Manifesto of a Wandering Mind

Too many cars... but who cares?

2006-11-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

cars, cars everywhere, and not a carpooler amongst them.

Driving to work the other day, I decided to try a little surveying of our fine city of Lost Angeles. I pass a lot of cars as I head west bound along Olympic Boulevard in the morning commute. Here was the test. How many cars would I pass with more than one person in them?

I was really kind of shocked. A generous estimate would put only 1 in 20 cars I passed as having more than one person in them. There was an occasional dog - but we'll not count those.

I guess that I pass close to 300 or 400 cars each morning on my drive - so not a bad survey pool. But it just goes to show you how LA Lost Angeles really is. The car has long been an expression of the individual. And more and more, that expression is one of indifference and self centeredness... if that is a word.

I guess that I don't really care enough to do anything about it myself - and that is probably what those 14 out of 15 drivers think as well. But I'm sure there is an asshole amongst them who is just too absorbed in their own self image to carpool with their coworker who lives down the street. So let's just get mad at that dude and call it a day.

I will update... soon

2006-10-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

At least one new post to come soon... maybe tomorrow.

Jackie Chan wins

2006-07-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

too awesome:

In honor of insanity

2006-06-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

This song is proof I am going mad. I can't stop listening to it. I think it has something to do with the fact that I will be studying non stop for the next two months

give it a listen... it will suck you in...
http://ahom.ru/rabota/

Crazy music freaks

2006-05-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

It is stuff like this that makes me want to give up playing the guitar at times:

more in the spirit of crazy musicians... the man with the largest drum kit:

more of him jamming:

Self imposed hypocrisy

2006-04-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

Wasn't it Mill who defined enlightenment as man's awakening from his self imposed ignorance? Well... sometimes you just see things in life that make you think twice about human will power.

The gymnasium (greek for room of nakedness or naked exercise) I frequent - one of the 24 hour variety - is an interesting place. It is the only 24 hour brand gym in Beverly Hells. That means that it attracts an interesting assortment of people. No - no hot shot celebrities show up -- they all go to their private gyms.

Instead, this gym attracts porn stars; washed out porn stars; and of course "actors" -- who will likely end up turning to porn some day when they realize their dreams are crushed.

That is not really the only kind of people who go there. When I would go early in the morning - I would see the regular folks, with jobs who were just serious about staying in shape. But when I go later in the day - that is when I start seeing stranger things.

There is one group that stands out. We get some retired folks in - and we also get housewives. Specifically a group of Persian housewives.

Usually I commend anyone who gets their ass to the gym a few times a week. And I would commend these ladies - but what I see when I leave the gym the days they are there is what annoys me.

Everyday these ladies go to the gym, on their way out - they stop at the cafe just beyond the doors of the gym. This normally wouldn't be that big of a deal - post workout nutrition is very important. But these ladies go and get themselves the functional equivalent of a cinnabon. Now those things are just about as bad for you as eating a few big macs. But the Coup de Grace is that these ladies are just outside the gym, just after having worked out, eating an artery clogging meal AND SMOKING!

I do not get it. You have the willpower to get your ass to the gym, but you can't put down the fucking cancer sticks?!?! It is actually kind of sad.

Bad Names Blues

2006-04-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

This is the day and age of absurd child naming - see Suri Cruise (AKA scientology spawn); Pilot Inspektor Lee; and of course Moxie Crimefighter Jillette.

I mean, really, how do these crazy ass celebrities think their kids will deal with this crap! As someone who has gone through 26 years of life with a strange name, I guess I should feel some sympathy... or empathy... but I don't. These kids will be spoiled and probably be brats. I hope they get beat up for having stupid names.

But that is really all beside the point. Lets talk business. If you are opening a restaurant, think twice before naming it. Please.

Case in point:

The sleep of reason produces monsters

2006-03-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

Goya had it all right.
For some reason I was reminded of this piece of work today. Why does the mind wander incessantly when it knows it should focus? Alas - at least focus takes place when the bell is about to toll... or at least we should hope it does.

