Interesting little event on Digital Rights Management today by the Congressional Internet Caucus. Perhaps the most two valuable pieces of information they are offering is the briefing papers and whose perspective they are listening to on this issue. It is important to remember staff's opinion is often based on what information they have access to at events like this one.
Once the American Open Technology Consortium gets up and running they need to run educational efforts to present their viewpoint to staff on this issue. In fact it needs to be done ASAP, before any movement occurs, preferably before the August recess. A panel with Customers, Technologists, Artists, Musicians, and Librarians to explain the otherside of the issue, besides the point of view of a few companies. We can't let this be DMCA all over again.
Finding the four-five panelists should a be a fairly simple exercise with someone from DigitalConsumer , Doc Searls or someone who understands the tech end, but...
Posts
Webbys Awards
So they announced the nominees and I am trying to be all excited and stuff, but I don't know they seem a bit lame. In the announcement email the interesting thing was the director of the Webbys was at CFP , I hadn't even realized it. I went through my program to determine when she had spoken and how I had missed that, when I discovered she had introduced the California Attorney General at the Wednesday night dinner. My friends and I didn't see him as being the most interesting speaker, no offense Mr. Lockyer, so we went to Chinatown that night for dinner. It was great! Some of the best Chinese I have had in a while, I didn't even have to run fast to catch dinner (sorry old joke) . So if your in Chinatown I recommend at Chef Hung's Restaurant, 823 Clay Street, San Francisco. At one point I was think of getting a beer, but didn't say a word and the waitress approached and asked me "Tsing Tao?", she read my mind scary (even the brand I was...
Congratulations on being the creator of a new Evil Plan (tm)! (Via Lex )
Your objective is simple: Criminal Activities.
Your motive is a little bit more complex: Money
Stage One
To begin your plan, you must first expose a rich and powerful ceo. This will cause the world to sit up and take notice, stunned by your arrival. Who is this evil genius? Where did they come from? And why do they look so good in classic black?
Stage Two
Next, you will steal Fort Knox. This will cause countless hordes of mutant race to flock to you, begging to do your every bidding. Your name will become synonymous with fuzzy bunnies, as lesser men whisper your name in terror.
Stage Three
Finally, you will covertly move your corporate takeover, bringing about an end to sanity. This will all be done from a Abandoned Church, an excellent choice if we might say.
These three deeds will herald the end, and the citizens of this planet will have no choice but to elect you their new god.
T...
Hilarious French found, via Lex , via Punk Princess ...
"I think this wine has been drunk before."
"Je pense que ce vin a déjà ete bu"
(zhe pens ke se vin a day - zha e - te bu)
Ah brings back the fun of high school French class. I rather liked this quote as well...
"Haven't the police found you yet?"
"La police, ne t'a pas encore trouvé?"
(la po - lees ne ta pa zen - cor troo - vay)
MONDAY MISSION , it's that time again...
1. When was the last time you pampered yourself? Dinner last night, read the previous post to find out how.
2. When was the last time someone pampered you? Christmas, my mother goes out of the way for our family when we meet at the holidays, she always has my favorite foods when I am back in Arizona, it's nice.
3. Describe the last time you recall really feeling loved
(other than from children or pets). It was fun, natural, we just sort of clicked together, without much work to it. A shame it did not last.
4. Has your use of the computer ever caused any arguments? What's the story there? Just with trying to use the phone line at while I was using dail in, but it occurs so rarely, it's not worth bothering about.
5. What's the most embarrassing thing your Mom ever did? Rubber tree plant at Valetine's Day. Looking back very damn funny. Charles I know you'll make a smartass comment after this one.
...
Nice weekend it went well, I have no complaints, I had perhaps my best round of golf Saturday, although it may a fluke, but if I continue to play like that I will be breaking 100 with regularity by the end of the summer.
Otherwise I made Pot Roast last night and it was damn tasty. Start with the directions here , but then I adapted them since I didn't have those ingredients exactly, besides good Pot Roast is making due with what you have anyways. Here are my changes...
I didn't have cumin, so nixed that, but pan-sear the sides, the carmelization makes the meat sweeter after the slow cook so I highly recommend it. I sauted the onions and garlic as directed. As for the sauce I used one can stewed tomatoes (Garlic, Basil, Oregano flavor) and a dark beer (funny thing was it cooked together so well, you couldn't tell there was beer in it). For seasons I added corriander seeds, mustard seeds, oregano, salt and pepper. Crush the seeds, before adding to the sauce. As I was tossi...
