Mad Poets Anonymous

Testing!

2010-04-14T10:15:00.001-07:00

A random rant on... Cell Phone Plans.

2009-11-15T08:20:00.000-08:00

Visiting family today, we ran into a problem where we needed to text my sister in law. That's when my wife dropped the news on me.
"She doesn't have texting on her plan." And that got me thinking. It's all bandwidth. It's all wireless service. Shouldn't text be just a part of your service? Text is an inherently small package of data to deliver.
Maybe I'm not considering the people who use thousands of texts in a month. If I turned on SMS on my Twitter feed, my phone would never stop pinging and vibrating.
Maybe I need to think this over some more.

Closing up shop

2009-10-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

I'm closing down my typepad blog. Thing is, there are so many other places to connect (you can reach me on Twitter - @madpoet, or on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/zricks, or chat on Skype (zricks), or find my podcasts - www.geeksurvivalguide.org, GutCheckCast., etc., etc...), or find what I'm sharing on Google Reader or see my bookmarks on delicious (www.delicious.com/madpoet), or follow my FriendFeed that compiles a lot of that... and I blog here so infrequently (less than two posts a month), that it doesn't make sense to spend the money on the space any more.

Now, I will occasionally need a place to write longer form things, and I really don't like Facebook's interface for that, so I'll be using either the vox blog (http://www.vox.com/madpoet), which I haven't used in over a year, but has the advantage of being free, or I'll be using the ol' blogger blog here at http://zricks.blogspot.com. (Yes, I should probably pick one. I don't write often enough... maybe that will be changing soon also...)

Oh, and I'll need to find a place to re-post those old Lights Out Radio posts... Hmmm... I should really finish reading those two books...

But I'll funnel the posts from either one of those to Facebook anyway... so... if you're following me there you'll still get occasional rantage.

So it's not like you'll be missing anything. Thanks for stopping by.

On the use of "should" and what I mean by it.

2009-09-04T07:03:00.001-07:00

So, this little status update has been going around on Facebook yesterday:

(Your Name Goes Here) agrees that no one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick.

And of course I agree with that. Who in their right mind wouldn't agree with that particularly inoffensive statement? You'd have to be crazy to disagree with that! Of course, no one SHOULD die because they cannot afford health care, and no one SHOULD go broke because they get sick. Also, no one SHOULD go to bed hungry and everyone SHOULD have a safe place to sleep at night. Which is why people SHOULD give freely of their time and means to help out their fellow men. But that's just it. Here, when we say "SHOULD", that's aspirational. SHOULD is an ideal. SHOULD, in this context, is then twisted to imply that I agree that the U.S. government SHOULD provide health care for everyone, and that's where I put on the brakes and add the N'T to SHOULD.

The problem here is that while my participation in the receiving of benefits may be voluntary (and that's questionable - I may be forced into participation by events not of my choosing), my participation in the paying for it will almost certainly not. Won't be voluntary for me, won't be voluntary for anyone in the United States, and probably won't be voluntary for anyone in the world market who purchases goods and services from the United States or does business with us in any way, shape or form. The required revenue either will be generated directly from citizens in the form of tax increases (Hello, April 15th), or indirectly in the cost of goods and services to every man, woman, and child in the country (which has the same effect).

We instinctively understand, if I break into someone's home, and steal a million dollars from them, and give ALL of that money to poor blind orphans, that's still theft. My intention is irrelevant. It's wrong, and I would go to prison. (and the orphans would probably have to give the money back). It's a criminal action. I have attempted to force someone into contributing money that they may or may not have done of their own free will. It doesn't even matter if the money was set aside for those same blind orphans. If I went in and took it, it's theft, plain and simple.

Now, if the Government does that same thing, not by breaking into my home and stealing in the dead of night, but by doing things in the open by passing a law that removes the money from my paycheck, or causes a decrease in my ability to acquire goods for my family because of necessary price increases on goods that are now taxed at higher rates, that may be legal, but I'd argue that it's just as wrong as the example I used above. It's a difference in terms. When I do it, it's theft. When the government does it, particularly when the government does it against the will of the people (how popular is that public option today?), it's called tyranny. And it's tyranny regardless of the stated ends. Sure, providing for people's health care is a worthwhile thing. But once we've allowed the government to force us to provide for people's health care, that's a very dangerous precedent to set.

About two hundred and thirty years ago, we had a bit of a sharp debate regarding tyranny in this country, and the citizens of the United States decided we're not fans.

Now, I could go on about the projected budget, and how those always inflate (Hey, remember when the projected 10-year deficit was only 7 Trillion Dollars? Yeah...). I could go on about how government run programs are less efficient and require much more overhead than private charities. I could explain that the cost increases might force businesses to hire fewer people or to let go of people they have on their payrolls now, or that they might require that I reduce my own charitable giving simply to continue to be able to pay my bills. But that would concede the point that "were we able to do it affordably, more government interference with health care would be all right", and I just don't think that's the case. It's a question of Liberty, folks. Something we SHOULD stand up for.

Thinking Sideways while moving ahead

2009-03-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

I signed up for an online writing course a few weeks ago. It's called How To Think Sideways, and so far it's been fun, interesting, and has me doing a little introspection for a mind-mapping exercise. I'm looking at different things that I find compelling, that evoke strong emotional responses in me personally, and it's been eye-opening.

Attorneys have a reputation for being pessimistic, for playing it safe, for avoiding risks, etc. That pretty much describes me to a T. I'm a habitual worrier, but I didn't used to be. Didn't think of myself that way, anyhow.

Let's just say that between this and some other things I've been doing, I'm trying to get over my habitual negativity and back to that boundless optimism I had when I was younger. Economy down? Economies go up, economies go down, but opportunities are there no matter what the prevailing economy is.

Right? Right. Now I just need to convince myself.

A Very Busy Weekend

2009-03-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

Thursday morning, I paid a visit to the periodontist. They repaid my kindness by drugging me and sticking sharp implements in my mouth, followed by sutures. Lots and lots of sutures. And a prescription for some rather powerful pain-killers. The remainder of the day was spent checking work e-mail (once), and playing Dragon Quest V while catching up on podcasts. All of them.

Friday. Still more wonderful painkillers. Lots and Lots of Dragon Quest V. Expect a review at Tech Talk for Families within the next few days. Quick and Dirty - 15 hours in, I'm totally digging it. There's a monster-recruitment system that I like - think Pokemon, where you fight alongside the various monsters. I don't know if that's a standard part of Dragon Quest, but I like it a lot. The story has some elements to it that might not float well with younger players. Right now I'm seeing what looks like a possible romantic triangle (which will probably resolve itself without too much fuss...) The rating is E10, but I'd probably hold off until a kid is a little more mature to deal with some of the issues - 12 seems about right, but your mileage may vary.

Saturday. Bought a car. 2007 Kia Spectra. Enterprise (yes, the car rental place) Car Sales totally rocks. Car drives very well. We named it "Zippy". That night was the ward chili cookoff, in which my sweet wife, Reeta, won Best Overall Chili. I was surprised by how many people came up to her afterwards and asked her what she put in it. She was beaming all night.

Sunday. Church. Choir practice - which happened this week at a local assisted living center, and lasted two hours as we sang hymns and fumbled all over Handel's "All We Like Sheep" from the Messiah. Yeah. We're few in numbers, but mighty in ambition. More Dragon Quest V. Recorded a new Geek Survival Guide. Tried my best to ignore twitter comments re: the Big Love episode that purported to show LDS Temple ceremonies.

I've been trying really hard to let that last thing roll off, but it's harder than I thought it would be. Those are sacred things, and seeing that someone is using them in a commercial venture, and trying to drum up business using the "controversy" over the "LDS Church's Outrage" leaves a particularly bad taste in my mouth. The Church's official response to it was muted, and I'm trying to do my best to make sure my own is as well. I realize that HBO broadcasting them to the world and making them eventually available on a DVD Box Set for $49.99 or whatever doesn't change the nature of the temple or the ordinances and covenants I've made there, but it still feels degrading. And the twitter responses frankly haven't helped.

But then, I am reminded that if it were easy to turn the other cheek, bless them that hate you, pray for them that despitefully use you, etc., then I suppose it wouldn't be a commandment.

Now Playing... my ebook library as it currently stands...

2009-02-09T20:03:00.000-08:00

Because the Kindle 2 was announced today, with rumors circulating that Amazon will be selling e-books for certain cell phones, I thought I'd take a moment and share what's currently sitting on my Stanza bookshelf. I don't have and probably won't buy a Kindle, but if I can get the text onto my iPod touch, that's a very satisfactory result for me.

Here's the most recent 5 titles I've accessed:

Daniel Suarez: Daemon.
Edward Gibbon: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Volume 1(No real reason for that, move along, nothing to see here...) Gutenberg
Iain M. Banks: Use of Weapons. This month's Orbit Books special. $1.00 from various e-book vendors.
Frank L. Baum: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Gutenberg.
Edward Gibbon: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Volume 2. (It's a long title, I wasn't exactly sure which one was which).

Here's what I've finished reading on it:

Brent Weeks: The Way of Shadows. Dark Fantasy. Last month's Orbit Books special.
Eric Flint / David Drake: An Oblique Approach. Science fiction, set in the Holy Roman Empire. Very good book, and available for free from Baen.

And I have over forty five more books on it. It's nice having a variety of things available. I've got Aristotle's Ethics, Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, and Thomas Acquinas' Summa Theologica. I also have Scott Sigler's Ancestor, P.G. Wodehouse' My Man Jeeves, and Rafael Sabatini's Captain Blood. Richard Paul Evans' 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me. Wide ranging topics, from authors new and old.

So, let's say you have access to the world's library on a device - something becoming more and more true with every passing day - what would you be reading?

I'm an American.

2009-01-20T07:51:00.001-08:00

It may come as a surprise to some people that I hold somewhat conservative views. I was not a supporter of the man taking the Oath of Office today.

I'm happy that we've got a peaceful transition of power. I'm grateful for a process that allows me to have a say in who will and who will not be governing. I can appreciate the history involved in electing Barak Obama as the President of the United States. I remember the atmosphere the day after the '04 election, and walking around my law school campus was like I was visiting a funeral.

That's not going to be me.

I wish the new President all the best. I hope he'll govern well, and I'll support him as my President. My congratulations to him and to all his supporters. I may not agree with all of his policies. In fact, I may agree with darn few of them. But in those places, he'll have my support.

Reading, Writing, and the Education Necessary to do both.

2009-01-15T09:51:00.001-08:00

Looking at another blog earlier today, I saw that they had a handy badge explaining that you would need a college degree, and possibly some post-grad work to understand their blog.

Being one who's curious about things like readability and reading levels and whatnot, I immediately plugged in the address to the typepad version of this blog and got the result you see here to the left. Now, initially it took me back a little bit. I mean, I've got a bachelor's degree. I've got a Juris Doctor, for crying out loud. I'm supposed to be writing in impenetrable legalese. You should need a post-grad AND Sanskrit AND Benjamin Franklin's magic bifocals from National Treasure to be able to read this blog. Right? Right?

Well, maybe not so much.

I got something of a similar result when I wrote my manuscript. If I pull up that handy dandy Google Doc right now, there's a tool that evaluates the "readability" of the text, which I imagine is based on my vocabulary, length of sentences, number of sentences per paragraph, etc. Looking at "Eyes of the Marauder" (Yes, it's a corny working title.), I get the following results:

Readability	Selection	Document
Average sentences per paragraph:	-	3.84
Average words per sentence:	-	9.54
Average characters per word:	-	4.47
Average words per page:	-	974.66
Flesch Reading Ease: [?]	-	83.68
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: [?]	-	4.00
Automated Readability Index: [?]	-	4.00

Wow. That sure is a lot of numbers. What does this really mean? Well, I note that the Grade Level of my manuscript is Grade 4. Queso is in Grade 4. So, I should be able to drop my printed manuscript in her lap, tell her to go for it, and she can do her 20 minutes of reading per night. Or I can stick her in front of my blog and do the same thing, though reporting either of those to her teacher might be taken as a sign of narcissism on my part. Or just plain crazy.

My personal feeling is that it takes real skill to be able to describe complex issues in such a way that a ten-year-old can understand it. Parents, you know what I'm talking about, right? Authors, what's your take? Is the sign of a good writer the way they use the four-syllable words or are the best authors the ones who write simply? Or (as is so often the case), am I just totally off base?

Finished

2009-01-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

My first draft of my first novel is done.

As always, it's posted up at Google Docs. Here's the link.

Or, if you prefer, here's a link to a PDF of the first draft. I still need to tweak the formatting, and in a few weeks, I'll probably start a second draft, but I just wanted to put this up as quick as I could.

Touch 'n Go thoughts - Day Five

2008-12-30T12:34:00.001-08:00

Moving from my iPod video 60 Gig model to an iPod Touch 16 Gig has been a real paradigm shift. Yes, yes, I know, it's a fairly obvious thing to say.

Here's some of the things that have struck me as I've lived with it for the last five days.

1. Stanza. How have I ever tolerated not having something this amazingly useful on my media player? And I can get books from free wireless? Do I need/want a Kindle now? No?

2. No disc mode. That's a little sad, b/c most of my portable apps live on my 60G. Ah well, 16 G really doesn't leave me with room that I'd feel comfortable throwing portable apps on anyway.

3. No click wheel. I understand that this was a selling point - See this really cool touch interface! But when I was listening to a playlist, or shuffle mode, and ran into a song that I wanted to skip, it was the work of a moment to reach down and hit the right side of the click wheel. Likewise, if I'm walking around the house and someone wants to talk to me, it used to be very quick to hit the Play/Pause at the bottom of the wheel by touch alone, while it was still in my pocket. No problem. Now, I absolutely have to have my eyes on what I'm doing, because there's no tactile feedback to what I'm doing.

