Guess Who's Back

Well it's been a while, in fact it has been over a year. And a busy year at that. I've seen a lot of changes to my life, and well I decided it was finally time to start blogging again. It is time for me to start sharing, to probably absolutely no one, details and thoughts on my life.

Aren't you excited. I thought you should know I'm just brimming with excitement myself.

Cheers,

David Novosel

The Camera Is Back

A word of warning to the world. My digital camera is back in my hands. I fear for us all. I'll probably end up taking many photo's that have no purpose at all. Ahhh, this is going to be fun. At least for me.

Haha. I might just be insane.  

A lot of beer

I discovered this photo on my digital camera, that I had never copied off. It's from the summer. We loaded enough beer in the back of Tom's truck to buy 2 new cases. It was awesome.

 

Anniversary

Well today is the one year anniversary of my blog. It was an interesting year, and I'd say I had a lot of fun with this site.

I learned a lot of interesting things, and I'm just heating up. I plan on blogging a lot more. Even though I'm sure just about no one reads this. Or even cares what I have to say.

It was tough, but it works

Well it took quite a while, and I had to learn some fun things about both Javascript and how the Blogger system works. I finally managed to get two things done which I really wanted to happen.

First off, I managed to configure the page, so if you click on a date, it hides all the posts for that day. This makes it easy to move to old posts quickly. The knowledge I gained from making that work, enabled me to get the second key feature I wanted, which was to have the date and time listed beneath the title of each post. I think it looks really nice now.

And finally, I found a nifty little Javascript program that encrypts my e-mail address. Basically if you click on either of my two e-mail links, "give me a shout" or "David Novosel" (at the bottom of the page), some Javascript runs, which decrypts the e-mail address, and opens up the default mail sender. This is useful, as now Spambots can't get the address off my page. Ok, so it's a tad geekish, but it's something that's really useful at the same time. Spam can get pretty annoying at times.

As always, feel free to leave any comments about my site design, and anything else for that matter.

A pod for every season

It has recently been decided by some of my roommates and friends that I'm apparently not human. I blame Seinfeld for this problem, Jerry in particular. In the episode The Apartment, Jerry decides that Kramer isn't really a member of the human race, but a pod. That's right, a pod. For your viewing pleasure, I found a copy of the script, so everyone can understand where this is coming from. Hope you like it.

JERRY: Let me explain something to you.. You see, you're not normal. You're a great guy, I love you, but you're a pod. I, on the other hand, am a human being. I sometimes feel awkward, uncomfortable, even inhibited in certain situations with the other human beings. You wouldn't understand.

You can find a copy of the script here, which is located on the Seinfeld Scripts webpage.

Now some people might be insulted by this accusation, but personally I can't see anyway to win. They are being more than accurate and truthful. I'm odd. And I love it.

Signing off,

Pod Mk.2

The image for us all

I was just thinking that I should probably design a logo of some kind for the site. I think it would be pretty cool. If anyone has an idea for one, please let me know.

I really going this time. I swear.

The new design

Well I've ironed out the new design, and I'm pretty happy with it right now. I still have some minor changes to make, but all in all the new design is pretty sharp. If you visit, please comment on if you think the site looks good, bad, or even mediocre. Good feedback will help me to design a better site next time I upgrade.

The new site is designed to work with computers running a resolution of at least 1024x768. I apologize if you run something smaller, but less than 5% of the page loads are done in 800x600, and I decided I would rather have a better looking site for the other 95%. I've also managed to clean this version up a little bit, so it looks better with IE. My old template had some display issues with IE, but this one should be pretty clean. As always though, I advocate switching to Mozilla Firefox. There's no reason not to, and plenty of good reasons to make the switch.

For the record, all the work was done in the Lanark Computer Lab at Carleton University. The computers here happen to be better then what I have available, so I took advantage of the situation.

I happened to listened to a lot of Matthew Good during the night while I upgraded the site. I have all his music now on one CD, which is much easier to carry around. If you are fan of his, I suggest checking out Coming Out In Purple which is pretty interesting song. And well it's also downright odd. In fact, I just decided that everyone should check it out. I encourage one and all to listen if they get the chance.

Well, I'm off for now, I'll see what the day brings. It's generally pretty exciting, so I'm sure it'll be interesting.