There is a really interesting interview with Barry Levinson in the New York Times discussing " On the Waterfront ". What is so interesting, besides the discussion of the film, is that it reveals alot of the biases within the mind of a modern Hollywood director. I agree that Hollywood is not telling complex stories as often these days, but I think that has more to do with studios and media companies and less with what the audiences want.
He starts out saying "God knows, this is a thin age for storytelling," I think he's looking in the wrong places. So where is he looking for story telling? There is alot of good content out there on Atom films , fray , and plenty of other sources
"I think movies in general have gotten more and more simplistic," Mr. Levinson said. "I don't know if it's the audience or what's being delivered to them. How they are delivering them, rather than trying to tell good stories they are looking to market dynami...
Friday Five
1. What are your hobbies? Reading, hiking, golf, shooting pool.
2. Do you collect anything? If so, what? I have had alot of collections but after a few years interest has often faded. In the past there was aircraft posters, comic books, coffee mugs, and then matchbooks. For the last few years I have maintained beer coaster collection although generally it has to be to a place I have been to, although I am willing to make expceptions for really unique ones.
3. Is there a hobby you're interested in, but just don't have the time/money to do? Sea-lake kayaking, I have done it a few times at a friends house and seemed very natural to it, but I have never lived anywhere where it was all that accessable. I keep thinking I should sign up for a trip kayaking.
4. Have you ever turned a hobby into a moneymaking opportunity? Other than my interest in politics and technology nope, besides I don't know that they qualify as hobby.
5. Besides web-related stuff...
For those of you wondering it's Day 174 of the Strom Thurmond Death Watch(TM) . As of our last report, there still hadn't been a single press release on his website this year, that over sight has been corrected . Though it is interesting that a press statement from the middle of Febuary didn't make it online until late March - April time frame.
Traficant Update
You really didn't think he had gone, did you? You don't think he would let a simple thing like a trial verdict stop him?
He has begun his appeal process, but this time he has gotten smart and found an attorney , of course it's one who testified in the trial so I suspect that he will not be allowed to participate for that reason, but at least he has a lawyer now. He is asking for a re-trial based on " geographic underrepresentation ", because there was no one from Mahoning county in the jury pool from the start. (The truth is he thinks we don't like him, because we are Browns fans, heck I am a Browns fan and I like him.)
Just because we haven't seen him on the air doesn't mean he hasn't been busy .
Traficant appeared on Y103's morning show last week, peppering his statements with vulgarities and even the F-word as he discussed his criminal trial that resulted in 10 guilty verdicts April 11.
He even has been seen talking ...
Poetry Wednesday
This week I heard at some point is the Bard of Avon's birthday so it seems only fitting to offer a poem of his.
“ Be wise as thou art cruel; do not press ”
BE wise as thou art cruel; do not press
My tongue-tied patience with too much disdain;
Lest sorrow lend me words, and words express
The manner of my pity-wanting pain.
If I might teach thee wit, better it were,
Though not to love, yet, love, to tell me so;—
As testy sick men, when their deaths be near,
No news but health from their physicians know;—
For, if I should despair, I should grow mad,
And in my madness might speak ill of thee:
Now this ill-wresting world is grown so bad,
Mad slanderers by mad ears believed be.
That I may not be so, nor thou belied,
Bear thine eyes straight, though thy proud heart go wide.
Recently, a buddy of mine and I had a conversation about how we are getting older and our former professors are retiring. I am afraid one of the better ones at Northern Arizona University has died . I never actually took a course from him, while I attended NAU, but his presense was always known by my friends and myself for support of our Model UN club, he was the Department Chair at the time. In addition, when I had my exit interview I remember fondly reviewing my experience at NAU with him and telling him directly about the three-four professors that had really made my education a wonderful experience. It was my first time having an in depth conversation with him alone, but I came away from the experience, thinking that this was a man who deeply cared about NAU, the Political Science department, and the people within (both students and professors). Later after graduation, he was willing to help a student trying to find a job and gave me many leads that led to me finding a job in DC....
Last week, I was off in California while there we went to a
restaurant . Good Spanish food, good microbrewery beer, I enjoyed it all,
before we went to our next local of bar hopping for the night I made my
way to the restroom. As I finished with my business, I turned in shock
horror and surprise. He had followed me, there was no doubt, same cheesey
clothing, silly hair cut.
It was the Couch Potato , resting on the sink of the bathroom.
I laughed my ass off seeing him sitting there....
Fear the Bunny , nothing, Fear the Couch Potato it's a stalker!
Dark Side Stout , yes you will be converted over to the Dark Side.