4. Smaller size is not necessarily a bad thing. This is a fairly new thought to me. The fact that I now have an iPod that is about 1/4 the size of the one I was using means I have to be a lot more selective in what gets on it. Yes, it's still over 1k songs and hours of video, but compared with the space I had before it's a real shift. But that means that I'm a lot more focused on quality now, and particularly on rating the songs that come up. It's easier to get my head around the collection the way it is.

5. Apps are fantastic. For example, last night I was entering all my GutCheck weigh-ins into "WeightBot", a neat little app that tracks and charts weight loss, figures BMI, etc. (hat tip here to Download Squad). At once I was interested in seeing the progress I've made, and at the same time a little incensed that I seem to have really plateaued over the last month. Evernote keeps me synced with bookmarks, to-do lists, clips, quotes, etc. And all my devices need some form of Sudoku. (Though I wish the one I had selected had an option for entering custom puzzles and a solver mode, in case I wanted to take today's paper sudoku puzzle on the go - maybe in the next update?)

6. Wireless is a real battery-drainer.

So far, I wouldn't go back, but it's been an adjustment, no question about it.

Today's Project - The Positivity Playlist

2008-12-30T08:32:00.001-08:00

I know, I know. I'm Mr. Optimism, right?

Sure I am.

Talking with My Sweet Honey's Grandmother last night, I showed her my iPod touch. (yes, by that standard, it was a very good Christmas) We got to talking, and I was showing her the books I've put on the "Touch 'N Go". Yes, it's a blatant Schlock Mercenary reference. She was amazed when I told her that books were a lot smaller than music. Thanks to Baen's Free Library, and Gutenberg, there's a lot of books on there.

As I explained that books were a lot smaller than songs, I got a weird thought - Music is naturally more information dense than pure text. I could put three David Drake novels in the space of one mp3. And music speaks at a more basic level than text. You have to learn to read. But put on Canned Heat, and your body just starts moving naturally. So, why not put that natural power to good use?

Now, as I've somehow become the guy that manages to find the black cloud that goes with every silver lining, I've been looking through my music for good tunes to lift the occasional dismal mood. Jumped on Twitter, and have gotten a lot of good suggestions.

So, here it is - my Positivity Playlist as it currently stands. Got any suggestions? What have I missed?

1. Accentuate the Positive - Perry Como, from "Today and Yesterday"
2. Nothing from Nothing - Billy Preston, from the "Elf" soundtrack
3. Jump Jive An' Wail - Brian Setzer Orchestra, from "The Dirty Boogie"
4. Prime Mover - Rush, from "Hold Your Fire" (anything can happen...)
5. Pennies from Heaven - Louis Prima, also from "Elf" (Shoobie Doobie!)
6. New World Man - Rush, from "Signals"
7. Radio Ga Ga - Queen, from "Classic Queen"
8. Energy - The Apples in Stereo, from "New Magnetic Wonder" (I got this free from Amazon)
9. Fa-Fa-Fa - Datarock, from "Datarock" (I need a shot, I need a shot of ambition)
10. Things Can Only Get Better - Howard Jones, from "The Best of Howard Jones"
11. Starchild - Jamiroquai, from "Dynamite" (Yeah, that's right. Not "Canned Heat")
12. That's What You Get - Paramore, from "Riot!" (Obligatory Rock Band 2 song)
13. History Repeating - Propellerheads & Shirley Bassey, from "Decksanddrumeandrockandroll" (She sang "Goldfinger")
14. I Should've Been After You - Rooney, from "Calling the World" (I think they're channelling Queen.)

Just shy of 55 minutes of positive, happy, upbeat music. I'll be the first to admit it needs some tweaking. So, what am I missing? What doesn't belong? What do you do to escape the blues?

What I'm grateful for this Christmas.

2008-12-24T14:01:00.001-08:00

First, I'm grateful for the fact that I still have some hair.

And of course, I'm grateful to be a husband to a wonderful woman, and a dad to one of the best kids I know.

She really is. Because of where I live and go to church, I'm around an awful lot of kids, and Queso's one of the brightest, sweetest kids I know.

Here's hoping that 2009 is better than 2008, that the obstacles we will inevitably face will lead us to better paths, to stronger abilities, and to humbler hearts.

Merry Christmas!!

NaNoWriMo wrapup

2008-12-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

Well, it was a week ago that I won NaNoWriMo, with 50,101 words. The problem is, the book isn't finished. I've got about five chapters to go before it's done.

That's the first problem, I suppose. The second one is that there are a plethora of ready excuses that I can pretend are keeping me from writing. For example, this being the holiday season, there's so much family coming through, it's difficult for me to turn around in a circle, let alone sit down at a computer and write. (Never mind the fact that I'm writing this blog post. Pay no attention.)

Also, while it's not necessarily eating into my evenings all that much, work has been insane over the last few weeks.

And I've started reviewing video games over at Tech Talk for Families. Which is pretty cool.

The fact of the matter is that the challenge of NaNoWriMo provided me with some much needed motivation. I suppose the thing to do at this point, is do something to regain it, and then push forward. I need about a week of writing to get it done.

As always, the book is sitting on Google Docs - here.

Progress! (after a fashion)

2008-11-12T07:14:00.001-08:00

I think my book has turned something of a corner. Last night, as I started writing, I was having trouble getting going, couldn't focus, didn't know where to take the plot. That might have had something to do with the fact that I was trying to write in the living room while the family was watching Kung Fu Panda. Maybe.

I took myself back into the office, put on some music, and got to work.

And things started to flow. I thought I was going to have a hard time finishing my 1700 words. I got down over 3000. I'm looking forward to sitting down with it tonight and moving the plot further forward. I have no idea what obstacles are about to come down. There have been a few things that surprised me already.

The weird thing - the music I put on? Hymns. Not typically the kind of music you write a sci-fi/fantasy Hong Kong Kung-Fu action epic to, eh?

So, current word count is at 17640. And it is still published here.

Congratulations, Mr. President-Elect

2008-11-04T20:36:00.001-08:00

It's a historic night. To those who supported Barack Obama for President, I offer my sincere congratulations. I don't think many people would have predicted this a year ago. It was a well-run campaign, and your man won. I'll raise a can of Cherry Coke Zero to his health tomorrow.

To those who may be disappointed or dismayed at this outcome, realize two things. First, no matter how you slice it, you have to admit it's a pretty impressive thing. And we can be proud of a country where we've come so far past slavery and segregation that we can elect this man to the highest office in the land.

Second, Conservatives have to walk their talk. We talk a great game, but when a purported conservative introduces such things as prescription drug benefits and willy-nilly bailout packages, all the talk in the world can't justify those kinds of actions as truly conservative, but our opposition will hang it around our necks like a noose. We must actually be the kind of people we claim to be. Government, I believe, is best when it is out of the way. All I ask is roads and national defense.

For the next four years, we've got to find better candidates. Maybe some of those regular, Joe-Sixpack kind of people will get motivated, get educated, and get into a race themselves. We've got to get behind good, sharp people, and make our case.

Tomorrow, I celebrate what an impressive country we have.

And then... well, though I realize this little corner of the internet gets little attention from pretty much anyone... I suppose I'll try my best to articulate what I think is right, improve my game as best I can, and make my case.
God Bless America!

NaNoWriMo cruises right along

2008-11-04T19:42:00.000-08:00

Four days in, 7367 words. I'm not removing anything, but I've marked some things for later excision. Also, I've gone back and added some more language early on. I've got to admit - at this point my main character doesn't seem very compelling. I'm not exactly sure what to do about that. I've got to make sure he's got interesting flaws, but that he's also sympathetic.

Anyway, as always, it's posted. I'd love to get feedback, but let's give it to the fifteenth.

Taking a Twitter-cation

2008-11-03T13:15:00.001-08:00

I'll be off Twitter for at least the next week.

If anyone needs me, a DM will send me an e-mail, as well as a text to my cell phone.

Also, you can hit me via Skype. My profile name is zricks.

Rockin' and Rollin' on the NaNoWriMo so far...

2008-11-03T07:20:00.001-08:00

Two days in, and I'm over 4,000 words. I still don't have a title, I'm hoping it comes together. I'm pretty happy with it so far. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's definitely a first draft, and will need some significant re-writing, but at least it's getting down. So... if anyone wants to follow along, I'm posting it as a google doc, and it's available here.

Someone talk me down from the Crazy Tree...

2008-10-28T07:35:00.001-07:00

So, currently we see the U.S. economy in something of a tailspin. Yet for some odd reason, oil prices have been dropping. Whether this is due to oil-producing countries trying to help the US Dollar reach a floor (remember, their own currencies are pegged to the dollar... currently...), or due to Joe Sixpack deciding to drive less (the answer to high prices is... high prices...), or some combination of those and other factors, there are some (maybe unintended) consequences.

First, low oil prices and current politics means we don't go after our own resources. In order to make it financially feasible to go get oil in the shelf or in shale, those prices need to be pretty high. Low prices keep us dependent on foreign sources. In all honesty, I think this is an intended consequence.

However, low oil prices also destabilize other countries that depend on those high oil revenues to
keep themselves afloat. I'm thinking offhand of Venezuela, Iran, and Russia - just to name a few at random. Now, if I was in those countries, and wanted to raise the price of oil, I might consider a few options. I might hold wargames with a historical adversary to the US, in the hopes of raising some tensions there. I might invade a neighboring country (which happens to be building a natural gas pipeline). Or... I might either actively assist, or block the actions of others who are trying to prevent, someone on their way to developing nuclear technology and the means of delivering nuclear payloads to places in oil-rich regions. I might shield someone who has said
something about making another country "disappear in a flash of light". (Pay no attention to how one action may lead to the other there...)

Now, let's say I'm a country that doesn't want to disappear in said "flash". I might do some things myself, but my options are rather limited because I'm not that big/powerful a country, and I seem to be scapegoated for all the world's ills.

In desperation, I wind up making a pre-emptive strike against a neighboring country who may be developing nuclear technology. Which has the effect of, not destabilizing, but revealing the lack of stability in the region. Which blows up the price of oil.

And then, let's say that I'm a former stalwart ally of this aforementioned small country not wanting to disappear. Maybe I take this opportunity to jump on the bandwagon and score some political points by blaming the small country for rising oil prices. "Our economy was on its way back! We had the bailouts! They were going to work! Moreover, we were willing to let the political/diplomatic process work. But those cursed (insert name here), they were paranoid, jumped the gun, and NOW look what's happened."

And that's how the U.S. withdraws support from longstanding ally, Israel. And the weird thing about that for me isn't that it's possible. I suppose it's always been possible. The weird thing is how... likely it seems, all of a sudden.

That's one way that it could work out. And frankly, it's the one that's less scary for the U.S. The other possibility (and you know how far out I am on the crazy tree - this is hanging off the top of it), is that the government does something so far removed from the will of the people that it becomes that generation's Intolerable Acts, prompting some yahoos to draft a 2nd Declaration of Independence, and shatter the country. Maybe it becomes an actual shooting war, maybe not. Either way, we take ourselves out of play.

Okay, so there it is. Someone please tell me I'm an idiot, and show me where I'm wrong.

Whose test is it, anyway?

2008-10-28T05:05:00.000-07:00

Had another odd dream last night, which is prompting this.

There are a lot of voices out there. It's no wonder the media is sometimes called the "chattering class." Having said that, while there are a number of voices I read and listen to, there are a few voices I trust.

I lost one yesterday. As a fan of "Chowdah" - his fun, snarky writing and his occasional guest stint for Hugh, I'm going to miss him. Not as much as his family, and loved ones, of course, and my thoughts and prayers go out to them.

... but that's not really my odd thought this morning. No, last night, I dreamt I was having a discussion over dinner with Bill Whittle.

Now Bill is, in my humble opinion, no less than the single greatest essayist currently living and working in the United States. I've said it before and I'll say it again - the Silent America essays are... powerful, humbling, hopeful, inspiring. I'm particularly fond of his piece on Magic and magical thinking.

Mr. Whittle and I were at dinner, discussing recent events on the campaign trail - in particular, a certain Vice Presidential candidates rather dire predictions regarding an upcoming "test". And you know what? Joe Biden and I agree on this one. A test is coming.

But it's not necessarily a test of the new President.

Oh, sure, it will be perceived as such, and he'll either rise to the occasion or fail, and there'll be a lot said and written about it. But in a very real sense, the President can only do so much. And the test that I was talking about, the one that I see coming, isn't a test of our political will (although you could interpret it as that) or our military or financial power.

It'll be a test of the American People. One which we will either rise up to or fall and fail. I hope, when it comes, that we're as ready as we can be. I hope that we put our shoulder to that proverbial wheel and push, man, Push! I have the feeling that when it happens, whoever the President is will need our support. I'm optimistic. Whenever we've faced these sorts of challenges in the past, (and we have) we as a people have gotten up, gotten moving, and beat the tar out of it. But I am also reminded of the words of one of those dead white guys we don't seem to hear much about these days, unless he happens to be the source of an award winning HBO bio-miniseries. Luckily enough, this one is. Just for kicks, one of these days, go google the following string. "John Adams Constitution inadequate".

Anyway, the idea I was expounding over an imaginary dream dinner to someone whose work I genuinely admire was to step up. That test is out there, and it's coming. (one calls to mind, ever so briefly, a particular scene in Tombstone). It'll be painful, and tough. And, in a very real sense, good for us. In the song, "America the Beautiful"... aw heckfire. I'll just post that one.

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

You know how gold is refined, right?