Bored with the design again

I'm bored with the look and feel of my site again, so I'm going to update it. How does this affect you, you ask. Well excellent question I must admit. Basically the site will probably look like shit, and have all kinds of things not working over the next few hours or days as I make changes. I don't plan on breaking anything that deals with content, so the site should be viewable, but most likely it will look really weird. I just thought you should know. If you have any tips, ideas, or comments on my changes, please just leave a comment.

Thanks, and happy blogging to us all.

The Proper Judge

It is exactly because a man cannot do a thing that he is a proper judge of it.
-- Oscar Wilde

A Corporate Philosophy

The following little philosophy I discovered on kottke.org which links to an about page on ludicorp.com. That page in turn explains that the following concept comes from Disclosing New Worlds: Entrepreneurship, Democratic Action and the Cultivation of Solidarity by Charles Spinosa, Fernando Flores & Hubert Dreyfus (MIT Press 1997).

On a side note, I whole-heartenly suggest you check out kottke.org, as he runs a pretty nice site.

I now will leave you with the philosophy:

Business owners do not normally work for money either. They work for the enjoyment of their competitive skill, in the context of a life where competing skillfully makes sense. The money they earn supports this way of life. The same is true of their businesses. One might think that they view their businesses as nothing more than machines to produce profits, since they do closely monitor their accounts to keep tabs on those profits.

But this way of thinking replaces the point of the machine's activity with a diagnostic test of how well it is performing. Normally, one senses whether one is performing skillfully. A basketball player does not need to count baskets to know whether the team as a whole is in flow. Saying that the point of business is to produce profit is like saying that the whole point of playing basketball is to make as many baskets as possible. One could make many more baskets by having no opponent.

The game and styles of playing the game are what matter because they produce identities people care about. Likewise, a business develops an identity by providing a product or a service to people. To do that it needs capital, and it needs to make a profit, but no more than it needs to have competent employees or customers or any other thing that enables production to take place. None of this is the goal of the activity.

Have fun.

Power Loss

Some people are going to be having a bad day right now. The power just went off in the library at Carleton, knocking out all the computers. It was actually somewhat amusing, mostly as I didn't lose any work. The girl across from me hadn't saved in like an hour, so I feel bad for her, although I imagine it should have auto-saved.

I went to Aaron's History of Classical Music class yesterday, and I really liked it. I think I like it more than he does. Although in all honesty this doesn't really surprise me, as it is classical music, and most people only have a passing interest in it, whereas I have always enjoyed it. I think I'll go next week and see what new things I learn.

Jesus of Suburbia

Today I decided I am going to try and learn Jesus of Suburbia, as well it's a great tune. And it happens to be really long. I've got the first part figured out now, but I still have four more sections to learn.

For those of you who don't know, Jesus of Suburbia is by Green Day, off their newest album, American Idiot. Overall it's a pretty solidly constructed album, using the easily identifiably Green Day sound.

I've started thinking lately that I need some new music gear. In particular I want to get a new guitar and amp. The guitar I want to buy, is the Ibanez 720FM. It's a great looking guitar, and it sounds really nice as well. As for the amp, I'm basically looking to get something that's powered by tubes, and preferably it would be a Marshall.

I'm also looking to get a keyboard at some point, but that will probably be a while, as I would like to get a good one, and not bother with a cheap piece of junk. I have my eye on this Roland keyboard, with 20 voices, sustain and damp pedals, and the ability to record / playback songs. The only glitch is of course the price, settling in at a costly $1410. One can dream though, can't they?

Walking Sideways [draft]

Another ditty. It's really not quite done.

We are looking out for no one
As you come walking in
To match the sense of insecurity
That only some can feel
That only you can feel

It's like those friends down the street
The ones you never see
You often wonder where they are
And why they never call
And why you never call

Without a doubt
We're walking sideways
Without a thought
We're going nowhere
It's getting dark now
So very dark now

The lights have lost their touch
Like a sun who's in eclipse
Threatening your sense
The concept of a day
The concept of your day

Without a doubt
We're walking sideways
Without a thought
We're going nowhere
It's getting dark now
So very dark now

You're drinking just to feel alive
The bottle seems to hide
The sinking sense of being right
As if you think we care
As if someone can care

Without a doubt
We're walking sideways
Without a thought
We're going nowhere
It's getting dark now
So very dark now

The Leader Of Fools

It is but a stage of fools
And I,
I am the leader
The leader of fools.

