Leatherwing

How I discovered witchcraft

2011-02-05T12:31:00.003-05:00

Actually how I discovered "The Discoverie of Wichcraft" by Reginald Scot.

I love how the Internet connects so many sources of information, but Wikipedia is my downfall. All those articles hyper-linked, just waiting for a click, you know, just to see. It always turns into reading the whole article, then clicking through all the links I find there. I usually end up with several browser tabs open to a wide variety of articles. But the pièce de résistance of most articles is the External Links section.

It all started with a Dallas media blog, Frontburner, posting an article that The Illusionist would be playing at the Angelika Dallas. This is an animated film by the makers of The Triplets of Belleville (Les Triplettes de Belleville. I innocently went to wikipedia and searched for illusionist. I knew the first article would be about actual magicians and not the film, but I also knew that hyperlinks would lead me to my destination. Eventually.

The article about illusionists was fascinating. I read a bit about Houdini, Herrmann the Great (the stage magician that introduced the look we all know and expect of a classic magician- top hat, goatee, and tailcoat), and Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin (a watchmaker turned magician who was Houdini's namesake).

But the link that grabbed me, was about a book called "The Discoverie of Witchcraft" by Reginald Scot. Published in 1584 (27 years prior to the King James Bible), the book was an expose on medieval witchcraft, including methods used by charlatans to fool the unsuspecting. Because it was critical of the Church's prosecution of those accused of witchcraft, it was not well recieved by clergy, and when King James came to the throne in 1603, he allegedly had all available copies burned.

In the External Links section of the article is a link to archive.org, where you can download a complete text or even scanned images from an 1886 reprint of the book. I can't resist having copies of such obscure books, so I downloaded a pdf and am browsing through it. I love the old language even if I doubt I'll ever read the entire thing.

Thank you Al Gore!

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776

2010-07-04T09:15:00.000-04:00

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

My son-in-law checked! This one is TRUE!*

2010-07-01T19:23:00.002-04:00

Subject: [Fwd: [Fwd: You have to read this!!]]

I don't normally forward these, but this one is just too good.

>Subject: [Fwd: You have to read this!!]
>I got this from my best friend's daughter.
>You should pass it along to all your friends.
>I know they'll appreciate it!!

Every one in America (of a certain age) has heard of Madeline Murray O'Hair. Once known as the most hated woman in America, she founded the American Atheists organization, and was nearly single-handedly responsible for having PRAYER and BIBLE READING removed from PUBLIC SCHOOLS when she SUED the Baltimore City Public School System. In 1995 she was MURDERED by having her HEAD and HANDS cut off!!

A few people in America know that Madeline Murray O'Hair's son rejected her atheist teachings and became a CHRISTIAN - he even founded his own organization to promote Christianity.

But almost no one knows what I'm about to tell you. I recently visited my daughter's church in Louisiana. The pastor announced that they had a special guest who had been asked to share with the congregation a story that he had recently told the pastor.

The guest was a POLICE OFFICER from San Antonio Texas who had cracked the MURDER of Madeline Murray O'Hair by arresting her KILLER, David Roland Waters. David Waters was a notorious criminal in TEXAS and had actually been hired by Madeline Murray O'Hair because he too was an ATHEIST.

The POLICE OFFICER spent many hours interrogating David Waters. What he learned was amazing. David Waters grew up in a CHRISTIAN home in MARYLAND. He enjoyed school, especially the PRAYERS that the students used to recite each morning. When schools stopped having PRAYERS, David Waters drifted away from CHRISTIANITY, eventually rejecting his upbringing and becoming an ATHEIST. Once he STOPPED believing in GOD, he stopped caring about other people. He eventually drifted south to TEXAS, where his petty crimes became increasingly VIOLENT. When he went to work for Madeline Murray O'Hair, he killed her for the MILLION dollars in GOLD coins that she had.

But this is the FASCINATING part. When David Waters lived in Baltimore Maryland he attended the SAME school that Madeline Murray O'Hair sued in 1960 and STOPPED PRAYER and BIBLE READINGS!

It just goes to show that there is a GOD and he has a sense of HUMOR!

Red and White package

2010-04-18T10:07:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago, on my way to work, I walked out of my house carrying a small red and white package. My neighbor across the street walked out of his house at almost the same time, also carrying a small red and white package in his hands. We walked toward the street, directly toward each other. For a split second, I thought we were doing the same thing - putting a recently watched Netflix movie in the mailbox.

But my neighbor stopped well short of his mailbox, at the small flagpole in his front yard. As he does every morning, he unfurled and raised his American flag.

Good to be back

2009-05-04T18:37:00.003-04:00

Had my first day at work in 6 months. I returned to my previous company for an expected 4 month contract, but there's a good chance that it will be extended.

It was good to be back in the office, working with friends. One in particular. I think I'm gonna like it.

Winston-Salem Technology Briefing

2009-03-26T10:06:00.002-04:00

We attended the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce's 8th Annual Technology Briefing on Tuesday. And it is only a briefing, the entire presentation is 2 hours. With 10 companies presenting, that doesn't allow for much more than an overview of each company's latest project, but the presenters did a great job within their five minute allotments.

I thought I'd give a quick rundown of the companies and the product or service they introduced at the briefing. Here they are, in the order in which they presented.

Talon for Healthcare: Talon is a spin off from Bald Eagle Technologies, a well known and respected local IT solutions provider. Talon is a secure web portal that hosts medical practice-specific educational content. A doctor can provide their patient access to the portal. The patient then visits the portal and receives information on their treatment plan. It may be a reiteration of their consultation, drug interaction information, etc. Quizzes are given to the patient to test their retention and refer them to information that they need to review. The portal and all communication between doctor and patient is secure and HIPAA compliant.

WFU Physicians Information Systems presented a system that expedites and streamlines the communications that take place between a medical provider and insurance providers. This is especially relevant as the number of medical codes is set to rise from 17,000 to over 155,000.

Keiger Printing introduced their new operating division, Keiger Direct, and their new product line, LYNX. LYNX allows marketing campaigns to be very personal - each recipient of the campaign receives a personalized email, postcard, or web address. The campaign is able to track data and then use it to refine the message, even as the campaign is ongoing.

Algaen did not present a new product, but touted the benefits of micro-algae. Their company has developed ways to economically extract the essential oils from algae to produce bio-diesel. Algae is easy to grow (in fact, it's hard to stop it from growing - ask anyone with a pool) and grows faster than any other photosynthesizing plant - it has harvest cycles of 7-9 days. Algaen has selected and optimized oil rich algae strains and plans to reach the market in 2-3 years.

Techatronics is an engineering and automation firm focusing in the tobacco, pharmaceutical, medical, and Quality Assurance markets. They previewed a tool that would allow real-time web-based tracking of bio-medical shipments (i.e. tracking a biopsy or drug screen sample). They are also building a custom smoking machine for R J Reynolds, but couldn't tell us anything more about it.

