The Lounge

Creativity is just connecting things

2010-06-21T18:21:00.002-04:00

when you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. it seemed obvious to them after a while. that’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. and the reason they were able to do that was that they’ve had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people.
unfortunately, that’s too rare a commodity. a lot of people in our industry haven’t had very diverse experiences. so they don’t have enough dots to connect, and they end up with very linear solutions without a broad perspective on the problem.

the broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.

--steve@apple.com

the road

2008-12-09T03:12:00.014-05:00

although the story is as slow, long and winding as the journey therein described, cormac mccarthy's haunting touch of symbolism and allegory is remarkable. select passages which struck this reader follow... an abstract purposefulness guided by the state of an empty, tortured land...

"Reflecting back the sun deep in the darkness like a flash of knives in a cave." p.35

"Tattered gods slouching in their rags across the waste. Trekking the dried floor of a mineral sea where it lay cracked and broken like a fallen plate. Paths of feral fire in the coagulate sands." p.44

"He walked out in the gray light and stood and he saw for a brief moment the absolute truth of the world. The cold relentless circling of the intestate earth. Darkness implacable. The blind dogs of the sun in their running. The crushing black vacuum of the universe. And somewhere two hunted animals trembling like ground-foxes in their cover. Borrowed time and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it." p.110

"He thought each memory recalled must do some violence to its origins. As in a party game. Say the word and pass it on. So be sparing. What you alter in the remembering has yet a reality, known or not." p.111

"'Where men can't live gods fare no better.'" [old man] p.145

"...dwindling slowly on the road behind them like some storybook peddler from an antique time, dark and bent and spider thin and soon to vanish forever." p.147

"Bleak dawn in the east. The alien sun commencing its cold transit." p.150

"The soft black talc blew through the streets like squid ink uncoiling along a sea floor and the cold crept down and the dark came early and the scavengers passing down the steep canyons with their torches trod silky holes in the drifted ash that closed behind them as silently as eyes." p.152

"...and the bleak and shrouded earth went trundling past the sun and returned again as trackless and as unremarked as the path of any nameless sisterworld in the ancient dark beyond." p.153

"I was crying. But you didn't wake up./ I'm sorry. I was just so tired./ I meant in the dream." p.154

"Out there was the gray beach with the slow combers rolling dull and leaden and the distant sound of it. Like the desolation of some alien sea breaking on the shores of a world unheard of." p. 181

"The razorous shoulder blades sawing under the pale skin. ...and listened to the roll of the surf in the bay. The long shudder and fall of it. ..." p.184

"There were few nights lying in the dark that he did not envy the dead." p.194

"Ten thousand dreams ensepulchred within their crozzled hearts." p. 230

grey coastlines and silhouettes

2008-12-06T05:51:00.002-05:00

New Jersey Turnpike ridin' on a wet night
'neath the refinery's glow, out where
the great black rivers flow
License, registration, I ain't got none
but I got a clear conscience
'Bout the things that I done
Mister state trooper, please don't stop me
Please don't stop me, please don't stop me

Maybe you got a kid, maybe you got a pretty wife
the only thing that I got's
been both'rin' me my whole life
Mister state trooper, please don't stop me
Please don't stop me, please don't stop me

In the wee wee hours your mind gets hazy,
radio relay towers lead me to my baby
Radio's jammed up with talk show stations
It's just talk, talk, talk, talk,
till you lose your patience
Mister state trooper, please don't stop me

Hey, somebody out there, listen to my last prayer
Hi, Ho, silver oh, deliver me from nowhere

-- b.s.

in verse and vernacular

2008-08-05T03:49:00.005-04:00

today i came across two pieces of literature i hope to explore further: meditations in an emergency by frank o'hara and tompkins square park by q. sakamaki.

the former, a collection of verses delving into the culture of mid-twentieth century americana - the latter, a photographic tale of poverty, protest, and progress in new york city's lower east side during the late 1980s. the photographer's modern pieces are informed by his continuous observation of human misery during his years living in one of new york's more destitute neighborhoods. sakamaki has captured the struggles of the less fortunate across many countries; his pictures can be viewed here.

the road, a fictional work by cormac mccarthy, also awaits my examination.

structured light

2008-07-16T01:43:00.001-04:00

hell

2008-07-10T00:34:00.008-04:00

cut
inside out
caged

venemous, cut in spite
blood in spit
shivering
flickering

do not disturb

.

06:14

2006-12-09T07:04:00.000-05:00

walking back home from the library.
birds awake, riot on tree tops.
the sun is still below the horizon.
the sky is deep aqua-green, it seems not of this earth.
i wish i had my camera.
but in the cloudy twilight, no digital box can capture
this indescribable colour.

literature & citizenship & revolution

2006-11-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

this past thursday students and the general public were treated to a conversation with arthur danto, established american art critic, and orhan pamuk, turkish novelist and 2006 nobel prize laureate in literature. the event took place on campus at miller theater, for free, and was part of a series of events being held to recognize vaclav havel's fall residency here at the school. havel is a czech writer and playwright, but in the late 80's he was also one of the leaders of the velvet revolution, the bloodless revolution which at last overthrew the communist government of czechoslovakia in december 1989. havel then retained the position of president of the czech republic. his is a wondrous story, having been imprisoned for years for political activity in theater and the arts.

A demonstration on Wenceslas Square in Prague on the twentieth anniversary of Jan Palach's death. Palach was a philosophy student who, on January 19, 1969, committed suicide by self-immolation in protest of the Warsaw Pact force invasion of Czechoslovakia. Two decades later, during what became known as "Palach Week" between January 15th and 21st 1989, thousands of police and militia clashed with thousands of demonstrators. Havel was among several activists who received prison sentences for "hooliganism" during these events. Source: Human Rights Watch Archives, Columbia University (Entry ID: 001005)

October 1989: protestors in Prague face riot police, shouting, "We have empty hands!" Source: The Charter 77 Foundation (Entry ID: 001023)

the danto/pamuk conversation ranged widely over various topics from the past and present, but generally focused on the relationship between literature and citizenship, as the title of session intended. at first it seems there is not much of a relationship, purported danto, and wondered what role citizenship plays in countries like the czech and turkey. over the next hour and a half, however, it became clear that a writer is most often influenced by the people and the places and the ideas of his/her country, although the idea and value of citizenship varies from nation to nation. it was also interesting to hear pamuk's journey as a writer: a young man from a wealthy family who wanted to be a painter, but, discouraged by his mother, decided to be a writer; a writer whose father left for paris and lost almost all their wealth; a writer who roamed the earth for decades, writing and smoking, and exploring, partially financially funded by his father until he was 30. he will be writing two more novels as sequels to his latest novel istanbul: memories and the city. pamuk came across as somewhat grumpy, and usually simply responded to danto's questions, never positing any questions of his own; the conversation thus became more of an interview.

pamuk, like havel, seemed like a man with strong convictions. in 2005, pamuk made statements regarding the armenian genocide of 1915-1917, where hundreds of thousands (or perhaps millions) of armenians were killed by the turkish government during the reign of the ottoman empire. he believed the turkish government was hiding the truth from its people in order to preserve turkish nationality. for his statements, pamuk was criminally charged. after much legal action and recrimination, by amnesty and the international community, the charges were dropped in 2006. pamuk has stated that his comments were made to expose the issue of freedom of speech in turkey, where citizenship is thought of, not as an ideal of freedom as it is in north america, but as a duty to the state and a form of obedience. although the belief is true, whether this was his initial intention is anyone's guess.

sigur ros

2006-11-04T01:13:00.000-05:00

sigur ros, band out of iceland since 1994, released their first album in 1997. they have a really amazing sound, and make some very cool videos. if you just wanna chill out in another world, this is some great music. i dont even know how to describe it; features of radiohead stretched further along n-dimensional axes - a must listen. here's one video i enjoyed, just a sample from the multitude of sounds these guys can play (the lead guitarist often uses a cello bow on his electric guitar, dramatic effects)...

Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros (from the album Takk)

another song you should check out, and the song that got me hooked on sigur ros, is untitled 8 from the album (). this makes iceland 2/2 for musicians ive heard from the country and musicians i like (bjork)! perhaps more musical treasures are hidden on that far off island..