Such blindness is suffered
In opulent grace
To have so much
And fall from such grace
Gives one thought
To such a waste.

And I,
I am the leader
The leader of selfish fools
Who reflects upon the stage
And chooses to deny
What wide doors were closed
In a lack of appreciation.

As I,
I am the leader
The leader of fools.

Re-created Reality

You slow down
Yet keep going
Into a wall
Of your own creation

The red lights
They fall behind
Into a blur
Of your own violation

Lost within
An unknown place
That re-creates
Reality

You stand up
Yet sit down
In a chair
Of your own making

You wonder why
It's all a lie
The empty cell
Of your own prison

Lost within
An unknown place
That re-creates
Reality

The silent scream
Is overbearing
The cowboy hat
Is masquerading
The highschool prom
Is implicating
So you slip away
To somewhere safe

Lost within
An unknown place
That re-creates
Reality

That re-creates
Reality

That crafty octopus

Its just like the story of the grasshopper and the octopus. All year long the grasshopper kept burying acorns for winter while the octopus mooched off his girlfriend and watched TV. Then the winter came, and the grasshopper died, and the octopus ate all his acorns and also he got a racecar. Is any of this getting through to you?

- Fry from Futurama

...And Also He Got A Racecar

Well the first steps are occurring as we speak. I talk of course about forming a band with some friends. It's been talked about before, but it looks like me might actually try this time. We still have many hurdles, but we do have a band name. ...And Also He Got A Racecar. Now we only need a drummer. Oh, and our bass player hasn't even started playing bass yet. And neither me, nor Mike have ever played together. Plus a singer. One or two minor issues really. We have the name. And that's a start. Every dream has a beginning.

Infinity

'Cross the starry sky
It sped
Looming for a moment
Of eternity
Time stood but still for
A lost soul
Who glimpsed but a second
Infinity

So Relentless

It's a punk song. It's short, and I've got the guitar part already figured out.

Rents overdue
Phones ringing again
Parents on the line
Always nagging

Bills overdue
Letters in the mail
Waters out again
Third times the charm

Endless questions
Never answers
Every single day
So relentless

Come home at dawn
Sleep all day long
Missing the sun
Rocking all night long

Endless questions
Never answers
Every single day
So relentless

Drunk all the time
Writing stupid songs
Fuck it makes no sense
My guitar is green

Endless questions
Never answers
Every single day
So relentless

So relentless
So relentless

Blue Skies Overhead [draft]

Another draft copy of a possible song.

We walked down the hall
We lost our goal
Like a deer trapped
In the headlights

Drinking to stay sober today
And we've climbed
The tallest tower that you've ever known
And sunk to depths that were unknown

Goodnight we say
And hello good sir
To skies turning blue
Skies turning blue

We walked across the town
We lost ourselves
In the endless glow
Of headlights

The remote is lost again
Never to be found, yet always there
Like the cashier at the faceless store
Always so cheap, without a soul

Goodnight we say
And hello good sir
To skies turning blue
Skies turning blue

The long walk to nowhere
Endless lights overhead
It's the longest damn walk
We've ever been on
The longest damn walk
We've ever been on

The sky is turning blue
It's turning blue

Blue skies overhead...
Blue skies overhead...

Falling Away [draft]

At this point it's only a draft for a song.

So scared
The futures bright
The light eclipses
All you've ever known
And quite likely things
That don't belong

You despise
The endless talking
Just walk away
From all you've ever known
And all the reasons
Why you belong

Running away
Say goodbye
Just to escape
To find someone
Staring in your eyes
A reflection
That's been supersized
And often hard to deny
A guilt free trip
On sugar-free candy
Threatening your sense
Of gravity

Falling away...

Songs may live forever

A lark caught in a hunters nest
Sang sweet than then ever
As if the falling melody
Might wing and net disever

At dusk the hunter took his prey
The lark his freedom never
All birds and men are sure to die
But songs may live forever

The Fuelled Journal

The following work was written with little sleep, aided by alcohol, and initially recorded in a notebook. It follows here in an unedited format, that quite likely is of shady quality.