BioBotz is attempting to introduce children to the intricacies of cellular biology through the use of plush toys, a video game, and a Pixar-quality animation (directed by seniors from Atkins High School). None of these projects have yet reached the market, but they have partnered with Maxis (creators of "The Sims" and "Spore") to create the video game. Their goal is to create characters that children can identify with, hoping to spark an interest at an early age that will carry over into career paths in microbiology.

The Center for Design Innovation is an inter-institutional research center of UNC. Their goal is to promote economic growth by supporting the growth of creative enterprises. They previewed their planned motion capture facility that will be available for researchers and introduced a new addition to their team, Nickolay Hristov. CDI also holds weekly Idea Exchanges that are open to the public.

VG Innovations, a medical device company, introduced the VerteLoc minimally Invasive Spine Stabilization System. The Verteloc system replaces round dowels with oblong, almost rectangular, dowels that support spinal forces on the vertical axis. This prevents horizontal forces from causing separation, allowing the bones to fuse. There is also a dramatic reduction in the amount of time required for this procedure, compared to traditional back surgery.

Arctic is a company that has found a way to recycle CO2, bottle it, and use it to kill weeds and crabgrass. It is currently undergoing testing and expects to be on the market next year.

Out of Our Minds Animation Studios previewed some of their animation work and updated everyone on the progress of their new feature "The Magistical". Unfortunately, The Magistical will not be exhibited in Winston-Salem anytime soon, but it is doing well in other Film Festivals. Two of the previous presenters, BioBotz and VerteLoc, had used animations from Out of Our Minds in their presentations.

Over all the Tech Briefing was a good experience. If our local economy is to recover, it will based on the innovative productivity of companies like these.

Talkin' 'Bout My Next Generation - a Friday Challenge

2009-02-19T10:31:00.004-05:00

Wesley Crusher was pissed. This emotion was the latest in a steady string of conflicting, overpowering emotions he’d been beset with since his suspension from Starfleet Academy. A teammate had died while practicing the Kolvoord Starburst, a maneuver so dangerous it was explicitly forbidden in Star Fleet policy. Wesley, as the organizer of the forbidden attempt, felt responsible.

This responsibility pushed his initial sadness and grief aside and replaced it with a crushing remorse. Someone had died. How could he ever be trusted to lead men, to captain a ship, when his first venture using his burgeoning leadership skills resulted in death of a team member?

But remorse soon gave way to hope and fierce determination. He would redeem himself. He would prove to Captain Jean-Luc Picard that he was a capable leader; worthy of the trust the Captain had once had in him. He remembered the kind smile of the Captain as he looked at the younger version of himself, a wink for Wesley, then a look over Wesley’s shoulder to Dr. Crusher and another warm smile.

And at that moment Wesley’s eyes were opened and his world was destroyed. Every time Captain Picard had ever said anything kind or meaningful to him, it was followed by a look behind Wesley to Dr. Crusher, Wesley’s mother. In a flash, Wesley relived all these moments; saw all these Picard-to-mom looks in a searing montage that burned his brain. He suddenly knew that Picard only tolerated him because he was lusting after Dr. Crusher. The reality washed over him, bringing hot seething anger along for the ride.

Wesley stood and threw a stack of data cubes across his quarters, screaming as he did so. “I hope I die!”

The ship’s computer responded.

“I hope I die… Before I Get Old? My Generation. Mid 20th century song written by Peter Dennis Blandforth Townsend. Performed by The Who. Should I play the original audio recording?”

Wesley gave the ships computer terminal an angry glare. The stupid machine had performed some type of query based on his angry outburst.

“Whatever,” he replied, not expecting much. But a soothing performance might calm his nerves.

People try to put us d-down
Talkin’ ‘bout my generation
Just because we get around
Talkin’ ‘bout my generation...

Wesley stood on one side of his quarters, staring, mouth agape, at the tiny speaker across the room. “Yeah, why don’t you all fade away,” he muttered. Suddenly his eyes widened.

“Computer, do you have any more of this?”

“My database has more audio recordings, as well as visual records. How should I proceed?”

Two days passed. Ensign Crusher walked into Ten-Forward completely disheveled and still angry. He didn’t bother getting any food, he was still too furious to eat. He walked all the way through the lounge, looking for a target for his rage. Finding none, he kicked a chair away from a table and fell into it. His hair was as unkempt as its short length would allow, his undershirt wrinkled and unwashed, his uniform jacket tied around his waist. He looked like anything but one of Starfleet’s best and brightest. He glared at anyone who made eye contact with him, but few bothered.

His adolescent rage began to swell. The more he was ignored, the more he seethed. Finally, unable to tolerate the mocking silence, Ensign Wesley Crusher stood on his chair, stepped onto the table and defiantly declared,

“Mama’s got a squeeze box, Picard never sleeps at night!”

There was silence in Ten-Forward about the space of half a minute. Then Lieutenant Worf, Chief of Security, Son of Mogh, requested a word with him.

Guinan watched from the far side of Ten-Forward as Wesley and Worf talked. She could see the young Ensign’s passion – his hands would not stop moving, his right foot was tapping out a steady beat. At least Worf was listening and had not taken Wesley into confinement. She walked to the replicator and ordered a plate of food. It was obvious that Wesley hadn’t eaten recently.

“I thought you could use something to eat.”

Wesley glared at Guinan, then at the plate of steamed food.

“I don’t want that. What makes you think that I would want that?” he screamed. “Why do you think you know what I need or want?”

Guinan calmly stepped back and motioned to the replicator, “Help yourself, then. If you even know what you want, that is.”

Wesley returned to Ten-Forward a few hours later. Standing before the replicator, he glanced around to see who was watching. Ten-Forward was now mostly empty. No one was watching. He leaned forward and whispered, “Gibson SG guitar, Marshall JTM45…”

A few day’s later, Wesley returned to the replicator to get yet another instrument for Worf. The Klingon was determined to be a part of Wesley’s new adventure in music, but the right instrument had to be found. Two sets of drums, broken and useless, now lay in the back of shuttle bay 3.

“But Wesley, I have seen the documentation. Destruction of one’s instrument is acceptable behavior.”

“Yes, Worf, but they destroy their instruments after the performance. It’s no good if you do it at the beginning.”

“But once I start hitting them, it feels so good, so right. I must continue until they are destroyed.”

The conversation ended with Worf looking longingly at Wesley’s guitar. So now Wesley was returning from Ten-Forward with a very large and heavy Washburn Bass and amp.

At first, Worf was apprehensive. “It has fewer strings than yours. Why do you give me the inferior instrument?”

“Look, we need instruments that complement each other, not duplicate. Plus, feel how heavy it is. You could use it as a weapon if anyone rushes the stage.”

