It’s a dirty job but, someone has to do it.
It takes a lot of practice to be a dick. I mean you have to spend veritable years deconstructing your personality to the point where you are so incredibly obnoxious and insensitive to the people around you that you can even be considered worthy of the title.
So, when you run across someone who is a genuine dick, you should show a little reverence for all the effort they’ve have put in to their art.
I’ve tried to tone down my the aspects of dickdom in my own personality through the years but, it still comes through from time to time. Maybe it will surface when I’m driving and there is a particularly oblivious clown in and around me, or maybe it will manifest in some other public setting. Thinking about it now, I realize it’s almost impossible to be a dick when you are by yourself. Can you truly be a dick when there is nobody about to be a dick to?
As a man, being called a dick doesn’t bother me the way it would bother a women when she is characterized by being called an offensive name for her privates. I don’t know too many men who have the violent, almost militant reaction women display when they are called the "c" word. Thinking about it, George Carlin used to go on at length about it - I think he was the one who observed the hard constanant sound of the "c" word is what gets your attention.
The ceeee word - roll that one over for a second if you will. It’s not like we call dick the "d" word.
Anyway, I have been pretty lucky of late because it seems my dick exposure these days has been incredibly low. Of course, I have spent much of the last few weeks enmeshed in a project where I have little time to spare and consequently am not out in public all that often.
New York can sometimes be the “dick” capital of the world. A lot of movies characterize the city that way, The Out of Towners immediately comes to mind but, the truth is really far different from that. Last week a guy threw himself down on the tracks in front of a moving subway train in order to save another persons’ life. Simply amazing.
A lot of people took notice of it and I was impressed as well. Then again, it’s really not a surprise. If you had been in New York in the months after September 11th, you would have seen the character of the people of this city. Even in the days immediately afterward, people where so amazingly polite to each other, so very considerate. It was beautiful. It makes me think of the place the world could be.
But then, my inner dick comes out.
Jan 8, 2007
Jan 5, 2007
Kal-El couldn’t have done better.
“I’m still saying I’m not a hero ... ’cause I believe all New Yorkers should get into that type of mode,” Wesley Autry said on CBS’ “The Early Show” Thursday. “You should do the right thing.”
Simple, eloquent and an example for us all - not much more to say than that.
“I’m still saying I’m not a hero ... ’cause I believe all New Yorkers should get into that type of mode,” Wesley Autry said on CBS’ “The Early Show” Thursday. “You should do the right thing.”
Simple, eloquent and an example for us all - not much more to say than that.
Jan 4, 2007
Bad pdf! BAD!
You look at pdfs, you should be aware:
You look at pdfs, you should be aware:
The flaw, first revealed at a hacker conference in Germany over the holidays, exists in a plug-in that enables Acrobat users to view PDF files within Web browsers.
By manipulating the Web links to those documents, hackers and online thieves are able to commandeer the Acrobat software and run malicious code when users attempt to open the files, according to Ken Dunham, director of the rapid response team at VeriSign’s iDefense Intelligence.
Jan 3, 2007
Denny Colt lives!
The new Spirit series from DC manages to do a great job of keeping Will Eisner’s signature character very much alive while doing it great justice and updating it for today.
And in keeping with one of the nice things about the Internet Age, you can look at a couple of preview pages and judge for yourself whether or not it’s worth checking out!
Find a few pages from The Spirit issue 1 here. and a few more from the current issue The Spirit issue 2 here.
I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
The new Spirit series from DC manages to do a great job of keeping Will Eisner’s signature character very much alive while doing it great justice and updating it for today.
And in keeping with one of the nice things about the Internet Age, you can look at a couple of preview pages and judge for yourself whether or not it’s worth checking out!
Find a few pages from The Spirit issue 1 here. and a few more from the current issue The Spirit issue 2 here.
I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Jan 2, 2007
Starting ’07 off with a laugh.
I saw this and started chuckling. This is supposed to be a news story but, given what I have heard from friends and from what I read this comes as no surprise:
I saw this and started chuckling. This is supposed to be a news story but, given what I have heard from friends and from what I read this comes as no surprise:
- 39 percent of workers said their supervisor failed to keep promises.
- 37 percent said their supervisor failed to give credit when due.
- 31 percent said their supervisor gave them the "silent treatment" in the past year.
- 27 percent said their supervisor made negative comments about them to other employees or managers.
- 24 percent said their supervisor invaded their privacy.
- 23 percent said their supervisor blamed others to cover up mistakes or to minimize embarrassment.
Dec 30, 2006
Celebration of life.
Rather than dwell on the man’s passing, why not listen to why he was so well regarded? NPR offers up this treat available for download:
Clicking through takes you to the page detailing the info on the show and they also have a link so you can download the entire show or just listen via streaming audio.
