Welcome To My Corner Of In/Sanity...

Here's some archived Quotes of the Update™:

Why, Mr. Anderson? Why do you do it? Why get up? Why keep fighting? Do you believe you're fighting for something? For more that your survival? Can you tell me what it is? Do you even know? Is it freedom? Or truth? Perhaps peace? Yes? No? Could it be for love? Illusions, Mr. Anderson. Vagaries of perception. The temporary constructs of a feeble human intellect trying desperately to justify an existence that is without meaning or purpose. And all of them as artificial as the Matrix itself, although only a human mind could invent something as insipid as love. You must be able to see it, Mr. Anderson. You must know it by now. You can't win. It's pointless to keep fighting. Why, Mr. Anderson? Why? Why do you persist?

-Mr. Smith, inside the Matrix

 

Hackers, Email, Security & Macs...

So every day at work, I get at least 10 emails that are virus-mail. It's a pain, but I don't care. And I to a good degree I actually enjoy it. Because I know somewhere somebody is having thier PC wiped out, abused, used, and erased. HA! I love PC hackers! YOU GO BOYS and GIRLS! Hack those pathetic Microsoft Windoze computers.

Only Microsoft could make the world's most vulnerable OS. So much so that Homeland Security put out a warning for all users to update some security patches. That was a couple months ago, and since then even more holes in Windoze have been discovered and obviously are being exploited.

On a somewhat not related front, MS and PC makers are trying to develop the "Trusted Computer Platform". HA HA! They have GOT to be kidding. PC's that you can buy at el-cheapo Market Pro shows Trusted? And the maker of the world's most hacked and antiquated OS? Wow. The idea is to have the computer makers and software writers have way more control as to what you can do to data on your computer, like music, movies, and even down to every little file you save.

So are you scared, crazy, worried, or suicidal yet? Me neither. Like my site says, I use a Mac. I have never had a virus. I get junky email viruses from PC friends, but they have no effect. Apple is also trying to keep the users in control. Unix is one of the most secure OS's just by itself, so Mac OS X is secure by default. Apple has vested interests in keeping music and movie rights in the hands of the creators, but also wants to keep every computer user in control. Witness iTunes Music Store, designed to pay musicians AND let the buyers do what they please. Because we can all relate, lots of us create stuff in photos or music or animation on our computers, and we'd want to get paid too. So is this a blatant Mac ad? You bet! You've heard about the new G5, no doubt you've heard *something* about how great OS X is. Go ahead, try it! You'll like it.

 

On Cars, Responsibility, and Freedom

This has been brewing for some time. Are you too fed up with "Big Brother" snooping into your personal life? Well I am. "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!" Video cameras on city intersections, cameras at red lights to catch red-light runners, cameras at work, email being perused by employers and Echelon™, cell phone logs tell where you are, and now even cars that have drive by wire systems and "smart" cruise control to keep you from ramming into the slowpoke in front of you.

What do cars really have to do with BigBro you ask? Well... Let me start with saying I am getting sick of feeling like I could be tracked from the minute I leave my house until the time I return. People giving up their liberties for some sense of "security" is ridiculous. Stop living in fear. Ok... on with the car thing. Imagine if you have a car that has the ability to slow itself down if you get too close the rear of another car. "Automatic cruise control plus distance to the next car safety system. Nifty huh? Safe huh? Yeah, but take this a step farther. Cars are now being made that have automatic electronic transmissions, complete engine computer management, brakes that are fully electronic, steering that is electric/electronic, electronic abs/traction control, and now lastly, an electronic Nanny for your right foot. Are you giving up your freedom? How about you tell me.

Think about this: every car has the potential to have a simple GPS navigation transponder in it. Heck, Caddilacs and BMW and Mercedes already do! Witness OnStar and the other 1-button navigation/cell phone systems. Now couple with that an electronic governor on your car, capable of controlling your speed. If the Government wanted to, it's only just a couple years away from knowing where you are and how fast you are going. They could even automatically drive your car to any location they desire with electronic steering. No longer could you go out for a morning drive as fast as you like up that twisty mountain road. Speed limiters kick in. Heck, you couldn't even put the hammer down to pass a slower car on the highway, if the Feds put a speed limiting system in your car and in a highway. I am a firm believer in the fact that speed does not kill, but inattention certainly may. OK, so maybe avoiding an accident, or a close call, sometimes requires MORE speed (to get out of the way), not less.