Worf’s eyes lit up. “Do you think someone will rush the stage? Perhaps they will.” His smile was a terrible thing to behold.

At that moment, Commander William T. Riker arrived at Wesley’s door, uninvited.

“Hello, Wesley,” he smiled. “I hear you’re developing an interest in music. I’d love to join you. I brought my trombone.”

Captain Picard’s face showed his concern. His First Officer had accused the ship’s Security Officer of assault. And Worf was not denying it.

“So, Worf, you admit that you struck Commander Riker? You understand how serious this is?”

“But Captain, the Commander assaulted us first with his… his… sonic turbulence device. He deceived us by calling it music. His attack was unprovoked. As Security Officer I was obligated to halt his attack.”

“Fortunately, Ensign Crusher confirms your version of events. Worf, you have been an admirable officer on this ship. Your status as the first Klingon to join the Federation allows me certain… discretion. But know that I will not tolerate this behavior in the future. You may go.”

As the Klingon reached the door, Picard softly spoke, “Worf, did you have to break his trombone?”

Worf turned about face, stood at attention, nostrils flaring. “It was for the safety of the crew. I did my duty, sir.” With that, he turned and left.

Picard did not have time for this. Over the past few weeks his crew had begun bickering amongst themselves, choosing sides. Unrest had now spread to his officer’s corps. So he called a meeting of his most trusted advisers, and Commander Riker, to formulate a plan for regaining order aboard his ship.

Picard, Dr. Crusher, and Data sat quietly around the conference table while Counselor Troi argued with Riker.

“He has no obligation to allow you into his band, William. He is exploring his passion in music, not yours.”

“But he’s not even playing music, not listening to music. Just noise, rhythmic vibrations. I can’t believe you call that music.”

“You just don’t understand, Riker.” He winced when she called him by the formal designation ‘Riker’ rather than the more familiar ‘William’. “Maybe you’re too old, maybe you’re all too old. But I understand his… his… angst, his anger, rage even. You have put him in a box and he only wishes to escape. Why do you insist on keeping him… down? The music that he plays over Radio Free Enterprise makes me weep with joy, makes me…”

“Wait, what is that? What is Radio Free Enterprise?”

Commander Data answered him, “Ensign Crusher has programmed the ships intercom system to broadcast musical recordings from the computer data banks. It has not interfered with official communications. And some of the crew seem to find pleasure upon hearing it.”

“Why haven’t I heard it?” Picard asked.

“Ensign Crusher’s modification detects your communicator’s presence and disables the speakers in that area. His design is actually quite elegant.”

“And why hasn’t someone stopped this broadcast? I cannot have communication on my ship, or the attention of my crew, compromised.”

“Captain, the system that Ensign Crusher has implemented is fully distributed. There is no one source. And it has not interfered with onboard communication. Apparently, any alert level above Green overrides the broadcast to prevent distraction to the crew.”

“Number One, take us to Yellow Alert. This should buy us some time.”

“With pleasure, sir!” Riker’s smug smile was more than Deanna Troi could stand.

“Captain, please. Music is a recognized art throughout the Federation. Every culture we have ever encountered has developed a form of musical expression. Why do you insist on silencing this music?”

“Counselor, if music be the food of love, play on. However, there are forms of music that have been determined to be subversive, working against the common good! This music needs to be suppressed before it leads to more disruption and rebellion. Beverly, do you have any thoughts?”

“Really, Jean-Luc, I believe it’s just a phase. He’ll soon get over this, I’m sure. In the meantime, I could check the pharmacy. Perhaps I have something to bring his emotions into balance.”

Deanna erupted. “You can’t be serious. You can’t give Wesley drugs to stop Rock and Roll. I can no longer be a part of this discussion.”

And with that, she quickly left the room. Captain Picard scanned the room slowly, meeting everyone’s eyes. “Beverly, delay the drugs, for now. Commander Data, you have been close to Wesley in the past. See if you can talk to him. He may see you as an unbiased listener. Report back to me after you’ve spoken to him. That’s all for now.”

Data found that he could keep a perfect beat, but had difficulty bringing life to his performance. Wesley pointed out all his favorite sound recordings, Data downloaded them, then filtered out everything except the drum portion. Within an hour he had listened to the entire cannon of what Wesley had told him was real Rock and Roll and could play any song Wesley wished.

On their way to Ten-Forward, Data noted that Wesley had been much less strict with Worf’s musical education, as evidenced by the Klingon’s performance attire. Worf wore metallic boots with a six-inch sole and carried a bass guitar modeled after a battle-ax. Data recognized the face paint and bat wings as belonging to an era that Wesley deemed not true Rock and Roll. Something called ‘Glam Rock’. But Worf seemed very pleased.

No one in Ten-Forward was pleased when Wesley and Worf began tuning their instruments. One crewmember loudly asserted that they were trying to watch a documentary about earlier Enterprise missions. Wesley did not respect their wish to watch Captain James T. Kirk.

“Captain Kirk?” he yelled, “that’s not Captain Kirk. It’s just some actor. William Fucking Shatner.”

As the trio played, Data tried to decipher the meaning to their song, “Get Off Of My Cloud”. At the time this song was written, no one had the technology required to stand on a cloud, and the lyrics had little to do with clouds at all. As he tried to decipher these metaphors in the lyrics Wesley sang, the captive audience in Ten-Forward grew less and less appreciative.

Before Wesley could begin their second song, a shouting match developed between Wesley and several crewmembers. After a very brief moment, Wesley screamed, “Screw it, I’m outta here,” unplugged his guitar, and walked out of Ten-Forward. Data was confused. He recognized that they had been playing 1960s era Rock and Roll but Wesley was behaving in the manner of the 1970’s and 1980’s punk musicians. Curious.

Immediately Worf began destroying the instruments so Data joined in. At Worf’s insistence, Data’s drum kit had been equipped with small explosive charges. Data was not sure why they did not simply use a phaser. It would have been much more efficient. Obviously, Data still had much to learn about Rock and Roll.

Picard took the lift to Deck 17. Since Data had failed to report back, he would confront Wesley in person, in his quarters. He would speak to Wesley as a father. He would offer full restoration of Wesley’s rank and responsibility, and was sure that he would come around, cease this nonsense. As he exited the lift with Riker and Dr. Crusher, he was confused and angered at what he saw. All the doors to staff quarters were open. Most of the room’s vid screens were displaying mid 20th century musical performances. The volume was deafening, completely out of line with Enterprise protocols. The lights in the hall were dim – some of the fixtures had been removed. Brightly colored leaflets were pasted on the walls. And the rooms were vacant.

“Where is everyone? What is going on here?”

As if in answer, a young female crewmember exited her quarters and collided with Picard as she ran toward the lift. He did not recognize her, and she was not in uniform, so he did not know her rank. She held a wine bottle in each hand - one still sealed the other open. It was obvious to all where the missing wine had gone.

