tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64616262024-03-07T00:38:10.651-07:00The Ministry of LinusA kinder, gentler inquisition...Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.comBlogger881125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-85023928770747696652011-03-13T14:43:00.001-06:002011-03-13T15:50:41.227-06:00A New BeginningAll good things come to an end. In fact, all crappy things come to an end too, and that's what this post is about. <br />
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Yes, my exile in Black Vatican City is about to end. After 8 and a half years, I am finally leaving the Siberia of the Americas for good!<br />
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For some time now, the Papal Consort and I have been working on getting teaching jobs in Korea. There were applications, then resumes, then FBI background checks, diploma apostilles, transcripts, a video introduction, and then in the last few days, a phone interview and a job offer. The offer is great - they pay roundtrip airfare, housing, and 50% of insurance for a 30 hour work week with 10 days of paid vacation as well as paid national holidays. There is a catch, however - they want us there in ONE MONTH!<br />
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Not a long time when you have to reduce your worldly possessions to two suitcases and get shots and papers for your pets, while finishing and defending your master's thesis. It's going to be a terribly hard month, and I plan to record it in all its glorious stressfulness.<br />
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And that is where another thing comes to an end. This blog has had a good run; 885 posts stretching all the way back to February of 2004, and covering most of my time here at Black Vatican University. It has served that purpose well, but a new endeavor calls for a new chronicle. I have been wondering for years now what life change would be sweeping enough to finally put a stake in the heart of this old beast - I think selling practically everything I own and leaving the country is a perfect end. I will miss the role of Black Pope, but I think it's time to abdicate.<br />
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Of course, there will be a new blog - I'm far too much of an attention whore to let my little corner of the internet go dark completely. It will cover the Korean adventure, starting with the details of this final month in Laramie. I plan on making it more like an actual diary, with a ton of pictures. Tentatively it's called, <a href="http://linusinkorea.blogspot.com/">Black-clad in Korea</a>.<br />
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Please join us there, and share in our adventures abroad. We will be blogging almost daily, with pictures, maps, and observations, blended with our patented, secret recipe snark. We hope to see you all there!Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-52591039923212872002011-02-25T21:31:00.002-07:002011-02-26T14:43:53.117-07:00Supporting Democracy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmJgV7lhdQyBy9rv8mufVh1SXcKD0A1j9ykCoQE-XM3Dq-Z4ObZNpIksX9sDNGeHfZ7zimRcEt36rVBzONH-6a8hpGoiAVC78lJb_mk2NN06mPokH94DSe-_JCrVkzEPcSeus/s1600/tripoli-protests-300x197.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmJgV7lhdQyBy9rv8mufVh1SXcKD0A1j9ykCoQE-XM3Dq-Z4ObZNpIksX9sDNGeHfZ7zimRcEt36rVBzONH-6a8hpGoiAVC78lJb_mk2NN06mPokH94DSe-_JCrVkzEPcSeus/s320/tripoli-protests-300x197.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577960465036850850" /></a>Recently, ordinary folks have been taking to the streets and getting pretty rowdy around the world. First, we had the unrest in Tunisia, which led to the ousting of the government of president Abidine Ben Ali amid charges of corruption, lack of political freedoms, food shortages, and record unemployment numbers. Then the people of Egypt took to the streets to give Hosni Mubarak the boot for similar complaints. The spirit of dictator bashing soon spread to Libya, where the bloody rule of Moammar Gadhafi is slipping away. <br /><br />It’s not just in Muslim countries – reports began to leak out today that there were anti-government protests in North Korea back on Valentine’s Day, and even right here in the USA, there are demonstrators taking to the streets in Wisconsin and Ohio to prevent the loss of collective bargaining rights for government workers.<br /><br />These demonstrations have been pretty heart-warming to folks who love political freedom, democracy, and seeing the will of the people coming to pass. It reminds me a bit of the riotous beginnings of our own democracy, complete with civil unrest, vandalism, and the eventual overthrow of a leader who was more interested in lining his pockets than in giving the people good governance. Seems like a perfect photo and sound bite opportunity for politicians in America, to point out how much they love democracy and support those around the world who are fighting to make the common man heard. In fact, it seems like a perfect time to recall that the US revolution wouldn’t have gone so well without the support of the French.<br /><br />So where are the statements of support from all the Joe Average, flag waving, freedom and democracy loving Conservatives out there? <br /><br />If we had any sort of special effects budget, you’d hear the sound of crickets right now…<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9x48iUvwTXLWEyy5QfsnHH9IOxyC2MfFM4_0s6HSJ-w3JguUahgCmIcPSq69cDrjY6EL7eLbjqbYKH_8lTNsTevF0kN4po42Cup84Gp_bbVf2HN08lHyG_TwAdYxBO5Gk14G/s1600/gaddafi-image-2-199502847.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9x48iUvwTXLWEyy5QfsnHH9IOxyC2MfFM4_0s6HSJ-w3JguUahgCmIcPSq69cDrjY6EL7eLbjqbYKH_8lTNsTevF0kN4po42Cup84Gp_bbVf2HN08lHyG_TwAdYxBO5Gk14G/s320/gaddafi-image-2-199502847.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577961004929211906" /></a>There aren’t any. In fact, the Conservative response to this wave of protests against oppressive regimes (and yes, that includes the Governors of Wisconsin and Ohio) has ranged from concerns about how it will affect gas prices to outright derision for the protesters and support for their ousted dictators. You see, the Conservative platform is not really about democracy, or family values, or taking the US back to a fictitious 1950s lifestyle – it’s about making sure that nothing interrupts the flow of money to the deepest pockets in the world. The very same people who claim to care so much about the democratic process and the ability of the people to hold their leaders accountable, are now criticizing the Obama administration for not taking a more active role in determining who will fill the shoes of Mubarak, Ben Ali, Gadhafi and the rest. Wouldn’t that be the responsibility of the ordinary people of those nations? Shouldn’t we support the will of the people being done? Instead, they are worried that the new leadership in those countries might stop being the fuel tank of the planet, and maybe finally get tired of the bullshit that is the Israeli situation and do something about it. This is probably the most telling example of what Conservative politicians actually represent that has come to light in the last 20 years.<br /><br />So, the next time you see a candidate claiming that he supports the worker, the ordinary man, and freedom and justice for all, ask him where he was in the early days of 2011, when the Arab world was tossing out its hegemony, and Union workers in the heartland were struggling to keep their rights. Ask him if he supported the rights of <span style="font-style:italic;">those</span> ordinary people. <br /><br />And then prepare to be lied to.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-53059795944155220922011-01-21T08:27:00.007-07:002011-01-21T08:59:54.790-07:00Where have you been?I've bumped into some friends lately who have said, "Hey... what happened to you? No blog posts, no tweets, no Facebook status updates... what's up with that?"<br /><br />My answer is to share with you a typical 24 hours in my life.<br /><br />02:00-03:00 - wake, shower, shave, breakfast, etc.<br />03:00-07:30 - work in labs<br />08:00-09:00 - sleep<br />09:15-13:00 - tutoring athletes<br />13:30 - lunch<br />14:00-17:30 - sleep<br />18:00-20:00 - mentoring athletes<br />20:15 - dinner, relax, etc.<br />22:15 - workout<br />23:00-02:00 - sleep<br /><br />This is my schedule for most days of the week. While I'm at the labs I work on my thesis and job applications. Not much time for anything else. <br /><br />I need a real job now, ok?<br /><br />On the plus side, I've gotten so caught up in rushing from one job to another that I kind of forget to eat. My meals lately consist of heating a can of soup or cooking an egg or two. Both can be done quickly in the microwave, and both result in a meal that is not exactly satisfying, but it will keep you from dying. I'm just one more part-time job away from my goal weight...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKWsC-Kn9kkaAKvBl0mxdXHaFesyyOt8cQ4nmLBTcieXe86q3lcRd_I_CDbnhmuAqsxco2R6U1cPf8Mj7utnKCdN4jeGjI2fvlQkUg0AORmUYoopdgyQxX2w18GpSijwam9mt/s1600/tortilla10%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKWsC-Kn9kkaAKvBl0mxdXHaFesyyOt8cQ4nmLBTcieXe86q3lcRd_I_CDbnhmuAqsxco2R6U1cPf8Mj7utnKCdN4jeGjI2fvlQkUg0AORmUYoopdgyQxX2w18GpSijwam9mt/s320/tortilla10%255B1%255D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564667792726517922" /></a>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-76741743750892210152011-01-10T04:00:00.004-07:002011-01-12T22:47:22.827-07:00First Post of the New DecadeFor the first day of the semester, I awoke to snow, negative temperatures (-11) and windchill advisories. Wyoming expects you to wrest the new year from it's icy clutches, or die trying. <br /><br />In a break with the traditions of this blog, I let the holidays pass with only a cursory mention this year. I just didn't feel the same ire towards the crass commercialism that I usually do. It seemed less pervasive this year, as if merchants knew that the dismal job market called for a smaller Christmas. More likely, I just wasn't paying as much attention to it as I usually do.