:: Archipelapogo ::

:: 31.1.03 ::

Why, after all this time, I still visit exploding dog at least once a week

Could you draw a picture of Britney Spears picking her nose?
:: Scott [+] ::
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Just 'cause

Best MeFi thread in a while, regarding the Super-Bowl debuted anti-drug ad where the girl smoked pot, got pregnant, and now her parents will be the youngest grandparents on the block. The comments have some good humor and some very poignant points.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Up in smoke

The Dallas Observer weighs in with a brief but informative article on the recent smoking ban.
:: Scott [+] ::
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I'm Speechless. Completely fucking speechless.

Found while checking my e-mail, MSN KidZ (note cool spelling, it's more eXtreMe, y0) How Punk Are You quiz.

Includes this question: "There's a new kid in your class. He's wearing an old white T-shirt with the words "MINOR THREAT" hand-written on it in black marker. What are you thinking?"

And possible answers :

--I don't know what that means, but I think he's a total spaz. Remind me to steer clear.

--He's kind of weird. It seems like he likes punk music, because I'm pretty sure that's a punk band. But why doesn't he just buy a Minor Threat T-shirt like I've seen at the mall?

--That kid rules. He did it himself instead of spending mad cash on it, which is really punk. Plus, maybe he knows that the Minor Threat T-shirts you see in stores are actually bootlegs.

Just, ugh.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Summoning Gene Siskel

I've been extremely pleased with my NetFlix experience so far. The only thing I don't like about them is that they violate my rule for not supporting those that use pop-ups for advertising. But a man can only go so far, and BlockBuster has proven to be a much more Evil Empire in the past (cite: their taking over of the entire video market in South Tulsa, shutting down at least three local businesses) so screw them. But I get about a two day turnaround time (i.e. if I send a movie back on Monday, I usually have the next one by Wednesday) so that's very impressive. And, once my ten day free trial was over, my account was charged for a month that began on that day. I guess I was worried that they begin a fee cycle on the 1st of the month and I was going to be charged for all of January even though I was only using the service for about two weeks. But no, it worked out fine.

I've also seen some great movies. Last night, though, I watched probably my most favorite so far, Central Station (Central do Brasil). The story is one of the strengths of the film. Dora is a sixty-something retired school teacher who makes ends meet by writing letters for illiterate people in the large train station of Rio de Janeiro. She becomes the sole contact of an orphaned nine year old who desperately wants to meet his father, who lives in a small town very far away. Together they embark on an odyssey to seek out this man. During their journey they become quite close and go through a variety of tribulations.

The film is shot beautifully on location in Brazil, so the scenery is spectacular. The acting is also great, with the woman that plays Dora being nominated for a Best Actress Oscar in 1998. The film was nominated for best Foreign Language Film in 98 as well, but lost to Life is Beautiful. (It did win the Golden Globe in that category though). I highly recommend this film. Plus, this Tulsa band does a killer version of the theme song.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Soy contra guerra!

Thanks to lagado for the hip no war logo. You can find out more about it here.
:: Scott [+] ::
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blogage

I've added a few links to the sidebar lately, if you've not notice (are you reading the donger yet? why the hell not?) but I've got to give a Hoo-Rah (b/c I'm 23 and therefore too old for "shoutouts" and "booty calls" and what have you) to Skot for his amazing izzlepfaff, which is just too fucking funny, and chicobangs, el mono nuevo for general coolness, but especially this entry, which is dear to my former European travelling soul. *sniff*. They'll get permanent links on the sidebar tomorrow. Like they'll notice.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Oh, the pain!

Ratio showing number of times that a co-worker has asked about my Professor Frink as the Invisible Man Burger King toy* to the number of times I have hit my chair against my desk, sending Frinky falling off of my monitor, bouncing off of the desk, and landing in the trashcan: 1:1.