Luke, I am your brewmeister. Don't you understand the power of malt and hops? (Which incidently reminds me of this email joke I got a while back, found once again through the power of Google)
And go read Lileks while your here, he had another great Screed.
My brain hurt, well almost.
Last week was good the conference got me thinking about issues in a new light and a change of perspective, always a good thing. The problem is I don't have the background on IP to understand it all fully, so if anyone knows of a good background book on the founding fathers and their thoughts on Intellectual Property leave me a note in the comments. Thanks!
PSA (Public Safety Announcement)
Remember Folks child care and hallucinogics just don't mix . How is that poor kid going to ever hitchhike? It does bring a new meaning to the stealing your nose (or other appendage) game.
Yes, I am sick and wrong, but at the same time, it has an odd dark humour to it.
Back in the Saddle Again
Back at work with many, many email messages, plenty to do and catch up on...but before I work the salt mines all the live long day
Monday Mission 2.16
1. Ever had a love that you still think of as "the one that got away?" What's the story there? Probably, but thanks to the fullness of time and the 20/20 hindsight, let's let sleep dogs lie.
2. What was the last book that you finished reading cover-to-cover? Small Pieces Loosely Joined: A Unified Theory of the Web . I read it on my way out to San Francisco, I'll write up a review later this week.
3. Did you ever get up and walk out of a movie? Which one and why? The Doors , not because the film was that bad, but the theater was playing the reels out of order and it ticked us off, we went to the management to complain, they basically said tough, we said "Fine we won't return to this theater ever" that was 11 years ago and I haven't been back.
POSTSCRIPT: Ac...
Back in DC
I need to get some sleep, but I wanted to check in, for those of you who might be wondering, I made it back safely from San Francisco. It has been a long day filled with breakfast watching transexuals saunter past the burrito shop, the check-in agent nearly sending me to Philadelphia, and a frozen turkey sandwich on the plane. It was a fun weekend with Brian, Kirk, Renee, Jeff, and Jackie. The rock was the perfect location for my future brewery, beerhall and casino. As for the conference, I learned alot, met many interesting people, but felt I didn't get as much out of it as I could have, I guess I have to go again next year and try to do a better job.
Friday Five
1. What's your favorite TV show and why? Okay, okay, I'll confess, Dawson's Creek . I just enjoy the writing and the characters. Some of the personalities remind me of my friends.
2. Who is your favorite television star? *shrug* I don't really follow the stars so it doesn't mean much, I guess Katie Holmes
3. What was your favorite TV show as a child? Magnum PI or MASH
4. What show do you think should have been cancelled by now? I don't want to get hits for saying it google has a nasty trend to bring those who speak of a beast to your door. Most of the tv schedule, I don't know, I don't really watch dreck so I don't know what's out the there.
5. What new show do you hope escapes the axe this season? Enterprise I suppose, but I wish they aired it at a better time. But being a ST series, I am not worried about it.
Poetry Wednesday
Desperation
Desperation
The stench of it lingers on me
Dark, dirty faces
Looking for the high
Asking for your change
So they can make that buy.
They leave a soil on the soul
Desperate grease attaching to you
Like a Leech
Pull them away,
Push them away,
But as you push
You see yourself in them
And you leave them alone
They leave you in loneliness
Looking for a bath
To cleanse their desperation
Our desperation,
Away.
On a previous visit to San Francisco, I wrote this about Haught-Ashbury.
I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane...
About to head out to the airport shortly, blogging will either be excessive or non-existant for the rest of the week. For those who don't know I am taking off to San Francisco for Computers, Freedom, and Privacy 2002 . I am taking my Mac and wi-fi card and they will have 802.11 running according to Declan , but my machine isn't properly configured and it doesn't have batteries. Hopefully my friends and I will get it configured and find a power plug for it. If I am online most of my posts will be to Computers Freedom and Privacy Blog I have set up, although I am sure to toss other interesting tidbits here. Fear not I am sure to also get Poetry Wednesday posted, most likely with a San Francisco theme. Have a good week folks, I know I will :-)
John Hiler's take on a Blogger Code of Ethics , that I blogged about here , has an interesting response or perhaps better said afterthoughts to all the responses he got from his article, I like the fact of how peer-to-peer review of the writing came as a big point out of the new article. I was also impressed how he took the feedback and intergrated it into his thoughts, I know the web is a conversation, but it's nice when people understand that.
How can you hope for peace in the future, when a father teaches violence at such an young age . I feel bad for the Palestinians, I feel pity, that they are consumed with hatred and killing they can't look to tomorrow and their future and try to work for it. Not even considering the tomorrow of their children and grandchildren. I am not saying that all Palestinians are like that. It just saddens me. Words only cheapen the emotion, the sadness of the wasted potential...