<br /><br />I did notice that just after 2011 had begun (on the 2nd) Valentines day was upon us already at our local godless corporate megastores. About a decade ago I worked in a two million square foot warehose that sorted and delivered goods to those stores, and I recall the odd feeling of temporal displacement that came from handling pallets full of candy hearts and pink teddy bears around Thanksgiving. It made you aware of how structured and bureaucratized corporations really are. I knew that if I was seeing these pallets of goods intended for February sale in November, then some purchasing agent in Arkansas had ordered them in October, some factory in China was probably cranking them out back in August, from materials that were purchased in June, based on designs that were finalized around May. The level of planning that goes into separating you from your money makes one feel small and disorganized.<br /><br />But we are back at school now, and getting organized is the order of the day. I've got my calendars set up and my tasks for the next few months are planned out. I have a few New years resolutions that actually started before the 1st and so far they have been going well. Today is day 24 of Tacfit Warrior for me, and I haven't missed a workout. I've also been soda-free and virtually caffeine free since Christmas Day - I say "virtually" because there are trace amounts of caffeine in one the teas I drink now. I know, I know - I am a famous tea-hater, but I have actually found three herbals that I can stand.<br /><br />Overall, it hasn't been all that hard to give up soda - I had already tapered down to just one a day, so quitting wasn't as painful as it would have been back when I was fueled by caffeine alone. As for the workouts, I really like them. They are all bodyweight, so the only equipment required is a mat and some floor space. There is a lot of yoga built into the program, so I'm working on flexibility, muscle tone, and cardio all at the same time. It is a 4x7 schedule with recovery days built in too, so I'm not feeling wiped out by it.<br /><br />In other news, I think my proposal is finally going to get approved. I had just a few more changes to make to satisfy a committee member. Those are made, so I should be in business. Once this part is over, it should go quickly - much of it is already written. I've also had several job opportunities pop up in the last two weeks, and I have an interview for the most promising one later today. With any luck, I will actually have a chunk of money in my pocket come graduation day... I will be hooded, and be free to leave this frigid tundra if I wish.<br /><br />So far the decade of the 20-teens is looking good.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-75195444596790091472010-12-29T12:23:00.006-07:002010-12-29T19:06:42.505-07:00I look good in stripes...I have recently been involved in a discussion on Facebook about "hateful atheism," which has led to some interesting conversations with friends off-line as well. I tend to find the hardline arguments on both sides to be pretty absurd, so lately I've been taking on the role of "referee." In this capacity, I have noticed that the two sides make frequent use of non sequiturs ("Illegal Procedure, Theists - 5 yard penalty..."). Another favorite illegal argument is the ad hominem attack on the previous poster ("Unnecessary Roughness, Atheists - declined, the play stands.")<br /><br />What is most fascinating to me, however, is how often they use the very same arguments. For example:<br /><br />"I am saving them from X!" <br />In this case, X could be hell, or it could be irrationality. Both camps assert that their agenda is based in concern for the other. To both, I have to say, "no one believes you." The hardest fighters in each camp seem to be motivated mostly by dislike of the other side. I will admit that I find the "holier-than-thou" Christian pretty irritating, but no more so than the "more-logical-than-thou" atheist. Be honest folks - you don't like people who differ from you, because you are convinced your position is correct. <br /><br />"I am sick of being pushed around by them!" <br />Both sides make some pretty ludicrous arguments about how oppressed they are. Christians; there is no war on Christmas. It's the largest, most universally observed holiday in the world - get over yourselves. Atheists; Christianity is not putting an end to science, reason, or logic. They are alive and well, and they have more impact on daily life now than they ever have - get over yourselves.<br /><br />"But their ideology is dangerous!" <br />Yes - Religion has spawned wars and witch hunts and abuse... and science and reason continue to give us bigger and better ways to kill each other and destroy our health and that of the planet. Just about every ideology worthy of the title is guilty of something shitty, past or present. Let the ideology that is without a skeleton or 20 in its closet cast the first stone.<br /><br />Now, if both sides of a given dispute are using the same arguments, it might indicate that they have other things in common. I think the commonality here is faith. No atheist wants to discuss it, but it is just as difficult to categorically prove that god doesn't exist as it is to prove that he does. Certainly, they can show that it is <span style="font-style:italic;">very</span> unlikely that such a being exists, but improbability is not proof when you are dealing with a universe that is believed to be infinite (or a finite local universe within a larger megauniverse which is infinite in nature, if you're really into this sort of thing...). Just as theists take it on faith that there is a god, atheists have faith in his absence. To the atheist who argues that at least his belief is bolstered by logic and the scientific method, the theist will reply that his belief is based on his own experiences of the holy spirit or whatever he choses to call it. Regardless of the support, these are cases of belief, not certainty. Instead of these futile attempts to convince the other side, we could talk about ways that theists and atheists and everyone in between could coexist more smoothly. But then there would be no need for a ref - what fun is that?Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-33281895924891312872010-12-19T00:20:00.003-07:002010-12-19T00:38:41.451-07:00So, this is Christmas...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKafL_UoRikzPsM2C5G6CutR391HxWSuu-iyZ76ozHaRZ8u90Ie6GZZudcT_zippe8IGYo-9B0zQ9eQO1TqVHs2tPn279Qrath2Y6TmAZqIV8pGCwmMGCmOVVQ2J74-S5d16k/s1600/Friday+Dress+1.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKafL_UoRikzPsM2C5G6CutR391HxWSuu-iyZ76ozHaRZ8u90Ie6GZZudcT_zippe8IGYo-9B0zQ9eQO1TqVHs2tPn279Qrath2Y6TmAZqIV8pGCwmMGCmOVVQ2J74-S5d16k/s320/Friday+Dress+1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552290408031190690" /></a>Friday is taking the hustle and bustle of Christmahanakwanzaka in stride. She likes her new hollowdaze dress well enough, but she was really hoping for an elf costume... maybe next year. <br /><br />Actually, the reason she looks so calm in this picture is that she is high as a kite on Tramadol. She just got spayed yesterday, and her pain meds are keeping her very mellow. She's got a few days left on this prescription while her sutures heal, and I think it's making the craziness of the season much easier for her to handle. I recommend it for everyone at the holidays. The Tramadol I mean, not the spaying...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DWf-vjnMMGyUygznkU6WyMZ9Y2MQhmmG24_hqmGWVvfq-SMvvuw13rscN8ETA696CUkUoeGoYZgt03z59S8YJqFPKmZU88X3QrdY8GpaFpinm4M0saJGAk-dWGRgx4YTwVgE/s1600/Friday+Dress+2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DWf-vjnMMGyUygznkU6WyMZ9Y2MQhmmG24_hqmGWVvfq-SMvvuw13rscN8ETA696CUkUoeGoYZgt03z59S8YJqFPKmZU88X3QrdY8GpaFpinm4M0saJGAk-dWGRgx4YTwVgE/s320/Friday+Dress+2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552290409823447362" /></a>I have taken no end of shit from others in Flockhall for buying this little outfit. The very same people, mind you, who wanted desperately to dress her up for Halloween. I argued that she didn't need a halloween costume because she wasn't going trick-r-treating (she can't reach the doorbells) but she IS going to Grandma's house for Christmas, so a new outfit was a must. At least I stopped myself from getting the fuzzy red boots...Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-16041558337584578612010-12-13T09:20:00.005-07:002010-12-14T10:53:35.408-07:00The AngriesI don't want to be angry anymore.<br /><br />I thought this lying in the dark a few nights ago, waiting for sleep. It's hard to imagine me without anger; it's my idiom, my identity. I have a black belt in anger; it's an emotional Swiss army knife for me - it has so many uses. I'm the guy who is funny because he's angry; in fact, I have a radio show because I'm that funny/angry guy. When faced with difficulties, I use anger as fuel to get through. We've talked many times on this blog about my competitive nature - that savage gameface is based in anger. I can wring what I want out of customer service reps with anger. I have pried open bureaucratic puzzles using anger like a crowbar. I can deflect and ignore pain through anger. In fact, with anger, I can put up a shield that Montgomery Scott would envy.