once again Warren Ellis is smarter than I am

This should really come as no surprise but Warren Ellis is smarter than me. I've had a decent amount of free time recently, partly due to my own laziness, partly due to the holiday season, and partly due to a job offer I'm waiting to hear back from which may or may not be the ticket out the more annoying and sad parts of my life (seemingly now more likely not than yes, but we live in hope), and I've spent some time (too much time) reading stupid things on the internet. I thought about linking a bunch of sites to give examples but really, I don't want to subject you to the inanity that has consumed my waking hours. If you are really interested just got to reddit.com and check out their politics section.

In any case, everybody and their grandmother seems to want to blame everything on an ideology. Be it religion, left or right wing politics, or some other crazy ideology. What it comes down to I think is not an idea or ideology, it's (as Warren Ellis writes - and I'm sure lots of other people have also said) it doesn't matter what the idea is, people screw it up every time. People are the problem, not because people are inherently bad or evil, rather because people are inherently stupid.

It's unfortunately that simple. People ruin everything.

But maybe I've spent too much of my time on the internet instead of doing something more productive, like trying to have a life. Maybe I should get on that.

Happy Tuesday

Happy Tuesday! I will be celebrating this special Tuesday the traditional way. By eating Chinese Food, going to the movies and then working a shift for time and a half pay.

Enjoy your Tuesday, however you may spend it.

Will this actually make a difference? One can only hope

In the end of Janurary CNN will be hosting more debates for the presidential primaries. On their website, you have the opportunity to write in your own questions, and then vote on the questions you think are the best.

I myself have posted a question, and intend to post some more. If you would like to pose some questions to the potential nominees you may do so here: http://dyn.politico.com/debate/index.cfm

If you don't want to register with Politico feel free to leave your questions in my comments section and I will post your questions for you.

It is in our best interests to ask the questions we feel we have a right to be answered, not only for our own edification, but so the general public is aware of their stances (whether or not you are a US citezen, as - not to sound ethnocentric but - there are global implications depending on who becomes the the next American President). The political process is meaningless with out our involvement. Well, at least more meaningless than it would be otherwise.

because no one asked, more LINKS OF INTEREST

Crazy Hitler TV show
Crazy escape
This is actually pretty cool
Wasps and orchids get it on!
Possibilities of life in outer space
Origin of cosmic rays, or how to join the fantastic four
Indian women vigilante justice
The brain as modeled by Pinky
Interesting it's jurrasic park but for viruses and the hope for future cures.
A possible addendum to the previous link in regards to bacteria
I don't know if a Robocop or Million Dollar man joke is more appropriate here
so I thought this was originally a joke, but apparently there really are people this stupid in the world (unless I'm wrong about it not being a joke)
But if it isn't a joke then this is proof that he's right and the conspiracy is real
When insults had class
Funny I'm pretty sure that this has already been explained by one of my earlier postings (which I guess I need to find before I link it) and also, by this little known fact
in order to write an action movie/story that more accurately portrays physics
A picture just for big ben.

The End....

For now

Because I spend too much time putting together the inane when I should be reading my Einstein Biography

Bands I wish I was into before they broke up:

Pizzicato Five - Jpop (as in Japanese pop music) that is light, airy, fun and a bit jazzy, even touching at times. I don't know much about the world of Jpop (Puffy AmiYumi is really the only other Jpop band I know) but if this is a prime example I should probably go out and try to learn more.

Soul Coughing - I don't know if this one really counts as I started listening to them when they were together, but it was only in their twilight. A little while after I picked them up, they split. Very groovy, sort of on the jam band circuit, a bit more electronic sounding Morphine. Got into it in college, they performed live my freshman year and broke up not to much later.

Morphine - They didn't break up so much as Mark Sandman, the lead singer, died. The intersection in Cambridge right in front of the Middle East (a music venue and restaurant) is named after him because they were a Boston/Cambridge based band and played that venue a lot. Very good stuff. Kinda Jazzy, deep bass rhythms, smoky vocals, the kind of music you feel in your gut (almost literally as it's heavy on the bass). Chill, head bobbing, music that won't put you to sleep. If it weren't for my Junior year dorm neighbor (and later apartment mate) Mike Gibisser I never would have heard of these guys. (he is a man with much greater music knowledge than I posses - he also introduced me to most of the bands in the indie rock section of my MP3 player, such as the Postal Service, Death Cab for Cutie, Built to Spill, and Guster)

I kinda want to say Pavement also, but I'm not really into Pavement, but I feel for some reason I should be.

New Music that I'm kinda getting into at the moment:

Jesca Hoop - She's kinda new, found out about her a few weeks ago when I got an advanced copy of her new CD for free (by no doing of my own, it just sort of fell into my lap). If Nellie McKay was a bit more soulful and a little less ironic, I think this is what she'd sound like. Oddly enough I just noticed yesterday that one of her songs is being featured on one of the Starbucks play list, leading me to believe her music is playing much more widely than I would have imagined.

The Bird and the Bee - I really have only heard two of their songs, but like the two that I've heard and plan on listening to a lot more.

And thanks to Rawbean recently I've become addicted to Stars.

I also was listening to a lot of Feist, but with the constant replay on the TV, radio, and at Starbucks, I found her music to be catchy the first few times one hears it, but the catchiness decreases exponentially in diametric proportion to the frequency of repitition of said music. Though I am now interested in checking out Broken Social Scene, which coupled with Stars (a few of whom also play for BSS) I guess this is my little "hooray Canadian bands!" section.