A truly fantastic dinner

2008-10-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

We just found a new sushi/hibachi place in North Austin, where 183 and 620 cross. In the same parking lot as the local Home Depot and Walmart, behind the Schlotzsky's and the IHOP, impossible to see from the road, is Momiji Hibachi & Sushi.

They've only been open a few weeks at this point, but holy cow! That was good.

I tried really hard not to go overboard, but by the end of the night, I had...
Edamame.... Miso soup... 2 sushi rolls, and (shame on me) a fried banana. Tempura style. With whipped cream on top.

MSH shared the Edamame, helped with the sushi, but ordered the Seafood Udon. I haven't had noodles that good since we left Portland, OR.

Queso was the adventurous one. While I ordered a spicy tuna roll and a sweet potato roll, Queso ordered a Spider Roll (soft shell crab), and a Caterpillar roll. That one bears special mention. Eel and cucumber inside the roll, and slices of soft avocado formed around the outside so that when it came out, it looked like someone had chopped up a caterpillar and served it on a plate. The picture really doesn't do it justice.

Meanwhile, the fried banana also bears mention. Battered and fried tempura-style, it was as though I had encountered some kind of Platonic Ideal Banana. Das Ubernana. Served with whipped cream, a raspberry, and some kind of Deluxe Pocky. Again, the picture hardly does it justice.

So, we had an appetizer, 4 sushi rolls, MSH's Udon & Lemonade, and two desserts. Luckily, because they put the sushi on 1/2 price Sun - Thurs (at least during this Grand Opening season they're still in) it was pretty darn reasonable.

If you're in the area, I highly recommend it. I know we'll be going back soon.

Good morning!

2008-10-23T06:01:00.001-07:00

Greatest breakfast tacos in the world.

Two Princes

2008-10-22T21:29:00.001-07:00

Everyone knows the song, right?

Good. If you're following me on twitter, you would have seen me riffing off JC Hutchins' "sponsor my novel" idea. Now, while I can get behind the whole idea of patronage, having people vote on content strikes me as a bad idea, and I tried to express the thought by threatening to start a meme to force JC to write a Jane Austen-style romance.

(which, incidentally, he told me later he'd love to try.)

And because I couldn't leave it alone (is anyone surprised?) I immediately added lasers, dinosaurs, cyborgs, and a post-apocalyptic setting. And, dagnabit, all of a sudden it started sounding like a good idea.

It just started flowering in my brain - an idea about a society which had undergone some kind of great shakeup, leaving technology in some places, perceived barbarism in others, forcing a more rigid social structure... it just sort of unfolded like a fractal.

Now, despite threatening JC with having to write it myself, and naming my protagonist Chet Awesomelaser! (yes, the exclamation point is part of the name) it sounds like a project that would be a lot of fun to write. "In a post-apocalyptic future, brave dinosaur-riding, laser-wielding cyborgs seek true love in a rigid social society."

Trouble is, I already have an idea for NaNoWriMo. Something I think is a really good idea. In fact, long time twitter followers have seen me float the idea for its sequel at least once. And when I compare the two of them... my original idea wins. Hands down, just wins. Now, thanks to the discussion earlier, the first story's love story will be deepened a little, twisted a little. (and may benefit from the awesome addition of dinosaurs - it'd work).

The point is, you have to write the story that speaks to you. And the story of Bit's journey - coming to an understanding of his heritage, the burden it places on him, his attempt to redeem it, and his move into a larger world... it's singing to me. The opening is in my head, clean and crisp as the snow that surround the opening action. The climactic battle at the end is there, and the consequences of saving the day will be heavy, indeed.

So, cyborg Victorian romance/farce (I think I could play this pretty straight... maybe it'd be funnier that way) will have to wait.

One More Week!!!

Pushing

2008-10-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

I've been aware of NaNoWriMo for a while. I purposely did not join last year, reasoning to myself that I didn't want "hype" to overcome "substance" in my writing. End result - I didn't write a book last year.

This year, I've done a lot more writing than I did last year, but I'm nowhere near putting a book together.

And so, when I saw a bunch of the folks I follow on Twitter were signing up, and asking people to sign up and add them as writing buddies, I thought it over. When I saw that one of my heroes endorses NaNoWriMo, I thought it over again.

And if you're reading this at my blogspot address, you can see that I've gone and signed up.

Why do that now when I've been reluctant in the past?

Well, if GutCheck has taught me anything, it's taught me that having someone that I'm accountable to gets results from me. (I'm down over 20 pounds for the year.) And a system is a good thing to have. Moreover, if I can use November to get in the habit of writing, and keep it up, that will go a long way toward me actually getting books written and (maybe) published.

So, keep an eye out. I want to play fair, so I'm starting a new idea, not PRODIGALS, but a new secret project. (Sorry, mom!) I've got the idea. I've got a very rough idea of a three act structure, and a coda.

Now I just need to give it a name...

Because it's the weekend...

2008-10-18T09:03:00.001-07:00

Perspective...

2008-10-15T20:16:00.001-07:00

Watching the twitter feed swim by, I can't help but ask myself...

This is a presidential election, right? Do I really believe that the person sitting behind the big desk at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. can save us from our problems? From impending economic crash? From polarization and vitriol in the body politic? From reliance on foreign sources of energy?

Nope. And if YOU believe that, you're kidding yourself. No one in the government has a wand they can wave and make our troubles go away. Not even Ben Bernanke and his Magic Money Printing Press can make things better. Now, I do believe that whoever is there can surely screw things up royally for everyone else, but none of our Presidential candidates is exactly Superman. I also believe that whomever is sitting in that chair will need the support of the American people, and I'll be willing to offer my support, no matter who wins.

Meanwhile, the problems of economics, polarization, vitriol & condescension, energy dependence, etc. remain. And this is probably just the beginning. I figure we're in for tough times, folks. And in the words of the founding fathers, we all need to hang together... or...

Odd Thoughts at 7:00 AM

2008-10-14T16:58:00.001-07:00

Yeah, nothing like being all hopped up on cold medicine to get a guy blogging. Or having weird thoughts. Or both.

So, this morning, I had a second sentence flashing through my head like a neon sign.

You cannot force another person to perception.

Now, let me explain that. I'm not saying that "my blue may not be your blue, who's to say what blue is". I'm a firm believer in objective reality. And the color analogy I've heard fails for the simple reason that color can be described in mathematical terms. "Blue" describes a range of colors around a certain frequency of light. I can't see that what you're seeing is what I'm seeing so we're both seeing the same thing. Wow that's circular (but it was so much fun to write). I can describe Beethoven the same way - sounds of various frequencies and tenors played for x amount of time.

Having said that, the Psychology B.Sc. rears its ugly head at this time. "Yes, you can describe those kinds of things in that manner, but for someone to "see" or "hear" those things, the signals have to be received and interpreted by the brain.

To which I say... exactly my point. I believe that there is an objective reality. But I can't say for certain that anyone's perception of reality actually corresponds to it. I think a lot of our current polarization in our lives (in so many different arenas) lies in the fact that people are interpreting and processing reality in fundamentally different ways. And if someone doesn't see the the world the way *I* see it, then that person must be... stupid... evil... inhuman... crazy... other... etc.

Perception is filtered by the brain so that the person makes sense of the inputs they're getting. It's one of the reasons why I never argue when someone hears something other than what I actually said. I figure, that's how their brain interpreted the sounds coming out of my mouth.

So, what to do? As much as possible, listen to what those you perceive as your opponents are saying. Ask questions. It's all right to challenge assumptions, but be willing to have your own challenged, and be able to explain them as well. Like one of my favorite radio guys says, and I'm paraphrasing horribly, I value clarity over agreement. Agreement means nothing if we're not clear on what we're agreeing on. If you can understand the viewpoint of the other person, you will find the things you have in common. Grab on to those and hold on tight, and build from there.

Politics, like many things, is an exercise in finding a compromise you can live with. (That is, something that you can agree with on principle, even if it's not implemented the way you would prefer.) Sometimes, you may be dealing with people who refuse to work with you on anything - who refuse to give you any ground, but insist you give all of yours. In those cases, feel free to walk away.

I was fascinated by this article that talks, among other things, about seeing things from new perspectives.

So, when I come to a disagreement, the question is twofold - 1. What in the other person's perspective am I missing? And 2. Can I explain my perspective to this person in a way in which they will understand it? Because language is the only tool we have to work with. We can find ways of talking to each other and build understanding. We can reach out and find areas where we agree. In most cases, those areas of agreement are much larger than the areas of disagreement.

I guess that's my question here - Am I missing something? And if so... what is it?

Odd thoughts at 4 AM

2008-10-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

I woke last night about 4:30 am from a strange dream, with a strange, single thought in my head.

In a war of ideas, coercion is not an option.

It's a pithy little thought, isn't it? Simple, concise, incisive. Now, let's assume that's not just the cough medicine talking (today, I seem to be a dripping snot monster), and parse it out a little. Of course, it's not 100% correct, but it's close enough to be almost a truism. You cannot force another to change his mind.

1. What do I mean by a war of ideas?
Current events being what they are, it's easy to assume that I'm talking about politics, or about what (if anything) government should be doing about the U.S. economy. I could be thinking about the role of religion and morals in our society. And I suppose that in part, all of the above combined to spark the thought. But I believe it applies equally well to small-scale conflicts also. In short, any disagreement is, fundamentally, a war of ideas. Each combatant feels that he is RIGHT, by thunder, and he will MAKE the other person see sweet reason, OR ELSE. How familiar is that?

2. What do I mean by coercion?
Force. You cannot reach into someone else's head and manipulate their brain until they agree. And you can't beat someone over the head with your ideas and expect to get anything approaching within a country mile of a good result. My favorite example of this is something that actually happened to me over fifteen years ago, when I was serving a proselyting mission in the Philippines for my church. I and another missionary went to meet with someone we were teaching, and when we got there, a pair of missionaries from another faith happened to be there also. Now, my boon companion had been expecting just such an... opportunity, and we had prepared our remarks with the possibility in mind. We spent the better part of an hour delivering our message with great gusto, showing how the scriptures proved our point. At the end of which, those poor, unprepared ladies simply could not respond. We had won! And the next time we went to visit the person we were trying to teach, we were asked not to come again. No one had been convinced, no one's mind had been changed, and we had been dis-invited.

Now, there is one way in which force can and is used to win a war of ideas, and that is when you simply do not allow someone else to speak. See this linked video.

In the video, we see students at Columbia University forcing Jim Gilchrist, one of the founders of the Minutemen, off the stage. If you do not allow those with whom you disagree to speak, your idea wins the field by default.

I've found myself wondering what the appropriate response to the situation depicted above might be. Can you get your message across in this kind of situation? If not, what do you do?

Cookies for the Dark Side Lover in you!

2008-09-22T16:30:00.000-07:00

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES
Printed from COOKS.COM

2 cups sugar
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup Pet milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups oats

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients except peanut butter and oats and cook over medium heat. Let boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and oats.

Spoon out quickly onto wax paper or aluminum foil. Cookies will harden as they set.

Submitted by: Hilary

Well, how do you respond to this?

2008-09-17T16:00:00.001-07:00

Hacking into Sarah Palin's personal e-mail account and posting the private e-mail addresses and phone numbers of family members seems like a super mature and thoughtful thing to do.

And then putting it up at Gawker. That's class, man. Real class. Well, it's easy to see that those people are mature, responsible members of society.

Why I am currently a fan of Sarah Palin...

2008-09-16T20:08:00.001-07:00

There's been a lot of talk lately among people I (to varying degrees) listen to, about how scary/evil/dangerous/stupid Sarah Palin is.

While it is very tempting to go out and attempt to respond to every attack, and I do have a history of attempting to do just that (insofar as one can in 140 characters or less), I also think it's important to play offense as well as defense. What I've seen of Sarah Palin, I've liked. I've liked it a lot.

So... here's a few of the reasons that I'm excited about Sarah Palin.

#1. She seems to me to be someone who a) has some deep seated beliefs and b) is living them as best as she knows how. I say that because according to a report I heard the other day, 80% of babies who test positive for Downs Syndrome are aborted. It would have been very easy, understandable, even, for Sarah Palin to have had an abortion, and I don't think anyone would have blamed her. But she didn't, and I think that says something important about her.

#2. While she has deep seated beliefs, she seems to be someone who can be persuaded. See the Bridge to Nowhere. She may have been against it at the beginning, but she was the one who, seeing the enormous public outcry, thought "well, maybe this isn't such a good idea after all" and stopped it.

#3. She can speak clearly (thank goodness), and not just when she's on a teleprompter.

#4. She defeated both a Republican incumbent AND a Democrat challenger, and as someone who isn't a big fan of either party's recent history, how can I not be happy about that? Not only that, but she actually does have a history dealing with energy issues in Alaska, and she has an approval rating there as Governor that is greater than that of the current President and the current Legislature combined. Unless you think people in Alaska are just stupid or easily duped, I think reasonable people would agree that it's a positive indication of her abilities.

#5. Last, but not least, she's from a small town. And as someone who originally came from a small town myself, I can't help but admire that. She went from a small town, to Mayor of Wasilia (which despite its relatively diminutive size here in the lower 48, is still the 5th largest city in Alaska), to being Governor of the State, and now the VP nominee of the GOP.

Anyway, those are a few of the reasons that I find myself impressed by her, and am currently planning on supporting the Republicans this election season.

Wish I was at this place...

2008-09-16T16:39:00.001-07:00

Instead of where I am.

What to do, what to do...

2008-08-31T13:26:00.000-07:00

First, go to Stephanie Meyer's home page and read the August 28th Part II post.

Go ahead... I'll wait.

All right, back? Good. For those of you who decided not to do that, here's the quick and dirty. Stephanie's latest project is "Midnight Sun", a re-telling of the original Twilight book from the perspective of the male protagonist, Edward. She passed a couple of copies of her unpublished, unedited, first draft to a couple people. And it wound up on the internet.