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFxIcmx4SjaeekNVDL3BxCgbbcb1D5COI3ZAHVcDObUSHU-SidfK4JU-nwMQ_nnRGAp_ygOp3dXn-CruZWsXZ8JNJKBB-Q8dLyv8QhbeKLcOsA6CSepchOvT7jH1QH1C8AgNf/s1600/Anger%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 241px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFxIcmx4SjaeekNVDL3BxCgbbcb1D5COI3ZAHVcDObUSHU-SidfK4JU-nwMQ_nnRGAp_ygOp3dXn-CruZWsXZ8JNJKBB-Q8dLyv8QhbeKLcOsA6CSepchOvT7jH1QH1C8AgNf/s320/Anger%255B1%255D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550596818795174482" /></a>Despite all of that it carries a downside that far outweighs its usefulness. Regardless of how scathing my ire might be toward the topic of the moment, I always reserve my greatest fury for myself. I am often moved to trembling rage at my own lack of focus and forgetfulness. For example - I brought a bottle of flavored water with me to work today. Once I got in the building and got to work, I realized I had left it in the car. For some inexplicable reason, I was enraged by this. I am not dying of thirst, and I could easily slip away from my desk for a few seconds to retrieve it, but instead I spent a few minutes berated myself for not remembering it. <br /><br />This was a minor incident. You should see the personal fury that can arise when I misplace my car keys or wallet. Worse yet are the days when I can't remember where my sunglasses are. These spacey moments sometimes create a rage in me that, albeit brief and self-contained, is still ridiculously out of proportion to the moment. I have, thankfully, become adept at containing these fits so that no one has to endure their full brunt but me, but this is pale comfort. <br /><br />It should be noted that not all of my anger is without merit. If you can read the news and you're <em>not</em> angry, you're not paying attention. Wars, the economy, intolerance, and the short-sighted wrangling of our elected officials is reason enough to make the blood boil. It's just that I don't dissipate it well. I stay angry, to my own detriment. <br /><br />It is a trained response, I think. There is the proper, healthy anger that aids you in survival situations, and then there is the anger that takes the place of other, more useful responses. In our modern world, there is little opportunity for the former; the greatest threats to my survival each day are my own eating habits, not actual struggles for life. In most cases, the anger I feel could be more productively replaced with another response - compassion, humor, etc. <br /><br />I know - I'm late to the party on this. I know that most of you are thinking, "Yes - and this is why you're a jackass, Linus." Sorry. I'm slow. Better late than never, right?Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-86592828547034711202010-12-05T00:12:00.010-07:002010-12-07T10:36:45.993-07:00Facebook 1, Blog 0Yikes - over a month without a post. <br /><br />Is it because I'm too busy? <br />Is it because I'm working three jobs?<br />Is it because blogging is SO 2005?<br /><br />Yeah, probably. But I'm going to blame it on Facebook. <br /><br />I didn't understand Facebook at first. I've had a page for some time, but I never checked it unless I got an email telling me that someone had sent me a message on it. Even then I was irritated by it - I just didn't understand how people could spend any time on it. It always took me about 5 minutes to become bored by it, so I'd read my messages, remind the people who sent them that I could be reached on Gmail, and leave. <br /><br />What irritated me about it was the way it turned the internet into a popularity contest on several levels. First, you have the question of friend count. Who has more than you, and why? Why is that person friends with her and not with you? Should I mine her friend list to increase my own? All pitiful things to ask yourself. Shouldn't your friends be more a matter of quality than quantity?<br /><br />Then you have the daily contest of status updates. Should I be honest about what is actually on my mind, or is today a day for song lyrics, movie quotes, or your "Which Twilight Character are You?" quiz results? Score is kept in "likes" and comments, but it's not a simple process of addition. You must also figure in the content of the comments, subtracting half for those who both like <span style="font-style:italic;">and</span> comment, and then you must consider the "likes" OF the comments - do you get those points, or do you share them with the commenter? I'm not sure - I believe the scoring system is actually based on a combination of the rules for the BCS rankings and Quidditch... <br /><br />There are other arenas for Facebook combat as well. Pictures, for example - you can post, caption, tag, like, comment, untag, and generally bore everyone with the photos that aren't good enough to use as wallpaper on your phone. These fall into three broad categories; 1) profile pics so heavily 'shopped that your mom wouldn't recognize you, 2) horrible pics of you tagged by someone else, and 3) a category simply titled, "dude, we were so faded that night..." Incidentally, none of those albums are going to be particularly flattering to you twenty years from now when you run for office.<br /><br />Despite how ridiculous I find this all to be, Facebook now occupies far too much of my time. For all its narcissism and shallow quantifications of net friend worth, it actually does what it claims to do - help people stay connected. <br /><br />Do I think it might do that at the expense of face-to-face communication? Yes. <br />Do I worry that it is killing internet exchanges in longer formats? Absolutely. <br />Do I believe that it's creating an even more dysfunctional and self-aggrandizing generation than my own? Almost certainly, and that's saying something because let's face it, we Gen X babies are pretty much the poster children of me-theism. Never the less, it expands the neurological boundaries of our ability to establish network ties, allowing us to build "friendships" in numbers unknown to humans at any previous time in our existence. The ties are weak, certainly, but it is the sheer quantity that is remarkable - it has enabled humans to maintain sociality at a level beyond our cranial capacity. For that alone, it may be one of the most important things to arise on the internet so far.<br /><br />So that's my excuse. I haven't blogged for over a month because I have become far too enthralled with Facebook. Sorry, but it's true. I'm sure that's not a shock to any of you - you probably got here via a Facebook link anyway...Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-11574127584032392242010-11-03T13:36:00.008-06:002010-11-04T10:54:48.756-06:00Wandering the Wastes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdv2_RPXXEcMqaQ_kziM_W9NiLTkr2P8ttH1tLtoiTzkBOByQUKRedRz-VV9JdSI2Excq2kooT-FF5_sryq5NdLymbINxRsHf6uo5GLlqj80QMBVal69oCLiRSlxe9Y_RUj9f/s1600/images.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 194px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdv2_RPXXEcMqaQ_kziM_W9NiLTkr2P8ttH1tLtoiTzkBOByQUKRedRz-VV9JdSI2Excq2kooT-FF5_sryq5NdLymbINxRsHf6uo5GLlqj80QMBVal69oCLiRSlxe9Y_RUj9f/s320/images.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535595355702962626" /></a>I didn't get to bed on time. There was a thesis meeting, then work until 9:00pm, then an election party, then... <em>Fallout: New Vegas</em>. <br /><br />I am not thrilled with this game - not yet, anyway. I keep playing it because I am hoping to recapture all the fun I had in Fallout 3 as the "Last, Best Hope of Humanity" and savior of the D.C. Wastes, Tyranthraxus Malabraxacor Jones (I have a naming issue - let it go). But this game is decidely NOT Fallout 3. <br /><br />It looks like Fallout 3, but some of the mechanical changes they've made in this game make no sense. For example - the changes to the chems in the game are pretty silly. I used to love the moments just before entering a lair full or baddies - shooting up a cocktail of Med-x and Psycho, then popping Mentats, huffing some Ultrajet, taking a hit of Buffout, and washing it all down with vodka and a Nuka Cola. There is nothing quite like assaulting a lair full of slavers armed only with a shotgun, a supersledge, and a pharmacy in your veins...<br /><br />Ok, I get that the chems were too powerful before, and reducing their duration while increasing their addictiveness is a way to address that, but it feels like they've taken it too far. Last night, my little weenie of a character, Skinhead McTavish, had only barely achieved 4th level and he was already addicted to scotch, Med-X, Psycho, Mentats, and Steady - and he was most decidely NOT the raging methhead of death I was hoping he'd be. In fact, he was pitiful. He was, at one point, killed by a pack of coyotes. COYOTES, for fuck's sake. The mighty Mr. Jones would be appalled.<br /><br />I am also underwhelmed with the changes they've made to the healing substances in the game. I want my hit points back NOW, damn it, not slowly over the next 20 minutes. That is decidedly shitty, especially when some Powder Ganger is lobbing dynamite at your crippled ass. <br /><br />As irritating as these changes may be, they are a small thing compared to the utter bullshit that is the "skill magazine." For those who don't know, when you read a magazine in the game it increases your score in certain game skills. For example, when you read an issue of <em>Locksmith's Reader</em>, the game reflects your new knowledge by increasing your lockpick skill by 10 points. This make perfect sense until you realize that it wears off, just like a chem. Now, I don't mean you forget it after a month or two - you forget it in about 5 minutes. How exactly does that work? <br /><br />This is just a poorly concealed attempt to insert the tired-ass fantasy gaming concept of magical scrolls into the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout. It effectively turns magazines into spells that improve your skills long enough to get you past a tough door or to unlock an important safe, and then expire. While I understand the desire of the game designers to offer the players found items ("treasure" if you will) that are helpful enough to be interesting, but not so helpful that they imbalance the game, I can't understand why they went this route with it. You could easily come up with a way of increasing skill scores that is wrapped in techno-babble more appropriate to the setting. Perhaps instead of a magazine, the character finds an electronic lockpicking device, and it only has a few uses left on its battery... or they discover a bottle of lubricant that makes lock innards move more easily, but there is only enough for one application in the bottle. Given how easy it is to come up with clever, skill-specific ways to temporarily increase a players game skills, this generic "there is a magazine for everything" approach seems kind of phoned in.<br /><br />In fact, the claim that Fallout is just "Oblivion with guns" seems truer to me all the time. Except that I hated Oblivion, and couldn't care about it long enough to accomplish anything in it. My total time investment in it was about 45 minutes, and it only lasted that long because Patrick Stewart was talking to me...