This (and it’s counterparts) video is a couple of years old. Part of Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim”, I find them to be absolutely brilliant and hilarious.
Enjoy the New Adventures of the Wonder Twins. Update: Just for the record, I have always *loved* the Wonder Twins. Next to “Oh Mighty Isis”, they have the coolest chant and sound effects when they use their powers.
If someone wants to show me how to sketch the following ellipse, I would be most appreciative. It’s the last question I have to do for my latest round of math homework. I’ve figured everything else out on the handout, but the numbers before the variables are throwing me off.
9x2 + 64y2 = 1
121 81
Yesterday on NPR one of the shows (I think it was “Day To Day”) featured a discussion with land-owners and an assortment of politicians arguing over the building of the fence along the U.S.-Mexican border. Many land owners and citizens in communities along the border are opposed to the construction of the fence; the Bush administration is apparently bypassing several laws and literally just “bulldozing” their way through to build this fence. A link to the story is here.
I was listening to arguments for the fence as shared by Republican congressman Duncan Hunter of San Diego and agreeing with some of his points, but then he said something that I found ridiculous and he completely lost me. To paraphrase his quote: “The fence will stop cocaine from crossing the board and poisoning our children.”
Uh, no.
Border fence aside, if children are doing cocaine then it’s the result of bad parenting and a faulty education system. Building a 1000-mile fence is not going to make bad parents better and it’s not going to make our educational system stronger. This same fence is not going to stop illegal immigrants and drugs from crossing into the U.S. either. It’s a waste of money. It’s a waste of time. And it tramples the rights of many. Remember when the U.S. was the “land of the free” and many aspired to come here?
You know, it must suck to live in a constant state of fear. The current administration has done it’s best to make sure that we are constantly scared. Remember the whole “plastic and duct tape” mess a few years ago? “We might be attacked, by plastic and duct tape to protect your home.” “We have to hear what the bad guys are saying so we have to compromise your freedom and listen into any private phone call anywhere at anytime.” “We need to see what money is going to the Middle East so we are going to monitor all bank transactions.” Land of the Free? Not anymore.
Be afraid, be very afraid. That’s what they want.
The Bible beating crowd is big on fear. “Believe what it is in this book or you’re going to burn, burn, burn in hell.” “Be afraid of Him”. Funny, I always thought that “He” (and I don’t subscribe to that concept of a male God) was an all loving God. To make God into a judgmental, cranky man that will send one of his creations into eternal damnation for eating a burger on Friday* is sort of ridiculous if you really think about the logic.
Here’s the thing. I’m not afraid of much. I’m not afraid of being bombed, I’m not afraid of being gay, I’m not afraid of being gassed by bad meanies from another part of the world, I’m not afraid of being killed. What’s the worst that could happen? That I’ll die? I look at it this way: when it’s my time to go, it’s my time to go. My belief system (which includes reincarnation) tells me that I’ve already sort of planned this go around at life and that in some innate way I’ll know when it’s time to go and I’ll go as I planned before I started all this. Those that remain after I go will learn the lessons that they need to learn from my passing and how I passed, because we sort of discussed it before we were born.
A lot has changed in the 39 3/4 years I’ve been around. Hell, a lot has changed in the past eight years. Do I still believe in the world? I do.
I’m just not afraid of it.
* I have never understood the “no meat on Friday” thing, I’m just using it as a random example and is not meant to offend anyone that believes in that.
My reactions to tonight’s Top 9 on American Idol. I write these blog entries as the show progresses and I don’t edit as I’m going along.
Tonight it’s Dolly Parton night. I’ve always been a fan of Dolly. Any guesses as to who will sing “Islands In The Stream”? I’m guessing a rock version from David Cook.
Here we go.
Dolly is looking good but a little plastic. Not too bad though. The reconstructed cheekbones always throw me. At least she doesn’t look like Priscilla Presley.
1. Brooke White, “Jolene”. Typical Brooke performance. I like her but I’m finding her performances a little too predictable now. A few pitch issues in the first part of the first chorus? She doesn’t look entirely comfortable on the stage.
Please for the love of God, someone please up Paula’s dosage so she’s just passed out. It would be such a more enjoyable show if Paula didn’t have to negate every negative comment the others make.