“Watch where you’re going! You could injure the Captain,” Riker reprimanded.

“What are these?” Picard asked, motioning toward the leaflets on the wall. “Where are you going?”

“To the show!” she answered. “It’s in Shuttle Bay 3. Better hurry or you’ll miss the beginning!” She smiled as she raced past them toward the lift.

Picard walked to the wall and read one of the leaflets.

One night only, Fillmore Federation presents Furious NCC-1701-D.

“Is he mocking me, the ship, or the entire Federation?” Picard asked no one in particular.

Riker was ready with an answer. “He’s mocking all of us, sir. You have to stop him.”

Captain Picard tapped his communicator, “Security to Deck 13, Shuttle Bay 3…”

Ensign Wesley Crusher sat on the floor of his cell, his arms pulled his knees to his chest, his head rested against the wall, his eyes were closed. The smile was faint, but present on his bruised lips. Once again, he recounted the memory of last night.

He wasn’t expecting a crowd, but nearly 150 crewmen showed up, even some that were officially on duty. While Wesley and Worf tuned their guitars, wine bottles were passed through the crowd. A smoky haze lingered in the upper reaches of the shuttle bay.

Deanna Troi paced the stage. She had begged Wesley to be a part of this night. Wesley, seeing that her emotions were out of control, agreed to let her sing. While she’d been overjoyed at the prospect, just before the performance the cacophony of emotions was starting to overwhelm the half-Betazoid empath. But once the show began, she ruled the stage!

They opened with “Do You Feel Like I Do”. This was Deana’s choice. She felt that the phrasing of the song would bring about an alignment of thoughts and intentions, focusing the audience, helping her to avoid distractive emotions. She followed this with “Piece of My Heart”. But once she finished, the emotional strain had become too much, she couldn’t continue.

Wesley, Worf, and Data carried on with “All Along the Watchtower” – Worf’s contribution to the set list. The gathered crewmembers were enjoying themselves, people were dancing, and Wesley was completely lost in the thrill of performing when a security detail entered the bay, accompanied by Picard, Riker, and his mother.

He knew this moment would come and had planned a farewell song. His first choice was the Pink Floyd song “Mother”, but he decided it was too personal, too individual. He preferred something that could grab the hearts of his audience, bring them over in a common cause. Something that spoke to a collective pain. He pressed a foot pedal. A piano intro played. Data switched his sticks from a matched grip to a traditional grip. And Wesley sang.

Virgil Caine is the name, and I served on the Danville Train.

Picard and his security detail paused briefly, surprised to see so many crewmembers. How far had this madness spread?

Til Stoneman’s cavalry came and tore up the tracks again.

The security team began advancing, while the ship’s Captain, First Officer, and Doctor watched from the back of the bay.

In the winter of ’65, we were hungry, just barely alive.

Riker stabbed at his communicator in a panic, “Security, we need two more details. Deck 13, Shuttle Bay 3. Hurry!”

By May the Tenth Richmond had fell,
It’s a time I remember oh so well.

The first two members of the security team had reached the stage area. One of them was saying something to Worf.

The night they drove Old Dixie down
And the bells were ringing.

The security team froze. Picards jaw dropped. Wesley, Worf, and Data smiled. The Shuttle Bay was filled with voices, all singing along.

The night they drove Old Dixie down
And the People were singing.

Worf’s wish came true. Someone rushed the stage.

After that, details were blurry. For a moment it looked like the security team would be overwhelmed, but they were carrying phasers, set to stun, but still very painful. Their backup arrived within minutes and the victors were decided, quite decisively.

The entire shuttle bay was converted into a detention center until details could be sorted out. Wesley and Worf were taken to the brig and placed in separate cells. Data was powered down. The insurrection was quashed.

And yet Wesley still smiled. Not only at what he had accomplished, but at what he still hoped to do. Until now, he was content to sing other’s songs, but now he had the time, and the inspiration, to write his own music. He would bring Rock and Roll up to warp speed. He was exhilarated.

He heard the food slot open and a food tray slide into his cell. He hadn’t eaten in 18 hours and was famished. He leaned over and pulled the tray closer. When he removed his napkin, he found underneath it a shiny, newly replicated harmonica.

Fingerpainting

2009-01-17T17:52:00.003-05:00

Today we went to the Reynolda House Museum to see their Chuck Close: The Keith Series exhibit. The exhibit consists of 6 works and one study by Chuck Close of his friend Keith Hollingsworth. These pieces all use the same image of Keith as the source, but with each piece, Close used a different technique to recreate the image. In 3 of them, he used his own fingerprint to create the image.

It is a small exhibit, part of Reynolda House's own collection, but worth seeing. My wife really likes Close and was very excited to be able to see this exhibit, which runs through May 31st.

If you go, be sure to look at the study piece form the other side of the room. There is a surprise that we did not expect.

Chuck Close at Reynolda House

Bits in short supply, get them while you still can!!

2008-11-24T15:40:00.004-05:00

I just contacted Sprint customer service via an online chat. After the chat session ended, I was asked to take a short customer survey. After that was finished, I was rewarded with a free ringtone. The qualifications for getting my ringtone are posted below. Pay special attention to the final bullet point.

* Valid only with Sprint Vision or Sprint PowerSource phones
* Not for use with Nextel phones, Windows based phones or PDA phones
* If you do not have a data pack with your plan, then a data transfer fee of 3 cents per 1KB will apply when your download your free ringer
* A service credit will be applied to your account within two billing cycles
* One free ringer per phone/device
* Offer good while supplies last

Quantum of Solace review

2008-11-17T12:23:00.014-05:00

There aren't many films that will get me to the theater on opening weekend. I like as few distractions as possible, so I usually wait until the crowds die down. My two exceptions this year have been Dark Knight and Quantum of Solace. I saw a 3:15 showing of Quantum of Solace on Friday afternoon. Immediately two things distracted me from the movie. One, on opening day, the film already had scratches. Most of the first reel was noticeably scratchy, I didn't notice anything on subsequent reels.

Unfortunately, the second issue was consistent throughout the film. The opening chase was filmed in two distinctive styles. External shots of the cars were smooth with stunning visuals. Shots from inside the cars used a shaky camera technique intended to emphasize the action. Instead, it made the action unknowable. Combined with quick cuts, the shaky camera made it nearly impossible to see what was happening. In the car chase scene this was mildly disappointing. In the scaffolding fight scene (featured prominently in trailers for the film) the shaky camera again made it impossible to follow the action.

Which is a shame, because this Bond film is really just an action film starring James Bond. The story picks up right where Casino Royale ended, with Bond in pursuit of those responsible for Vesper Lynd's death and the leaders of a shadow organization with the power to topple governments and replace them with regimes more to their liking. Bond pursues relentlessly and adds a few notches to his double-0 status.