The Suck explained

If you didn't click the link in the title, bear with me for I am about to explain the mystery that is this older posting.

A little over two months ago, J_ broke up with me. It sucked. It sucked in ways that words can't (at least my words can't) describe. I was totally, head over heels, ridiculously in love with that girl, in a way that I had never been with anyone before in my life. In that stupid movie and storybook way love is always described, but not believed by said reader until experiencing it him or herself. The story of the break up really isn't that interesting unto itself. I loved her, her feelings for me had changed. It happens, and I'm not the first person that it's happened to (in fact I can recall a time in my life when the situation was almost exactly reversed), nor will I be the last. C'est la vie.

The reason I bring this up now, instead of two months ago, the emotions were a bit too raw, and I kinda, sorta, secretly hoped we'd get back together. This past Friday I finally took her pictures out of my wallet the finality of the break up only now realized. We still talk, J_ and I, a bit over the phone, and e-mail. And we've even hung out once or twice since, but as friends and nothing else.

Which I guess brings me to my new point. If any of you lovely ladies out there are looking for a mildly emotionally crippled guy who's a bit still hung up on his ex-girlfriend, I am now officially available.



P.S. Only time will tell if I'll ever reveal the secret behind this posting, let's keep our fingers crossed that the answer will someday be yes.

Random "important" thoughts Part one

On Global Warming:
I don't know much about global warming. I generally believe in global warming, from the bits that I've read and seen on TV and such it makes sense to me. Do I think it's a catastrophic event that is going to destroy mankind? I have no idea, but probably not. Do I think that it's minute and nothing we should worry about? No, I definitely don't think that either. I'm somewhere in between those two poles in regards to the belief that global warming exists and it is caused to a certain extent by human beings and the industrialized world. Given that, my basic notion in regards to global warming and the environment is the following: whether global warming exists or not, it's still a good idea to try and keep our environment as clean as we can. Tossing global warming aside, anyone who argues that an Earth with more pollutants and less biodiversity is a good and healthy place to live is an idiot. Can't we just want clean air and water, and a bountiful and beautiful natural landscape because that's better living for all inhabitants of Earth, including (and especially) humans, without making it political? I'd like to think so.

On President Bush:
I think I'm one of the few liberals that I know, who has grown to like Bush more as time goes on than less. Which is not to say that I think he is a good president, or actually agree with his policies. Perhaps like is too strong of a word. Grown more tolerant of our current president is probably a better way of putting it. I recently had a short conversation with someone at work (not a fellow employee but a customer) who was going on about how Bush is a fascist, and then started comparing him to Hitler. Many jokesters like saying that Bush is nothing like Hitler because Hitler was democratically elected. This may be so, but Hitler then dismantled the government, started a world war of conquest, and institutionalized genocide in Eastern Europe. So far, as I am aware, the government as imagined by the constitution still exists. We have started a war, and though many have categorized it as a colonialist occupation, the ultimate goal is one of withdrawal. Granted there has been tremendous deal of lying, and the removal of civil liberties, along with the ignoring of international treaties (as in the Geneva convention) but we as the public are slowly gaining ground on these issues, and hopefully the next president will be able to restore the seat of the presidency so there isn't such egregious abuse of power in the future (which means I hope a democrat wins in 2008). Do I think he is a bad president? Definitely. Do I think he might have broken the law and thus should be prosecuted? I do. Do I think he's evil? No I don't. I think the more I hear or read arguments comparing him to leaders like Hitler, or calling him a fascist, the more tolerant I become due to the extreme fallacy of those arguments.

Read and laugh

hahahahahahah

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a 98 lb. weakling caught in a gentle breeze

I always said I knew I was out of shape. I just don't think I really knew that I was out of shape. One of those, "sure I can't run a marathon, but I'm a pretty healthy guy" sort of out of shape. Turns out, I'm just as out of shape as I said but never really believed I was.

I went to the gym this morning because I thought it would be a good idea and I need something like that in my life right now. I'm not really into free weights or the machines, so I settled on swimming. I almost made nine laps (well, technically if you consider there and back a single lap it was really almost five laps) before my heart was beating so fast I thought it would explode, and there was the serious and realistic fear that I would throw up in the pool. Luckily not only did my heart eventually slow down, but I managed to keep all my insides in.

So I'm going to have to go again, and probably join the gym if I think it's something I could get into. My main problem with working out is that there isn't any stopping point. It's not like, say learning an instrument, where it's hard work for a while, but once you learn it you don't need to take lessons anymore and just play for fun. I can't swim until I'm in shape, and then just stop, because that "in-shapeiness" will disappear. I don't want to be a slave to a gym for the rest of my life.

On a side note, I hate public showers. My father said this is a phobia I have to overcome. It isn't a phobia. I'm not scared of public showers, I can use them (and used one today in fact) I just don't like them. I don't care how often they are cleaned, it isn't solely a cleanliness issue. I like privacy when I shower. I like to absorb the heat, take it in slowly, and relax as I clean. This is very difficult to accomplish when there are a bunch of naked people walking around. I have no problem with the nudity in the locker room, or even being naked in the locker room myself. It's just a shower to me is a very personal thing. Growing up in a family of six with only three bedrooms (well two if you don't count my parents bedroom), doesn't really allow for any private or personal space. The shower was a refuge of privacy one couldn't really find anywhere else in the house. And that is how I still view it. Showering in public is antithetical to my belief's as to how a shower should be.

