Sunday, January 31, 2010

No Oil For Nigeria


I can't blame Shell for shutting down Oil production, the residents can't negotiate, so they attack the pipelines. Now they will get nothing. The Nigerian Government should be attacked for holding out, but I think it would better if MEND found ways to attack them, not the pipelines. It's all a messy situation, and now Shell is caught in the middle, and sitting on a large investment, that is producing naught.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8490494.stm
Boo hoo!

Lustral - Every Time

Where To Try Terrorists??

I don't think there would be "correct" answer from the Justice Department. If they had chosen a Military Tribunal, all of these "pundits" would be screaming Obama is a war monger and deviating from "correct way" GW Bush did things. How these trials would be all secret and unfair and Obama is being just like Bush.

So they try to do these the same way GW Bush did and everyone goes ape-shit. What a bunch of lunacy, it must have been a slow news week??

Saturday, January 30, 2010

That's A Bitch



Haven't seen this beauty in a while...

Sarah Vowell


http://www.thisamericanlife.org/player/CPRadio_player.aspx?podcast=http://www.thisamericanlife.org/xmlfeeds/81.xml

Listen to the first story after the intro, really good (4 minutes in). The others are too.

I have seen Sarah on the Daily Show and she is smart, funny and quirky.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Let's Dance!

Click to enlarge

Snap Those FINGERS! The bottom pic was cleaned up using Gimp2, a free photo editing application. It's "OK"..it took about 30 minutes to clean up.

Yet More Still Life


From the dining room, 1998. I like it. In the ones below, I told them to stay still...


Source Of The Roman Aqueduct Found!


This is really cool, they have been looking for years, and now, found where it starts. Under an old church...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8486518.stm

I Am Sooooo Pissed Off

Everythiing I try to do gets so fucked up, wrong tools, wrong measurements, bad fucking ideas. It just never ends and I am totally sick of it.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Microsoft's Genius:


Release a piece of crap called Vista, then 2 years later (when people are totally flummoxed), release Windows 7!! And get a net profit of $6.66B for the effort. Anyone notice something fishy about that [evil] profit margin??
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8486378.stm

National Ignition Facility, Will Kill Us All

Yes, what could possibly go wrong when you are taking Tritium, which will kill you dead if you breathe or ingest it, and pounding it with lasers?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8485669.stm

Kidding, this will be cool if it works, and could lead us humans (eventually) to the end of "energy problems". Once you start the fire, it should be pretty easy to keep it going. Just add Carbon and burn it all up.

Imagine a world where no one needs to buy gas, burn oil, use natural gas. Whatever will all those energy companies do with their cocks?? They won't be fucking us anymore.

Monday, January 25, 2010

That Was Funny

I went to lunch today with 2 guys I work with. I drove, which is unusual. We went out to my car, all piled in, I turned down the radio while chatting with Mike in the front seat and drove away. We were out on the main road (still talking to Mike about an "all hands" meeting) before we noticed Matt was being quiet in the back seat. At the stop light, we turned around to see what he was doing, when we saw the back seat was empty.

Matt caught up to us in a few minutes in his own car, I was cracking up. I guess you had to be there, but he said the door was locked. Um, no. Maybe he doesn't trust my driving?

Cool Wall

Thursday, January 21, 2010

George Bush Wins!!




Roberts and Alito did what the boss wanted, strike down US Campaign finance rules (we will get to abortion later). So let the flood gates open, and all of the big business elect all of the big spenders they want. Sick, because the "Founders" had no idea what power and wealth companies in the country would eventually have. Fucking sick. This is going to be so damn ugly, how's about the "Newt Gingrich for President, by Kraft" campaign? Sound good to you?

I have to say that I don't think I live in the greatest country on earth anymore. I had might as well get out, and let all the big companies just finish jucing all of the money out of you dumbasses.

Keep cutting taxes on the rich, put on your blinders and let them do it, pay $10K a year for your health insurance, great days!!

Photo Bomb

Funny site!


http://thisisphotobomb.com/

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Windows Updates!

I loved the color light show (blue, green, red, white, black...repeat) I had after installing the "emergency" update from Microsoft tonight. I hope it solves the Java hacking I have been dealing with over the last 8 weeks!

That Stings.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8467746.stm
Maybe an answer to where all the bees went to? I thought they had all gotten into the hive in my neighbor's house last summer, but I guess that is wrong.

Your Food Is Crap

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Iran Says "NO" To Nuclear Deal


I don't blame them, Jack Bauer and Chloey getting in the way of Iran's President Omar's brother like that. I don't blame them in the least.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8469332.stm

J-Lo Kicks Some Ass

On the George Lopez show..stick with it.

Crystal Cave, In Mexico


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8466493.stm

I know it looks fake, but this is a real place, 1000 ft underground in Mexico. It's about 50C/110F with 100% humidity. That's why the people pictured are wearing breathing gear.