Rather than dwell on the man’s passing, why not listen to why he was so well regarded? NPR offers up this treat available for download:
Just a year before his death, the Godfather of Soul reached into his vast catalog of hit songs for a night of music, recorded live from the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. Hear the full performance, originally webcast live on NPR.org Dec. 28, 2005 as part of NPR Music’s live concert series from All Songs Considered. Previous shows are listed at right.
Clicking through takes you to the page detailing the info on the show and they also have a link so you can download the entire show or just listen via streaming audio.
A New Year’s tradition.
2006 is almost gone. It wasn’t a bad year, certainly not the greatest but, I’ve had significantly worse.
2006 started off rather inauspiciously as New Year’s Eve found me going up to a local hospital to sit with the EYOC who at the time was very, very ill.
I haven’t spoken so much of the EYOC this year. It’s because there really hasn’t been much to say at least in the way of news. The EYOC had a massive heart attack back in September of ’05 and pretty much all of my time over the next four months was devoted to the adventure and fallout resulting from the incident.
I’m not a pity junkie though, there’s just nothing to be gained by looking at the world that way or trying to elicit the pity of others, and it’s not as if anyone should feel bad for me. As tough a time it was for me and it was a lot tougher for the EYOC. Many things happened and truthfully, I found myself pleasantly surprised by some people and horribly disappointed in others. There was a lot of turmoil and chaos but, somehow both the EYOC and I navigated the treacherous waters.
That first day in the hospital, a doctor turned to me at one point and made it fairly clear I shouldn’t expect the EYOC to make it past that night but, even though I was scared (as scared as the EYOC was), I knew what a tough guy he is. Sure enough, he made it past that night and a whole bunch of others. Four months of trips to various facilities and quite a few scares but, he’s still here.
It’s been tough, he’s deteriorated but, given his heart functions only at 20% of capacity, his will to fight against the ravages of time is truly herculean. There have been good days and bad. I don’t think he ever appreciated just how vital and active he was until the last year and that’s assuming he is entirely aware of what he lost. Times are he seems very much like himself and other times he just seems to have taken a bit of a journey into his own past.
As scary as things were though for that four months, the year has been a relatively quiet one. He’s been cared for, looked after and very well-tended and I am thankful for that.
He’s been comfortable.
It’s been a change though, as I spent a lot of time over the last fifteen years taking care of him. It was a job which only grew tougher with the passage of time and suddenly one day I was done. Well, maybe not done but, all the brass tacks kind of daily care which took up a lot (if not all) of my time reduced significantly... it’s been strange.
Strange, if only because for the first time in a long time, I am forced to take stock of my own life and ask myself what I want. Though I am at a certain point in life, I still feel there is an abundance of opportunity out there for me to pursue. The interesting thing is the approach to the decision given my perspective and my experiences which shape the things I would seek out. Suffice to say, they are very different from what I would have set as goals as a younger man.
The moment of reflection though, of relative quiet, is broken. Reality intrudes and I find myself back at the hospital again - another New Year, another hospital stay.
Today when I saw him, he looked frail and withered. He wasn’t in pain (which I am thankful for) but, the toll the last fifteen months have taken on him is evident. Surprisingly he is more comfortable than during previous visits to the hospital. He labors more and seems more drained by the battle he has fought. Another heart attack has taken place and I wonder what the next few days will bring.
The thing I find eerie, the thing which scares me the most is the sense of calm around him, not agony, not pain, just serenity and acceptance.
He is sleeping when I come in but after a minute or so of prodding opens his eyes, recognizes me and smiles. I am good at this, pretending as if for all the world everything is normal and engaging him in banter asking when he is going to play handball again or teasing him just a bit. The conversation takes strange paths down impossible avenues where he talks about wanting to go for a drive and I allow myself to go with the flow.
He dozes off again and after a discussion with the doctor and a bath by the nurses he seems more alert and we resume the conversation once more. But, when he turns to me at one point and pointedly begins a statement with, ‘I don’t have a lot of time left...’ I find it is all I can do to maintain my composure.
While he is at the facility, I am able to feel at peace and not worry about him because I know he is looked after but, at the hospital I think the prospect of something bad happening increases exponentially. I’m not implying anything bad about the personnel at the hospital either because I see how hard their job is. It’s just the exposure to so many more things which can make the situation worse are evident. The slightest infection which a normal person would struggle with but ultimately fight off now becomes a dance with death.
It’s not like I had any big plans but, I have to say of all the places I would rather be on New Year’s Eve, a hospital isn’t one I would ever pick. It’s a lousy way to bookend a year, I can only hope for the best.
2006 is almost gone. It wasn’t a bad year, certainly not the greatest but, I’ve had significantly worse.