<br /><br />That said, I will, no doubt, continue to play New Vegas. I am, at heart, a Pipboy...Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-20358212829562500252010-10-22T05:02:00.008-06:002010-10-23T10:48:29.422-06:00Not Just a JobOne of my jobs these days is tutoring student athletes. I took it for a number of reasons; I need the money, it looks good on resume/CV, it has flexible hours - but mostly it was for the money; the Pontifex Niger got to get paid. I am as poor as a church mouse these days, and not one of those non-denominational megachurches, either. Tutoring pays the least of my three jobs, but to my surprise, it's the best job I've had in a long time.<br /><br />The students are all struggling to balance school with major sports commitments. They lift weights, they practice, they go to therapy for injuries, they watch game films, they attend meetings - and THEN they go do their homework. On the weekends they have games, so they often travel extensively. They are almost universally exhausted, and frequently they are not the most serious or attentive students. <br /><br />Despite that, I really look forward to working with them. I have always enjoyed teaching, but this is a unique challenge. Usually, they come to see me because they are struggling in a subject. Most often it's Sociology, but I'm also helping some with Women's Studies, English Comp., and general academic writing. Their scholarships sometimes hang in the balance, so it's very rewarding for both of us when their grades begin to improve. Once they have a little taste of success, they start coming to tutoring sessions with more eagerness. They begin to see that they <em>can</em> master the material, and they start to see themselves differently. Many believe that they're "just an athlete," but once they begin to see Bs and As on their work they start to believe they can graduate. That kind of energy is infectious - even after putting in 12 hour days with them, I come home in a good mood.<br /><br />The job is not without its frustrations, though. I am struck by how poorly some of them were prepared by their high schools - and not just high schools in the U.S. We like to bitch about the failings of the American education system, but I've seen international students who were no better off. It's easy to see that the battle between sports and academics began for most of them many years before they arrived at Black Vatican U. They need help now because someone years ago made the decision to let them slide, to pass them and let them just be jocks. It angers me, but I try to turn that anger into the energy to help them be better students.<br /><br />This is just the latest in a long line of revelations that have pushed me to make some new choices. My exposure to the work of Jonathan Kozol, meeting Bill Ayers and hearing him speak, knowing Education majors like Mandy, G-Fresh, and SciFi Heroine, meeting all the candidates for State Superintendent during campaign events this year, and now this job - it's all pushing me toward Education as a career. Yes, I still want a PhD, but I think I have more to add to the field of Education than I ever would contribute to Sociology.<br /><br />I have an appointment with a counselor in the College of Education next Wednesday. I'm looking into the Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program, to see how long it will take - I am still planning on leaving this town before next fall. If it can be done in that timeframe, I'm off to Financial Aid to see if I can afford it.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-28776013038509652052010-10-12T05:27:00.006-06:002010-10-12T07:04:27.736-06:00My PlaceSoon my time at Black Vatican U must come to an end. I know - I've said that before, but this time, I mean it. Once this thesis is defended and I've taught a class or two, I will have mined this place for all it has to offer me, aside from future letters of recommendation. As I plan for this departure, I am troubled. I don't know where to go.<br /><br />You see, I have plenty of experience in living where I am not wanted. Not me personally, but me as a liberal, a Democrat, a non-Christian, a queer ally, and one of those damned elitist academic types. After almost a decade of being a politcal and cultural outsider, I'd like to find a place to live where my views are closer to the median. <br /><br />I want to teach, either at the secondary or post-secondary level, without having to constantly pander to fundies and fanatics. I want my taxes to primarily fund social programs that build local communities, and not the defense budget. I want to live in a place that respects and supports the arts, multiculturalism, and the practice of the world's religions. This place should have ethnic diversity, and it should be celebrated. I have no idea where this place is.<br /><br />In fact, I've been thinking for years now that this place is no longer in the U.S. Throughout my adult life I've been consistently stepping to the Left, while much of America has been stumbling to the Right. Even as we elected a black Democrat to be POTUS I knew it was too little, too late. As the GOP and the Teabaggers shriek about Socialism and Fascism, I find that he's nowhere near as far Left as I'd like. I want him to socialize medicine, empower labor, regulate the hell out of banking, and put the nuts of the corporations in a vice. I'm not just marching to a different drummer here - I'm in a completely different parade.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOXryk7vAyI6OOgnSYMICxF3Qty1YwX78hnpuwSgb6l79UXQ4g4PMrdD8KlNSqUTwWCRKEHJOaP1UgcMxigpgVANzNGWm93Esepby-KdWZodM_rou7MdVOaNrEBRtE0AI6a5i/s1600/holland%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOXryk7vAyI6OOgnSYMICxF3Qty1YwX78hnpuwSgb6l79UXQ4g4PMrdD8KlNSqUTwWCRKEHJOaP1UgcMxigpgVANzNGWm93Esepby-KdWZodM_rou7MdVOaNrEBRtE0AI6a5i/s320/holland%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527144371837501394" /></a>When I try to match an actual country to my fantasies about this place, I always end up looking at places like Sweden or Holland. Do I really have to learn a new language and move overseas just to live among my kind?Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-83056121166289166662010-09-30T00:53:00.010-06:002010-10-11T10:46:43.048-06:00Black and BloodyThe Pontifex Niger is not a crafty guy. He doesn't knit or crochet, nor does he needlepoint. In fact, he hasn't made a gift for anyone since he was 5, when the Montessori Nazi, Mrs. Detweiler, made him trace around his hand and then color it like a turkey. (My mom dragged it out for Thanksgiving every year until I was 14...)<br /><br />This failing - my craftlessness - was a problem, as "craftsman" was on my list of skills that a well rounded Pontiff should have. In my ongoing quest to better serve the Flock, I had to learn how to make something with my bare hands (just to clarify - my years in the SCA taught me how to make armor and impact weapons out of plastic, leather, metal, and tons of duct tape, but it's hard to turn those into gifts unless you're celebrating "zombie apocalypse day"). Ideally, said gifts would be made of materials that were cheap, easy to acquire, utilitarian, and manly. I turned to my old friend Google, and there I rediscovered the miracle that is parachute cord.<br /><br />Also known as para cord or 550 cord, it is an amazingly useful material. It's really handy in survival situations - it can replace a shoelace, lash up a rainfly, make a snare for food, or tie a splint on a broken bone. It is easy to work with, requiring nothing more than a knife and a lighter for most projects. It is also stupidly strong, it comes in a ton of colors, and there are plenty of pages on the net giving step by step instructions for projects. I began by acquiring a quantity of it in the colors of the Sable Primate - black and bloody.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCoc093OXqEbU5bul8M6myczz6bcypHgjc9asZ1XhU_gPxSOmyJ7EQdJcmNb7vmTGhTbCDYjVp8ertBW7c1dc_F_hwruFY2nLHRugrEpRor3TuPq05rX2_2mCsnS7PwZCo_nl/s1600/collar.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCoc093OXqEbU5bul8M6myczz6bcypHgjc9asZ1XhU_gPxSOmyJ7EQdJcmNb7vmTGhTbCDYjVp8ertBW7c1dc_F_hwruFY2nLHRugrEpRor3TuPq05rX2_2mCsnS7PwZCo_nl/s320/collar.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522618397826072082" /></a>Rather than make something for a human, who might not like it, and who would then feel obligated to act like they liked it, I decided to make something for the dog. The Papal Puppy can't talk (yet) so it is only the suspicious cast of her eyes that tells us how much she loved my first project - a dog collar. Despite being very strong and durable, para cord is quite soft and comfy. This is little Friday's favorite collar for a long day of rushing to the end of her leash and gagging herself. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-57yR7U7URNRcaXsoXYwHgj64LcUcQBwTTBMayt1V635KaASIY6YdduiDLOIMxxb6S9XDY-TISUL8yzWqbJfB-C6GJZe257KnQNoPk5BmlLmrqM2lwlqzSKyFXNa7qkXXWOuS/s1600/leash.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-57yR7U7URNRcaXsoXYwHgj64LcUcQBwTTBMayt1V635KaASIY6YdduiDLOIMxxb6S9XDY-TISUL8yzWqbJfB-C6GJZe257KnQNoPk5BmlLmrqM2lwlqzSKyFXNa7qkXXWOuS/s320/leash.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522620806462622210" /></a>Naturally, this collar needed a leash, and I decided to go all out with a two color round braid. It's a bit too long (about 9 feet), made of two continuous strands of para cord, with a self handle made by back braiding the ends. The round braid gives it a nice bit of elasticity, but it is still strong enough for just about any dog. I may be making a few of these as gifts for the dog people I know at the hollowdaze this year. This one has already gotten many compliments at puppy kindergarten.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqPUowndjpJ4qkRGgrO1i1Fq_USjyUiqoYwAIjrHBKCOvxoh8TQ0QkQzj5rNLCNkHCD6f2oINEtkbz60-rXJHAAYhkc7cxF28VXeT4JC2Ur0RoL0UYCbsz2j4ZLram7UJ3Imy/s1600/Bracelet.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqPUowndjpJ4qkRGgrO1i1Fq_USjyUiqoYwAIjrHBKCOvxoh8TQ0QkQzj5rNLCNkHCD6f2oINEtkbz60-rXJHAAYhkc7cxF28VXeT4JC2Ur0RoL0UYCbsz2j4ZLram7UJ3Imy/s320/Bracelet.