Downloading the Stimulus Package
Since our elected representatives in Washington did not have the time to read this billion dollar "stimulus" bill before passage I thought it my patriotic duty to try and digest this 1000-plus page document myself. Having located the bill I proceeded to download the document to my computer. I should have been concerned with the first warning and bailed out while I had the chance. "Caution you should not open documents from unreliable sources". Nevertheless in my patriotic zeal I moved to my next click. Warning: This is a beta version. Beta versions are not perfected and are subject to errors and possibly could induce a crash. With sweaty fingers I moved forward and began the download.
Not a second after "download begun" I received a memory warning stating that the magnitude of this document would consume most of my available resources . So I paused the download and reviewed all my programs. Which ones would have to go? Well I only rarely use the paint program so I got rid of that along with other non essentials cluttering the computer. Really in these tough times who has the heart to look at saved pictures of children and grandchildren . Maybe they were expendable as to lessen the guilt of what we are willing them.
Back to the download. After dumping all this fluff the file finally made its way into my machine. Sometimes we move ahead with actions which we quickly regret. This has indeed been the case with this download. As soon as this Stimulus Bill was part of my machine all hell broke loose. If I believed in demons I would say my computer was possessed by an evil entity. Simple tasks soon became impossible. The machine slowed to a pace reminiscent of the machines of yore. Warnings and freezes occurred with frustrating frequency.
After starting and restarting this machine the simple and prescribed fixes no longer worked. Time to scan the entire computer for viruses. No sooner did I start the process the reports started popping up like point tallies on a pinball machine. Consulting the online definitions I found among others: porkvirus.exe - a malicious virus that secretly installs programs on your machine which drain your resources further; fairness.exe- a Trojan type program which tracks whether you have been using your computer to listen to right wing talk radio; nirvana.exe- an ingenious yet nefarious applet which provides subliminal messages telling you that we will all benefit from a high speed railroad from California to Las Vegas; limbaugh-hannity.exe- well I'd rather not go here (too painful) and let the reader do his own research on this virus.
No surprise that my antivirus software was helpless against these viruses as the viral resources have exceeded the capabilities of the software. All attempts at cleansing were overridden by the programs installed by viruses. My only hope is that a new release of the software in two years or a new computer in four years might clean this mess up. Meanwhile I'm stuck w i t h t h i s d a m n d o w n l o a d m e s s ing u p t h i s m a c h ine.
Which small businesses are hurt most by rising gas prices? What can they do to save money?
Sponsored by HP.
This is obviously a difficult question to answer, but I have a thought that I feel strongly about. Based on no real evidence other than my own hypothesizing, it would seem restaurants are hit extremely hard, for several reasons. The first is perhaps obvious: raw foods that restaurants import are trucked in to their kitchens, and the price of such produce is directly linked to the cost associated with shipping. Prices on the menu as a result spike, and would-be customers find themselves dining in more often than not. The other issue I find driving some restaurants under is the association with the tourism industry. Many restaurants make a business on seasonal vacationers who will frequent their dining room for "authentic" cuisine. As more people are embarking to their living rooms on their "staycations", and staying away from the resorts, restaurants will suffer.
The best way I can think of to combat this is to buy only local produce. This is obviously not an option everywhere, so some restaurants will have to change their menus accordingly so that entree prices do not skyrocket. Until we have vertical urban farming in every major city, food prices are going to continue to be a concern.
I recently received an e-coupon for being a member of the Borders Rewards Club. It's a very exclusive membership. The advertisement associated with the coupon read something like: "Great reads for your staycation!" Staycation? Really? I feel like we've been bombarded with this word lately. It's a term no doubt born out of the idea of taking a vacation at home, and not going anywhere that requires spending money on gas. Let's face it, who can afford that anyway? I just find it a bit depressing to see big businesses cashing in on this word. The idea of staying at home for a week is very attractive, don't get me wrong. In fact, being somewhat of a homebody, I would prefer to relax in my own house, save some money, and enjoy some affordable day trips. But is it not perhaps a bit presumptuous to target an entire market with the idea that they will be staying home? Save money, conserve energy: y-e-s, absolutely. Be hermits and drag the economy to a standstill: N-O. That being said, I'm going to go sit on my couch and read a book...
I'll begin with the one problem I have with the Pirates of the Caribbean films, so that I may embellish on everything I love about them. It seems to me they have a very estranging way of introducing a new villain, or a new type of threat, which had never before been referenced in the preceding film. There are great continuities to be sure, but it's as if with each end accomplished, there has to be a new problem for each movie that has little relation to the continuum. The struggle that results from these plot additions, however, leads to some quite exciting cinematography. The stunts keep getting better, the battles are larger, the plot is deeper, Jack Sparrow is funnier, and casual references become real, physical places. At the end of three hours of Pirates of the Caribbean 3, I wished the movie were still longer. But alas, all good things must come to an end. I'm off now to put on my bandana and buy some rum. Savvy?