Pray for the Israelis and the Palestines, that those who seek peace may prevail.
POSCRIPT: Dave and Lex are down on the Mall at the peace rally, so watch for their updates.
Remember "Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse. The true with the false and the false with the true." Martin Luther King Jr.
I'd like to post more but between a webcast this morning and leaving town tomorrow, no promises. Now it's time for Monday Mission.
MISSION MONDAY :
1. What caused your last case of psuedo-road rage? I don't drive much so it's not a problem.
2. Tell me about one of your favorite television shows that was cancelled (past or present). Sports Night , it was the best show on tv, but they couldn't get the deal right to move it over to HBO and I am really disappointed, it was one of the few shows where people were just as neuroic and weird as in real life, plus the banter among the characters was great.
3. Have you ever gone online and pretended to be someone else? Okay, okay, I confess I am really Anna Smith, a mother of three and housewife of a farmer in Atumawa, Iowa. ( More seriously nope, we wear enough masks in our daily lives, why add more on top of them?)
4. What was (is) one of your favorite Children's books? Winnie the Pooh. Pooh is da bear! H...
Friday Night Fun and the Day After...
I had a wonderful evening, a good sized group of the DC Social Bloggers. Though I did arrive a bit late, because of a having a drink with co-workers before heading over to Atomic. I did however make it in time for the weird moment of the night, the arrival of the Couch Potato . It was very odd and funny, but it made playing pool afterwards alot more difficult with the little potatomen landing on the table as you prepared for shots.
It was great to meet Donna, she is every bit of charming as her blog . Afterwards she, Jill , Dan , and I made it over to Yenching Palace for a fun meal. The rest of the DC Crew was going off to a vague diner in the Adams Morgan area and that would take far too long to get find and then order food than the four of us wanted to wait. Side note: You really have updated your blog Dan. ;-)
This morning I awoke at the hour of too damn early and went playing golf. Then went running around the checkout HillTop driving ran...
Of thoughts, dreams, and the lifes we live,
The benefit of mankind is the nature to dream and speculate of what might be,
this inherently is also our downfall. If we understand what benefits and costs come from our dreams and the efforts to make them reality we prosper. When we ignore the costs we meet peril.
Just a fool's thoughts far too late one evening.
Traficant Update
Before I leave for the weekend I will update all the Traficant news, for while the verdict has been delivered the spinning , has just begun.
From Yahoo News..
Minority Leader Gephardt wants Traficant to resign. House ethics committee has announced that they would meet to consider disciplinary actions, of course I have a feeling they won't finish the paperwork before the next election. They also host this article discussing ways the Congress can deal with a member convicted of a felony.
From the Business Journal
We get the viewpoints of three of the jurors from the trial, very interesting and revealing. It is one of the best articles available on the trial so far. For some reason the paper thought they should interview Youngstown State University students who were not involved in the story, but their thoughts are here . In case you hadn't heard, he also still plans on running for re-election for his congressional seat even if it's from priso...
I read over on Corante Microcontent Blog about Blogging Code of Ethics Here is a quick reponse I shot off to him, I may clean it up, edit it and check some background material....or not.
From the article
"Wait, how can that be real journalism?" he interrupted. "You're totally biased because you work in the industry. A lot of journalists don't even register with a political party so they can write about politics objectively!"
Just because someone isn't registered to a party doesn't mean they don't have a viewpoint on politics, nor let it effect them. About the only people I have ever met that have been able to be tight lipped and not reflect their political views in public (and I live in DC for background) is Secret Service guys. You couldn't get an opinion out of them with torture devices. Most other folks especially the media have bias, it's just a myth they don't. I have seen Tom Brokow say very biased statements on the ai...
Friday Five
1. What is your favorite restaurant and why? I like alot of places, but Iocally I recently went to Bilbo Baggins in Old Town and was very impressed by the food and atmosphere.
2. What fast food restaurant are you partial to? I don't eat often at fast food, probably In N' Out Burger.
3. What are your standards and rules for tipping? I was a very bad tipper as a kid, so I try to make up for it and leave a decent tip these days. As long as the wait staff is trying I will tip well, even if the kitchen makes a mistake.
4. Do you usually order an appetizer and/or dessert? Not usually, I am more of a main course person.
5. What do you usually order to drink at a restaurant? If dinner and I am relaxing probably a beer, otherwise ice water or tea, I don't drink much soda at all.
Traficant Guilty on All 10 Charges
GUILTY
Count#1: Conspiracy to Violate Federal Bribery Statute
Bribery allegations related to Traficant's relationship with paving company owner Anthony Bucci.
