the baseline is, you could easily end up paying 450K for 600 sq. ft. in a bad neighborhood. Your agent doesn't care. In fact, they're there saying things like, "You can't really beat this location," and, "This neighborhood is going nowhere but up." Once you find out what things actually cost, you'll be able to go to look at apartments and not feel lost.

5. The google maps - craigslist mashup is your friend. Bear in mind, this isn't the be all end all of prices or location, but it's a good place to start to understanding where prices are in a neighborhood. It's better than anything you'd ever get from an agent.

6. Look at the neighborhood/real estate blogs if there are any. Curbed really helped me find places to get information about the neighborhoods I was looking in -- about future development plans, about crime, about culture, about prices, and everything really. It's all opinionyfactish, but it's something more than your opinion.

7. Look for value that is greater than your own. I was torn between two places but ultimately was able to establish that one of them had a much higher intrinsic value than the other (given the prices).

8. Be a real estate dork and make decision matricies and cost analyses. Not quantifying everything as objectively as possible will only make your decision harder (if you have to make one). First, you must know exactly what you can afford. This isn't just the price of the place, but the taxes, communal charges, closing fees, lawyers fees, home owners insurance, title fees, and anything else that crops up. If you don't know that stuff as clearly as possible, you may end up under water. Second, you must document what it is that's important in a piece of real estate: size, location, fees, cost, fixtures, layout, closet space, floors, walls, appliances, neighbors, neighborhood, utility costs, etc. Then, if you're comparing apartments, you must compare and weight these features in terms of importance. Trust me, for 5 minutes of work, it will make any tough decision SO EASY.
I had to choose between two places, one small in a really nice neighborhood, and one large in sleepier neighborhood. My gut was to go with the smaller, less nice place in a subjectively better neighborhood. But, after I made a real analysis of the attributes of the apartments, it ended up appearing incredibly stupid to take the one in the "better" neighborhood: the value wasn't there. About 60% of my freinds were saying "location, location, location." The other 40% said, "value, value, value." I think if I had told the 60% about the cost differential of the apartments, that they would have said, "value, value, value." Which leads me to . . .

9. Always get the advice of people you trust . . . bring them with you to look at apartments if they'll come. I found it extremely helpful to have people come and look at the apartments with me. They helped me understand what was valuable about the places that I saw that I hadn't noticed, or what was terrible about the apartments that I missed entirely. A second set of eyes that isn't invested in your project (except because they don't want you to make a bad decision) is someone you need to have around.

All in all, the process of finding an apartment wasn't so terrible. It was ultimately pretty okay (or at least right now it is). The important thing to remember is that there is a procedure to doing this sort of thing (lawyers and brokers do it every day) and you'll be helping yourself a great deal if you understand what that procedure is. You'll be able to sleep easier.

PHEW!

2005-04-22T15:50:00.000-04:00

Technology Licensing - HyperSonic Sound

this is an incredible idea: truly directional sound without interference. I wish I could think of things like this.

2005-04-22T15:27:00.000-04:00

Blogwise - Blog directory

This is kind of helpful to see, but for whatever reason, it's not particularly helpful. I'd really like to be able to find more valuable blogs, but for whatever reason, I don't exactly know where to go. Sadly, this doesn't really help much. What I want to see is information blogs but using a search engine isn't going to give me what I want . . . I guess I want to start with popularity and work backwards from their. Is that possible?

2005-04-05T15:24:00.000-04:00

So it's been about two weeks since I last wrote. Since then Terry died, the pope died, and I've had an excellent vacation in sunny Las Vegas/California. I can honestly say that I'm quite glad that these things have finally come to rest. That doesn't mean that I'm glad they're dead, but I got tired of hearing about people argue about the quality of life and musing on the possibilities surrounding this woman. It was boring and self-rightious. So glad it's over.

As for the pope. Again, probably someone who I would have liked personally, but completely disagreed with in so many ways. He seemed nice enough, but I can't say that I had an easy time reconcilling that "nice enough" with his beliefs. Again, not to say that I'm glad that he's gone, but at least he's no longer dealing with a extremely difficult life . . . sound familiar?

2005-03-22T17:18:00.000-05:00

Republicans Respond to Evangelicals on Schiavo

Although I find this to be sickening (the way our federal gov't has intervened), I am thrilled to see the Republicans bending over backwards to appease their base. It's this kind of grotesque abuse of power in the name of the religious zealots that will hopefully continue until mid-term elections. With any luck, the Republican majority will be scuttled by their complete and obvious beholdenness to evangelicals, big business with agendas that run counter to the interests of the people, and to right wing idealist psychopaths that think that the way to safety is through the minefield of perpetual war.

2005-03-22T14:50:00.000-05:00

Small Merchants Adopt 'Weird' PR Campaign

This is one of those things that makes me think that people have had their heads in the ground for years. It's obvious that big box retailers destroy local businesses. It's not their aim, but it is what they do. They're out to make a profit. I think it's a travesty that they don't acknowledge the impact that they have . . . which is basically rotting out the core of every mid-sized city in America so that we can all have low-priced crap made in 3rd world countries at a low low price. The sad thing is that that low-low price is necessary because stores like that destroyed the manufacturing jobs that allowed people to afford the more expensive goods. Shopping at big box stores is very much a "pay a little now, pay a lot latter" equation.

2005-03-06T15:55:00.000-05:00

Florida School Testing South Beach Diet

"[we want to] igure out whether school cafeterias are capable of serving more nutritious food, whether kids will eat it and whether their health will improve."

Why not find out if their education is improved as a result of better nourishment. I would suspect it would be, but this would definitely be the test to find out.

2005-03-02T11:28:00.000-05:00

SANYO -SolarArk-

This is an amazing solar generation power facility in Japan. However, what's sad is that it generates only enough electricity to power 200 homes for a year. But -- now that I think about it -- woudn't it be possible to create this at a very small level for every home? A micro power generation facility for each home? If this very large thing can power 200 homes, wouldn't something smaller (1/200th the size, perhaps) power one home?