I've finally settled down from the initial nerve shock that the movie sent me through. This idea is perhaps not impressive on its own considering scary movies tend to have a strong effect on me. Not that I truly lost any sleep, but I did see images of rage zombies crashing through my apartment window... The movie in itself is a great continuation thematically of 28 Days Later, and carries the same message as effectively. To take the movies at face value, they are simply zombie movies that are very cleverly crafted. I think there's a deeper commentary, however. There's an inherent, violent, group mentality in mankind. In taking the idea that man is not a tabula raza, that we do not in fact learn new things, but rather release pockets of knowledge from certain stimuli, this "rage" mentality exists in everyone (and so does a sense of peace, I would argue). One has to look no further than to what Hitler spread throughout his regime. I'd bet that few Germans were actually "bad" people, but were rather transformed into a hostile state with the mob mentality as a stimulus. These people did not learn hate, but released it. In the same sense, there is a primal, instinctual, basic state that links each of us with every other creature on this planet. I believe the movie argues, on a broader level, that rage, or hate, is one of several channels through which the primal nature of man can be released, reducing us to savage animals.
To quote Lord of the Rings, this is how I feel. This past semester of school has been very trying. Essentially, it has involved two months of three or four hours of sleep a night, unless I was pulling a true all nighter. To state rather bluntly, the effort has put quite a toll on my body. I don't feel all together anymore. I'm short ended where I should be calm, constantly tired, and frequently impatient. Is this the price to pay for becoming an architect? I'm beginning to think it is. I could have perhaps stepped back the intensity a little, but to what effect? I'm not one to indulge in my own merits, or place myself above others, but I feel as if I'm surrounded by students who are still designing in a cloud of mystery, even though we are entering our fifth year. It is no small wonder that the faculty are disappointed in the student work at the thesis and comprehensive level. At some point, people have to get serious. It requires sacrifice. If you never challenge yourself to think deeply about your own work, and your attitude towards the project in question, how are you ever going to make an informed design decision? I am by no means perfect, but I don't think my work ethic or approach could be questioned.
On a sidenote, the work I've done this year has forced me to improve my skills using 3D Studio Max. The program in its basic function is not too complicated, but the depth in which one can get involved still amazes me. The following is a walkthrough video I put together for a model I built of the Bradbury building in Las Angeles. The material pallette is simple, and there are some awkward transitions in the video, but it is a step on the way to better using the program.
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I think I would call this latest message a rant. I just read an AP article stating that CBS affiliates are hesitant to air the documentary 9/11 on Sept. 10th because of increase concern over censorship. I quote "Broadcasters say the hesitancy of some CBS affiliates to air a powerful Sept. 11 documentary next week proves there's been a chilling effect on the First Amendment since federal regulators boosted penalties for television obscenities after Janet Jackson's breast was exposed at a Super Bowl halftime show."
Give me a break . Where are we living anyway?? The concern is that some of these courageous firefighters used some rough language. My advice to the television station is take the fines and then challenge those imposing such ridiculous lunacy.
Another quote: "On Friday, Sinclair Broadcasting became the latest company to say it was delaying the broadcast until after 10 p.m. on its stations in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Portland, Maine, saying it was concerned it could face fines.
The announcement came as the Tupelo, Miss.-based American Family Association readied its 3 million members to flood the FCC and CBS with complaints after the documentary airs.
"This isn't an issue of censorship. It's an issue of responsibility to the public," said Randy Sharp, director of special projects for the group, which describes itself as a 29-year-old organization that promotes the biblical ethic of decency."
I consider myself a religious person but cannot tolerate people who hide their own biases and insecurities behind the Bible. The Judeo-Christian ethic leaves plenty of room for man to be what he is which is human. Should we rewrite how history was recorded to accomodate the American Family Association?? I think not. This documentary is a piece of recorded history just as JFK's skull being blown out in Dallas, or the helpless victims of the tsunami, or hurricane Katrina. If I was dealing with any of these there would be some pretty ripe languae along with my prayers. I think my God would understand.
PS: Janet Jackson's ???breast -give me a break.
OK now that the film is out (which I have not seen) the stations such as the History Channel have been aggressive in broadcasting the incidents leading up to and during this great tragedy. I hear the questions asked whether this is too soon to hit the public with these nightmarish memories. I have thought about this and I say "keep it coming". As a people I think we get so engrossed in our everyday lives that we tend to forget the past too quickly.Perhaps we use this immersion to purposely block out the past. How did we feel on that horrid day? These movies and documentaries in some way rekindle that feeling and ignites that sense of outrage we felt on the day. Should we again be lulled into complacency I belive that this is when we become most vulnerable.
OK my son sent this invite to join this blogging site. Now I feel obliged to pour out my soul to total strangers. Sounds like it might be helpful...
Anyway Random brain traffic is kind of my own George Carlin answer to Brain Droppings. If it's rattling around in there then I guess it will be fair game for this blog. Check back often.
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