GUILTY
Count#2: Conspiracy to Violate Federal Bribery Statute
Bribery allegations related to Traficant's relationship with contractor David Sugar.
GUILTY
Count#3: Conspiracy to Violate Federal Bribery Statute
Bribery allegations related to Traficant's relationship with businessman J.J.Cafaro and his company, US Aerospace Group.
GUILTY
Count#4: Conspiracy to Violate Federal Bribery Statute
Bribery allegations related to Traficant's relationship with Attorney R. Allen Sinclair.
GUILTY
Count#5: Seeking and Accepting Illegal Gratuities
Relates to Traficant's relationship with R. Allen Sinclair and the kick-backs Traficant allegedly received from Sinclair.
GUILTY
Count#6: Obstruction of Justice
This count regards allegations that Tra...
Yum Corned Beef and Chinese (no not at the same time)
Jurors in the corruption trial of Rep. James Traficant (D-Ohio) ordered corned beef sandwiches and went out for Chinese food but have yet to issue verdicts after three days of deliberations at press time on yesterday evening. Thanks Roll Call
POSTSCRIPT: We may have a verdict very soon! Thanks Business Journal !
I am going to San Francisco next week. I know we will likely wander through Chinatown for a meal. I plan for a burger at In N' Out Burger at some point too. I know we will have Sushi for dinner one night, but otherwise no set plans. Any suggestions of must visit restaurants email me or use the comments section.
Thanks!
The Management
Open Source PAC
In case you hadn't heard some folks from the Open Source community are starting a PAC the details are here . Jeff Gerhardt and Doc Searls are two of the organizers and they have a big job in front of them, I really think they will appreciate help setting up some of the on the ground issues here in town, if your a lawyer and want to support the Open Source community contact them. I am not one, but offered help and so should you... One word to the wise though the people in the Beltway have already been made aware that this group is forming...not that it really is a secret, but Tech Daily this morning and Newsbytes have write ups on it.
Steven Hart has an ugly write up in Salon on Lucas and Joseph Campbell and tries to discredit both (but doesn't do a very good job). The problem is at the end of the article they call him a freelance author and novelist, Amazon interestingly doesn't have any works published by him. I am not saying Amazon is THE source of all books, but generally they cover the bases well.
On to the article, okay so Mr. Hart builds an argument that Lucas used other source material and Joseph Campbell wasn't the original source. I can accept that as an option, that is not reason to trash every since fiction artist of the 20th Century, plus Lucas and Campbell. Mr. Hart has a big chip on his shoulder with quotes such as Lucas himself, who had guardedly acknowledged three years earlier that he enjoyed science fiction, now offers a carefully pruned reading list. "I wanted 'Star Wars' to have an epic quality, so I went back to the epics," he says. "Whether they are subc...
Fleishman-Hillard is clueless...( maybe not )
Or at least a network admin there is, why you might ask? They don't know the difference between spam and a listserv . Read about it here , but the reponses to the story are almost as good as the original. Chuck Magner should apologize ASAP or will quickly earn the Internet Idiot of the Month award. Hmmmmm, maybe there is a contest there, to start an internet idiot of the month.
POSTSCRIPT: 3:40pm - Declan just sent out an email that Fleishman-Hillard has gotten back in touch with him. Michael Busselen, VP and General Manager of San Diego office, apologized and admitted that a mistake had been made, so he deserves alot of credit.
For Poetry Wednesday, I picked a poem from a movie, what movie? I'll reveal that in the comments section.
HINT : Dave had a poem from a movie last week, one actor is in both films.
Daydream, delusion, limousine, eyelash
Oh baby with your pretty face
Drop a tear in my wineglass
Look at those big eyes
See what you mean to me
Sweet-cakes and milkshakes
I'm delusion angel
I'm fantasy parade
I want you to know what I think
Don't want you to guess anymore
You have no idea where I came from
We have no idea where we're going
Latched in life
Like branches in a river
Flowing downstream
Caught in the current
I'll carry you
You'll carry me
That's how it could be
Don't you know me?
Don't you know me by now?
In case anyone is interested in American German issues....
Bonn Düsseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Heidelberg Kaiserslautern Karlsruhe Leipzig Munich Tucson
AMERICAN-GERMAN BUSINESS CLUB
Washington, DC / Baltimore
Cordially invites you to attend the club's inaugural event
Tuesday, April 23, 2002 from 7:00-9:00 pm
Speaker
Dr. Adam S. Posen
Senior Fellow, Institute for International Economics
"German Adventures in the Euro Zone"
Location $35 for the general public
Institute for International Economics $20 for persons with a valid government ID
1750 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington D.C. (registration required - see below)
Hors d'oeuvres and beverages will be served during a networking period before the speech.