This stupid pseudo philosophical insight is provided to you by the letter φ. That, and a moot court brief that is due friday... and a burp I just had. mmm.. Hawaiian BBQ burp... mmmmm.

King Diamond

2006-03-10T22:29:00.000-08:00

I popped in a CD I have not listened to in a while. This tends to happen when I am working on some tedious legal memo... my mind wanders even more if I don't have some music blasting. Believe it or not - it keeps me focued. The album was one by Mercyful Fate. The key to the band is the crazy falsetto to growl singing of the lead signer King Diamond:

King Diamond. The man, the myth, the psycho.

He started out as the lead singer of the band Mercyful Fate starting out back in 1982.

But seriously, the guy was the first diabolical shock musician. I mean - Led Zeppelin and Ozzy were into the Occult - but they never had lyrics or an image like Kind Diamond. He is what Mariyln Manson wants to be.

Some of his deep words from the song "Black Masses":

"Slaughtering babies in ceremonial ways
if we're lucky we can see them for days
'cause baby blood is full of strength
but I thell you, oh how it stinks.
Give me some baby blood.
Elohim...Adonai...Tetragrammaton"

I mean, really. What great stuff. Another snippet from a song called "Nuns have no fun"

"You're a nun you haven't had no fun
living you life as virgin queen
I'm gonna change it and I'll get it done
Tomorrow you won't be a virgin queen

C.U.N.T. that's what you are, you're C.U.N.T. yeah
I get it up, I get it up in the dark
I make her feel I'm not a holy man
Faster breathing, she's like a shark
She wants more, I'm gonna give her my cross"

And so on and so forth...
Well, eventually, the highly talentend musicians in the band (and I'm not joking - these guys really rocked) got sick of all the BS satanic shock lyrics and kicked King Diamond out of the group. He eventually toned stuff down a bit and is back with the band today. What what a mark he left.

what a bad ass!

just classic.

without the makeup

Austrian psycho's... part III

2006-02-26T19:54:00.000-08:00

I really didn't think it could get much crazier than giving the guy 3 years in prison. But now the Austrian Thought Police are trying to give David Irving even MORE time behind bars because he thinks a certain way.

Crazy.

The Austrian Thought Police Strike Again

2006-02-19T19:48:00.000-08:00



Austria.  Land of the somewhat Brave and Home of the Free not to think a certain way.
Hmm... their Crest has a hammer and sickle!

So a few months ago the Austrian police arrested David Irving.

But David Irving didn't do anything. He believes something. And gave a speech about that something. And he was arrested for it.

Now, he is on trial, and may be sentenced to up to 10 years of prison just for thinking a certain way.

Granted, David Irving believes in something a bit controversial.

You see, he is a "revisionist historian" who basically believes that the Holocaust is blown way out of proportion, and that the gas chambers in Auschwitz never could have been used for that purpose.

You can read more about his thoughts at his site HERE.

Really though -- what he believes is somewhat beside the point here. This is basically like saying that I deny the White Man ever stole the lands of Native Americans and that the Trail of Tears never happened. Now say I do some "research" into this, and try to discredit the validity of much of the settled history about it. Then say I give a speech about what I think.

Is that really grounds for throwing me in prison? What the hell is going on here? What happened to the marketplace of ideas? This is freedom of speech in its purest form!

Even if it wasn't actually Voltaire who said it, it still rings true. "I do not agree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it."

Austria is becoming the the sly evil twin of Nazi Germany. Lets call this fictional land Baustria. Well... that is going to take too long. But I think that Baustria is not that far of a cry from the kind of place Oceania was supposed to be.

McDonald's pwned me.

2006-01-17T10:42:00.000-08:00



just look at all that beefy... cheesy... saucy... uh... bready... goodness.

I feel like an ad for "Supersize Me".... but damn. McDonalds really messes people up. And really - when it is all said and done - I don't consider their food to be the most artery clogging fast food out there. I mean - really - it is hard to compete with Carls Jr and the DOUBLE six dollar burger. Half a pound of greasy beefy goodness...

and.... not to mention 1,420 calories. 101 grams of fat, and a nice artery clogging 245 miligrams of cholesterol....