2006 started off rather inauspiciously as New Year’s Eve found me going up to a local hospital to sit with the EYOC who at the time was very, very ill.
I haven’t spoken so much of the EYOC this year. It’s because there really hasn’t been much to say at least in the way of news. The EYOC had a massive heart attack back in September of ’05 and pretty much all of my time over the next four months was devoted to the adventure and fallout resulting from the incident.
I’m not a pity junkie though, there’s just nothing to be gained by looking at the world that way or trying to elicit the pity of others, and it’s not as if anyone should feel bad for me. As tough a time it was for me and it was a lot tougher for the EYOC. Many things happened and truthfully, I found myself pleasantly surprised by some people and horribly disappointed in others. There was a lot of turmoil and chaos but, somehow both the EYOC and I navigated the treacherous waters.
That first day in the hospital, a doctor turned to me at one point and made it fairly clear I shouldn’t expect the EYOC to make it past that night but, even though I was scared (as scared as the EYOC was), I knew what a tough guy he is. Sure enough, he made it past that night and a whole bunch of others. Four months of trips to various facilities and quite a few scares but, he’s still here.
It’s been tough, he’s deteriorated but, given his heart functions only at 20% of capacity, his will to fight against the ravages of time is truly herculean. There have been good days and bad. I don’t think he ever appreciated just how vital and active he was until the last year and that’s assuming he is entirely aware of what he lost. Times are he seems very much like himself and other times he just seems to have taken a bit of a journey into his own past.
As scary as things were though for that four months, the year has been a relatively quiet one. He’s been cared for, looked after and very well-tended and I am thankful for that.
He’s been comfortable.
It’s been a change though, as I spent a lot of time over the last fifteen years taking care of him. It was a job which only grew tougher with the passage of time and suddenly one day I was done. Well, maybe not done but, all the brass tacks kind of daily care which took up a lot (if not all) of my time reduced significantly... it’s been strange.
Strange, if only because for the first time in a long time, I am forced to take stock of my own life and ask myself what I want. Though I am at a certain point in life, I still feel there is an abundance of opportunity out there for me to pursue. The interesting thing is the approach to the decision given my perspective and my experiences which shape the things I would seek out. Suffice to say, they are very different from what I would have set as goals as a younger man.
The moment of reflection though, of relative quiet, is broken. Reality intrudes and I find myself back at the hospital again - another New Year, another hospital stay.
Today when I saw him, he looked frail and withered. He wasn’t in pain (which I am thankful for) but, the toll the last fifteen months have taken on him is evident. Surprisingly he is more comfortable than during previous visits to the hospital. He labors more and seems more drained by the battle he has fought. Another heart attack has taken place and I wonder what the next few days will bring.
The thing I find eerie, the thing which scares me the most is the sense of calm around him, not agony, not pain, just serenity and acceptance.
He is sleeping when I come in but after a minute or so of prodding opens his eyes, recognizes me and smiles. I am good at this, pretending as if for all the world everything is normal and engaging him in banter asking when he is going to play handball again or teasing him just a bit. The conversation takes strange paths down impossible avenues where he talks about wanting to go for a drive and I allow myself to go with the flow.
He dozes off again and after a discussion with the doctor and a bath by the nurses he seems more alert and we resume the conversation once more. But, when he turns to me at one point and pointedly begins a statement with, ‘I don’t have a lot of time left...’ I find it is all I can do to maintain my composure.
While he is at the facility, I am able to feel at peace and not worry about him because I know he is looked after but, at the hospital I think the prospect of something bad happening increases exponentially. I’m not implying anything bad about the personnel at the hospital either because I see how hard their job is. It’s just the exposure to so many more things which can make the situation worse are evident. The slightest infection which a normal person would struggle with but ultimately fight off now becomes a dance with death.
It’s not like I had any big plans but, I have to say of all the places I would rather be on New Year’s Eve, a hospital isn’t one I would ever pick. It’s a lousy way to bookend a year, I can only hope for the best.
Dec 27, 2006
The poor taste moment.
Just proving once again there are no depths I will sink to, to achieve the height of bad taste. So, have you read the news? Funny how all I could think of when I heard it was this little ditty by LA Style. (You’ll need RealPlayer)
Just proving once again there are no depths I will sink to, to achieve the height of bad taste. So, have you read the news? Funny how all I could think of when I heard it was this little ditty by LA Style. (You’ll need RealPlayer)
Dec 26, 2006
The dirty secret of Christmas.
Well, it’s been and gone another Christmas in the books. I had an entry a day or so back that just managed to float off into random bits as Safari went down with the entry unfinished and unsaved in a background tab. Maybe I’ll get back to it (probably not) if I can remember most of what I was trying to say.