Now, we all know what Cory Doctorow thinks about this kind of thing, but not everyone is Cory. And I can appreciate that it's tough to know how to respond to something like this, and that she's feeling horrible that her trust was betrayed.

It strikes me as interesting that this occurred within a week of Mur Lafferty's assault on Amazon (which as I recall was amazingly successful, putting her for that day at #19 on bestsellers, and #2 on Science Fiction and Fantasy - second only to Mrs. Meyer herself), and I think that Mrs. Meyer's response was altogether perfect. In fact, I'm thinking of writing her a letter. When I see Scott Sigler, J.C. Hutchins, Philippa Ballantine, Tee Morris and (insert genuflection here) Mur Lafferty's success with selling material that they initially released for free over the internet, I can't help but think that ALL this is going to do, is open new people to Mrs. Meyer's work, and make her next book even bigger. I hope that book is Midnight Sun, I really do. After seeing how much MSH and other people have enjoyed them, it would be a shame to keep them from ~~their next fix~~, something that brings them so much enjoyment.

Here's an idea...

2008-08-28T12:53:00.001-07:00

The WSJ is reporting that more artists are steering clear of iTunes. (h/t BNA) Not because of any kind of principled stand against DRM, or anything like that. Goodness, no.

Apparently, the argument is that selling single songs on iTunes in some cases is crimping overall music sales.

In other words, because people can get the individual "good" songs off iTunes, they don't feel it's necessary to get everything else that was shoveled onto an album.

Here's an idea.
Make more good songs.

I'm still in awe of what was, at the time, my favorite album in High School. Def Leppard's Hysteria. Looking over the list of songs, I think at one point or another they were all released as singles, with the possible exception of "Don't Shoot Shotgun", which is still a great song. In fact, I probably need to re-buy this, because my audio cassette of this is long gone.

But I can't do it at iTunes and I can't do it at the Amazon music store. Dagnabit.

Techdirt puts their own thoughts forward (they do this much more often than I do), and point to a trend that chills the very blood. The possibility that someone could pull a popular song from iTunes AFTER it's become popular, to see if it gets more people to buy the CD.

(sigh, headdesk) Isn't the answer more outlets? I thought technology was supposed to make things more convenient, not induce maniacal rage in your potential customers (which is exactly what a move like that does).

Case in point - I am looking for a legal mp3 copy of the soundtrack to the movie TRON. Anyone know where I can get that?

Yet one more reason I love my little white brick.

2008-08-20T10:47:00.001-07:00

Dragon Ball DS trailer doesn't disappoint its audience - DS Fanboy

Holy Jumping Catfish! (Yes, I love my DS. Hey, at least it's one thing you can count on in the coming era of Hope and/or Change.)

According to DS Fanboy, DragonBall DS hits US shelves in November.

I said it was my birthday, Dagnabit.

2008-08-18T16:33:00.001-07:00

Completing my set of released Donald Duck Disney Treasures sets. Yay!

A new do.

2008-08-17T08:43:00.001-07:00

MSH got some kind of wild hair (heh) last night, and chopped off most of Queso's.

My geek is showing...

2008-08-14T12:54:00.001-07:00

Saw a reference to today's WSJ Op-Ed from Senator John McCain, and in the blurb (thanks, Best of the Web), McCain makes the following statement.

We should work toward the establishment of an independent, international peacekeeping force in the separatist regions, and stand ready to help our Georgian partners put their country back together.

It's at this point that I say to myself... Hmmm... this sounds oddly familiar...

Ayup. Honestly, this is probably more a comment on my geek than a real substantive critique of Senator McCain's position, but still.

Book Binge!

2008-08-08T10:55:00.001-07:00

Taking a break this week from my normal, video game playing, podcast listening ways, I have rediscovered these rectangular objects laying around the bedroom. I think they're called... "books"?
Yes, I've been binge reading. Three books in the last week. All of them finished within 24 hours of picking them up and getting serious about reading them.
I guess it's a defense against my wife's attempts to get me to read Twilight. Which, for the record, will never ever happen. ever.

This week I've blitzed my way through...
Grave Peril, by Jim Butcher
Valiant: Lost Fleet 4, by Jack Campbell
and Summer Knight, by Jim Butcher

Easy reads, quick. And guess what's next on the plate? Oh yeah, more Dresden.
Death Masks, by Jim Butcher

The terrible weekend.

2008-08-04T11:19:00.001-07:00

So, I'm running late to work today because I turned off my alarm and went back to sleep.

And when I call in to say I'll be about ten minutes late, I find that my supervisor's husband had a heart attack over the weekend (he's okay, or as okay as can be expected - he's coming home from the hospital today).

And when I get here, I find that another co-worker's house was robbed over the weekend. Whoever did it had to have known the family, and (more to the point), known their large dog, who didn't stop the robbers. They took a PS2, Xbox 360 (left the Wii - guess they're not Nintendo fans), laptop, Blackberry, and... some guns and ammo. So, as a favor to my co-worker, I took a look at what Texas law has to say about that... currently it looks like it's a "State Jail Felony" (Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 31.03), punished by 180 days to 2 years in State Jail (Tex. Penal Code Ann. §12.35). Except... they burgled a habitation, which makes it a 2nd degree felony, punished by 2 to 10 in the "institutional division" (See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 30.02, and Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 12.33). Which sounds a lot scarier than "State Jail". And they're referred to that way in the statutes. Stupid kids.

And that's not all. Turns out that another co-worker who had a mole removed a couple weeks ago just found out it was cancerous.

Makes my life look like berries and cream, I must say.

Picking it up.

2008-08-02T14:37:00.001-07:00

Posting earlier this week, I realized that I've missed blogging.

Missed it a lot.

I don't imagine the internet has missed my semi-coherent ramblings so much, though... all the same, a quick update is in order.

We'll keep it to big events... within the last year or so, I've...
passed the Texas Bar...
been hired as a regular employee at the e-discovery shop I've been working for...
and moved to an assistant project manager position there...
my podcast, Geek Survival Guide, is a finalist for a Podcast Peer award in the Comedy category, and has been nominated for TWO Parsec awards (Best Speculative Fiction Comedy / Parody Podcast and Best "Infotainment" Cast)
and I've lost over fifteen pounds (largely as a result of participating in my OTHER podcast... GutCheckCast)
My daughter, (The Queso Kid), is headed to the fourth grade. She was commended in both of her TAKS tests in the third grade (reading and mathematics)
And my wife has left her position with a charter school here in town. She's helping a friend who just gave birth to twins, and now has three kids in the house under three.
I've started (fitfully) writing a little, and have a couple of ideas for books. Of course, ideas are cheap. It's sitting down and writing them that's hard. But I've got a lot of world-building done.
And that's about it. Doubtless there's a lot of other things I could mention (my love of Glenn Beck... my continuing hair loss... my continuing fascination with Pokemon, and bunches of other games for my Nintendo DS...) but we'll save that for another post.

Now... if I could just get ScribeFire to do extended posts...

Want to see a professional at work?

2008-07-30T11:54:00.001-07:00

Every now and then, I'll run across something that is just so cool, I have to share. And usually, the way I share is by hitting ping.fm, and updating my Twitter... Plurk...Facebook... Jaiku... Pownce... holy cow... okay, I have a lot of social networking accounts... part of the dangers of being a semi-active podcaster, I suppose.

But occasionally I'll run into something that just can't be summed up in 140 characters or less. So, I'm firing up the ScribeFire, and shooting off a quick note. (that will then be turned into a TunyURL and submitted via ping.fm to basically every place under the sun. 'Cause that's just the way I roll.)

Let's say that you, like me, are an aspiring writer. Let's say further that you've set a goal to actually get something written within the next year. Let's say still further that you would like to see how the professionals write. If all of the above is true, or even if just part of the above is true, then you'll want to check Brandon Sanderson's webpage, and in particular, his posting of multiple drafts for "Warbreaker". He's placed his very first draft, and multiple later drafts up for people to download and read under Creative Commons. The book itself comes out next summer in hardcover.

Wait a second... you don't know Brandon Sanderson? Well, maybe you've heard that they hired someone to finish Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series after Mr. Jordan passed away late last year (Oct 2007)? Guess who that lucky sap is? Ayup. Brandon. Personally, I'm going to be checking out his Mistborn series, and Warbreaker when it comes out. And can I just say that the chance to see the changes from first to second draft and subsequent seems to be an educational opportunity not to be missed? Particularly when one of the files he has up is a Word document that shows the differences between the first and second drafts?

Also, check out Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells at the "Writing Excuses" podcast (which is where I heard Warbreaker was available for download... though I never dreamed it would be this kind of an opportunity)

A test.

2008-07-07T09:15:00.001-07:00

Just trying this out.

Moving day

2005-03-02T00:49:00.000-08:00

Yup, I've got a new typepad blog, now. I'll be posting over there for the foreseeable future. All of my posts from here are now over there.

Where, you ask?

Here
http://madpoet.typepad.com

Please update your links appropriately. ;-)

CoH players, rejoice!

2005-02-28T11:49:00.000-08:00

City of Heroes is about to get its own monthly comic book series. Now, I know that subscribers currently get a City of Heroes comic, but apparently that just wasn't enough for Cryptic and NCsoft. Now comic book fans who have been leery of paying the subscription fee and playing CoH themselves will have an introduction to the game. And current subscribers will get the new Top Cow comic with their monthly subscription to the game.
So, after hearing a friend discuss the current comic book ("It's really not very good"), maybe now he'll get a little more for his monthly service fee.

So now do I have to buy an Xbox?

2005-02-25T14:27:00.000-08:00

Xbox's RPG selection has been a little thin, with a few notable exceptions (such as BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic, and the upcoming Jade Empire). But that may be set to change with this latest development.

Microsoft just hired Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of Final Fantasy. I'd heard he had left Square to go out on his own, but I never imagined he'd be assimilated into the Great Microsoft Empire ©.

Remembering that competition is a good thing, here's hoping he shows those young pups he left back at Square how it's done.

Phew!

2005-02-25T00:53:00.000-08:00

Glad I got that last post out of my system, but it's obvious that I need a system that allows for extended posts.

I'm late to this party...

2005-02-25T00:51:00.000-08:00

And I can't bring beer, because I'm a Mormon.

As INCREDIBLY busy as I have been lately, it wasn't until today that I found out about the new book by Martha Nibley Beck, recently sponsored by O magazine.

First, let me be absolutely clear that I have not read the book, and am working from news articles and the responses of others. Particularly here. Apparently, in the book, Ms. Beck accuses her father (a well-respected LDS scholar who passed away earlier today) of having sexually abused her when she was about five years old. These accusations stem from "recovered memories" - memories that have been brought back to the surface through hypnosis.

Now, I have a B.Sc. in Psychology, and I'm going to law school, as a result of which, I know a little something about the reliability of statements made under hypnosis.

Hypnosis, almost by definition, is a state where a person becomes very susceptible to suggestion. Even suggestions that the hypnostist may not be aware of. In age regression, most often what we're seeing is the adult's perception of what a child would act like. John Kihlstrom, of U.C. Berkeley has this to say about age regression and hypnosis.

Age-regressed adults may have the subjectively compelling experience of being children again, and they may appear to behave in a childlike manner, but what we see is an imaginative reconstruction of childhood -- not a reversion to the genuine article.

His article concludes with this statement:

Interestingly, hypnosis appears incapable of expanding awareness, so as to enable subjects to remember things that would otherwise remain forgotten. However, the social context of hypnosis, including widely shared (though false) beliefs about its capacity for memory enhancement (with or without age regression), and the suggestive context in which hypnosis occurs in the first place, renders the hypnotized subject vulnerable to various kinds of distortions in memory. Because the risks of distortion vastly outweigh the chances of obtaining any useful information, forensic investigators and clinical practitioners should avoid hypnosis as a technique for enhancing recollection.

The instant I heard that Ms. Beck had come to these memories as the result of hypnosis, I felt comfortable in assuming that they were false. In my Psych classes, we found out how susceptible people are to suggestion when we learned that people who are under hypnosis will pick up on subtle cues such as voice tone and emphasis to give the hypnotist the answer they want. For example, let's say that I age regress my wife back to her fifth birthday (Note, I am not a hypnotist, nor do I play one on TV). August 21, 1980. Let's say that I know that the correct day of the week is Wednesday. I ask her what day of the week it is, and she doesn't answer immediately. Or maybe she answers "Tuesday", and I say, "wait a minute, was it Monday? Tuesday? Wednesday?" At which point, she'll stop me and assert that it was, in fact Wednesday, picking up on subtle vocal cues from me that Wednesday is the right answer. The only problem is, I'm wrong. As you can see August 21, 1980 was a Thursday. But she believes it's Wednesday, I have implanted that suggestion in her mind. I can't find any evidence to suggest that hypnosis increases the accuracy of memory.

Now then, turning to evidence as far as law. Courts can and will allow testimony that has been "refreshed" by hypnosis. However, typically speaking, that testimony has to be corroborated by other evidence. In Borawick v. Shay (68 F.3d 597 - You'll need a Lexis password to get there), the 2nd circuit adopted (followed by the First Circuit, the Fifth Circuit, and the Tenth Circuit in later opinions) a "totality of the circumstances" test.