But still.... the Big Mac is pretty dangerous (560 calories, 30g of fat and 80mg of cholesterol). They are especially dangerous when they are just $1. So... last night my roommate enticed me to go with him to the local McD's and pick up a few Big Macs for dinner. I order two. He, being bold, orders three. We retire to our humble palatial imitation apartment and begin the feast. It is amazing how quickly one can consume a Big Mac. We finish our feast. I feel slightly sick... but have an insane craving for more. I'm glad I didn't order any more.

So. Fast forward to this morning at the gym. I had a pretty normal work out - but when I was on the treadmill - I really felt like shit. I ran about half as far as I usually do - and was pouring sweat like Oprah in labor. My roommate fared much worse. He had to stop and nearly collapsed from the intense cramps he was getting. Mind you - neither of us are strangers to running on treadmills. We usually both make it to the gym at least 6 days a week.

I blame McDonalds. I blame the Big Macs.
hmm... how American of me, that I don't blame my own gluttony... but that is another story.

Senseless, mindless drivel...

2006-01-05T19:36:00.000-08:00

I spent the past two days in Vegas... on the verge of sickness. Not a good way to enjoy ones self - but it was still fun.

Being sick has made my mind wander a bit... as it tends to... and I have started to wonder more and more about our sense of reality.

No. Not some teenage idea of relativity - but how accurately we can be aware of our reality. In other words - how accurate is the information we fill our minds with? Well... I guess we don't technically even "fill" our minds... we just strengthen chains of synaptic connections.... but discussion could last for 4 years of college.

Really though - what do we really know these days? There is almost an endless list of examples problems with certainty.

The world was flat. People believed it with conviction. Now the world is a sphere.

Direct current was touted by Edison as the future of the electrical infrastructure. Tesla proved that alternating current was a far, far better alternative. Now the world's electrical infrastructure is AC.

Some examples continue to flip flop...

In the 50's steak and eggs are good for you. In the 90's they are bad for you. In the early 00's they are the key to the Atkins diet craze (although he wrote his first book about it in the 70's .)

You see the same back and forth about wine, butter and nuts... heh... nuts...

Even today we are force fed our opinions by the media. We have to perpetually fear global warming and terrorists... while these things are all a matter of perspective. Really.

Is a terrorist a freedom fighter? Are we (the royal we) seen as terrorists by some? Do we cause terror? Should we really be in fear of terrorists?

Is the world really warming? In the 70's books were written claiming that we were on the verge of the next ice age - and we should all fear it. Now we are supposed to be scared of impending doom caused by global warming. In another 10 years what will we be told?

In many ways we are almost always being told how to think. We always need an enemy. Personal vices or theologically based vices are never enough. We always need that enemy. Our past generations has have the benefit of the British, the South, the Mexicans, the Axis, the Nazis, and the USSR....

today we have vague enemies...

Like guesses of atrocities from creeping increases of CO2 levels...
Or like another terror attack by some guys with Arabic names...

But then... there is always a good political scandal... and often they have a way of showing the public that a presented enemy really might not have been such a bad enemy.

Something like that happened with Nixon at the end of Vietnam. (watergate)
Something like that happened with Reagan too. (Iran-contra)
but then Reagan did something strange. He eliminated the enemy. He helped bring down the wall. Then there was a lull. Saddam did something dumb, we had another enemy for a while... then another lull. Then Slobodan did something dumb and we had another enemy for a while... then another lull.

A rather long lull really.
Then Al-Queda did something really really dumb.

But really. Every enemy that has existed after the USSR has been less of a ideological enemy, and more of just stupid. Well... that's not to say that Al-Queda isn't ideologically totally counter to everything American - they are - but they are not a cohesive entity. We can't just go after them and wipe them out. We tried. They lack the formality to stand as "the enemy"...

So... what to do? The media sees to it that we have plenty to keep ourselves afraid of. Maybe that is a good thing though. It keeps people motivated. Granted it is often the driving force behind a dictatorship (fear) - but it does help to nip capitalism in the bud and keep it moving.

Or maybe I'm just tired.