There are, however, several essentials to a James Bond movie that Quantum of Solace lacks. James Bond drives a fast, classy European car that exudes cool and may shoot missiles. His wears a chronometer that can detonate bombs and has a garrote built in*. Bond boldly walks into the arch villain's lair, defeats him in a verbal sparring match and steals his girlfriend's affections.

This film was missing all of these. Bond drives an Aston Martin DBS in the opening chase scene, but for the rest of the film, he drives an SUV. The only gadget Bond carries is his cell phone, which admittedly takes really good pictures, but my Treo can send and receive images, so I was less than impressed. (MI6 does use something like a Microsoft Surface, but again, it's nothing new and creative). And the
scene with the arch villain was completely absent. In Casino Royale, Bond played poker against Le Chiffre, their verbal exchanges making it clear that each knew more about the other than he should. In Quantum of Solace, Bond rescues a girl at a party, but the dialogue was just basic machismo with no flair.

Coming on the heels of Casino Royale, this was a disappointing film. It could have worked as a straight action film with different camera technique. It would take a lot more to make it into a good Bond film.

*I realize that the original Ian Fleming works did not contain the more spectacular gadgets of the Roger Moore films, but at least a tip of the hat to the spy genre is expected in a movie about the ultimate spy.

Does reading make you stoopid?

2008-10-30T12:13:00.003-04:00

I love to read. I read voraciously as a child. When books were being chosen for book reports, teachers would try to steer me away from my selections, afraid I was overly ambitious. They'd chide me when they saw me reading some other book halfway through the designated reading time, asking why I wasn't reading my assigned book. Then they'd be shocked to know that I had finished the assigned book and was reading something new.

In fifth grade, I won the spelling bee for my elementary school. Not because I practiced, but because I read constantly. I hardly ever had to study spelling words because I'd already encountered them numerous times in the books I read.

But now, much of my reading is online. And it doesn't matter whether you're reading newspapers, magazines, websites, or blogs, it seems that online, spelling doesn't matter anymore.

I try to fight the culture, but it is very pervasive. I try to spell correctly whether I'm writing a technical document or typing with my thumbs to send a text message. But now I find myself uncertain of the spelling for simple words. They just don't look right. And I know it's because I've seen them butchered so many ways that there is no consistent image in my head for how they should look.

So to answer my own question, Yes, reading, at least reading online, does make me stupid.

I'm not stumping for McCain

2008-10-22T10:08:00.002-04:00

I'm still undecided on who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election. Since Ron Paul dropped out, my choices seem to be Bob Barr (Libertarian), Chuck Baldwin (Constitution Party), and Alan Keyes (Independent).

Barr is a recovering Republican and his position has changed on several issues. I too am a recovering Republican and my position has changed on several key issues in the last few years. I generally like the Libertarian position, so he's probably going to get my vote.

I've supported Keyes in the past, in fact, he's the only candidate to whom I've given financial contributions. But mixing politics and religion bothers me more than it used to.

I still believe that my faith and my beliefs should influence my politics. I don't, however, believe in getting enough Christians in office that we can create a theocracy. I'm also quite comfortable with the idea that some things are morally wrong without having to make them illegal. Christianity was born and thrived in a place where its morals were not the law of the land. I think Christians in the U.S. might need to actually live out their faith, rather than wait for Washington to legislate it.

So I'll probably vote for Barr. And two of my three brothers accuse me of wasting my vote, I believe that my vote is one of principle, theirs are more pragmatic. I know either McCain or Obama will be elected, not Barr, Baldwin, or Keyes. But since neither McCain nor Obama represent my political beliefs, I believe that I waste my vote if it is cast for either of them.

I did find some interesting online videos. I believe they point out some of Obama's issues pretty well. I haven't seen them anywhere but online. They can be found here.

Attention North Carolina drivers: Keeping to the right no longer dangerous!!

2008-09-25T21:43:00.011-04:00

Officials have just announced that 3 of the 4 primary dangers of driving in the right lane of a multi-lane highway have been eradicated. Drivers should no longer feel the need to immediately move to the left lane of any freeway they may find themselves driving on.

Below are the previous dangers (remember, they've been eradicated! Don't panic!)

Zombies
For years Zombies have lumbered along the right lanes of several NC highways, dining on the gray matter like it was Lexington barbecue. But no zombie attacks have been reported for three months and it is believed that the zombies have moved to Texas, preferring to dine on Armadillos (apparently their shells are less thick than NC drivers).

Some local residents near Mocksville believe that a right lane driver was killed by zombie attack, but officials have determined that No Zombie was involved. They assert it was feral dogs that used a cleaver to crack a man's skull and eat his brains.

Black Holes
A long-term menace to NC right lane drivers, black holes can appear at anytime (unlike black ice, which is limited to the winter months) and swallow vehicles whole. Once a vehicle crosses the event horizon, they are immediately sucked into the black hole never to be seen again. Some scientists believe they are emitted as particles from pulsars billions of light-years away. Others claim they are transported through wormholes to parallel dimensions. Some say they go to Tulsa.

But ever since CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has been operational, all rogue black holes have relocated to Switzerland, hoping for a front row seat for the end of the world.

Mismatched socks
Many drivers have noticed that crossing from the left lane into the right mysteriously causes their socks to become mismatched. While there is no explanation for this phenomenon, studies have shown that crossing back into the right lane reverts the socks back to their matched state 54% of the time.

So drivers can drive in the right lane until it is necessary to pass another vehicle, then return to the right lane, and still have a reasonable chance to arrive at their destination with coordinated hosiery. For the unfortunate few, remember that mismatched socks are a hoot at the office.

Efficiency
Efficiency is the one enemy of the right lane driver that we cannot eradicate. It seems that driving in the right lane until it is necessary to pass, then returning to the right lane, will always result in an increase to overall highway efficiency. Random braking for no apparent reason can alleviate some efficiency, but it can not eliminate it.

For those conscientious drivers trying to reduce their overall efficiency footprint, officials suggest purchasing efficiency vouchers from teenage slackers. Alternatively, one could take a government job to offset their efficiency footprint.

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

2008-08-10T15:28:00.005-04:00

I recently watched the Nicolas Cage film National Treasure 2. It is generally mindless entertainment that at times attempts to be intelligent (the team of heroes are all Ph.d's).

The central story is this: Benjamin Gates (Cage) believes his great-grandfather, Thomas Gates, helped to thwart John Wilkes Booth and his fellow conspirators by refusing to decrypt a message for them. New evidence is presented that shows Thomas Gates may have, in fact, been one of the conspirators. His name is on a page from Booth's diary. Now in order to prove his forefather's innocence, Benjamin Gates must decipher the code himself, find the treasure it refers to, and thus, prove Thomas Gates' innocence. (I never quite understood how finding the treasure could prove or disprove Thomas Gates' loyalty to the Union or Confederacy.)

