November 30, 2009
November 25, 2009
OMG, Adam Lambert: Get out of my life
While his eyeliner and over-tussled coiffure became recognizable a few months ago, it wasn't until this week that I've learned Adam Lambert's name. Everyone is up in arms about him kissing another guy, in addition to some boring self-inflicted, groin-bashing moves he made using a dancer's head, during a performance for some stupid music awards--the same event at which Taylor Swift made off scot-free with the title, Artist of the Year, without Kanye West stepping in to object on behalf of America--when they should be more concerned about how shitty his voice is or how terrible that particular song was. It was awful. Like, absolutely, gut-wrenching-ly bad. It wasn't music. Dude sounded like a pubescent banshee. Maybe his lewd motion and melodrama were meant to turn everyone's attention away from how poor his live singing actually is. Adam LAME-bert, get out of my life.
finders, losers
i'm developing a theory about how if you find something on the ground, and take it, you'll lose something else. and i've got reason to believe the thing you lose is approximately the same value as the thing you find.
it's happened a few times now: a while back i found an ipod shuffle that had been out in the rain. i took it. maybe as quickly as a week later i lost my cell phone.
more recently i found a beanie on the ground when walking our dog. it was muddy and wet and stretched-out. so i took it. this morning i realized i lost my cycling sunglasses on my ride home last night.
i don't think it happens with finding a dollar, and i can't be sure if you lose something, you'll find something else. but that's my theory anyway. it's karma, i guess. beware.
it's happened a few times now: a while back i found an ipod shuffle that had been out in the rain. i took it. maybe as quickly as a week later i lost my cell phone.
more recently i found a beanie on the ground when walking our dog. it was muddy and wet and stretched-out. so i took it. this morning i realized i lost my cycling sunglasses on my ride home last night.
i don't think it happens with finding a dollar, and i can't be sure if you lose something, you'll find something else. but that's my theory anyway. it's karma, i guess. beware.
November 23, 2009
David: WTF
This headline caught my attention this afternoon: "Mom: Son in coma heard everything for 23 years"
BRUSSELS – A man who emerged from what doctors thought was a vegetative state says he was fully conscious for 23 years but could not respond because he was paralyzed, his mother said Monday...
Rom [Houben, 46] used the device to tell a reporter for the German magazine Der Spiegel that: "I screamed but there was nothing to hear."...
More searching finally got her in touch with Laureys, who put Houben through a PET scan that indicated he was conscious. The family and doctors then began trying to establish communication.
A breakthrough came when he was able to indicate yes or no by slightly moving his foot to push a computer device placed there by Laureys' team...
Houben has started writing a book on his experiences.
The book is called "Yes yes no." Just kidding. The full article explains he can communicate fully now through a special computer .
Holy crap. That is nuts. I can't even wrap my head around that.
--
And, by the way, the movie Up is stupid sad. Good. But stupid sad. At the very least it had me energized about having C in my life, along for the adventure.
And how.
BRUSSELS – A man who emerged from what doctors thought was a vegetative state says he was fully conscious for 23 years but could not respond because he was paralyzed, his mother said Monday...
Rom [Houben, 46] used the device to tell a reporter for the German magazine Der Spiegel that: "I screamed but there was nothing to hear."...
More searching finally got her in touch with Laureys, who put Houben through a PET scan that indicated he was conscious. The family and doctors then began trying to establish communication.
A breakthrough came when he was able to indicate yes or no by slightly moving his foot to push a computer device placed there by Laureys' team...
Houben has started writing a book on his experiences.
The book is called "Yes yes no." Just kidding. The full article explains he can communicate fully now through a special computer .
Holy crap. That is nuts. I can't even wrap my head around that.
--
And, by the way, the movie Up is stupid sad. Good. But stupid sad. At the very least it had me energized about having C in my life, along for the adventure.
And how.
November 18, 2009
I'm sure I've said something similar before, but I just realized:
I feel about bikes now as I felt about skateboarding in junior high.
I riffle through bike blogs, virtual page after page, from my office, like I did with skateboard magazines at school--trying to wring out every drop of information about the style, the culture, the best tips, the top gear.
