it has taken 23+ years, but i actually like hip hop music now. i used to never be able to stand it, but i've been brainwashed by my friends and mtv.
being a new member of the hiphop fan club, i don't know everyone and if they are good or not, but there are a couple people i really like.
kayne west and twista are really good. kayne just makes really good music and twista has quick rhymes. he actually beat busta rhymes for fastest rapper. i don't know what kind of quantitative measures they took to determine that, but there you go.
as far as new groups or new albums (or new to me) go, i am a huge fan of wookie foot. these guys are great. i have finally realized the musical genius that is outkast. also just started getting into atmosphere, it's just a ten letter word.
jet, the postal service, white stripes, mars volta, the new alanis, the new incubus, modest mouse, and shamed as i am to admit it, new found glory.
for me, music never really took on an important status in my life until sometime in my senior year of high school. now it's the background to most of my life. we'll sit around and just listen to music. we'll drive around and just listen to music. i love hearing a song and having the memories it is associated with pop up in my head. good times.
and can someone please explain to me why jessica simpson's little sister ashley(?) gets her own ablum and i still don't have my own tv show?
5.18.2004
5.17.2004
5.16.2004
...and the well ran dry
if you imbibe the amount of alcohol in order to black out, an interesting thing happens. the cause of the blackout is the hippocampus. or more specifically, the hippocampus stops working.
the purpose of the hippocampus is to transfer information from the short-term to the long-term memory. now when you get really drunk, it just shuts off and doesn't transfer the memory--your experience--to storage.
since short term is that, short term. i would think that when you reach blackout stage, you aren't really aware about why you are doing something, just that you are doing it. think about it. if you can only remember back 30 seconds you won't remember why the cops are using tasers on you, only that they hurt.
i used to think that you did create and store the memories, you just broke the retrieval system for those memories. but you don't even store the experience. it never exists inside your head!
if you think that our memories and experiences define our reality, the fact that these memories--and effectively, the experiences--do not exist your reality may be skewed.
it is a good thing i subscribe to a theory of objective, concrete reality.
the purpose of the hippocampus is to transfer information from the short-term to the long-term memory. now when you get really drunk, it just shuts off and doesn't transfer the memory--your experience--to storage.
since short term is that, short term. i would think that when you reach blackout stage, you aren't really aware about why you are doing something, just that you are doing it. think about it. if you can only remember back 30 seconds you won't remember why the cops are using tasers on you, only that they hurt.
i used to think that you did create and store the memories, you just broke the retrieval system for those memories. but you don't even store the experience. it never exists inside your head!
if you think that our memories and experiences define our reality, the fact that these memories--and effectively, the experiences--do not exist your reality may be skewed.
it is a good thing i subscribe to a theory of objective, concrete reality.
5.10.2004
read and be amazed by our government.
both by the dem senator from minnesota and the geniuses in the administration as they discuss the cbs report on the iraqi prisoner photos. (transcript from washington post)
towards end of hearing...
MEYERS: I called CBS to ask them to delay the pictures showing on CBS's "60 Minutes" because I thought it would result in direct harm...
Sen. Mark Dayton (D-Minn.): Mr. Secretary, is that standard procedure for the military command of this country to try to suppress a news report at the highest level?
MYERS: It didn't -- let me just -- Senator Dayton, this is a serious allegation...
DAYTON: Sure is.
MYERS: ... and it's absolutely -- the context of your question, I believe, is wrong.
DAYTON: I understand the context, General, you...
MYERS: Let me just...
DAYTON: ... told us the context earlier. I have very limited time, sir.
(CROSSTALK)
MYERS: I want to take as much time as we need to straighten this out.
This report -- the report was already out there, the news was out there about the abuse...
DAYTON: General, if the news had been out there and we had all known about it...
(CROSSTALK)
Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va). (Chairman): Senator, I ask that the witness be allowed to respond to your question. They're very important questions.
General, would you proceed?
MYERS: Thank you, sir.
Thank you, Senator Dayton.
This was not to suppress anything. What I asked CBS News to do was to delay the release of the pictures, given the current situation in Iraq, which was as bad as it had been since major combat ended, because I thought it bring direct harm to our troops; it would kill our troops.
We talked about it, and I said, "I know this report will eventually come out. But this -- if you can delay it for some period of time -- it would be helpful."
DAYTON: What period of time is that?
MYERS: I did it based on talking to General Abizaid and his worry was like mine, and he convinced me that this was the right thing to do. There was no -- this report has been around since January. What was new were the pictures. I asked for the pictures to be delayed.
DAYTON: Did you discuss delaying -- calling CBS to ask them to delay their report, with the secretary of defense, or the vice president or the president?
MYERS: Of course not.
DAYTON: None of those.
MYERS: Of course not.