This is why people suck

I hate people. I hate people so much I can't remember a time when I didn't hate people. I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm a complete loner, but generally I prefer to either be alone or the company of just a few friends, and I hate meeting strangers. People bother the crap out of me. This might surprise anyone who knows that I have worked in customer service most of my life. Simultaneously this might also explain why I hate people so much. I fake it pretty well, working behind a register, being all bright and cheerful, but I only act that way because I'm getting paid to do so. Maybe I'm not as bitter as this paragraph makes me seem, but I do hate people none-the-less.

This past Wednesday I was working at Tribeca Productions. It was slow all day long, mostly due to the writers strike. No submissions, no rewrites, and very little we, as a production company, could do. It got to a point where the director of development was tossing a water bottle up and down into the air out of boredom, and joking that he soon might also need to get a job at Starbucks. Having little to do myself I hopped on Triggerstreet to read other amateur writers material and write reviews/constructive criticism to help them improve their writing. I have some material posted and reviews I have received have helped me write better drafts. I read a short story and this is the review that I posted for a story entitled BEING DUMB:

I can't tell if this story is trying to be ironic or if it's supposed to be read straight forward. At first I thought the story was being told from an eleven year old's perspective but then even though the story had a bit of a child like voice the character got older.

Then I thought that perhaps the narrator was actually supposed to be as dumb as he claimed, only every so often he would say mildly ironic things leading me to believe he isn't supposed to be that dumb after all. The bit about the college degree in the end was pretty confusing, not unto itself but when juxtaposed with the tone.

the bit about the abusive step-father came out of left field, then was dropped almost as soon as it came. Either the guy is really dumb and it's inconsequential to him, or he just pretends to be dumb, but then why doesn't he make this a bigger issue, or lead up to it a bit better? It was another moment where I couldn't tell exactly the intent of the story.

the story, I think, was also a few pages too long. It's a bit repetitive, at least in the telling of all the different girls, and if you took one or two girls out near the end you could shave a few pages without losing anything.

I know this seems like a disparaging review, but I did like the story. It was very cute and at moments the narrators voice really resonated with the storytelling. It was a good read that I think can use a little more work.

Arguably, the writing in this review could have been better. I wrote it pretty quick after I read the short story in question. I didn't much care for the story and I tried to write my concerns and straightforward as I could. I wasn't trying to be mean, just honest, tempered with some compassion in the end. I mean it's difficult to write a glowing review if one thinks the piece in question is sub par. And that's the point of the reviews on Triggerstreet, for writers to get feedback about their stories, both the good and the bad.

The next day this is the e-mail I received from the writer of BEING DUMB (which apparently was a biography, though not mentioned anywhere for me to know that, unless I am supposed to assume that all stories written in first person are biographical):

You know, instantly, I guessed a lot about you. Even where you’re from, your age (actually I thought you were a few years younger) and your heritage. That obnoxious rudeness and lack of any common sense gave you away.

Not understanding the story or who the narrator is, is okay. I can except that from someone like you.

It’s those dumb remarks, asshole. I bet you got your ass kicked quite a bit when you were a kid.

I’m sure you won’t (and incapable of) back up anything you wrote with examples.

This piece was clearly autobiographical to anyone with a little reading comprehension. As children we sometimes do stupid things (you probably still do). If you could have understood what I wrote (I doubt you actually read it, because I can’t believe you can be that stupid.), the actions of the adults were actually more senseless than anything the main child did. But of course, you’re incapable of seeing that. Actually I’m sure you can’t understand what I wrote so far.

You make this asinine remark about the step-father. That can be expected from someone who isn’t too bright (and doesn’t realize it). I won’t attempt to explain it to you simply because you wouldn’t understand it.

You question my degree? How did you make it through high school?

Which girls do you suggest I remove? It’s part of a constructive review to give examples and why. But since I’ve had the displeasure of getting several of your verbal attacks without one iota of constructive criticism, I realize that’s not your style.

The stories involving the girls all led to something else. Maybe you didn’t comprehend that part (that’s if you read it).

I’m confident being honest wasn’t a part of your upbringing. But I’ll ask the boy, clearly lacking in credibility, did you actually read this story (I know 19 pages is a lot)? What is it: incapable of understanding simple things or you didn’t actually read the whole thing?

I don’t really expect any kind of intelligent response (fuck you is probably your definition of an intelligent response, much like the mind of a ten year old).

All I was trying to do is be helpful, show what I found to be the weaker points of his story. That's the whole point of Triggerstreet. I want to write him back but I know it's pointless. It's just really fucking me up.

And this is why, people suck.

I wish I wasn't a moron

So:

Today at Starbucks I'm working, making drinks, making small talk with customers, doing what I'm paid to do. It's a bit busy but no big deal.

There are these two girls who have started coming in. A white girl and an asian girl. They seem nice. Both studying to be, well, I don't know the official scientific term, but basically foot surgeons. Apparently they've asked about me when I wasn't around, and now I get teased by my fellow co-workers when they come in. I'm not interested in either of them, but it's nice to know there are people out there in the world who find me desirable.

The two girls in question came in, and of course I make small talk (which is how I learned about their studies and their intended career). When their backs are turned my manager Danny teases me a bit, all in good nature, and I'm feeling pretty cool.

Feeling cool is always what leads me into trouble because I am never, in no way, cool.

Later, still feeling cool, a man, say in his mid-thirties walks in, a professional look about him even though he's wearing a Superman t-shirt. Of course, being the comic book dork I am, I talk up a bit about superman, and we this man says that a few years ago he dressed up as Clark Kent for Halloween.