2005-02-10T09:08:00.000-05:00

North Korea Says It Has Nuclear Weapons

Our foriegn policy attempts to control North Korea's nuclear ambitions have been about as effective as my attempts to prevent my cat from trying to sleep on my face every morning. Wouldn't it have been more effective to not create the circumstances under which one might be motivated to create nuclear weapons? That said, perhaps this is part of some larger strategy -- you don't go out of your way to call three nations assholes without having some larger plan, do you? Of course, it is The Bush Admin we're talking about here -- very secretive, very duplicitous, so it will be interesting to see in their view of history if this is what was intended. One thing is for certain, though, one nation that didn't have Nukes who would like to use them against the US now does -- and wasn't in any way prevented from doing so, and was virtually encouraged to do so.

The current administration's view of diplomacy is about as effective as my department's ability to communicate with other departments in this company -- abrasive and irritating, if anything at all.

2005-02-09T13:43:00.000-05:00

Mechanical Confections

This artwork is pretty neato. I don't know that I would pay for it, but it certainly inspires me to want to create a Rube Goldberg machine (for those of you know in the know, those are the sophisticated mousetrap-like machines that often use golf balls, bells, and funnels). Gina Kamentsky has been creating these sculptures incorporating found metal objects and has set up this site. In any case, it's always nice to be inspired about something -- which is something that I find to be completely lacking in much of my day-to-day. Although I sure do love roller coaster tycoon 3 -- which, if you turn your head sideways far enough, seems roughly similar to Gina Kamentsky's art.

2005-02-09T10:35:00.000-05:00

Ward Churchill (Colo. Professor) Issues Defiant Speech

This is the guy who referred to the victims in the World Trade Center (those who actually had jobs working for the companies and not the Fire Fighters, Janitors, etc) as little Eichmanns. It's a silly thing to say. He'e entitled to his opinion, but what's so curious to me about this situation is that he's the Head of the Ethnic Studies Dept. at U fo Colorado at Boulder, so it seems like he'd have more than enough wisdom to not make such a statement in such an unhelpful way, and also that he appears to be very closely tied with Native Americans. Do Native Americans share his views? I wonder.

2005-02-08T18:21:00.000-05:00

URBANintelligence

I got to guest post on another blog. Of course, they have no audience and neither do I, so it begs that age old question: if a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, does it actually make a sound. The answer to this is no. No one gives a shit and I'm okay with that.

2005-02-03T17:39:00.000-05:00

I've got a message for all you business motherfuckers who put the word "Thanks" at the end of an email that reads:

I hope that your head gets crushed in a vise while you work on this meaningless project for me because I personally find satisfaction in crushing your ambitions and life between my thumb and index finger. I'll be very disappointed if this request doesn't ruin your night and weekend.

Thanks,
Carol

Or even more frustrating:

I haven't even remotely considered what impact this will have on anything that your working on (even though I already know what you are working on), or your mental wellbeing, but could you take an hour or two out of your day to come over and blow me.

Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks,
Greg

Please stop saying thank you. Because every time you do, I curse your soul.

2005-02-03T09:58:00.000-05:00

Universal's Second Chance to Make Video Pay

Another atrociously idiotic move by a record company: let's start charging for our built in free distribution system and penalize companies for promoting our artists for us. Sounds like a plan, the sooner I don't have to listen to another U2 or $.50 song, the better. And this may have the unintended effect of making other artists who actually like having their work heard by people actually get heard by people.

In a twisted way, I'm actually quite glad that the major record companies are imploding -- it means that many artists who previously found it difficult to break through will be found. With record companies gone, it may open up the promotional avenues such as MTV and radio stations to local and other previously unknown artists (because there is no culture jam of shitty over hyped and promoted artists).

Potentially the downside is that the quality of recordsing will go down (the actual productiojn value, that is), but it seems unlikely given that clearly where there is a will, there is a way. Here's to hoping the fat cats get crushed under their own fat guts.

2005-02-02T23:07:00.000-05:00

Google second class with hipsters?

Since when did hipsters have an opinion on the internet and what search engine to use? Last time I checked, they were all hanging out in Williamsburg, smoking cigarillos, wearing leg warmers, and enjoying Artaris from days gone by. Just because the O.C says something doesn't make it hip. It actually may just make it tired.

2005-02-02T22:59:00.000-05:00

virginbrand.com

I don't know if I really get the concept of this website but here goes nothing: virgin has set up a blog to monitor it's brand and the trends surrounding it. Seems like a silly thing to do -- seeing as how unusual it is for a brand to exist in such an overtly editorial way. Nevertheless, it could prove to be an interesting concept if we get to see blogs from other companies as well that actually express something. Can you imagine what a car manufacturer would have to say: something really coy and irreverent if was Mini and perhaps practical and square if it were Buick.

On second thought, perhaps it's not such a good idea. I really don't know that I want to hear what Macy's thinks of stockings or what Fresh Direct things of a sugar embargo with Cuba.

2005-01-31T09:44:00.000-05:00

Here's my obligatory plug for The Vitamen. I haven't listened to this album for a while (a month), but I just popped it in and started giving it another listen. I have to say, the song Coward is really good -- asking the age old question, am I a coward because I'm not ready to die yet? Perhaps it's not age old. Perhaps it's not even old at all. But the fact remains that for some reason, this is a band that I can relate to. That could be because I know them -- but it also definitely has something to do with the fact that they're awesome.

Sorry to be such a bore about this band, but I can't help myself. I'm totally sick of the working thing and really, it'd be nice to be in a band . . . so I fantasize by listening to them. And working at an entertainment company makes you understand exactly how much it sucks to have worthless shits sucking up to you all the time . . . It would be wonderful to have the worthless motherfuckers here having to suck my ass because I had some stupid fucking album come out. And the thing that drives me even more crazy is that these assholes think that they're creative because they suck up to famous people. Blows my motherfucking mind.

