August 4, 2009

Notes from the Surf

the amazing throwing something into something else trick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbvngiztFVk
U must have done that like a brillion tiems!

The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall and Arena officially free
http://www.elderscrolls.com/downloads/downloads_games.htm
So they're games from 13 and 15 years ago, but I might have to give these a go some time. Some people say good game design is like good writing - special effects without a good plot is just a screensaver.

Open a Banana Like A Monkey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBJV56WUDng
May not require as much dexterity as the other side, but might result in a bit of a squished tip.

Murdoch staff hacked thousands of peoples' tax, social security, bank, and phone data
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/08/murdoch-papers-phone-hacking
"News Group then persuaded the court to seal the file on Taylor's case to prevent all public access, even though it contained prima facie evidence of criminal activity."

Demographics of scientists
http://people-press.org/report/?pageid=1549
81% of scientists lean Democrat, 12% lean Republican. Industry contains the most Republican scientists (10% Republican, 47% Democrat), followed by government (7% Republican, 52% Democrat), then academia (5% Republican, 60% Democratic), and non-profits have the fewest Republican scientists (3% Republican, 55% Democrat).

Oil executives pushed Cheney on Iraq policy in 2001
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=14322
"Iraqi reserves represent a major asset that can quickly add capacity to world oil markets and inject a more competitive tenor to oil trade." The advisory committee that helped prepare the report included Luis Giusti, a Shell Corp. non-executive director; John Manzoni, regional president of British Petroleum; and David O'Reilly, chief executive of ChevronTexaco.

Honduras
http://mimundo-jamesrodriguez.blogspot.com/
A word is worth a thousand pictures. More from another blog.

The US and the Honduran coup
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/jul2009/pers-j01.shtml
"A US official speaking anonymously confirmed to the New York Times that US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. and US Ambassador to Honduras Hugo Llorens spoke to military officials and opposition leaders in the days before the coup. He explained: There was talk of how they might remove the president from office, how he could be arrested, on whose authority they could do that."

Special Forces briefing to Congressman Miller exposes involvement in 19 Latin American countries during 2009 including Honduras
http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/US_Special_Forces_briefing_to_Congressman_Miller_exposes_involvement_in_19_Latin_American_countries_during_2009_including_Honduras%2C_17_May_2009
"On page 7 of the document, it is proudly proclaimed that the 7h Special Forces Group has conducted missions in every Latin American country. On page 10 a map is given, revealing Special Forces deployments to 19 Latin American countries during 2009 alone, including two bases or missions in Honduras."

Catholic Church mobilizes against Italy's anti-immigration policy
http://inaltreparole.net/en/resistance/cattolici090709.html
"The rebellion of the Church, and also of bishops in the whole Italy, against the security decree is now widespread. All catholics organizations and religious orders have spoken against the new racial laws in Italy that criminalize undocumented immigrants as such, from the organization Pax Christi, to Jesuits, Franciscans, Combonians and Salesians orders, to the workers union ACLI, to Caritas. The missionary Alex Zanotelli ask for civil disobedience against the decree."

There are a lot of levels to this. Perhaps it is indicative of my peculiar disconnect, perhaps it reflects the general disonnect that I both hope and dread is the normal state for all of you normal folks out there.

I rode my 6-speed bicycle (should be a 12-speed but we don't have time for that here) to the store a few blocks down, for a beverage. As I neared my house on the return trip I saw a single-headlight bouncing toward me. There are plenty of cars and trucks using the streets near my house, so I'm careful. I slowed and went to the center of the road, since there were no motorcars behind me, preparing to turn left after the bouncing headlight passed me. There were two people perched on the bouncing headlight vehicle, and the driver raised his/her left hand in a very clear "Yeah, Bro!" salute. I was already moving to the center of the road and raised my left hand, grinning like a maniac. We touched fingers in a classic high five, this complete stranger on a scooter and I on my road bike.

It was electric.

I sat in my backyard and tried to convey to the cats the significance of the event. They were oblivious. Understandably.

If I could be a song, today, I would be :

          Stranded in this spooky town → Indeed, I found myself daydreaming about leaving. For good. For ever.

          Stoplight is swaying and the phone lines are down → Nothing seems to work as it should.

 

Snow is crackling cold → There's nothing keeping me here, anymore.

She took my heart, I think she took my soul → New roots can't grow on stone or desert.

With the moon I run → It's a full moon now, and I wish myself far, far, far, away...

Far from the carnage of the fiery sun → decay comes from all the things I've understood.

Driven by the strangle of vein → I have to go someplace where values are weighed at their rightful price and "human" still has some human left inside.

Showing no mercy, I'd do it again
Open up your eyes,
You keep on crying,
Baby I'll bleed you dry...
Skies are blinking at me

I see a storm bubbling up from the sea → Mine. I can feel the tectonic plate of my ribs moving fiercely.

And it's coming closer

You who shimmy-shook my boat → I know I wouldn't have reached the place where I'm standing at the moment of speaking

Leaving me stranded, all in love on my own → Our lack of sychronization

Do you think of me ? → Or, am I thinking of you ?

Where am I now ? → I know my map coordinates, but I don't want to think about what will happen with us.

Baby, where do I sleep ? → Needing such small amounts, it's fine even under the starry night sky.

Feels so good, but I'm old → It's getting late, and the Sun is just about to set.
 

2000 years of chasing taking its toll

And it's coming closer ...

Today, I also did some research on tapping. Amazing! Any bone-head with access to a computer connected to the internet can spy on your phone calls.

The only reason why I tried this search was my hunch about Monsieur Le Balzac.

And I was right.

I got dressed today.

Ok, for most of you that's not a big deal. But it was the first time I did in weeks; unless you count putting on some gym shorts and an old t-shirt to workout. I'm not lazy, as I mentioned I exercise, as well as getting up shortly after sunrise and in general being fairly busy. I just don't get dressed unless I plan on going outside, why dirty up clean clothes for no reason?

I went blackberry picking at a local park; unfortunately all the blackberries were gone, probably had been for weeks. I was supposed to be supervising the little kids as they followed me. I fail at that; I made the littlest one cry when I pretended a giant spider was chasing him... I really didn't mean to, I guess I'm just not good with kids. I thought he would understand I was joking.

Good things never happen when I get dressed...