Anyway, a bit later I catch him reading what I think is a Justice League comic, mostly because it has Superman on the cover.

Ok, in reality, maybe an hour total has passed since the girls walked in and then this fellow with the superman shirt. I punch out to leave and the man with the Superman shirt asks if I'm the manager. I'm not the manager but maybe I can help him. He asks an innocuous question about the furniture but there really isn't anything we can do to help because we get all the furniture from Starbucks corporate and know nothing about it.

Then I ask him about the comic book, which turns out to be the Justice Society, not Justice League. Those of you not into comics are probably thinking, who cares, right? Well, no one really cares. I tell him the only reason I asked was I wanted to know what he might have thought about the new Justice League writer. He didn't really answer but said that the Justice Society comic was good. I responded that the writer of the Justice Society, Geoff Johns, never really thrilled me. I liked his run on the Flash, but outside the Flash it was just ok and I didn't think I was going to pick it up.

What's the big deal with all of this? I felt cool so I engaged a customer after I was off the clock. Had I not felt cool I probably would have directed his question to someone still on the clock and made my exit. The cooler I feel the more likely I'm to interact with strangers.

I came home and something about the whole exchange niggled me in the back of the head. Not so much a voice, but a general uneasiness, which kept biting the corner of all my thoughts. I decide, because this is how fate works, to look Geoff Johns up on the internet.

I've never seen Geoff John in person or in any photograph before today, but after seeing his image just a few moments ago on the internet, I'm about 85 percent sure that the man I spoke with at Starbucks was Geoff Johns himself, and I told him I wasn't thrilled by his writing. First off, as a writer I know how much that really sucks. Secondly, I would love to write comic books someday. And if it was Geoff Johns (which I'm now pretty sure he was), he'd be an amazing contact to have. I can't imagine, in my stupid, look how cool I am fanboy mode, I gave a good first impression. "Hey, yeah, remember me? I'm the idiot barista who said you weren't such a good writer to your face. How'd you like to help get me a job?" I don't think that will go over very well.

Next time I just have to remember that I'm not cool and to keep my big mouth shut. Or at least ask for a name first.

last one on the bandwagon (but it's how I feel)

So I grabbed this link from Peter David's Blog but he got it from Dan Slott (sorry couldn't find a homepage for him, but really I didn't look very hard), so I'm just spreading the wealth.

Anyway, I don't know if this counts as Irony that I found the link from a comments forum, but I think it speaks the truth.

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1771556

Fodder for potential stories (and other links of interest)

This is more for my own personal files than it will be for your reading pleasure, though if you want to know the type of stuff that grabs my interest, please enjoy this list of links to various news stories.

Some are bits that spark ideas to be used or modified for future fiction I might conceive, whilst the others are just kinda neat. I haven't verified or done any real fact checking, yet. Needless to say that if any wind up in a story idea more research will be done.

ps3 smarter than supercomputers (wired.com)

this is just more mean than ironic, but talk about false advertising...

Slacker sex comedy maybe? Anything about breasts usually sells (thelondonpaper.com).

not synaesthetic , but seeing eye tongues (scienceblogs.com).

the real TIE (twin ion engines) fighters. (wired.com)

plants that clean as they grow (enviromentalgraffiti.com)

They grew Hitler's brain (not really but still sounds better than they grew a tiny brain in a petri dish - which actually does sound pretty cool the more I think about it). This is definitely story-worth, science fiction meet science fact (cnn.com)

there is a comic book story waiting to grow from this (the discovery channel online, I think)

KABOOM! (youtube.com)

Slightly older news but still pretty cool (time.com)

there is a story in this somewhere, especially, the bit about the abandoned but fully stocked life raft but I need to verify from a more reputable source. (damninteresting.com)

so congress doesn't completely suck (editorandpublisher.com)

I guess he never watches futurama and heeded the warnings of the space pope (ananova.com)

I guess that's all for now, hope you had as much fun as I did.

Better late than never?

Columbus day was yesterday, and though I wanted to post these thoughts yesterday I as busy working, writing, and watching television to get it done. I haven't really been able to focus, but I'll get to that in a bit. First Christopher Columbus.

In the New York Times there was this whole article about where Columbus was from. There is a debate (apparently) as to Columbus's true origins. Whether he was a poor boy from Genoa, or the illegitimate son of Portuguese Royalty, or Catalonian, or a Crypto-Jew hiding from the inquisition, or some other theory that I can't recall at the moment. The Italians claim he is Italian (which is why Columbus day is a big deal for Italian-American communities), the Portuguese claim he is Portuguese, and so forth. Everyone wants to claim him for their own. To which I say, why? What is the point in claiming this man, the last man to discover the "new world," as their own. What does it give them in return? Bragging rights, even though (save the Spanish) if he had stayed in any of his purported homelands, he wouldn't have ever sailed. What sort of bragging right is that? I guess the Spanish have something, that they allowed him to sail, but that is true whether he is native to Spain or not, so why does it matter if he was from Catalonia, or Majorica (an island of the coast of Spain, which I think is another place some historians claim he was from)? And the Jewish thing isn't very credible, in my opinion, and even if he was Jewish, it doesn't help us or anything, especially as part of his argument to travel was to spread the faith in Christ. Not a particularly Jewish thing to do.

And for the record, Columbus was the last person ever to discover America. I'm pretty sure it was found first by the Native peoples who migrated during the ice age (and as far as I'm concerned, if your people have been in the same place since the ice age, that's about as native as anyone in the world can claim to be). Then the Vikings came to North America around 1000 A.D. And last but not least we can't forget (though hotly disputed) the Chinese discovery of the new world about seventy years before Columbus set sail.