Now follows brilliant code cracking and daring strategies, all based on information gleaned from children's illustrated histories. And through the entire movie runs the theme that a Confederate victory would have been disastrous, thank God they never found the treasure, or we would all be speaking with Southern drawls and still own slaves. One of Ben Gates' praises of Lincoln is this quote:

"Before the Civil War, the states were all separate. People used to say "United States are." Wasn't until the war ended, people started saying "The United States is." Under Lincoln, we became one nation."

And there is my problem. Lincoln dissolved states rights, brought about the war that took more American lives than any other, turned brother against brother, and he is remembered as a hero. Lincoln destroyed the United States and created something else with the same name. We are no longer a collection of sovereign states that join together for national defense and other common causes. The constitutional rights of states were removed. You were no longer a member state by choice, you were a member state by military force.

Professor Walter E. Williams, of George Mason University, opens one of his recent columns with the following brilliant paragraph:

"One of the unappreciated casualties of the War of 1861, erroneously called a Civil War, was its contribution to the erosion of constitutional guarantees of state sovereignty. It settled the issue of secession, making it possible for the federal government to increasingly run roughshod over Ninth and 10th Amendment guarantees. A civil war, by the way, is a struggle where two or more parties try to take over the central government. Confederate President Jefferson Davis no more wanted to take over Washington, D.C., than George Washington wanted to take over London. Both wars are more properly described as wars of independence."

We did not have a civil war in this country. We had a second war for independence that was unsuccessful. Imagine that our founding fathers had lost their war for independence. We are now a British colony (probably a commonwealth by now, but still paying allegiance to the crown). King George III would be known as the king that unified the kingdom and the Colonies. Would those of us in North America today consider him a hero? Or would we consider him to be a thief of liberty and a tyrant?

The War of 1861 is long over. Its consequences live on. The former Confederate States today have a population of over 100 million. They are continually portrayed as ignorant, and regarding the war, evil (some of them did own slaves, after all). Other causes for the war are rarely addressed, and never in popular media. There is an absolute world-view regarding the war: South wrong; North right.

Thomas Gates is eventually declared to have been for the North (like I said, I don't see how finding the treasure proved anything) and we are expected to be happy that our hero is descended from a man who fought on the Right Side. That means 100 million or so of us are descended from those who fought on the Wrong Side. I am no "South shall rise again" southern rebel lying in wait for a chance to re-fight the war. I am a Southern born American who recognizes that what we are told to believe and what is true are not always the same. And I mourn the loss of our freedoms, whether lost today or 140 years ago.

Friday Challenge: Tech Support

2008-07-31T23:52:00.004-04:00

“Excuse me young man?”

Oh great. Just about to level up, now this. I finally get a 15 minute stretch of zombie killing, mindless fun, and grandma has to bring me back to reality.

“Young man, I was told that you’re tech support?”

I wish people would quit telling people things about me. Even if they’re true.

“Yes, I’m tech support. What can I do for you?”

I managed to pull that off without sounding too insincere.

“It’s my husband. He’s having a little trouble.”

He’s sitting in one of the big comfy chairs. Must have gotten here pretty early to score that. Came in for the updates. Typical Tuesday.

“Ma’am, he has the Blue Eyes of Death. You have to reboot him.”

From this angle I can even see the tiny white-on-blue error message. There he is, near catatonic, and all Microsoft can do is tell him to remove any recently installed hardware or software. Looks like most of his recent hardware is keeping him alive. Let’s hope it’s a software fix.

“Oh, he doesn’t like it when I reboot his system. He never thinks I’m doing it right. Do you think you could do it for me?”

Oh, I can. But I’ll have to get up, make my presence known. On a Tuesday.

“OK, I’ll do it this time, but I’m really not supposed to touch the customers, you know.”

I walk over, grateful that the old-timers hardly ever get sub-dermal switches. I find his switch, just behind his right ear, press and hold for three seconds and I’m done. His eye flickers and his chest rises in a sigh of relief. I remember now that I’ve seen him here before. Rebooted him then too. Told him he needed to close some open ports. Don’t turn on automatic updates for every app you put in your brain. And stop surfing porn. That stuff can kill you these days.

“Oh, thank you, he’s looking better already.”

I accept her thanks and walk away before he can speak. On my way back to my table I perform a quick scan of his system. Cleaned out a couple of worms, closed some ports and installed a backdoor of my own, just in case.

I detour to the counter and grab some coffee. One of the perks of working tech support at Starbucks – all the coffee you can drink. Also one of the drawbacks.

Coffee in hand I turn around and stood face to face with Barrister Musa Issah. Today he’s wearing a white linen suit. Yesterday it was a blue one. The red one’s my favorite.

Before I can delete, he’s talking. He was the solicitor for the late Sanni Abacha, President of Nigeria. He has been given my name as a trustworthy person. He would like me to assist him in getting a gazillion dollars out of Nigeria and into the hands of the rightful heirs of Mr. Abacha.

His accent is much smoother this time. And the woman crying in the background is new. Almost touching. Delete.

My table is no longer available. Some guy’s sitting there with an antique Macbook Air. I hear they were pretty cool, for externals. But I don’t have time to admire it. I want to find a place to disappear and avoid the Tuesday madness.

“Can you help me log on?”

Great, another noob.

“You just wink on the Starbucks logo”

Ever since implants first became popular, the municipal grid has been overloaded. They say free wifi hotspots were popular around the turn of the century. With all the grid congestion, they’ve made a comeback. Especially on Tuesdays.

“I don’t see the logo the girl at the counter said just look left but I don’t see anything and I’ve looked all over the store could you just show me where it is?”

It was a great idea, really. Plug a cable straight into the occipital lobe, and voila, internal video. Of course if you wanted to get data into the machine, you had to be more daring. The very early adopters were lobotomized.

“Keep your head still, ma’am, and look left. No, just move your eyes. Okay now look up. You should see the logo. OK, double wink on it.”

But eventually the technology caught up. Processors continued to get faster. People started using the implant to control the autonomic functions of their brains. It freed up gray matter for other uses. A couple of Nobel Prize winners were found to have done it, suddenly everybody else thinks it’ll make them Nobel material.

“No, ma’am, just two quick winks. Just your left eye.”

Then the quantum chips hit the consumer implant market. It was actually feasible to let the implant take full control, as long as you kept it updated. You did not want buggy code in charge of your brain.

And there was the rub. After a while, who would notice the buggy code. If everyone’s performance downgraded simultaneously, and all in proportion, who would notice?

Well, I would - every Tuesday. Every Tuesday the updates come down from Microsoft. And every Tuesday, my coffee shop fills up with people waiting to get their updates. And every Tuesday people get a little bit weirder.

