Month: August 2005

So I think I may convert to Pastafarianism. My decision was sparked by reading this article which pretty clearly states the current affairs in terms of the “average Joe’s” understanding of the great wide world. Combine that with the recent group of dinosaur-based real estate purchases, and you end up with a public that will soon be looking to Disneyworld instead of the encyclopedia for scientific facts. Maybe the Fed will start underwriting Disney’s general operations with grants for education.

But, we all knew that the U.S. is suffering from intellectual rot. I came here today to rant a little about what is going on down south.

was good enough to post a synopsis of how our Commander in Chief has done in the last couple days.

Sunday, Monday

But wait, then I see shit like this email, likening the hurricane to a fetus, and therefore a sign of god’s wrath. Apparently the CCL did not notice that there are a metric fuckton more churches in old New Orleans then there are abortion clinics.

This country really makes me queasy. I have still not fully recovered my wits sufficiently to engage my family on the last major correspondence I got. Maybe I can move to Iraq. I mean, they are going to have a new constitution and stuff – maybe it will take a few years for the bullshit and corruption to overtake the democratic ideals (even if they are being forced upon a decidedly non-democratically inclined cultural group). But then, I read about the road their constitutional convention has taken and I realize, that is a shot in the dark.

For all its failings as a movie, one thing I loved about Starship Troopers was compulsory civil service to attain citizenship. If, in order to become ELIGIBLE for civil service, you had to pass a basic civics / intelligence exam, all the better. Oh yeah, tie citizenship to reproductive rights or something while you are at it – build your own utopia… Just add sea monkies.

I’m sorry I let my angst get the better of me – I really do have something constructive to say here.

Many of you who have known me for a long time know that I have long joked about “running away to” or “relocating” to New Orleans. Part of me is glad I never did – part of me wonders if I shouldn’t. I have a couple friends there, there will clearly be opportunity to DO things once they pump the water out. Maybe this is an opportunity to be a part of the genesis of something, rather than constantly wishing for mass destruction and griping about the state of things.

it is tough to be the black sheep.

i just got the following forward from my grandmother, sent to the entire clan. aside from perhaps one of my cousins, i am probably the only voice on that list who disagrees with what i was sent. i won’t hit the “reply to all” button, so instead you get my rant.


TO THOSE WHO CARE AND THOSE THAT BELIEVE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA–GOD BLESS THE USA….

SOMEONE FINALLY SAID IT. I think everyone on this planet needs to read this. The thoughts are pure and we all understand the point….

There are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some native Americans, need to understand.

First of all, it is not our responsibility to continually try not to offend you in any way. This idea of America being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity.

As Americans, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language, and our own lifestyle. This culture, called the “American Way” has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.

Our forefathers fought, bled, and died at places such as Bunker Hill, Antitank, San Juan, Iwo Jima, Normandy, Korea, Vietnam…

We speak English, not Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society — learn our language!”

In God We Trust” is our national motto. This is not some off-the-wall, Christian, Right Wing, political slogan – it is our national motto. It is engraved in stone in the House of Representatives in our Capitol and it is printed on our currency. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation and this is clearly documented throughout our history. If it is appropriate for our motto to be inscribed in the halls of our highest level of Government, then it is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools.

God is in our pledge, our National Anthem, nearly every patriotic song, and in our founding documents. We honor His birth, death, and resurrection as holidays, and we turn to Him in prayer in times of crisis. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture and we are proud to have Him.

We are proud of our heritage and those who have so honorably defended our freedoms. We celebrate Independence Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Flag Day. We have parades, picnics, and barbecues where we proudly wave our flag.

As an American, I have the right wave my flag, sing my national anthem, quote my national motto, and recite my pledge whenever and wherever I choose If the Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don’t like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet.

The American culture is our way of life, our heritage, and we are proud of it We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don’t care how you did things where you came from Like it or not, this is our country, our land, and our lifestyle.

Our First Amendment gives every citizen the right to express his opinion about our government, culture, or society, and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you to take advantage of one other great American freedom:

THE RIGHT TO LEAVE!

Another thing: To those who do complain about the usage of words like ‘God’ and ‘American’ and speaking the language of our great nation,

TRY GOING TO ANOTHER COUNTRY AND SPEAK AGAINST WHAT YOU DON’T LIKE. YOU WILL MORE THAN LIKELY END UP JAILED OR EVEN KILLED.