Tonight as the family sat around the tree in the orgiastic frenzy of tearing open gifts, my cousin’s daughter spoke those nasty and sacrilegious words. She looked down at her Aunt‘s tree and took in the item sitting under it, still very much tightly wrapped in its plastic sheath and observed, “Oooo... that would make a good regift!”
Regift? Regift! REGIFT?!?!
Finally, it was out in the open!
So, this year I got a bunch of things I will probably regift, which is okay because it takes some pressure off me in other ways to go out and shop. I don’t know why but I got a bunch of food this year, big honking things with cheeses and dried sausage.
Truthfully though, it’s stuff I won’t eat so, it’s not like I can feel guilty about it. I never had a taste for the cured sausage thing and as time goes on I’m getting a lot more particular about what I put into my body. I have to be, high blood pressure and a lot of this really fatty, high nitrate stuff is a big time no-no for me. So, they’ll wind up being regifted. I’m ashamed to admit it because I know if it was coffee or chocolate I’d be greedily scarfing the stuff down - nothing like caffeine and sugar... yum, yum!
It’s not any better for me than the fatty stuff or the sausage but since I pretty much stopped drinking and don’t smoke at all I figure I have to allow myself some guilty pleasures so, caffeine and sugar are it.
Hearing regifting mentioned openly made me feel less bad about regifting...
Apparently it’s nothing new anyway and looking around I was able to find a bunch of interesting articles on the topic. I just can’t figure out why I get stuff like this (besides the fact I figure I am way too fat anyway and need to lose weight). Years ago (almost two decades now) when I was younger and didn’t know how to shop for people I was guilty of the ‘sausage’ gift pack – maybe it’s payback for those years I bought it for people.
I so much want to make it simpler for people anyway - a Starbucks card would be more than welcome.
Outside of the prospect of regifting though, I have to admit to being very happy and fortunate to be able to spend time with family. The more time passes, the more I appreciate those people who are family. The more I like them.
Just no more food, please. At least nothing though the mail.
Well, it’s been and gone another Christmas in the books. I had an entry a day or so back that just managed to float off into random bits as Safari went down with the entry unfinished and unsaved in a background tab. Maybe I’ll get back to it (probably not) if I can remember most of what I was trying to say.
Tonight as the family sat around the tree in the orgiastic frenzy of tearing open gifts, my cousin’s daughter spoke those nasty and sacrilegious words. She looked down at her Aunt‘s tree and took in the item sitting under it, still very much tightly wrapped in its plastic sheath and observed, “Oooo... that would make a good regift!”
Regift? Regift! REGIFT?!?!
Regifting is the act of taking a gift that has been received and giving it to somebody else in the guise of a new gift.
Finally, it was out in the open!
The fine art of regifting
Like Post (who is the granddaughter-in-law of etiquette czarina Emily), I have no qualms about regifting when done properly. Carried out carelessly, regifting is a recipe for public humiliation and long-held grudges. Done with finesse and tact, regifting can be a happy holiday experience for all — providing you follow these few do’s and don’ts. Starting with: DO take out the previous gift card. Duh.
So, this year I got a bunch of things I will probably regift, which is okay because it takes some pressure off me in other ways to go out and shop. I don’t know why but I got a bunch of food this year, big honking things with cheeses and dried sausage.
Truthfully though, it’s stuff I won’t eat so, it’s not like I can feel guilty about it. I never had a taste for the cured sausage thing and as time goes on I’m getting a lot more particular about what I put into my body. I have to be, high blood pressure and a lot of this really fatty, high nitrate stuff is a big time no-no for me. So, they’ll wind up being regifted. I’m ashamed to admit it because I know if it was coffee or chocolate I’d be greedily scarfing the stuff down - nothing like caffeine and sugar... yum, yum!
Call it tacky or call it rude, but the real name for this practice is regifting. Here are 5 tips in case you’re stuck with a recyclable gift this year...
It’s not any better for me than the fatty stuff or the sausage but since I pretty much stopped drinking and don’t smoke at all I figure I have to allow myself some guilty pleasures so, caffeine and sugar are it.
Hearing regifting mentioned openly made me feel less bad about regifting...
Before the holidays hit, let’s face facts: If one of the season’s joys is giving, then surely one of its hidden pleasures is “regifting.” Say you receive a gift — a nice gift, like a handsome travel clock — that you can’t use, don’t want or already own. You rewrap it and give it to someone else. You look generous. The recipient is appreciative. And your storage closet just got bigger. Mission accomplished.
Apparently it’s nothing new anyway and looking around I was able to find a bunch of interesting articles on the topic. I just can’t figure out why I get stuff like this (besides the fact I figure I am way too fat anyway and need to lose weight). Years ago (almost two decades now) when I was younger and didn’t know how to shop for people I was guilty of the ‘sausage’ gift pack – maybe it’s payback for those years I bought it for people.