First it was just quirky behavior. Like everybody ordering the same espresso drink and asking for an umbrella. Or when people began to hunt and peck at their virtual keys. They’re virtual, there’s nothing to hunt.

Everyone stopped wearing shoes two weeks ago.

After last Tuesday’s update, three men went into the street and killed a dog. The whole shop applauded. And everyone joined in when they started eating.

Now the patrons don’t react to anything. Except for me. They always notice me. Especially when I try to leave. I’ve been in the coffee shop for a week now. Even if they let me leave, I’m not sure where I’d go.

It’s noon. Time for the updates.

Straighten up and fly right

2008-07-10T10:31:00.002-04:00

At work today, our network connection went down, so several people gathered in the test lab (where I work) to talk. Somehow the story turned to animals and pets. A coworker from India told about being stalked by packs of street dogs.

Then he told about a friend who had all types of animals - dogs, cats, and a monkey. He trained the monkey to give head massages. It would sit on your shoulder and rub your head. He said he actually experienced it himself - he had a headache and his friend suggested a head massage might help. So he called over the monkey, it sat on his shoulders and massaged his head. But he did give one word of warning (direct quote): When a monkey gives a head massage, if you turn you r head one way or the other, the monkey will beat on your head. You must look perfectly straight ahead."

So now you know the monkey massage protocol.

Two Killings

2008-02-18T21:46:00.003-05:00

There were two recent incidents in which a single killer took the lives of several other people. In one case, the killer survived, in the other the perpetrator was killed during the incident.

In the first incident, the killer committed an illegal act, taking the lives of 5 innocent people and injuring many more before taking his own life.

In the second incident an innocent person was in the midst of a legal activity and killed 8 people involved in an illegal one.

A driver in Baltimore Maryland came upon a group of people that had entered a highway to watch an illegal drag race. Smoke from the tires and an early morning haze prevented the driver from seeing the crowd until it was too late.

The innocent victims of the Northern Illinois University were in the middle of what society tells us is the ultimate in safety - a gun-free zone. And it is safe, as long as everyone follows society's rules and does not attempt to harm their fellow man. However,

2.2 million people are currently in prison in the United States for some violation of society's rules, so we know that not everyone is a follower. And armed with this basic knowledge of human nature, our culture's response is to deprive the innocent majority of their true path to safety - the ability to defend themselves.

The right to bear arms is simply that - a right. Tell Americans that you are going to take away the privilege of driving (it is not a right) and there will be uproar. But those of us who believe in the 2nd Amendment are supposed to quietly accept a reduction in liberty.

Ron Paul

2007-11-28T14:16:00.000-05:00

Ultimate 2008 Presidential Candidate Matcher Your Result: Ron Paul Ron Paul is known as the libertarian candidate. He opposes the Iraq war, and is conservative on social issues like abortion and gay civil unions. Paul wants to reduce regulations on healthcare, pursue nuclear energy, and reduce taxes. He opposes citizenship for illegal immigrants, and would get rid of the Patriot Act and the Dept. of Homeland Security.
Mitt Romney
Dennis Kucinich
John McCain
Rudy Guiliani
Barack Obama
John Edwards
Hillary Clinton
Ultimate 2008 Presidential Candidate Matcher Take More Quizzes

Just took the quiz.
I've been debating whether to register as a republican so I can vote in the primary. Not sure they'd let me in with my unaffiliated card.

Meet Sandy, my new personal assistant

2007-11-26T10:29:00.000-05:00

I just learned about Sandy from 43 Folders and decided to give her a shot as my new personal assistant. She won't take dictation or bring me coffee, but she will keep track of my calendar and remind me of things that I need to do.
I send her an email at a special address, tell her something like "Sandy, remind me to check the Peterson account when I get back to LA on Friday." (I type that with my best Thurston Howell III accent) and on Friday at 7:00 am, Sandy will send an email reminder to check the Peterson account.
Check her out at http://www.iwantsandy.com.

What type of english do you speak?

2007-10-30T11:55:00.000-04:00

Just saw this on a professor's blog (he teaches at my alma mater. He teaches Latin, I took Greek, so I never took a course under him, but I like to hear his opinions.)
I'm really not sure where the 5% came from.

Your Linguistic Profile:

65% General American English

25% Dixie

5% Yankee

0% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Utter disgust

2007-09-18T21:23:00.000-04:00

I first heard about the student getting tased at the Kerry speech while driving to work. The radio station played audio from the video. Whatever you may think about the behavior of the student, the behavior of the police just disgusts me.

After watching the video tonight, I'm even more sickened. Why does the female police officer immediately draw a weapon when there was no visible threat? Why was the man tased when he was already on the ground with at least 4 officers over him? If they can't control one man without using a weapon then they need to return to police academy!

And perhaps most disturbing of all is that no one tried to intervene. I am least surprised by the behavior of John Kerry, who did not intervene, since it was important that he answer the man's question. Of course the man probably didn't hear it.

Look for me on Google maps Streetview!

2007-08-09T22:05:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I read about the fleet of Chevy Cobalts that Google is employing to take photographs for their new Streetview feature of Google Maps. The streetview is so far limited to larger cities, like New York, Vegas, Denver, LA and San Fran.
So imagine my surprise when I saw one of them driving down my street with their little camera mounted on top. I am fortunate to live at a four way crossroads at which three of the ways are dead ends - so I knew I could catch him on his way out. (It is possible that the photos for my section of the street were taken on the ingress and the camera was turned off on the egress - to save film perhaps - but we'll have to wait and see.)
If the camera was working, there should be a picture of me sitting on my porch taking this picture of Google's picture taker.(You have to enlarge to see the camera mounted on the roof.)

Ginormous word contest!!

2007-07-14T13:35:00.000-04:00

The otterblog is having a word contest. All you have to do is write a three sentence paragraph or a 5-7-5 haiku using the new words that Merriam Webster has added to their dictionary for 2007.
One of the new words is ginormous!
And the prize : a coffee cup from the Winston-Salem Journal!! Let the smackdown begin.

What level SPF for a creature of the night?

2007-05-10T12:34:00.000-04:00

I am a Son worshiper, not a sun worshiper. I am the result of a thousand generation breeding program to develop the perfect denizen of the dark. Content to while away the daylight hours in my cave lit only by a flickering CRT or LCD. Fortunately I am often able to convince my bride to remain inside with me, avoiding the bright yellow sun (Yesss, insside. It hurts us it does. Yeesss, stay inside with us and our Preccciousss.)

So why bring this up now? Well, the sister of the bride and brother-in-law of the bat possess a boat. A rather large, sea-worthy vessel. We are going to visit them soon and just may be going in said boat on a 4-day trip to the Bahaman island of Bimini.