In America, you take your right to complain for granted. The more patriotism that is removed from where our children are taught, the less our children will learn about what it is to be an American and our nation’s spirit will slowly be killed.Keep patriotism alive.

If you agree, pass this on to other Americans! It is time to take a stand!

God Bless America and our Military and our Veterans!

it is infuriating beyond my ability to communiacte to consider the ramifications of thinking like this. in all deference to my grandmother, she lost friends, family, and parts of a son to wars fought by this country. she has a right to be a proud patriot, and, strong in her faith, supportive of the president she voted for. the one who she believes will heal the divide between her beloved country and the faith she believes in.

that being said, the commentary makes me irate. the linguistic arrogance, and inferred shot at Native Americans (whose cause is really the only bleeding heart one I believe in outside of gender/pregnancy-based issues), combined with the fundamentalist (albeit “common sense”) outlook espoused in concern to separation of church and state really make me green in the gills. i think rampant liberalism is just as bad, if not worse, than rampant conservatism. i tend to get much more antsy about the agenda of the religious right, mostly because i have never seen or read about a bunch of hippies having an inquisition. we’ve all read about what happens when politics and godhead are in bed together.

i admit forthwith that i am not a traditional patriot. i believe in the ideas this country was conceived on, not the failed abortion it has become. however, i feel that way about most of post-agrarian human culture, so i guess that makes me less of an anti-patriot and more of an anti-civilizationist.

how do any of you, fine readers, deal with the situation of being a rather polarized outsider in the viewfinders of your loved ones? i can deal with differences of intellectual matters, and even moralistic ones. the godhead is tough to tackle, and politics even more impossible. “freedom of thought” in these peoples’ heads translates roughly to “the freedom to think what you are taught, question little, if at all, and accept any answers you get – forever and ever, amen”.

yeah, that is me, the fucking wordy heretic barbarian.

in other news, L. researched and bought tickets to “Belly of a Drunken Piano“, which we saw last night.

ATTENTION TOM WAITS FANS
see this show. no, really, do so. it is totally worth it. if the guy had played another hour or two , i would have stayed happily, sung along hearitly, and had another manhattan. highly reccomended for that particular audience who did not get a chance to see tom live.

leaves at the end of this weekend. this means i get to see , but it also makes me sad.
so does ,fucking california.
be sure to wish a hootie-hoo to on his upcoming birthday [08/30]

i’m off to meet , her boy, and L. for some dinner.

i am going to start making any post that has anything work related friends only. it came to my attention yesterday (via the intercession of my boss and my boss’ boss) that people at work read my blog, and apparently i caused some gossip with the whole SEC thing. the official phrase is “i cast a bigger shadow than i think” which i take as an ambiguous warning. i am not worried about things, just being sensible. this is the only topic i will continue to filter, out of the hopes that i will not vex my employers. though i have never mentioned the museum by name, apparently it has become obvious.

i would ask, if you would, not to share what i write or post behind these filters with others. if you have a problem with this, lemme know, and i’ll make a work filter instead (which i didn’t want to do because i am lazy) and take you off it.

ftr, i’m not going to VA. fuck the money, i want to try and get things stable instead of running away.

Work has been insane this week.

Jaws on the big screen outdoors was a blast. Being there for a record breaking crowd was great. Fucking hipsters who wouldn’t stop talking in a normal speaking voice, or gesticulating like they had a live moray eel shoved up their ass AND obnoxious cubans who think nothing of worming their way onto your already cramped blanket space were NOT cool.

Fuckin Quint died again. One of these days, he won’t break the goddamn radio, or burn out the engine.

Met and his lovely partner yesterday (who I dunno a LJ handle for, if one exists). They apparently had a great day. It was a pleasure to have a voice to the words, and conversation was absolutely wonderful. I have to look up Faith, Madness, and Spontaneous Human Combustion : What Immunology Can Teach Us About Self-Perception now.

I performed CPR on curried tempeh, and lived to tell the tale.I stayed up way too late, and discovered that my knot tying skills are not all they used to be. I need to practice.

I got a job offer from one of my headhunters that wants me to go work at the SEC for the tune of at least double what I am making now. But then, there is that whole Virginia 24/7 on call thing…. To boot, I dunno if they will give me security clearance or not.

Should I follow up on this one?


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A Picture Share!, originally uploaded by Murkatos.

How my luck has grown… I just repotted the good luck clover I got 8 months ago. Note the snapple bottle for scale.

Had a nice weekend.

