Halloween
My Niece is three this year around the age I first remember Halloween, I wonder what she will go as? Let me know Sean in the comments section if you get the chance.
PS - Take some pictures too, please.
Posts
I am going through the whole car buying process as I prepare for the BIG MOVE (TM) next month. A wonderful sensation really. I have cleared the basic hurdles, loan approved by credit union, roughly know what I want.
Then all the other questions start creeping in, this truck or that SUV, having that much money being owed to someone, damn that is an ugly vehicle are you sure you want that.
I think it's that debt thing that hits me most of all after the wonderful college credit experience the cards were torn up and I have lived on a cash basis ever since, not a bad thing, makes life a little difficult in some minor issues occasionally. Living in DC, near a metro has made living on a cash basis pretty easy, perhaps too much so. The funny thing is I know plenty of folks who own or are in the process of buying a house and that amount makes a car a laughable thing.
In the end I think it's the freedom thing, I always wanted to be ready to drop everything and leave to Europe ...
Poetry Wednesday
Autumn
Yellow
A double color -
Brave and cautious
The splendid golden leaves' array
Cloaks pallid shock
Sap drains away
I built you up
Made turrets, balconies and bays
I nested in the shadow of your eaves
But stop
I clung to you
Vine on stone
Stone is cold
And yellow autumn whispers
Winter's near (From e-poems )
" Just when I thought that I was out they pull me back in. - Michael Corleone, Godfather 3
An old job called back to me from the past asking for help. I left on good enough terms, but the last time I did help it was a bad experience, so I am inclined not to listen to the call for help.
But my past haunts, the person asking is a friend and more importantly hired me for my first job, so there is loyalty due.
So I am out, or am I?
Yesterday's Washington Post had an article on the Traficant election campaign.
" When your candidate is in jail, it can be a bit of an obstacle, " the campaign manager for Jim Traficant says. Good to see his campaign hasn't lost his sense of humor, my prediction James Traficant wins with 37% of the vote. ( Okay I doubt it, but let me have my dream. )
PromoGuy's Monday Mission 2.43
1. Ever do anything over and over just to make someone else happy but discover you actually hate it? Work. Okay sort of kidding, okay, maybe not.
2. What kinds of obligations do you enjoy? Making my Mom a cup of tea.
3. What are your feelings about celebrating Halloween? It's good for the soul, alittle pretend is good for folks.
4. Are there any stories of bodily functions you would prefer people not share with you in conversation? Only a few things that I saw in the movie Jackass over the weekend.
5. What do you think is the most important aspect of personal hygiene that bothers you when people overlook it? Body odor.
6. Ponder the thought of being forever young, living on endlessly, being immortal. What would that life be like for you? I think it's a rather sad concept because all your friends you would lose over time, rather a lonely thought. Life is a limited thing, it's part of what gives it value.
7. What...
Jackass Review
Cinema in it's highest form is a wonderful thing. It can inspire us to give greater meaning to our lives and a better understanding of us and the world.
Jackass, the movie, has nothing to do with any of that though. It's not a tough concept in theory. A bunch of guys wander around pulling off various stunts, things no sane person should under any circumstances attempt. Ever.
They put themselves in direct harm doing some pretty nasty things and on the whole it's just stupid.
All that said, I loved it and it was fun to watch. There are some key steps to properly enjoying this film-
1- Go with a group of guys (women are allowed they just have to be willing to watch dumb guy things)
2- Find a bar before the movie and have a few drinks, I don't think you want to see this movie cold, sober.
3- Enjoy the mayheim that is Jackass.
On Bravo the show Inside the Actors studio had Sean Penn he said (paraphrased) cinema is too important for bad movie...
Sign you are a Politician Number #37
Democratic Sen. Paul Wellstone, his wife Sheila and daughter Marcia died Friday in a small plane crash near Eveleth, Minnesota, Democratic sources said. - From CNN
You read that and your first thought is, hey that means the Senate is going to change hands. Then you feel bad for the family, even if you don't agree with a person's politics you have to respect his devotion for what he thought was right.
It actually wasn't just me, friends of mine I have talked with had the same thought. But I'll confess I had the thought.