"the path to ruin"

2006-11-03T13:11:00.000-05:00

this past wednesday students had the distinct priviledge of attending a conversation between jonathan ledgard, a foreign correspondent with the economist since 1996, and jeffrey sachs, one of the most important economists of our time. he was economic advisor to bill clinton, and is currently professor of health policy and management here at columbia, and fills many other capacities as well. he is a special advisor to the secretary of the un, and director of the un millenium project. in 2005 his book the end of poverty was published (perhaps some time i will get around to reading it).

the purpose of this live seminar/conversation/debate was to explore the factors involved in creating the abject conditions in the region of the sahel (see map), especially somalia and the sudan; specifically, they examined the causes for the deep instability leading to wars and, worse yet, genocides, as seen in darfur.

sachs is known for his holistic, enviromental approach of dealing with the crises in the sahel. he believes that three environmental factors lead to societal backlash and political unrest: 1) inability to grow food, 2) disease, 3) physical isolation (from resources). i think these three are very much connected since disease often stems from lack of proper nutrients and medical attention.

he also showed an interesting graph which charted the precipitation in the sahel region over the past 90 years or so. from about 1910 to 1960, rain was abundant during rainy season. however, since about 1970, there hasn't been one significant rainy season. researchers used to believe that the region was so arid due to the constant mining of the environment (cutting down trees, plants, removing water/nutrients from the ecological system), but now contend that these dramatic changes seen over the past century are the result of global climate changes, including changing sea surface temperatures.

these environmental factors are easy ignore when thousands are dying in wars, and governments remain shackled and powerless. in fact, currently somalia is without a standing government. by tackling the underlying environmental and health issues, sachs argues, societal unrest and political upheaval will decrease.

to exacerbate circumstances, enter the taliban. the taliban movement is actively involved in recruiting members to its legions, and to the thousands suffering in extreme poverty, any tangible group promising hope may be welcomed. indeed, the taliban controls many courts in central and western somalia, and there are fears that by inciting violence against the other political parties of somalia, and against neighbouring ethiopia, another war is looming. to make matters more interesting, ethiopia is a predominantly christian nation, and has the backing of the united states.

according to ledgard, there have been 41 genocides/politicides since 1955. truly an astounding number. efforts have been made to predict when and where a genocide may occur; in fact, there are 7 risk factors or indicators that are actually quite accurate in predicting the occurence of a genocide. somehow, despite these early warning systems within the cia, financial commitment to the program is lacking. investments by the usa to an instable region are almost always military, despite any warning indicators: $550 billion in military development/activity versus $4 billion in societal developmental programs (food, medication, water, housing, tools, etc). sachs believes that by funding such societal developmental programs, the root causes of the political unrest and the wars will be eliminated. sachs is imploring governments to shift their financial targets from the military to the people and the land of the impoverished nations.

ledgard has written an article (titled the path to ruin) in the august 10th issue of the economist aptly describing the dire state of affairs in the horn of africa.

lastly, ledgard commented on the state of journalism. despite the increased need to aid the people of africa, media coverage of the region has actually decreased in the past decade. even the bbc has scaled back its deployment of reporters to the area. he finds this depressing, and yet challenging, urging journalism students to continue to fight to bring the important truths to the rest of the world. the internet has increased the pace of the 24/7 news cycle, and as a collective society, we rarely have time to engage in substantial discussion about each important topic.

sachs of course has his critics. there are many who believe that throwing more money at the problem has been tried before, and has failed. one man, professor william easterly at new york university, is an especially strong critic (it has been reported that the two men are not on speaking terms). i agree with easterly in some ways: much of any financial aid provided to these nations is largely swallowed by corrupt officials, thus necessitating a grassroots effort aimed at helping one family and one village at a time. this perspective eschews the holistic approach advocated by sachs. more about this can be found online.

unfortunately, i wasn't afforded the opportunity to ask sachs a couple of questions, he was ushered out quickly; but he is speaking again soon, so maybe next time. overall, the event was very informative and engaging. although the subject itself was despairing, it was in a way inspiring to see people think and question and act in a way to bring about some form of change. although, even to the most strong willed of men, the ending of poverty may seem a Sisyphean task.

2006-10-30T23:30:00.000-05:00

Bam shicka bam shicka boom boom boom
Shalang shalang boom shalang shalong boom
Bam shicka bam shicka boom boom boom
Shalang shalang boom

spiritus ex machina (iv)

2006-10-29T15:14:00.000-05:00

Inhale quickly, deeply. Last stick of satisfaction, enjoy it. He searches his dirty pockets for loose change. Even his lighter is empty now, spent it. He pulls up his collar, back pushed against the brick wall. But there is no respite - the icy, biting wind is unheeding and incessant.

The embers of his cigarette glow fiery orange. No one notices in this bleak setting. Alone, he gazes into the world, thoughts vapid. It's this town, God forsaken shit town. It surrounded his vacant eyes. The empty shelves, the empty store, the empty parking lot, the empty homes, the empty...

Exahle, slowly. Let the poison seep out. He watches for his breath to linger in the air, but its every curve is affected with a forceful insouciance. A grey, woolen blanket that offers no warmth, it hung upon this town always, dull, heavy, joyless, "like second hand smoke", suffocating.

He closes his eyes and inhales, some satisfaction. Behind the warm shutters of his eyes, ah, some fiery color, the pulsing colors of glowing life, feeling the chemicals move through his blood, soothing his skin, appeasing some dark corner of his mind. Death by internal ablation, how thorough. My interpretations of reality are formed by merely these, different amounts of different chemicals: neurotransmitters, passing information from neuron to neuron, synaptic certainties. We are chemical machines.

Her embers glow brightly. 1,2,3... Dissipation. But if these chemicals determine how I behave, how I act, who controls these chemicals? Am I slave to these chemical interactions? Are my actions predetermined by a biological fate? Who then, or what, is 'I'?

Eyes open. He looks to the earth. The wind is still vitriolic, biting at his ears, and it is snowing. He sucks in the last remnants of satisfaction. Her orange embers flicker, suffering now it seems, for the end is near. Their's was a tacit relationship: she was never spared. An empty, vague apathy pervades this town, it occurs to him, insomuch as to border a collective nihilistic consciousness. God forsaken shit town. He feels the fire singe his fingertips, but within this shroud of numbness, it makes him feel real. A few more seconds, please...

He drops the stub to the cement. The snow is blowing almost horizontally through the air, pull your collar up fella, but it is in vain, his walk from here is into the wind. As intangible as the wind may be, ever more the ephemeral mind. These chemicals change and act in response to external stimuli. Thus, if my actions are defined by a series of sensory inputs, then perhaps these chemicals simply move through a series of states of being, states of mind, to define each of my actions. Inputs and outputs, cause and effect, this human complex, this self, can it be defined so simply, as an automaton?

Colder and faster, the flakes cut at his frigid skin. The snow, more than a foot deep, touches his knees, and he feels the ice creep into his bones. As the white blanket envelopes him, a furtive darkness has crept across his thoughts. Motionless, breathless, disembodied, spiteful, where the fuck is she? Alas, abandoned, by machinations of an immutable reality. A small house appears, bare and callous, perhaps there is warmth within.

A young girl of forgiving countenance has opened the door, but he cannot see her clearly now; beyond her stands a tall mirror. The reflection in the mirror becomes focused, and he can see himself: he is naked. The girl's voice is mellifluous and yet muffled by the howling winds. He is immobile, but he perceives, engrossed by the reflection. The body can never define the self, it is but a vessel for the burgeoning perceptions and ideas of the mind; it is merely the finite construct with which the mind may effect actions upon reality. But reality can-

The reflection is changing rapidly. He sees himself, an inchoate shadow in the middle of a deserted four-way intersection, and down each path, it seems to him, he can see forever, but he is still immobile. Perception and idea. If I am an automaton, defined by inputs and predictable outputs, the path I take is already decided. If, in this infinite space behind my eyes, this self, my self, can assert its will upon reality, however, then I become the actuator. And yet, my decision, though freely chosen, will be based on external information, inputs, I perceive in my reality. Furthermore, my decision, though freely chosen, will be based on the deterministic properties of cause and effect; specific knowable consequences will follow from my actions. But reality can-

The reflection is changing rapidly again. He sees himself as he is. Perception and idea. Free will of the self and the deterministic nature of the physical world may coexist; the self, an automaton of free will, is guided by the deterministic nature of reality. Yet, the self specifically, actuator of this automaton, remains utterly intangible. The door slams shut. A shadow passes through the gloomy white landscape, mindscape, inscape.