2005-01-27T11:39:00.000-05:00

This is a Chimera -- this animal could be created soon! Isn't that swell? Why not create a Gryphon. That'd be infintely cooler.

2005-01-27T11:36:00.000-05:00

Animal-Human Hybrids Spark Controversy

This is fantastic. I'm so glad that I'm alive right now, and I'm not even sarcastic. Who gives a shit if Howard Stern moves to Satellite Radio or if Janet Jackson showed her breast intentionally on TV -- this is awesomely cutting edge. Pigs with human blood? Mice with human brains? Rabbits with human legs? This is ultimately much, much cooler than the internet.

2005-01-24T13:40:00.000-05:00

This is an angry me. An "army of me" if you would. Now that I can post pictures to my blog, you'll be seeing a bit more of them. This was a test. There will be no more tests. Only the real thing. And no more stupid pictures of me.
Posted by Brock

2005-01-24T11:14:00.000-05:00

San Francisco May Charge for Grocery Bags

They've been charging for grocery bags in Germany for years and it definitely encouraged me and my mom to bring our own bags -- or to buy one set of bags from the store and use them again and again. Germany was definitely not suffering from the same level of plastic bag pollution I see in New York on a daily basis. But, then again, the culture there is more "practical" in the sense that they're more willing to engage in behaviours that suck in the short term for pay-off in the long term (such as complex recycling laws in general, very high taxes, and extremely articulate and exhaustive laws).

2005-01-20T16:16:00.000-05:00

Inauguration: Lifestyles of the Rich and Heartless
By Christy Harvey, Judd Legum and Jonathan Baskin with Nico Pitney and Mipe Okunseinde

The Progress Report

Thursday 20 January 2005 -- Due to $17 million worth of inaugural security - paid for by the city of Washington, D.C. - the Progress Report is unable to access its office. Never fear - it takes a lot more than that to keep us down. We put this list together for you ahead of time. Your regularly scheduled Progress Report returns tomorrow.

A look at this week's festivities by the numbers:

$40 million: Cost of Bush inaugural ball festivities, not counting security costs.

$2,000: Amount FDR spent on the inaugural in 1945 - about $20,000 in today's dollars.

$20,000: Cost of yellow roses purchased for inaugural festivities by D.C.'s Ritz Carlton.

200: Number of Humvees outfitted with top-of-the-line armor for troops in Iraq that could have been purchased with the amount of money blown on the inauguration.

$10,000: Price of an inaugural package at the Fairmont Hotel, which includes a Beluga caviar and Dom Perignon reception, a chauffeured Rolls Royce and two actors posing as "faux" Secret Service agents, complete with black sunglasses and cufflink walkie-talkies.

400: Pounds of lobster provided for "inaugural feeding frenzy" at the exclusive Mandarin Oriental hotel.

3,000: Number of "Laura Bush Cowboy cookies" provided for "inaugural feeding frenzy" at the Mandarin hotel.

$1: Amount per guest President Carter spent on snacks for guests at his inaugural parties. To stick to a tight budget, he served pretzels, peanuts, crackers and cheese and had cash bars.

22 million: Number of children in regions devastated by the tsunami who could have received vaccinations and preventive health care with the amount of money spent on the inauguration.

1,160,000: Number of girls who could be sent to school for a year in Afghanistan with the amount of money lavished on the inauguration.

$15,000: The down payment to rent a fur coat paid by one gala attendee who didn't want the hassle of schlepping her own through the airport.

$200,500: Price of a room package at D.C.'s Mandarin Oriental, including presidential suite, chauffeured Mercedes limo and outfits from Neiman Marcus.

2,500: Number of U.S. troops used to stand guard as President Bush takes his oath of office

26,000: Number of Kevlar vests for U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan that could be purchased for $40 million.

$290: Bonus that could go to each American solider serving in Iraq, if inauguration funds were used for that purpose.

$6.3 million: Amount contributed by the finance and investment industry, which works out to be 25 percent of all the money collected.

$17 million: Amount of money the White House is forcing the cash-strapped city of Washington, D.C., to pony up for inauguration security.

9: Percentage of D.C. residents who voted for Bush in 2004.

66: Percentage of Americans who think this over-the-top inauguration should have been scaled back.

2005-01-20T09:33:00.000-05:00

The Strangerhood

My god, this is demented. So Someone has gone so far beyond the pale with "The Sims" that he's found someone else as obsessed with "The Sims" as he is and partnered to create a virtual TV show of the characters he has created in the game. I don't know exaclty why I find this horrifying, but I really can't see it any other way. Click the link above to learn why you should run the other way if you ever happen uopn one of the creators.

2004-12-23T08:38:00.000-05:00

The National Institutes of Health: Public Servant or Private Marketer?

Now what I wonder is, why are people surprised about this, and why aren't they outraged that this is what the political parties do ALL THE TIME (and for some reason, they don't think it's wrong).

2004-12-13T14:23:00.000-05:00

I just got an album -- The Vitamen "Children of the Bear".

This is probably one of the best albums I've gotten all year. These guys are all about rock, mistakes, humor, and everything else. Very refreshing. I'd give it an nine out of ten.

2004-10-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

Anheuser-Busch cooks up sweeter brew for club goers

"Anheuser-Busch says it will introduce a caffeinated, sweet-flavored beer for twentysomething club goers to compete with the flavored rums and vodkas gaining ground on the dance floor."

America, you asked for it and you got it: B to the E Power. I shit you not. That is what it's called. Just what we need, jacked up meatheads drunk as hell on something called B to the E Power. Superb. Thanks a fuckload A-B.

2004-09-27T12:37:00.000-04:00

In the Village, Sex Shops Multiply and Test a Neighborhood's Tolerance

If it's gaudy sex shops that people don't like, then why don't they just make the signage illegal? Moreover, instead of the stock rule, why not make it a sales rule (where 60% of what you actually sell has to be non-pornographic -- this would ultimately make the estabilshment have to cater more towards a local audience).