Trip to Turkey

2005-12-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

Ok... so in September I went to Turkey with my family for my cousins wedding. I finally have some picture from it - so I'll post some of them here.

Here I am with my brother and our cousins near the beach house:





The beach house was nice - and conducive to relaxing...

This cat had it all figured out:






My aunt an uncle's apartment was in Izmir.

Here is a picture of me near the coast in Izmir:






We also visited the ancient city of Ephesus.

Here is the coolest thing we saw -- the Latrine... I think I am the only one really trying:






There were other cool things at Ephesus...
Like the Library:

This is where we stayed the night before the wedding...
cool view:

Me at the wedding. I had a lot to drink.

Me drinking some Turkish Beer...
mmm.. Beer:

The best sandwich I have ever eaten:

Finally... me being the total culture clash that I am:

The sweet smell of secularism

2005-11-10T08:33:00.000-08:00

So -- Turkey has had a long tradition of banning religious garb in government and educational settings. Recently a EU court has found that this kind of regulation is fine:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4424776.stm

Could you imagine if our US federal government banned the wearing of crucifixes in government/educational settings? Amazing. Those crazy Muslims. Next thing you know, they'll ban religious references for politicians... wait... they do that too!

Really. We (speaking as an American) tend to feel we are the religiously progressive ones. Well... maybe that is really the Europeans... but regardless, who would have thought that a nation that is over 95% Muslim would have more secular laws than the US?

Day of Scare...

2005-11-02T09:52:00.000-08:00

Happy late Halloween. I hope you had lots of blood and got scared.

Here is a picture of how I tried to scare people. It didn't really work.

Politics suck

2005-10-12T18:56:00.000-07:00

Yes they do. But since I haven't posted anything in awhile -- I won't post anything now. Well... not really.

Just check this out.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9665308/#051012a

Good article about terror threat levels and how the government might be using them.

But really -- who cares. And isn't the media biased?

What a quote

2005-09-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

the man himself

seems extra poignant in this day and age.

From the founder of the Modern Republic of Turkey:

"I have no religion, and at times I wish all religions at the bottom of the sea. He is a weak ruler who needs religion to uphold his government; it is as if he would catch his people in a trap. My people are going to learn the principles of democracy, the dictates of truth and the teachings of science. Superstition must go. Let them worship as they will; every man can follow his own conscience, provided it does not interfere with sane reason or bid him against the liberty of his fellow-men."
-Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938)

What a man.

and on a totally unrelated note -- ever notice that the word "poignant" is "po" and "ignant"? hahahahaha

Fiber.

2005-08-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

Fiber It's the shit. Really. I've been eating Toasted Oatmeal for quite a while now. It is great. Lots of fiber. Keeps you regular. Makes wiping less painful... and cleaner. What more should one need?

Then, just a few days ago I bought some figs from Costco. Even more fiber.

I'm depositing a load in the toilet every morning... I could set my watch by it... but I don't wear one.

Anyway. Just keep it in mind. Respect your colon:

A real bad ass leader.

2005-08-05T20:06:00.000-07:00

You can wage war all you want these days. But a real leader is out there on the front lines with the troops. A real leader like Sultan Mehmet IV - the sultan of the Ottoman empire from 1642-1693. Why is he bad ass? We'll I'll borrow a few lines from Jason Goodwin's book "Lord of the Horizons":

"At the siege of Baghdad in 1683, when the Persians demanded the contest be decided by a single combat, they put up a Herculean warrior from their ranks, and Sultan Mehmet IV took him on himself, splitting the Persian champion's mailed head in two with a single blow."

Now that is how we should settle disputes today. I mean... the "insurgency" should put forth their best man, and then GWB should go out there, and they should duke it out. I mean.. imagine ol Zarqawi going at it with swords and armor with W!

I think it'd be cool.

by the way... I found that picture of W by searching images.google.com for "W". Quite honestly -- I think this search result was much better: link. But that just wouldn't have been appropriate.

Work

2005-08-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

I forgot how much I can hate a "desk job." During the time I spent as a staff research associate, I was actually able to get out and walk around as a part of my job. Back in office land -- I feel confined to my desk and chair. At least I now get an office as opposed to the naked feeling situtorium known as a cubicle. So I guess I could close the door and do some naked yoga... but I don't know any yoga...