Eyes open. He has fallen. Frostbite, he thinks, a certain appropriation of the senses, even of time. He listens for voices and tries to scream, scream!, scream!! The wind is howling. A sickening dizziness stirs within him the thoughts of her burning, glowing embers. The young girl may find him in time. A fiery orange flame to melt all things frozen...

On the icy cement, the once burning stub is now nearly frozen. Save the cutting winds, there is no sound, but for the falling snow, there is no movement. An eerily calm violence has descended. This much is true, eventually all lights go out. Exhale.

viG ©

9009 (GOOG)

2006-10-27T06:32:00.000-04:00

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h4x0r

the following takes place between...

2006-10-20T17:31:00.000-04:00

...10:30am and 9:30pm, the next day. 1 day to finish this crazy assignment. dammit chloe, we're running out of time! somehow pulled it off. somehow stayed awake to submit and go to classes! 35 hour day, son of a bitch! harkens back the days of 265... guess im not that old yet! =)

2006-10-18T02:39:00.000-04:00

virgin times

2006-10-14T01:23:00.000-04:00

anyone here part of the 100 mile high club?

the new frontier is closer than we imagine. richard branson, the daring billionaire, is taking his virgin airline to far new heights with virgin galactic. in particular, about 100km into the sky, and higher. truly amazing!, this journey 99.99% of the world has only dreamed about.

currently the only way for citizens to experience the true weightlessness and breath-taking scenes of space is to pay up $20 million us to the russian space agency. virgin galactic promises to fly 500 passengers a year for about $200,000 us each, starting in 2009. sure, its still for the wealthy, but as with all technology, prices will soon come down. one can imagine, within our lifetime, that we will be booking spaceline tickets online (whatever 'online' is 20years from now). and many of our children will almost certainly be afforded the opportunity to see the curvature of the earth from above and afar.

which raises a lot of questions. who will be the first baby born outside of planet earth? does that make it some sorta alien? yowsah. =)

by fault of the media, the public has come to see much of technological and scientific growth as enormous spurts of achievement. what most of us rarely hear about is the small breakthrough on a cloudy day in a small research lab. after years of research in chemistry, materials science, aeronautics, and a multitude of other fields, and with great financial commitments, these kinds of advancements become possible.

it is man's natural ambition to explore and push boundaries, no matter how high the risks. many argue that we should first concern ourselves with the problems here on earth, disease, poverty, and education. but i strongly believe that man's pioneering adventures are just as important. where would we be had no brave soul set sail off the shores of europe? only history will gauge the success of our actions today; but one thing is certain, exploration must never be surrendered. by exploring our minds, our bodies, our world, and other far reaches, we learn, understand, and adapt more effectively in our changing environments.

centuries from now, when historians look back upon humanity in its youth, let us hope they see the forebearer of an evolved future. let us hope that man's instinct to advance his state of being will never cease, for it is the soul of progress.

the stars, though near
may disappear
if, for fear,
we remain here...

images of the mind

2006-10-12T22:24:00.000-04:00

one of the most studied aspects of psychology deals with the ability of humans to generate images in the mind. although many studies have investigated this realm, there has yet to be found conclusive evidence for one imaging 'process' or another. it seems, in fact, that our brain uses different processes to build mental representations of different types of objects. the process used by the brain to represent a particular object could be dependent on any combination of the object's color, depth, familiarity, functionality, or other attribute.

i recently read a quirky article regarding how we picture time in our minds. i've thought about this before, but this was the first time i had read about it. in particular, how do you picture the annual calendar in your mind? when 'looking up' dates or weeks in your head, do you generate a pictoral image of the calendar?

i do, and im glad its not just me! my image of the calendar runs from Jan to June in one column on the left and July to Dec in another column on the right. I'm not sure why, but I'm pretty sure when being taught the months in grade 1, the teacher had written the months out in this same way. my mind has kept this same representation.

i have a representation for natural numbers as well, and its kinda crazy lol...

if this sounds like pure madness, i looked it up further and found this!
Do you picture a calendar in your head, or am I just strange?

man, brains are weird... some more than others...

chinlone

2006-10-09T20:30:00.000-04:00

a movie currently showing at the vancouver international film festival follows the life of men, women, and children devoted to the game of chinlone. the movie is called mystic ball. chinlone is the traditional game of myanmar, and the focus is not on winning or losing, but how beautifully one plays the game.

and seriously, it puts any footballer or hackysacker to shame.

the art of chinlone in act

cool music too.

there and back again

2006-10-09T01:19:00.000-04:00

The will is not free - it is a phenomenon bound by cause and effect - but there is something behind the will which is free.

on september 4th i returned to nyc, having journeyed across ocean and earth to india. a fantastic trip indeed! i was there for about 3 weeks. it was both relaxing and rejuvenating. my parents, brother, aunts, grandmother, and cousins went on a 5 day road trip to the country side. we hired a driver and a big jeep, and set off, travellers 9.

we stopped at the small towns and visited important temples. much of the drive was through the rainforests of the western ghats, a very mountainous region! it was an incredible drive, alas even pictures do no justice. with the humid air foretelling monsoon rains, the feel of the warm wind on your face, the sounds of wildlife in the lush, wet forests, majestic clouds lingering atop mountain peaks, there is nothing to do but soak it in.

down in the valley, a thundering river surged below. this river must have been fed by many streams and waterfalls, and these scenic cataracts gave necessity to pull over and enjoy sight. until large oil trucks needed way to pass the narrow road. on the journey there, these roads were very bad. i had never seen such road craters! on the way back, our route was friendlier.

we spent two nights in the small town of sringeri. there is a very nice temple here, more than 1,000 years old. although the town is slowly becoming populated, within the compounds of the ashram, it is very peaceful and remote. the temple is situated upon the banks of the tunga river, an idyllic setting.

i think we were all tired near the end of 5 days. but it was a great trip! back in bangalore where both sides' grandparents live, it was back to relaxing. shopping, visiting relatives, enjoying more freedom! hehe...

here are some pics from around the city: one of the many street markets; school boys in the field across our house, playing cricket ofcourse!; one of the busy shopping areas, commercial street; one of the main modes of transport is the autio-rickshaw, but when hailing one down its "auto!". these are fast, cheap ways of getting around, more convenient than taxis cuz there are no doors! just hop in and out! actually autos are like the yellow cabs you see in nyc, they're everywhere.

2006-08-11T16:52:00.000-04:00

whiteout

chek this out. from what ive read these are the 80ft waves of the north shore of hawaii called "jaws"... man versus the big blue monster...

mosh

2006-08-10T20:27:00.000-04:00

the air had been steamy and much too warm all week. the air conditioner, working tirelessly, seemed to make no difference. my fan gasped as it attempted to push coolness through still, heavy space.

but thunderstorms were predicted, surely bringing soothing relief to the baking earth. indeed, as we stood in line, dark, ominous clouds approached, rumbling from the west, sending ahead a balmy breeze.

and muse was about to let loose its apocalyptic downpour upon the masses. the sky would fall this nite.

as balmy late evening sunshine gave way to darkness and cascades of rain, so cloud room's breezy pop punk gave way to the tempestuous drama of muse.

the anticipation was almost unbearable. at last, the trio took the stage, and like a deluge of sound, proceeded to drench the people in grand vocals, melodic tunes, thundering piano, blended with surging, loud, visceral rifs, leaving those of us in the mosh pit devastated in their path, breathing the fire out of our lungs.

the show rocked the house and was better than i ever expected. the set list was unbelievable: a blistering rendition of hysteria, a vicious run from invincible, plug in baby, new born, to stockholm syndrome, and a dynamite finish... my mop of hair was damn hellz ye for moshing...

take a bow
hysteria
supermassive black hole
butterflies and hurricanes
starlight (in b-flat)
forced in (no lyrics)
bliss
feeling good
soldiers poem
invincible
plug in baby
new born
stockholm syndrome

map of the problematique
time is running out
knights of cydonia

my new favourite track is map of the problematique... brng teh mthrfckn ruckus!