2004-09-20T11:23:00.000-04:00

CNN.com - Taliban diplomat condemns attacks - September 11, 2001

Note the sentence where: Officials say they had no intelligence beforehand that a massive terrorist plot was under way.

Politics is so unbelieveably frustrating.

2004-09-20T09:53:00.000-04:00

Hastert's al Qaeda comment draws fire - Sep 19, 2004

That's right, give old Dennis the Menace enough rope and he'll hang himself and the whole party with him.

2004-09-16T17:59:00.000-04:00

Yahoo!Ex-Guardsman: Probe Gaps in Bush Service

A-Ha! finally someone who sees the forest for the trees.

2004-09-10T14:12:00.000-04:00

Bush: Flip-Flopper

Apparently Bush is a politician too. And a mighty sturdy flip-flop when he's not being politically savvy. It's rather tragic when all the bullshit is cut away that really, all politicians say what they feel like the voters want to hear . . . regardless of what they actually intend on doing.

2004-09-09T18:35:00.000-04:00

ABCNEWS.com : White House Missed Chance to Kill Osama

Not to be a conspiricy theorist or anything (now that merely bringing up a contrary opinion can be considered "un-American"), but seeing as how ready the Bush admin has been to criticize the Clinton Admin for not pursuing Osama bin Laden, I think this illustrates the pre-9/11 mindset in thsi country that all the parties had. Of course, this would have been a bit more significant if it had gotten more play.

2004-09-09T16:22:00.000-04:00

A Digital Generation's Analog Chic

See, I really appreciate this. I'm completely sick of all this "super techy" looking stuff that is everywhere. Retro throwbacks work well not simply because they're retro, but also because they looked nicer. Plastic doesn't age as well as wood . . . except when it's wraped around a comically sized cellphone. Atari, Nintendo, and old computers don't even look that cool; certainly not as cool as old time radios or 1st generation cell phones. Thankfully there are some tech geeks out there that get this and have decided to do something about it.

These two outfit radios and toasters with personal computers.

2004-09-07T19:16:00.000-04:00

Cheney Resorts to Tactics Used in Nazi Germany

If Kerry were elected, Cheney said the nation risks falling back into a "pre-9/11 mind-set" that terrorist attacks are criminal acts that require a reactive approach. Instead, he said Bush's offensive approach works to root out terrorists where they plan and train, and pressure countries that harbor terrorists.

WHAT THE FUCK?! Who the fuck are these people? So, let me get this straight: if I don't vote for Bush, I'm basically inviting upon myself the pre-9/11 years . . . the years of the greatest peace and prosperity this country has ever seen . . . the years that I'll fondly remember. And, if I do vote for Bush, I get more fear and hate-mongering that I can expect from the Right, right?

Perhaps it's not that simplistic. However, the one thing that is clear, is that if I vote for Bush, there are a few things that I can count on: the most divided country I've ever seen; a country that is constantly being reminded that we're at war and that we should be fearful (isn't that in some way terrorism?); we will continue to live in a country that is being "led" to conflict with our allies; we will be ever more polarized and divided by class; the rich will certainly get richer -- and the poor will get poorer, but there will be more of them; my taxes will continue to get spent on people who don't live within our borders -- and spent on those people by way of dropping bombs on them.

A vote for John Kerry seems to be a vote for someone who is willing to do the whole job or combating the problems that plague not only our country but every country. This can't be done with bombs and nonsensical Christian Right wacko propaganda, this has to be done with a mind not towards wiping out a group of people, but to making it impossible for them to find sympathy with anyone. That requires a tenacity and focus that the Right doesn't have. The left is interested, not in negotiation, but in creating a climate where terrorism has no need to exist. In a world where people are fed, where they have access to justice, where they have access to education, where they have things that are valuable that they can lose. In a world where the stakes are larger than living to see another day, the values change.

The right has no interest in creating that world. They are our emotional and irrational side; They want blood and guts (not on TV of course); they want to see people physically pay, just as terrorists want to see us physically pay for whatever it is that 3,000 innocent people did; they want black and white -- incendentally so do the terrorists; They want the middle class to pay for it (certainly not the oil companies, commodities, and energy traders that will benefit the most from a safe autocratic Middle East); They have contempt ofr poor and religious people because they think the vote only on single issues; they have contempt for the American political process because they think that it is their birthright to be in power; they don't believe in democracy because if they did, they wouldn't THREATEN YOU IF YOU VOTED FOR ANYONE ELSE. Republicans are bullies who have now engaged in the worst kind of voter intimidation.

It is the policy that militarism can solve all our problems that has brought us to the brink like this. This administration doesn't understand what it's like to die in a war because none of them have ever seen combat (except Colin Powell and he's the only one who has EVER expressed reservations). It is the policies of the neo-concervatives that steer the policies of this administration that make for an endless cycle of violence . . . If you don't beleive me, look at India and Pakistan. Look at Israel and Palestine. There are so many examples it never ends. The only way to stop the cycle is to be man enough to say that there has to be another way. If your enemy is unreasonable, then you should be able to show everyone that, right? If no one believes you, maybe your being unreasonable?

2004-09-07T08:49:00.000-04:00

CNN.com - Putin: Why talk to child killers? - Sep 7, 2004

"Why don't you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the White House and engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give it to him so he leaves you in peace?" the Russian president was quoted as saying by Britain's Guardian newspaper on Tuesday.

"You find it possible to set some limitations in your dealings with these bastards, so why should we talk to people who are child-killers?" said Putin, who spoke to a group of foreign journalists and academics late on Monday.

See, this is why you don't do the whole "go it alone" tack with people unless you constantly want to be accused of being hypocritical in your dealings with countries who may (or may not) be being unreasonable. Congratulations, George -- apparently foriegn policy requires a little more finesse than your administration is capable of mustering up.