By purchasing cars that have so many electronic "safety" gizmos in them, we are defeating our own freedoms in driving OUR cars, in the name of so-called "safety".

Another step: If so many people would rely on the "safety" of auto-speed control, how are they going to learn to handle everyday driving? A generation will use fully automatic cars as a crutch, dis-associate their own responsibility from driving their car. If their is a problem or accident, suddenly it's the "system's" fault, or the car's fault. But heaven forbid not their own fault for letting it happen.

So this leads me to the biggest picture yet. People giving up all kinds of rights, allow others to rule, to decide, to dictate, to think for them. And when someone says "Hey this isn't right!" they are punished. By the system. Or by thier own neighbors. People wonder "How did we let things get like this?", and the answer would have to be "Your own damn fault for not taking responsibility!" Didn't anybody learn from the Holocaust and WW2? Freedom is not a right, it's not given to you, you must work for it yourself, and always be responsible for your self!

Bankers hours got to go! Are you too sick and tired of those service companies that think they can hold any old hours they want? C'mon. !! This is the 21st century. In America. I would expect banks to be open until later in the evening, and the post office to be open Saturdays. WTF?! I think I am going to have to boycott companies. The USPS had better stop whining about losing money and give some better service. Days off for President's Day and other stupid piddly holidays don't count. Be open!

It's gotta be da shoes...

I gotta tell ya, I had been looking for wingtips for a long time. Coming from a good Italian family, I needed to uphold an image. No ties to the Corleones, but I like to play the part. In another life I could have been either a gangster or a sailor on a battleship in WW2 (maybe more on that later). Anyways, if you have an itchin for these kind of phat shoes, go to an Allen Edmund's store. They have a web site too. I forget the style name, but you will be glad when you find them. A little pricy, but hey, style like this means money is no object. Plus they are the most comfortable dress shoe I have worn.

Mushrooms...
(or why God created fungus)

Recently I have been thinking about fungus and mushrooms, and more oft how they relate to my job. At my job, we, the employees, are often "kept in the dark" and "have shit piled upon us". Like mushrooms. Grow in darkness, feed upon dead matter. I guess management likes to simply make the decisions and not have any arguements, but I feel that the best decisions can be made by being informed and by informing the decision makers. If you don't know by now, the "big wigs on the hill" rarely ever know what's best for the "little guy". But back to the shit. The past year I have developed a theory about mushrooms. It comes from taking all the high level bio courses in high school, and gaining knowledge about how fungi operate. It's funny how all the other plants on the planet need light and oxygen (and C02) to live. Not fungus. It's even happy in darkness, dampness, and can operate without any oxygen. So is this a natural evolution of plant life. I don't think so.

Mushrooms are from outer space.

That's the theory. Probably lodged on a comet or asteroid that hit Earth early in its development, but then fungi have evolved into today's mushrooms (and sponge mold, and mildew, and that blackish-green stuff growing on your sandwich bread, and the stuff that grew into a solid mass in a bottle of V8 juice in my fridge). Fungus cell structure is unlike anything else on this great rock (check your science books for this one). And think about this: We EAT THEM! Mushrooms: Chewy, cold, slimy, rubbery, black, and grows under rocks and cow patties. I certainly am on a personal crusade against 'shrooms. And though I think the sound of taking some 'shrooms to get high seems funny, I would never do it. Someone at work took one, and he's a little fucked up. Not a lot, just enough to make you wonder if it were the 'shrooms, or if he was normally that way all his life.

comic of "Get Fuzzy"

 

K, so I see this poll on TV. If the election was held today, Bush: 47%, Kerry 45%, Nader 2%. WTF? No disrespect, but, If you are a Nader kind of voter, sort of Libertarian or Green Party, I really urge you to reconsider. Though I realize why you may want to vote for Nader, please look at it this way: a vote for Nader is a practically a vote against Kerry and for Bush. Is that really what you want? I think you're probably more mad at Bush than anything. Maybe voting for an independant party in a more local election, even your Governatorial race, would really send a signal to government. But in the Presidential election, this is Really Important. Nader effectively has no chance of winning. Please vote Kerry when it counts.

Visit www.JohnKerry.com

 

The world is running out of oil. According to studies and experts, the world has used half of the oil supply on the planet. Current supply may only last until 2030 (depending on demands). See this: http://www.hubbertpeak.com/summary.htm

Here are some great ways YOU can save gas and money.