24 CalorieMate

2006-07-12T00:55:00.000-04:00

son of a bitch... more video flow...

haven't been able to get this on youtube yet, but im sure it will get there eventually. for now, follow this link to Jack Bauer at his best! (It should open up a windows media player; if it doesn't, copy the link location and open it as a url in windows media player)

Dammit Chloe, we don't have time!

son of a bitch!

2006-06-27T22:42:00.000-04:00

(Argentina vs Mexico) Maxi Rodriguez 2-1 (Victor Hugo)

beautiful goal, beautiful call...

music to your ears

2006-06-25T22:19:00.000-04:00

i came across this interesting site regarding music labels... it highlights two major points: 1) sometimes you never really know where or to whom your money is going, and 2) the number of businesses controlling the music industry (and other industries) is actually very limited. click on the image for a larger display...

satellites and stories

2006-06-16T13:05:00.000-04:00

hey oh here i am
and here we go
life’s waiting to begin

...so i started work this week.. so far its pretty interesting. its at a startup company, and we're developing some pretty extensive computational biology software. we're still in the early stages, and there will obviously be a lot of challenges, but its gonna be a very interesting experience for sure. this week we actually moved to a new office, so we had to setup some furniture lolz... we should hire some french maids to vacuum... they suck good...

this whole week ive been figurin out the shortest way to get to the office,... the damn transit website picked a very long route that took me like 2.5hrs to get to work on monday, but i found a different route that takes me just over an hour or so and i dont have to keep switchin lines, so its a lot more relaxing... im happy about that...!

i slept in today :(

i still havent got around to finishn my project :S... been gettin home late this week... on top of that i saw my reserch prof at the subway station this morn lolz... i tihnk she saw me too, but i pretended i dint see her lol.. ive got a crazy excuse in the bag, i think ill email her tomorrow... wish me luck! baga!

ive been listenin to edge 102.1 online here at work... havent found a station round here that comes even close to playn as many good tunes and funny djs... josie dye sounds hot, whoevrs in TO should chek her out at republik sometime heh...
Josie: "Hey remember when u used to blow bubbles?"
Lunchboy: "Yeah, fun times..."
Josie: "Yeah, well bubbles says Hi and wants you to call him"
LOLZ

anyways... i also heard fred penner is playn tnite in TO! haha... i used to watch this guy on tv strum his guitar and sing songs like Puff the magic dragon and The Cat came back when i was like 6... i never knew he was still around or even still sang... his website is jokes too fredpenner.com.. although, i think he musta been puffin that dragon real good when he wrote some of those magical tunes lolz... booya fred!

the town i take my train into in NJ, parts of it seem so americana/stepford wives suburbia... predominantly white area, most drivin either jags/bmws/benz or lincoln continentals, typical american-bred vehicles... and in the evenins some pretty wife will always be waiting wit her 3yr old kid at the train station for the husband, in his blue blazer and khakis and tie, to come home... a nice area to live, but lotta rich white ppl who stick to themselves, itd be wierd lol... unless i was more loaded than them... then id just mock them on the way to my private yacht for some quail hunting... ahh quail hunting... Vince Vaughn is: Jeremy, Owen Wilson is: John

Jeremy Grey: Have you ever shot a quail before?
John Beckwith: The whole 17 years we've known each other I've been sneaking off to go on little hunting trips around the world. No, I don't even know what the fuck a quail is! (hah neither do i, but it must be QUeer)
Jeremy Grey: I look totally ridiculous. Like why do I have to be in camouflage? So the big bad quail doesn't see me?
John Beckwith: I know. Why can't we hunt something cool like a hawk or an eagle, something with some talons?
Jeremy Grey: That'd be awesome. We could get something like big game. Even like a gorilla or a rhinoceros or a fucking human being! That'll get you jacked up.
John Beckwith: That's a little heavy.
Jeremy Grey: I mean like, hunt a human being right now, "Most Dangerous Game". Like a worthy adversary. Not a human being that's armed, but a clever, a clever, human being who knows the jungle. Or the woods.

ahaha jokes... World cup, spain is my #1 team, and theyre goin all the way, and argentina for silver! im a brazil fan too, but who isnt... if they win thatd be awesome too, but im goin for the dark horse.... i dont mind germany i guess, but england sux... i hope someone crushes them...

peAce

2006-06-09T15:42:00.000-04:00

Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.
Malcolm Forbes (1919 - 1990)

*

Education is a state-controlled manufactory of echoes.

Norman Douglas (1868 - 1952)

soundtrack of our lives

2006-06-09T01:33:00.000-04:00

while youre reading this you should be listening to paul van dyk's politics of dancing 2... select the title above in a new window and escape from its shutters, become transported to that ethereal world...

its been a crazy 4 or 5 months, more new people, more new experiences, some experiences a lot better than others ;)... the semester is pretty much over, but i still have a project to wrap up. partly my fault, ive been dragging it out but ive also been pretty busy. this past week was the first time in a while i could sit down and work on it, but i still didnt! yeh needed a vacation from the busy vacation... so hopefully tomorrow ill start looking at it and prolly start feelin the heat again. most likely i will have to meet with my phd guy early next week sometime...may have to come up wit some wild excuse...

i am also slated to start work next week, our office is relocating to a somewhat closer location, but my commute will still be pretty damn long. theyre giving me a laptop, so i figure ill work on the way into work and out of work, and leave the office early. maybe i can convince my boss to let me work from home 2 days of the week or somethin...

on a related note, i still havent received my work permit from homeland security... and i can only get paid with it... so i gotta get somethin in writing from my boss saying that once i do actually start "working" he will pay me as agreed + compensation for the time ive already put in... he seems like a cool guy, i hope it works out...

ive started working out and yogging this week... ive been yogging in riverside park which runs right along hudson river... started at about 4km, which took about 20mins today... decent i guess considering i wasnt over-exerting too much, since this was my second time jogging in like 10mnths lol... watchin old world cup matches online is pretty motivating too... those guys are in such insane shape, i figure if im in bad shape when im 26, i have no hope when im 36 or 46.. so i bettr get movin...

i need to clean up my room.

oakenfold's new album a lively mind came out this week; chek out his website, the link is on the left sidebar... the first single faster kill pussycat is tru club jive, and surprisingly brittany murphy (sin city vixen) is doin vocals, and does a pretty hot damn good job at it too!... you can hear that song and the song souther sun on the website too... both are jivin', though most reviews seem to say the album has too much of a mainstream club pop vibe that deviates from oakenfold's last release bunkka... even so, im sure many of the tracks are killr...

world cup starts today... google/ig has this great world cup update feature you can add to your personalized page... small things like this make google v cool... i am rooting for the spanish side, they should be able to come out of their group h fairly thoroughly...

im still contemplating paying 20$ more in june and 60$ more in july to get espn and espn2 on tv... those 2 channels combine to show 52 world cup games, while abc shows 12 games, and i already get abc... almost all the espn games are during the day on weekdays (while ill be working (hopefully)), while abc games are usually on the weekend, including july 9th sunday championship match... i wish espn was showing the games at nite, tape delayed if need be, theres somethin authentic about watchin great futbol in the wee hours...! anyways, i can add the espn package anytime, so ill see how my schedule goes...

ive been trying to eat better since i am working out... i dunno bout others but it takes a real conscientious effort on my part to get my lazy ass up and eat properly... maybe if i can keep forcing myself to make the effort it will become habit...

oh ya, i plan on flyin up to Tdot for the july 1 weekend... maybe if my boss is cool i can leave the thursday evenin and be in TO to party thursday nite heh... july 4 here is a holiday and its a tuesday, so maybe ill fly back here tuesday evening... i think my guelphtimes roommate ben shack is plannin on bein in town too, in from halifax, thatll be cool... guess i need to talk to my boss about it first though... im not really working for a lengthy period to begin with,.. maybe i can scam some extra weekend hours...

anyways, thats pretty much wats goin on right now... yuko is on her way to germany, hopefully she gets world cup tix:) and mebbe grab me a team spain jersey too!:) hev fon wid ze gerrhmanns...

aight thats about it for now, life & muzak... peAce

war & history

2006-06-07T19:53:00.000-04:00

to war is human. on this lonely planet, life among the vast ocean of seething stars, war has been an inescapable reality for our species. to explain this undeniable thirst for conflict, many arguments have been proposed.