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522623145381896802" /></a>Given the success of the doggy goods, it was time for a people project. I began a bracelet for SciFi Heroine, but another excellent opportunity presented itself. In exchange for (an incredibly large box of) fabulous homemade soap, I offered to make bracelets for Mayren and her husband. The bracelets pictured here were the result - it is fitting that the Number 1 fangirl of the Ministry should have the first two official Black Vatican Survival Bracelets. I used hemostats to get the weave really tight and even, and I think they turned out quite nicely. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIiWWNzEb7inmkMeIJuLfmTeWRRseMvY2i0qst_CIhLg6g-baPHwatPAurU27gFNFkXkhG43LVkVCRF-PoLiWWt71_IfdFAaRRTt5Bvnl79GfUDfC42KmmB_bCauDfQffV85at/s1600/wide+bracelet.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIiWWNzEb7inmkMeIJuLfmTeWRRseMvY2i0qst_CIhLg6g-baPHwatPAurU27gFNFkXkhG43LVkVCRF-PoLiWWt71_IfdFAaRRTt5Bvnl79GfUDfC42KmmB_bCauDfQffV85at/s320/wide+bracelet.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522624238012949106" /></a>Flush with my success, I returned to the bracelet for SciFi Heroine. I let her pick the colors (hence the deviation from black and bloody), and I tried a different pattern - a double weave that yields a wider, thicker bracelet. The result was much better than I expected, I must confess. Apparently, she likes it too, because I had to pry it off her wrist to get a pic of it - she's been wearing it constantly since I finished it. I am planning one for myself as my next project.<br /><br />If Mrs. Detweiler could only see me now...Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-46469148769624635732010-09-17T06:49:00.001-06:002010-09-17T09:23:34.143-06:00Friday Update<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEat46ZLbOl3fU-oKode28BiIo7YH2FBcCDtHV-iy2AtjZAmLDCRbGdNj9ifdtAHaTPEoCavOdO8JRyu6B0HEsmI1vCQVBojGWwEtOkoPKCydkpVfnyF89kMELfgCNoDc86_c/s1600/Ribbons.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEat46ZLbOl3fU-oKode28BiIo7YH2FBcCDtHV-iy2AtjZAmLDCRbGdNj9ifdtAHaTPEoCavOdO8JRyu6B0HEsmI1vCQVBojGWwEtOkoPKCydkpVfnyF89kMELfgCNoDc86_c/s320/Ribbons.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517696534308142242" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;">(See what I did with the title? It's about the puppy, and it's posted on a Friday... that's what makes it funny... ahem.)</span><br /><br />Miss Friday is now officially the most successful competitor living in Flock Hall (Cabbage Shane is 2-0 in the MMA cage, but Friday is 3-0 in, um, terrier stuff). The blue ribbons at right were collected a few weekends ago at the 10th Cowboy Classic Terrier Trials in Douglas, WY. She won her division - bitches 4 to 6 months - in racing, hurdles, and conformation. I grant that the field was very small, but hey, a blue ribbon is a blue ribbon. She will be attending another rally in October, down in Colorado. In the meantime she's looking at some shoe deals, and the Milkbone people are in negotiations with her agent about putting her on the box...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6hpyeAnrljFnEmcXnjFfXDgHhvTXI7-HQI9MnXQi-ZXf_YXmQ1O1YAhmDTOnvbXS6UtRCcgV-cb9L8TtwL6e5Vl2JOBGnJtp9oLFMcnT4ZQoQtBGUVzN_mDlCicuzWMLToro/s1600/Materials.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6hpyeAnrljFnEmcXnjFfXDgHhvTXI7-HQI9MnXQi-ZXf_YXmQ1O1YAhmDTOnvbXS6UtRCcgV-cb9L8TtwL6e5Vl2JOBGnJtp9oLFMcnT4ZQoQtBGUVzN_mDlCicuzWMLToro/s320/Materials.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517744750677377234" /></a>In other news, a wave of nostalgia is sweeping Flock Hall - at least where the furniture is concerned. Some of you may remember the "Ghetto Fabulous Wall Unit" from Flock Hall 1.0 (shown <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7211/348/1600/Epiphones%203.jpg">here</a> behind the papal guitars). A new wall-mounted television and a rearranged "situation room" spurred the desire to resurrect this grad school haute furnishing. After a quick meeting of the Black Vatican finance committee (involving a ceramic pig and a hammer) the materials were acquired and piled in a corner. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLoHkQQsN6-q2pjEq6zuObWO6MhXsPUQXRIkLNW5XuqgSpbsShNNXKBVP2sYnPxEdLct6jbmJZbRqnNEXSsR48njyOMASdnNafEnL5Has5wFyKUUtOviTFRcaTYYaGO0gn2802/s1600/technician.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLoHkQQsN6-q2pjEq6zuObWO6MhXsPUQXRIkLNW5XuqgSpbsShNNXKBVP2sYnPxEdLct6jbmJZbRqnNEXSsR48njyOMASdnNafEnL5Has5wFyKUUtOviTFRcaTYYaGO0gn2802/s320/technician.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517766301732239106" /></a>Professional technicians were flown in from Pisa for the precision stacking required to create this piece of PoMo/Decon anti-shelving. Here we see one of the stackologists making tiny adjustments to the footings. This piece is smaller than the original, which was 12 feet long and 6 feet high, but it still stands well over 5 feet high and 8 feet wide. It completely covers the north wall of the situation room, and provides secure locations for the cable box, router, modem, and PS3. There is also room for a Wii and 360 (hint hint, Crimbo is coming!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTKsJWhUHzZ0gVF8gWExJfwscMjUu4Uczzavu39sobkSCURvkjX9ANWOsZGrrTItZYwc7E3pvZ6gVM8crkEwhXdxtCl3V1VTjkIsbf4slpyNBsWKb_OogyxAa0hfbVrK4dgFO/s1600/finished.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTKsJWhUHzZ0gVF8gWExJfwscMjUu4Uczzavu39sobkSCURvkjX9ANWOsZGrrTItZYwc7E3pvZ6gVM8crkEwhXdxtCl3V1VTjkIsbf4slpyNBsWKb_OogyxAa0hfbVrK4dgFO/s320/finished.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517784981314497538" /></a>Here we see the finished unit, complete with wall-mounted flat screen. Yes, it was expensive, but that's just how we roll here at Flock Hall. Ok, actually, that just how one of the inmates, Shane called Boy (not to be confused with Cabbage Shane), rolls. He takes his gaming seriously, and a big TV with HD capability was a must for him to fully enjoy his PS3 experience. He is quiet and seriously adicted to the new Starcraft, so he spends a lot of his time in his room with his PC. He also returns from work almost every night with either pizza or hot wings. Flock Hall needs more inmates like him...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XWpWv4BW9625D1z06gsexQkzoSuRrPW7dBZ-2yjOp-YW4zUTKcp2ZBt84CQ9eK7h1QpdcVgTWtCbsMvLbZOFpD7R-L6YTI0G0YTBfg2GtbsRYb7BM5qmS-DJLzy3Ym-pZLmU/s1600/bsg_baltar.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XWpWv4BW9625D1z06gsexQkzoSuRrPW7dBZ-2yjOp-YW4zUTKcp2ZBt84CQ9eK7h1QpdcVgTWtCbsMvLbZOFpD7R-L6YTI0G0YTBfg2GtbsRYb7BM5qmS-DJLzy3Ym-pZLmU/s320/bsg_baltar.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517791769519507346" /></a>Boy has has also recently added a really comfy recliner to the situation room, which is giving it a nice "man cave" feeling. I'm sitting in it as I compose this missive, and I feel like John Colicos commanding the Cylons. Or John Colicos commanding the IKS Klothos. Either way, it involves sitting in a big chair with your legs spread so wide everyone knows you're in charge... Yes, HSBP commands you to seek out the ragtag fugitive fleet... and bring me the blonde socialator, Cassiopeia, the dumb one...Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-4701850980040925612010-09-14T10:45:00.007-06:002010-09-16T09:03:23.415-06:00Why Johnny can't vote...Democracy only works if the people vote for their best interests. I know, this sounds like a no-brainer, but people frequently vote contrary to their own interests in support of a given ideology. For example - Teabaggers, who are mostly 40+ are voting for candidates who wish to abolish Social Security. I acknowledge that a candidate's platform is complicated and you shouldn't decide based on one issue, but it's hard to imagine a combination of positions that could outweigh not getting back all the money you've paid into Social Security over the course of your working life. There are other examples - Log Cabin Republicans spring to mind...<br /><br />There are several ways to explain this phenomena. The optimistic explanation relies on an educated, informed populace. We assume that these voters have studied the platforms of the candidates, carefully weighed each, then chosen the one who most closely represents their interests. If this is the case, then democracy is functioning (assuming the candidates are being honest about their positions - but that's a topic for another day...).<br /><br />Another explanation relies on an uninformed populace - or at the very least, a populace that is only informed selectively on certain topics. These voters are swayed by the 4th Estate and convinced to vote outside their best interests, usually by way of fear. This fear can take any form, and as we've seen of late, it doesn't even need to be a real threat - anchor/terror babies, Socialism/Communism/Fascism, non-citizen president, death panels, etc.<br /><br />Even this would be tolerable if the goal of the press was an even-handed coverage of the events. They tell would-be journalists in college that their mission is exactly that. They are led to believe that their task is accurate reporting without bias. Unfortunately, the goal of the press is much simpler than that - profit. Since it is easier, as Alexis De Tocqueville pointed out, for the world to accept a simple lie than a complex truth, it is easier for the press to make money when it simplifies and sensationalizes. There is very little incentive to present the events in-depth, nor to present them with all of their complexities intact.<br /><br />This is why so many people vote in baffling ways, and why our democracy doesn't bring the will of the people to fruition. I've come to the conclusion that the only solution to this issue is education, and it's not a cure - just a treatment. Even if we educate the citizenry to a very high level of critical thinking competency, they can only work with the data to which they have access. <br /><br />So - there's your depressing ramble for the day. I welcome more positive views from the cyberFlock.