This study from Cornell University found that a staggering 44 percent of Americans polled would favor curtailing the civil liberties of Muslim Americans.
This is how fascist dictatorships get started, of course.
1. Instill fear in the populace and irrational "patriotism at all costs";
2. wave the flag at every rally (or football game, or NASCAR event, or fricking Wal-Mart sale) to the point of it becoming a mere prop for the repressive policies of the government;
3. wage never-ending wars in far-off lands and glorify the militarization of the country at all opportunities;
4. scapegoat and demonize a "scary" ethnic group and use the fear of this group to justify your repressive policies;
5. curtail said group's civil liberties, imprison them with little or no legitimate pretense, and eventually lock them up for the good of the fatherland.
These are fascist policies folks, and it's pretty sickening that almost half of the people in the country seem to be open to at least some of them.
12/24/2004
Merry Christmas!
Jenny and I want to wish everybody out there a very Merry Christmas! We cherish each and every one of you. We truly believe that we are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. We think of you all often, and hope that you are able to be with your loved ones this Christmas day, even if only in your hearts.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
12/21/2004
Man Room
Now that I'm FINALLY going to have a basement, or Man Room, as it is to be known from this day forward, I need to figure out a decoration theme.
A sports bar theme is a little too obvious, and I really don't have any favorite teams anymore, since I've been moving around so much, so that's out.
Jason's suggestion of an Amsterdam red light district scene (complete with painted murals of windows with naked women in them) was nixed by Jen.
I'm leaning toward an homage to guitar amps, with a giant schematic painted on one wall and framed photos of classic amps everywhere.
Your thoughts are much appreciated.....
A sports bar theme is a little too obvious, and I really don't have any favorite teams anymore, since I've been moving around so much, so that's out.
Jason's suggestion of an Amsterdam red light district scene (complete with painted murals of windows with naked women in them) was nixed by Jen.
I'm leaning toward an homage to guitar amps, with a giant schematic painted on one wall and framed photos of classic amps everywhere.
Your thoughts are much appreciated.....
12/20/2004
Dioxin...the gift that keeps on giving
The Monsanto pledge:
"Integrity includes
honesty
decency
consistency and
courage"
Some folks at Monsanto apparently haven't been following the pledge too closely. Or at least they weren't when they were releasing tons of the super-dangerous chemical by-product dioxin into tiny Nitro, WV and its environs.
According to this depressing report by The Charleston Gazette's top environmental reporter, Ken Ward, Jr., the company is being sued by Nitro residents for releasing the poison, and subsequently, trying to cover up the resulting scandal.
According to Ward, "Starting in the late 1990s, St. Louis-based Monsanto--now called Old Monsanto--engaged in a complex series of spinoffs, name changes and corporate buyouts to distance itself from potentially massive environmental liabilities."
Not too honest, huh? I don't think it's too damn decent, either.
As for courage? "Officials from Monsanto did not return phone calls Friday afternoon." Hmmm....
They have been consistant is denying their liability for the last 50 years, so I guess one out of four ain't bad.
Unless you're a resident of Nitro.
"Integrity includes
honesty
decency
consistency and
courage"
Some folks at Monsanto apparently haven't been following the pledge too closely. Or at least they weren't when they were releasing tons of the super-dangerous chemical by-product dioxin into tiny Nitro, WV and its environs.
According to this depressing report by The Charleston Gazette's top environmental reporter, Ken Ward, Jr., the company is being sued by Nitro residents for releasing the poison, and subsequently, trying to cover up the resulting scandal.
According to Ward, "Starting in the late 1990s, St. Louis-based Monsanto--now called Old Monsanto--engaged in a complex series of spinoffs, name changes and corporate buyouts to distance itself from potentially massive environmental liabilities."
Not too honest, huh? I don't think it's too damn decent, either.
As for courage? "Officials from Monsanto did not return phone calls Friday afternoon." Hmmm....
They have been consistant is denying their liability for the last 50 years, so I guess one out of four ain't bad.
Unless you're a resident of Nitro.
Brrrrrrrrrrr.
Man, is it cold today. Last night a winter front swept into the D.C. area, bringing with it bitter temperatures in the teens (and wind chills in the single-digits). Right now it's 13 degrees. For the first time I miss California weather....
Must...not...forget $600K condos.....Keep...perspective.....
perspective...freezing...as is...ass....
Must...not...forget $600K condos.....Keep...perspective.....
perspective...freezing...as is...ass....
12/17/2004
Only Americans Need Apply
While I was applying to get insurance coverage for our house, the insurance agent and I had the following conversation:
Agent: "In accordance with the Patriot Act, are you and your wife both American citizens?"
