Entries tagged with “Rants” from ReadRaymond

I lost my virginity to U2, I found solace when getting divorced with U2 and I learned to cry and still be a man with U2.  So they must be important.  And truth be told, I own every piece of music they ever made, as well as a couple pieces of art, t-shirts, vintage LP coverers, etc.  They are "my" band.  Or they were...

As sad as I am to say it - 100s of "great" U2 songs later - I have found a new band that speaks for me.  Green Day has been lighting up my radio, my Mac and my car for 10+ years but the album "American Idiot" made the turn.  It is without question the perfect album.

There are many bands and albums where you can expect to only like a minor selection of the tracks offered.  Never all.  And still, you consider it to be a "great" album.  However, "American Idiot" is perfect.  There isn't a beat missing.  It's simply perfect.  Every song.  Every note.  Perfect.

Maybe its timing.  Maybe its luck.  But they did it, nonetheless.  Listen - all the way through and tell me I'm wrong.  You can't.  If you like one note, lyric or song; they all work.

Sorry Larry, Adam, Bono and the Edge, but while I considered this I played: Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams from the album "American Idiot" by Green Day.  Punk lives!  Sorry to Green Day for taking so long to admit it, but I have been trying to find a U2 song or album that could compete.

Maybe its because I was checking my iSync calendar data - making sure all computers were in alignment; or maybe it was because I couldn't remember when things "exactly" took place; whatever the reason, I checked the last 4 years of iCal data.  Upon doing so, I became appalled. At me.

I must have blocked it mentally. I don't remember. But tonight I realized that, upon learning of an affair, it took me two years and one month to extract myself from the situation. And then it required another six or seven months to become divorced. Holy crap! That's almost three years of my life! 3 years!!! What the hell was I thinking? I am ashamed, embarrassed.  If it weren't in my datebook, I wouldn't believe it. I still don't. The only words that come to mind are: asshole, idiot, schmuck, and dolt.

I can't help the period it took to produce a divorce, but there's no excuse for wasting the two years of my miserable life prior to that time; but I'll try to explain. I was trying to save something that was doomed. She wanted "security" (money); and I wanted "love" (love). I knew I could always make money (but avoided it). I wanted to know that I was loved without it. Forgive me, I like old Elvis movies. (Idiot and schmuck still come to mind.) Dammit! It was the money she was always after - the thing I always resisted producing without her willingness to accept the possibility of living without (something she could never do, leaving me as a result).

In retrospect, it only took me six months after splitsville to make my first million. And then another year to quadruple that figurer. I look back now and wish I had those two years back because I'd be ten times healthier and wealthier now.  She was never going to "get over" the money issue. Her "need" was too strong.  I guess I'll have to live with being wiser (now).

But what really gets my goat is that it took two plus years of my life. Again, I am appalled. I am ashamed, embarrassed. There was an affair and I attempted to rationalize it into something else, wasting years of my life. And forgetting the love & money issues, the only words that still come to mind are: asshole, idiot, schmuck, and dolt.

While I wrote this, I played: Money, Money, Money from the album "Gold" by ABBA

Its predicted that within thirty years, there will be thousands of people living on our moon, funded by private corporations, not tax-paying dollars. If you think about it in terms of history, its really not all that far fetched.

A couple hundred years ago, America was a vast, untamed region that has become overwhelmed by human life due to the need for exploration, expansion & profit. Most of the west was settled in the spirit of "first-to-get-there". But that's not exactly how it happened. Is it? What happened is that a few went out to stake a claim or seek a fortune and the rest followed to feed off that new life - providing services to the original explorer. A 49er was happy to part with his gold at the first whiskey hall en route back to civilization. An enterprising businessperson would set up shop close to the mining site. What followed was construction ventures, law enforcement, schools, etc.