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-90613528458367026802010-09-11T12:22:00.006-06:002010-10-22T04:32:54.166-06:00Bonfire of the StupiditiesThe news this week has been dominated by Koran burning and all its ramifications. I’m not going to talk about that specifically – more than enough media coverage has already been given to Reverend Bushy McMuttonChops and his merry band of hillbillies for Jesus. No, instead, I’m going to step away from the religious elements of this case, and appeal to a higher ideal…<br /><br />In 1644, the English Civil War was in full swing. Roundheads and Cavaliers were busily killing one another over conflicting ideas like the origin of governmental power, parliamentary representation, and the divine right of kings. The internet was notoriously slow in those days, so these ideas were largely promulgated by way of published books and pamphlets. (You remember books - those things that work like a Kindle but with only one file in memory...)<br /><br />Naturally, each side of the conflict tried to regulate and prohibit said publishing – Parliamentarians opposed tracts advocating monarchy as god’s will, while the crown tried to stamp out any essay that advocated, say for instance, regicide. Parliament had already passed a law called the Licensing Order which restricted publishing quite severely. Basically, no one could print anything without the imprimatur of Parliament, and they tightly controlled any text they considered radical or polemic.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgWJPjg-ERtsboPt74IoyTv7n_yM8lKmspFhqvxtTh2MfjteBqe7DDkELIUOR273NiMMO-beaTxVOTu-APhGgUfo4JXRic4J57p4bIINitVqC4cVG7ko31StBL9yBEnhyhWW6/s1600/milton_areop.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgWJPjg-ERtsboPt74IoyTv7n_yM8lKmspFhqvxtTh2MfjteBqe7DDkELIUOR273NiMMO-beaTxVOTu-APhGgUfo4JXRic4J57p4bIINitVqC4cVG7ko31StBL9yBEnhyhWW6/s320/milton_areop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515728274804315154" /></a>Despite being a devout parliamentarian himself, the great John Milton could not support the restriction, censoring, or destruction of books. In response he penned what is still considered one of the most compelling arguments of all time for free speech – <span style="font-style:italic;">Areopagitica</span>. <br /><br />Named for the <span style="font-style:italic;">Areopagus</span>, the hill in Athens where the city elders and Archons met to discuss legal and philosophical matters, <span style="font-style:italic;">Areopagitica</span> is an eloquent defense of the exchange of ideas that the written word represents. He speaks of the sanctity of books, of their inherent worth, saying, “For books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul whose progeny they are; nay, they do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them.”<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzfaedUWH-Llv2iYjKujDyg8-Ku5j9n3CzXk_lUIEKWA5cpRbcQuLuPBn7J6BUEfqu3FWBV7XwPjdsRB5vr2XOVC5pkXJsUeVz0l2Sui3wUWDPlPjzijXRtDyuLAR-M6xEsMQ/s1600/p22_milton%231%23.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzfaedUWH-Llv2iYjKujDyg8-Ku5j9n3CzXk_lUIEKWA5cpRbcQuLuPBn7J6BUEfqu3FWBV7XwPjdsRB5vr2XOVC5pkXJsUeVz0l2Sui3wUWDPlPjzijXRtDyuLAR-M6xEsMQ/s320/p22_milton%231%23.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515728635172551442" /></a>He argued, and rightly so I think, that any harm done to a book, regardless its content, is a harm done to freedom of thought and to reason. He writes, “[A]s good almost kill a man as kill a good book. Who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God's image; but he who destroys a good book, kills reason itself, kills the image of God, as it were in the eye." Books, for Milton, were the distillation and avatars of reason.<br /><br />Most importantly, Milton argued that no idea was too radical to be allowed to exist in print, saying, “Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.” Well over a century before our Bill of Rights, Milton planted the seed that inspired our founding fathers to protect free speech. It’s the phrase – “according to conscience” - that elevates this above just the right to verbally be a jackass. It’s actually about debate and the pursuit of reason.<br /><br />So regardless of a book’s contents, regardless of your feelings about it, regardless of the misanthropic, misogynistic, warmongering, mythology between the covers, I’m with Milton when he says, ‘Let her [Truth] and falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse, in a free and open encounter?’<br /><br />With that in mind, I’ll be the first to say that anyone who wants to burn a book that he owns has the right, but I believe that in doing so he violates a law higher than the Constitution. He offends reason itself.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-85977766242455496142010-09-10T21:14:00.003-06:002010-09-11T10:35:05.479-06:00FreedomToday, I am free.<br /><br />Free of my 8 to 5, Monday through Friday job.<br />Free of the business casual wardrobe.<br />Free to grow facial hair again.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I'm also free of the encumbrance of disposable income...<br /><br />To clarify, I still have a job. I need to finish up my thesis, and the full-time office gig was really putting a cramp in that process, so I'm back in the labs where I can write while I work.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexhhYFsLIxDOhG1WzHisaplmm162g25xBMXaiQ47bmibpusom76fLsHSMJoUU2RuLEv09-55hAlZfqmqZs7PRprhFvw_lmjXLQAp5GzwiTo7WzaH-kBWsF5Q9w0dPJwy8vpvz/s1600/BS00037%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515679651521363554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexhhYFsLIxDOhG1WzHisaplmm162g25xBMXaiQ47bmibpusom76fLsHSMJoUU2RuLEv09-55hAlZfqmqZs7PRprhFvw_lmjXLQAp5GzwiTo7WzaH-kBWsF5Q9w0dPJwy8vpvz/s320/BS00037%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a>It's not like the old days back in BS37, however. That lab was in a windowless basement, peopled by insomniacs, exchange students, the homeless, and for about 2 weeks each semester, the desperate (I'd guess the picture on the right was made circa 2006...). The carpet was old and stained by years worth of spilled finals coffee. There were no "work stations" - just rows of PCs on long tables, tethered to the outside world by a tangled rope of cords on the floor. There was nothing slick or clever about BS37 - it was simply the only 24-hour lab on campus. It was the place you went to drink vending machine coffee and crank out an all-nighter, and you were glad it existed.<br /><br />Now, there are other 24-hour labs, including my current station in the ITC building. We have lost the condensing effect of having just one overnight lab. The old BS37 concentrated the sleepless of the university in one place - it was the guildhall of the shadow population, as was foretold in prophecy...<br /><br />"<em>And the vampire and the freak shall surf together, and they shall all be nourished by caffeine.</em>" II Laramites, 4:20<br /><br />What this means for you, the nostalgic few who still read this blog, is that I will be able to post more frequently again. I even have the next few posts planned - a rant about book burning, a review of <a href="http://mayren.blogspot.com/">Mayren's</a> beautiful handmade soaps, a couple video posts about life at Flock Hall, a new Sunday Sermon, and a few more posts about Friday the Wonder Dog.<br /><br />Now, back to your usual Friday night activities.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-61145966033602209162010-09-08T03:47:00.005-06:002010-09-08T19:55:55.666-06:00Friday is Pissed<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6JbPMUbhlsPy2BS7z3mdFwEvi3x8JYjjlba3rf-xYtXY9vaVM-Ug8ItQKnyjm2D7T4cPz1xOJCmFuAbl2nqwltDPml3IuLOND_eiDRc21mNYzUzMKt78YJJTB2nCIg9yJaj_/s1600/DSC03753.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6JbPMUbhlsPy2BS7z3mdFwEvi3x8JYjjlba3rf-xYtXY9vaVM-Ug8ItQKnyjm2D7T4cPz1xOJCmFuAbl2nqwltDPml3IuLOND_eiDRc21mNYzUzMKt78YJJTB2nCIg9yJaj_/s320/DSC03753.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514480128908110626" /></a>They say pets resemble their owners, so naturally my little girl is a determined, implacable beast, rarely satisfied with her surroundings, who is irked by the thickness of the humans around her. <br /><br />Ok – I might be anthropomorphizing her a bit, but I believe Friday has good reason to be irritated. From her point of view, Black Vatican City is a backwater. Let me share a bit of what she has pointed out to me…<br /><br />First, there is the lack of a decent pet shop in this town. Whenever we need equipment or supplies, we are forced to drive to either Cheyenne or Fort Collins in order to shop in a store with any sort of selection. I realize that Laramie has a smaller population than those cites, but based on the number of dogs I see at the dog park every afternoon, there is clearly a market here.<br /><br />Speaking of the dog park – it’s a joke. A rectangle of chainlink does not a dog park make. It’s important that a dog park be escape proof – the point is to be able to let your dog go off lead without the worry of him getting lost. Now I realize that a two gate “airlock” type entry, like those on the dog parks back in my old ‘hood in the unHoly Lands of So Cal might be beyond the budget of this city, but is it too much to ask that the gate actually meet up with the fence so that dogs can’t slip through or under it? Our current gate won’t stop any determined dog under 30 pounds. <br /><br />Another issue is the terrain of the park itself. In order for a dog park to be useful and safe, it needs to have a decent surface like grass or crushed bark that can be easily policed for droppings – not knee high weeds and dirt. Oh, and by the way, policing your dog’s droppings is not just a suggestion. Start picking them up people, or I’m going to pick them up for you, find out where you live, and use them to paint comments on your house about your daughter’s chastity.