Me: "Umm....yes. [pause] So I guess a lot of terrorists are signing up for home insurance these days?"
Agent: "Well, we have to refuse to write coverage for persons from certain geographic areas."
Me: "What areas?"
Agent: "I can't reveal that information; although I will say that most of them are in the Middle East."
Me: "So if my wife was Saudi Arabian or Iraqi you wouldn't give us house insurance."
Agent: "We wouldn't write the policy, no."
Me: "That's terrible."
Agent: "Yeah. We refused coverage a week ago to a couple because the wife was Cuban, even though she had been in America for 20 years."
Me: "Are you serious? That's unbelievable."
Agent: "Yeah."
What the hell is going on in this country people? THIS IS INSANE!!!!!!!
Agent: "In accordance with the Patriot Act, are you and your wife both American citizens?"
Me: "Umm....yes. [pause] So I guess a lot of terrorists are signing up for home insurance these days?"
Agent: "Well, we have to refuse to write coverage for persons from certain geographic areas."
Me: "What areas?"
Agent: "I can't reveal that information; although I will say that most of them are in the Middle East."
Me: "So if my wife was Saudi Arabian or Iraqi you wouldn't give us house insurance."
Agent: "We wouldn't write the policy, no."
Me: "That's terrible."
Agent: "Yeah. We refused coverage a week ago to a couple because the wife was Cuban, even though she had been in America for 20 years."
Me: "Are you serious? That's unbelievable."
Agent: "Yeah."
What the hell is going on in this country people? THIS IS INSANE!!!!!!!
12/14/2004
Inspection...check. Termite inspection...check.
The home and termite inspections turned out about typically for a 53-year-old house. Needs: new windows, new furnace (although it could hang in there for quite a while, you never know), paint to cover up the lavender walls. Nothing too crazy, thank goodness. The electrical systems were pretty top notch, with proper grounding and no aluminum wiring anywhere (woo hoo!).
Now we just have to pay more money than we ever have for anything and close on this sucka.
Thanks to Jen, Gabe, Anne, Sarah, and Jane for the comments....we miss you guys terribly and of course you are all ALWAYS welcome to visit scenic Silver Spring! (You may want to check out our humble neighbor, Washington, DC, while you're here....he he.)
Come visit soon!!!!
Now we just have to pay more money than we ever have for anything and close on this sucka.
Thanks to Jen, Gabe, Anne, Sarah, and Jane for the comments....we miss you guys terribly and of course you are all ALWAYS welcome to visit scenic Silver Spring! (You may want to check out our humble neighbor, Washington, DC, while you're here....he he.)
Come visit soon!!!!
12/10/2004
The Old Homestead
Well, we went ahead and done it. We bought a house.
Barring any major catastrophes during inspection and closing, this little house will be ours by the first of the year.
We are psyched about the house, which is a 3bd/2ba with GIANT finished basement and cool new brushed metal stove and fridge, and the neighborhood is just our speed. Everyone keeps up their yards and it's close in to D.C. (The house is located in the Woodmoor area of Silver Spring, right outside the Beltway.)
Goodbye, loud downstairs neighbors!
For more photos, click here.
Barring any major catastrophes during inspection and closing, this little house will be ours by the first of the year.
We are psyched about the house, which is a 3bd/2ba with GIANT finished basement and cool new brushed metal stove and fridge, and the neighborhood is just our speed. Everyone keeps up their yards and it's close in to D.C. (The house is located in the Woodmoor area of Silver Spring, right outside the Beltway.)
Goodbye, loud downstairs neighbors!
For more photos, click here.
12/09/2004
Dimebag Darrell, sanity dead in Ohio
I don't know if you have ever heard of the heavy metal band Pantera or not (probably not, as most of the readers here aren't down with Satan), but they were pretty groundbreaking in the genre. I was never a big fan, but you've got to hand it to them for sticking to their roots. When other "metal" bands were parading around in lipstick and makeup, looking like Capp street queenies with Les Pauls strapped around their necks, these guys were decapitating audiences with a no-compromize brand of bone-crushing destructo-grind that stood the test of time and made them gods in the heavy metal world.
Then they broke up.
Well, apparently, that shit didn't sit too well with Marysville, Ohio, resident Nathan Gale, 25. Last night he took to the stage of former Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell's new band, Damageplan, and shot the six-stringer dead. WHAT THE HELL???????
We are living in a crazy, crazy world, folks. I mean, it really sucked when Metallica totally sold out after "...and Justice for All." But does James Hetfield deserve to die just because he decided to make wimp rock? Of course not. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?????