In conducting a case-by-case analysis, the district court should consider the following non-exclusive list of factors. First, it should evaluate the purpose of the hypnosis: whether it was to refresh a witness's memory of an accident or crime or whether it was conducted as part of therapy. In the former instance, the subject may feel pressured to remember details, to aid the criminal investigation, whereas when the subject has undergone therapy to explore the sources of her psychological ailments, she may be less inclined to confabulate or describe a complete coherent story. In the latter case, however, the court should be mindful of the possibility that the subject may have received subtle suggestions from her therapist that abuse or other traumas could be at the root of her problems. Thus, a second important consideration is whether the witness received any suggestions from the hypnotist or others prior to or during hypnosis such as a theory of the cause of the subject's ailments or key information relevant to the investigation for which she underwent hypnosis. A third and related factor is the presence or absence of a permanent record, which can help the court ascertain whether suggestive procedures were used. Ideally, the session should be videotaped or audiotaped. Fourth, a court should consider whether the hypnotist was appropriately qualified by training in psychology or psychiatry. A fifth factor is whether corroborating evidence exists to support the reliability of the hypnotically-refreshed memories. Sixth, evidence of the subject's hypnotizability may also be relevant. A highly hypnotizable subject may be more prone to confabulate and more susceptible to suggestion. Seventh, the court should consider any expert evidence offered by the parties as to the reliability of the procedures used in the case. Finally, a pretrial evidentiary hearing is highly desirable to enable the parties to present expert evidence and to test credibility through cross-examination.

After consideration of all of the relevant circumstances, the trial court should weigh the factors in favor and against the reliability of the hypnosis procedure in the exercise of its discretion whether to admit the post-hypnotic testimony. Finally, we add that the party attempting to admit the hypnotically-enhanced testimony bears the burden of persuading the district court that the balance tips in favor of admissibility. Hurd, 432 A.2d at 97.

Borawick at 608, emphasis mine.

Dealing just with the factors I've emphasized, I don't believe that her testimony would be admissible evidence. Assuming that this was recovered under self-hypnosis, I think we have to doubt her qualifications as a hypnotherapist. As for corroborating evidence, I think the statement of her brothers and sisters - all of them, that the accusations of sexual abuse are not true, is telling. One sister shared a room and a bunk bed with her at the time the alleged abuse was supposed to be occuring. She also denies the accusations leveled by Ms. Beck.

This book also claims that "the incidence of sex abuse among Mormon families far exceeds any other group" (see here again). And I make a challenge here and now to anyone who can provide objective evidence that this is the case. I feel that statement is a vile, pernicious lie. Nor do I think that I'm without credibility in this area. My wife and I were licensed foster parents in Utah, and each of the girls that came to live with us had suffered some form of abuse. People aren't perfect, and there are instances of abuse in most, if not all populations. However, to make this kind of groundless assertion is dangerous, in that it fosters an atmosphere of distrust and suspicion. As a member of the LDS church, and as the father of a daughter of my own, I do not have the words to express my disgust at the idea that I would abuse my child. I am insulted, and I do not insult easily.

h/t bird's eye view

Looking for new digs

2005-02-24T11:12:00.000-08:00

We've decided to go to Texas after law school. Austin. Which is a good thing, Reeta's family is there, and we'll have a lot of support. I'm planning on taking the Texas Bar in February '06. Meantime, that leaves me in a bit of a quandary.

I mean, I've got to find a job to last at least that long. We've got to figure out HOW to get ourselves and all our stuff down there. Meanwhile, I know no-one in the legal community there. There are quite a few hurdles to get over. But it's the area of the country that we want to wind up in, and everyone I've talked to about it has said that it's a better idea to go straight there after school, take the bar there, and practice, rather than take the Oregon bar, work here a few years to get some experience, and then move down.

Also, because this site is maintained through my Comcast subscription, I'm coming to the realization that I will need to find a new home for my blog. (To go with the new home for the family). I've got a friend who's been using TypePad, and really likes it. I'll probably give that a shot, but it'll be next week.

Burning the Flag

2005-02-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

Court questions FCC's broadcast flag rules | CNET News.com

This makes me kind of hopeful. If the groups involved can overcome issues of their standing to bring suit, it sounds like they're making some good arguments against the FCC digital broadcast flag. Here's hoping they carry the day.

Pictorial Update

2005-02-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

I've got contacts, now. And I shaved. Hence the new pic.

Hang your head for a moment... and start saving your pennies.

2005-02-18T19:04:00.000-08:00

Naruto is now licensed for U.S. distribution, and will start airing on the Cartoon Network, third quarter 2005. See here.

So, now I need a new series to watch. Any suggestions? ;-)

Outrageous Outrage

2005-02-17T18:05:00.000-08:00

Today at the school, our branch of the National Lawyer’s Guild is holding a day of outrage over the recent conviction of Lynne Stewart. For those of you who don’t know, Lynne Stewart is a civil rights attorney. She was representing Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, a convicted terrorist (convicted in association with the World Trade Center bombing). As a part of her representation, she was required to sign a special document called a special administrative measure, or SAM, that stated she would not pass messages from her client to third parties.

She was accused of having passed messages on to her client’s organization, The Islamic Group, and of using time with the client to allow the interpreter to take statements from Rahman to pass on, including the issuance of a fatwah against the Jews. She was convicted by a jury of her peers.

So, what’s up with the outrage? Lawyers are expected to hold themselves to a high ethical standard. Lawyers are expected to follow the law. She had agreed to abide by certain rules, and then she broke her word. She was caught, prosecuted, and convicted. Silencing an advocate is not the goal of the administration, nor the goal of the Department of Justice, who prosecuted Ms. Stewart. It can't be alleged in this case, because what she was doing was not advocating for her client. I think the goal is to punish people who break the law, and the outrage seems misplaced, to say the least.

Nor was this decision rushed. The jury took thirteen days to return a verdict – guilty.

So excuse me if I’m talking today in class, responding to questions, and asking some of my own. I’m not at all outraged that the system put in place by the Constitution seems to be working. My outrage is reserved for someone who willfully, purposefully degrades, demeans, and betrays the public's trust in attorneys, who breaks her word and breaks the law, and expects to get away with it.

See more Here, and here. And my good friend, Mellow-Drama has a good post, and has spoken with someone close to the prosecution. See that here.

Odd Thought of the Day

2005-02-17T10:52:00.000-08:00

My Wills and Trusts professor's voice sounds oddly familiar. I think he sounds like Master Shake.

Except that what my prof says is actually intelligent.

Unfortunate Comments

2005-02-15T20:08:00.000-08:00

So, I'm in *UNDISCLOSED CLASS*, and the teacher is calling roll. She comes to my name, looks up, says "Zach's here. Wow, you make me hot just looking at you". Now, truth be told, I was wearing a heavy coat, so I'm thinking that's probably what she meant. But I wasn't about to attempt to correct it, because having that kind of conversation in front of fifty other people is just... embarassing.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I was still giggling for about five full minutes after she said it, as was someone sitting just down from me. I know I've made unfortunate comments like that several times in the past. And just blithely went on my way, not quite knowing what all the giggling was about.

A Matter of Contract

2005-02-15T00:36:00.000-08:00

Mellow-Drama linked to an article today by John Coleman, arguing for the privatization of marriage.

I suppose that your view on this depends on what you think the purpose of marriage is. If your view is that traditional marriage is a contractual relationship that allows for property to be divided in certain specific ways, and that's all, then privatization isn't a huge deal, because it's just contract. If you feel that traditional marriage is a social good, that the union of a man and a woman in a commited relationship and their bringing up children together is a fundamental part of basic human society, something that should be encouraged as a matter of morality, then privatization doesn't look good at all, because now marriage can mean anything. Morality is simply not a consideration of (most) contract law. I'm not sure I understood his whole argument. To be honest, I'm not sure what his argument was, other than we should call for privatization of marriage... because government will screw it up... because back in the day they used it to degrade women, among other things.

Mr. Coleman makes a reference to a quote from President Bush which ends "Self Government relies, in the end, on the governing of the self." Privatization means that instead of governing the self, we contract out the exceptions and loopholes we want. So he cheated on you, and you want out of the marriage? What if clause 12 stipulates an open relationship? Now there's NO BREACH. No breach means that if you want out, you've got to be the one to break the contract. So he's an immoral, backstabbing, lowlife scum. And now YOU have to pay HIM damages, because you a) were an idiot in love, and didn't do much negotiating in the contract, b) didn't have the negotiating power to make real changes in the contract, or who knows what?

Private contracts are not made to last forever. Marriage, however, will not survive that kind of thinking. You cannot enter a committed relationship under an escape clause. Marriage should be a committed relationship between a man and a woman. Commitment. Fidelity. Service. Love. Honor.

Milestone

2005-02-13T01:22:00.000-08:00

Took almost a full year to get there, but somewhere back there we passed 10,000 hits. Yee-haw. Hopefully it won't take that long to get to two.

Movie Night

2005-02-13T01:20:00.000-08:00

Reeta said I could pick a movie tonight, so, had to watch AvP. Always better with the lights on and your wife pointing out how silly everything is. So... many... plot... holes...

Glaring ones include - the Aliens in Alien³ recognized that there was an embryo inside of Ripley, and didn't kill her because of it. So, the QUEEN, didn't realize that there was an embryo inside of that last guy? We go from facehuggers to chestbursters to full-size aliens in a matter of, what, ten minutes time? And killing the host doesn't help? We've seen aliens survive the cold of space, and we've seen aliens swimming - practically amphibious. So, sending the Queen to the bottom of the Antarctic ocean means, what, we won? Padron me if I don't start jumping for joy immediately, because it seems a little like Br'er Rabbit and the briar patch. Predator masks that scan for an alien embryo INSIDE the body, and nobody thought to scan that last body before taking it on board? No one just HAPPENED to be wearing a mask?

Despite the glaring plot holes, the utter misuse of Lance Henrikson (loved him as Bishop, why was he in this?) and the incessant "Oh My Heck, That Is So Silly" coming from my lovely wife, there were Predators. And there were a couple of good scenes. In particular, a no-look slash that took the face off one alien. That was pretty cool, even if it was grandstanding. So, despite the deathly touch of Paul W.S. Anderson (responsible for so many movies that were JUST SO, FREAKIN' CLOSE! and just MISSED IT), I've got to give it (out of a possible +/- 2 Cokes), 0 Cokes. Great idea, unfortunately poor execution.

Last night, we saw the Chinese versioin of Shaolin Soccer. That got +1.5 Cokes. Actually funnier in Chinese with the subtitles. Anime/Kung Fu Movie Night at the Law School. We'll probably do one more close to the end of the semester. Last night it was Shaolin Soccer, Last Exile, Samurai 7, and Naruto (of course).

Newly looking for work...

2005-02-11T17:25:00.000-08:00

Eason Jordan is printing out resumés. Free speech. But not free of consequences. Selah.

h/t Hewitt on the radio.

Low Tech Hacks

2005-02-11T12:31:00.000-08:00

Not that anyone needs a reminder of how this works, but Pepsi (more particularly Mountain Dew) is once again conspiring against any resolution I might have to give up soda. Free iTunes songs under the lids.

Of course, if you catch the angle just right, you can loo through the top of the bottle and tell if the cap is a winner or not. I personally think of it as subsidizing my soda habit through music. And no one has said anything to me yet about checking under the cap for music before I buy a soda. (Retailers are still going to sell to me, and to those people who feel it's an ethical violation to look under the caps, or don't know how this works.) The only question now is, what do I want to listen to?

Cheaters Beware!

2005-02-09T17:51:00.000-08:00

Software license agreements can be very entertaining. Especially game software. Especially Epic Games' Unreal Tournament 2004 license agreement, a most recent copy of which can be seen here. It's a surprisingly good read, and happens to be a fairly non-restrictive license, granting rights to use stuff from earlier games to make mods for UT2k4. But looking at it today, during Corporate Counsel Seminar, I saw something that I swear I hadn't seen when I reinstalled my copy on my new PC this last week.

5. CHEATING. Nobody likes a cheater. It's a disgraceful way to earn a win and really is an insult to those players who earn their wins in on-line games the old-fashioned way—WITH TALENT. We're pretty hard on cheating in on-line games using the Software because it sullies the overall gaming experience and is JUST PLAIN LAME. With that in mind if you are caught cheating in an on-line game using the Software we will immediately and permanently ban your CD Key. At that point this License Agreement is automatically terminated and you must immediately delete this software from your PC. Failure to comply with this last bit (deleting the software) may bring on the wrath of the lawyers. Trust us…you don't want that.

That's pretty harsh, IMO, but then again, cheaters suck anyway. Skillz, baby!

UPDATE: I'm curious. I'm going to send this to the school's cyberlaw/copyright prof., and see if she thinks it would stand up in Court. Meanwhile, feel free to chime in. Do you think this is fair? Do you think it increases or decreases the value of the game?

Things Not to Do Late at Night

2005-02-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

I don't know why they affect me the way they do, but I can't seem to watch an Alien movie and get a good night's sleep afterwards. Late last night, after cutting commercials out of five BSG episodes, I found myself staring at the AVP DVD. So I put it in. And scanned it at high speed, for fifteen minutes or so, looking for some of the scenes I'd seen in the trailer.

I knew I was in trouble when I started seeing things moving out of the corner of my eye. And hearing things. (We live in an old apartment building, and there's a lot of wierd noises at night).

And at three in the morning, with the lamp on, staring at the ceiling, Cartoon Network playing on the Computer, I wondered why I do this kind of thing to myself. Does everyone have a particular movie/series that does the same kind of thing? Or am I just one of those hypersensitive types that keys in on this?

Farewell to Trek on TV, Hello to Trek the way I thought it should be.

2005-02-08T23:17:00.000-08:00

Back in the day, I used to design my own Star Trek ships. Before the Next Generation, in between even numbered movies, I designed my first ship. A three-engined saucer section. I called it a "Dutchman" class, like the Flying Dutchman ghost ship of legend. I still have the print out from the awkward attempt I made at drafting the image on my old Apple II. Named after mythological warriors, the flagship was the Agamemnon.