Friday was a failed attempt at theater and art, but very successful Indian food. Saturday that was made up for (the theater bit). Julius Caesar set n the old south works surprisingly well. was definitely the most enthusiastic yokel I’ve ever seen. Lots of fun.

After that was Blackout, which, well, was a bit of a disaster. I had a great time. Too much of a great time, buy several drinks. This led to my obliteration. L. was good enough to chaperone and care take – even to the point where I passed out locked in my bathroom, and she undid the doorknob with my leather man to make sure I was alive.

I was amazed the next day when I was informed of this, for several reasons:

  • I woulda left my ass in the bathroom.
  • My bathroom is the size of a well-proportioned broom closet – I have no idea how I managed to pass out laying down in it
  • She put up with my general ahole nature which always emerges when I get sick

Yesterdays brunch was a laid-back blast. It got off the ground slightly lateish, but once everyone got there, the food, laughs, and good times got a-rolling. aside from L. and our friend Aaron, appearances were made my ,,, and . If ya didn’t make it this time, make it to the next one.

Amidst the slew of entertaining conversations, there was a comment made by re: my sausage rolls. The “you had to be there” moment was largely based on the concept that all foodstuffs have a consciousness and life goal, and that goal is to be eaten. Foodstuffs have learned to manipulate other living life forms (via deliciousness) into making that life goal a possibility.

I need to work this into a short story somehow. Maybe about a chef who becomes a prophet for the way of the food? I dunno, but it was a fantastic idea, and a hysterical delivery.

As is usually the case with Sunday brunch I am involved in, it ran WAY late – the sun was down by the time everyone piled out. Hopefully, everyone made it home safe and sound.

This week, I start going for the illegal sublet on the apartment. 3 days to !

Tonight – Jaws in Bryant Park. Give a hollah if you want to reserve some blanket space. BYOB and BYOF, but we may share cheese and fruit, as well as a swig of my sangria!

Clearly, I can’t plan a party anymore – long gone are the days of big New Years bashes. While I am sure that a great many people will be dragging themselves out from under the hangovers caused by Obliterated, and many others in other states/time zones will not be able to attend, I am throwing a party.

I will not be hurt/insulted if you can’t make it, or already have other plans. This thing is going to kick off early afternoon, and probably run until early/mid evening. If it is after 5pm, and you want to be a dancehall crasher, call ahead to be on the safe side!

This is not a housewarming in the truest sense of the word, as it is not the total gist of the party. However, as it is the first party being thrown in my new apartment, I would be remiss in not mentioning that fact. This is going to be a quasi-byob brunch.

I will be providing a food spread and basic bar, but I don’t drink beer, so if you want it, bring it. Mixers and particular booze preferences will be appreciated. I will have a blender going, so frozen drink madness is up to you. If you plan on showing, give a holler to see if we need anything once you roll off the subway. The idea is to chill and drink and eat and laugh and have a good time. If you don’t like doing any of these things, please don’t reply =)

If nobody can make it, I will postpone it until November at some point, which is probably the next open weekend I can do it in.

My place is most easily accessible off the 1 train (145th street station, then 5 blocks north). You can also take the A/E north to 145, then walk a couple avenues over, then a couple avenues up.

If you are reading this, you are invited. If you plan on coming, leave a comment so I can calculate that into the headcount.

I keep saying that two things can prevent the fall of our species: a near ELE, or incredible scientific endeavors which create utopian conditions.

Then I read The Onion, which posts articles like this one about “Intelligent Falling”, and I realize that without all the stupidity our society creates, there would be a whole lot less ironic laughter. There would be, I believe anyway, a lot more laughter out of happiness. , you should totally scope the link, you will find it chuckalarious.

Quoth the master:
“I’m going down, hang onto me, I’m going down
Watch me skate across an acre of linoleum
I know I can do it, I’m in total control”

You should all listen to this song, if you haven’t heard it already.

In other news, I still haven’t gotten my goddamn apartment rented yet. I did find out that all i need to do NOW is pay 500$ in order to get my NYS learners permit back though, so that is an upshot. I want to be able to drive by October.

Three men sit in a coffee shop
and discuss who has the best pain meds today-
Oxycodone, man, that’s what you want.
One carries a cane, one wears a
fatigue colored camo hat,
one wears about a five day old beard.
They throw back coffee as if it were
Jack Daniels in hip flasks,
nervous fingers tapping, yellow, nicotine stained-
you can see the cigarettes although they’re not holding any-
big sign-NO SMOKING.
I pretend to read my book, but I’m really reading them.