Since a cop on the scene rightfully blasted Gale back to Hell where he belongs, we'll never know exactly what was up in this wack-o's brain that convinced him that breaking up Pantera was such an affront to humanity that someone, specifically, Dimebag Darrell, had to pay with his life. But what is horribly conveyed by this twisted, beyond-Spinal-Tap insanity is that we live in a world of massive fuck-ups, so please be careful out there people.
I hope you all will cherish every minute of life, because you never know what...or who...is waiting for you around the corner.
Then they broke up.
Well, apparently, that shit didn't sit too well with Marysville, Ohio, resident Nathan Gale, 25. Last night he took to the stage of former Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell's new band, Damageplan, and shot the six-stringer dead. WHAT THE HELL???????
We are living in a crazy, crazy world, folks. I mean, it really sucked when Metallica totally sold out after "...and Justice for All." But does James Hetfield deserve to die just because he decided to make wimp rock? Of course not. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?????
Since a cop on the scene rightfully blasted Gale back to Hell where he belongs, we'll never know exactly what was up in this wack-o's brain that convinced him that breaking up Pantera was such an affront to humanity that someone, specifically, Dimebag Darrell, had to pay with his life. But what is horribly conveyed by this twisted, beyond-Spinal-Tap insanity is that we live in a world of massive fuck-ups, so please be careful out there people.
I hope you all will cherish every minute of life, because you never know what...or who...is waiting for you around the corner.
12/07/2004
People are disgusting pigs.
Jenny and I are trying to find a house to buy, and so we've been looking around the area at homes for sale. Nothing has struck us so far, other than one house that was on the verge of out of our price range that we made a laughable offer on (and, of course, didn't get).
What has struck me, though, is that apparently, most people are lazy and disgusting. I'm not talking about leaving-dishes-in-the-sink-for-one-day-too-long disgusting. I'm talking about having-a-layer-of-grease-all-over-every-surface-in-the-kitchen-so-thick-that-you-could-measure-it-with-a-ruler disgusting. I'm talking about carving-your-name-in-the-bedroom-door-with-a-pocketknife disgusting. I'm talking about what-the-fuck-is-that-on-the-bathroom-floor disgusting (see photo).
When I saw the house in that photo, I asked my agent if it was rented out. "No," he calmly replied. "They're the owners."
Are these people really stupid enough to throw away tens of thousands of potential added dollars to the asking price of their house because they're too lazy to pick up a mop? Yes, apparently, they are.
The good news: still haven't topped the dog-shit-covering-the-entire-basement-floor Oakland house yet.
What has struck me, though, is that apparently, most people are lazy and disgusting. I'm not talking about leaving-dishes-in-the-sink-for-one-day-too-long disgusting. I'm talking about having-a-layer-of-grease-all-over-every-surface-in-the-kitchen-so-thick-that-you-could-measure-it-with-a-ruler disgusting. I'm talking about carving-your-name-in-the-bedroom-door-with-a-pocketknife disgusting. I'm talking about what-the-fuck-is-that-on-the-bathroom-floor disgusting (see photo).
When I saw the house in that photo, I asked my agent if it was rented out. "No," he calmly replied. "They're the owners."
Are these people really stupid enough to throw away tens of thousands of potential added dollars to the asking price of their house because they're too lazy to pick up a mop? Yes, apparently, they are.
The good news: still haven't topped the dog-shit-covering-the-entire-basement-floor Oakland house yet.
12/03/2004
How much does a Schwinn Stingray really cost?
"It may not be the engineering marvel that was the old Schwinn, but it retails at Wal-Mart for $180, about a third of the original's price in today's dollars."
Of course, it's not a real Schwinn, it's just using that brand name, which Pacific Cycle, a Canadian conglomerate, bought in 2001 after the orginal, family-owned, U.S.-based company went bankrupt.
At its peak, the Chicago-based Schwinn company employed about 2000 mostly high-school educated workers, paying them a decent salary, and making great bikes. Now a Chinese factory makes the bikes and a Canadian firm gets the profits. (For the whole Schwinn story in the Washington Post, click here.)
The worst part of this story is that this Christmas the American workers who lost their good-paying jobs to foreign, bottom-of-the-barrel labor pools will be forced to buy foreign-made TVs, DVD players, and, yes, bikes, because that's all they can afford on their measly $5.50/hr. incomes at Wal-Mart. At least they get the employee discount, right?
Today, 99% of the bicycles sold in the U.S. are manufactured overseas. That figure boggles the mind.
This holiday season, I hope that those of you who are able to will join me in making an effort to avoid Wal-Mart and the other mega discount chains and buy your gifts from American companies (and especially small businesses) who still make most of their products in this country. The Internet makes finding them easier than ever. Here are some of cool, American companies:
Carhartt (Fuck Dickies. They import everything.)