My life is in complete shambles. It is a series of lies, chasing each other into a deeper spiral of deception. It is untold hypocrisy, in which I am but the greatest fool. I am my own worst enemy. God, I cannot but help to use a well worn cliché. I am a walking contradiction, yet this in itself is most likely a falsehood, created within my conceptions of the world. Why? Well if it follows that my life is a series of lies, then other people’s perceptions of me must be false. Ergo, the perception of myself, shaped by others is false. I don’t even know if this makes sense. I both love and hate my current life! Why am I so confused?

I need someone to trust and discuss this with. It is probably why I endure her, even though I know that nothing could truly exist between us. I feel so disgusted with myself for dumping my problems, even the limited ones I’ve discussed, on others. In fact, no one deserves to hear me bitch and moan. I hate this aspect of my life. But I am a born optimist. I truly believe I am, thus I feel no wrong for what I do. Empathy is something I lack in almost every sense. I seem to believe it is due to my optimism. I can’t understand despair. Not in all it’s ugliness.

I need to find that special someone, who can, to some degree, share in my confusion. Someone I can have real discussions with. A smart, intelligent, beautiful woman. I may be asking for too much, I know. I can hang on to my romantic delusions, can’t I? Fuck.

All this writing is sporadic at best; it is no doubt confusing, and filled with gaping holes and hypocrisy. I’m sure it defeats and fulfills itself in a way that frankly makes little sense. I really must get a new laptop, one that will enable me to wander about and fill countless bytes with my meaningless thoughts. I always find my previous concepts to be both insightful and frightening. And they are far, far easier to record, order, and view in a digital format.

I’m wallowing in my own pit of self-disgust and pity. It’s probably sickening.

“Ambitions a tricky thing, it’s like riding a unicycle over a dental floss tight-rope over a wilderness of razor blades” – Matthew Good, Track 6 off Avalanche

I feel like I might be lost in some idea of a bad dream, although one that smacks vaguely of reality. Nothing seems real anymore. The world exists without me. My significance right now is nothing. I am nothing. Just a lost soul searching for answers that probably don’t exist. I am but a drain on society. A fool, whose ignorance is startling. And quite pathetic. Really pathetic. Most likely even more so, as I am sitting here, in the CU tunnels, drinking spiked coffee, writing about my complete uselessness.

I know, on some level, that none of this need apply, or even be necessary. I revel in perceived chaos, I create it. I seem to have a burning desire for it. But it appears to be just a cheap façade, my own cowardice to face but a fraction of reality. Parts of me have died more times that I care to count. A seemingly enormous number, without comprehension. I am filled with false self-pity, for I sadly feel none. I am trying to create this feeling, I think it may help me to escape this net I’ve spun around my existence on this ball of rock. The total lack of ambition that I now call home.

I happen to have a complete lack of ambition. I have absolutely no desire to accomplish anything. I want to be a writer, or photographer, or musician, or countless other things, yet nothing causes me to leap up and pursue. Nothing holds my attention for more than a few days. Should I force a path, and attempt to pursue it for a while? I’m starting to think I should. Hell, I could probably pursue writing, photography, and music simultaneously. The real question is, can I summon up the courage to be a hero, a hero to my own thoughts. Do I possess the constitution to achieve these tasks for even a month? I can say yea, but now I must! I have to burn the past bridges of failure, and start anew. From the ashes of a lifetime of failure and laziness a new fire must awaken, a fire of desire, of success, of daring, and perseverance. I can leave no room for failure, no bridge to retreat across. A gap exists, and it is one that I absolutely have to leap across, without fear. I fear only one thing, and that is failure. I have let this fear control me for too long. I will allow this fear to surround me, will embrace it, and finally learn to defeat it. It is the only barrier between me and success. Nothing else matters. I will conquer my fear, for it is but a self-imposed construct, existing only within my mind. To be honest, these new thoughts scare me immensely. They really do. The prison I’ve created for myself is so complete, so seemingly real that just thinking about escape has me retreating into nothingness.

It’s funny how easily I’ve created my own Hell. To be honest it’s been a long process, but it’s a process that was so completely without pain. Constant retreat into a pit of murderous snakes, without even conscious thought. Without notice. In retrospect, the ease of this descent is disgusting. It truly was a case of sight without vision. How stupid, how truly ignorant have I proven myself to be? I hoodwinked myself with such complete thoroughness. It’s almost comical. Once overcome it’ll hopefully be just that. Such utter foolishness. I can but laugh at so complete a tragedy. As Heinlein discussed in “Stranger in a Strange Land”, laughter is a defensive mechanism, one designed to help us cope with all the tragedies we face. To help escape the absolute pain that grasps us all at some point. It is put a part of our birthright as members of the human race. For all our individuality, we are all the same. Every single one. All the wars, all the meaningless fighting, the endless conflict, all over issues so perversely ridiculous, so useless. Such utter self-assured nonsense I’ve spewed, as if I was the self-appointed judge of us all. The grand marshal of the human psyche. I can’t even fully understand myself.