This is when it kills the most. It is 3:30 - another hour to go, and my back is yelling at me: "You have been sitting too long you fool. Go stretch. Go walk. Get outside. FEED ME. DRINK BEER." hmm... was that my back?

Oh well... I guess the good thing about a desk job is that I can type this, and people walk by and think I'm doing work! Booyah.

The Creative Prōcess

2005-07-08T23:17:00.000-07:00

A method, a little madness, and some inspirato, and voila… creation. It might find itself hidden in some electronic beeping. It might sneak into your unconscious through the ear canal - slowly making its way through the temporal lobe to the prefrontal cortex… wham… the idea is sparked. The anticipation builds. An outlet is needed… immediately.

Whatever form it takes. Whatever it takes to give it form – will all reveal what it gives to you.

That uncanny indiscernible motivation. This intangible, wordless emotive response.

Fix it to be what it was meant to be. Give it a name… then enjoy.

should we be that afeared?

2005-07-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

should we? Justice O'Connor is ditching out on the supreme court, and we are left with a very pivotal hole.

Will "W" manage to find another Scalia or Thomas? Probably not... because I hope that is all of them that exist.

The key to remember is that -- you can't predict a justices voting path... maybe with the exception of Thomas. Lets look at a little history..

In 1975, John Paul Stevens was appointed by everyone's favorite Republican Dick Nixon. Stevens has been quite a moderate, and has veered to become one of the more liberal justices on the bench now.

In 1988, Anthony Kennedy was appointed by Ronald "the Russians are coming" Ray-gun. Kennedy did not become a blaring conservative once appointed... in fact, he became the other pivotal "swing voter" along with O'Connor -- and has often come down on the "liberal" side on many social issues.

In 1990 David Souter was appointed by Old Man Bush Sr. Souter became, once appointed, very liberal.

Throw in O'Connor, and you have 4 times that Republicans have appointed justices that ended up becoming rather moderate, and even quite liberal.

So what can we learn from all of this? Nothing. I have no idea what will happen, and neither do you... and THAT... is my point!

Grokster

2005-07-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

ok.
so... file sharing programs are now not ok right? Well -- I have not read the opinion yet.. and when I do... I'll try to write something snappy about it... but really... who thought this was going to go the other way?

This is still capitalism. This... as in The United States of Ourmerica. Capitalism = $ talks, and bullsh*t walks right?

lets see... get something for free, or pay more than I should for it?

So, until the day the heroic proletariat rises up and crushes the capitalistic dogs (becoming horrid pigs in the process)... deal with paying $8-12 to see a movie and $14-18 for a CD. Get over it.
You want to hear that kind of music. You want to see a flashy movie. The system that spawns these modern disasterpieces works a certain way... maybe an unfortunate way for the masses -- but like I said.. .this is capitalism - get over it.

I have... and I am much more vapid as a result... yeah.

GUILTY!

2005-06-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

of being a freak.

I mean really. Who else in society can get away with looking that crazy? He should be locked up because of the way he looks... he scares small children. I mean... he scares me too. THAT is molestation. He molests our minds whenever we have to look at him.

So -- MJ pulls an OJ... well, actually the prosecution pulled it for him.... but what could we have expected?

Thank you Santa Barbara DA... thank you for letting this:

go free.

I don't even really think of him as human any more. He isn't the same man who gave us thriller. He isn't the same man who sang on Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me"... he is no longer even a man.

I rest my case... (of beer)...

OWNED! ... by time..

2005-06-09T21:44:00.000-07:00

ever feel like you are at war with Time?

On two counts.
(1) - it is already June, and I need to find a new apartment
(2) - it is already 9:44, and I need to take a shower and get some sleep.

Tonight I fell into the time-warp of fruity loops song creation. It was fairly.. heh.. fruitful... but it eats up my time and I don't realize it. Much like playing Civ...

Time to Post something

2005-05-31T19:09:00.000-07:00

This post is meaningless. Less we derive meaning from something inherently stupid... but then again...