<br /><br />Finally, there are simply too many dogs (and other animals, for that matter) who are homeless in this town - and probably in your town too. Statistics indicate that the majority of dogs in shelters are animals that have been surrendered/abandoned by their owners – that means some jackass went out, got a puppy, then got tired of it and dumped it. That might be ok for your weekly foray into the shallow end of the gene pool at the Buckhorn, but it’s not kosher with a dog. A dog is a 10-15 year commitment, one that the dog has no intention of giving up on - so don’t start unless you plan to finish. Every one of those dogs in the shelter is representative of a human failure, and every one of them that ends up dead is a testament to our thoughtlessness. <br /><br />If you want to do something about this, there are many ways you can help. Donate to local shelters, report cases of neglect or abuse, spay or neuter your animal companions, and when it’s time for you to get a new one, adopt. If you could do just that much, I’m sure Friday would be much less disappointed in you all…Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-33180370874080594212010-08-29T22:40:00.004-06:002010-09-16T19:54:29.351-06:00I Spare You the DetailsOrdinarily, this blog is filled with anecdotes about the hijinks and shenanigans of your favorite faux religious leader, HSBP. Lately, however, the life of His Sinfulness has been so dull, so repetitive, so mind-numbingly quotidian, that posting the details is actually prohibited by law or the Geneva Convention or something. Over the years, desperation has driven me to post many things, but I draw the line at human rights violations.<br /><br />Instead, we bring you Friday Furious with her interpretive dance, <span style="font-style:italic;">La Joie du Traitée</span> (The Joy of the Treated).<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pBUtM5XEl4w&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pBUtM5XEl4w&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-11051032105707647862010-08-16T00:09:00.011-06:002010-08-16T07:23:26.776-06:00New InmateOk, so it's been forever since I posted. But look - PUPPY!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLPeqTNEZBZ5K4sDLuEQAb-OHq3hB7t0XCoQlFhIUQVyEVwpoFrCCGMdOuJUkg68nrm0F7ByqPSWdmw9GKaGpDjiFOyO09TB5UZrCpYTDrsBiBDyt1EYzE4f-zK2DQ8VZ0cyi/s1600/Friday+headshot.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLPeqTNEZBZ5K4sDLuEQAb-OHq3hB7t0XCoQlFhIUQVyEVwpoFrCCGMdOuJUkg68nrm0F7ByqPSWdmw9GKaGpDjiFOyO09TB5UZrCpYTDrsBiBDyt1EYzE4f-zK2DQ8VZ0cyi/s320/Friday+headshot.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505897352377324802"></a>Her name is Friday, and she is a 12 week-old Jack Russell Terrier. It's not really her fault that I haven't been posting, but as you can see, she <span style="font-style:italic;">is</span> very distracting, and she knows it. This is her "sincere" face. "But daddy, I really NEED another biscuit..."<br /><br /> Just getting a decent picture of her has been a real challenge. I went through over 50 still images and about 30 minutes of video footage just to find what I've posted here. Almost every shot was a blur, or too dark, or a picture of her licking/chewing the camera. In other words, she is a healthy, normal Jack Russell puppy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7di6wWD3rzmHy5zUb5DydrBWn5aaOFD2aXIIgbkAy1frjNYpkcg1_XC8OVTi2mVZMgEtv4T9UFxdYDUk50ZOoqypkCgZexNLBY_-YyCWEhWNIcppLwcLgebHtQgpCXP5eYuq/s1600/Friday+sleepy.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7di6wWD3rzmHy5zUb5DydrBWn5aaOFD2aXIIgbkAy1frjNYpkcg1_XC8OVTi2mVZMgEtv4T9UFxdYDUk50ZOoqypkCgZexNLBY_-YyCWEhWNIcppLwcLgebHtQgpCXP5eYuq/s320/Friday+sleepy.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505897366811487970"></a> When she is tired, she likes to crash on a lap. She is not concerned about which lap - any will do.<br /><br />I am uploading a video of terrible quality to YouTube right now. It is honestly the only one that is even remotely watchable. My camera needs a lot of light to get a decent picture and this was shot at night, but it's still worth immortalizing as it was actually taken the night we brought her home. <br /><br /><object style="background-image:url(http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/xcTeWn2aQWU/hqdefault.jpg)" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xcTeWn2aQWU?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xcTeWn2aQWU?fs=1&hl=en_US" width="425" height="344" allowScriptAccess="never" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><br /><br />As soon as I get up tomorrow I'll get it embedded for you - right now I have to get to bed so that I can be on time for another day in the salt mine - I mean, the office.<br /><br />That could be the segue into a lengthy rant about my job, but I will spare you the details. The people, including my supervisor, are nice, but the computer systems are nightmarishly old and the students are sometimes less than civil. Suffice it to say that working for Dunder Mifflin would be preferable. Perhaps I'll bore you all with the details at a later date.<br /><br />In the meantime, sleep well.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjuTyhRNCJBleeBagWjX1Akke040dmgCMky2IFWjPWfnTS46hsQ6WzyzYGt7Q0LpjdA8o2t4QwuwxWK9yAIb_dCdfKKYnAxwwweb_SzT7tkCMna4VQG_eormPNfZ-wFkQI9Dj/s1600/Friday+crashed.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjuTyhRNCJBleeBagWjX1Akke040dmgCMky2IFWjPWfnTS46hsQ6WzyzYGt7Q0LpjdA8o2t4QwuwxWK9yAIb_dCdfKKYnAxwwweb_SzT7tkCMna4VQG_eormPNfZ-wFkQI9Dj/s320/Friday+crashed.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505918672992189650" /></a>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-78503651604208455832010-08-10T09:24:00.002-06:002010-08-10T09:28:20.072-06:00Place Holder PostNew job is hell - no time to tell you all about it until this weekend.<br /><br />Got a new puppy. There are pics and video, but it's all raw footage in need of cleaning up - also postponed until this weekend. <br /><br />This post will be replaced with an actual post very soon, probably on Saturday. Sorry for the lameness.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-52890205433795714802010-07-24T23:50:00.006-06:002010-07-25T10:48:34.528-06:00Confessions of a Census Taker<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt4XcN1rZEQm4fUkhpxbhMokHunqzSRPhY5_sFluFCsYWpsmolh0VvAFvfCG_1czdaBxLTix6kqBUoRAWB7xh_GVfON7ceHWTYPoq5774oNpq7XgWgcqLVcS4oJuWeFbXKiOo/s1600/100403_census_form.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt4XcN1rZEQm4fUkhpxbhMokHunqzSRPhY5_sFluFCsYWpsmolh0VvAFvfCG_1czdaBxLTix6kqBUoRAWB7xh_GVfON7ceHWTYPoq5774oNpq7XgWgcqLVcS4oJuWeFbXKiOo/s320/100403_census_form.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497772477129403906" /></a>For the last few weeks I've been driving the back roads of our area, working for the US Census. My job was checking on vacant residences and buildings that aren't actually used as residences. Often I had to use my GPS to find buildings on roads like "Sawdust Trail," "Bobcat Ridge," "Warden Ridge," and "Ax Handle Road." All of these roads are some combination of dirt and gravel, they often don't have signs identifying them, and some of them are "seasonal," meaning they disappear or become impassable in the winter and reemerge each spring. These roads tend to migrate away from low patches - if there's a puddle in the existing road that looks too deep and muddy to drive through the locals will just drive around it, forging a new curve and slowly moving the road toward higher, drier ground.<br /><br />I will miss this job. I got to set my own hours, I had minimal oversight so long as I produced, and they paid me fairly for my time, and generously for mileage. I drove through some of the most beautiful country that Albany county has to offer, and met some genuinely nice people along the way. Out in the fields around these roads I saw deer, antelope, prairie dogs, and hawks with relative frequency, fox and coyote less often, and people less still. I walked around homesteads that were established before Wyoming was a state, marked by crumpled and broken fence lines and houses that were as spooky as anything in a horror movie. I also saw how brush and the elements are slowly taking those places back. <br /><br />I tend to bitch about Wyoming a lot, but mostly it's the cold that makes it miserable for me. Now that my allergies have subsided (mostly) I can admit, grudgingly, that it's kind of pretty around here. This time of year it's well worth getting off the paved roads for a bit and doing some exploring. Be careful, however - I have encountered some unsavory things out in the county as well. <br /><br />The mosquitoes and other biting bugs are quite savage out there, especially near standing water. Although I never saw one, my nose told me that there were skunks around, and I'm sure there are rattlesnakes in this area, too. Up near Centennial, I nearly got run over by a deer that was sleeping under the porch of a cabin. I startled her as I walked up to knock on the door and she suddenly burst from the bushes when I was about 4 feet away. Good thing I have a strong heart.<br /><br />As usual, the worst things that happened to me were caused by humans. The guy on that private quarry road was no fun at all, informing me that I was trespassing as he glared menacingly down at me from his huge rock hauler. There was also the family with the Tea Party signs in the windows of their mobile home who refused to answer the census questions because they "distrust the government, just like the founding fathers intended when they wrote the Bill of Rights." (I tried to explain to them that the Census is actually mandated by the Constitution, but they weren't interested in a history lesson just then...) <br /><br />I also saw abject poverty that made parts of the county feel like a third world nation. I saw families living in housing so dilapidated that it was barely adequate for summer in Wyoming, much less the cold winds to come. I took census data from several women who were far too young to have that many children already, and I met more than one elderly person whose eagerness to chat spoke clearly about the loneliness of old age. One old ranch wife insisted on inviting me into her spotless kitchen to fill out the census form, and during that seven-minute interview I had to decline three offers of food and drink. She told me that my laugh reminded her of one of her boys, back when he was still working the ranch. I hated to leave.<br /><br />If such a job existed, I could happily drive about EVERY day, looking for vaguely defined spots on a map. To really excel at it, I would need a better GPS device, a vehicle with higher clearance, and cell phone service with better coverage. I would also need a big bottle of insect repellant, and some binoculars would be good, too. If you hear of such a job, let me know; it's hard to go back to cubicle life when you've had the dashboard as your desk for a while.