DAYTON: I would just say, General -- and I agree with your assessment of the consequences of this on our troops, and that's the great tragedy of this, but attempts to suppress news reports, to withhold the truth from Congress and from the American people is antithetical to democracy.
MYERS: You bet it is. And that's not what we were doing.
DAYTON: And whatever the intentions may be, sir, the result is always the same. And it's, I think, terribly tragic that the president, who wants to expand democracy around the world, by actions of his own administration is undermining that democracy in the United States.
DAYTON: That's always the result when people try to control information, delay it, manage it and suppress it, it has that result. It's antithetical to a democracy.
RUMSFELD: May I speak a minute, Mr. Senator?
Throughout the history of this country, there have been instances where military situations have existed that have led government to talk to members of the media and make an editorial request of them that they delay for some period disclosing some piece of information. It is not against our history. It is not against our principles. It is not suppression of the news. And it's a misunderstanding of the situation to say it is.
DAYTON: It is against our principles. It's against our principles when you come before 40 to 45 members of the Senate three hours before that news report is going to occur and don't mention one word about it, sir.
That is antithetical to democracy and the Constitution, which has the Senate and the House as co-equal responsibility for this country.
I want to just ask about the escalation of American forces, sir. You're bringing in, in response to all of this -- and this is also important. This is the future of this nation and the people who are over there.
You're increasing the number of forces, the number of tanks over there. How can this have anything to do but to escalate the level of violence, the opposition of Iraqis, intensify the hatred across the Arab world to the United States, and more atrocities? How can this have any result other than to put us deeper into this situation and make the conditions there worse for our forces and for our nation and for the world?
man, nov 2 can't come fast enough
towards end of hearing...
MEYERS: I called CBS to ask them to delay the pictures showing on CBS's "60 Minutes" because I thought it would result in direct harm...
Sen. Mark Dayton (D-Minn.): Mr. Secretary, is that standard procedure for the military command of this country to try to suppress a news report at the highest level?
MYERS: It didn't -- let me just -- Senator Dayton, this is a serious allegation...
DAYTON: Sure is.
MYERS: ... and it's absolutely -- the context of your question, I believe, is wrong.
DAYTON: I understand the context, General, you...
MYERS: Let me just...
DAYTON: ... told us the context earlier. I have very limited time, sir.
(CROSSTALK)
MYERS: I want to take as much time as we need to straighten this out.
This report -- the report was already out there, the news was out there about the abuse...
DAYTON: General, if the news had been out there and we had all known about it...
(CROSSTALK)
Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va). (Chairman): Senator, I ask that the witness be allowed to respond to your question. They're very important questions.
General, would you proceed?
MYERS: Thank you, sir.
Thank you, Senator Dayton.
This was not to suppress anything. What I asked CBS News to do was to delay the release of the pictures, given the current situation in Iraq, which was as bad as it had been since major combat ended, because I thought it bring direct harm to our troops; it would kill our troops.
We talked about it, and I said, "I know this report will eventually come out. But this -- if you can delay it for some period of time -- it would be helpful."
DAYTON: What period of time is that?
MYERS: I did it based on talking to General Abizaid and his worry was like mine, and he convinced me that this was the right thing to do. There was no -- this report has been around since January. What was new were the pictures. I asked for the pictures to be delayed.
DAYTON: Did you discuss delaying -- calling CBS to ask them to delay their report, with the secretary of defense, or the vice president or the president?
MYERS: Of course not.
DAYTON: None of those.
MYERS: Of course not.
DAYTON: I would just say, General -- and I agree with your assessment of the consequences of this on our troops, and that's the great tragedy of this, but attempts to suppress news reports, to withhold the truth from Congress and from the American people is antithetical to democracy.
MYERS: You bet it is. And that's not what we were doing.
DAYTON: And whatever the intentions may be, sir, the result is always the same. And it's, I think, terribly tragic that the president, who wants to expand democracy around the world, by actions of his own administration is undermining that democracy in the United States.
DAYTON: That's always the result when people try to control information, delay it, manage it and suppress it, it has that result. It's antithetical to a democracy.
RUMSFELD: May I speak a minute, Mr. Senator?
Throughout the history of this country, there have been instances where military situations have existed that have led government to talk to members of the media and make an editorial request of them that they delay for some period disclosing some piece of information. It is not against our history. It is not against our principles. It is not suppression of the news. And it's a misunderstanding of the situation to say it is.
DAYTON: It is against our principles. It's against our principles when you come before 40 to 45 members of the Senate three hours before that news report is going to occur and don't mention one word about it, sir.
That is antithetical to democracy and the Constitution, which has the Senate and the House as co-equal responsibility for this country.
I want to just ask about the escalation of American forces, sir. You're bringing in, in response to all of this -- and this is also important. This is the future of this nation and the people who are over there.