I will post a nice update whence I return from my travels to the land of KenTuck...eee..

In the mean time, I will leave with several problems to grapple with.

A) Why is "A man a plan a canal panama" a palendrome?

2) Who would name their child "Paladin"? (there was an uber-nerd in my copyright class with this name)

III) Why can't science of today create a light-saber? (I want one)

Cheap Thoughts

2005-05-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

well.. they are free.

Circular logic. That which is incomprehensible cannot exist.

Our existence is bound by our ability to perceive.

All that we perceive we inherently, at some level, have comprehended.

All that exists (in our existence) must be comprehensible.

Thus, That which is incomprehensible cannot exist.

But I don't believe in logic anyway. Nor existence.

Welcome Apathy with Open Arms

2005-05-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

I use to love discussing politics. In high school, it was one of my activities of choice -- that's probably why I "was" such a "loser". Within the past couple of years, I have started to care less and less about the whole thing (game). Ideals? Sure... maybe I have a few left - but I don't care about asserting them anymore. I've found much more interest in sitting back and watching how things play out... like a deistic god. It's fun to now watch people get all worked up about politics, and truly get emotional about it all. "It's our lives and our country!"... blah, blah, blah. It is also a lot of fun to tell people that I didn't vote last election (or the one before that!). That really gets people heated, especially in Kalifornia. Maybe I have just accepted humanity. I mean, no matter how hard we strive to become Thomas More's famous nation, it just is not going to happen. All the greatest civilizations of the world eventually collapse. It is just so human. We are born, we reach some level of enlightenment, then we die. That's just the way it is. The day you accept that, is the day you will stop caring. And "let me tell you something" -- it makes for a much less stressful life.

Another fun thing to do is to argue about seemingly absurd concepts. Try telling a college student that individuality is over-rated, and that asserting your individuality does help lead us to unity. Or try reading some Rousseau. He pondered the idea of education once - and asked if having wide spread education was a good thing because of the chance it could eliminate the elite class. Really, try telling a college student that "we need people to be janitors" or something like that.

Anyway -- what does all of that mean? I don't know. I don't even really care anymore. Perhaps it was a bit antithetical to even write this -- but I did -- because I have accepted humanity. I'm just as flawed as you are. But I do believe treachery is a most heinous crime. And apathetic people annoy me too.

They Just Don't Make 'em Like They Use To.

2005-05-09T15:22:00.000-07:00

I am of course talking about '80s TV shows. I am currently watching an episode of MacGyver. I mean... what modern show can claim a main character whose name has become a verb. Now a synonym for juryrigging, MacGyver was a true bad ass.

This man helped make the mullet cool -- but we can overlook that because he could make bombs

They just don't make shows with such a blatant disregard for reality anymore. Sometimes '80s shows were just straight up absurd. Actually, most of the time they were.

The list is really endless. Who could forget the A-team?

look at all dem gold chains

They were really my favorite. It had the "build it" aspect of MacGyver, and also had Mr. T. Who, by the way, made an amazing motivational video.

Another great aspect of these shows is the "obvious stunt-man switch out" pioneered by the original Star Trek.

Then -- don't forget the great, "super machine" shows like Airwolf, and Knight Rider. And with that, I'll leave you with this:

I'm a little scared

What the hell is going on in the Middle East?

2005-04-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

It seems like just yesterday when the Middle East was a hellhole full of violence and arrogance propagating an unwinable war... wait... That was yesterday. And really -- it is how it is today, but there have been some really remarkable changes recently.

Sharon's Change of Heart

Really... how did this happen? This is the man who was found "indirectly responsible" for the massacres at Sabra and Shatila, where roughly a thousand refugees (mostly women and children) were slaughtered under Israeli observation. But now he is a peace maker. How the hell did that happen?? It's nice -- but one can't help but wonder why it happened. Maybe he realized that peace will depend on concessions... maybe he had a midlife crisis... maybe he found Jeebus... maybe not. Whatever it is -- it is a good thing -- we'll see how the next few years play out.