The first long-term visitors to the moon won't be all that different from the 49ers of the past - only more educated and better equipped. But due to the enormous costs in getting there, it will be mostly (or entirely) funded by corporate dollars. Once the first long-term whiskey hall sets up shop we can consider the moon "colonized". Because what will follow is construction ventures, law enforcement, schools, etc. The biggest difference this time around is that the corporate mentality is actually willing to part with their investment dollars because they know more profit will come from the act of colonization than from the miner's gold.

So why are we going if the act of going is more profitable than the first explorer's mining claim? Why especially when the corporation is essentially both sides of the equation? The answer: because we are, simple as that. And whoever gets there first will hold all the cards.

It is this theory that raises my greatest concern. What will the moon be like if "run" by unchecked corporations? Imagine it. We all joke that Microsoft controls or owns the country because of its stronghold on our operating systems. But that's not even close to the stranglehold that could be exerted by a company with dominance on the moon. They would have a truly captive audience.

But should the responsibility be handed to our governments of earth? Probably. But it will never happen because the choice of governing body would be impossible - except perhaps for something along the lines of a Solar UN. But, I don't think that will happen either. Well, it will most likely happen, but it will prove to be ineffective. In a harsh environment such as the oxygen starved moon a slow-acting governing body will simply be ignored, replaced by "law-of-the-gun" as was the west's history.

While chitchatting over a pint, it was suggested that the computer generation uses less brain power than the generation (or two) before us.

For the purposes of discussion, let us be mindful of the Urban Legend regarding the so called 10% Theory of brain use. Its bunk apparently. [wink]

Consider the notion that we might use less brain power than our predecessors for particular functions and perhaps more for other tasks. For example, its been suggested that the invention of calculators has removed the need for us to learn simple math and by extension complex mathematics. Indeed, this is probably true as illustrated by Fred below:

Fred B. writes at Yahoo Groups: "...[It's] easier to teach pushing the + sign than math fundamentals...[but] when the wrong key is pushed at the check out or the "computer is down" getting the correct change for a $7.35 purchase from a $20 bill becomes a remedial math course..."

To continue: with the computer and word processors comes spell-checkers, resume templates and letter drafting "bots" that do most of the work for you. I can't spell worth a lick and have little motivation to learn. So long as I get it close enough for the spell-checker to catch on, it'll take over and I can continue to pound away at the keyboard. I am probably making the same spelling mistakes 1000s of times and I am reinforcing the misspellings through repetition. I have become dependent on the computer to correct my errors, whereby I type: it underlines mistakes in red and I right-click my way onto the next phrase. I do this without thought or learning. It is a practiced method of symbiotic regurgitation of text.

Which brings me to the wonderful invention of Johann Gutenberg and the concept that the average person today is exposed to more information in a single day than a Renaissance man was in a lifetime. I don't know if that's an accurate depiction of the availability of information or if its also a myth. But it seems plausible enough for me to run with it. Gutenberg gave us movable type, the printing press and the spread of information on a mass-scale. Today's MovableType allows for the spread of information on a scale incomprehensible to the Renaissance man, I'm sure. The question is: with all the information that bombards us on a daily basis, do we actually process or comprehend it? How much of this web-posting have you actually read? Or did you skim?

While the title of this little slice of the WWW carries the egocentric banner of "everybody reads...", I think the title of my moblog is a more accurate depiction of today's brain use: everybody SEES.... I believe that we see more information than we process. We like pictures and sound-byte captions [g] that are easy to store in our mishmash GreyMatter. We rely on our computers to think for us; to remind us of when to meet a colleague for lunch or when to buy a gift for Mom's birthday. We see our computers as extensions of our own brains. The faster and more powerful they are, the more superior we feel about our intellectual prowess. But we don't really take advantage of the information gathering opportunities computers grant us. Instead, we use them to warehouse data. Information gets filed away in case we need it - forever lost among folders of free-ware applications and recipes for Monkey Brains or Duck Soup.