At another table across the room, who is reading me?
No makeup, hair so wet it looks dark,
no companion with my coffee–just a book,
no diamond or band on the left hand.

The man with the cane looks up at the same time I do–
he doesn’t return my nod, more like a twitch of the head,
so, caught spying, I toss back java as if it were
Bombay and Tonic in a tall frosted glass with lime,
and walk out the door into the day
darkening sky,
to find other books to read.

that frustrate
that titilate
that aggravate

there are those things
that make you want to break something
fix something
hug something
punch something

there are friends
who can crawl into your head and heart
and hand you your secrets
plucked from shadow
and there are those
who never even see the shadows
who call you friend nonetheless

in hope and in certainty of failure
there are those who come to you
and those you can go to
that make the horizons possible
and the tomorrows worthwhile

to them, i offer the old adage:
health, wealth, and love.

first off, happy birthday !
I made it from 86th and lex to 82nd and 5th in less than 4 minutes today. How do I know this? Because that is about how long C&C Music Factory’s “Gonna Make You Sweat” is.

By the time I got to work, I was sweating, that is for sure.

Things have been passing along pretty well lately. I was showing my apartment until 7:30ish last night, then ended up meeting up with L. and her friend J. A good night. Nice Cuban food, good company, great conversation.Things have been going wonderfully with L. I meet her dad tomorrow. I’m psyched and nervous about it at the same time.

In other news, apparently the old myth that hummingbirds have no natural enemies has been debunked with photographic evidence..

Once I get rid of this apartment, I really feel like the world is going to be my oyster. If I can’t do that before the end of the month, the world is going to be more like a half-boiled Long Island mussel.

Yesterday at ‘s brunch, there was a lively and engaging conversation that jumped around for a couple hours. Things started with the somber conversation about Hiroshima, and the upcoming anniversary of Nagasaki, and Oppenheimer’s speech regarding the genesis of the Atomic era.

I am strongly opinionated on the issues of global socio-political inevitability, as well as the long-term perils of the course our species is on at present. I appreciate the variety of viewpoints and intelligent forays into economics, philosophy, theology, politics, and pop culture/media that were brought to the forefront in yesterdays verbal meanderings. It was a grand afternoon conversation, which only good friends, food and booze can spawn.

One of the gentlemen involved in said conversation is a particle physics researcher by trade. He is one of the chosen in, as he put it himself “a dying field.” The ROI of particle accelerators, and the science they can do is very prohibitive. Under current projections, within a decade, there will only be one particle accelerator in business in the world. That amazes me.

What amazes me even further was that this physicist viewed this as a good thing. With the lack of available “testing grounds”, and without being able to independently verify the science coming out of this one particle accelerator, scientists will be pressed into finding better ideas to prove, rather than picking and playing with theories pell-mell. They would have to find cheaper ways to test their theories, and do more work before going to test then they are now. I had never considered the feast/famine model in scientific research before. I had only ever looked at innovation from a supply/demand standpoint. Granted, feast/famine is tied to supply/demand, but one is an economic model, the other an ecological one.

All of my knowledge and interest in particle physics comes in to where it crosses paths with quantum mechanics (and trust me, on one level or another, EVERYTHING fucking crosses paths with quantum mechanics). It is a fairly esoteric field, with no immediate marketable returns on the research (though, as it was pointed out, an engineer can make a mint on any proved theory). What scares me, I guess, is that this scientific famine will not spawn the needed wave of intellectual innovation, but rather, will lead to a scientific cul-de-sac. It has happened before, and will happen again. Funding makes the world go round, but it also makes or breaks the horizon line of what cutting edge science can discover.

It scares me to consider the depth of control that bureaucracy and private industry seeking profit has over the process of knowledge gaining. Do you think humankind, as a social organism, is capable of making the innovative steps to overcome the lack of research not funded by a controlling interest? Christ I hope so.

Of course, as I am posting this, my attention was brought to this IDT Poll by the AFA . The results made me want to cry.

Alive, sorta.  Made it back from Buffalo anyway.  Snowed under at work, and seriously stressing about the other apartment.   Le Sigh.

Quiz to lighten your Friday.  As always, I will post the true answers, and laugh at the wit and wisdom of my wonderful friends, who never cease to crack me up with these things.

so i will be checking into a hotel tonight for the remainder of the conference due to transportation woes. internet connection iffy at best. if you really need me, hit the cell, or send me a text message.