I admire pictures of bikes like I had ogled over skateboard deck graphics from the latest CCS catalog.
I envy the commuters, tourers, messengers, and freestylers artfully photographed alone in a crowded city street; in a pack climbing a curvy mountain road drenched in the light of the rising sun...
I live vicariously through the stories and articles and epic photographic essays from behind my desk, both then and now, waiting, impatiently, to get back on the wheels that allow me to connect to my surroundings, but also brake free from the alternatives that are so pedestrian...
I feel about bikes now as I felt about skateboarding in junior high.
I riffle through bike blogs, virtual page after page, from my office, like I did with skateboard magazines at school--trying to wring out every drop of information about the style, the culture, the best tips, the top gear.
I admire pictures of bikes like I had ogled over skateboard deck graphics from the latest CCS catalog.
I envy the commuters, tourers, messengers, and freestylers artfully photographed alone in a crowded city street; in a pack climbing a curvy mountain road drenched in the light of the rising sun...
I live vicariously through the stories and articles and epic photographic essays from behind my desk, both then and now, waiting, impatiently, to get back on the wheels that allow me to connect to my surroundings, but also brake free from the alternatives that are so pedestrian...
November 16, 2009
November 15, 2009
weekend
Not much to report: family came down this weekend--always good to hang with family... my brother had his last collegiate football game--unfortunately his team lost, but they out-performed the other guys, no doubt. exciting game for sure.
i've got poison ivy on my face in a couple spots, namely in the area of my beard scruff. sucks a lot.
got some good rest, completed a couple errands, saw J&M's beautiful new house (they close on Tuesday) and it's only 10 minutes away!, C is cooking cookies, experienced a chorizo/egg/bean/potato burrito this morning--not bad, but not great, especially not with coffee...
also, i just successfuly wrapped handlebar tape on the cross check. i'm really pumped about it. i'm hoping it doesn't unravel right away... wooha wooha gotcha all in check
i've got poison ivy on my face in a couple spots, namely in the area of my beard scruff. sucks a lot.
got some good rest, completed a couple errands, saw J&M's beautiful new house (they close on Tuesday) and it's only 10 minutes away!, C is cooking cookies, experienced a chorizo/egg/bean/potato burrito this morning--not bad, but not great, especially not with coffee...
also, i just successfuly wrapped handlebar tape on the cross check. i'm really pumped about it. i'm hoping it doesn't unravel right away... wooha wooha gotcha all in check
November 13, 2009
words to learn to live by
To get thine ends, lay bashfulness aside; Who fears to ask, doth teach to be deny'd.
Robert Herrick English lyric poet (1591 - 1674)
November 12, 2009
surly sets sail
the surly cross check made its maiden voyage this week, in the condition shown here, without handlebar tape and with poorly adjusted brakes.
Today the tires are significantly dirtier and the brakes (after a lot of agonizing) are perhaps a little better adjusted. On the first trip the handlebars weren't tight enough, and today I found out the right brake lever wasn't tight enough. But I haven't crashed, so that's positive. The bike is rad for sure. With a bunch of upgrades (including Ritchey handlebars, Vittoria tires, Thomson seatpost, Cinelli cork handlebar tape, and FSA crank arms) I've still managed to build up the Cross Check for about $300 less than the MSRP for one that's all stock...
November 10, 2009
November 9, 2009
November 6, 2009
destroyer will kill
Can't remember why I thought of this, but I revisited this link to a bunch of photos I uploaded about 6 years ago to a graffiti website called "Robots Will Kill": DESTRO
Good memories about my shitty skills and some fun times spent alone trying to get good and dreams about getting down with big writers
enjoy!
dont worry about critiquing this art, positively or negatively, it was a hot minute ago
Good memories about my shitty skills and some fun times spent alone trying to get good and dreams about getting down with big writers
enjoy!
dont worry about critiquing this art, positively or negatively, it was a hot minute ago
fride
I forgot my coffee at home this morning which really made me grumpy. C had a break in her morning so brought it to me at my office just now. Awesome.
Efffing Friday, Cotton.