But I guess if one is native, a Nordic heathen, or Asian, then the discovery doesn't count. Only European Christians ever discovered anything.

Granted, Columbus did set off the first wave of colonialism in the new world which would eventually lead to other European nations coming over, giving us the country we know and love today. So on that note he is important. But I don't remember ever learning that in school as to why we celebrate Columbus day, it's always because he discovered America. I don't mind celebrating, I just wish we were more honest about his historical importance in the celebration.

But don't mind me, I'm just bitter for unrelated reasons, which I'm still not ready to get into yet.

On the other hand, life might suck

Though this time for completely different reasons than why it might not.

Life might not totally suck

For various reasons that I'll mention if it turns out life doesn't suck. If life does suck then we already know why.

Also, please check out my pal's Charlie's blog. She's a hundred times better at this than I am, also more interesting and smarter. (The fact that she's a far superior writer also helps).

I'll hyperlink it here, when I'm less lazy, but for know it's already linked on the side column where I have all my blog links. Enjoy you crazy readers.

when good ideas go bad

Just to put it out there, I am not a Christian. This is not a remark that is meant to infer judgment. I am not a Christian in the way you hear many secular people claim that though they were raised Cathotolic, Protestant, Evangelical, ect. they no longer believe, say they are not Christians. I am Jewish. But I live in a nation of Christians. This is not to say that America is a Christian Nation. I don't believe that it is. But it would be foolish to say that this country doesn't have a Christian majority. That it's founders were, if not strictly Christian (as many like to call them deists), coming from a Christian heritage in Europe, and had a decidedly Christian view on life. Granted they were also given the foresight, that though there was a Christian majority, we would be given a secular government to ensure the rights of all citizens regardless of religious or ethnic back ground. And to any one out there would claims this isn't really a nation of Christians, ask yourself why we get Christmas vacation but not Passover, Diwali, or Ramadan vacations? Even if you want to call it winter break, it still is set up to coincide with Christmas. So semantics aside, America is, was, and probably always will be set up and run with a Christian ideology (not Judeo-Christian as people like to say, if it really were Judeo-Christian then eating pork would be just as hotly contested as abortion - well that's a stretch, but you understand what I mean).

So it hurts a little bit when I hear about Christian groups complaining about the lack of Christian values in this country. It takes supreme hubris (and a Rumsfeldian sized disconnect with reality) to make such claims and act the victim.

Recently on CNN Christiane Amanpour had a three day special about God's Warriors and if you really want to learn more about it, click the link. Personally I don't think it was that good of a documentary series as it pulls a false analogy between Jews and Christians with religious ferver, to Jihadists who actively train and then follow through with murder. But I'm not going to get into that right now. You can follow the link and make up your own mind.

In this documentary, for God's Christian warriors they follow (among others) a group called BattleCry. to learn more about the organization I give you this and this and then look the rest up yourself (fine I'll help). I also had an interesting conversation with two friends down in Atlanta about BattleCry, and why it scares us as people.

But where am I really going with this you ask? Well I'm glad you did. I went to the Battlecry website and I read their teen bill of rights. And for your reading pleasure I give it to you here.

We, a new generation of young Americans, in order to protect the heritage of our forefathers and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and generations to come, do affirm and pledge this declaration:

When character and morality are uncommon qualities,

When corporations and marketers seek to profit from our destruction,

When pop culture icons do not represent our values,

When Judeo-Christian beliefs are labeled as intolerant,

When activists seek to remove God from our schools,

When truth is deemed relative and unknowable,

It is necessary for us, the emerging generation of young Americans, to stand for what is right and reclaim the values that have made our nation great. We call our nation to a higher standard, a lifestyle based

not on convenience, but on character,

not on what is easy, but on what is excellent,

not on what feels good, but on what is good,

not on popularity, but on principle,

not on what is tempting, but on what is true.

We, as young Americans, assert our right to determine our future and the future of our great nation. We hold these truths as our God-given rights, and we embrace them with our hearts and our lives:

We recognize that God, our Creator, is the source of all truth.

We will live with honor, always striving to do the right thing, even when it is unpopular. We will be honest and truthful in matters large and small, regardless of the consequences.

We will take responsibility for our actions, and not point to governments, schools, celebrities, parents, or friends to justify our wrong decisions.

We recognize that we are responsible for our mistakes. We will pursue purity throughout our lives.

We will not be seduced by a fabricated idea of sex and love.

We will save our bodies and hearts for our future spouses, and once married we commit to pursue faithful and enduring relationships.

We will see through the lies of drugs and alcohol and refuse to let any chemical influence our thinking or destroy our lives.

We will respect the authorities placed in our lives, even though some may not live as honorably as they should.

We will honor our parents, teachers, and other leaders.

We will reach out with compassion to the hurting and less fortunate, both in our society and around the world.

We refuse to be absorbed with our own comforts and desires.

We recognize the value of each life, whether born or unborn, and we seek to protect those who are unable to protect themselves.

We will do our best to represent and communicate our Creator to our peers, leaders, and society as a whole.

We will work to see that every person has the opportunity to see and hear about the true nature of our God.

In signing, we commit to pursue a life that exemplifies these standards.

We refuse to sit idly by and witness the destruction of our generation.

With God's help, we envision a bright and prosperous future for the nation we love.