I so much want to make it simpler for people anyway - a Starbucks card would be more than welcome.
Outside of the prospect of regifting though, I have to admit to being very happy and fortunate to be able to spend time with family. The more time passes, the more I appreciate those people who are family. The more I like them.
Just no more food, please. At least nothing though the mail.
Dec 23, 2006
Not that there’s anything wrong with it.
You know, I was just thinking about that Beatle test I took earlier in the week when it occured to me, does anyone want to be a Ringo?
I mean, I like Ringo and I also even have Blast From Your Past lying around here but, is Ringo the Beatle people aspire to be?
Thing is, he has always been the funniest, most low key guy of the group. He’s been in movies, tv and has had a bunch of hits. He’s traveled in some very interesting circles - if you look at the makeup of some his All-Starr bands you’ll see.
This musing on the man caused me to go to Ringo’s official site where he has a bunch of pretty cool videos (pretty cool? I imagine I’m dating myself). Ringo can still belt ’em out. Maybe aspiring to be a Ringo isn’t such a bad thing after all because through it all Ringo is the one who has managed to enjoy the ride the most it seems.
You know, I was just thinking about that Beatle test I took earlier in the week when it occured to me, does anyone want to be a Ringo?
I mean, I like Ringo and I also even have Blast From Your Past lying around here but, is Ringo the Beatle people aspire to be?
Thing is, he has always been the funniest, most low key guy of the group. He’s been in movies, tv and has had a bunch of hits. He’s traveled in some very interesting circles - if you look at the makeup of some his All-Starr bands you’ll see.
This musing on the man caused me to go to Ringo’s official site where he has a bunch of pretty cool videos (pretty cool? I imagine I’m dating myself). Ringo can still belt ’em out. Maybe aspiring to be a Ringo isn’t such a bad thing after all because through it all Ringo is the one who has managed to enjoy the ride the most it seems.
Not to be missed!
Jonathan Winters presents a distinctive reading of “A Christmas Carol,” using a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations. Winters recreates Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley’s spirit and the three Christmas ghosts: Past, Present and Future.
If you aren’t in WNYC’s broadcast area, you can still listen to live audio feed via iTunes or Windows Media Player.
Jonathan Winters presents a distinctive reading of “A Christmas Carol,” using a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations. Winters recreates Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley’s spirit and the three Christmas ghosts: Past, Present and Future.
If you aren’t in WNYC’s broadcast area, you can still listen to live audio feed via iTunes or Windows Media Player.
Dec 20, 2006
I continue to be amazed.
You know I’m not crazy about our current president and I think we could do a lot better but (and this is a big one), every time I see some ass blaming Bush for the attacks on September 11th and using it as an example of his ineptitude it just turns my stomach.
Fact - Bush was sworn in on January 20, 2001 - the attack was on September 11th 2001. Any fool who runs around believing the diabolical plot came together in just under 8 months and it is the entire fault of GW Bush is really kidding themselves.
MMmmmm? 1998? Mmmmm? Who was in office then?
MMmmmm? 2000? Mmmmm? Who was in office then?
Point I’m trying to make is that there is plenty of blame to go around for what happened that day. Blame Bush for all the stupid policy decisions he has made in the years since September 11th, sure but, stop trying to hang the albatross of the attacks solely around the guy’s neck. Bill Clinton had 8 years to bring Osama Bin Laden to ground and didn’t or couldn’t do it. Even then, it wouldn’t have been a guarantee of the attacks never happening.
Just stop it. If you hate the guy because he’s a Republican, that’s your prerogative but, don’t make those attacks about partisan politics because that wasn’t what they were about. It’s disingenuous and disrespectful so just stop it.
You know I’m not crazy about our current president and I think we could do a lot better but (and this is a big one), every time I see some ass blaming Bush for the attacks on September 11th and using it as an example of his ineptitude it just turns my stomach.
Fact - Bush was sworn in on January 20, 2001 - the attack was on September 11th 2001. Any fool who runs around believing the diabolical plot came together in just under 8 months and it is the entire fault of GW Bush is really kidding themselves.
According to official U.S. government sources, the September 11th attacks were consistent with the mission statement of al-Qaeda. The overarching motivation for the present al-Qaeda campaign was set out in a 1998 fatwa issued by Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Abu-Yasir Rifa’i Ahmad Taha, Shaykh Mir Hamzah, and Fazlur Rahman (Amir of the Jihad Movement in Bangladesh, Fazlur Rahman).
MMmmmm? 1998? Mmmmm? Who was in office then?
2000
In March 2000, while still in Germany, Atta contacted 31 different U.S. flight schools to discuss training to fly planes.
Atta traveled to Prague, stayed overnight, and then entered the U.S. on June 3. Atta and other hijackers who had arrived earlier opened bank accounts and continued to check on flight schools.