When I heard that Voyager was ending, and that they were trying to figure out what the next series would entail, I had the perfect idea. In fact, I'm still convinced that it would have been an incredible series. I wanted to see the Trek universe from outside of Starfleet. I wanted to get inside the heads of people who weren't associated with the Federation government. I had it all worked out.

I never found quite the right name for it, though. Essentially my idea was to take a Federation trained pilot, and get him out of the Federation. William J. Durburough. "Wild Bill". Ex-Peregrine pilot. Joins a merchant crew transporting... well... anything. In the pilot episode, he and the crew find themselves shipless, looking for a new berth, when a Romulan offers them a ship, and a trade route inside the Empire. Normally, Will would jump at the chance, but it just doesn't feel right. Enter Will's brother, Christian. Starfleet Intelligence. He sees Will's situation as a chance to get more information on what the Romulans are up to at any given time. I thought this had everything. Intrigue, espionage, smuggling, adventure, economics. The possibility of romance. But then again, maybe it would never have worked. Roddenberry always said that there was no grease in Star Trek. Maybe that's the way it should be. But I'll always wonder what I could have done with that situation. I've tried writing it out as a short story, but never really been able to make it work, because I always felt that it had to take place outside the Trek universe (no grease, remember), and getting the right situation without referring too obviously to Romulans, Cardassians, the Federation, etc. always seemed too difficult.

I don't know. Star Trek: Prodigal would have been a cool name. And I always wanted to be connected with something that took on a life of its own, something that I felt would outlast me, catch the imagination of people.

Maybe with a little distance from the source material, I'll be able to get that down the way I want to. But I'll always remember that it was Trek that put the idea there in the first place.

Fair Use and Napster Subscription

2005-02-06T23:00:00.000-08:00

In response to Yasmín's comment to the post below: Fair use doesn't enter into this, because in this case, you never owned the music in the first place. You're simply being given a blanket license to play music on your personal equipment. I'm not saying it's an ideal copyright situation. I realize that there's no ownership.

What I am saying is... they're throwing in a 5 gig music player that also displays pictures, has a built in voice recorder, and USB 2.0 for fast transfers. (Me Likey the iRiver).

Also, it's an easy (maybe too easy) solution for parents or grandparents who are worried that their kid might be filesharing and who knows when that subpoena from the RIAA is going to come to the door?

Moreover, satellite radio is $10 - $13 a month, and I don't control the playlist, I just listen to what they send. This plan gives a subscriber control over what they're listening to, and the option to purchase if they want to add something to their permanent library. So, compared to satellite radio, this seems like a pretty competitive option. Once the tracks are purchased, we can start talking about fair use, and whether or not it exists under the agreements of the various download services.

UPDATE: After the Super Bowl ad, I shouldn't be surprised, but over 1000 people have signed up for the Napster to Go service, meaning that there is no more free mp3 player. Maybe I should have signed up this morning when I saw the service.

A Tempting Offer

2005-02-06T08:14:00.000-08:00

Saw an article today about Napster's new Napster-to-Go service. Now, you subscribe to Napster, and you can download music to a compatible mp3 player without playing the 99 cents per track and as long as you're still subscribed, the songs will work. To make it easier to get a compatible player, Napster is offering (to the 1st 1000 people who sign up for a year) a free iRiver 5 gig mp3 player.

Now, it's a little steep for me, but it seems like an interesting idea. All the music you want, portability, but I'm sure you can't burn to disc without paying the 99 cents. What do you think? Is this a good service? Would you pass? Would you rather rent or own your music? Personally, while I would prefer to own my music, this would certainly make it easier for me to try lots of different kinds of music. Who knows, maybe I'd find something I really liked?

Weekly "What are you watching" update

2005-02-05T13:21:00.000-08:00

Here's a couple of vid caps from the new card. Please note that these images are copyright their respective owners.

It's Mac, from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. Recorded my first episode last night, and it's working like a charm.

Colonial Vipers, from Battlestar Galactica. The effects look great, and the actors sell their parts well. I wasn't happy when I found out that Starbuck was going to be a girl (and Boomer, not only a small Asian girl, but a Cylon to boot? Come on!) But everyone's doing a fantastic job with this series.

And, Gankutsuo! This Japanese sci-fi animé re-telling of the Count of Monte Cristo is fantastic. The animation style is unique. Good stuff.

Also, people should check out Azumanga Daioh! if at all possible. Funny. Very, very funny. My personal favorite is Osaka. Like her, I spend the beginning of every semester thinking to myself "Get it together! Get it together!" But it never works out that way. :(

Slacker!

2005-02-05T13:15:00.000-08:00

I feel like a bit of a slacker. I've been so busy with life, work, internship, school, etc., that it's really cut down on my blogging. And there are so many interesting things going on. The Copyright Office is asking for comments on what to do with orphan works. The State of the Union address. Condie's and Alberto Gonzalez' approval for their Cabinet positions. The Iraq Election, for crying out loud.

To be honest, I haven't commented on the Iraq election on purpose. It is a vindication of our actions in Iraq. But I don't feel comfortable crowing about it here. It's not my victory. It's theirs. And more power to them for it.

And what news is there really to say on the Cabinet appointments? Dems don't like Ms. Rice or Mr. Gonzalez. Which is a little odd, seeing as how their appointment would have been unheard of fifty years ago. I mean, a black woman being appointed as Secretary of State? A Hispanic man as the Attorney General of the U.S.? The civil rights movement should be trumpeting this accomplishment to the skies. Maybe I'm just an Idaho farm boy, but the attacks on them both just seem wrong to me.

There are bloggers who will cover this. A few of them are featured in my blogroll. Personally, I'm thinking it's high time for an animé update. After all, it's at least three weeks late.

I need more hair

2005-02-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

... if I'm really going to be like...

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

h/t Menagerie.

Some simple observations.

2005-02-02T11:48:00.000-08:00

It's a lot easier to study for law school when you have books.
Getting books in the mail is fun.
New video cards breathe new life into old games.
Chapelle show, while horrifyingly offensive, is occasionally very, very funny. Best line from what I caught of it last night? "I'm Wayne Brady, B*#&$!"
I haven't done a Friday Animé Update for a few weeks. Looking for new animé is fun.
Gankutsuo is good. VERY good. Great job of ending the episode right at the most tense moment - carries you through to the next week.
However, the translation of Count of Monte Cristo that I'm reading now is also VERY good.
RahXephon was really wierd.
FullMetal Alchemist vol. 1 hits DVD on Tuesday.
Harry Potter 6 is coming.
Texas has its bar in July. The first deadline for application was Jan 30th, though.
They have another bar in February.
Microsoft Office is EXPENSIVE
Open Office is FREE and allows me to save directly to PDF
Mice can be patentable, and licensed. Whoa.

NewsFlash: Man Bludgeons Computer Into Submission...

2005-01-31T11:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, the heavy, heavy mace of uninstalling and reinstalling various drivers has resulted in the previously unthinkable, unattainable goal - I can record TV onto my hard drive. Last night, I recorded about two minutes worth of (shudder) America's Funniest Home Videos. I swear I wasn't watching it on purpose. And now I've memorialized two minutes of it into the electronic Etch-A-Sketch that is my computer hard drive.

The weekend was fun. We've been living in apartments about a block from a particular pricey restaurant. I've wanted to go in there and have dinner ever since we moved in, but welive in downtown Lake O., and this is one of those restaurants attached to one of those too cool outdoor malls. But Saturday, we went and had lunch. Rotisserie chicken. Asparagus. Garlic Mashed Potatoes. And unlike the other pricey restaurant that Reeta and I have been to (we're the last of the big spenders - we've been to two restaurants that we thought were pricey but were probably well out of the 4 star range), this was actually satisfying. Good grief, I had something like 1/2 a chicken. Didn't eat it all, obviously, and that's okay with me.

But we've also discovered the "Two Brothers Texas Grill" on State St. in Lake Oswego. Brisket. 4 types of sauce. Unfortunately, Reeta and I didn't specify the kind of sauce we wanted, and they brought us the brisket drowned in "Memphis" barbeque sauce.

Now, maybe it's just me, but if the sign on the door says "Texas Barbeque", that sauce shouldn't be the Southern, Non-Texas-Style-Sauce. So, we'll go back, but we'll definitely tell them in advance that Reeta is a real Texan, and that we want a) to choose our sauce, and b) put it on the side, please.

We also went and saw Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, which I thought was very cleverly done. And while death and destruction seemed to plague the Baudelaire children wherever they went, it was at the end a movie about hope, and going on despite obstacles, no matter what they might be. It almost makes me want to read the books, but honestly, I don't have the time. After all, I'm in law school.

And reading the Count of Monte Cristo. Edmond escaped from the Chateau d'If last night, gained the trust of a band of smugglers, and recovered the treasure. Then, he found the first of the conspirators, Caderousse, had opened an inn. He'll be dealt with tonight, I think.

A Mind Endless Tweaking

2005-01-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

It's done. It was a little bit more than I wanted to spend, but it's done.

It's an Athlon 2000 Barton in an Asus nForce motherboard, with 512 Megs of RAM, 160 Gig HD, ATI 9800 AIW Pro video card, wireless internet, running Windows XP.

It took a little longer than I thought it would. I was up all Friday night, and didn't get to bed until Saturday morning at 6:00 AM. Wow. I still haven't gotten it to record TV, but I can watch, pause, rewind, etc. And it's got a DVD burner in it. But that doesn't do me much good until I can record TV.

Half-Life 2 and the Sims 2 are up and running. Reeta and I are trying to get a schedule going so we can each have turns. Fun stuff.

Downtime

2005-01-28T01:04:00.000-08:00

Posting around here has been slow of late, I know. All my grades came back. What can I say? At least I'm consistent. All the same grade. Except for Ethics. At least I passed all of my classes, though I really didn't do as well in Cyberlaw as I thought I had. I guess that'll teach me to think a test is a lot of fun. I probably treated it that way. Ah well, at least I enjoyed it. And I got a B in ethics, so at least I'm a little ahead of the average ethically.

Started my internship at the local Corporation-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named. I won't blog about anything there specifically, but I will say that today I helped proofread and re-draft a Letter of Intent going to a big Japanese Firm. That was a lot of fun. And I've got to be there fairly early tomorrow, so I've got to cut this kind of short. I'm not sure how the rest of the semester will shape up, but so far, it's been okay - now if only I could get my computer working with the new AIW card. Bleah. Stupid imcompatibility issues... Tomorrow, the ultimate upgrade! A new Mobo. I've never installed a motherboard before. I've done pretty much everything else - even the power supply. I've installed OS's. I've swapped out hard drives. I've replaced RAM, sound cards, video cards, network cards, etc., etc., etc... Tomorrow, I get a new motherboard for the first time, and I'm a little intimidated by it. I'm going to scavenge as much as I can out of the old system - processor, hard drives, DVD roms. But there's no telling how much of it will work until I've got the motherboard in hand. Here's hoping all goes well!

Comparative Excellence

2005-01-24T16:46:00.000-08:00

Taking a look at some of the grades my compatriots have posted in their classes, and looking at my own less-than-stellar performance, I have to admit that I'm a little frustrated.

I feel like an idiot because I see my friends getting A's and B's, and I'm consistently getting C's. I have the sneaking suspicion that everyone else is really getting it, and for whatever reason, I'm just not.

But I also think to myself that I'm probably an unusual law student. I don't refer to hornbooks or study guides. I don't use emanuel's or other "helps". I've been working around fifteen hours a week, every week of law school from day one. I have a wife and daughter that are important to me, and that I need to be there for. I understand that, but it still twists the gut a little to see how well other people are doing, and how not-so-well I'm doing.

Impending Differences

2005-01-24T11:52:00.000-08:00

This is the week.

This week, I should be able to get my hands on a new video card - the ATI 9600 AIW. AIW stands for All in Wonder. The local Frye's has a pretty good deal going on. There are a numberof reasons I'm going with that card, including the ability to pause, record, and "play with" broadcast tv. (I'll also be getting some more RAM, a larger hard drive, and a DVD burner). I prefer this solution to TiVO because (a) - I can burn my programs to DVD. I can take something like FMA, which shows very late at night on Cartoon Network, burn it to disc, and watch it the next day, or a week later, on the larger TV in the living room. I like to exercise while I watch my anime, and it makes better sense to do that earlier in the day rather than incredibly late at night when I may be keeping my downstairs neighbor awake. (b) - I can save programs in a variety of formats. I should be able to go to Divx video, or to MPEG. That allows me to control file sizes. And my DVD player plays DiVX files. Also good. (c) - No subscription fee. Once I buy the card and the bundled software, that should be it. No monthly charges to get schedules, no paying extra so my card will work correctly. (d) - Hacks. TiVO can change their system at any time, determining what can and can't be recorded. With a card in my computer, chances are greater that if something happens that starts to abrogate my fair use rights in relation to programming (like what's happening with HBO and their attempt to close up the analog hole), that someone somewhere will create and release on the web a workaround for that particular problem. Can't do that with TiVO. (e) Moving files around. With the AIW, I can save things to my hard drive, and make them accessible to other computers on my home network - like my laptop. I'll be able to take my laptop into Claire's room, and we can enjoy the latest Foster's together before she goes to sleep.

And of course, Ed Felten points out some interesting things happening in TiVO's corporate heirarchy, and addresses the mindset implications of what's going on. Ed's always good reading.