This will be followe...
Traficant Update
The jury may be out, but the Traficant reports continue on....in today's report thanks to the Business Journal, we have a Who's Who list from the trial. Remember folks you can't tell the players without a program. Get your programs here. Such people as..
Ann Aldrich : Federal judge in Traficant's 1983 federal trial.
John Demjanjuk : Cleveland-area resident who a federal judge ruled lied when he applied for citizenship in the 1950s about being a Nazi death camp guard during World War II.
Anthony Bucci : Former Girard paving contractor and convicted felon.
And much, much more....we also have the terms of the sequestering by Judge Wells. According to the terms reading Bear Droppings would be forbidden, perhaps it isn't so bad after all ;-)
It's in the Jury's hands
Judge Lesley Wells finished reading her final instructions to the jury at 1:22 Monday afternoon and sent the panel into the jury room, where they will remain until adjourning for the night and then being taken to an unknown location where they will be sequestered. My call will be late Tuesday or early Wednesday for the verdict.....have a guess of your own? Leave it in the comments....winner will get a prize (Don't ask me what it is yet, I don't know)
Monday Mission 2.14
1. When was the last time your computer crashed? What happened? At home my Mac, it's been months, it's rock solid. At work Thursday, why did it crash, I have no clue, the concept of having a browser and email open at the same time puzzles this crappy 98 box, don't ask me why....though I might have just answered it.
2. Recommend a movie (new or old) for us to watch. Over the weekend I saw Wonder Boys one of my favorite films in the last few years, perhaps because it's about a writer that I enjoyed it so, very messed up story, but it seems to have a bit of truth about it.
3. When was the last time someone told you that you were attractive (and you
actually believed them)? A week or two ago, they said something about the way I dressed that particular day.
4. Do you like to sleep in or wake up with the chickens? Sleep in, no doubts. But if I have something interesting to do I don't mind getting up.
5. Are you gay, straight or bi...
Dave and Lex are in Instapundit's list of inspired blogs, very good company. Even though I got started around the same timeframe, I can't really call myself a Warblog or being Instapundit inspired, I really had been impressed by blogging over a year ago and just was slowly trying to determine how I was going to put mine together, not that it makes any better or worse than these folks just different. I even had with the help of bears.org a PHP site up, but admittly I am not much of a coder and broke the thing within a few days of starting off. That is a good part of the reason of why I moved over to Blogger , it's generally been idiot proof and trust me I am idiot enough to have broken it by now if I could. Dave mention's moving over to Moveable Type, I keep pondering moving to it or Greymatter since I know I can get it hosted at bears.org and I like to highlight their site. For now I am just enjoying getting a better feel for blogs, my writing, and working on my voi...
Bombastic Transcripts Review
I just finished Bombastic Transcripts , so if you have bothered to read this at all you’re probably wondering so what did this monkeyboy think? Good question, honestly I am still pondering it mulling it over in my head and probably will for a bit. It is a quick read, it's an interesting read, but fundamentally it's not a light read. It takes a little time for digestion and pondering... I suspect I will read it again in the next month or two and reconsider, hell maybe throw this whole review out.
So here's my advice go buy the book, RageBoy needs the cash. If you like Tom Robbins, Hunter S Thompson, and the Gonzo style read away, you'll enjoy it. Perhaps you will find some stuff to digest, even without ingesting any substances on the Schedule I drug list.
If you didn't like Cluetrain Manifesto , Gonzo Marketing , or any Gonzo writing buy the book anyways, for the reasons stated above. Then hide the book in your bookshelf and wa...
Traficant has rested his defense in the court case , evidently he was able to finally get some evidence introduced, a report by the FBI that there was no physical evidence linking him to the charges, granted when twenty people testify you did, one piece of evidence is not a solid defense, but it's is something in his favor.
Judge Wells is sending the jury home for the weekend, Monday will feature closing arguements and Judge's instructions. So that means we will have a verdict I would say either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday. I doubt it will take much longer than that.
Jury Duty
I believe in doing my civic duty. I have no problems serving on a jury (HANG'EM, but it's traffic court), and I got the summons evidently this week. The problem, I haven't lived in Phoenix for 8 years and that's who is calling me. So my parents recieve this summons, at an address I have never lived, requesting my attendance. They sent back the form saying, he doesn't live here, he lives in Arlington, VA and has for the last 5 years. That evidently is not good enough an excuse for the court, so my mother offered this suggestion, if they want me to attend, they buy me a plane ticket. Work would allow me off for Jury duty. I would stay at my folks house for free and get good eats. Sound good to you? Sounds good to me, let's see if they accept.