In July, Atta and Marwan al-Shehhi enrolled at Huffman Aviation in Venice, Florida. Atta claimed to be of royal Saudi descent and presented al-Shehhi as his bodyguard.
Both earned their instrument certificates from the FAA in November. On November 5th, Atta purchased flight deck videos for Boeing 747-200 and Boeing 757-200 models from Sporty’s Pilot Shop in Batavia, Ohio.
On December 11th, Atta purchased additional flight deck videos for Airbus A320 and Boeing 767-300ER models from the same store in Ohio. On December 21st, both Atta and Marwan were granted their pilot licenses. On the 26th or 27th, Atta and Marwan abandoned a Piper Cherokee that had stalled on the runway of Miami International Airport. On the 29th, Atta and Marwan went to the Opa-Locka Airport and practiced on a Boeing 727 simulator.
MMmmmm? 2000? Mmmmm? Who was in office then?
Point I’m trying to make is that there is plenty of blame to go around for what happened that day. Blame Bush for all the stupid policy decisions he has made in the years since September 11th, sure but, stop trying to hang the albatross of the attacks solely around the guy’s neck. Bill Clinton had 8 years to bring Osama Bin Laden to ground and didn’t or couldn’t do it. Even then, it wouldn’t have been a guarantee of the attacks never happening.
Just stop it. If you hate the guy because he’s a Republican, that’s your prerogative but, don’t make those attacks about partisan politics because that wasn’t what they were about. It’s disingenuous and disrespectful so just stop it.
Yes, I know it’s stupid...
...but when I saw the thing I couldn’t resist.
...but when I saw the thing I couldn’t resist.
| You scored 75 John, 28 George, 19 Ringo, and 35 Paul! |
| The Beatle with the highest score is where you rank! For example, if you have 50 John, 5 Paul, 10 George, and 29 Ringo, you’re most like John! |
The test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
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| Link: The Which Beatle are You Test |
Looking at things with fresh eyes.
This weekend I had the opportunity to act as tour guide for a duo of visitors. I’ve lived in and around New York City for my entire life so, I am quite familiar with it. Problem with something like that is, like anything spectacular or wonderful, if you are around it every day or for a long period of time, you get a bit jaded and begin to take it for granted.
Tourists are a normal part of life in New York City, everyday New Yorkers do their level best to put up with them. We dodge them as they gawk at the sites, we give them directions when they’re lost and if they need some kind of help New Yorkers are actually a lot more big hearted than the clichéd image of New Yorkers and will rise to the occasion of a traveler in need.
We co-exist with tourists somewhat grudgingly though, as they are to us just another obstacle as we go about the running and dodging which is a part of the frenetic pace of life in and around the Big Apple. I love the city but, over the years, my view of it has changed. The city affords us all a wealth of excitement, opportunity and entertainment but, you have to seek it out and it can get very expensive very quickly. Broadway shows can cost as much as $100 per ticket and even though there are ways around that, when you are trying to pay your rent and all the other bills associated with living in the area, something like a Broadway ticket can be viewed as an onerous expense. So, the proximity a person has to one of the world’s most notable theater districts doesn’t necessarily infer one will be able to take advantage of it.
This weekend I was forced to look in and around the city for things to take guests to do, all the things I usually don’t do myself but, if I were a visitor these would be the things I would want to tell people I visited New York and did. I put together a bit of an itinerary and let the chips fall where they would. Surprisingly, I wound up enjoying the weekend as much if not more than my guests. It’s just a reminder of how my view of things can affect my enjoyment of them and how important the lesson is to keep in the forefront of my mind.
This weekend I had the opportunity to act as tour guide for a duo of visitors. I’ve lived in and around New York City for my entire life so, I am quite familiar with it. Problem with something like that is, like anything spectacular or wonderful, if you are around it every day or for a long period of time, you get a bit jaded and begin to take it for granted.
Tourists are a normal part of life in New York City, everyday New Yorkers do their level best to put up with them. We dodge them as they gawk at the sites, we give them directions when they’re lost and if they need some kind of help New Yorkers are actually a lot more big hearted than the clichéd image of New Yorkers and will rise to the occasion of a traveler in need.
We co-exist with tourists somewhat grudgingly though, as they are to us just another obstacle as we go about the running and dodging which is a part of the frenetic pace of life in and around the Big Apple. I love the city but, over the years, my view of it has changed. The city affords us all a wealth of excitement, opportunity and entertainment but, you have to seek it out and it can get very expensive very quickly. Broadway shows can cost as much as $100 per ticket and even though there are ways around that, when you are trying to pay your rent and all the other bills associated with living in the area, something like a Broadway ticket can be viewed as an onerous expense. So, the proximity a person has to one of the world’s most notable theater districts doesn’t necessarily infer one will be able to take advantage of it.