You're increasing the number of forces, the number of tanks over there. How can this have anything to do but to escalate the level of violence, the opposition of Iraqis, intensify the hatred across the Arab world to the United States, and more atrocities? How can this have any result other than to put us deeper into this situation and make the conditions there worse for our forces and for our nation and for the world?
man, nov 2 can't come fast enough
quitting an addiction is for the weakwilled
i liked this personality test at animalinyou.com
i was either a hippo or zebra. i could be a gorilla.
i think that zebra fit best, though.
i was either a hippo or zebra. i could be a gorilla.
i think that zebra fit best, though.
5.09.2004
understanding as i know it
the other day at work we were getting rid of some oj that was going to expire the next day. the store policy is to toss out all out dated products. i took one of the ojs and drank it.
one guy at work said it was wrong to do that because it is against store policy. then another coworker said she thought it was immoral to waste good food like that. the guy said it didn't matter, wrong was wrong.
i said that defying company policy would be an ethical issue, and i have no problem being unethical. and if wasting food was immoral, then damnit let's drink this oj!
the guy went back to stating that wrong is wrong.
now, i realize moral relativisim is a slippery slope. but that is just as bad as thinking there should be no latitude in the severity of an offense.
it is amazing how much you can gleam from people based on one comment or one stance on a subject. among my coworkers, his stock dropped, and hers rose.
and the oj was delicious.
one guy at work said it was wrong to do that because it is against store policy. then another coworker said she thought it was immoral to waste good food like that. the guy said it didn't matter, wrong was wrong.
i said that defying company policy would be an ethical issue, and i have no problem being unethical. and if wasting food was immoral, then damnit let's drink this oj!
the guy went back to stating that wrong is wrong.
now, i realize moral relativisim is a slippery slope. but that is just as bad as thinking there should be no latitude in the severity of an offense.
it is amazing how much you can gleam from people based on one comment or one stance on a subject. among my coworkers, his stock dropped, and hers rose.
and the oj was delicious.
5.04.2004
nobodys romancing because its too early for dancing
wet bread is one of the grossest things i can imagine.
a sink of full of dirty dishes, soaking away in the soapy water. one hunk of white bread blown up like a sponge.
you can't grab it and pick it up because it will just disintegrate in your hand. like a piece of decaying tissue.
correction, it is the grossest thing i can imagine. i was gagging just writing these couple sentences.
i bring it up because i was watching "surviving nugent" tonight on vh1. and they had a contest where one person would jump in a vat of baked beans then their partner would have to remove the beans from the first person with their mouth and fill up a can. it was one of the creepiest things i have ever seen. their were 3 pairs. one set of girls, a mixed couple and 2 guys. the guys won.
ted nugent is a crazy, crazy man, but he has a hot wife. and anytime i see a whack job or an ugly guy with a hottie, it gives me faith that beautiful women will put up with ugly whack jobs like myself.
/change subject/
i respect tilman (the pro football player that quit to join the army and died in afghanistan) and believe what he did was right and good. but the excessive media coverage by espn and other stations is wearing thin.
are acts of deceny of moral uprightness that few and far between in our society that the ones do happen must be elevated to some larger proportion? where is the coverage of all the other service men and women that have given their lives for this great nation?
giving up riches does not give your greatness. having athletic prowress but giving it up for public service does not give you greatness. to borrow a page from shoes, only greatness gives you greatness.
tilman was a great man. so media, please don't diminish it by forcing your commentary down my throat. i will discuss life and death when i want to.
a sink of full of dirty dishes, soaking away in the soapy water. one hunk of white bread blown up like a sponge.
you can't grab it and pick it up because it will just disintegrate in your hand. like a piece of decaying tissue.
correction, it is the grossest thing i can imagine. i was gagging just writing these couple sentences.
i bring it up because i was watching "surviving nugent" tonight on vh1. and they had a contest where one person would jump in a vat of baked beans then their partner would have to remove the beans from the first person with their mouth and fill up a can. it was one of the creepiest things i have ever seen. their were 3 pairs. one set of girls, a mixed couple and 2 guys. the guys won.
ted nugent is a crazy, crazy man, but he has a hot wife. and anytime i see a whack job or an ugly guy with a hottie, it gives me faith that beautiful women will put up with ugly whack jobs like myself.
/change subject/
i respect tilman (the pro football player that quit to join the army and died in afghanistan) and believe what he did was right and good. but the excessive media coverage by espn and other stations is wearing thin.
are acts of deceny of moral uprightness that few and far between in our society that the ones do happen must be elevated to some larger proportion? where is the coverage of all the other service men and women that have given their lives for this great nation?
giving up riches does not give your greatness. having athletic prowress but giving it up for public service does not give you greatness. to borrow a page from shoes, only greatness gives you greatness.
tilman was a great man. so media, please don't diminish it by forcing your commentary down my throat. i will discuss life and death when i want to.
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