I got some tires last night, Vittoria Randonneurs, all white, and hooked 'em on my wheels. My hands are all cramped up today. Also, this week my new handlebars were delivered. This morning, I loaded the frameset, wheels and bars into my car and plan on swinging by the bike shop on my way home to get the steer tube cut down and the star nut installed... I hope it goes well. After that I'll be set to build...
Efffing Friday, Cotton.
I got some tires last night, Vittoria Randonneurs, all white, and hooked 'em on my wheels. My hands are all cramped up today. Also, this week my new handlebars were delivered. This morning, I loaded the frameset, wheels and bars into my car and plan on swinging by the bike shop on my way home to get the steer tube cut down and the star nut installed... I hope it goes well. After that I'll be set to build...
November 4, 2009
The religion of environmentalism
On an NPR-broadcast BBC news program yesterday I learned about a British guy who is suing his former employer for philosophical discrimination, based on the legal precedent of religious discrimination. The philosophy in question was centered around Climate Change and his relatively radical environmentalist ethics. Now, I don't know his whole ordeal, and I can't say I support his legal actions, but I was intrigued to think of environmentalist philosophy as a spiritual/religious ethic. The plaintiff said "my belief is underpinned by moral and ethical values comparable to many of the world's religions...it is crucially underpinned by ...overwhelming scientific evidence..."
One listener ("J.R." of Boston) responded to the story to criticize this guy's actions saying environmentalism was in no way similar to any of the world's faith-based "religions" which rely on faith in the unknown, whereas Climate Change has a scientific basis. [This is the best I could do to transcribe what was said:] "Religion is based on blind belief that notions established by others are purported to be the word of a higher being and that your own well-being will be enhanced by following and making offerings to those bringing you the Word. Climate Change is based on scientific evidence. How we are causing damage, how to avoid doing so, and the consequences of not making changes are not a matter of faith..." That is a terrible comparison. I can agree that religion is faith-based, but to deny a spirituality grounded by science is sad. And having to follow and make offerings to the ones bringing (i.e. interpreting) the Word? That statement really narrows it down to the blind leading the blind. [I'm not attacking religion here, but the choices of words used to describe Religion in such a myopic way.]
My thoughts? How cool it is that the ethics of environmentalism have a proof-driven, scientific basis! And it could be argued that there is plenty of unscientific faith and sublime wonderment in nature and environmentalism. For example, compassion toward animals is purely an ethical thing. A stance against pollution is comparable to a stance against murder or, more generally, a stance against Evil. I love the thought of environmentalism as a spiritual, religious movement. It makes perfect sense. Everything one does to benefit the environment is a religious act; going on a hike (or a bike ride) is a pilgrimage...
One listener ("J.R." of Boston) responded to the story to criticize this guy's actions saying environmentalism was in no way similar to any of the world's faith-based "religions" which rely on faith in the unknown, whereas Climate Change has a scientific basis. [This is the best I could do to transcribe what was said:] "Religion is based on blind belief that notions established by others are purported to be the word of a higher being and that your own well-being will be enhanced by following and making offerings to those bringing you the Word. Climate Change is based on scientific evidence. How we are causing damage, how to avoid doing so, and the consequences of not making changes are not a matter of faith..." That is a terrible comparison. I can agree that religion is faith-based, but to deny a spirituality grounded by science is sad. And having to follow and make offerings to the ones bringing (i.e. interpreting) the Word? That statement really narrows it down to the blind leading the blind. [I'm not attacking religion here, but the choices of words used to describe Religion in such a myopic way.]
My thoughts? How cool it is that the ethics of environmentalism have a proof-driven, scientific basis! And it could be argued that there is plenty of unscientific faith and sublime wonderment in nature and environmentalism. For example, compassion toward animals is purely an ethical thing. A stance against pollution is comparable to a stance against murder or, more generally, a stance against Evil. I love the thought of environmentalism as a spiritual, religious movement. It makes perfect sense. Everything one does to benefit the environment is a religious act; going on a hike (or a bike ride) is a pilgrimage...
A BBC article on the story can be found here
The radio "programme" that includes the quotes above can be heard
November 3, 2009
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