*I've had him for a few months now, but he finally made it to work with me today.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Response to a letter received from Tom Daschle

Senator Daschle,

I agree with you. The night of November 5th was long and difficult. The Republican control of Senate (along with the presidency) does put a lot of things that I belive in, that I find importance in, at risk. I agree that it would be preferable to have a Democratically controlled Senate. I appreciate your offer to join the Deomcratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, but I'm going to decline. Here's why:

In the months after the terrorist attacks, you personally voted for, and led the Democratic Senators to follow suit, to allow President Bush free reign over the money and armed forces of this country to go on any whim that he found fanciful, putting our lives and the lives of millions around the world at risk. During the President's campaign to bomb Iraq, I've not heard you nor any of the Democratic leaders calling out for a rebuttal. You've consistently stood by his side, patting his back, and nodding in assent to every item that he's set out on the agenda.

You state that "with the Republicans in the majority, there will be no action on affordable healthcare coverage for the millions of Americans without health insurance. There will be no accountability for the corporations whose recklessness has sent Americans' 401(k) plans plummeting. There will be no serious discussion on helping Americans who are out of work find new jobs ... no chance for better child care benefites .. no hope of raising minimum wage for those who are struggling to make ends meet in low-paying jobs ... and more."

This is true, Tom. However, in the elections last year, none of these issues were raised by you and your Democrat partners during their campaigns. You painfully ceded all of the issues that the Democratic Party supposedly stands for, opting instead to align yourselves with Bush and the "war against Terror" and Homeland Security. You and your party failed to establish any difference between yourselves and your opponents, deciding instead to play on the fears that the media has been feeding the public for the past year and half. To try to separate yourselves from the Republicans, you decided to make personal attacks on your opponents past history, further burying the issues that I and several million like me hold dearly and desperately want to be raised. You and your people failed us Tom, not the other way around.

Don't tell me that you need funds to stop the Repbulicans. You made your bed. Now we all have to lie in it. Not only have you failed to address any of the issues above, but we've seen thousands more getting laid off in the past year. We've seen Ken Lay and his cohorts escape justice. We've seen Dick Cheney with-holding documents about his company's dirty dealings in Afghanistan and Iraq under the false premise of "National Security". You've allowed people to get away with the destruction of people's lives only to find themselves the benefactors of Golden Parachute clauses and million dollar dream-houses. What happened, Tom?

I'm aware of the fact that some of the very few truly progressive Democrats are up for re-election in 2004. Should I choose to support any of them, I will make a check out to their personal campaigns, Tom. But you sir, you will not be getting a single penny from me. Thanks for the offer, but I politely decline to join you in another year of lip-service and doublespeak. And should you, sir, through some twist of fate become the Democratic nominee for President in 2004, rest assured that I will again be supporting a third party candidate.

Goodbye, Tom.

(cross-posted to the Collaboratory)

:: Scott [+] ::
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Spontanious plans

Alright. Denise and I are now going to see Mitch Hedberg perform at the Improv in Addison at 10:30 tonight. If you aren't familiar with Mitch, you damn well should be. He's definitely one of the most unique and funny comedians around these days. He's had a few specials on Comedy Central, and I've seen him on the late-night shows a time or two. Man, I'm psyched.
:: Scott [+] ::
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What a strange and vast intarweb she be

Okay, the whole ticketstubs Bright Eyes thing was cool and crazy enough. But when an Australian Newspaper picks up on it, it gets just a little odd. Are you kidding me?

The author chimes in with an amusing little anecdote of his own about his daughter's first train ride, the stub from which is planted in her baby book. A well-written piece about a nice little project.
:: Scott [+] ::
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A few quick links

A great photography project in which ten different people take a photo each involving an open-ended theme (i.e. Loathe, Face, or Love). I stumbled upon this a few months ago and loved it. Stumbled upon again tonight and decided to link it.

+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+

For those with expensive dining habits, let the buyer beware. Ten things your restaurant won't tell you. I rarely eat at 'fancy' places, but it's interesting to see what you get versus what you pay for. Sidenote: holy crap, two pop-ups when you close the article! (via dejah)
:: Scott [+] ::
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Regress, no way!

Well, they've finally done it. They banned smoking in restaurants in Dallas. (pop-up warning). If you know me, you know I'm not a huge advocate of smoker's rights. I've got better things to spend my time and energy doing. But this really does irritate. Not because I won't be able to smoke in restaurants any longer, but because of the violation of the freedom of owner's of restaurants to be able to do what they want to do with the property that they own.