Explosively Surreal

2005-01-22T23:36:00.000-08:00

So, I just watched "Napoleon Dynamite". And my mom had told me it was filmed in Preston, ID, which is just south of where I grew up. It was frickin' sweet seeing Idaho staples like a Ricks College shirt. And the Deseret Industries (where he bought the suit). And it looks just like where I grew up. So much so it's scary. Moon boots. Farm fields. I could probably identify the crops that were growing in the movie from personal experience. Heck, I've been on those sand dunes. Grandma went flying, and the first thing that went through my mind is "Oh, she's okay - sand's pretty soft" - then I thought about how packed that stuff is. Every outside shot was home sweet home. Green irrigated grass - brown hills with shrub. Lots of steak. Shooting the cow. Paper ninja stars. Girls with side-ponytails. Even the indoor shots were totally Idaho. I swear I never LIVED in a house that looked like that (my mother knows secret ninja decorating secrets from the government), but I certainly have BEEN in houses that looked like those. I've even taken my three-wheeled ATV off some sweet jumps, and caught like, three feet of air.

And that strange obsession with Tots...

New in the "Just Calm the H#$$ Down" Dept...

2005-01-21T10:36:00.000-08:00

FOXNews.com - Foxlife - SpongeBob Accused of Promoting Homosexuality

Come on! Personally, I'm worried that someone would ascribe sexuality to Spongebob at all. After all, he reproduces by budding. (Something the show has actually seen). Spongebob is asexual. Too bad intolerant, hypersensitive, would-be monitors aren't.

p2p hunters

2005-01-20T08:48:00.000-08:00

Apparently, California has just had a bill introduced that would make it a crime to create p2p software that can be used for distributing copyrighted works without taking "reasonable care in preventing use of that software to commit an unlawful act with respect to a commercial recording or audiovisual work". As I read this, it means that if a software author fails to take reasonable care in preventing copyright infringement, that person is guilty of a crime in CA, and the bill goes on to say that the penalty for breaking this law is a fine of up to $2,500 or up to a year in county jail.

Reasonable care extends to the amount of care that a reasonable person in that same place would take. What possibilities exist here? Software at this point has no means of identifying copyrighted works. There is no central database of all possible formats of Metallica's "Enter Sandman", for example. There is no copyrighted work watermark (thinking of the old SDMI project here). So, if the software can't do it, what has to happen? I think we're left with two ways of interpreting this bill.

First, the bill could be an attempt to legislate the author into a particular architecture - the Napster model, where you have one central server, and you can see what people are trading by looking at the list of files being traded on that central server. That way, someone can monitor and stop the sharing of copyrighted works. (I think this is the more likely outcome of the proposed legislation).

Second, the bill could just be an attempt to get the author to include warnings.

Third, the bill could be an attempt to halt the development of p2p software altogether. This may be more correct than anything. It's disturbing to see the lengths that some people are going to in order to prevent leaks in a system that resembles a pasta strainer. Bootlegs and copies will happen. It may be unfortunate, but it's reality.

BTW: Ed Felten points out that the definition of peer to peer software in the introduced bill clearly includes the web, probably the internet as well, so any program that allows you to connect to the Internet would be criminal. (Including browsers?)

Ed Felten is highly recommended reading for anyone on the 'Net.

We knew it all along

2005-01-20T01:39:00.000-08:00

h/t Mellow-Drama

Breathe, man, Breathe!

2005-01-18T19:55:00.000-08:00

Second day of classes. Managed to contact the company I'll be interning for. Don't expect to see anything about them mentioned here. I'd like to build a good relationship there. Admin, Antitrust, Wills/Trusts, Patent Law & Policy, and the Corporate Internship Seminar, or CIS. Haven't bought books yet, waiting until I actually have some money in my account to do that. Meanwhile, life goes on. Expect more regular updates/commentary/etc. as I ease into the schedule.

Strange dynamic in classes. People tend not to sit by me. I bathe. Maybe it's the "W - The President" sticker on the laptop. And the "Peace through Superior Firepower" shirt. Am I the victim of silent ostracization? Am I just a lone wolf, on the prowl through the cold harsh realm that is law school?

And I just found out that one of my favorite professors broke her ankle. When? How? What?

My Amazing Journey

2005-01-16T10:31:00.000-08:00

So, last night, Reeta turned to me, and told me that we needed milk. It was my job(according to her) to procure said milk. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, except for the tiny fact that we'd been having freezing rain all day. (Church was cancelled today, which is why I'm here at home blogging instead of leading the Primary kids in song).

So, I put on my trusty Airwalk sneakers, a scarf, my Combi snowmobiling gloves and my big winter coat (I grew up in Idaho - I'm prepared for snow). And off I went to 7-eleven. That was a harrowing journey of four city blocks. Uphill. On slick black ice. Early on, I thought I was doomed to failure, finding myself in a slight depression less than a block from the apartment. Darn handicapped sidewalk dips. Managing to find enough traction in the road to get out of that, I continued - cutting through some frozen grass, and up some slick steps. Went up those like I was an old man. One limb at a time. Hand. Hand. Foot. Foot. Hand. Etc.

Got into the parking lot of the police station a block from here, and they had put down lots of ice melt, so I was fine there, but it was still two blocks to 7-Eleven, and still uphill. At one point, I was down on one knee - having slowly, slowly lost footing until I sank down to regain a little traction.

When I finally got to the 7-Eleven, it seemed that I would be daunted, as the sidewalk was jusst to slick to go up the foot or two of rise between myself and the door. Once again, I took to the road, and managed to get to the door.

$2.69 for a gallon of 2%. No way was I risking my life for anything less. And no way could I carry anything else back. The milk was double bagged, and I started home. If you thought going up hill was difficult and scary after a good freezing rain, brother, try downhill with a gallon of milk to pull you off balance. A couple of times, I found myself skateboarding down the ice. Without a skateboard, naturally. But despite all that, I found myself getting home after that forty minute trek. Cereal for everyone! Hooray!

Winding down? You wish!

2005-01-14T13:54:00.000-08:00

It's the Friday before classes start. This is the final weekend of my INCREDIBLE GAMING BINGE!!! And it's been a fun couple of weeks. I've finished the Aielund trilogy, destroying the indestructible Ironlord only to find out it was a hero of legend. Then I killed him accidentally. Oops.

I've almost finished Hordes of the Underdark, making it all the way through the Underdark, and through a particular circle of Hell before coming up against the indestructible Lord of Hell, Mephistopheles. The fact that he is, in fact, indestructible (as opposed to the aforementioned "indestructible without the One Artifact that you Need to Destroy the Grim Menace" Ironlord) has put a bit of a damper on my completion of that particular adventure. It's the last fight, how do I win?

I've been fighting my way from power node to power node on various planets, flak cannon in hand, and discovered that I really, really enjoy looking at my enemies from inside the turret of a Goliath tank. Also that a microphone does wonders for my enjoyment of online FPS play.

And I've been defending my Homeworld against the ravages of the marauding Vaygr, battling my way to and fro across the galaxy, surviving against incredible odds, in a kind of Rocky-esque last-man-standing slugfest in space. I have found the Oracle. I have awakened the Gatekeeper of Sajuuk, only to find that my enemy not only has awakened his own Dreadnought, but has also located the Gate of Unknown Significance!

In short, I am having a freakin' blast! It all ends Monday morning, though. Sometime between now and Monday Morning, 10:00 AM, I have to complete my quest to unite the three cores and awaken He Whose Hand Shapes What Is. After that, I'll just be a weekend warrior, taking the occasional odd hour or two on Saturdays to slip my quiet, cautious way through City 17. I'll be the one with the glasses.

Photographic Proof

2005-01-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture of a poster at the local Babbages, displaying the ESRB rating system. The ESRB was the pioneer of putting language on the box that told you why something was rated the way it was (which we're now seeing on movie ratings). There's no law requiring that it be up.

I talked to the local EBX staff, who did NOT have the stuff up, nor did they have any literature or information on it (a huge disappointment to me - I always preferred EBX to Babbages in the past). They indicated that they would have that information up in all EB Games stores sometime in February.

So, maybe there's something to people saying that the ESRB ratings aren't understood. Maybe not. Anyway, Here is a link to the ratings and what they mean. Sure, we're after Christmas, but it's good information to have.

Why I should have been an engineering student at BYU.

2005-01-12T15:28:00.000-08:00

My brother is currently an engineering student at the Y. He says one of his material science teachers ran an experiment where he compressed water to 40% of its normal volume. It got up to about 1 million psi.

And it exploded.

The other material science teacher owns a MiG fighter.

I am so jealous. But he keeps going off about the new mini Mac, so I'm scared that the engineering program is subverting my little brother.

Today's Claireism

2005-01-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

So Reeta told me that the other day that she and Claire were watching TV. Reeta hates commercials, and immediately changes channels as soon as her commercial sense sees one coming. Claire turned to her the other night and said "Mom, I was watching that!" Reeta said "It's a commercial, I don't like commercials."

Claire's response: "You're gonna have to learn to deal with it, Mom."

Maybe all that training is paying off.

On Moral Responsibilities

2005-01-10T19:54:00.000-08:00

This week's Homespun Symposium question comes from CJ at The Unmentionables.

What, in your opinion, are the moral responsibilities of the individual citizen in the United States (or your own country) today and how do you believe people should act upon (or react to) those perceived responsibilities?

To put it bluntly, the moral responsibilities of individual citizens are universal, regardless of their location. We should lead moral, honest, responsible lives. We should contribute and participate in our families, in our communities, and in our countries, as far as we possibly can. We should do our best to do our duty to God and our Country, to help other people at all times, to keep ourselves physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight - in the words of the Boy Scout Oath. The final part of the LDS Articles of Faith sums it up like this:

"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul - We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

I think that translates out well no matter what country you belong to.

Other Homespun Responses:
Weapons of Mass Distraction
Being Thomas Luongo
The Unmentionables
Ogre's Politics and Views
Little Red Blog
The Redhunter
Major Dad 1984
Three Men and a Blog

Tech Firms Aim to Change Copyright Act

2005-01-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

Tech Firms Aim to Change Copyright Act (washingtonpost.com - registration required)

This is something we talked about in Cyberlaw class. There's no way that we should hold ISP's liable for the bits and packets that flow over their networks any more than we should hold the U.S. government responsible for illegal drugs that flow over the highways. No one is suing the government for creating the interstate system. No one is arguing that the government is liable for creating something that facilitates the trafficking in illegal goods. Why on Earth is someone arguing that ISP's should be held liable for individual filesharers passing around a copy of... I dunno... Gigli. (THAT would explain those horrible box office numbers, right? Why, oh why can't Ben Affleck pick a halfway decent project?!? Matt Damon can do it. What's Ben's problem?)

It's my understanding that internet transmissions are broken down into packets, and then the packets flow out over the network and are reassembled at their destination for viewing on the computer. Let's break this down. I want to send my buddy a copy of Moby Dick, which I downloaded from Gutenberg. I take it, and break it out into individual words. The Gutenberg text of Moby Dick is 419 pages, 215,643 words. I take 215,643 of my good friends and neighbors, and give each of them a word, and my buddy's address, and they all traipse over and deliver their words. My friend then re-assembles the words into Moby Dick. All perfectly legal, because Moby Dick is in the public domain. No problems.

Let's say that I want to do the same thing with David Drake's "The Tank Lords" © 1997. I break it down into words - 118,101 of them - and send my friends and neighbors out again. Now then, the individual words aren't copyrightable. You can't copyright "the" or "tank" or "lords". The individuals distributing the individual words are not breaking the law. I am by sending a copy of a copyrighted work to my friend. But the individual distributors are not.

Let's take it one step further. Let's say that instead of breaking it into words and giving everyone a word on a piece of paper, I put them all in envelopes, and the individuals have no idea what's written on there? That's analogous to what happens when an ISP passes on a packet of information. They don't know what's in the packet, and to be honest, even if they could look at the one packet, it means nothing without the rest of them. ISP's should not be held liable for the copyright infringement of their end users. Nail the end users. Figuratively speaking, put their stuffed heads on a wall. But don't go after the ISP's. They are not responsible for it any more than those friends of mine and David Drake's book or any more than the U.S. government is with the interstate system and drug trafficking. Selah.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2005-01-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

It sucks that this comes when we're both feeling under the weather, but today is our anniversary! Eight wonderful years. It hardly seems like any time at all, really. But I'm so happy, and grateful to have Reeta. Here's to another great eight years in the future (which I hoping will get better and better.)

Upgrades

2005-01-10T13:45:00.000-08:00

I keep talking about doing this, but I think next week will finally see me upgrading the computer. Thanks again to the incredible Stuart for the processor, I'm finally taking the plunge. Here's what I've decided on. I have an aging Compaq computer. It's running Windows ME. Three PCI slots, and one AGP 2x/4x slot. Three slots for RAM.

I'll take the RAM first - three 256 Meg DIMMs. The manufacturer says that's the max, so we'll go with that.
Then, a video card - I've decided on the ATI 9800 All In Wonder, with the remote control. Video Capture a Go-Go, Baby! Plus Crankin' Video Performance.
I'll leave the current sound card there (unless I decide to pick up a cheap 5.1 card), and leave the wireless network setup. I'll take out the current Ethernet card, and replace it with a USB 2.0 card. I'll install a new 120 G hard drive as a D drive. I'll format the C:\ drive, and upgrade to Windows XP Media Center edition. I'm also installing a DVD burner (for to burn Foster's, Stargate, Battlestar Galactica, etc.) I may need a new power supply. That might just be a good idea anyway.

As for software, I'll pick up a copy of Nero. There are drivers and programs for video capture with the card. The only other serious outlay for programs I think I'll make is maybe a game for the GBA:SP (I'm thinking Metroid Zero Mission, Zelda: Minish Cap, or Final Fantasy Dawn of Souls), maybe Tales of Symphonia for the 'Cube (which I can get DIRT CHEAP at Gamefly), and (maybe) heaven help me, the Steam version of Half-Life 2. Not that I'll have a lot of time to play it (maybe an hour or two on weekends), because this new semester is going to be B-U-S-Y!