Adam explains that sometimes we don't even look at the information we gather. He confesses to using searches on IMDB to update his Netflix subscription list all rather mindlessly. I agree with this concept. We use the web to quickly gather a tidbit of information but don't even pause to assimilate it. We just store it and pass it on. This [weblog] is as guilty as any. I offer it as a perfect example of data pass-through. Look at all the links throughout this posting. Do they offer any information? How should I know!? I didn't bother to read them but I saw them.

So: if you can't do simple math, don't read, can't spell, use your computer as a data warehouse and post pass-through weblogs, can you truly say you're using more or less brain power than earlier generations? How many are still reading this?

Hell, I've already lost interest and am looking at the pretty pictures.

Why do SOME people insist on posting comments with bad e-mail addresses? Its like poking your head in the room and saying, "...what about the your thoughts on [insert subject]...?" and then running away before hearing the answer.

I fully understand some anonymous person wanting to say, "your site sucks", "I think you're stupid", or "my penis is enormous" and wanting to do this without leaving opportunity for my reply. That sort of thing is going to happen by the very nature of a public weblog and the proliferation of cheap PCs for the uneducated masses. Honestly, I find these comments to be quick fun as the erroneous e-mail addresses are occasionally creative. Some of my favorites are:

butt @ muncher.com
jack @ off.com
think @ about it.com
smell @ your fear.com
johnson @ is large.com

What I don't get is the anonymous question - that which appears to be seeking a response, yet the return address is bogus. This occurred again quite recently when someone asked me why I chose a particular software application over other offerings. Dutifully, I wrote out a kind response detailing my reasons for using Kung-Log and the benefits it offered for me. When I sent it out I got a mail error informing me that the recipient [icekitten94@hotmail] didn't exist. Now, why bother Ice Kitten? Its not even a particularly creative address. [check above for more thoughtful offerings]. If you didn't want to know, why ask? If you did want to know, why run away? If you only wanted to dine-and-dash or promote a competitive software selection, why not simply include the link? My comments section is "open" to HTML code (for the moment). For those not familiar with adding code to a post, it works as such:

Replace "[ ]" with "< >" as appropriate.

[a href="http://www.website.com"] Title [/a]

Either way, thank you to all who take the time to post a comment, including Butt Muncher.

While waiting for a fresh pot of coffee to be brewed at my local deli, I took a gander at the latest headlines from the selection of newspapers: 15 Dead in Car bomb, Hamas cowards bomb bus stop, cafe in Israel, Hamas terror strikes 6 hours apart, etc.

The gist: Two separate, but coordinated Palestinian suicide bombers took out a bunch of innocent people in a religiously motivated, terrorist strike. What the fuck, already!?

Here's a link to the "story-of-the-day" that outlines the: Suicide bombs in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv kill up to 15 - Belfast Telegraph

For those interested, this collection details some of the more deadly attacks that have come as a result of religious terrorism: Israel's history of bomb blasts - BBC News - 70 since September 2000

Last week I watched Star Trek V: The Final Frontier again. While this film is widely know to be the worst of the Star Trek offerings, at least writer & director William Shatner understands the ridiculousness of religious fanatics and their belief in "God's calling". When Kirk finally meets the "supreme being" and is instructed to bring the Enterprise closer, he asks the question: "What does God need with a Star-ship?" Indeed!

And I ask the question: Why does God need a car bomb? Why is it that religious nuts always think that God wants them to do something destructive? Obviously, throughout history there have been more deaths at the hands of those acting in the name of God than all natural disasters or disease combined. Are we as humans complete incapable of logical thinking whereby we might understand that using a justification such as religion (a concept designed to keep people from killing each other) for the very purpose of killing each other? And is there a moment of question just before the suicide bomber dies where the paradox flashes before his eyes - that he might not really get a slice of heaven for his actions in the name of God? I just can't understand it.

