Guesses At Nothing

I've added some new features to the site via upgrading to Subtext 1.9.5 (finally). 

On the left hand side, there are several new features:  

• A search box that displays results dynamically on the page.
  
• A "tag cloud" that let's me tag entries with different keywords.
  
• and finally I can list links of sites that I enjoy. 

You'll also notice that when you post a comment you will now be asked to enter a code that is displayed in an image file in the page.  This is known as a Captcha and will help prevent spam. 

Another feature in the comment area is the use of identicons and gravatars.  Identicons are programmatically generated images that are made from your IP address, so provided you visit from the same IP, the image next to your comment will always be the same. 

If you want your own image to appear next to your post, use a Gravatar.  Gravatars are "Globally Recognized Avatars" and require you to create an account here, where you can upload an image that is associated with your email address.  Every time you post on a site that uses gravatars, the same image will appear next to your comment.  I'll post an example comment on this page so you can see my avatar.   I should also note that entering your email address on my site is private, and the email will never be displayed. 

I hope you enjoy my new features. 

UPDATE:  Shit-canned the tag cloud as it was more annoying than anything.

Pretty Puppy

Tags:Creepy

Creepy but cool.  It takes a minute to load, then click with your mouse and drag either up or down.

Tags:Creepy

It is the end of the Antarctic Summer, and you know what that means....    ice shelves are collapsing.

Tags:Climate Change

Only click this if you want to creep yourself out.  (Found at kottke.org)

Tags:Creepy

Take the time to watch this beautiful video of slugs in the heat of the moment.    (Found at kottke.org)

Tags:slugs

I've added a new image gallery.  It is just random scenes from around the house.  I hope you enjoy!



Tags:images

Hilarity thy name is Mr. T.

 From the link:

So I said to Mr. T.,
“You promised me, Mr. T,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during
the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one
set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
you have not been there for me?”

And Mr. T. replied,
“What’s this jibba-jabba?!
The times when you have seen
only one set of footprints in the sand
is when I carried you, foo!”

Worth noting:  Arthur C. Clarke passed away last week.  His death was almost at the exact time that an enormous gamma ray burst that happened 7.5 billion years ago reached our lonely planet.  It has been suggested that this event be named the Clarke Event.

I just got done watching Barack Obama's speech about race in America from the other day.  If you haven't watched it then I urge you to do so.  One thing is apparent:  Barack Obama is more of a straight talker than George Walker Bush could ever dream to be. 

Here is the video:



Tags:obama

There is a German friar sitting on top of my file cabinet. When I was a teenager I took some markers and gave him purple eyeshadow and green punk-rock hair. His mouth is agape, exposing many tiny teeth that look like they are worn thin from gnawing on chicken bones. His deep red throat is meant to be crammed full of toothpicks. I bought him during my two week trip to Europe while I was a senior in high school. I don't remember much about the shop except that it was nestled somewhere in the Bavarian mountains. We were on a bus tour and stopped in a town that had a statue of the Virgin Mary which shed actual tears. I do remember the Alpine architecture with exposed beams of hewn wood. Most of the trip was spent drinking wine and beer as it was legal to drink at any age in Europe. It was great to drink with my teacher, Frau, who kept telling me that we were going to “talk turkey” someday. Frau died a couple of years ago, and we never did get to have that talk which I regret as she was a really cool lady. I don't believe in mysticism (at least not anymore) but on the day that I found out she had died, I had thought I had seen her earlier, driving in a car, or at least the woman had looked like her. It is funny how life can be so coincidental at times. I hadn't thought about Frau for a long time before that. She died of pancreatic cancer.

Frau was the kind of woman who could be delightful and frightening at the same time. She could take command of the class room in an instant with her shrill voice and she could roll an R like no other. I sometimes think we took advantage of Frau, some more than others. She had a youthful spirit and she enjoyed playing games with us. She knew what the word skulduggery meant though she wouldn't tell me. She had been a fan of The Who, though I don't know how I know that. She made us memorize and recite Goethe in German though that now escapes me too. I think I can remember the first line or two of Erlkönig:

Wer rietet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?
Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind...

There were tons things like that to memorize and recite. There was a poem called Was ist die Welt? in which it is explained that the world is Ein ewiges Gedicht (a beautiful poem). She made us translate countless short stories including the memorable Der Mann im Motorboot, a surrealistic story about a man that is trapped forever on a speeding motorboat and he can never get off and he hopes it will never run out of gas. All he can do is drive around and around on the lake. She asked us to interpret meanings as well, and I remember thinking in a very teenage way that that particular story was about the hopelessness of life, forever going in circles. That was the way Frau engaged you. She even once took an entire marking period off to teach us how to play Bridge.

The world is a beautiful poem, Frau. I really wish we could have talked turkey.

Tags:Erlkonig Tags:Frau

I have to say that I am disturbed by the campaign Hillary is running against Obama.  Suggesting that the only two current candidates fit for the presidency are herself and John McCain, then talking about a dream ticket of herself with Obama as a running mate seems disingenuous at best. 

Let me put this clearly:

I believe that a Hillary nomination would be bad for the Democratic Party. 

She is a polarizing figure and if she wins the nod, I think that McCain is in a much better position than he would be against Obama.  Obama has mobilized a huge number of potential voters measuring by the sheer number of people who have donated to his campaign.  There is a large group of young voters who have been inspired by Obama and if Hillary becomes the candidate, I believe those voters will be lost.  The fact is, Hillary is so polarizing that there are people who simply will not vote for her.  Also, it seems likely that the people who would vote for her would vote for Obama if she were not the nominee.  But I don't think that door swings both ways.  Many would-be Obama voters will not vote for Hillary.  I am not sure about this, but I may even be included on that list myself.

I just want to chime in to tell you all about Trent Reznor's new four volume album called Ghosts.  It is available for download from the Nine Inch Nails website for only five bucks, and there are a number of tracks that you can get for free.   I know NIN might not be everybody's flavor, but I think this new world of label free music is worth supporting.  Recently Radiohead released a pay-what-you-want downloadable album (which is no longer available) and Saul Williams also experimented in a free giveaway.  In the very least this amounts to the first shots in a war between record companies (who have notoriously taken advantage of performers) and artists.