Syria's withdrawal

For 3 decades, Syria has occupied Lebanon. Now they just up and leave. Amazing. Again -- you have to wonder why -- but then just be happy it happened. And again... we'll see how the next few years play out.

In other news...

Frogs seem to be exploding in Germany. No joke. We've all heard about spontaneous human combustion... but now it seems frogs are really just exploding... thousands of them! Amazing. We'll see how the next few years play out... and just hope this doesn't start happening to cows and humans.

Vanity and sloth can kill a man…

2005-04-18T16:29:00.000-07:00

My thoughts jump incessantly in the wee hours of the afternoon. Should I focus on the blaring Swedish Death metal, or on California Legal Ethics?

Either way, we are all screwed. Life becomes a fight against our instincts and tendencies. Our instincts feel right, obviously, but with time we see that they end up harming us. So can pleasure be the basis of sin? Isn’t that oxymoronic? Maybe.

Aside from vanity and sloth, lets take gluttony. We all love to eat nice tasty morsels of fried goodness. Whatever it is, fried zucchini, fried potatoes, fried beef, fried squid – it all tastes damn good. Wait. We seek good tasting food. Fattier foods taste better. Perhaps some remnant of the hunter/gatherer mentality. Some die hard evolutionists would think the work “perhaps” is much to weak though.

So, if it is our instinct, is it modernity that has rendered our instincts useless, and even harmless? Perhaps. Hmm. There is that word again. Modernity has also apparently plagued us with an inability to exert definiteness. Blame Einstein, and relativity (not really).

Modernity has provided us with ample food, and ample shelter. There goes gluttony.

Modernity has provided us with the idea that we should enjoy other people’s souls, and personalities. There goes vanity

Modernity has provided us with evidence that exercise is good. There goes sloth.

Modernity has provided us with the desire for monogamy. There goes sex. I mean, chastity or lust.

Modernity has provided us with peace and forgiveness as ideals. There goes wrath.

Modernity has provided us with personal autonomy as an ideal. There goes envy.

Modernity has provided us with money. There goes avarice. Wait.

AHH! Money makes the world go around. Hmm. This shouldn’t turn into some diatribe on capitalism… because socialism just doesn’t work. Oh. Maybe that is greed’s fault. Is human greed the last instinct holding us back from divinity? I ponder this, and then think about the attempts that have been made to redistribute wealth. They never work. No one likes to part with personal property. Modernity cannot provide us with a lesser valuation of the self. So whatever we exert dominion over, we feel must be ours and only ours. Any attempt to tell mankind that they should value themselves less would suffer a kingly failure.

Man is obsessed with his very existence. All of the things modernity has provided us with serve man (well most of them at least). So can we hope for a world like the United Federation of Planets in Star Trek? So far, man’s lust for knowledge has not outweighed his lust for personal property. Knowledge is benevolent, while personal property is purely self serving. They both can create a legacy – but alas, the maxim “he who dies with the most toys wins” rings true for many in this day and age.

Maybe if people start realizing that when you are dead, you can’t play with your toys, we can start working the kinks out of our imperfect society. But hell – that is frivolous. Mankind is innately flawed. We strive for perfection – yet know we cannot attain it.

One day, the secrets of the universe will unravel – and maybe life as we know it will end…because maybe that is when perfection is revealed, and our purposes are fulfilled.

Invent something

2005-04-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

It came to mind recently that inventions tend to try do one of two things.

1 - make life easier in some way, or
2 - to kill

A paradox? Well -- not really. Sometimes these "twin aims" of human endeavor converge, and a dream is realized.

Case Study Number A.
The Hungry Man All Day Breakfast

I think this frozen meal is best described by the Nutritional Information for this product:

mmmm... 690mg of cholesterol.... mmm... heart attack...

There really isn't anything else to say about this one.

Case Study Letter 2.
The Nuclear (newk-you-lure) Bomb

I think this is best described by this:

crazy big explosion

There really isn't anything else to say about this.

Case Study the III.
The TV remote Control.