It's so hot because it sits on top of a magma chamber. Where's Superman??

Gangs Take Over In Haiti


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/7030248/Haiti-earthquake-police-admit-gangs-have-taken-over-Port-au-Prince.html
Hmm, didn't hear this on CNN?? I guess the good news is, they (the rival gangs) are spending a lot of time killing each other, a bit like in Mexico.

Glacial Melting Errors

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8468358.stm

And in 3 years, they will be scrambling to explain why the glaciers are growing, or they will just ignore that fact...

Toilet Paper Roll = Art?


You be the judge...

http://thedesigninspiration.com/articles/amazing-toilet-paper-roll-artworks-collection/

Friday, January 15, 2010

CSS - Left Behind


Cool!

My Night Is Ruined

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8461643.stm

Well, if I can't watch the Mister Gay China contest (missing the inevitable spinning plate display), I guess I will watch Dollhouse. It's nice to see China's police stepping up and enacting "policy" all on their own..

Haiti Meltdown

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/haiti/6999091/Haiti-earthquake-anger-turns-to-violence-on-the-streets.html

Interesting none of the other news outlets are talking about the deteriorating security situation in Haiti. Our soldiers will have their hands full..

Stimulate This..

Bush's Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, cost $180+ Billion, February 2008
http://waysandmeans.house.gov/media/pdf/tax/JCT_Revenue_Table_Final_Bill.pdf

Bush's H.R. 3221, Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, cost $25 Billion
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/95xx/doc9597/hr3221.pdf

Bush allows the Fed to Loan (give) AIG $85 Billion under the Federal Reserve Act, September 2008.

Bush allows the FDIC to enter a "loss sharing" deal with Citigroup on a $312 Billion pool of loans (mortgages). This would have Citigroup taking the first $42B in losses and the FDIC taking the rest. I have contacted FDIC for a status report on this "agreement", no word yet.

29 September2008, first attempt at FDIC's TARP is rejected in the House.

3 October2008, Bush signs Congress' TARP into Law, cost $700 Billion.

Whole timeline, pretty interesting; http://timeline.stlouisfed.org/index.cfm?p=timeline

I guess my point is; Bush authorized about a trillion dollars (maybe more) of our tax dollars in the run-up to the financial catastrophe, and I didn't hear anyone crying "generational theft" until Obama did the same with the Recovery Act. Ironic?

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Still Life



From 1998-ish, in Shenandoah (sp?)

An Honest Man



I can't say I support this view, but I strongly believe they are earnest in their opinions..

Bailout Tax

Heard about this? Obama wants to tax the big banks that took bailout money, just enough to get all the rest of it back. Of the $700+B, I figure we have gotten back about $600B (2/3rds better than expected). Not bad, eh? Finishing the job sounds good to me, since it took less than a year for these assholes to turn around their businesses and start earning again.

Enter Republicans: Quiet so far, but I expect they will try to block this, just to make sure Democrats can't get credit for doing something right. Even Fox News is quiet on this one. It's like having a "Trump Card".

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Still Life Photo

Click to enlarge;

One of mine from 1979, I only touched up some scratches and dust with an editor, the Sepia quality is age or part of the film processing (probably the latter).

This was taken at what we called "The Cement Factory", but it would have been called a Aggregate Supplier. More to come, as I can finish them...

My First Earthquake

Out of San Fransisco, funny people...I like it.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

North Atlantic Oscillation


They did a cool cover of I Only Have Eyes For You, here:

http://www.last.fm/music/North+Atlantic+Oscillation/_/I+Only+Have+Eyes+For+You
Very cool, I need to get the CD!

They have some video samples on their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=50126217254&ref=search&sid=788602064.3016201777..1

Look them up on MySpace (ahem) for some more audio. A few on Youtube too.

Monday, January 11, 2010

These "Search Phrases" Seem Popular??



Vampire Weekend

You can listen to their new CD Contra, in it's entirety, here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=122213523&m=122214664

If you like it, go buy it. It sounds a lot like their first CD, with a few twists. Not bad at all.

All CGI

Impressive...but;

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo.

I think it would be easier and cheaper to shoot a lot of something like this live and blend in the CGI if needed?

It looks great and the depth of field shifts are impressive, but I worry that all movies will some day, be something we can't can't touch ourselves.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Rocking To Some CSS..




I had never seed the Alcohol video before, LMAO...

Jihad

Is not terrorism, so the word does not apply to terrorists or what they do...stop it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihad

It means to struggle in the way of god, to better yourself as a person. Not kill people.