I have no problem sitting through a meal without smoking, and at times I find it preferable. I go to many restaurants that don't premit smoking and still enjoy dining there. But if I owned a restaurant, I'd be right pissed about this. Who the hell does Laura Miller (mayor) think she is to tell me whether or not I can allow people to smoke in my business? There probably will be people fleeing to the burbs now so that they can smoke while they eat, which hurts local business.

I guess the part that annoys me the most is that they were so vehemently opposed to any kind of compromise (separate, walled in sections like Austin, etc.). But oh well, what can you do.

Alex has his (non-smoker) thoughts about it here.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Touch my monkey!

No, really, do it. (it is safe for work, by the way). Make your own and leave me the URL. (Flash req'd).

via mefi.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Octagonal, but far from deep, thoughts.

This LiveJournal user (sos_usa) is reporting about Diane Feinstein and her seemingly endless campaign to protect the American Flag™ from desecration. Here's a summary:

Washington,DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) co-sponsored a constitutional amendment introduced by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, that would expressly prohibit the physical desecration of the American flag. Thirty-six other Senators, Republican and Democrat, also co-sponsored the amendment, and many organizations have voiced their support, including the American Legion, the Women’s War Veterans, and the African-American Women’s clergy.

“I am one who agrees that amending the Constitution is serious business,” and that we need to tread carefully,”Senator Feinstein said.“ If the Constitution is democracy’s living sacred text, then the flag is our sacred symbol.”

According to Senator Hatch:“Whatever our differences of party, race, religion, or socio-economic status, the flag reminds us that we are very much one people.”

In order to become part of the Constitution, the amendment would need to be ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the fifty States.

In the past 16 months, I may have posted something on here before about the absurdity and irony of banning the desecration of the U.S. Flag for speech purposes. I really shouldn't have to go into too much detail, but the fact that people want to limit free speech in order to protect the "greates symbol of freedom" shouldn't register correctly with anyone over the age of three (or two for really smart babies).

It gets a little more odd, even, when you see Feinstein in her own words on the subject. Another excerpt:

THERE SEEMS to be a mind-set, particularly among Democrats, that if you support a constitutional amendment to protect the American flag you are either (a) opposed to free speech, (b) undermining the most fundamental tenets of a free society or (c) singing like a political wind-chime to the popular tune of the day. In my view, it is exactly this kind of straight-jacketed thinking that has caused an increasing number of people to move away from both major political parties.

I, for one, support a constitutional amendment to restore protection to our national flag, and I do so not in deference to political expediency, but because I believe it is the right thing to do and have for a long time. Our national flag has come to hold a unique position in our society as the most important and universally recognized symbol that unites us as a nation. No other symbol crosses the political, cultural and ideological patchwork that makes up this great nation and binds us as a whole.

It wasn't until the flag was fired upon at Fort Sumter -- in an act of war -- that Americans came to look upon the flag as more than just a symbol of their government. Our history books are replete with stories of soldiers who were charged with the responsibility of leading their units into battle by carrying the flag. It was an honor worth dying for -- and many did.

That last part right there "Our history books are replete with stories of soldiers who were charged with the responsibility of leading their units into battle by carrying the flag. It was an honor worth dying for -- and many did" strikes me as particularly funny**. As I try to envision such an occasion, I think it would go something like this:

We join the 48th Battalion in the Battle at Boomerang, Korea, June 1953

Sargeant Krupke: "Allright men, are we all ready to go into battle?"

Men: "Sir, Yes Sir!"

Krupke: "Everything seems to be in order here. Camoflauge looks good. Richardson! You are only permitted to use Army Issued face paint! Put that Maybelline compact down!"

Richardson: "Sir, Yes Sir!" whispers to self "I can't wait until Don't Ask Don't Tell"

Krupke: "Allright men. Here's the plan. Frederickson, you take Miller's company and your company over to that left hill over there. Gullockson, you take your company to the East flank by that river. Everyone else, come with me. Simpson!"