Well. Really... Think about it. Someone invented something so you wouldn't have to stand up, and take 2 steps and change the TV channel manually. Now, take that, and add America's growing problems of obesity, and you have an invention that fulfills the twin aims.

we start 'em young in the USA

I shouldn't talk though. The lack of walking to and from the TV has taken its toll on my body as well... here is a picture someone just snapped of me as I was typing this:

actually.. I don't wear glasses

Case Study the Tetra.
Michael Jackson

He is no longer human.

that'll give you nightmares for months

He is a creation of America's obsession with plastic sugary... I mean.. surgery. So. He is an invention. Take my word for this or else I'll seem stupid. And then take my word that he kills people -- in some form. Well... I lost my train of thought, so I've had enough.

Attack of the Killer Swedes

2005-04-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

Swedish Melodic Death Metal. Has a nice ring to it -- doesn't it? I recently heard a few songs from an American band called Trivium. Cool stuff. But they sound a lot like a Swedish band. So what does that mean? Well... Swedish Melodic Death Metal (we'll call it SMDM... sounds sexual) probably started with a band called At The Gates. Fast beats. Loud Guitars. Screeching vocals. And lots of melody. Soon, bands like Dark Tranquillity and In Flames expanded on this sound. These bands all came from the town of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Gothenburg has a cool crest!

Now, soon a few other similar sounding Swedish bands came out, including the ever improving band, Soilwork.

Anywho. The sound these bands have developed is quite fricking infectious.... so a few American bands are picking it up -- like Trivium. (Also see Atreyu, and Shadows Fall) They all have slightly different sounds to them -- but the "Gothenburg" SMDM sound is hard to miss.

The Anomaly.

Opeth are a bit of an anomaly.

Amazing band. They hail from Sweden, and at times have a bit of an SMDM sound... but they are so much more than that. Imagine acoustic folk music, mixed with brutal, rip-your-balls-off death metal. yeah... kinda like that.

They are amazingly relaxed at one moment. The next, they are screaming at you and scaring your back hair off of you. They did chill out long enough to make one full album of totally relaxed Pink-Floyd esq music.

Well. This random rant is over. Listen to some or all of the bands mentioned.

Dreams.... of death and water

2005-04-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Oh. So I though I should recount a couple of recent dreams.

Dream 1 -- My own murder/suicide

I was in some strange house.. Not sure where. I was chasing after someone. This place was like the Winchester Mystery House. I approach a doorway, and see the person I am chasing walking away from me, through the door way. I dive after him, and am only able to grab his ankle. As he walks away, I lose my grip and he walks off into the darkness. I stand up, and follow into the dark hallway. I turn left, and descend a strangely placed spiral staircase. It is very dark. I end up in another hallway at the base of the staircase. To the right is an open door, to the left is more dark hallway. I turn left. Then I feel something grabbing at my ankle. I begin to turn around to look behind me, and feel a sense of weightlessness. My head begins to fall backwards, and slides off of my neck, as I see myself, standing behind me, with a bloody machete in one hand, and my own bleeding stump of a head in the other.

I wonder what all that means...

Dream 2 -- underwater bar

This one was just strange. I only remember the basics. It was an underwater bar. Everyone had heavy boots on, so you could walk around. Placed around the bar were large oxygen tanks that you could walk up to and get some pure oxygen. For some reason, I could go about 5 minutes between needing air. I wish I remember more of this dream - but it has faded.

National Poetry Month

2005-04-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

So, I hear that April is National Poetry Month, or as I like to call it, NPM. In honor of this, I'd like to post a limerick I wrote in the 4th grade.

There once was a man from Japan
Who loved to sing to his hand
They thought he was nuts,
and tickled his guts,
That silly old man from Japan

Maybe I should honor NPM with a more serious, coffee-house worthy, piece of poetry. Lets see what I can come up with...

The waves roar and bring me to life
The ceiling is unrevealing
Olfaction detection offers a rejection...
of familiarity.
Blurry eyes realize and materialize...
life.
Another land, nearby sand, close at hand.
The sun pours in, replaces the din...
and life starts for a new day...
far away...

Wow. That was so superficially deep -- I like.
Something more serious will follow...

and so it begins....

2005-04-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

Well... not really. But any word written (in water) is still a word written... or so I am told.

This will expand some day.