Poetry Wednesday
Since the last post was a bit of humor and sarcasim to the media coverage, this week's poetry has been floating in my head, it was the words a friend liked to use to keep in times of facing an unknown. Maybe it will be of comfort to my fellow DC metro folks
I will not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain. - Litany Against Fear by Bene Gesserit
Janis Ian has another telling article this time in the USA Today. Downloading does not hurt artists?
Well Duh, how do you think I learned about Death Cab for Cutie ?
Yes JenRaj did talk about them, but I bought their albums because I could download some tracks and give them a listen, not 30 second sound bites like Amazon or the official corporate approved site.
POSTSCRIPT: The "Well, Duh" comment was not made in regard of Janis who I have been reading her site and have a lot of respect for her thoughts on the recording industry. It was more directed to the clueless people who think it only 'robs' artists.
I have been following the Arizona First District race since it is more or less my home district. It's been a tough fight, not unexpectedly really. A true political dogfight. I haven't really commented much because all the coverage I see are the two local papers and it's tough to have a good perspective on the issues. An interesting issue has raised it's head in the last week. Renzi had been painted with the brush of carpetbagger by Cordova, fine, well and good he has spent alot of time here in Virginia so denying it is pointless. Then it turns out Cordova was carpetbagging too having voted in California in the last election. Worse yet he told a local paper he was a lifelong resident. It doesn't wash, while the accusation of perjury has been tossed it doesn't carry much weight, but I think the appearance of claiming to be a life long resident and voting elsewhere taints the campaign. Alot of other mud is being tossed and it is tough to see if it yet will have im...
PromoGuy's Monday Mission 2.42
1. Have you ever felt like you were expected to set a good example for others? Being the older brother maybe a bit, but I haven't really thought about it much to be honest.
2. What keeps you on the right path? For example, why do you think you turned out the way you did as opposed to the nut ball sniper out there? Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Or maybe it was the Wheaties, naw I prefered Wheat Chex. Good genetics and great parents I suppose.
3. Sometimes things seem different than they really are. When was the last time you believed something to be one way only to learn you had it all wrong? I don't really recall, I try not to judge let things happen and understand later.
4. Can you recall a time when being alert and observant kept you safe? When I was living in Old Town Alexandria walking back from the grocery store you had to be careful, some streets were very safe others weren't.
5. Who in your personal circle...
From yesterday's Washington Post
South Carolina senatorial candidate Alex Sanders (D) recently ran a television commercial -- it has since been pulled -- that featured him holding a gun, saying he wanted to go to Washington and "take aim" at some of the capital's "dumb" ideas.
His spokeswoman told the Columbia State the ad was shot weeks before a sniper began preying on the region and that it only ran for hours last Monday before it was taken down.
The ad may reappear, the campaign said, if police capture the assailant before Nov. 5. Bad timing, bad taste, and a staff not on ball in regards of decency. The surprising thing is that they would consider rereleasing the ad, a case of if at first you don't suceed at sinking your campaign try, try again?
Arizona's Sen. John McCain, busy preparing this week to guest-host Saturday Night Live while conducting his nationwide book tour and making other TV appearances, did not show up for a vote on a $355 billion defense spending bill. ( Arizona Republic )
If it had been illness, even a member of the family I'd forgive it.
If he was out on the road campaigning, I would not agree, but I'd ignore it.
But it was a tv show and according to some, a very bad one at the moment. This was not a job handed to him after a five minute interview at McDonalds. He had to go through a long campaign. So he has betrayed a commitment to the voters of Arizona. It really doesn't matter how he would in theory have voted, if it would have impacted the results, because he can say anything he likes he wasn't there TO vote.
The Senate Oath of Office states
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, fore...
The world is a wacky and weird place a hacker is filing patent for a technology to do certain tasks, namely using Palladium to fight piracy or enforce the terms of software licenses. Here is the odd hook to it, he only filed the patent so that others could not use the technology to do it. He has no intention of developing the idea and in fact will fight to protect his patent if someone else does. Read about is over at Wired .