Why do I feel, on a constant basis, that somehow I am not only always right, but by some system of measurement superior to others? What is the root of this unshakable self-confidence I possess? No matter how many times I am wrong. I am lost, for I know not myself. I claim to by Promethean, no I actually believe on a deep level that I am a god. I truly believe I am. Yet rationally I am far from being one.

The Author Within

I often find myself coming back to the concept that I should be a writer, or at the very least write stories in my spare time. The funny thing about this idea is that I never have the inclination to actually sit down and attempt to write something. Anything for that matter. This "need" to write feeling probably stems from the many books I read. I read a lot, in an average week I read at least three books. As I read, and re-read, all these books, I think this desire to write builds within me. Yet it never becomes an obsession. Never once have I felt the burning need to sit down and write a book, novel or short story. Yet I still want to write. It's this inescapable desire that just holds on enough to remain eternal, without ever growing into something concrete.

Even as I write this, I feel this need to write something, anything at all, that I might consider showing someone. In truth, I don't have anything to say. I should have something to say, in fact if you meet me, I'll talk all day long. Withheld from me is that something special, that defining experience or moment that will scream at me, demand of me, action.

I think I have to travel. I have to get out of this same old scene. Moving from Hamilton to Ottawa was great, and I have learned untold facts about myself. But I think it is time I got out there, and "wandered the earth", to quote Pulp Fiction. So I plan to do that. Starting sometime early 2006 I plan to leave this scene, and explore the world, and hopefully myself.

I really should expand the previous paragraph, and maybe I will, but right now I am tired and thus say goodnight.

How Time Flies By

It sure has been a while since I have last blogged. Far to long in my opinion, but circumstances have helped to sustain this current absense. During most of the school year, I was using my friend's laptop, and he need to take it back. In addition, I did not have internet at my house. Laziness also reared it's ugly head again, as so often happens to us all. But that was in the past. Internet access has now been restored, and I'm using by very old AMD K6-2 300 computer. It's slow, but it works, and for me thats good enough.

So all I can promise to the people who never read this site (as I am pretty sure I am the only one) is that I am back, and blogging will once again commence.

I pity the world...

Layout changes

I've been messing around with the layout and navigation controls in the last few days. The page displays just right in Mozilla Firefox, but is still somewhat broken in Internet Explorer. I'm hoping to have the situation rectified soon.

I was hoping for some feedback on my click to hide / appear system I have setup for the posts and section menu's. Is this setup intuitive, and usable, or just a pain in the ass. I'd really appreciate it if you could play around with the site a bit, and comment on it. Thanks!

Team America - World Police Again

Ok, the ending speech from Team America - World Police is simply stunning.

"We're [Team America] dicks! We're reckless, arrogant,stupid dicks. And the Film Actors Guild are pussies. And Kim Jong Il is an asshole. Pussies don't like dicks because pussies get fucked by dicks. But dicks also fuck assholes. Assholes that just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think they can deal with assholes their way. But the only thing that can fuck a asshole is a dick, with some balls. The problem with dicks is they fuck too much or fuck when it isn't appropriate. And it takes a pussy to show them that. But sometimes pussies can be so full of shit that they become assholes themselves. Because pussies are a inch and half away from assholes. I don't know much about this crazy crazy world, but I do know this. If you don't let us fuck this asshole we're going to have our dicks and pussies all covered in shit."

As I said, simply stunning. Along with most of the movie. It's definately something else. I'll probably end up putting up some of the songs over the next few days, as they are quite brilliant in their own way.

Tips for Paddling Across the Panama Canal in a Canoe

I recently discovered this hilarious article on the net. An excerpt for your viewing pleasure:

http://www.his.com/~pshapiro/crossingpanama.html

"Hi there! I'm paddling a canoe from San Francisco to New York and would like to cross the canal later this morning. Thanks for letting me know what procedures to follow."