2. David Cook, “Little Sparrow (original arrangement)”. Oddly for me, the beard doesn’t negate the bad haircut. I can totally see Daughtry doing this version. That being said, I’m rather enjoying it. Hate the waving hands in the mosh pit. I liked it for the most part, aside from the ending. I thought the ending didn’t work at all.
3. Ramiele Malubay, “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind”. Her clothes always look sloppy to me. They don’t fit and they look cheap. The performance lacks energy and I could never see a full concert or listen to a full album by her. Bottom three material.
I love the new Apple commercial with the yoga instructor.
4. Jason Castro, “Traveling Through”. Oh god. I hope he surprises me this week. Never mind, it’s not going to happen. Same old. Same old. Pitch is perfect, performance is predictable. Like Ramiele, I don’t think I could listen to an entire album or watch an entire concert by him. For what it is it’s o.k.
5. Carly Smithson, “Here You Come Again”. I’m liking the arrangement of the track. Carly is nailing the pitch and energy of the performance. This is the first time I’ve been slightly reminded of a Céline like quality to her voice. Best performance thus far. I thought Simon was a little harsh, but I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY DO NOT like Ryan’s sniping back at Simon. I think Ryan Seacrest is going way above and beyond his role as “host” and not in a good way.
Still missing the oval around the logo on the bumper.
6. David Archuleta, “Smoky Mountain Memories”. His voice is angelic. He can sing the phone book and make it sound like a hit. He’s got an AC (adult contemporary) thing going on and now I see him as the heir to the path forged by Clay Aiken. Why is he wearing ear pieces? I’ve noticed this on him for the past two weeks.
7. Kristy Lee Cook, “Coat of Many Colors”. Carmen Rasmusen without the yodel. The performance lacks energy. Pitch issues throughout the bridge. She saved herself with the last phrase. I’m not impressed. Who is voting for her? I agree with Simon: pleasant but forgettable. Why does Ryan Seacrest mention her french pedicure and how is it that he knows about these things? I don’t like Kristy’s snarky comments back to Simon.
8. Syesha Mercado, “I Will Always Love You”. The song choice was exceedingly predictable. She’s making it different from both Dolly and Whitney. I appreciate that. Pitch was on. I’m liking the way she phrased the chorus. Wow, I’m impressed with the way she held out the notes on the phrase at the end. Impressive, I wasn’t expecting it.
9. Michael Johns, “It’s All Wrong But It’s Alright”. I like Michael but I’m not liking this performance. It’s sounds way too much like Michael Bolton to me. The last bluesy part of the chorus worked for me else I found it non-engaging.
Please, someone, please up Paula’s dosage.
As an American gay man I should care about the upcoming Presidential election. I believe that the direction of the United States is wavering in all sorts of hideous directions, as well as probably backtracking a bit these days and we need a good solid leader in the starring role to get things back on track. I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but there are two nominees left vying for the chance from the Democratic side of the stage. Their names are Hillary and Barack. Perhaps you’ve heard of them.
I’m trying really, really hard to maintain interest in this upcoming election. I want to be informed, I want to know the issues and I want to cast an intelligent vote when that right comes up in November. I’m trying desperately to listen to all sides of all arguments so that I can form my own point of view.
What concerns me is this bickering back and forth between Hillary and Barack. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Barack’s words ring hollow to me though I can’t put my finger on why. There’s something about him that does not sit well with my intuition. I don’t really care for him and I could never put in words why I feel this way. Perhaps I haven’t done enough research. I know his speeches sound promising but I don’t hear HOW he’s going to accomplish his vision. I just know that he has a vision and that he’s going to do it. I’d like to know how.
Hillary, whom I supported early on in the political season, is starting to grate on my nerves. I think she knows her stuff and I think she’d make a great leader. She has spit to go along with her polish. But many aren’t buying it. Much of it is not her fault. (People: give up the whole Monica Lewinsky thing, it was a blow job for God’s sake, he didn’t pre-empt the Second Coming or anything.) However, I can’t help but pick out an affectation in her voice that makes her sound less than cuddly. I don’t like the way she sounds in her speeches these days. She’s not talking to me: the American citizen; she’s talking to the country as a whole and it sounds that way. I want a candidate that speaks to me. He or she may be speaking to a group of people, but I want to feel engaged in the conversation. I don’t want to be talked AT, I want to feel like I’m listening on a conversation. To me she’s sounding a little desperate.