Friday Five
1. What are the first things that you do in the morning to start your day? Coffee, although work days I don't bother making any most days and just grab it at work, weekends first thing fire up the machine.
2. What are the last things that you do at night before going to bed? Adjust my futon, I have been sleeping on a futon since I moved to DC, although I only bought a frame for it last year. Ever since it slides alittle and I have readjust it.
3. What daily routine have you recently added to your day? Blogging, it forces me to write everyday.
4. What routine do you wish you get rid of? Procrastination, oh well I'll worry about it later.
5. What's the one thing that makes you feel like something is missing if you don't do it some point within your day? Writing, even if it's filling out silly Friday Five questions.
The Traficant Zone
Day 39 of the trial, the closing arguments will likely begin today. The just will be sequestered during deliberations. Rollcall has good coverage that sounds like they have a reporter on the scene now.
From Yahoo
With the jury in the room, Wells repeatedly asked Traficant on Wednesday if he intended to take the stand in his own defense. Traficant repeatedly refused to answer.
"Do you rest?" Wells asked.
Traficant replied, "Yes, every evening."
Her voice shaking with anger, Wells said, "I can only conclude now you have nothing further."
But Traficant, 60, shouted, "What right do you have to stop my trial now?"
After the jury was adjourned Wednesday — before noon for the second straight day because Traficant had run out of witnesses — Traficant made a motion for a mistrial. The judge denied it. Do I hear the Fat Lady off in the distance?
I wouldn't buy a Celine Dion CD to begin with so her CD crashing computers doesn't bother me directly. But the fact they are starting to ship these Copy-Protected CDs means if we as customers don't take decisive action quickly it will be overwhelming. So join the idea proposed by Dan Gilmor and boycott Sony, and by default any other company that starts shipping these CDs.
No Billy Joel.
No Ozzy.
No Boss.
No Indigo Girls.
My biggest personal loss will be I won't buy Warren Zevon 's new album "My Ride's Here". While the album is published by Artemis Records which is independent they use Sony for their distribution. " Artemis Records is distributed by RED Distribution in the United States and Sony International elsewhere . " So sorry Warren I'll see you live, but I won't buy the album until this is resolved. As much as I have been looking forward to this album, and others have too because I get hits from people looking for infor...
Little things that become tangents...
It's funny how reading, or misreading one little word can send you down a tangent and I'll admit I like to let my mind wander and enjoy it. I was over reading Ratbastard , which lead me to reading SapphireBlue . I noticed something out of the corner of my eye, Butterfly Defecation. Now actually it only said
The Washington Area Butterfly Club. "Dedicated to learning more about the butterflies of our area."
But it got me wondering, who would have a site about Butterfly defecation? What kind of content would it host? Is the domain available?
So for the record, yes Butterflyshit.com is available. No, I have no idea what to do with it.....but I am thinking about buying the domain....it's just so wrong.
Have fun with your own little tangents. ( A too much time on my hands at lunch moment )
Yahoo thinks it knows more about what you want than you do. For those of you who might have missed it , Yahoo has added a new marketing preferences and in the process removed all your anti-spam settings, nice huh? Let's review the email they sent out about it, I think others got it last week, but as usual my yahoo account took a few extra days to handle the email.
Your privacy is very important to us here at Yahoo!. We are sending you this email to let you know that we have updated our Privacy Policy. You can read our updated Privacy Policy by visiting Yahoo!’s comprehensive Privacy Center.
Your privacy is important, but we will do any damn thing we want to....
Our commitment to privacy hasn't changed. We never had a commitment, so it hasn't changed
We believe that you should understand what we do with your information and what choices you have. Anything we damn we want and your choices are our way or the highway
So why are we revising our Privacy Policy? Bec...
Poetry Wednesday, of course to have such a day should not belittle poetry the rest of the week, go read some. But until you can here is one to occupy your thoughts.
'The Road Goes Ever On'
Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains of the moon.
Roads go ever ever on
Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green
And trees and hills they long have known.
J.R.R. Tolkien from the Hobbit
It's national poetry month donca know? Well, this article sums up some thoughts on why this isn't necessarily a good idea.
A quick drink to help pass a cigar at a local bar. Thinking about times past and the path I traveled, the realization she is gone, but we began, ten years ago around now we first met. A smile crossed my face, pleasant memories fill my mind. She doesn't occupy my thoughts these days only little things awake her in my mind, like certain songs.