Don't be surprised if you receive the following response: "Senor, it is impossible, completely impossible, for you to cross the Panama Canal in a canoe. Aside from the danger of accidentally bumping into a 50,000 ton ship in one of the locks, the toll for crossing the canal is $45,000."

Don't let such an email discourage you. Just follow up with a message along the lines of: "I was so much looking forward to crossing the canal today. I've paddled this canoe several thousand miles down the coast from San Francisco. The toll fee is no problem. I have a credit card on me."

All in all, it's a really funny article. Click on the link, and give it a read. If you don't, I'll be forced to do nothing.

Team America - World Police

I'm sitting here watching the movie right now with Darren. This has to be one of the most hilarious satirical looks at how American's think. The amount of propaganda in this movie is simple stunning. What I'd love to see is what American's think of this movie, whether they agree or disagree with these concepts. Frankly though the movie is a great laugh.

I'm sure I'll post again once I've finished watching the movie. It just has to get more hilarious.

My Chemical Romance - Helena

Long ago.
Just like the hearse you die to get in again.
We are. So far from you.

Burning on. Just like a match you strike to incinerate.
The lives of everyone you know.
And what's the worst you take. From every heart you break.
And like the blade you stain. Well I've been holding on tonight.

What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay.
So long and goodnight.
So long and goodnight.

Came a time. When every star falls. Brought you to tears again.
We are. The very hurt you sold.
And what's the worst you take. From every heart you break.
And like the blade you stain. Well I've been holding on tonight.

What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay.
So long and goodnight.
So long and goodnight.

And if you carry on this way.
Things are better if I stay.
So long and goodnight.
So long and goodnight.

Can you hear me?
Are you near me?
Can we pretend to leave and then.
We'll meet again.
When both our cars collide.

What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay.
So long and goodnight.
So long and goodnight.

And if you carry on this way.
Things are better if I stay.
So long and goodnight.
So long and goodnight.

Reach Me On Skype

I recently installed Skype which is really an amazing piece of software, in that it allows you to chat or actually talk with anyone on the internet for FREE. You can find it at http://www.skype.com/ and can get clients for Windows, Mac, and even Linux.

The software is really cool, as you can go into SkypeMe mode, which essentially lets people know you are willing to talk with new people. This is really cool, as you end up starting conversations with people from all over the world. Today I've talked with people in Brazil, Turkey, and Russia. It's really quite an interesting experience.

In addition, Skype lets you, for a fee, setup up voice mail, and even make phone calls to actual numbers around the world for a fixed rate that is much lower than long distance charges. Finally, as if it doesn't do enough, the quality of the conversations is actually much better / clearer than using a phone.

If you decide to start using Skype, give me a ring. My username is dnovosel.

At The Door

The following is taken from Matt Good's blog (http://www.matthewgood.net/mblog/), and frankly is stunning in it's simplicity.

"After I got up, I walked to the bathroom and started brushing my teeth. I have a habit of leaving the water running when I do. And as I looked up at myself in the mirror it dawned on me that by wasting that water I had just denied someone else of it, someone who very well could die because of a lack of clean water. By brushing my teeth with the water running I felt a murderer.

But there was no knock at the door."

A Brief Brief History of Time

I recently discovered this umm, well re-tooled version of A Brief History of Time. The real thanks goes to my cousin Ty, "Thanks Ty", who let me know about it. The sample is actually also of her choosing.

The Main Event:

Scantily Clad Beneath The Clear Night Sky
PRESENTS
A Brief Brief History of Time

And here's a brief sample (just so you know to put down that hot coffee *before* you attempt to read this):

Galileo: *invents proper telescopes* *discovers Moons orbiting Jupiter* OMG WTF! There’s stuff orbiting things which aren’t the Sun and aren’t Earth. Blimey.

The Universe: *slow hand clap* Getting warmer, boys.

The Church: STFU Galileo! Do you really want to be the principle ingredient in a philosopher kebab?

Galileo: *grumbles* But!

The Church: Shh! We are right about everything, mmmkay? Invent cat flaps or tippex or something useful or shut it, right?

Galileo: But nevertheless, it moves…

The Universe: *sigh* Nice try Galileo. Good effort.

