28.6.07

lack of photographic proof of the dreck springing from my mind

Okay so I realize I haven't included any images with t
he posts I have done so far, but no more. I hereby solemnly promise to post an image or two in the coming months until then... stay tuned.

27.6.07

updated google docs and spreadsheets

Google updated Docs&Spreadsheets yesterday. Take a look for yourself.

alternative fuels throughout the ages

I can't help my self I had to post this xkcd comic on alternative energy (WINK WINK).

20.6.07

barbershop

The Barbershop is the last bastion of free speech in this country. When a man enters a barbershop he feels comfortable at peace. He knows he can air his opinions and they will be weighed with the gravity they should in everyday life. There are no winners and losers in a barbershop, just an old guard of free men, who like short hair. The position of barber goes as far back as ancient egyptian times and came of age in Rome where all free man had to be clean shave and all slaves wore beards. This served as a signifier of class and rank amongst the Romans, it's also how the term barbarian ("the unbarbered") came about. A similar feeling is expressed in the modern day barbershop, it is a place of civility and courtesy's, an open forum for the discussion of the mundane and magnificent, spurious and true. The issues of are time are addressed in simple language with no fear of recrimination. Unlike the freemen are bones no special skill is required for admission to this fraternity it is a true democracy. Perhaps the shops origins in greece and rome explain the open nature of barbershop. I think it comes from the shop itself.

The conversation in barbershops focuses on what we all have in common. For a few minutes every few months we are just citizens, not bankers, lawyers, students; just citizens. We discuss the issues of the day, talk to the same people we despise so much on the freeways, at the grocery store, in the DMV. We take the time to step outside ourselves and see things from another's perspective, and now matter how harsh the criticism, how racist the rebukes, how sexist the jokes all is heard.

15.6.07

I just joined Technorati

Apparently I have a new Technorati Profile

Night Owls Unite

Denmark as usual is governing with it's head instead of it's ... what organ is responsible for religious zealotry again? They are creating the B-Schedule for people like me who rise late and only see sunrise if they are coming in from the other side. They are starting school at 10 am instead of the absurd bleary eyed hour of whenever American children go to school so they can sleep through the first few classes. Denmark and Scandinavians in general seem to allow for citizens to be human, to have flaws, to work on different schedules, enjoy a vice or two. The result is healthier more peaceful society.

Ben Franklin's 13 Perfect Virtues

These names of virtues, with their precepts, were:
1. TEMPERANCE.
Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE.
Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER.
Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION.
Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY.
Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i. e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY.
Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY.
Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE.
Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION.
Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS.
Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY.
Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY.
Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY.
Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

14.6.07

Wired Style

I have noticed WiredDOTcom does a great job of linking to their sources with out interrupting the flow of the read. This is the advantage of hypertext documents in the first place. I wish more people would realize this and stop citing sources in the text itself. It makes no sense. Click Here! crowd take note. Click here.

follow the rules

I forgot my security badge today. A woman politely let me into the office, then promptly turned around and asked if I had badge. I told her I forgot, she bowed her neck and told me to go down and get one. I scoffed turned heel and obeyed.

Later, my manager told me you "gotta play by the rules." A statement so thoroughly against my nature it hurt. Is this what I've been reduced too. Playing by the rules, if it is, I need a new job. I don't even know the rules, and I certainly refuse to play by them. I don't care about loopholes because I don't pay attention to what I need to get through. Play by the rules never got anyone anywhere significant the very definition of accomplishment is changing the rules.

13.6.07

Twins Win.

I went to the Minnesota Twins vs. Atlanta Braves game last night with my cousin who has Williams Syndrome. We sat in the cheap seats, home run section I think they called it. I was surrounded by people ... I am not sure how to phrase this, a class below. They where perfectly nice people for the most part, but there was just something you could feel in the air and see on their faces. Of course many of them where younger and that could have contributed to the feeling but most of the older faces spoke of better days gone by. All drank beer, even the women, and none seemed truly happy or even satisfied. I felt a real lack of connection to the people around my and think it has to do with a simple difference in intelligence. They where outside the little bubble I've constructed. And that got me to thinking.

If the population is truly structured on a normal curve and testing has any merit. Then the people in my life just don't have as many people to relate too as the "home run section." Furthermore, the people we can relate to are spread few and far between and mostly located in cities outside the United States. As my friend often reiterates -- "to be great is to be alone."

12.6.07

Fake it til you make it.

I fear what this bloggin is doin to me. I no longer feel bad about not doing my work. I just had someone else submit my hours for me. This is just generally bad for my productivity I have a feeling. I even procrastinated on reading my productivity book "Getting Things Done" because I am really just a copy cat aren't I. Fake it until you can make it, tis what I always say. Longer posts are coming soon. I just have to warm up to the idea.

9.6.07

Happy Birthday to me.

So it's clearly the end of my life I all the imporant birthdays are gone. Well at least I have this blog now.

Blogged with Flock

8.6.07

reFit with Linux?

I have been considering installing a flavor of Linux on my Macbook Pro for a while now, but I just can't bring myself to do it. My setup is perfect right now. It syncs seamlessly with google services. I am using gmail, box.net and iDisk as online storage. My resume is in Pages format and I just bought (love) Aperture. I can't come up with a good reason to switch I can use all the useful open source software on my mac anyways. I guess when it comes right down to it I am just not enough of an idealogue to do it. Apple will have to do something heinous to get me switch. Anymore it's just a waiting game. Come on Apple do something awful, WWDC would be the perfect opportunity.

Government Waste

So I am seriously thinking about quitting my job right now. It offers absolutely no stimulation whatsoever. I feel like a leach doing this "job." It's a complete waste of resources and time. I also can't have lunch because I forgot to reload my insulin doser. The days not looking up.

7.6.07

Creativity

So I have been thinking a lot about creativity lately. How it happens the elements of creative endeavor. What yields the most creative thoughts and solutions to complex problems. Since noone knows me yet. I'll just say I am obsessed with simple elegant solutions to complex problems. This came from me trying to describe an artist friend of mine's structured creativity. He comes up with ideas in a way I know but can't describe. I imagine that will be in another post.

So I suppose I should describe the name.
define: Diatribe - ironic or satirical criticism
define: Tic - A tic is a repeated, impulsive action, almost reflexive in nature, which the actor feels powerless to control or avoid. Tics can be triggered by an emotional state (stress is a common trigger) or sensation, or can happen for no obvious reason.
define: Diatribetic - repeated impulsive satirical criticism.

More on that later.