This weekend I was forced to look in and around the city for things to take guests to do, all the things I usually don’t do myself but, if I were a visitor these would be the things I would want to tell people I visited New York and did. I put together a bit of an itinerary and let the chips fall where they would. Surprisingly, I wound up enjoying the weekend as much if not more than my guests. It’s just a reminder of how my view of things can affect my enjoyment of them and how important the lesson is to keep in the forefront of my mind.
Dec 19, 2006
Dec 14, 2006
I am still trying to figure this one out.
So, admittedly I am a registered Republican, although I have never voted for either Bush. I don’t vote along party lines anyway and the only time I find myself getting drawn into the partisan web is when I am confronted by some idiot who wants to make blanket statements about either party (you know the ones that go, those -fill in the party- are all...).
I haven’t been too happy with the course our country has taken over the last bunch of years. The guy in office spends like a drunken sailor on leave (too concerned about spending all his money and then some), his priorities are totally askew (see response to the Terry Shiavo thing versus response to Katrina) and in general he has made a poor go of it. Still he amazingly won reelection somehow but, was it more a matter of people voting for him as much as it was people not being happy with the other guy?
So, there are a bunch of people already jockeying for position to run in ’08 knowing there won’t be an incumbent of any kind to face. I took a quick look over at this site which has the info from all the polls on potential democratic candidates. The thing I find amazing... no remarkable, is the one person I think could win isn’t considered a serious candidate at this point!
That person has been an elegant, vocal opponent of the current administration over the past two terms. The person’s stature has only managed to grow in the ensuing years. It is a person who gave a speech including these jewels:
This past week I managed to catch this movie and it only confirmed what I previously thought, this person should be considered as the lead candidate for ’08.
How a party can ignore a person who won the popular vote, has proven to be an intelligent and thoughtful speaker, shows dedication and commitment that transcends political party or interest is just astounding! Alright, if you clicked through on some of the links, you know I’m talking about Al Gore. Gore is untarnished by any association to the legacy of the Clinton years (in a way Hillary is not). He’s the kind of candidate who could seriously garner enough crossover votes to take the White House. Hell, the guy won once already! (I know some out there are going to go apoplectic over that one) So, why isn’t there some serious discussion about drafting him as candidate? I still don’t understand why he didn’t run in ’04 because I would’ve voted for him then.
Anyone care to explain that one?
So, admittedly I am a registered Republican, although I have never voted for either Bush. I don’t vote along party lines anyway and the only time I find myself getting drawn into the partisan web is when I am confronted by some idiot who wants to make blanket statements about either party (you know the ones that go, those -fill in the party- are all...).
I haven’t been too happy with the course our country has taken over the last bunch of years. The guy in office spends like a drunken sailor on leave (too concerned about spending all his money and then some), his priorities are totally askew (see response to the Terry Shiavo thing versus response to Katrina) and in general he has made a poor go of it. Still he amazingly won reelection somehow but, was it more a matter of people voting for him as much as it was people not being happy with the other guy?
So, there are a bunch of people already jockeying for position to run in ’08 knowing there won’t be an incumbent of any kind to face. I took a quick look over at this site which has the info from all the polls on potential democratic candidates. The thing I find amazing... no remarkable, is the one person I think could win isn’t considered a serious candidate at this point!
That person has been an elegant, vocal opponent of the current administration over the past two terms. The person’s stature has only managed to grow in the ensuing years. It is a person who gave a speech including these jewels:
But whether you agree with that conclusion or not, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican — or an Independent, a Libertarian, a Green or a Mugwump — you’ve got a big stake in making sure that Representative Democracy works the way it is supposed to. And today, it just isn’t working very well. We all need to figure out how to fix it because we simply cannot keep on making such bad decisions on the basis of false impressions and mistaken assumptions.
Earlier, I mentioned the feeling many have that something basic has gone wrong. Whatever it is, I think it has a lot to do with the way we seek the truth and try in good faith to use facts as the basis for debates about our future — allowing for the unavoidable tendency we all have to get swept up in our enthusiasms.
That last point is worth highlighting. Robust debate in a democracy will almost always involve occasional rhetorical excesses and leaps of faith, and we're all used to that. I’ve even been guilty of it myself on occasion. But there is a big difference between that and a systematic effort to manipulate facts in service to a totalistic ideology that is felt to be more important than the mandates of basic honesty.
This past week I managed to catch this movie and it only confirmed what I previously thought, this person should be considered as the lead candidate for ’08.