Honestly, even though I'm not Christian, (and I'll let go on my animosity towardst the phrase Judeo-Christian) most of what is in this pledge are actually really nice sentiments. Sure I don't agree with everything in this pledege, but nothing jumps out at me as wrongheaded. Some of it is a bit naive (the bit about abstinence before marriage specifically, and the automatic respect of all authority placed in their lives regardless whether said authorites act with honor or not), but nothing so out there as one would assume based on their rallies and such.

So how does an orginization with a pledge that basically encoureges kids to help other people ("We will reach out with compassion to the hurting and less fortunate, both in our society and around the world.") turn into what they themselves call a militant orginization? It's not called a Battlecry for nothing. How does calling for a war against secularization not contradict with the overt peaceful message in their pledge?

I am just saddened that an idea of peace, and respect, and a desire to share one's belief's (which I am not opposed to, sharing is caring, it's the judging that comes along with it that I don't care for) turn into a fountain of distrust and even hate.

Why so glum chum?

I was going to post a bit about my evening this past Wenesday. Well, I was thinking about it anyway. It's been a bit hectic as my schedule for the past two days have been three parts work to a half a part sleep and a half a part eat. It's been exhasting. Never the less it was an interesing evening.

But lo, to my surprise J_ with her first real food blogging, has beaten me to the punch. If you'd like to see what happened and learn about cool food in NYC please go to her blog.

Also, I promise that this won't become just a contant plug to hers, but I'm still pretty psyched for her and her much better writing (well, much better than mine anyway). Next posting will sure to be as narcissitic as always. Don't you fret.

food glorious food

To be honest, I have more of a "eat to live" person as opposed to a "live to eat" kind of guy. To that end, I don't pay much attention to the food I eat, what kind of food to make, or where I might go and eat. Luckily for me J_ is a foodie. She is definitely a "live to eat" sort of a gal - which makes her svelte figure that much more impressive.

Now, luckily for all of you, she has started a food blog Slottedspoon.blogsome.com. I'm adding it to my links on the side, and you should check it out, then tell your friends and have them check it out, and tell your friends to tell their friends to check it out,and so on and so forth ad nauseum.

Hooray for J_ and for food!

hello cold and uncaring world

Two bits of news. First, I turned Twenty-seven this past Sunday. Hooray! I now officially feel old. not that twenty-seven is really that old, but it just means teh peak of my childhood and mistakes of my early twenties are officially behind me and I really have to grow up fast so I don't turn into the pathetic waste that I feel myself becoming and enter my thirties like this. But as Groucho Marx liked to say, "You're only as old as the woman you feel."

Second, I've updated my links a bit and after taking down some old links, I've added a new web comic to the list of web comics I read. I'd reccommend checking it out. What have you got to lose, except time? (And frankly, if you've stopped to read my blog I assume that you have plenty to spare).

If you're too lazy to scroll down to find the link, I give it to you here, but only because I love you.

I'm totally freaking out!

But only on the inside. On the outside I'm completely calm. Actually, I'm pretty much calm all over, with sporadic panic attacks.

I can't explain, but perhaps one day, when i'm no longer panicing, I'll let you all (i.e. the internet) in on the joke.

Note, 7:45pm: Never mind. All is good. I am not freaking out. That was only a test. If it was a real emergency, my head would have exploded.

Five books you should read if you want to sound smart about stuff

This is not a meme. This is just a short list I've compiled for anyone out there interested in appearing smart without having to carry around that damn Socrates book around with you every where you go.

Now you'll actually be able to engage in all sorts of conversations that have nothing to do with your hair or your blog.

Also, they are fun to read so enjoy.

The Omnivore's Dillema
By Michael Pollen

Everything you'll need to know about America's modern food production, from the industrial food chain, to organics, to hunting and gathering the food yourself. Not only informative, this will change the way you think about food.

Who Wrote The Bible
by Richard Elliot Freidman

This is not a religious book. I mean it is, but it's not advocating a religion. It is simply a smart, concise, and very accessable (even to those who might never have read the bible) explanation of the Documentary hypothisis. That is the idea (theory/belief/hypothosis) that the bible was written by many people over many, many years. It is not a repudiation of the bible, or belief's held therein. This isn't meant to disuade you from being religious, nor is it meant to make you religious. Just very interesting information.

1421
by Gavin Menzies

The Chinese discovered the world about seventy years before Columbus even set sail. Though this theory isn't quite recognized by Western academics, it is a pretty solid held belief in Asia. Believe it, don't believe it, either way, you'll learn the world has a lot more craziness in it than you previously were led to believe.

Longitude
by: Dava Sobel

A short history as to how Longitude was invented, and the little guy who did it who never got any credit. More British history than anything else. And if you like this book, for extra credit I'd check out Dava Sobel's other non-fictions.

The Radioactive Boyscout
by Ken Silverstein

A crazy true story about a boy, his disfuntional family, his love of nuclear power, and how he almost created a nuclear disaster in his own back yard. Learning about nuclear science and how to build a nuclear reactor in your own back yard with common household items was never this much fun.


There you go. Now you'll have things to talk about during your next boring cocktail party. And You're Welcome

Notes from the underbelly

Stomach's a' rumblin'. I gots to get me some food.