before tackling the why, we may first ask, is war a bad thing? in today's world more and more people are opposed to violence, but there are those who would not agree. at the outset of WWI, german writer and nobel laureate thomas mann wrote "Is not peace an element of civil corruption and war a purification, a liberation, an enormous hope?" i would not be surprised if many men of power, even in democracies, believed in some aspect of this statement. but why do such sentiments arise in the first place?

psychologically speaking, there is a theory that individuals from an early age identify "self" relative to others; children first comprehend this reality as the existence of an "I" and a "not I". This simple, yet essential actualization forms the basis for further growth of the individual. throughout our lifetime we continuously interact with, and measure, and compete against the people around us, continuously molding our sense of self.

in the same way, groups of peoples, whether they be tribes, states, or nations, also define their politics, doctrines, and values relative to other societies, past and present. although individuals within the group may hold slightly varying beliefs, as a collective, the group acts as a single entity, alive in its own right. thus, the group entity too has its own psychology; within this assimilated life form, there is a drive to assert itself over other groups, violently if need be.

within the group other factors also may increase the likelihood of agression. one is technology; a group lacking advanced military technology will rarely push for war, while a group with such advances may in fact act to maintain their "well-oiled war machine". a second factor may involve those in power within the group, asserting their power upon other nations in order to incite fear, hate, patriotism, and political lethargy among their own people. george orwell describes war in this way, an "opiate of the masses", whereby a state wields controls over its members.

others may argue that war is not inherent to man's psychological nature. agression may be an effect of the religious and ideological pressures in the society itself: agression by nurture, not nature. this mode of thought believes that if some society could be rebuilt and redesigned, taught to think it certain other ways, the act of war would eschewed by all.

fortunately, after horrors such as hiroshima and the many genocides, opinions such as mann's are rare (or not openly stated). nevertheless, misguided armed conflicts persist unheeded. perhaps, if our species survives long enough, our evolutionary ancestors will have the minds, the strength, and the resolve to realize kingdom come.

as time passes, we must rely on the written word and documentaries as relics of past horrors. as the remaining survivors of WWII whither, the reality of the past becomes shaded and buried. no longer will we see live images of war veterans standing at rememberance day ceremonies, or the aged faces breathing still to tell their tales. once these men and women are gone, our efforts to remember last century's wars must be strengthened.

last year, a lost diary written by a north vietnamese doctor during the vietnam war was returned to the rightful family by an ex-american soldier. the writer, dang thuy tram, died during the war at age 27, leaving the end of the diary filled with empty pages. this year, the diary has been published as a book, and has sold in record numbers.

the diary is a stark reminder not only of the brutality of war, but also of the lonely, passionate suffering the victims feel - a reality almost always lost in today's textbooks and dry history lessons. excerpts,

Later, if you are ever able to live in the beautiful sunshine with the flowers of Socialism, remember the sacrifices of those who gave their blood for the common goal.

Please come to me and hold my hand when I am so lonely. Love me and give me strength to travel all the hard sections of the road ahead.

Just yesterday a badly wounded soldier 21 years old called out my name, hoping I could help him, but I could not, and my tears fell as I watched him die in my useless hands.

Oh! Why was I born a girl so rich with dreams, love, and asking so much from life?

unfortunately, it is too common that the heart wrenching tears of war are forgotten in the decades that pass. it is a pain we pray we do not know, but remember. read the full article here.

in the news

2006-02-08T04:27:00.000-05:00

just over a week ago i wrote a post on this blog decrying the state of science in america. i said that if the quality of its high schools and universities did not improve, the country would be in decline within two or three decades; that much of the scientific and technological innovations being made in america today are due to the efforts of foreign students or new immigrants. specifically i argued that both the educational system and the media were to blame for the growing apathetic attitude america has towards scientific progress.

well at least one of those camps agrees with me, and its pointing out the blame with its own dirty finger. here's the cover of this week's issue of time magazine. i haven't yet had an opportunity to read the story, it will be interesting to see what arguments are made.

B.R.M.C.

2006-02-02T19:03:00.000-05:00

sometimes to find good music, you have to go rooting in the past. in this case, i didnt have to dig very deep. my friend jeremy introduced me to the sounds of black rebel motorcycle club a few months back, and ive been digging ever since.

the band, a trio from california, formed in 1998, and have released three albums on major labels. i'll hafta do some further digging to see if i can find anything from their indie days in the late 90s. they borrowed their name from "the Marlon Brando-led biker gang who stormed into that dusty California hamlet in The Wild One". their first two albums, brmc (2001) and take them on, on your own (2003) have a punk rock kinda vibe (both acoustically and politically), but incorporate more bass-driven guitar, rather than any screeching chords. they also sound very mature and harmonic, and dont prescribe to any of the teen-angst punk we so often hear. drummer nick jago kicks the tunes into gear, with melancholic, fast-paced, kick-ass rock n roll, especially with tracks like white palms, spread your love, stop, and whatever happened to my rock n roll (punk song). robert been and peter hayes share the vocals, but both have a grungy, dusty, hard style of delivery that complements the somber guitar and heavy-hearted sound. softer melodies such as salvation soothe the broken soul. i love the sounds these guys use; its the stuff of courage, cigars, scotch on the rocks, and 1875 .45 colt frontier pistols. heh. john wayne meets che guevera meets bob dylan. johnny cash meets the ramones meets the stone roses. in my opinion, i see brmc having influenced the sounds of independent canadian act death from above 1979 (see earlier post).

brmc released their 3rd album to some critical acclaim in 2005, titled howl. though this album stays true to their roots of heavy rock n roll, they do add more folk, blues, acoustic sounds. brmc shows they still know how to swing a beat with tracks like shuffle your feet and ain't no easy way out, but the album is dominated by the softer chords which made rarer appearances on the first two compilations. here, brmc proves their true musicianship, with howl, the line (a personal fav), and gospel song.

across the three albums, brmc maintains their somber, melancholic sound. though it is based on 80s punk rock, it definitely blends an original sound in today's music scene, with dark acoustics and the occasional harmonica and accordian. for some reason, their music reminds me of che guevera, i have no idea why; maybe its the political edge some of their music embodies. these guys are not afraid to do their own thing, i definitely recommend checkin them out.

seems everyone picked on milhouse

2006-02-01T05:44:00.000-05:00

we're all on drugs

2006-01-31T21:33:00.000-05:00

i would like to continue my stream of scientific consciousness. particularly, in regards to medicine and pharmacy and their role in society.

one late nite last semester i came across one of those promotional tv programs where some blonde woman sits there, looks pretty, and tries to ask real questions of a guy in a suit trying to sell his product. most often its some fat-reducing miracle product, and in this case that actually was part of it. but this time there was more. he was selling his book which claimed to hold the cures for hundreds of different types of ailments, ranging from headaches to cancer! he claimed that naturally occurring cures existed for all sorts of illnesses, chronic and acute. one of his examples was how a diet containing vitamin c could completely cure scurvy.

furthermore, he claimed that the food & drug administration (fda, the american organization responsible for assuring and okay'ing the quality and distribution of foods n drugs) was trying to shut him up. the fda, he said, did not want these naturally occurring cures to be known to the public for fear of the destruction of the pharmaceutical industry.

i agree it does seem like a stretch, and a naturally occurring cure for cancer would surely have been marketable in some way, and would have been done so by now. his direct claims are the stuff of conspiracy theories.

nevertheless, there is an overriding theme here with which i do agree. pharmaceutical companies are businesses, and while they may strive to be the good guys, they are legally bound to stakeholders to make their mission about profit. the bottom line is that these companies must make money, just like any other business. thus, over time, these businesses are willing to develop and distribute as many products as possible, the real necessity of these products in healthcare is not questioned.

the competitive nature of the pharmaceutical industry is very evident in the usa. advertisements for drugs must outnumber similar canadian ads 5:1. while these commercials may be well-intentioned (or, not) they only underline the business model. first, let me say there are plenty of fantastic drugs out there, such as those battling parkinson's disease. but 9/10 of the commercials are not for these kinds of drugs. you may not need these drugs, you may be perfectly healthy, but somehow, these ads try to convince you that there is something wrong with you, stress, headaches, fatigue, depression, loneliness, anxiety, boredom, and that medication is the cure. to me, these are natural aspects of life. stress? as bill maher pointed out, of course we become stressed, we spent millions of years looking over our shoulder for predators on the hunt. these are reactions to our environment, and are aspects of life that cannot be cured by short term fixes and poorly understood pills.