2004-09-02T14:17:00.000-04:00

Yahoo! News - Powell: U.S. Misjudged Insurgents in Iraq

Hallelujah! Why is Colin Powell the only person I can trust in the Bush Admin? Perhaps it's because he's the only half-honest nuanced positioned person there?

That doesn't mean I like him.

2004-09-02T13:00:00.000-04:00

Yahoo! News - Anti-Bush Protesters Swarm Grand Central Station

I find it really alarming that 1700 people have been arrested in four days -- all for political protests. This is beginning to feel a bit like China: where you can arrest your opposition, and those in power look along in glee as it all happens. So, the Republicans make sure that the rich get richer and that poor stay, well, poor. That way they can't organize or protest or be effective in any way . . . Just so long as everyone stays home and watches the FCC ordained news services that carry the approved messages, we'll all be happier.

2004-08-31T08:55:00.000-04:00

The New York Times > Washington > Campaign 2004 > Confrontations: Protesters' Encounters With Delegates on the Town Turn Ugly: "Still, he said, 'Our delegates understand the old adage, do unto others as they do unto you.'"

Isn't the old adage "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?" No, I'm certain now, what he said isn't the adage at all. It's the credo of the republican party . . . Basically, we're entitled to do whatever we want based on our interpretation of events. Sounds like entitlement to me.

2004-08-25T13:05:00.000-04:00

Kick Bush's Ass . . . er, with an Ass

This is by far the oddest thing I've seen in the campaign.

2004-08-14T08:39:00.000-04:00

Michael Moore Breaking News! So here's the video of porter goss (bush's cia nominee) stating quite clearly that he isn't qualified for the job.

2004-08-13T08:56:00.000-04:00

Nutri-grain

I feel great.

2004-08-12T11:08:00.000-04:00

An unqualified success at the CIA?

Yikes. I guess having someone totally unqualified appointed by the Bush Administration is par for the course, but this ridiculous.

2004-08-12T09:09:00.000-04:00

Democracy in Action.

And how.

This is a little video that came out several months ago that really cuts to the heart of what is the matter with the Bush Administration. Their complete contempt for everyone's intelligence (except their own, mind you) is so obvious that it makes them poorly suited for anything other than intimidation and war (oh, and lying).

2004-08-11T11:28:00.000-04:00

CNN.com - Half-ton man drops 321 pounds

He's not pretty. At all. He does have pretty eyes, though. I think that's swell.

2004-08-11T09:45:00.000-04:00

AuthenticGOP.com

Fucking Nazis. This is the GOP equivalent of Timothy Leary's Electric Kool-aid Acid Test, and his band of Zen Tricksters. Except these people are hucksters. And they're Nazis.
I hate these bastards.

2004-08-11T09:28:00.000-04:00

Bin Laden hints major assassination

So,let's see, hmmm ... maybe it's Clinton. No, no, no, that would be if Al Qaeda engaged in character assassination and was the Republican Party. Maybe it'll be John Kerry. Then maybe we'd have like a Mel Carnahan/John Ashcroft election where Bush loses to a dead man. That'd be so wonderful.

Plus it would provide endless fodder for conspiricy theorists: John F Kerry . . . John F Kennedy . . . Bush wanted him dead and gave him a warning in advance via the drudgereport.com and washingtontimes.com. Oh I can't wait for an assassination -- nothing like a horrible political destablization in your own country to make Holloween all the more scary.

2004-08-10T16:31:00.000-04:00

BMW (Beautiful Meadow World)

Draw short little lines and longer lines from the bottom and see what happens.

2004-08-10T15:22:00.000-04:00

You're Entering a World of Lebowski

Far fucking out, man. Far fucking out.

2004-08-09T13:48:00.000-04:00

Churches See an Election Role and Spread the Word on Bush

I really have a hard time feeling okay about our country when I share it with these people. This whole "sent by God" nonsense or "on a mission from God" garbage is just plain revolting to me. It really begins to make sense why religion should be COMPLETELY separate from the state -- A fact that most rational people see all to well.

How on earth can you argue with someone who appeals to an invisible unprovable source of "rightness." It's like arguing with a schizophrenic drunk.

2004-08-09T13:10:00.000-04:00

Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking

I can't believe I'm going to read this book, but I can't help myself. I've read the beginning of it, and shockingly, it's a real page-turner.

2004-08-06T18:04:00.000-04:00

Yahoo! News - Funk Singer Rick James Dies at Age 56

He was Rick James, Bitch! I always liked what he did. I mean, he was totally shady, but that's kind of what made him so interesting.

2004-08-06T12:48:00.000-04:00

Yahoo! News - Unabashed Racist Wins GOP Primary in Tenn.: "An unabashed racist will represent the Republican party in the November election for a congressional seat after a write-in candidate failed to derail his effort. "

Now that's what I call the politics of inclusion. This is amazing! I love it.

So, now how is it that the Republican party intends to court any minority votes in this country, given the resounding endorsement of this candidate by their party?

2004-08-06T09:56:00.000-04:00

Yahoo! News - 3-Letter Word Sparks Scrabble Scramble

I hate scrabble. But I like this guy.

2004-08-05T18:15:00.000-04:00

I rest my case -- this man is insane.

2004-08-05T13:18:00.000-04:00

USATODAY.com - New 'Bushism' born at bill signing
I would expect no less from such brilliance.

2004-08-04T14:24:00.000-04:00

The Corner on National Review Online: "'It's always a simple matter to drag people along,' noted Hitler's sidekick Herman Goering, whether it's a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a parliament or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them that they are being attacked, denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism, and expose the country to danger -- and exposing the country to danger. And it works the same in any country,' "

Although the national review obviously points to this as an atrocious attack on our precious, vulnerable, popular, loveable, charitable, and honest president -- I think it perfectly and articulately encapsulates the attempts by the powers that be to muzzle dissent in this country. Unfortunately, when you call a spade a spade, you invariably get attacked for being too forward.