Of course it's never as bad as it's imagined

Spoke to my folks about J_. Like I predicted they aren't happy, but unlike I feared, they are much more accepting and polite about the relationship. They aren't accepting in they way that they are supportive, but they aren't blowing up about the whole thing. It was a calm talk where they both were more angry about the lying than the relationship itself - well, sorta. Of course the lying was going to be the issue, I knew that, and we dealt with it like mature people. My father is, well, to put it nicely, displeased about as much in the relationship as he was with the lying. To his credit he's refrained from preaching to me about inter-dating, and now asks about J_ in a sincere manner (because he is sincere). My mother, contrary to any comments Jason might have made last post, is at least feigning supportiviness. She isn't doing it very well, but she's trying which is very nice, and more than I feel I deserve after lying to them for so long (though I really only feel guilty for getting caught since I was planning on telling them just not yet, as if the situation happened all over again I'd still probably do the same thing - does that make me a bad person?). They've also said that they want to invite J_ over for a friday night dinner this summer. Friday Night is a thing. It's the Sabbath Meal. My pops being a rabbi this is a proper (though not at all formal) family meal. We all sit down together, eat a big meal, and do the appropriate rituals one is supposed to do for the sabbath meal. It's not a huge deal to invite J_ to friday night, but it's a much bigger deal to invite her for Friday over any of the other nights of the week.

So, my thoughts currently. I was taking to a freind about the relationship, and the folks, on both sides. On J_'s side, her brother doesn't like me much, but mostly due to the age gap. And I can respect that, even if I don't like that he doesn't like me. Her mom doens't like me because I'm "too small and I have bad vibes." Not an exact quote, but that is how I've been informed that she doesn't like me (at least that's how J_ put it). I have a harder time respecting this, only because it's a bit vague and I think is just masking other prejudices that she isn't going into, or at least that J_ isnt' telling me. But I respect her Mom, because she's her Mom, and if we ever talk I think I can win her over - someday. Regardless, in her family I'm the negative aspect in the disaproval.

In my family, my siblings have no problems with J_, at least not that they have told me. They are neutral, mostly because they haven't really hung out with her. Asaf, who I think might have spoken to her the most seems to like her. My folks don't approve of the relationship because she isn't Jewish. But they don't hold that against her. It's me they disaprove of because I'm dating a non-jew. The Non-Jew in question; once they meet her they'll probably really like her. So once again, though this time in my family, I'm the negative aspect in the disaproval.

Not very cool.

But what can you do?

like a pretzel twisting itself into more knots

I got sun bunred yesterday. All along my arms. It really sucks. It made sleeping difficult becuase everytime I'd move and and anything would rub up against them it'd hurt.

But that's really not the big deal. I've kinda, sorta, a little bit, been lying to my folks about J_. And by kinda, Sorta, A little bit, I mean I have most definately been lying to my parents. I've been living at home for far too long (can't seem to get a job - which is a whole other rant) and am forced to tell my folks of my comings and goings. Not so much because they are really strict or anything, just that in the course of a conversation they'd ask, "where are you going?" But only if I was going somewhere.

I haven't told them about J_ because I didn't want the tsuris (the headache) of explaining to my parents (one a rabbi, the other a jewish educator) that I was dating a non-Jew (J_ is chinese, and mildly a buddist). They are pretty much on my case about, well the rest of my life, and this was just one more thing I didn't want to have to deal with. The plan, at least in my head, was that I'd tell them if it got serious enough beteen me and J_ (which it kinda has) and once I did get a Real Job. That way, there would be less to nag me about, and I'd be able to move out of the house. It was going to be on my terms, in my somewhat passive aggressive sort of way. Sure it wasn't the best plan, but it was a plan that made me feel better about lying to my parents (which I've been feeling guilty of for almost as long as I've been lying).

I'm up in Syracuse right now where I stayed with J_ for the weekend. My mom called. Amtrak called my house - because I gave them my home number when I reserved my ticket back - and told them that my train from Syracuse was going to be an hour and a half late. So my mom calls me and says, "You lied to us." Which is possibly the worst way to wake up ever. I told them I was going to see freinds in Boston this weekend. Then she gave me the train info and the number who to call. She was very pleasant over the phone, didn't even sound angry, which to be honest, makes me feel even worse.

So that cat is mostly out of the bag. And not only do I feel like a heel for lying for so long (I mean i felt like a heel while I lied, it's just worse that my lie was forced into the open instead of me taking charge and doing it myself) - well, I don't have a second thing. Now my life is going to get both easier and harder.

The worst part is, and it's something I deserve, and something that mekes me feel like I'm in high school all over again, they won't be able to trust me when I tell them anything in regards to my comings and goings, which is in turn going to make living at home hard for all of us.

Guilt and anxiety suck.

Apathy is the best part of me (but only 'cause it rhymes)

Because nothing on the internet (or interwub as Jeffrey Rowling likes to say) is really new, I can't imagine anyone finding this through me, but just in case.

Go here, watch, laugh, cry.

Or don't. Whatever, it's up to you.

On the state of my thoughts

There was a job I wanted. I didn't get it. It kinda sucks. This is a pretty boring entry, but I still don't know what I really want this blog to be about. It may just turn back into what it was before, but I almost feel like that would be counter productive. Either way, I'm thinking about turning comments off, because as it stands I only have one reader left after my haitus (Hi Rawbean).

So if I'm doing this for me (and why would I be doing this for me on the internet? if it's just for me shouldn't it be completely private?) why do I need comments in the first place?

Decent questions, perhaps I'll come up with some answers.

Probably not though.

giving this a shot

I've been absent. I realized the that I didn't have much to say, and I don't know if I really want to continue blogging at all, though I figure I'll give this a bit of a go; but I think changes are in store.

I just don't know what they are yet.