UPDATE: Nope, stupid student loan disbursement won't allow this to happen until Mid-March, or so. I'll see what I can do about the video card (the most essential part of the upgrade), but it'll all probably have to wait.

Getting back in the swing of it/Nintendo's new A/V player

2005-01-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

Been sick all weekend. Bleah! But I don't want to neglect this site, and I've got to start moving and functioning - emerging from my self-imposed gaming binge. Finished Golden Sun: Lost Age last night, and the one thing that went through my head (until the story finished - as the credits unfolded) was that there had to be a third Golden Sun in the works.

But maybe not. Instead, looks like Nintendo is looking at competing with the PSP for portable video.

Eurogamer.net - Nintendo unveils A/V playback adapter for GBA/DS

I don't know if the PSP will play movies off the Memory Stick Duo, but if not, I think Nintendo's format will be the superior one - I'd rather compress stuff down to a flash card than have to buy UMD's for movies - I'd get more flexibility for cheaper that way.

Admirers Anonymous

2005-01-07T13:55:00.000-08:00

Spoke with the Admirer's Mom today. I was a little nervous about that, because we get the feeling that she (probably unwittingly) encourages this little crush. But I got an assurance that she'll talk to him about it. She already had an idea that something wierd had happened, so we'll see what happens. Also, she's picking him up from school fairly regularly now, so he won't be riding the bus so much.

But she said something interesting - she said that she thought it was much better that the kids came to us to resolve the situation rather than trying to resolve it on their own. That's something I disagree with in principle, at least. I think it's much better to give the kids the tools they need to resolve things. I understand that a six year old isn't going to know off the top of her head how to resolve this kind of situation, but as a parent it's my job to teach her - to give her tools - to practice with her, that kind of thing. I want her to come to me with problems, yes. But I don't want her to come to me expecting me to solve the problem for her. I don't know - maybe I'm misinterpreting what she said.

Advice sought

2005-01-06T17:06:00.000-08:00

Claire has a little friend who has a big crush on her. And it's been cute. Until the day on the bus when he sat down next to her, and physically restrained her from switching seats. He sat down in the aisle seat, and when she tried to move to sit down next to one of her other frieds, he put his arms and legs up and wouldn't let her go. She got off the bus in tears. So, I've been trying to teach her how to tell him to back the heck off. And it hadn't happened again.

Until Monday. Luckily, one of Claire's friends saw what was going on, and told him that if he wanted to marry Claire, he had to let her do what she wanted to do. He let her move.

It bothers me that this kind of thing is happening. His mom thinks it's cute, and we get the feeling that she's encouraging it a little bit. But we've been creeped out about it, and now it's to the point where I'm more than creeped out. I'm wondering how to teach Claire to tell this kid to get a life and back off. She knows he really likes her, and he's asked me if he can marry her when they grow up (something I responded to with "We'll see" - his mom was standing right there). At this point, I feel like pulling out a shotgun on the kid. Any suggestions?

Great Offer

2005-01-06T16:16:00.000-08:00

So, apparently, there's a media company out there that is offering bloggers free tickets to the upcoming Dennis Quaid/Topher Grace comedy "In Good Company". If you agree to blog a review of the movie, then you get two free tickets to an advance screening. And if you post an offer and a link to the trailer on your blog, you get entered in a drawing for your own private screening of the movie for you and anyone else you want to invite. And if you can get Instapundit to link to your post on the offer/trailer/etc., you get a leather briefcase.

So...

HERE is the link to the trailer. Now, it's up to Me, God, and Glenn Reynolds. Come on, Instapundit!

What I'm doing

2005-01-06T03:21:00.000-08:00

Sorry, posting has been extremely light over the holidays. School doesn't pick up again until the 17th. Until then, I'm helping Reeta here at the apartments, being a good dad (this involves lots of playing with Claire), and gaming. Lots of gaming. In particular, this has involved Neverwinter Nights 3rd expansion, Hordes of the Underdark, which I'm enjoying, but not as much as I enjoyed the Aielund Trilogy end (?) - Return of the Ironlord. That module had such great characters, I thought it was brilliant. Well done. I've also discovered online Unreal Tournament 2004, and the accompanying voice chat features (UT2004 has been greatly enhanced by the new processor I got a couple months ago - thanks again, Stewart!). I haven't enjoyed shooters online in the past because my aim sucks, and I hate having to type to co-ordinate team actions. Now with the UT2004, I just hit one button, and my mic is live, and my team members can hear me say things like "Who-ever's driving the tank, please stop shooting me. I'm on your team."

I'm also reading an unabridged translation of the Count of Monte Cristo. And I've got class things to co-ordinate. And a little exercise. One of the residents moving out has a recliner they don't need any more, so I will inherit that on Saturday. What can I say? Life right now is pretty frickin' sweet. Only 11 more days until my last semester kicks off again. Yee-haw!

The Epic Trek

2005-01-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

This week's Homespun Symposium Question comes from Considerettes (good reading, btw).

What was your favorite family vacation (when you were a kid), and why? If you have children, have you taken your kids on that same vacation? If so, what did they think of it?

My own favorite vacation was when I was pretty young - My mom, dad, myself, two sisters, two brothers (one of whom was a baby), one aunt, two uncles, and my Grandmother piled into our family Suburban, and went south from Rexburg ID, south through Utah, then into Arizona. Then we turned east, passing through New Mexico, Texas, and finally out to Shreveport, LA, where we visited some of the relatives on my Mom's side. Long, long, long trip. But it was a lot of fun. It was on this trip that I found myself talking to another little kid in the swimming pool about religion. (I was nine). I had so much fun talking to this kid, that I started talking to another kid at another swimming pool. It was at that point that my uncles cut my proselytizing career short when they told me it was illegal to talk about religion in public places.

It was on this trip that the air conditioning started acting really, really wierd - spitting water out at us all through Texas. My Grandma had me doing situps every night all the way east. (She was really disappointed when I stopped). I remember eating some of the best peaches I've ever had when we bought them at a little roadside fruit stand somewhere in Texas. We got to Sheveport, and my Dad, who had been telling us through this entire trip that we were going to make it all the way to Orlando and Disney World decided there that we should all just go back, because "It's all just rides" according to my relatives. That was a particularly bitter pill, let me tell you. I've never talked to those relatives since. To try to make it up to us, Dad took us to Six Flags over Texas on the way back, but it really wasn't the same (Besides, Six Flags really is "all just rides"). I was a chicken little kid at ten, and wouldn't go on any of the really scary rides. I was afraid I'd fall out of the roller coaster (something that I swear almost happened to me when I was even younger at Lagoon - the amusement park north of Salt Lake City - I distinctly remember riding that with my Aunt Carla, almost coming out of the car, and her grabbing me and pushing me down in the seat). It was on the way back, which took us up through Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, and into the Dakotas (where we saw more relatives), that we saw E.T. in the theater. Then west through Montana and Wyoming and finally home. We replaced the Suburban after that trip.

We haven't tried anything quite so ambitious yet in our family - we've flown to Texas a few times to see my wife's family, and we've driven that from Salt Lake to Austin once or twice with my wife's parents, but nothing yet for just me, Reeta, and Claire. Maybe someday we'll make a go at a cross-country road trip. (Then again, maybe not). But if I do, let me say this - if I've all the way from Idaho to Louisiana, I'm pushing all the way to Orlando, baby!

Hmmm, Mapquest says that's another ... 900 miles. Okay, well, maybe not.

Other responses:
Being Thomas Luongo
Daddypundit
Ogre's Politics and Views

Gratitude

2004-12-31T11:36:00.000-08:00

It's good to pause, momentarily, and thank God (or whomever you think is responsible) for the good things in your life. I've got a loving, caring, beautiful wife, who is one of the two great cooks in my life (the other, of course, being Mom). They're pretty much tied for top spot in my mind. Mom is generous with her recipies - at least with us. The other day, she e-mailed me a recipie for chicken enchiladas that we'd had when we were in Idaho for Christmas. Reeta immediately made it with some turkey from the freezer, but the recipie was actually pretty big - so we made two pans - one to eat that night, and the other to eat tonight. It's sitting in the fridge right now, waiting to be called into action at a moment's notice. I'm thankful for enchiladas.

I've got a great, wonderful, smart little girl, who picks up on everything I do. For example, this morning I was playing a couple of quick rounds of UT2k4, when I let slip a "dammit". Claire, who was nearby, asked what that meant. I quickly explained that it was a bad word. "Is that the F word?" she asked? To her, everything is the F-word. "No, honey. It's not as bad as the F word. Which you shall never use. Except perhaps under the most dire of circumstances, which at this point are so dire and so unfathomable as to defy description, so you will never use the F word." Which summed that up. The other day, at the behest of a friend, she cut the hair off some of her Barbies. Now we have a couple of Annie Lennox dolls. She knew what she did was wrong, so that she hid the dolls, and when we were looking for something later that evening, she wouldn't let me look in the little dollhouse she keeps them in. I'm grateful for a smart child, even if her friend isn't so high on my list right now, though ;-).

I have physically survived yet another year of law school. Just one semester yet to go. I'm grateful to have survived, not so sure I'm grateful for impending graduation. I'm also thankful that I've had such great professors who have helped prepare me for the life ahead.

We have health and a roof over our heads (Thanks to Reeta managing apartments). We have food to eat, clean water, and friends. I'm grateful for my friends. In particular, I'm grateful for those people who have supported me and befriended me throughout my law school career. A special mention goes to "The Firm". A very special mention goes to my blogparents - Mellow Drama, who has helped me with template formatting, comments, writing, etc., and The Menagerie, who has helped me by being a great example, and a wonderful blogger besides. I'm grateful for all my friends.

I'm grateful for the country we live in. How many times do we hear "Only in America"?

But everyone's grateful for their friends, and their family. When do we get to hear the unique stuff? Okay. I'm grateful that this year I finally wore Reeta down enough that she allowed me to get a 'Cube. I'm also grateful for my GBA:SP. And Pokémon. And FFT:A. Both of them have been a ton of fun. And I'm exceedingly grateful that Naruto the animé series hasn't been licensed yet. I'm grateful for Netflix, and if the post is running today, I'll have three new discs sitting in my box - RahXephon, Samurai Jack, and The Day After Tomorrow (nothing says New Year's like the end of the world, baby!) I'm grateful for eBay. And for the Star Wars figures my Mom bought us for Christmas. I haven't opened them yet, but it's only a matter of time. And I'm thankful for the MPAA and the RIAA. After all, suing the end user means one thing: job security for the lawyers.

Happy New Year!

Radio Report 2

2004-12-29T22:15:00.000-08:00

Several Technical Difficulties tonight. But I think I got most of the bugs worked out. Tonight I had two listeners for most of the time, my wife, and someone else. Thanks to you both! Here is where you can download JetAudio, which allows for real time IRC chat during the broadcast, requests, etc. Although I'm looking for something else, JetCast is free, and comes bundled with the JetAudio. It's got a lot of nice features, (chiefly, it allows me to broadcast, and it's free), although I wouldn't recommend it as a normal audio player - try Winamp for that.

Radio Report

2004-12-29T13:54:00.000-08:00

Had one listener last night, for about 1 minute. A little disappointing, but better than none. Played some good tunes. I'll be broadcasting again tonight. Maybe I'll just be doing this til New Year.

Tonight's project

2004-12-28T20:29:00.000-08:00

So, I've decided that over the break, I'd try to do a couple of hobbies. Tonight, I'm broadcasting over internet radio. Go to JetAudio between 9:00 and 10:00 PM, Pacific time, and select Original Sound Track. You should be able to find Mad Poet Radio there.

Tonight, and for the next couple of nights, I'll be playing the song list I listened to while I was taking finals. A lot of animé music, some other things. And I'm also looking for some good public domain stuff. I only wish I could find "The Gnats!" from BYU. (Man, that takes me back - "Psycho on the Loose with a Wiffle Ball Bat", and "Cruisin' for Beehives in Josh's Volvo" were particularly good.)

UPDATE: If you download JetAudio, and use that for the broadcast, you'll also get to join in on real time chat while you listen, but Winamp, Windows Media Player, etc., should all work.

Friday Animé Sampler: news and Gankutsuo

2004-12-24T16:48:00.000-08:00

AnimeSuki recently got a letter from a Tokyo law firm indicating that all animé from a certain producer needed to be removed - a Cease and Desist, despite the fact that the series are not licensed for distribution here in the states. Animesuki has complied with those demands.

In the meantime, Suprnova has disappeared, and the MPAA has started suing people who run Bit Torrent trackers. Is this the end of fansubbed animé being distributed through the net?

The landscape has certainly changed in the last two years. With the success of various animé series on Cartoon Network's adult swim, the increase in manga distribution here in the States, Animé Network, etc., etc., etc., we're seeing manga and animé distributed here in the States faster and more broadly. That doesn't mean this weekly primer will change, though. If anything, with the flood of stuff that's out there for people to watch, it's more important to direct people to quality anim&eacte and manga.

With that in mind, one of the series that was removed from AnimeSuki is a recent discovery of mine - "Gankutsuo", a sci-fi animé re-telling of The Count of Monte Cristo. Trippy. Trippy as all get out.

Currently up to episode ten. It's not available on AnimeSuki, and who knows if the fansub groups will be continuing to distribute it. There's some heavy implication that the Count is a Vampire (different color skin, pointy ears, fangs, you never see him eating...), but nothing confirmed yet. The story actually starts after the Chateau d'If, at the point where the Count saves young Albert from kidnapping during Carnival. Told primarily from Albert's point of view, Gankutsuo is not appropriate for children.

The animation style is really, really interesting also. Almost impressionistic. Keep your eyes open, hopefully this will be available here in the States soon.