On thing, though -- why is that everyone ALWAYS uses fucking Nazis or communists to prove their political viewpoints?

2004-04-29T15:55:00.000-04:00

ThePresident's Testimony

Yes, my thougts exactly. This president is a fucking pile of horsehit dressed in a suit. He's "very honest" though. Yes, oh THANK YOU Mr. President for daning to come and talk to this commitee of citizens while not under oath and while sitting on Pappy Cheney's lap. Yes, you're SO HONEST. Who's a good boy? You are. Yes you are. thank you SO much for doing your FUCKING DUTY. Lying, duplicitous, smirking, disingenious, sack of shit.

2004-03-22T16:09:00.000-05:00

CNN.com - RNC tells TV stations not to run anti-Bush ads - Mar 6, 2004: Wow, the RNC really aren't really interested in the 1st amendment at all . . . I think that the RNC assumes that because they take in money hand over fist from greedy assholes and religious zealots that those who want to see them out of power do too . . . I mean, seriously, what kind of rich person advocates for the poor -- especially if they aren't clearly going to get credit for it.

2004-03-22T15:58:00.000-05:00

BushOut.TV: Anti-Bush Archives This is a pretty good site, especially considering that I really don't like bush, but don't find myself in bed with the DNC either so I can't say that I love they're attitude -- even though I'll vote for them any day before any social conservative hick.

2004-03-04T12:27:00.001-05:00

I haven't spoken with you in a long time. Simply put: work sucks. My job is empty. Hold me. Love me. Rah Rah Rah. Sis-koum-bah.

Why does everyone I work with have to be such a pea-nas.

2004-03-04T12:27:00.000-05:00

I haven't spoken with you in a long time. Simply put: work sucks. My job is empty. Hold me. Love me. Rah Rah Rah. Sis-koum-bah.

Why does everyone I work with have to be such a pea-nas.

2004-02-12T14:01:00.000-05:00

What the fuck?! Apparently I've been so far out of touch with my blog that I'm not logged in anymore.

Fuck that shit.

2004-01-22T15:49:00.000-05:00

My Station Listen to my launchcast Station. Dammit.

2004-01-16T09:43:00.000-05:00

"How do you seek to curb the baser instincts of a community of autonomous players? Is repression the answer? Or do you have to give people incentives to behave better all by themselves? "

This is the best story about the sims ever. I really want to play. Badly. It's so sad, but I'm really interested in it. I want to be a part of a shady community full of drug addicts, hell bent lunatics and prostitutes, lead by a despotic game company. Honestly. I do.

2004-01-14T17:16:00.000-05:00

So I've been busy. Sorry.

It's not like I deliberately abandoned you. I was just going through some shit. Thankfully I'm back. So thank me for coming back.

It looks like the DNC hasn't got there shit together still. And the RNC has done a wonderful job making liberals look like a bunch of haters. I don't understand why progressives, liberals, and all democrats can't just compromise one iota so we don't have to have another 4 years of this.

I wish Colin Powell would run instead of Bush. At least he uses his head and ears.

Dean, on the other hand, although he appeals to my sense of ire and frustratation, really doesn't have my issues. I would be much more likely to vote for Kerry. He just seems smarter. More diplomatic. He won't make things worse.

2003-12-11T09:34:00.000-05:00

Friendster - Brock:
Now this is what I call a testimonial!

"I have known Brock for so many years now, it is quite difficult to know what to say. From the moment we met kismet seemed to draw about us. we had our first encounter stealing from the pockets of the dead on a battlefield in Provence in 1916 and then a second unexpected encounter in a Stalinist re-education camp in 1927. It would seem that we were destined to enjoy a winning friendship as those around us suffered. But I suppose my lasting impression of Brock will be of our disasterous time spent in Uzbekistan. We had been there working for the local strongman to develop better means of repression. It was mostly busy work, but torture tends to be little more than that. No, I shall mainly remember walking the streets of Tashkent as locals fled in fear. Of such things, grand memories and friendships are made. I do so miss grinding the world beneath a black leather Jackboot."

2003-12-11T09:27:00.000-05:00

Tony Kushner, Radical Pragmatist
This is a good interview. Especially when he gets to the end where he talks about politics:

"The system isn't about ideals. The country doesn't elect great leaders. It elects fucked-up people who for reasons of ego want to run the world. Then the citizenry makes them become great. FDR was a plutocrat. In a certain sense he wasn't so different from George W. Bush, and he could have easily been Herbert Hoover, Part II. But he was a smart man, and the working class of America told him that he had to be the person who saved this country." - Tony Kushner

But I guess we have to vote for them anyway.

2003-12-09T09:30:00.000-05:00

'nuff said . . .

2003-12-04T17:24:00.000-05:00

Yahoo! News - Cannibal Confesses in Trial That Shocks Germany Yet another German cuts off his penis. This time a cannibal does it for him, but nonetheless, it's still horrible.

This whole story is absolutely revolting. I honestly can't believe that this happened in reality. Especially considering the fact that besides being a total fucking lunatic (in this cannibalistic way), the guy actually appears to be rather normal in his appearance, upbringing, and lifestyle.

What's most sickening is the fact that it appears to be consentual. Someone actually volunteered to be dismembered for the specific purpose of being eaten. Moreover, the fact that there are entire websites devoted to this is unfathomable. Ugh. I think I'm going to be sick.

2003-12-01T17:03:00.000-05:00

iPod's Dirty Secret - Neistat Brothers I'm fairly sure that this sort of thing is because Apple markets very much to an activist population. I mean, I've been all but physically assaulted by my PC and have yet to do anything the gateway and their bovine influenced boxes.

2003-11-24T10:56:00.000-05:00

The word "gullible" isn't in the dictionary..oh you don't believe me..look it up! What, it really isn't? Oh you...TOUCHE, hoisted by my own patard! hahaha..haha..aaaa...Ohh I need a life.