I don’t believe that Hillary should drop out of the race at this stage of the game. That wouldn’t be fair to those of us that are still up for a primary election in the coming weeks. But if anyone is going to be a member of a “new-generation of political leaders”, then the two candidates need to suck it up, calm down and start talking with the American people about what THEY are going to do, not what the other should do or won’t do.
I’m hoping that regardless of the outcome of the Democratic convention that we’ll have a ticket that’s either Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama. Unfortunately I fear that egos will prevent that from happening.
A rainy day chat as I drive to school, talking about my weekend activities, cell phones and grades that have gone to the dogs.
[MEDIA=52]Still charged from a whirlwind of a weekend, I am back home and getting back into school mode. This past weekend I was the sound engineer for two performances of “It’s Raining Men!” by the Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus. The show is fantastic and if you’re in the area you should take the opportunity to see one of the shows on the 5th or 19th of April. More information can be found on their website.
I have always loved the art of sound engineering: working closely with the production director and stage manager to understand exactly what they need, running cables, placing microphones in the best location, tweaking equipment, following director cues and finding the right sound to show off the performers without startling the audience. Sound design and production has always been my favorite component of performing. I’m excited to have the chance to lend my skills to this fabulous group. They’re also a great bunch of people. I’m looking forward to next weekend’s performance in Norwalk, Conn.
I’ll probably make a video blog entry today while en route to school. It’s time to put this new Mac through it’s paces.
So this is the first time I’ve owned a Mac that has a built-in iSight. I know they’ve been around for a number of years, but I’m just getting hip.
Here’s the obligatory picture just snapped at the kitchen table.
And today the third generation of Macs in our house begins. My PowerBook G4 (3 1/2 years old) is being relegated to exclusive DJ duties. Earl’s original Mac Mini G4 is up for sale, as is his iBook G4.
The two new guys in the Macinhouse include a MacBook Pro 2.5gHz for me and a 2.4gHz for Earl. Mine is faster because of the video editing I do (it also comes with more video RAM). They are both 15-inch glossy screens. After living in G4 land for the past 3+ years I think we are going to notice a considerable speed increase.
Life has been interesting this week. Midterm grades came out on Wednesday and I am not happy with my progress; more specifically that damned MA122 Calculus class featuring Professor Frightful and his cast of voices in the chalkboard. I don’t know if it’s approaching middle age, an inherited genetic disposition or what but I can not retain what I learn in that class. Let me look at the book and I can calculate a problem six ways from Sunday. Throw an exam in front of me and I can’t remember one of the six thousand “rules” and “formulas” that we have been given. Hell, I barely remember my name.
In today’s business climate one hears about “corporate speak”. One phrase that pops up is “give me the low hanging fruit”. I absolutely dislike this approach to most things but when it comes to calculus, I want to know what formula to use, how to use it and how to derive my answer. I don’t really care about the theory behind it. My goal is to score well on the test. I know this is a poor way to approach learning but I figure that if I have the basics then I’ll be fine because when I return to the “real world” I’ll have a computer at my desk that’s attached to the internet and anything I need to know will be just an expertly worded Google inquiry away.
My other courses are aces and I’m really happy about that. The information taught in my engineering classes comes naturally to me. Even physics, which I never had in high school, is coming relatively easy to me because the professor provides a list of every equation that’s been discussed in the class for each exam and quiz. He doesn’t tell WHAT the equations are for, he just lists the equations and it’s up to you to figure out which one is applicable to a problem. I like this approach and if Professor Frightful would listen to my voice instead of the ones in the chalkboard and do the same I think I would be able to score at least a “B” in the course.
Today we moved onto another subject and he spent 15 minutes proving some complicated formula involving limits approaching infinity, exponents, greek letters and division. After he rattles all this information around and half the class falls asleep, I raise my hand and say, “So when the exponents fall to the denominator, you can drop the variable completely?” His reply was “Yes”. I resisted the urge to say “Why didn’t you just say so?”
Low hanging fruit. Just tell me when to drop what and I’m good to go.
Just a guy with a husband. We’ve been together 28 years and he still makes me see fireworks on a daily basis. Hiker. Storm Chaser. Private Pilot. Tech Guy. Hackerish.
Weird? Eccentric!