Consider how much our entire civilization now depends on oil in some form or another: gas in cars and vehicles, desiel for truck and trains, motor oil and lubricants, plastics of all sorts; electronic shells like computers, tv's, cell phones, blenders, toasters, fans; almost every kid's toy; drink bottles, food packaging; important medical devices and sterile tools; many parts of cars, some pipes in your house, and uncounted solvents that are based on some "petroleum distillates! So many things we now take for granted, many that used to be made of metal or not even possible 50 years ago. If we didn't have petroleum to manufacture half of these items, our entire WORLD's economy would collapse overnight.

I urge everyone who reads this to seriously consider the state of the world, and their own future, as the inevitable approaches. Lessen your dependence on oil (I know, my TA gets horrible mileage and I'm just as guilty), and do everything you can to save ENERGY overall (including RECYCLING everything you can), since so much electric generation comes from oil power as well. Help save the world, and your children's world.

Please let others know about the HubbertPeak website and information.

TCOR Riddick Pic

The Chronicles of Riddick! (movie site link, requires Flash)

Just got back from seeing the movie. I try to not going into movies expecting much or knowing much. Suspense is certainly part of the thrill. Though I had seen a good number of previews and TV commercials, and I even watched the Sci-Fi channel special show, I thought I knew of most of the plot. Well thankfully I was wrong. The plot twists around a lot more than I had anticipated. Which is great! It's a tad predictable once it starts rolling, but if you go in not knowing a lot, it works.

The character development in TCOR was just enough to cover what you needed to know, especially if you hadn't seen Pitch Black. PB is by far a way better movie to get to know Riddick and the rest of the crew (from that film). I didn't get to know some the characters and their background nearly enough as I would have liked. They could have spent another half hour, no, 15 mins would be enough, to learn enough about everybody. I must recommend visiting TCOR website and playing some of the game and getting to know more of the background of the invaders, the Judy Dench character, and some other terms they throw around.

Onto the special effects: Great! They were all well done, and all were very convincing. They had some great takes on the Necro's ships, spaceflight, some creatures that were exceptionally well done, and planet exteriors. Though stylized, it wasn't as film-stylized as PB. PB had better "feel" of scenes, where some scenes in TCOR were well lit, and straight-forward. The sets were very stylized and creative. There was a great fight scene where it's nothing but music over the action- no sound effects for a long time, and this really puts the action in a different, better light, than if it was a mosh of punches and gun sounds. Overall this movie seems like its bordering on a "Dune" like future, more so than the humble, human, rugged universe of PB. Though the Necros were interesting, they were almost too futuristic and far out. I guess the "supernatural" side of thier race was one part where I thought the movie went a tad too far.

What I must say was the best part of the movie, and the most appreciated, was somewhere in the middle, where there's a good bit of Riddick humor. The whole audience was laughing out loud for a couple good exchanges. And they weren't slapsticky sorts of things, but well crafted and well fit in humor. It definitely helped lighten up a bit. The movie ran a bit over 2 hours, but felt like it was going on maybe 2 hours 30. In a good way, I was partly expecting a quick cut and a "to be continued" at some points, but it was wrapped up in a good way that was not rushed and didn't feel at all like it was just slapped together. It was somewhat unexpected as well. TCOR ends very interestingly. I will say there could be another movie in the series, or maybe not.

I have quickly read up and found this quote: Drafts of the screenplay for the sequel were penned by David Hayter and Akiva Goldsman, but Twohy substantially rewrote their material. The next two sequels, nicknamed C-2 and C-3, were plotted as the first sequel was being pre-produced. Assuming the sequel becomes a hit, then Twohy will shoot the second and third films back-to-back. The production companies include Radar Pictures (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Primal Foe Productions, and Vin Diesel's production company, One Race Productions. In October 2002, Chronicles of Riddick was in pre-production, with the script completed and a production designer working on it. After being pushed back several times, production began on June 9, 2003 in Vancouver and was slated to wrap in October, 2003.

I certainly enjoyed the movie overall, and I think it's going to have one of the best plot makeups of the big summer movies. Spiderman, I Robot, and others I think will all be too predictable, when compared to TCOR (evil comes, hero saves world).

Some thoughts on our current government:

The Senate and House are both going to or have approved a bill that will increase fines on radio and TV broadcasters. You should know that:

Is the Bush administration (and Republicans) saying that saying bad words on radio or TV is more harmful to Americans than tangible terrorist threats and health dangers?

Don't let this continue! Vote Bush out! Visit www.JohnKerry.com

Some random, well not random for me, thoughts for the update:

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