2003-11-24T10:20:00.000-05:00

How do I already know that today is going to be awesome? Because I can feel it in my bones.

You know, it's interesting that some people think that they're interesting people, and they're not, and aren't reinforced at all as an interesting person. But nevertheless they continue thinking that they are interesting.
And then some people don't think that they're interesting, and they may or may not be, but they're the one's who are suseptible to the "interesting" or "not interesting" sensitivity. For example, someone makes them feel interesting, then that person loses interest, and then they cease to feel interesting. It makes you wonder if they were actually interesting to begin with, or if the whole thing was illusory.
Then there are the people who, no matter what you say or do, will not think of themselves as being interesting. These people are just depressed and should be ignored, as they are not in the least bit interesting. Chances are that you've experienced them before in the incarnation of a angst-ridden teenager. Fuck them.

Why this subject for today? Why not.

2003-11-14T16:10:00.000-05:00

I want to know more about Angel's Trumpet. Apparently it's a both a neurotoxin and an hallucinogen. That's great. Sounds like a lot of fun. The last thing I heard was about a poor German kid who flipped his shit whilst tripping tits and cut his toungue and dick off. Although this didn't strike me as a ringing endorsement of the plant, it did seem like a freak occurance (similar to that guy everyone seems to know who believes that he is an orange juice container).

In other news . . . I'm miserable. I don't know what I should do about it. But it isn't getting better. So many things seem wrong to me that I'm having trouble keeping track of them all. It's not depression, though . . . although I guess I might be in a better mood if I weren't so susceptible to these swings. Anyway, I wish that things in life were sometimes a bit clearer. And that when someone tells you that everything is going to be okay, you could actually believe that they knew what they were talking about.

2003-11-13T11:40:00.000-05:00

Funniest song lyric of today:

"Is it good to be beautiful, when everybody watches when you walk, but they turn away when they hear you talk?" - The Go

I can't help but imagine that. I hate rock.

2003-11-12T09:41:00.000-05:00

Abandoned Stations - now this is really interesting. I always used to love trains, and I have to say that being able to see all of the old abandoned stations is kind of a lame fantasy of mine. There's just something very interesting to me about seeing these buried artifacts, that have been totally abandoned and that aren't, well, ruins. I mean, they're different than Roman Ruins, or Aztec temples . . . I mean, they're fundamentally abandoned parts of our culture . . . I guess that makes them more relevant to me.

2003-11-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

Visit my store. It's a compendium of all the things that I would rather be doing. Wouldn't you rather?

2003-11-04T13:21:00.000-05:00

TA High Price For A Hollow Victory I guess it would have been nice to not have to pay 87 billion dollars for something I don't believe in, but I guess I'll pay for it anyway.

2003-11-03T18:10:00.000-05:00

Oh, and it was my motherfucking birthday yesterday. Yeah.

2003-11-03T18:09:00.000-05:00

Internet Littered With Dead Web Sites. God, was I only into blogging because of the novelty . . . am I really that much of a square? Follower? Sheep? Ugh! The horror. Either way, I know that my girlfriend doesn't read this any more, which makes me sad.

In other news, I hate my job. Now it's just the dull, undulating pain that sucks the life right out of me and makes me hate New York. I think I need to paid more money and to have more power and more vacation. Sound like any job you know? Send me a motherfucking email.

2003-10-22T09:41:00.000-04:00

Boy oh boy! Do I feel wonderful. I just took 2 days off work against the weekend, which means I had 4 days off total! AMAZING! Although I was sick for two of them, and then my girlfriend was sick for the other two, there really is nothing like taking time off from work. I almost feel like a new man. I almost feel whole again. I almost feel like I'm a the greatest person on earth.

It's also nice and cold outside, so that's another reason to feel amazing! I just love the world right now.

2003-10-15T10:40:00.000-04:00

I feel ill. I'd rather be throwing up right now. A bulimic and I would probably be at home with each other right now. All I wanna do is puke -- and my world is spinning every which way. The train ride this morning was truly an experiment in good faith with my stomach. I feel bad for my girlfriend because if she's going through this it's going to be difficult for her to study . . . I couldn't read on the train because it made me nauseaus. Either way . . . I can't wait to throw up.

2003-10-10T14:18:00.000-04:00

It's rare, in this empty world, that I should find something that so totally represents how I feel about work and some of the things that happen here. So, imagine my surprise when I did. Yes, I've found it. This is my life, every weekday, from 9 until 6:30:

2003-10-09T14:58:00.000-04:00

What's the world coming to?

2003-10-09T14:55:00.000-04:00

I've been so busy. This job is really getting to me. I think I'm on the brink of crumbling. I mean -- I really have had enough. It's just to the point where my stomach turns at the sight of some people. I think this job is changing me into a definitively mean person.

Honestly, now that I think about it, I've been in a bad mood for almost 3 months. I mean, it's almost unrelenting. I haven't done anything creative. I haven't really been particularly nice to my friends. Nothing. I've seriously been a complete and total dick for over a quarter of the year.

All for this fucking job . . . This fucking, shitty, cocksucking, crapola, assie, shit-fuck job. At some point, I could say that it was "good experience" and that "I'm learning a lot, maybe about stuff I don't want to know, but stuff that I should know," but now I'm learning what it's going to be like when I spend an eternity in Hell.

God forgive me for going down this path.

2003-10-07T11:36:00.000-04:00

Finding a Middle Earth in Montana (Registration Req'd).

This article is amazing. Or maybe not amazing, but I kind of wish that Iwas this kid. Of course, for the most part I'm glad that I wasn't home schooled (chances are that I would have been a crack-addicted teen), but I can say that I admire a person who at adulthood can still be called precocious. The only think I could be called at his age was a drug addict . . . well maybe not a drug addict, but probably a complete miscreant.

Fucking over acheivers. Ruin for everyone.

2003-10-06T17:56:00.000-04:00

These kids are fucking idiots. Who the fuck does this? How the fuck does anyone think this is a good idea?