I only really completely forgave myself of the mistakes a few years ago, when their full depth struck me, long since she passed. But they don't bother me now, just the echos of what not meant to be, but I can't and won't forget her, your first I really suppose you shouldn't, the ones who teach you of love and what it might be.
So tomorrow is Poetry Wednesday, something to feed my soul, but tonight I quote a wiser man's words to remind me of another soul, another time, and the time we shared.
Drunk and forgotten and broken to have found it: a door I could never pass through and live to tell about it. No more stories, no ...
I would like to nominate Yahoo for an Iceberg award based on their recent " Let's set spamming to full power " move sure to endear them to customers. I know it just further encouraged me to further minimize my Yahoo usage. First the service is crappy and now you want to spam me, thanks, I'll go else where.
Eric Olsen points out the significance of the latest development in regards of the war on terrorism. The capture of Zubaydah is significant because his involvement of the bombing on the USS Cole. That's right folks, bloggers caught it first, let's see how long until mainstream press catches up. (Thanks Professor )
Most major papers don't print an April Fools story because people get pissy and moan about it, and they dislike the fact they were tricked, but if it's only once a year and you know the day it will happen, it's a fun and light-hearted way to celebrate we are all human. Besides by now we know better than to think the papers always tell the truth anyways. The Arizona Daily Sun used the recent stories of the Woolly Mammoth and made a great April Fools day joke, I give them alot of credit for posting it, great job people! Go read it !
Congrats to Terps! Shame on the fans . This has happened the last couple of years and NCAA needs to crack down on it, if there is violence and property damage on any large scale there needs to be action taken. I don't know perhaps even so far as to ban schools that commit such acts a one year suspension from the final 64. It might force the leaders on the courts to take some responsiblity and lead there fellow students around campus. I don't think retroactively it would necessarily be fair, but in the off season the NCAA could say "Okay this is it guys, if there are riots, violence, and property damage after a champonship game, your school is out and out for the next year." It might sober people's actions abit. I know it may only be a few bad apples, but as the saying goes, they ruin it for the bunch.
Monday Mission
1. When was the last time you wanted someone to take you seriously but they just humored you? My roommates last week about me going to the gym, they said I was going to the pub.
2. If you were going to get a vanity license plate for your car, what would it say? (Or if you already have one, what does it say?) GEISTBR (I don't know, I don't really have any ideas...I don't care about vanity plates)
3. What was written in the sweetest love note you were ever given? What's the story there? Postcard from Prague by a gf at the time, it said "People say that Venice is the most romantic city in the world, but I think Prague is even more so" She wrote it in German which made it have a more poetic sound to it, a few months later we went and it was.
4. What is your ethnic background? My looks are all from my Mom's father the Russian side of the family, the rest is mostly English and French.
5. What, if any, is your personal exercise r...
Traficant Acquitted!
That's right folks Traficant goes free. Look out folks he's returning to Congress, BEAM ME UP! It's so good I'll just let RollCall tell it.
Ohio Jury Acquits Traficant
In a rare holiday weekend session, a Cleveland jury acquitted Representative James Traficant of all corruption charges minutes after Attorney General John Ashcroft admitted the existance of a long-running, massive government conspiracy and vendetta against the outspoken Ohio Democrat.
As the jury foreman read the words "not guilty" to each of the 10 felony charges, an exuberant Traficant leapt on a table to scream, "Beam Me Up! I knew it! This junkyard dog kicked their government assets!" as spectators chanted "Jimbo! Jimbo!"
Ashcroft stunned the courtroom earlier by admitting that a team of corrupt FBI agents had framed Traficant for "telling the truth to power." ( click here for the rest of the article)
It's good to know a man c...
To Arizona readers, today's Daily Sun has a story on a Powwow at NAU, all well and good but I don't think the author knows much about tribes. Why? Most of the 300 spectators at the powwow Saturday were Native Americans from Flagstaff and beyond. They represented Diné, Navajo, Apache, Sioux, Lakota, Seneca and many other tribes. Last time I checked the Navajo's name for themselves was Diné a little odd no? Perhaps there is another tribe that uses that name and I am just not aware, but I could swear that's what Navajos call themselves.
I was in talks with AOL-TW about buying Bear Droppings , but then they realized no one reads it and they walked out of the negotiations, laughing, loudly.
I had a good weekend, hung out to all kind of late hours with the Bloggers Friday. I won a dollar playing golf on Saturday, it would have been more but we didn't start playing best ball until the back 9. I had mixed results playing Poker that night, but alot of fun along the way.