American Apparel (Proving that a tee-shirt doesn't have to come from El Salvador.)
Gibson guitars (Only their Epiphone line is made abroad.)
Venture Snowboards (I don't even snowboard, but if you do, check these guys out—made in Colorado.)
Manhattan Portage (Great bags, made in USA!)
As for the 1% of bikes still made in this country....
Waterford (This is the Schwinn family's new business, which caters to high-end bikers.)
Merlin (Sponsor of the West Virginia Road Team!)
Calfee Design
Cannondale
Serotta
Trek (Trek's high-end bikes are made in U.S.)
Check out the US Stuff product list for hundreds of links to American made products.
If you have any favorite companies that make their products with American labor, comment here and let us know!
Of course, these days it's impossible to buy 100% American goods (try finding a camera made in this country, for example). But by supporting the companies that do employ our friends and neighbors (and us!), we can show that you can, indeed, make profitable products without going to Asia and exploiting their people.
Of course, it's not a real Schwinn, it's just using that brand name, which Pacific Cycle, a Canadian conglomerate, bought in 2001 after the orginal, family-owned, U.S.-based company went bankrupt.
At its peak, the Chicago-based Schwinn company employed about 2000 mostly high-school educated workers, paying them a decent salary, and making great bikes. Now a Chinese factory makes the bikes and a Canadian firm gets the profits. (For the whole Schwinn story in the Washington Post, click here.)
The worst part of this story is that this Christmas the American workers who lost their good-paying jobs to foreign, bottom-of-the-barrel labor pools will be forced to buy foreign-made TVs, DVD players, and, yes, bikes, because that's all they can afford on their measly $5.50/hr. incomes at Wal-Mart. At least they get the employee discount, right?
Today, 99% of the bicycles sold in the U.S. are manufactured overseas. That figure boggles the mind.
This holiday season, I hope that those of you who are able to will join me in making an effort to avoid Wal-Mart and the other mega discount chains and buy your gifts from American companies (and especially small businesses) who still make most of their products in this country. The Internet makes finding them easier than ever. Here are some of cool, American companies:
Carhartt (Fuck Dickies. They import everything.)
American Apparel (Proving that a tee-shirt doesn't have to come from El Salvador.)
Gibson guitars (Only their Epiphone line is made abroad.)
Venture Snowboards (I don't even snowboard, but if you do, check these guys out—made in Colorado.)
Manhattan Portage (Great bags, made in USA!)
As for the 1% of bikes still made in this country....
Waterford (This is the Schwinn family's new business, which caters to high-end bikers.)
Merlin (Sponsor of the West Virginia Road Team!)
Calfee Design
Cannondale
Serotta
Trek (Trek's high-end bikes are made in U.S.)
Check out the US Stuff product list for hundreds of links to American made products.
If you have any favorite companies that make their products with American labor, comment here and let us know!
Of course, these days it's impossible to buy 100% American goods (try finding a camera made in this country, for example). But by supporting the companies that do employ our friends and neighbors (and us!), we can show that you can, indeed, make profitable products without going to Asia and exploiting their people.
12/02/2004
Sweet mother of God, no.
My psuedo-sister, Suzi, turned me onto this grossness: According to BoingBoing.com, a company in South Korea will gold-plate your child's umbilical cord and frame it for display. They call it a "Blinged-out baby umbilical cord gift atrocity," and I couldn't agree more.
According to the site, "Among new mothers, ordering a custom souvenir made from an anatomical part of their babies appears to be a growing trend. An increasing number of companies are finding profits in processing umbilical cords and hair from newborns." What's the deal Koreans? You can't just have creepy bronzed baby shoes like the rest of us? You just know that some entreprenuer somewhere in Asia is gearing up the placenta-o-matic plating machines as we speak. Yuk.
11/30/2004
Who knew?
When calculating for gain in an audio amplifier stage that includes resistances in parallel, you have to take the reciprocal of the sum of the reciprocals of the individual resistors. Duh!
Hence, Gain=(75K OHMS)||(100K OHMS)||(1.47M OHMS)/(1/1400 uMHOS + 0 OHMS)=58.3
OR
Gain=(1/(1/75000+1/100000+1/1470000))/(1/.0014)=58.3
Hence, Gain=(75K OHMS)||(100K OHMS)||(1.47M OHMS)/(1/1400 uMHOS + 0 OHMS)=58.3
OR
Gain=(1/(1/75000+1/100000+1/1470000))/(1/.0014)=58.3
11/28/2004
I must be in front row!