The Republic has their annual, people at the State Fair story in the paper this morning and like every year they include the line Attendance at the Arizona State Fair has increased this year as Arizonans take advantage of the unusually warm October weather. ( page where the blurb is from)
Except that is not unusual, it's always warm in October in Arizona, in fact usually they can't get people to attend the fair for the first week or two when it opens at the beginning of October.
The reason? Usually the highs are around 100 and if you get on a ride at the fair, wearing shorts, which you are likely to do in the heat, you will burn your skin because the steel equipment gets so hot sitting in a parking lot on the fairgrounds all day, it usually isn't until the later half of the month it cools off enough you can enjoy the rides there.
It looks like they are charging $8.50 for tickets this year, which I suppose isn't too bad considering it was $5 when I was in col...
Poetry Wednesday
Behavior
Behavior—fresh, native, copious, each one for himself or herself,
Nature and the Soul expressed—America and freedom expressed—In it the finest art,
In it pride, cleanliness, sympathy, to have their chance,
In it physique, intellect, faith—in it just as much as to manage an army or a city, or to write a book—perhaps more,
The youth, the laboring person, the poor person, rivalling all the rest—perhaps outdoing the rest,
The effects of the universe no greater than its;
For there is nothing in the whole universe that can be more effective than a man’s or woman’s daily behavior can be,
In any position, in any one of These States. - Walt Whitman
About once a month or so I get the question "Do you miss working on the Hill?" 99 times out of 100 the answers is no, and for the most part it's really the truth. The pay is better, the hours shorter, and there is less stress in my current environment, but all that being said, after lunch today with friends and not getting to see them as often as I used to, the answer would be 'yes, just a little.'
Switch and Fool Me Twice...
Most folks have seen those commercials Apple has been running about switching over from Microsoft. Sharp, personal stories and alittle cheesy but they sell, because those people are real folks.
Microsoft notices them. In their typical, anything you can do we can do better mentality they start a similar line of testimonials. Just one minor problem.
It's marketing PR without real people . So slashdot folks look into the campaign and realize where the pictures came from and that they have nothing to do with real testimonals.
BUSTED
It could have been any company potentially, I am sure others have done it before, I mean it's not like lying on accounting practices. The issue is people don't trust Microsoft, especially in the slashdot community. So it's one more nail in the coffin.
Fool me once, ha ha on you, fool me twice ha ha on me.
People have been fooled, they know better and it makes Microsoft's future sketchy at ...
In the " Dude your getting a pink slip " category
Dell Computer Corp.'s sales of personal computers have soared since the advent of the fictional pitchman "Steven," known for his catchphrase, "Dude, you're getting a Dell!"
But perhaps fearful of a backlash against the ubiquitous Steven, who playfully harangues friends and strangers into buying a Dell PC, the company said on Monday it is moving on to a new, less dude-centric advertising campaign.
Yahoo story
I wonder what Bruce Sterling would have to say on it, Steven was an intergal part of his CFP2002 speech . ( Yes, i am just using it as an excuse to point to his speech again, but it was very good )
PromoGuy's Monday Mission 2.41
1. What's the most expensive meal you've ever eaten? What was the occasion? Was it worth it? As in a meal I payed for was probably a sushi dinner I had one night a few months ago, I hadn't realized how expensive the place was and payed the price for it. Was it good sushi, yes, but I have had just as good for half the price of that place.
2. What do you like to do when nobody is looking? dream
3. What's your special purpose? That is why we are here to find that answer...if we are willing to grow...
4. Do you like Autumn? If so, why? If not, tell me about your favorite season. Ove it after Summers warmth that crisp cool air is delightful. I love to see the leaves change color and hear them crunch under my feet.
5 . Ever recommended a movie to someone only to have them hate it? Which movie? Did you feel uncomfortable about that? I am sure it has happened, but it doesn't bother me, different tastes for different folk...
Distance Learning
I took a distance learning class in college and I wasn't impressed, I know that was many moons ago and technologies have improved. As I run even minieducation sessions for work from time to time, but I realized my hesitation with such programs thanks to to Michelle . In this post she said There's also a woman who makes sort of Stained Glass For Dummies videos so you can learn by yourself, but I'm sort of dubious on that. It made me realize why I am dubious about learning online. Michelle is in the process of learning to make stained glass. Learning at a distance is akin to a Stained Glass For Dummies videos , while you can learn basic skills, not have the instructers direct interaction with a classroom when happy accidents occur is the difference.