Simpson: "Sir, Yes Sir!"

Krupke: "Drop your rifle, Simpson. You're going to be leading us into battle carrying the flag."

Simpson: gulps "But sir, can't I hold the flag and take my rifle?"

Krupke: "Simpson! This is an order! Drop your weapon immediately and take up the flag!"

Simpson: "Um, Yes Sir. But I must admit that I feel a bit defenseless only carrying a flag."

Krupke: "Only Carrying a Flag!?! Private, do you know how big of an honor it is to lead this battalion into battle bearing the flag of our great country?"

Simpson: "Yes, sir, I'm very well aware. And I feel a deep debt to you for bestowing this great honor upon me. However, I would feel somewhat better if I could have a weapon as well, sir."

Krupke: "Simpson, enough of your lollygagging. Don't be such a wuss. Take up the flag now!"

Simpson: "Yes, Sir. Can I at least tie a bayonette onto the end of the pole sir? Or maybe attach some spikes to it sir?"

Krupke: "Simpson. This is an order! You do what I say now! This flag is not to be used as a weapon, it's a rallying point for our battalion!"

A shot rings out

Simpson: Falls to ground, dropping flag "Uuuuuuuuuuugh!"

Krupke: "Crimeny. What the hell was that?"

Boyd: "Permission to speak, Sargeant."

Krupke: "Yes, Krupke, what is it?"

Boyd: "I'm afraid Private Simpson was taken out by a sniper, sir."

Krupke: "A sniper? Well how in the hell did they know we were here? We're fully camoflauged!"

Boyd: "Sir, I believe they may have spotted the giant red, white, and blue cloth that Simpson was bearing, Sir!"

Krupke: "Oh. I see. Very well then. Boyd! Take up the flag, let's roll, boys!"

**no disrespect to those that have fought for this country or for other various reasons commissioned by the Commander in Chief.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Some quick links, then I should probably do some "work"

The Defective Yeti calls the Maury Povich show. Hilarity ensues.
*****
Bill Waterson's thoughts on licensing Calvin and Hobbes. (via Mefi)
*****
I'm so happy that I'm not the only one. See #5.

More this afternoon.
:: Scott [+] ::
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To fulfill a promise from last night

The episode of Media Matters on PBS that interviews Oliver Willis, Anil Dash, Glenn Reynolds, and Megan McArdle, airs Friday at 8:00 PM**. I'm not sure which PBS channel it will be on, so you'll have to check both 2 and 13 yourselves. If I understand it correctly, the weblog part is a section of a larger episode entitled "Words of War". YMMV, of course.

**please note, this is in Dallas only. most cities get to see it tonight, so check your own local listings.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Blogging for Charity

I had a pretty good time with the DFWBlogs folk last night. Seeing as how usually after one of those events, those that can remember the name of this place tend to check it out with a little more frequency, I'm gonna take the bull by the horns. The Dallas Morning News is doing a big fund-raising drive for charity, and I'd like to help. I think they do this year-round, but I know they're making a big push here in the month of January. So, here's the link to go donate. For all the DFWblogs people, here's the deal. If you donate at least $5, I'll make a special mix CD and bring it to the next even that I attend. Leave me a comment here or send me an e-mail and let me know that you did it. This is on the honor system, and please, it's not so much me that your screwing, but those that need the help. This offer is good until Jan. 31, and I'll post a reminder or two. Let's do this, eh?

For the record, here's a listing of the various charities that the raised money gets given to. Thanks in advance for participating.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Googling down memory lane

It's weird when you think of time Pre-Google (or B.G. if you like) and how hard it would be to find something obscure. Case-in-point: I'm procrastinating at work today (which will bite me in the ass, don't worry) and got the song "Professor Booty" from the Beastie Boys excellent Check Your Head album stuck in my head. Well, specifically, the soundbite before the song starts which goes something like:
"And what about your female man, what's up with her?"
"I hear she's been giving that stuff out to all those Graffiti guys"
"Yo, shut the fuck up, chico-man"
"Man, I'd paint three murals for some of that ass"