"God Mode"


You can congeal all of your computer's controls into one place, by creating a folder and naming it to whatever + ".{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}".
The icon will change to look like the picture above, but you can use whatever text/Deity you like. It's pretty cool, you can get to all system and windows app settings. I hear this only works with Vista 32 bit and Windows 7.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Crotch Bomber Says "Not Guilty"


Apparently the judge is a gnome?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8448367.stm

Inglorious Bastards What?

One sentence; I haven't fallen so soundly asleep to a movie since Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Ping Pong With Nun-Chucks?


I have to scratch my head and wonder if this is real??

HoneyHoney

I have listened to their CD, First Rodeo, 3 times today and it's only 2PM. The video below is live on a crappy little morning showw, and really tips me to want to see them...

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Disturbing End Of Year Figures

click to enlarge, all numbers are in Billions, thus Trillions

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/fy2010_new_era/Summary_Tables2.pdf
As close as I can tell, we are paying about 14 cents of every tax dollar to just pay the interest on our debt NOW. Imagine in 10 years paying twice as much? That means we have 25% less Federal services here in the US, so we can continue pay interest, for more debt over there (wherever). Does anyone else get this, or should I just move to Europe or Africa?

This is not a republican, democrat, conservative or liberal issue. It's basic finance and there seems to be no politician willing to step up and tell the truth; about raising taxes and cutting services. We have to, or the USA will fail.

UK Knows How To Do Postage


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8444156.stm

They are doing London Calling and Tubular Bells too, to name a few.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Your Cell Phone Will Save You


Yes, if you can survive the brain tumors, hearing loss, expoding batteries, accident's while driving and unemployment due to lack of attention to work; Your cell will prevent Alzheimer's.

Amanda Simpson


I don't see the big deal with Amanda being appointed to the commerce department. If she screws up, Obama can tell her to "Go fuck yourself", and she could actually do it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/04/amanda-simpson-transgende_n_410346.html

Hacked Computer

I would first like to thank the hacker, for letting me know how crappy the security of my setup is.

I would like to thank McAfee, for designing a product that not only did not notice the Trojan, but also let the software disable every security setting on my computer (including McAfee settings, that were "tamper protected").

I would like to thank Belkin, for the top notch security from my N1 Router.

I would like to thank Comcast for providing an Internet connection that is wrought with danger!

I would finally, like to thank Microsoft for creating mediocre firewall and malware protection packages that were themselves hacked.

Update: I would like to further thank Microsoft, for making me install all of the hundreds of updates, before then installing each Service Pack (the SPs includes all those updates...DUH!).

I can live without the Internet at home, if this happens again, I just might.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

View From The Top Of Burj Dubai Tower


I would sooo crap my pants.

Um, Where’s The Stuff??


Is that a banana in you pants, or are you just happy to see me? Seriously though, if you are going to smuggle drugs with produce, use a tracking system so you can get your shit back before it hits the shelves!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Comcast Blows

Below is the actual graphical depiction of my Cable/Internet bill over the last few months:


Just to clarify, this is a %40 increase (quite a trend line!), and I have not added any services or features. Just this month they turned on something called DVR Service w/ HD, that I never asked for and was never told about. Dish or Direct TV need to call me tomorrow...

Sandro - Dead At 64..




He was an Argentine "Rock Star". I can't keep my feet still. God's speed to you.

Jenny Lewis

With the Watson Twins, covering Handle With Care. Well done..

http://alphafemalebravo.fawx.org/09%20Handle%20with%20Care.mp3 right click and Save-As..

A live version..


Proof that even a bad cover live, is more fun than listening to CDs in your basement!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Record Car Jump


Missed this last night, I was watching Die Hard III...

Thunderado


What they lack lyrically, is made up for in the music..

88 Keys



Did this get much play? I really dig this tune. That guitar rift is from the Devo tune Gut Feeling (a very under rated song)

2010 President's Budget

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2010/assets/trs.pdf

Under reductions and terminations (savings are for 1 year, not overall);

Brownfields Economic Development Initiative $10 Million saved.
C-17 Strategic Airlift Aircraft $91 Million spent, I guess they are replacing them??
California Diesel Emissions Reduction Grants, $15 Million saved. Not a very green thing to do?
Civic Education, $31 Million saved.
CSAR-X Helicopter, $144 Million saved.
Delta Health Initiative, $26 Million saved, but Mississippi is pissed.
Denali Access, $6 Million saved on another Alaskan road to nowhere.
Denali Commission, $20 Million saved. Last year they got the money, even though HHS/HRSA didn't want it (there was another $3 Million for Job training saved too).
Emergency Operations Centers (DHS), $35 Million saved. This was for the "so called" interment camps that were popping up around the country.
Environmental Infrastructure Construction (Army Corp's Of Engineers), $180 Million saved. Their web site is gone, so I can't see what their projects were.
F-22 Raptor, almost $3 Billion saved.

There are a lot more details at the link above. I think a lot of the reductions are stripping out congrssional earmarks from the past.