By 'Happy Accident' I mean those unplanned events that take the class down an avenue of discussion unplanned in the lesson structure to pass along key insights of wisdom and experience. I think a ...
Funny little things in Life
Thought, energy and matter and how often they combine is amazing thing. What I mean to say is how often you think of a person and then they appear in your life. Especially if you are open to it I suppose.
Example I can't tell you how many time I have been thinking of my Mother or she of me and the phone rings and the other one is on the other side. It's almost scary, but it's just something we know and expect after a while.
Okay I know you will easily dismiss it. But it happens everyday in little ways you don't even expect, for instance I was walking to the metro in the rain and suddenly thought of a friend in town I had meant to see her a few Fridays ago, but she worked late, we didn't connect, it's simply did not happen. I was thinking I really needed to get a hold of her tell her where I was going when and just have a good conversation.
I stepped on to the train this morning and there she was sitting in the car. Along th...
When I went to AFF's panel on cloning tonight I had few set opinions. I thought I would take a few notes, blog them if I learned something. Most of this has nothing to do with those notes.
I didn't really expect the lightening bolt of revelation, nor clear vision to the best policy solution.
It's a cloudy issue at best with advances and developments likely to match any predictions for the future with the certainty of a lottery ticket from a local convience store.
The more interesting argument that arose again and again about the nature of humanity. What defines the experience of being human.
This topic will become more increasing linked to the body politic as technological developments continue at the current pace. This question has been involved in the American political scene for the last thirty years centering in the abortion debate. It's a debate many, myself included, could perhaps ignore because of lacking the biological function. While clouded in d...
Poetry Wednesday
I started flipping through the Tah Teh Ching looking for a good one for today, I kept coming back to this one from Chapter 47
Without opening your door,
you can know the whole world.
Without looking out your window,
you can understand the way of the Tao.
The more knowledge you seek,
the less you will understand.
The Master understands without leaving,
sees clearly without looking,
accomplishes much without doing anything.
Today one of the most important cases in the last 10 years will be heard in the Supreme Court Eldred vs. Ashcroft . It's about the future of intellectual property, dry material perhaps, but the case will have a real impact on the freedom of people. Jerry Brito of America's Freedom Foundation does a good job of telling the story .
Larry Lessig's blog has some interesting notes on the case including " Even Declan is reporting the story, if only to report that the Ayn Rand Institute has pronounced me a Marxist (along with Milton Friedman, Ronald Coase, James Buchanan and Phyllis Schlafly I assume.)). "
The funny thing is establish media companies are not really discussion the story nothing in the New York Times front or technology pages, the same for the Washington Post
It is interesting to see how the lack of covering the story elsewhere, the Mecury News it is the cover story on their website.
But it is a story people should be following.
Postsc...
DC Weather
It's gotten to the beautiful temperature at night, the temperature I can leave the windows open and breath that light brush of Autumn in the air, the slight chill that tickles your throat as you stay warm underneath a pile of blankets. Certainly not heaven, but not so far away either really.
Economics of Scarcity
It bothers me to think I am doing a post about economics, but this is making me wonder and the only way I can get it out is to write it. I am reading Shirky's post on weblogs and something starts to strike me, I have seen others discuss it in discrete form, but few outright.
Fundamental economics are based on meeting unlimited needs with limited resources, hence scarcity. Items become valued based on the limit of those resources, except for diamonds that's just good salesmanship. But with the way technology is advancing it may be very soon before it will be very easy to meet base economic wants for extremely low barrier.
Examples already exist within media technologies as Napster and it's children distribute music and video like free koolaid to the masses making what was pricey and corporate driven more based on a matter of taste and broadband speed. The same thing has already occurred in shipping technologies from requiring hundreds of people...
PromoGuy's Monday Mission 2.40
1. I just got back from a family reunion. It was ok, but I find those gatherings a little boring. Does your family ever have any reunions or annual get-togethers? Do you enjoy them? Not really, the only time we ever seem to be together is for funerals and weddings, my fathers side of the family is usually a blast when we gather. Then on my mom's side there is the Uncle who had three different police forces drop by his last party, I had invited a couple of friends and they still talk about that party.