But, even as a pagan whose belief is "do what you will but harm none", I would feel completely justified in turning the middle east into a parking lot if it was in my power. Before 9/11 I didn't care and figured that eventually the factions fighting over a tiny strip of land, only significant to them, would kill themselves off and life for the rest of us would carry on as normal. But after 9/11, and on the eve of its 2nd anniversary, I am reminded of my fear - fear that these religious zealots, acting in the name of religion and under the belief that terrorism brings one side-by-side with God will affect my way of life; that they will harm me. And everyone knows: the quickest way to deal with a bully is to bloody his nose first. But, shame on me for thinking it. Its not very pagan of me, is it?

On a lighter side: while searching for links to this post I found a website that invites posters to point out the errors in film, such as "out-of-sequence" shots, or wrong color shirt, etc. Check out: The Slip-Up Archive & Star Trek V Mistakes Even non-trekkies will have a laugh.

This is disgusting! As someone who was there (me) or from the point of view of someone who wasn't (you or others) we should all find this to be of extremely poor taste. Some idiot decided to make an adventure game based on the "survivability" of a business man/woman in the World Trade Towers during 9-11. Check it out and send your hate mail here: 9-11 Survivor.

PS: You might want to include in your tirade that they obviously don't know how to spell survivor either, as it only has one "I".

Not all that long ago it seems, I used to be able to head out to the local deli with a $15 in my pocket and fetch all the items a starving young lad might need to pass the evening: a sandwich, a bag of peanuts and a 6-pack - and I still had change left over for the $1.25 ride to work in the morning.

Living in New York has always been tough, but now its downright unbearable. Now add an idiot's (aka. Bloomberg's) personal agenda against every vise known to man, vices expected and until late, taken for granted by NYers. Then add 15 or so years, allowing for inflation. What do you get?: I went out to the deli tonight as a cash poor man and came back a beggar. Wine vs. beer, yes (as I'm no longer 20); and gourmet bread vs. rye (as I'm no longer 20); and I added a few extras like fruit and almonds (as I'm no longer 20), but the result was nearly $50 and a required trip to the ATM that cost me $1.75 on the host bank's end and $1 on my bank's end.

It is no wonder that NYers are leaving our great city in droves, especially those who have to work for a living.

To the God or Goddess of all creatures great and small:

Enough already. I have already repaired my roof this season - you know, actual "man's work" of flashing, tar and roof paper. I ruined a par of shoes and jeans in the process. Yet your incessant need for water sports is wreaking havoc on my living room, where again a leak has sprung. 'Tis true. It is but a small leak; but it is water where it shouldn't be none the less.

I pray to you: Make it stop, please.

Its Monday, 8:30 and I'm eating soup (homemade of course) to keep warm. The November Nor'easter has left Brooklyn cold, and my apartment frigid. I have just called my landlord to remind them to turn up (on) the heat. They are doctors, both. Ones in family practice and the other's a pediatrician. I hope (& hear) they are better doctors than landlords, because they treat their tenants like shit. Its a shame that the adage proves true: you get what you pay for, because it used to be that living in this building, you sacrificed heat in the winter and cold water in the kitchen for a killer view and half the rent comparable to our neighborhood. Well Bin-Ladin took away the view, the rent is higher and I still don't have heat. It could be depressing to a lesser man!

An unfortunate result of the bitterness in my crappy old hovel is that I can't accurately test my blood sugars. My meter, the FreeStyle doesn't seem to react well to the cold temperature and instead of providing the necessary data it spits out an error message.

So check this out. Someone stole my corporate identity and used my MasterCard information to have dinner at a restaurant in Italy on Saturday to the tune of $1,313.42. That痴 a lot of pasta. I壇 be back in ICU had I been party to that dinner. As such, The Bank of New York will most likely return my money (Debit MasterCard) when they determine that I wasn稚 in Italy over the weekend.

Follow up: Great. I just got a call from the bank. They told me NOT to expect a credit (as they would give a personal client) because mine is a business account. As such I may have to wait 30-90 days before it is resolved. Plus, they need me to file a Police Report before they proceed. Ahhh!