...and then the bass starts on the song and the b-boys take over. In high school, my friends and I used to always wish that we could come across this sound clip somewhere. I'd watch bits and pieces of old gang-based movis on BET and TBS during the wee hours of Saturday and Sunday morning hoping I would stumble upon it. You know that AltaVista or those other rudimentary search engines were of little to no use (and this was before the internet blew up anyways, so google may not have done much good back then either). Regardless, I thought of it today, did a simple search, and wham, there's my answer. Wild Style, a drama-mentary from 1982. It's now in my NetFlix rental queue.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Mmmmm, pruno

The San Francisco Gate is reporting that Los Angeles County's only state prison are ceasing the service of fresh fruit within the prison box meals in an attempt to reduce the ability of prisoners to make Pruno, better known as prison wine.

The goal, prison spokesman Lt. Ron Nipper said, is to reduce violent incidents at the institution. In the first nine months of the year, 102 assaults on staff and 122 violent incidents between inmates were reported.

"With a lot of our serious incidents, the inmates are drunk," Nipper said. "We've got to put a serious damper on making alcohol."

The crackdown is not only an attempt to make the prison safer but also part of a push by the state Department of Corrections to make prisoners healthier and reduce long-term medical costs. Since 1999, the state's 33 prisons have been phasing in standardized "heart healthy" menus that feature balanced meals, low-fat food and fresh fruit.

This may not put as much of a damper on Pruno as the authorities hope, though.

State corrections officials are considering taking the fresh fruit ban systemwide. Prisons already are prohibited from serving three popular pruno ingredients -- oranges, raisins and sugar packets. But a state report determined that creative prisoners can make pruno from yams, flavored gelatin, honey, hard candies -- anything with sugars that can be converted into alcohol in the fermentation process.

"You can make (pruno) out of ketchup," Heimerich said. "Some inmates were even using the frosting off of cakes. It's pretty much an unwinnable battle."

I had a friend in Waco that attempted to make some Pruno in his closet. Regrettably, I tasted it. Man, that was some horrible stuff. I think we wound up pouring it down the sink. It was slightly worse than when another friend got a Mr. Beer learned that the more sugar you put it in, the higher the alcohol content would be. The result was somewhere between Mrs. Buttersworth and Fruit Concentrate. Not good stuff.
:: Scott [+] ::
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The Power of the Web

So remember the Bright Eyes story that I submitted to Ticketstubs and told you all about on Monday? Well, I received an e-mail from a friend of the guy that passed away before the show. With her permission, I'm presenting it to you all:

hello-
my name is rachel and i just read your story on the ticketstub website for the bright eyes show--
the guy who died was steve t****, my best friend since 5th grade.
the girl with him was tara, my hairdresser who is insane.
i was supposed to go to that show to see him, but i was ill.
i was using the fark.com website, which directed me to the ticket website.
total fucking chance occurence that i would run across your story that directly affected my life, but i never knew the details of.
conor actually knew steve from a long time ago (the commander venus days) and he has been nothing but kind to steve's family and us since steve's death.
thank you for this whatever it is!
you made my day.
rachel

Thank you, Rachel. And again, my condolences to Steve's friends and family.
:: Scott [+] ::
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Grrr...

Oppose the Bush Administration's Plans to Reduce Wildlife Protections in our National Forests

The Bush administration has proposed eliminating the most fundamental rule that protects wildlife in our national forests. Rolling back this rule would open up more than 190 million acres of our public lands, including old growth forests, roadless areas, and sensitive wildlife habitats, to big corporations. The result would be more logging, more loss of wildlands, and more species becoming threatened or endangered.
In the past quarter century, no law has been so instrumental in protecting fish and wildlife populations and their sensitive habitats in our national forests than the rule requiring national forest management plans to ensure the continued viability of wildlife species naturally found in any national forest. From wolves and brown bears in the Tongass rainforest, to bull trout and cutthroat in the Pacific Northwest, spotted owls in the Sierra Nevada, goshawks in the Southwest, wolverines in the Rockies, songbirds in the East, and black bears in the South, this "viability rule" has stopped more bad logging, road-building, grazing, and drilling than any other law on the books.
:: Scott [+] ::
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stories about ticketstubs