2. A gal I work with told me that when her husband's drivers licsence comes up for renewal, she swipes it. She says he won't ever pose for pictures and that's the only way she can get a photo of him. Is that not creepy? Are you a picture person? Do you like taking photos, and having yours taken? I much like my mother don't like having my picture taken, in the last ten years there have only been two that I really liked, me in Fla...
South Park Republicans , huh?
Kick Ass!
Actually I take the whole article with as much seriousness as that Beavis and Butthead are true examples of Nietzsche Ubermensch . That was a theory I dispensed and sold to a discussion group in a political science course, they even were buying in by the end of discussion. Had I a blog at the time I would have been sure to post the argument in detail.
Basically the argument relies on the fact that Beavis and Butthead define their reality and the rules within it. For all the attempts of society to define structure and a discipline into their lives, they remain bound to their code and moral structure, none.
Then again Fred went nuts and Beavis and Butthead spend too much time playing with fire. ( FIRE! FIRE! ) The point remaining that pop icons can be used to convey modern representations of philosphy and ideas, just take it with a grain of salt a##munch!
A little Friday humor, thanks Stacy.
HOW TO BATHE A CAT
1. Thoroughly clean the toilet.
2. Lift both lids and add shampoo.
3. Find and soothe cat as you carry him/her to the bathroom.
4. In one swift move, place cat in toilet, close both lids, then sit on top so cat cannot escape.
5. The cat will self-agitate, producing ample suds. (Ignore ruckus from inside the toilet. Cat is enjoying this.)
6. Flush toilet 3 or 4 times. This provides "power rinse," which is quite effective.
7. Have someone open outside door, stand as far from toilet as possible, then quickly lift both lids.
8. Clean cat will rocket out of the toilet and outdoors, where your now-clean pet will air dry.
Sincerely,
THE DOG
Anyone have a c...
It must be elections day here at Bear Droppings. Another story, JenRaj pointed out that William Cleveland is officially running for Mayor of Alexandria. If you are down in Alexandria I highly recommend you vote for him! He is a great guy, he works at the Capitol as a police officer and serves on the City Council. The paper says it will be an uphill battle but I am sure if anyone is capable of winning it's him.
Salmon, if it smells like bad fish the voters will throw him out
I have been following the governor race in Arizona not so surprisingly. When it was mentioned Salmon had lobbied for the City of Phoenix after his time in Congress I didn't think it would effect the race, after all this was a politician not holding office so no big deal, everyone has to pay the bills somehow. Now it has been discovered that while he was lobbying, he never filed as a lobbyist under the Lobbyist Disclosure Act.
Waiting for the other shoe to drop? It was a bill he voted in favor of while he was serving Congress.
Arizonians have a history of voting for unique characters and it occasional costs us, like two governors I could name. But I suspect they have had enough with being the punchline of jokes. It has gotten old and this was just dumb, so I am going to call the election and predict Janet Napolitano will win. Unless we can maybe pull a New Jersey.
I was wandering through the blogosphere on lunch and I found Rumsfeld Rules . His rules for public policy, government and living. It has alot of good points in it. It reminds me alot of the words of Admiral Rickover. If you are interested in public policy or just a bit of wisdom give them a read, it will take a few minutes to read though as it's 12 pages long.
Poetry Wednesday
The Raven
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some l...
Simple is best at times...or so it goes for dinner last night. Bruschetta and Spinach salad for dinner, key like most things was the assembly.
Bruschetta made easy
Toast thin slices of French bread under broiler until brown.
Meanwhile crush a clove of garlic and slice mozarella cheese.
Plate browned bread slices with just a bit of fresh garlic on them.
Add the slice of Mozarella
Then add Trader Joes Bruschetta on top, it has the tomato, basil, garlic, and olive oil.
Enjoy! (Total assembly time 5 minutes)
PS- While at TJs pick up Olive Tapenade and sprinkle a bit on to the Bruschetta and be sure to toast a few pieces of bread just to eat with the Tapenade straight. YUM!
PPS- You Atkins folks want to try it, I dunno replace the bread with a hamburger.