we are over medicated. i think america is an extreme, since there is so much competition. around the world, millions needlessly ingest pills, while millions more die for want of medication. thus, while the man on the tv may have been raising egregious ideas, i do agree with the fact that pharmaceutical companies are poisoning much of society. these companies should be focusing on real illnesses, such as alzheimers, multiple scelrosis, cancer, AIDS, and cheaper ways of distributing quality medications, not quick fixes for stress and fatigue that could cause heart problems.

the issue becomes more dangerous now that we are entering an age of preventive medicine. based on family history, genetic profiles, and other variables, a doctor could prescribe a drug to you for something you could get. again, i think our focus should remain on promoting r&d to find cures and methods of prevention for the truly devastating illneses, such as those mentioned above. too often, it seems, big pharma goes after the "easy" fixes (with difficult side-affects) for depression and anxiety, and this should be avoided. there is no doubt we have come a long way in health care, every decade it seems people are living longer. however, this does not mean they are healthier or happier.

the science. to further aggravate the situation, i still believe our understanding of the human body as a system is quite poor. the listing of side effects one hears on the tv ads is a testament to this fact. we do not truly have a grasp of what the chemicals we ingest do to our systems. in order to improve the current quality of medication and health care, a far more holistic, systems approach will be required to understand the affects of our drugs. i often hear that doctors in asia provide better advice than doctors here, since often a more holistic approach is followed (and i have actually had first hand experience, its true). a holistic approach is especially true and necessary for preventive medecine: all aspects of any genetic profile must be considered before forming any conclusions. the number of cellular interactions are vast, and better technologies will need to be developed in order to accurately assess patients.

in conclusion, i think our reliance on drugs is just another behavioural/chemical input. we are systems of habit and addiction, and our systems are all too easily susceptible to sitmuli. our brains crave the biochemical activity that results from our behaviour. we must pacify our minds to find what it is we are looking for.

Jack, on the loose

2006-01-31T00:18:00.000-05:00

this post contains up-to-date season V material... so if you have not seen episodes of this season, explore with caution...

blog on

2006-01-28T19:50:00.000-05:00

i've added three blogs to the list: nodalpoint, biosingularity, and al fin. nodalpoint deals with issues and news specific to computational biology, mainly from a cs perspective.

biosingularity is an interesting read. the author "started this blog to chronicle the remarkable advances in biological systems and hopefully also to provide a conceptual framework to discuss reverse engineering biological systems and its profound ramifications for the future of humanity". woah.

lastly, the blog al fin further broadens the scope of scientific discussion to a level where the "primary interest is seeing that the best of humanity survives long enough to reach the next level". where do we go from here?

all three are nice blogs because they raise issues and discuss stories that represent the journey, not just the final chapter.

science & progress

2006-01-28T18:17:00.000-05:00

it is an unfortunate fact that issues in science are simply not prominently discussed as much as they should be, specifically in the media. there is a simple reason for this: ratings. science makes for boring television. really? i think the true problem lies in the fact that the general population does not understand the ideas and facts behind the issues and problems at hand. furthermore, the media only covers news in science when research has culminated in a fantastic discovery or advancement. the public does not hear about the blood, sweat and tears that went into the research for the past decade, and the small steps required to get to the final achievement. thus, there is an overall impression that if the science does not work now, it never will, and the developments can not be trusted.

there are at least two sources that shape the people's ideas of science: education and media. i actually believe the state of affairs in the uk and canada are decent. the amount of research funding can not compare to that of the usa, but high school and undergraduate science courses are consistently strong across the nations, and there is an inherent belief that given time, science will work. in turn, the media does not sensationalize or ignore scientific progress; science and engineering schools and companies are strong and could be even better, if they had access to more funding.

on the other hand, the american educational system is inconsistent at best. in fact, when compared to other 1st world nations, most americans receive a below-average education, beginning in high school. thus, immediately, the people's understanding and belief in science is at risk. the media does nothing to aid this situation, and in fact makes it worse. they publicize and exaggerate the rare incidents of fabrication of data/results, and the real scientific issues, if covered at all, are sensationalized and politicized with buzz words, like bioterror, cloning, and stem cells (see ratings). as a result, many people don't trust science, or fear developments. surely there are ethical questions to be answered, but to question the advances without a true understanding of the facts is pointless and only undermines progress. most of the time, american viewers are bombarded not by real news, but more sensationalization: lawsuits, murders, evangelists, and political backstabbing.

offshoring. all this time, americans have been under the impression that only menial, administrative jobs could be sent to men and women in china and india. but that is changing even as we speak, and more and more r&d will be occurring offshore as well. furthermore, much of the science and technology being developed at the fundamental level in america is by foreign students. if the educational system here does not improve dramatically, there will be consequences twenty, thirty years down the road.

i believe canada has a lot of potential to be a global leader in science and research and technology. when paul martin first ran for pm, he talked about leading canada as one of the world leaders in scientific progress, and i was actually excited that may be martin was the man to take us there and realize this vision. unfortunately, shortly after he took office, he turned into a bumbling fool of a took! i doubt harper has the vision and leadership to take such steps (and a minority gov't does not help). although canada does have some of the world's best research ongoing in genetics and cell biology, and robotics, i think it will be some time yet until the nation's full potential will be realized; a strong, purposeful government is required to truly lead and implement goals on the international stage.

i'm a mercedes slk

2006-01-27T03:02:00.000-05:00

You appreciate the finer things in life. You have a split personality - wild or conservative, depending on your mood. Wherever you go, you like to travel first class. Luxury, style, and fun - who could ask for more?

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz!

The Smashing Pumpkins - Thirty Three

2006-01-26T20:59:00.000-05:00

only billy corgan could come up wit these sweet killn lyrics

speak to me in a language i can hear humour me before i have to go
deep in thought i forgive everyone
as the cluttered streets greet me once again
i know i can't be late, supper's waiting on the table
tomorrow's just an excuse away
so I pull my collar up and face the cold, on my own
the earth laughs beneath my heavy feet
at the blasphemy in my old jangly walk
steeple guide me to my heart and home
the sun is out and up and down again
i know i'll make it, love can last forever
graceful swans of never topple to the earth
and you can make it last, forever you
you can make it last, forever you
and for a moment i lose myself
wrapped up in the pleasures of the world
i've journeyed here and there and back again
but in the same old haunts i still find my friends
mysteries not ready to reveal
sympathies i'm ready to return
i'll make the effort, love can last forever
graceful swans of never topple to the earth
tomorrow's just an excuse
and you can make it last, forever you
you can make it last, forever you

the dirrty south

2006-01-26T02:25:00.000-05:00

heh this some funny shit bitches... click on the title of this post to follow the link...

unto self

2006-01-18T18:28:00.000-05:00

eyes closed.

upon the barren landscapes of time, a man, everlasting, waits. mapping his infinite steps, the clouds only linger, fleeting. a thought also waits, but does not rest, upon his struggling mind, torturing and twining the fibers of his consciousness.

eyes gazing upwards.

clouds may wander at will, untethered. and how? the darkness of his thoughts are wrought with a dread he has not known, caged within the boundless realms of his mind. and it will not settle. of serpents and phantoms. to which corner shall this darkness recede? this ever-gazing eye, shrouded, shall not sleep; it shall not recede...

eyes gazing inwards.

time manifests itself. and still, he suffers, the destitution of his purpose, the corrosion of his self, a mind infected. seeking understanding. if this darkness shall not recede, perhaps it is he who shall flee. escape. escape this shroud. escape this mind. what fate, then, will wait for him, his existence? awaken to realize a mind, freed of its vessel. if, in death, it is realized, then hasten this being...

eyes closed.

upon the barren landscapes of time, a mind, everlasting, is. mapping his ending, the clouds only linger, fleeting. but this mind, too, is ephemeral, detached, and waits with the halcyon, in solitude, letting go.
©

Channel 4 News Team - Afternoon Delight

2006-01-17T04:23:00.000-05:00

Afternoon Delight
Performed by Ron Burgundy, Brian Fantana, Champ Kind, Brick Tamland

Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight
Gonna grab some afternoon delight
My motto's always been, "When it's right, it's right"
Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night?

When everything's a little clearer in the light of day
And we know the night is always gonna be there anyway.

Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite
Looking forward to a little afternoon delight
Rubbin' sticks and stones together makes the sparks ignite
And the thought of lovin' you is getting so exciting.

Sky rockets in flight,
pppeeeewwwwwww
Afternoon delight.
You guys have it, I think.
Afternoon delight!

holiday!~~

2006-01-17T03:28:00.000-05:00

well the winter break has come to an end. all good things come to an end. 12/23 to 01/15. three weeks of sleeping, drinking, and eating. in fact, there was some time there where if i got less than 10 hours of sleep, i was feeling tired later that day. now thats the life! hi lights:

> cousins
> the "i miss my mommy" group lol... that ended up a decent nite tho
> republik
> new years: money + stayin up til 1030am at yans.. eat shit! fucking jerk!
> mariko's goodbye
> west lounge
> packing for spain!
> saw: thats one fekked up movie
> lotr all niters lol.. cant get enuf
> the weekend to end all weekends, angels, seeing the seaway crew, defying death at the steering wheel, fast times at palaches/goghs, the grotto, and Yeah, there were horses, and a man on fire, and I killed a guy with a trident! ... boy, that escalated quickly

bwhammy!

all hail the smashing pumpkins

2006-01-10T18:59:00.000-05:00

there were rumours last year that the smashing pumpkins were reuniting. billy corgan had taken out a full page in achicago paper stating his plea that the pumpkins reunite. but since then, all has been quiet on the TSP front. low down dirty shame. the pumpkins peaked in 1994/95 with their release of the double album, mellon collie and the infinite sadness. this is probably still my favourite album, the one album i would take with me to a deserted island. the range of emotions displayed on the album is unequalled: from zero to tonight, tonight, from bodies to stumbleine. probably also the most unique ensemble of instruments as well, exemplified in we only come out at night. all killr no fillr.

since that release, the pumpkins declined on the charts, with the albums adore and machinas, the pumpkins never reached the same success. however, the music scene was at a pathetic low at the time: britney spears and nsuck ruled the charts, and there was little room for any act seen with a guitar, nevermind an act that wrote its own music. i mean cmon, writing music is for real musicians...psshhh..

fortunately, in the past year or two or so, some better rockin' music has come to the forefront, and the opportunity to explore new bands has increased. given this kind of scene, i think the pumpkins, if they existed today, would be cranking out more chart toppers, and gaining more recognition as one of the top alternative acts of all time. they generated and explored entire spectrums of unqiue sounds that other bands would not touch, and then put these sounds together to create fuckin cool tracks.

billy, james, jimmy, darcy come back!

iiiidiots

2006-01-10T17:50:00.000-05:00

the recent catastrophes in the southern states of west virginia and louisiana, though perhaps not avoidable, were made worse by the people responsible for improving the conditions and assisting the people. in fact, the officials responsible likely increased the number of deaths by negligent and impuslive actions.

we have all read or heard the reports from new orleans, thousands stranded without food and water. what's worse is that currently there is no active, ready plan to rebuild new orleans. national, state, and city organizations all hasve unique proposals and ideas for the new orleans. the city's mayor has created a commission responsible for creating a grab bag of ideas, with little attention to finances. while this seems permissible for a first step, there is no guideline of priorities when it comes down to making the decisions. in the mean time, residential communities lie flattened, futureless. video footage during and immediately after the hurricane made america look like a 3rd world nation; the beauracracy and in-fighting that is occuring, and the slow snail's pace at which decisions are being made, will only underline the corruption and lack of vision present at all levels of the government, from the city to the nation.

the second disastrous event became more painful than neccessary for the families of the victims. last week 12 miners were killed at the sago mine in charleston, west virginia. all family members were told that the miners were alive, and celebrations erupted. three hours later it was revealed that there was only one survivor. how this misinfinformation occurred is beyond anyone. investigation is currently on going, but it seems that officials without proper medical training declared to some members of the media that the miners were alive. because of this negligence and idiocy, families suffered tremendously.

in both events described, conditions worsened due to the inadequate vision, planning, and action of the officials in charge. furthermore, these are the kinds of mistakes rarely seen: even cities in malaysia and sri lanka are dealing with the effects of the much larger tsunami more effectively. and sure, miners always run the risk of fatality, and unfortunately accidents do occur around the world. but when have you heard of officials reporting 12 men alive, when in fact all 12 were already dead? on the officials' part, that is simply pathetic.

so what do these two events share? simply, idiots in charge, specifically the southern hicks. yep, i am saying it here, idiocy is a trait that runs through the bloodlines of the southern folk. obviously there are intelligent people from the south, but the positions of power are occupied predominantly by stupid, old, white, men. and they are all fools who can barely speak the english language, nevermind manage rescue operations. these are men who have mediocre education, little to no training for their specific position, and know a friend who knows a friend who lands them the job.

as long as these kinds of people remain in positions of power, the people and the cities of the south will continue to suffer. mark my words, new orleans will never fully redevelop with this kind of leadership.

napster never lookd so good

2006-01-06T02:40:00.000-05:00

i guess napster is really gunning for the legal scene
a steady dose of this, and, well, ya... keep 'er comin...

sharing the future

2006-01-05T19:03:00.000-05:00

ever wonder if our society will turn into one of those 1984-esque worlds? yeh, gets existential on yur ass. but i almost had one of those moments a few months back at my cousins place. shes like 7 or 8 years old. we were talking about her new mp3 player and i told her i just downloaded all my music. and i almost couldnt believe her reply: "downloading is illegal, you shouldnt". they've got ads on cartoon network yelling at them about such criminal activity.

now im not disputing the claim that file sharing is illegal, but more so simply observing that there may be an entire generation growing up who will not continue the file sharing paradigm, even if their parents did. i guess if that ocurred, the big man at riaa would have "won".

lets take this a step further. could the big man eventually wield enough power to convince children who knew their parents were violating copyright laws, to turn their parents in? ...a world where children spy on their parents in the name of the government. personally, i could see myself partaking in some form of copyright violation even when i am forty (perhaps more than today!); i wonder what the children of the next generation will grow up believing of such actions?

in truth, i doubt the internet will ever be fully regulated or controlled, and the haxor mentality is a somewhat natural extension in the fight for independence and/or anarchy depending on ones beliefs or motivations. thus, as the technology grows, the haxor community will persist. the questions are, in what form will it exist and how pervasive will it be?

flicks

2006-01-05T18:17:00.000-05:00

ive done my share of exploring many unheralded, and/or independent bands, mostly canadian. online sharing of music has made this possible for smaller bands to get their sound out to the publik. toronto's edge 102.1 also does a great job of seeking out new talent, and runs an exclusive show called the indie hour sundays at 8pm, with dave bookman, who tends to talk a lot, but is one cool dj. chek it out.

access to new music is great, but its slightly more difficult to get at new, unheralded, indie films. currently its a bandwidth issue, and in the future, will likely be easier to access. but right now, i'd like to try to explore this content. if anyone knows of any torrent sites or what not that specializes in new flicks, hook me up! im sure there are some slick movies out there that just dont get much viewing.

on a related note, ray was very highly publicized. now im usually not a big fan of "best picture" winners, but this was a very slick movie and goes down smooth. the soundtrack is also obviously famous, but id never given much time to ray charles. after the movie though, ive been hooked on some of his tracks, ie hit the road jack, mess around, and i got a woman. in fact i may i look into buying somethin of his.....oooooh. may be when i get a job.

muse

2006-01-05T02:38:00.000-05:00

“As balmy late evening sunshine gives way to darkness and cascades of rain, so Ash's breezy pop punk gives way to the tempestuous drama of Muse”

this band from devon, england has not had much radio play in n. america , but cranks out one wickd track after another. theyve been described as a mix between radiohead and nirvana, and the similarities can be heard; yet, their sound is heaven to a soul searching for something new and unique on the air waves. grand vocals, melodic tunes, and the oft-placed piano, blended with surging, visceral rifs leave you breathing the fire out of your lungs.

theyve released several albums, but have never really caught on in the north american scene - very unfortunate. but since when was the billboard a good judge of musik?! chek out the website link, and taste the fierce passion that is muse.