And here's another favourite, from part 3:

THIS IS ALL VERY INTERESTING, BUT HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT JUST BEING PULLED OUT OF SOME COSMOLOGIST’S ARSE? TO PUT IT BLUNTLY, HOW DO WE KNO U AIN’T TRIPPIN?

Hawking: Good question. In fact, poor down-trodden grad students throughout the world have been toiling away working out how many stars there are, and how heavy they all are so that we, their supervisors and superiors, can try to figure out if there is enough stuff in the Universe to make it collapse or whatever.

Grad students: *are silent and bug-eyed* *are chained to their computers in dark basements*

Hawking: They enjoy it really.

Grad students: *hollow laugh*

Hawking: And basically, we haven’t worked it out yet, because there’s this pesky stuff called dark matter which we can’t see. Ever. At all. We can only tell it’s there by working out it’s gravitational influence on other stuff.

The Universe: *chuckles away gently, pets grad students*

Hawking: And the really embarrassing thing is that the dark stuff makes up most of the Universe.

The Universe: Poor fuckers. You’ll never win.

Hawking: Good question. In fact, poor down-trodden grad students throughout the world have been toiling away working out how many stars there are, and how heavy they all are so that we, their supervisors and superiors, can try to figure out if there is enough stuff in the Universe to make it collapse or whatever.

Grad students: *are silent and bug-eyed* *are chained to their computers in dark basements*

Hawking: They enjoy it really.

Grad students: *hollow laugh*

Hawking: And basically, we haven’t worked it out yet, because there’s this pesky stuff called dark matter which we can’t see. Ever. At all. We can only tell it’s there by working out it’s gravitational influence on other stuff.

The Universe: *chuckles away gently, pets grad students*

Hawking: And the really embarrassing thing is that the dark stuff makes up most of the Universe.

The Universe: Poor fuckers. You’ll never win.

This is one of those things you are either gonna love or hate. I'll admit it's not for everyone, but damn is it hilarious for some.

Vigilance

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
--
Who will guard the guards?

Why The Hell Do I Never Post - A Definitive Answer

I was thinking again today, while reading about General Relativity (for no real reason I might point out), that my blogging seems to have well, dropped off the face of the earth. And this, I must admit, got me thinking about why? So I have now come before you, as a humble servant of this crazy phenomenon, to finally answer "Why The Hell Do I Never Post." *musical fanfare follows*

It all started one day, one a foggy day when everyone decided that they would rather be somewhere else, and I for one decided the internet was as good a place as any other. So I started blogging it up, and all was good and happy in this particular corner of the world. Thoughts that had absolutely no right at all to be unleashed, fell upon the world, with a massive disregard for human sanity. So all in all, things were going well... but then, our good mutual friend laziness decided it was time to come out and play. And lets just say play he did.

With the onset of laziness in the blogging world, very little was said, at frankly an alarmingly low frequency. I feared that the world might grow sane again, it actually kept me up at night I'll admit. But then, in a distinct show of cosmic acceptance to my plan, I got (well repaired) a digital camera. Now the photographer in me decided to flex it's muscles, and so insanity again held reign in this world.

As great as this story must seem, I have decided that it's best to write it out in two installments, thus Part I and Part II. This would be Part I, although it could be Part II if you so wish, and believe that time, and frankly counting, happen to flow that way.

The beaten path offers only stagnation

Two roads diverged, and I -
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

It Sure Has Been A While

Well I haven't posted anything for almost a month, in part due to circumstances beyond my control. I was out of town a number of times, and also had connectivity issues at home. It's all changed though, I am back and plan on posting daily again. Of course this probably doesn't really matter, as I think I'm the only one who reads this. Ahh the delusions of grandeur.

Site Changes

Over the next few days, the site is going to be redesigned. If the page looks all fucked up, just check back later as I'm working it out. And a big thanks to everyone who checks my blog out, please feel free to leave comments.

I finally got Haloscan to work. It had some crazy issues, but at least it works now.

Some Thoughts

“Utopia for the most part seems completely dull and lacking in all the virtues that make life worth living. A utopia creates nothing new, but grows stagnant. The arts thrive on adversity and pain. Some might view this as a sad affair, but truly happy people will not create great things. Art is created when people find faults, either in themselves or in their surroundings. This is why I love my life."

---------

Would you give up freedom for happiness?

Big brother for the new world

Cry now,
For 1984 is upon us.

The Illusion of Safety

It's nice to know someone's "looking" out for us.