Grumpy McGrumperson

I can't write. I've stared at this blank space for almost a half an hour trying to come up with a good start and have come up with nothing. I hate my writing. I read it and its so awful it makes me gag. I'm not speaking specifically about my blog, just of my writing in general. I hate it. I really do. I find it trite, cliche, and above all else, extremly superficial. And not in a good Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns "clever" superficiality sort of way - just devoid of meaning or real interesting content (which you might feel about Warhol and Johns to begin with, but still, you get my point).

The whole kit and kaboodle, it really sickens me that I could have once thought it any good. The by product of this distaste with my work (which creeps up every six months or so) is utter self-loathing that I've wasted so much of my time on this garbage. And it isn't just any self-loathing, it's the worst kind: the pitying, self-indulgent, needy, annoying, self-loathing.

Anyway, it's all garbage, and I can't get anything out right. Even now, as I type I want to go back and rewrite this post, only I know that it won't be any better, no matter how hard I try.

So boo this, I'm done until I'm not.

Stinktastic

I am the epitome of lame. I've been home for four days after visiting Syracuse (which was freaking freezing) and I just now started doing my laundry. Why the wait, you may ask. Was it laziness (well, yes... but that's not the answer I'm really going for right now so I'm gonna say:)? No. Was it because my clothes smelled like J_ after absorbing the general smell from being in her room for five days, and I didn't want to wash it off? Yes.

I'm so freaking lame I hate myself right now.

Carry on then, nothing more to see here... not even any dignity.

Because you all really care what I think about trivial stuff (aka really lame post)

So maybe you don't really care what I think about trivial stuff. I don't know, but I haven't written in a while, and as I still have little to write about - by this of course I mean I have little I feel motivated about which to write - I shall now, in order to make this sentance ridiculously long, give you my thoughts on stuff; Hooray Stuff!

It's J_'s birthday on Thursday and I'm am bussing up to see her. I'm actually pretty excited about this, but at the same time a bit nervous as I have yet to buy her a birthday present (J_ if you are reading this, which I know you do sometimes, this is a lie, and I totally already bought a gift that I put a lot of forsight into, and you can skip to the next paragraph). I was gonna get her a Hamsa Necklace from here but the only ones I really liked (and can afford) are yellow gold and J_ doesn't really like yellow gold - and I also decided I didn't really want to go with Jewlery, so now I don't know and am running out of time.

I'm thinking of getting new glasses.

I don't like non-dairy cheese. Philisophically I have nothing against it, I just don't like it.

My script on Triggerstreet has been nominated to be script of the month of Janurary. There are two other scripts in the running. I'd like to be proud of this, but really I've read past scripts that have won and let me tell you, it's not such an honor. It's fun to say, but ultimately meaningless. It doesn't so much tell me that I'm good, just that I don't suck as much as everyone else on the site - which I guess is something.

And there you go, a post for the sake of posting. Hopefully next time I'll have something interesting to write about.

Villany is wrong

I urge everyone in this great nation of ours (well, the world too I guess, but really I'm currently just concerned with the US of A at the moment) to stop doing evil. To stop comitting crimes.

The simple reason, it's not because of any moral, ethical, or religious imperitive; or even for some altruistic, "let's make this world a better place" nonsense. That's a suckers game. Simply put: I hate jury duty. And for my sake, so I never have to sit through another ridiculously long and boring day down at the court building, stop comitting crimes and getting into accidents. People out there who do bad deeds, get into car accidents, sue because you spilled coffee on yourselves, whatever, I really don't care what it is specifically, just stop doing it!

I've had jury duty before in Massachusetts, but apparenly in New York being called to Jury duty means you become five years old once again. Not only are the same things explained over and over again, in a tremendously condescending tone - nearly ad nauseum - explaining what we are supposed to do, why jury duty is important, how we should do what we should do, when to eat, when to go to the bathroom, where to go, and what we are supposed to do when we get there - but it seems that mentally the potential jurors regress to a five year old mentality. Not only do they ask a continuous stream of the same questions over and over about the dumbed down instructions ("go to room 384". "raise your hand if I call your name", "Don't raise your hand if I call someone else's name", "Jury duty is important for freedom/justice/the american way") but they whine constantly. Oh my god the whining. Suck it up people. If you have to be there, try not to make it umbearable for everyone else.

I'm a noid

This is just a quick angry post. I got in trouble at work today because I did exaclty what my boss asked me to do. It was the wenesday before the office closed for break (the 20th). My boss called as I was walking out the door. I didn't even have to answer the phone, but being the dutiful employee I am, I did. She (having left for vacation already, calling me from CA on her way to Mexico) asked me to send a book to a reader. So quickly I called some readers, found the first one available, and then, ran the book in an envelope to the office mail center for it to be mailed out - just as she requested me to do. I asked how to send it, she said mail it. So I did. I followed the instructions to the letter.

Now the book never arrived on time, and the reader went away for the holiday. Because she asked me to send the book and not a copy of the book as per usual, we don't have the coverage we want, nor do we have the book to send to someone else. So I got the talk about why I mailed it instead of messengered it over, why I didn't find someone else, and so forth, when all I did was do exactly as she asked me too. So now I have to run around town, get the book from one place to another to get another reader, and look stupid to everyone involved - for something that isn't my fault at all.

when it's my fault I can deal with it because lord knows I screw up sometimes (and when I do I admit it). This time though, it wasn't my fault and yet I get the blame anyway.

Life is annoying.

On a plus note, I can't wait until this weekend when I finally get to take a vacation. Albiet only three days in a row, but that's two more days in a row than I've had since I can't remember when. Me and my sweetie in a B&B in Providence, RI. It should be sweet.