> favs
> bliss
> sunburn
> plug in baby
> apocalypse please
> sing for absolution
> time is running out
> butterflies and hurricanes
> thoughts of a dying atheist

nyc

2006-01-03T02:28:00.000-05:00

well four months in nyc has been one helluva ride. the first month and a half was great - new people, new places, lotsa time to explore the infinite streets and avenues of manhattan.

come october however, school became very hektik. it wont be getting any easier in the spring semester (jan-april), more research, and more work this semester. i definitely had to relearn the meaning of hard work - in the 3 school weeks of december, i think i slept with the lights off for a total of 4 days. most of the time i would just pass out for 3 hours at a time in my clothes, lights on, and music loopin. the working life is weakening: money to spend, weekends to waste, evenings to relax, nights to sleep. none of the above exist while in school, especially grad skool.

overall though, i cant complain. if you had told me last year i would be here, i would say wishful thinking. but im here: great city, good people (so far), good school, and interesting work, so i just need to refocus and reign in my mind...

it's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back
it's like a whirlwind inside of my head
it's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
it's like the face inside is right beneath my skin

The Killjoys - Today I Hate Everyone

2005-10-28T14:43:00.000-04:00

Today I Hate Everyone
by the Killjoys

There’s some days that I want to stay another day,
And there’s some days that I just want to escape.
And everyday just gets a little further from where I want to be.
I just want to sit alone and contemplate my own fate.

For today I hate everyone.
Oooh, oooh, oooh oooh.
Today I hate everyone.
Oooh, oooh, oooh oooh.

There’s a shadow creeping slowly over everything.
And one more shadow won’t help anything, so go away.
And if I hurt you, well I’m sorry that was not my intention.
I’ll be better tomorrow, so come back another day.

For today I hate everyone.

Death From Above '79

2005-07-25T00:55:00.000-04:00

So I bought the new DFA 1979 album, Youre a woman, im a machine, and I shoulda bought it earlier. First off, its clear not many people will like this album, and i dont blame them: the bass is dirty and loud, as are the vocals. But I kinda like this sound, and behind the distorted rifs are some cool ass melodies... the kinda tunes you listen to when you wanna chill out and you dont give a fek bout nuthin else, you gotta toothpick hangin out yur mouth, and couple days scruff on your face...

my favourite tracks are black history month, sexy results, little girl, romantic rights, and blood on our hands

the duo are from canada... the montreal and toronto areas, Jesse Keeler and Sebastien Grainger. http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/d/deathfromabove1979-youre.shtml

rebel?

2005-03-18T22:38:00.000-05:00

in recent history it has become popular to see the famous image of ernesto "che" guevara with beretta on posters, t-shirts, and magazines. Most of the time, these images are used to gain attention or some sort of credibility. Just today I saw a pretty cool shirt with his face emblazoned upon the front and the the number 10 with name guevara and the words freedom fighter on the back, soccer jersey style. Ah, Che the great revolutionary!

While it is important to remember the contributions of such men to revolutionary history, it is eqaully important to remember the values they stood for. Guevara for the most part has become a symbol of the rebel, a symbol that can be enticing in today's society. However, simply donning a t-shirt with Guevara's face, in my opinion, does no justice to what the man truly stood for and what he truly accomplished; a shirt doesn't make one a rebel.

The crux of my point is that one 's acts should reflect his/her values. If one were to wear a Guevara shirt (or any similar symbolic clothing), I would hope that that person has a strong idea of what Guevara stood for, why he did what he did, why hundreds died for his cause, and believes in some part of his cause - Not just to make a fickle, insubstantial fashion statement, like with the jersery style shirt i saw today.

The Motorcycle Diaries only increased my interest in Guevara's life, and I recommend this movie to all. It'd be nice to become more enlightened about the times and lives and ideas of other such leading historic figures, alive with the passion of a set of values.

justice

2005-03-18T21:58:00.000-05:00

i think the justice system in canada is much too lenient. i dont pretend to be an expert on our judicial system, but from what i've seen on the news, it is disturbing how freely criminals are permitted to live in our country,

every other week or so on the news, i hear of criminals, whether they be guilty rapists or murderers, escaping while in transit to a "halfway house". These are criminals who have shown some sort of progress, or have finished serving their sentence. Either way, these halfway houses are supposed to help these people re-establish themselves in society. What shocks me the most is that many of these criminals are not escorted in any form to this housing, but are basically told to do so under their own volition.

What also bothers me is the treatment of sexual offenders. These people, mostly men, serve their sentence for a couple years, and are allowed to move back into society without anyone's knowledge. Why is more concern given to the privacy of a brutal criminal, rather than the safety of an entire community? This criminal must earn back his rights. He chose to give up his rights when he assaulted another innocent human being, and deserves no lenience. The fact that the sexual offenders registry took so long to enact is just one example of the pathetic system we have in Canada; furthermore, the current form of this registry is but a shadow of what it should be. It does not grant the power required to keep the community truly safe.

Above all, I still wonder why such criminals are even allowed to re-enter our society so quickly. The idea of a repeat offender should not be so common. Victims of assault must live with pain for a lifetime, and these criminals are free to roam the streets within 2-3 years? Such beings have absolutely no place in our society.

I understand many challenges exist in keeping criminals in prisons of any type for an extended period; however, I hope that these challenges are met in an aim to keep our communities safe, which should be the ultimate goal. Step by step, I hope that the naivete and lenience displayed so often will be shunned and a more disciplined justice system can be enacted in Canada.

boobah

2005-02-16T00:21:00.000-05:00

Recipe for a cracked out nite:

1) 1 bottle of 151 Bacardi Rum, 2 if there are more peopl
2) Glasses for each member of the party
3) boobah dot com
4) that ball rolly game!

trippy

genocides

2005-02-14T17:19:00.000-05:00

so this past sunday, we saw the new flick hotel rwanda, starring don cheadle. It was very well done. For those of you who were living on the moon during the mid-90s, there was a nation-wide genocide, and more than one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed by extreme Hutus. Eventually, the Tutsis were able to push the majority of the Hutus out of the country and into the Congo. However, imbalance still persists in the nation. If you do intend on seeing the movie, I encourage you to read up a bit about the history; if you don't, seeing the movie will definitely get you to.

The movie itself reminded me of something I heard on the radio couple weeks back. The guy on the radio was calling in and basically asking why so much aid was being raised for the tsunami relief effort (no doubt a worthy cause), while thousands more have died and continue to die in Africa due to AIDS, malnutrition, and specifically, in Darfur, Sudan, where a genocide (similar to the one in Rwanda) is taking place right now.

Probably one of the biggest differences I see between the disasters occuring in Africa and the tsunami is the public coverage of the episodes. The tsunami made headlines every weeknight in the news, on the radio, and on the internet. Yet millions are dying in Africa, without much obvious media coverage, and public outpouring of money.

Anyways, to cut to the point, I think that because the tsunami was a singular event, where the "blame" could be laid on an event out of anyone's control, the world was willing to give. In situations such as the continuing AIDS massacre and the Darfur genocide, however, multiple events and influences were and are responsible for the outcomes (culture, education, politics, business, medecine, research). Thus, there is not one single problem to be solved, but many fronts upon which the relief effort must be strengthened.

Also, perhaps there is a sense among us that the people of those nations are responsible for their own actions and should be responsible for taking care of their own problems, or dealing with their own mistakes (violence, discrimination, mis-education). Furthermore, with corrupted politics and complicated cultures, it is difficult to prioritize aid relief, and the public is less confident that their money will end up in the "right" place.

Progress is slowly being made against AIDS in African nations, it is just unfortunate that such devastations are being left off the front pages, and are left to dwell silently and apathetically in the back of our minds.

Links Rwanda SaveDarfur AIDS:Africa Unicef

eurotrip 04

2005-02-07T17:38:00.000-05:00

Enter here, at your own risk, into a world of adventurous peaks and austere palaces, a land far away, and unbeknownst to many. Enter this realm, and you must traverse the great portal of space and time, across the vast oceans, and into the depths of a fading past. Relive the tale of three companions, bound to the peril of the elements and what danger providence hath bent upon their path. For it is in these times of dire unrest and uncertainty, that all truth is revealed...

welcome

2005-02-02T23:33:00.000-05:00

welcome... to the lounge; let us call it that for now.

immerse yourself in this dark corner of your mind. let unfold the thoughts & ideas that haunt your dreams. in this whisper of a place, there are no countries, no borders, no walls, no limits; in this place, our minds may defy rules and engage new ones.

when i look at the sky, i see galaxies
- a. e.