How a party can ignore a person who won the popular vote, has proven to be an intelligent and thoughtful speaker, shows dedication and commitment that transcends political party or interest is just astounding! Alright, if you clicked through on some of the links, you know I’m talking about Al Gore. Gore is untarnished by any association to the legacy of the Clinton years (in a way Hillary is not). He’s the kind of candidate who could seriously garner enough crossover votes to take the White House. Hell, the guy won once already! (I know some out there are going to go apoplectic over that one) So, why isn’t there some serious discussion about drafting him as candidate? I still don’t understand why he didn’t run in ’04 because I would’ve voted for him then.
Anyone care to explain that one?
Dec 13, 2006
The most wonderful performance.
A fellow from across the pond posted in the comments section and I meandered over and looked at his blog which I fonud incredible fun and intend to link to it in the blogroll (when I get around to setting the thing up). I can link to it here the name of his blog is YOU PISSED ME OFF, YOU BASTARD.
Later on in the day as I was running errands, in the car and listening to the radio, the cosmic synchronicity presented itself yet again and I got to hear this story on PRI’s The World:
Then I got a chance to watch the following short film later on and I defy you not to laugh, I know it had me chortling with glee:
A fellow from across the pond posted in the comments section and I meandered over and looked at his blog which I fonud incredible fun and intend to link to it in the blogroll (when I get around to setting the thing up). I can link to it here the name of his blog is YOU PISSED ME OFF, YOU BASTARD.
Later on in the day as I was running errands, in the car and listening to the radio, the cosmic synchronicity presented itself yet again and I got to hear this story on PRI’s The World:
“We always lose to Sweden in hockey and the Eurovision Song contest” they sing. They continue, “why does no-one agree with me and why does Tram number 3 smell of pee?”
Then I got a chance to watch the following short film later on and I defy you not to laugh, I know it had me chortling with glee:
Dec 12, 2006
SciFi hits another homerun.
I don’t know how they do it but, SciFi keeps managing to put on some great material (see Battlerstar Galactica, Eureka and the American broadcast of Doctor Who). Last night was the first episode of The Lost Room and did it ever smoke, they are rerunning the first episode at 7 tonight. I have to say, it didn’t disappoint.
I don’t know how they do it but, SciFi keeps managing to put on some great material (see Battlerstar Galactica, Eureka and the American broadcast of Doctor Who). Last night was the first episode of The Lost Room and did it ever smoke, they are rerunning the first episode at 7 tonight. I have to say, it didn’t disappoint.
Absolutely worth it.
I spend money on myself in a few ways - food/bills and the like (normal), if it’s something I need (clothing) but, every once in awhile if I see something I really want I’ll just get it. It’s not like I’ll make it into a big deal and I’m not so crazy, wasteful in my spending anyway.
So,this came today and I just took a cursory glance but, boy was it ever worth it! The thing has the heft of one of those old encyclopedia’s and the work looks just gorgeous on the glossy stock. Needless to say, I am currently in the ecstatic Gollum like mode (my precious!)
I spend money on myself in a few ways - food/bills and the like (normal), if it’s something I need (clothing) but, every once in awhile if I see something I really want I’ll just get it. It’s not like I’ll make it into a big deal and I’m not so crazy, wasteful in my spending anyway.
So,
this came today and I just took a cursory glance but, boy was it ever worth it! The thing has the heft of one of those old encyclopedia’s and the work looks just gorgeous on the glossy stock. Needless to say, I am currently in the ecstatic Gollum like mode (my precious!)
Dec 11, 2006
Is it possible to rely on Iran to help bring calm in Iraq?
Manouchehr Mohammadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for research, told Iran’s state-run news agency, IRNA, that Tehran’s leaders would accept that the Holocaust occurred if scholars attending the conference could prove that the Nazi regime exterminated 6 million Jews during World War II.
But Mohammadi said Iran does not deny the murders and damages caused by Hitler’s genocide, nor that 50 million people were the victims of his racism, according to IRNA...
...Mohammadi said if Iran accepts the validity of the Holocaust, the next question examined will be, “Why should the Palestinians pay for the Holocaust?”
As I was reading this today, I had to wonder what the reaction would be if Israel held a conference denying the existence of the Palestinians as a true ethnic group and in the process denying their validity of any claim to land within the confines of Judea.
Manouchehr Mohammadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for research, told Iran’s state-run news agency, IRNA, that Tehran’s leaders would accept that the Holocaust occurred if scholars attending the conference could prove that the Nazi regime exterminated 6 million Jews during World War II.
But Mohammadi said Iran does not deny the murders and damages caused by Hitler’s genocide, nor that 50 million people were the victims of his racism, according to IRNA...
...Mohammadi said if Iran accepts the validity of the Holocaust, the next question examined will be, “Why should the Palestinians pay for the Holocaust?”
As I was reading this today, I had to wonder what the reaction would be if Israel held a conference denying the existence of the Palestinians as a true ethnic group and in the process denying their validity of any claim to land within the confines of Judea.
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