Jenny and I went to San Diego to visit her parents and sister for Thanksgiving. We had a nice time (she's actually returning tomorrow) and ate too much, of course.
I scored first-class tickets both ways by cashing in a bunch (30,000) of MilagePlus miles on United. It was worth every mile cashed in, as anyone who has ever flown in a cramped coach cabin across the country can attest. For those not experienced in the front cabin experience, here's an inside view: Hot fudge sundae, hand-made? But I'm still sipping my after-dinner champagne! Well, twist my arm....
As they say in your country: schweet!
I scored first-class tickets both ways by cashing in a bunch (30,000) of MilagePlus miles on United. It was worth every mile cashed in, as anyone who has ever flown in a cramped coach cabin across the country can attest. For those not experienced in the front cabin experience, here's an inside view: Hot fudge sundae, hand-made? But I'm still sipping my after-dinner champagne! Well, twist my arm....
As they say in your country: schweet!
11/24/2004
More cowbell.
Cowbell.com supplies sheep, goat and cow bells used for sporting events, promotion gifts, cheerleading, dog training, and the Olympics!
Rock. On.
Rock. On.
11/23/2004
Black Velvet!
Yum!
Warning: Don't get started reading through all the weekly cocktails on this site or you'll be sucked in for hours....
Also, you MUST check out this bizarre Cinzano ad (click on the "Zoom" button to watch it). Those Italians are something else, man.
Warning: Don't get started reading through all the weekly cocktails on this site or you'll be sucked in for hours....
Also, you MUST check out this bizarre Cinzano ad (click on the "Zoom" button to watch it). Those Italians are something else, man.
Exhausted!
I haven't been sleeping too well lately. I think it's a mental thing having to do with my abhorrence to neighbors' sounds past 11:00 p.m. Thanks to the unwashed Dungeons and Dragons geek and his cackling bitch of a girlfriend who lived under us in Oakland, I'm now super-conditioned to become enraged at the slightest noise from neighboring apartments. This is not good.
Even when the folks are just making normal apartment noise (no thumping bass, thank god), it keeps me up because I'm mentally bracing myself for the next sound. I've tried to Zen out to no avail. Calgon take me away! I've half a mind to buy one of those white noise machines for the bedroom, but I don't want to spend that dough if the things don't work. Have any of you tried them? Help me Obi-Wan, you're my only hope....
Even when the folks are just making normal apartment noise (no thumping bass, thank god), it keeps me up because I'm mentally bracing myself for the next sound. I've tried to Zen out to no avail. Calgon take me away! I've half a mind to buy one of those white noise machines for the bedroom, but I don't want to spend that dough if the things don't work. Have any of you tried them? Help me Obi-Wan, you're my only hope....
11/19/2004
Register no more
I found this cool site in this month's WIRED magazine. In a nutshell, it supplies you with log-ins and passwords to free sites that require registration. Everyone justs puts in bullshit information anyway, so it saves a lot of time. The site does not give out registration info or passwords to sites that charge for access. The next time you go to a site that wants you to register before you can read its articles (more and more newspapers' sites are doing this), give bugmenot.com a try.
11/17/2004
New York City!
Just got back from four days in NYC at the 2004 Folio:Show magazine convention. A couple of the seminar speakers presented useful information, but too many of them seemed to have made up their presentations the night before. That's not cool when people (or their companies) are paying more than a grand to attend this thing.
Met up with my friend Nevena while there and we got some yummy paella at a Spanish restaurant in the Village. The restaurant's name? La Paella. Catchy, huh?
I stayed at the Herald Square Hotel, which was only a little over a hundred dollars a night, yet not in the hood. It was also clean and the staff was friendly. I can recommend it for those going to NYC on a budget. My room had two double beds and a private bathroom and was fine by all accounts.
I also ate at a Turkish restaurant called the Turkish Kitchen. (NYC is not so original in the restaurant naming area, as it turns out.) The food was the most original and tasty I've had in recent memory. If you have occasion to be in New York, you must try this place!
Met up with my friend Nevena while there and we got some yummy paella at a Spanish restaurant in the Village. The restaurant's name? La Paella. Catchy, huh?
I stayed at the Herald Square Hotel, which was only a little over a hundred dollars a night, yet not in the hood. It was also clean and the staff was friendly. I can recommend it for those going to NYC on a budget. My room had two double beds and a private bathroom and was fine by all accounts.
I also ate at a Turkish restaurant called the Turkish Kitchen. (NYC is not so original in the restaurant naming area, as it turns out.) The food was the most original and tasty I've had in recent memory. If you have occasion to be in New York, you must try this place!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