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-81512326271044120342010-07-20T00:47:00.004-06:002010-07-20T02:21:25.652-06:00Filthy Lucre<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb6YPl0hQjC2oe1WD6nJOOmRrCKRkGQFsxuXMvCee9ZaW8cTgS6Tns4G4qn0LmG-rXAjCwtZNt4QtcvHqg4OrF1zB_X5rDPva-Cfxo6oBhSBmggaNFi5xdm8nNQuMNsA2J5g7/s1600/Gold20$coins.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb6YPl0hQjC2oe1WD6nJOOmRrCKRkGQFsxuXMvCee9ZaW8cTgS6Tns4G4qn0LmG-rXAjCwtZNt4QtcvHqg4OrF1zB_X5rDPva-Cfxo6oBhSBmggaNFi5xdm8nNQuMNsA2J5g7/s320/Gold20$coins.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495883319047967714" /></a>Blessed employment. I have achieved it again. (And no, it is not a result of the <a href="http://linusfurious.blogspot.com/2010/07/interview.html">job interview</a> I mentioned a few posts ago; I am relatively certain they wrote me off as a drooling idiot as soon as I left the room.)<br /><br />I begin this new job on the 27th. I'll give more details on it once I get the lay of the land a bit, but for now it is sufficient to say that I am returning to the exciting world of Student Financial Aid. I am also returning to the exciting world of having money again, which is good, since real poverty was just around the corner.<br /><br />I have to spend my first few paychecks getting my accounts built back up to comfortable levels, establishing a savings plan, and replacing all of the furniture and accouterment that is disappearing when my roommates move out. Once they all leave, the living room will be empty, save for a lonely little PS3 sitting in the corner with no TV to play it on...<br /><br /> After that, however, I will eventually have a tiny bit of disposable income, and I have plans. Vain, frivolous plans, like having the Popemobile detailed, buying new cassocks, and getting my back waxed - a pontiff has to treat himself once in a while.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-56509708245743984502010-07-16T01:23:00.006-06:002010-07-20T02:24:27.221-06:00Subtle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQas87BSGEf3hLoAX0cqDgicrHgE4vfWswZgSd2tzobtPvGbxgP6woPLdPD4jMNEVb7Iau3EhXS4G7rFAPZPQ3uNHo-vstY1doLdpm-Aj0xRkNmVh4Q7qDy1emwUHjPGklCYkF/s1600/Chainsaw-Knight--46527.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQas87BSGEf3hLoAX0cqDgicrHgE4vfWswZgSd2tzobtPvGbxgP6woPLdPD4jMNEVb7Iau3EhXS4G7rFAPZPQ3uNHo-vstY1doLdpm-Aj0xRkNmVh4Q7qDy1emwUHjPGklCYkF/s320/Chainsaw-Knight--46527.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494416623114183410" /></a>Today someone said to me, "you're a gentleman and a scholar."<br /><br />It was said lightly, in passing. Naturally, I took it to heart and got all angsty over the possible meanings of it. <br /><br />"Scholar" I will accept, as I am nothing if not a researcher. It was the "gentleman" part that gave me pause. I really wish I was a more gentle man. Back in my SCA days, a friend once described my fighting style as "subtle, like a chainsaw." Unfortunately, that is true of me in other ways, especially verbally. I mentioned this a couple posts back, and it has been on my mind ever since. I was given a t-shirt, custom printed just for me, by a friend years ago that sums up the issue quite well. It reads, "I love all humanity - it's people I can't stand." <br /><br />Various schools of Buddhism use different techniques to instill gentleness, or "loving kindness" in their adherents. I should have been using one of them as my primary practice for years now. At the very least, I should have been doing <span style="font-style:italic;">something</span> to knock the rough edges off. <br /><br />Of course, age has a way of doing that for you; I'm actually not nearly so blunt as I used to be. I wish I could say it's the result of accumulated wisdom, but there is also the possibility that I'm just getting tired. Living a full court press all the time is exhausting. Regardless of the cause, at this rate, I will be truly gentle in another 60 or 70 years...Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-51762732854474242842010-07-14T20:24:00.006-06:002010-07-15T10:44:34.091-06:00Interview<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmeCVD9eascdZZ1BkcqLL_eJt3J0YTczHlcVNNQlljCoorEAeR_3B8Mr-LbqzsPLKhKHzL8WsYx0ym5Mg2NcdxJgTWXT7HOrlOsBVpAC5dO-8X69DQQGNSDCo0QJ63AuwKKF8/s1600/image001.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmeCVD9eascdZZ1BkcqLL_eJt3J0YTczHlcVNNQlljCoorEAeR_3B8Mr-LbqzsPLKhKHzL8WsYx0ym5Mg2NcdxJgTWXT7HOrlOsBVpAC5dO-8X69DQQGNSDCo0QJ63AuwKKF8/s320/image001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493959056625654754" /></a>So... I had a job interview today, which I completely borked. <br /><br />I ordinarily interview quite well, but today I looked like a moron. They began the interview by asking if I knew what they did. Rather than launching into what I had learned of their operation from their website and from seeing the results of their work crossing my desk in Financial Aid I said, "well, I've heard a lot of your spots on public radio..." <br /><br />Slick, no? As they rehash the applicants later, I am sure to be remembered for that powerful opener, but not in the good way. I am so tired of being unemployed, but I'm even more tired of trying to sell myself to potential employers.<br /><br />Perhaps it's time to return to my previous occupation. I'm sure some warehouse somewhere needs a forklift driver. And who wouldn't want a forklift driver with three humanities degrees? <br /><br />I'm going to go drink over the draft of my thesis now.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6461626.post-33185128437700756452010-07-09T01:12:00.010-06:002010-07-16T13:27:29.805-06:00Plant Sex AfterglowFour things to report...<br /><br />1) The annual plant orgy that makes it impossible for me to go outside appears to abating. I like to imagine them (the plants to which I am allergic) all kicking back smoking cigarettes and trying to decide if they should stay for breakfast or get out while the getting is good.<br /><br />2) Last night, I was able to breathe well enough to go out for my first run in two weeks. Well, actually I am still unable to breathe through my nose, but my chest is clear enough. Thankfully, I don't seem to have lost much endurance - I was able to do the 25 minute workout without a break, and without residual soreness today. The barefoot/Vibram running style is making it possible for me to put in longer runs, more often. I easily could have run again today, but I didn't want to push it too quickly as I'm coming back from a layoff. I am torn between being glad that I discovered this running method, and wanting to firebomb Nike headquarters for convincing us all that we need thick-soled motion control shoes. <br /><br />The good news is, I am no longer struggling with shinsplints and knee pain. The bad news is, this limits my running season even more. Without the protection of a thick sole, the ground will be WAY too cold to run on pretty early in the Fall. My guess is that by the middle of October it will be too cold to run outside, and it will stay that way until about April. My best hope is that I get one of the jobs at the university for which I have applied so that I'll have access to the indoor track, or I will have to buy a treadmill. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMuWdUW5bESYozFr_bc-SYKQN_76DQWVZI1krb5L6y8HdRjoOTJwDV4BJSedUZ3WIlH0N5mX3WZMf9q-u_TqMCByLhfKaW3K06Okk6WO2QOmqwDUrLFNQy-4I6QlWyWkBOQdx/s1600/Abikila.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 248px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMuWdUW5bESYozFr_bc-SYKQN_76DQWVZI1krb5L6y8HdRjoOTJwDV4BJSedUZ3WIlH0N5mX3WZMf9q-u_TqMCByLhfKaW3K06Okk6WO2QOmqwDUrLFNQy-4I6QlWyWkBOQdx/s320/Abikila.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491810611341157122" /></a>3) Vibram recently introduced a new shoe designed specifically for running - the Bikila. The line is named after the famous Ethiopian runner, Abebe Bikila, who won the 1960 Olympic Marathon, barefoot. He not only won it, but he set a world record of 2:16:20 on the cobblestones of Rome. During my childhood, the pictures of him winning that race were iconic. They were later replaced with Frank Shorter and Joan Benoit, but those color photos never seemed to have the same impact as the grainy black and whites of Bikila leading all of the shod runners in the final miles at Rome. <br /><br />I hope Vibram has the permission of Bikila's estate to name this shoe after him (Bikila died tragically in 1973 at the age of 41, from injuries sustained in a car accident 4 years earlier). I wonder if his four children are profiting from the sales of this $100 shoe...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmcuqA_ZAnPpAWvoJXZENYh87kaEixo-ENTrTKqukfSka7gCAw8Lnn-Yid7MC00jbqNKDn44nMFSVjgw31ImVqRg92B_iINBYS3Hq81mAPkR0vQHg9E9Gkz6aOrGlPMRBnQ1U/s1600/large.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmcuqA_ZAnPpAWvoJXZENYh87kaEixo-ENTrTKqukfSka7gCAw8Lnn-Yid7MC00jbqNKDn44nMFSVjgw31ImVqRg92B_iINBYS3Hq81mAPkR0vQHg9E9Gkz6aOrGlPMRBnQ1U/s320/large.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491809339404556082" /></a>The jury is still out on their durability, comfort, etc., but everyone agrees that the color combo for women (pictured) is truly hideous. Rumor has it that a red/white/grey and a blue/white/grey are available or soon will be. If they receive positive reviews, I might consider a pair when my current Vibrams (KSOs) wear out. I hope they have them in black by then...<br /><br />4) I'm a huge, tactless <a href="http://hsbp.tumblr.com/post/786715699/when-people-are-ready-to-hear-exactly-how-stupid">jackass</a>. Not news, I know, but I was reminded of it recently when a friend said to me, "I feel ok talking to you about this because I know you won't sugarcoat it." <br /><br />If folks only come to me for tough love, I guess I'm ok with that, but here I was, thinking that I had made strides toward being more sensitive to others in conversation. Apparently, the sword that is my tongue is just as sharp as ever.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12917331849034683598noreply@blogger.com5