My first submission to Matt Haughey's new ticketstub project is now up. Let me know what you think.
:: Scott [+] ::
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sighs

So Denise was supposed to come back on Saturday. Apparantly there was a huge storm though, and it knocked out the radar in San Pedro Sula (Honduras for those that aren't aware) and her plane couldn't leave. Then she got screwed on a flight today. Now, she's supposed to be in at 6:40 tomorrow (Monday). It'd better happen. I haven't seen her for more than two weeks now. So here I sit, dicking around on the internet, feeling good melancholy and listening to the Cure. Better than bad melancholy, mind you (that'd be Bright Eyes). But damn. I hope she gets in tomorrow.
:: Scott [+] ::
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I'm up...too late for a work night

And I'm not ready to go to bed. I had a soccer game that started at 10:30 and, well, the endorphins are kickin' in, so you, noble reader, unless you transfer elsewhere right now, are going to have to put up with my rambling.

Ramble 1) -- I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions, typically. I find them kind of silly, but if they help some folks, then good on them. But here are a few things I'd like to do while I'm thinking about it:
First, I'm going to return the books from the library (The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, which I dug, and Glue by Irvine Welsh, which I got to page 55 and put down b/c it was painfully hard to read the Scottish slang) that were due in August. And (as if I'm not such an asshole already for keeping them for so long) they're checked out in my girlfriend's name. For shame.

Second, I'm going to stop drinking two Diet Cokes a weekday. It's just wrong. And (as a sidenote) I'm finally going to consistently pay my $5 into the water cooler pool. I put it here, so I'd better do it, dammit. (see post during the day [in roughly nine hours, if I had to guess] about some other new year's resolution-ish things for more)

Ramble 2) I'm so on the forefront of technology, I swear. I finally got a PS2, which means that I know have the capabilities to watch these thingys called "DVD"s. Maybe you've not heard of them yet, but they're movies on things that are like Compact Discs (a player of these so called "CD"s I still lack in my car). Anyways, I joined NetFlix today, and I'm very much anticipating my first receipt of "DVD"s.

The first three that I should receive are The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (which I was skeptical about seeing until I saw Kieran Caulkin in Igby Goes Down), Amores Perros, and No Man's Land, which I have wanted to see for a long, long time. So now, I can defiantly turn my back on BlockBuster and their "late fees" which makes me quite happy. I'm sure the $20 I spend for NetFlix a month will more than make up for movie rentals and said late fees. Especially since said girlfriend from Ramble 1 may split the cost with me. We spend more than the monthly fee at BlockBuster as it is.

Sidenote 1) Other movies in my queue include Bloody Sunday (when it comes out on "DVD", From Dusk 'Till Dawn, The Hudsucker Proxy, Central Station, and about 3 more that have fled my mind since 2:00 this afternoon.

Sidenote 2) I'll come back in the morning and insert some links, so be patient, okay? Done!

Sidenote 3) If anybody has had any horrible experiences with NetFlix and cringes at the thought of them, this is a good time to tell me as I'm technically on a free 10 day "trial period".
:: Scott [+] ::
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I trust you all had a fine New Year's

Mine was okay. I hung out at what could be called a "House Party" but was really more of a gathering. The best momeny came early in the night, though, when the Scottish guy that Denise works with (and who I play indoor soccer with), his wife, and I went to the grocery to pick up some supplies. He was adorned in full attire with the kilt featuring his traditional tartan, a nice Sporran (which unforunately is made of baby seal) and the knee high socks. We go to the check out line and a group of five or six teenage girls approach him giggling and asking if they could have a picture with him. I've never seen anybody's face go from normal to bright red to quickly. It was quite funny.

Everybody always talks about the year change and how odd it is to be one year further in the epoch of time. I'm usually horrible at making this transition. I've been known to put the previous year on checks up into May or June. This year is totally different, though. Fiscal year '03 started on 1 October for the county, so I've been a year ahead for the past three months. It's about time you all caught up to us.
:: Scott [+] ::
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