2003-10-06T14:39:00.000-04:00

Great, well I fucked that up properly. I tried to open it in a new window (which I might add, it did anyway), and then it told me that I can only access it from within the blogger application that I could go fuck myself now if I wanted to take their survery. Trying to open from within only got me to the blogger homepage. I fucked it up, just like how I fuck up everything else I do.

I'm such a sad, sad man.

2003-10-06T14:38:00.000-04:00

Oh, wowie!! Blogger is asking me to take a 15 minute survey. FIFTEEN MINUTES!! Are they insane? Don't they know what I do for a living?! It's a very high pressure environment where I barely have time to go to the bathroom, let alone fill out little surveys and paint pretty pictures for them.

2003-10-02T12:01:00.000-04:00

By the way, I'm still hung-over from Tuesday night drinking. That's a problem. And my tongue is swollen. And I think I have a pox.

2003-10-02T11:16:00.000-04:00

I found this interesting:

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Fcuknig amzanig huh?

2003-09-30T13:00:00.000-04:00

Holy shit! I did it. I bought a computer. I'm really excited. I think it's going to suck, but I'm really excited. I did it on a credit card. Holy Shit!! I'm so ready to pay this off right now. I think I'll pay for it like, in two months! That's so fucking cool! I'm going to have a computer. No nevermind. I think I'll cancel it. Or maybe not. Um, wait, here's a picture of it:

I didn't get the speakers. Or the monitor. Or the Keyboard. Or the mouse. No. I only got the true gem. Yes, the box. The box is what is beautiful. It's amazing how this can turn around a not-so-good day.

2003-09-29T12:41:00.000-04:00

This is awesome (click on it):

2003-09-29T12:23:00.000-04:00

"You see, I keep thinking that what we need is a new language. Some kind of language between people that is a new kind of poetry. And I think that in order to create that language you're going to have learn how you can go through a looking glass into another kind of perception where you have the sense of being untied to all things. Then suddenly, you understand everything." -- DJ Food

Case in point . . . why do musicians say such ridiculous things?

I was talking to my friend the other night about how he had recently become an atheist -- advanced past the state of agnosticism into the realm of complete disbelief. He said that it had been a lecture by a visiting professor arguing for God and first principals that had convinced him that he was right in thinking that God does not exist. For some reason, this conversation really reminded me that things really move very very slowly (socially). Historically speaking, it was only recently that slavery was considered wrong, that it was possible to say publically that you don't believe in god without being imprisoned or killed, or even the emphasis on science as understanding prior to using magic or mysticism as a means of explanation for bizarre events. I guess, that could be construed as being very insulting to those who do believe in God (i.e. eventually your superstition will be rendered obsolete by social progress), however just based on the most cursory look at where we're headed as a species, it really looks like it's away from these archaic belief structures that depend so heavily on faith. That's not to say that I don't rely on them daily, though . . .

2003-09-25T17:52:00.000-04:00

Thankfully, everything has sorted itself out and I can return to the general malaise that is working. Although it is interesting to be involved in a workplace scuffle, I can say that it's much more interesting to watch them.

2003-09-23T17:29:00.000-04:00

I feel like a battered sheep. I'm feeling better, but honestly, one of my co-workers is worse than an abusive parent/child in the way s/he chooses to deal with her frustration and/or anger. For these reason, I've complied a "Why getting yelled at in the workplace by an abusive co-worker who acts like an abusive parent is infinitely worse than being yelled at by an abusive parent" list:

Why getting yelled at in the workplace is infinitely worse than being yelled at home:
1. Because defending yourself is inappropriate because no one should be yelling at you in the first place.
2. Because yelling back is stupid and inappropriate.
3.Calling someone out as being an asshole is just as stupid as yelling
4. Actually getting upset about it shows how petty you are
5. Indicating that anyone's opinion really matters to you is a sign of weakness and is wholly Un-American
6. Allowing yourself to get out of control with an asshole co-worker is similar to leaving a burning bag of shit on your next-door neighbors door step when you live in an apartment building.
7. Going through the proper routes is aggravating, seemingly pointless, and completely humiliating.
8. Few actually understand any of the above until they actually go through it.
9. At least you can run away from your parents and get a job if your family sucks. If your job sucks, you may have to run away and go live with your family.

All in all, I have to say that I never expected that I would be doing what I do for a living. I fantasized that I would be paid to think -- that I wouldn't have co-workers, and I would be in demand and would be appreciated. I feel like some of that is true, but ultimately, this wholefucking work thing has turned out to be totally fucking lame and nothing like what I wanted.

2003-09-18T17:36:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine wrote a review for Cabin Fever. Read his review and I think you'll understand.

2003-09-18T13:38:00.000-04:00

In case you missed Log Jammin' the movie, here is an excerpt. For some reason I'm on a Big Lebowski kick today. My apologies.

2003-09-18T12:09:00.000-04:00

My blog is fucked. It's publishing endlessly. Story of my life. -- either way, I thought my blog needed a picture. I've found one:

2003-09-18T11:57:00.000-04:00

So I saw Cabin Fever last night. This was the shittiest movie ever. That said, it was funny. But that doesn't negate the fact that it was utter shit. It varied between soft-core porn, extreme graphic violence, mystifying dialogue, and rediculous plot developments -- so much so, that it was very possible that the director realised during editing that the movie was funnier than it was scary and opted to go in that direction. This may have, in fact, made it funnier. Either way, it's still crap and I don't recommend seeing it while sober. End of story.

So I have nothing to do today. Other than wait for things to do. It's funny how my work comes in spurts like that. I feel like I would be remiss if i didn't ask for more, but then it would be hard to garner sympathy from anyone if I had asked for it.

Oh yeah, and there is this fucking hurricane that's going to make all of our lives suck. I don't want one to two inches of rain. That'll make my walk home from work really really crappy -- although on the positive side, it may force my girlfriend to spend the night with me.