Can you even imagine the sunshine overload I could be exposed to!?! While I don't burst into flames in the first seconds of exposure, I do turn a nice lobsterry shade of red. And it hurts us it does. So if you have some uninvested funds lying around, put them in sunscreen. I hear demand is rising.

That's Greek to you? No excuse!

2007-05-03T10:29:00.000-04:00

As a few readers of this blog know, I recently took four semesters of ancient Greek while an undergrad at UNCG. And I know that some of you are students of the New Testament, which happened to be written in ancient Greek. So I will share with you a tool that I found to be a lifesaver in my studies.
Tufts University has an extensive online library called The Perseus Digital Library. If you go to the classics portion of the site, you will find links to the texts of many ancient documents written in Greek and Latin, and most of them have at least one English translation that you can also choose. Why was this helpful in my translation work on Homer and Herodotus? Glad you asked. My textbook already included the text, but looking up a Greek word is very difficult if you do not know the root word, and scholars can tell you that many words look nothing like their roots. Here comes the beauty of hyperlinking. Each word in the Greek text of a Perseus document is a link to its dictionary definition. So when you see the first word in the Iliad, μῆνιν, it is a link to the dictionary entry for μῆνις, meaning wrath or anger (the Iliad is all about the destructive wrath of Achilles! )

A quick word about set-up. When you first go to Perseus, the text will be transliterated and will not show the Greek characters. You need to change two things: 1) the default font on your browser (I like the way Palatino Linotype looks, very close to Times New Roman) and 2)The configuration in Perseus itself needs to be set to Unicode (UTF-8) with pre-combined accents. These two changes will cause the computer display to more closely resemble the fonts you might see in a Greek New Testament and will show the accent marks.

I hope this is a useful tool in your studies. I'll be happy to help you set up the configuration if you post a comment.

And to get you started, here is a link to John 1.

How do you Google?

2007-04-28T08:18:00.000-04:00

Thought I'd post a couple of quick tips about searching with Google: advanced search and cache.

Most people that I've watched simply go to google.com, enter a word or phrase and press enter to start their search. But have you ever noticed the little link to the right of the text field that says advanced search? Following that link opens up a whole world of googling possibilities. First thing you'll notice is that there are four fields instead of a paltry one on normal google, each with a special purpose. Try using "with the exact phrase" and see if it improves your results.

You can also specify how many search results will be displayed per page. This is helpful if you know you will need to filter through a lot of results and you want them all to be on the same page. After all, going through 300 results with only 10 per page is very tedious, but with 100 per page it's a little more doable.

Now a quick note about Google's cache. When you get your search results back from google, there is the result link, a brief description or excerpt from the page itself, the actual URL for the page you will be linking to, and then a link called 'Cached'. This is useful when the page that holds your result is updated frequently (like a newspaper site or a web forum) and the content may no longer be on the site. When Google indexes the web, it stores a lot of its results in a cache, so if the main link doesn't load or no longer has your info due to an update, try the cache. The cached page probably won't have any of the original images, but the text will be there.

Hope you find this useful.

Animal Testing the Roomba

2007-03-13T09:21:00.000-04:00

Fellow scientists, researchers, officials from governmental agencies, military advisors: Please don your safety goggles. It's time to commence animal testing on the Roomba. This could get messy.

Our first, and only, test - the Willa Test.

Since I had important geek things to do (wash dishes), Willa needed to be fed, and the continual onslaught of marauding dust monsters had to be defended against, it came about that Willa and I were in the kitchen while Rosie was slaying dust bunnies (get 'em while they're young) in the living room.

First phase of the Willa test - she ate. But she did occassionally raise her head and listen to that whirring sound coming from the living room, especially when it approached the sophisticated, highly engineered containment device (a box, but now known as an HECD) that kept Rosie in the living room.

Phase two of the Willa test - look and ignore. When she had finished her morning meal, I invited Willa to the observation area (kitchen doorway) to view the carnage. She was at first more interested in the HECD than Rosie. Then Rosie came into full view! Willa looked at Rosie, looked at me, then sniffed the box, I mean the HECD. On to phase three.

Phase three of the Willa test - contact! After first ignoring Rosie from the observation area, she showed a desire to enter the living room/containment area. So she gingerly stepped over the HECD and into the kill zone. Rosie was following a perpendicular path across the LR/CA, giving Willa a full broadside view. Then, bumping into the wall, Rosie changed vectors and came directly at Willa - collision course!! Willa sniffed the floor and took two steps (she's good!) - collision averted. But then she snuck in BEHIND Rosie and sniffed her robotic pheromones (assuming robots have them). Unimpressed, she looked at me, leapt over the HECD and was done. The Willa test was complete, no casualties, no trauma, and Rosie was still pursuing the last screaming dust bunny into the hallway.

All in all, a successful test. The next phase of testing is our most grueling, a deep cover operation designed to test the limits of Rosie's abilities - Under The Bed ('cause we know where the breeders live!!).

Testing commences soon.

Red Roomba, Red Roomba, please vacuum all over

2007-03-12T12:41:00.000-04:00

Can a man love a machine? He can if he is a geek and the machine is a)red; b)a robot; and c) it CLEANS HIS HOUSE!!.
The Bride Who Wore Black and I recently bought our very first domestic robot, an iRobot Roomba. We bought it Saturday and I put it through its very first test run today. It performed beautifully.
Hopefully, soon I will capture it on camera and share its wonderfulness with you. Perhaps after that I will equip it with rockets and plot to take over the world. But for now, it vacuums. That's all. But while Rosie vacuums, I get to do other stuff!!! And isn't that the only reason we want robots, to do our work for us so we can do more important stuff.
I have wanted one for a while but couldn't bring myself to spend the money on something that might not work. But it does, it does!! It just makes the geek in me smile! Now where's my flying car?

He tests, he passes, he graduates!!

2007-01-03T13:11:00.000-05:00

Okay, most of the 2 million daily readers of this blog know that I was recently graduated from the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG), and know that I owe a debt of gratitude to my lovely bride for supporting me through the process. But few of you know how close we came to December 14th being a date of woe rather than woo-hoo! Let me fill you in.

I am embarassed to admit that I have failed a course in college (Intro to Fingerpainting? No, 3rd semester Calculus. I retook it and made a C) and was treacherously close to failing a 2nd, very critical class. CSC 553 Theory of Computation sounds like a simple class for a computer science student, but at the end of the semester, with one homework project and one test remaining, I was failing. Not "Oh I wanted to get an A but I'm stuck with a B" failing, but "I am failing and it is not mathematically possible to pass without a curve" failing.

I had been to speak with my instructor. She was cautiously optimistic. She said that she grades much more heavily on your later work than on the early work. If she sees an improvement that indicates you understand, she will forgive past grades. But essentially it came down to my last test (not technically a final - she gives 4 tests and no true final exam - but it certainly had an air of finality all over it). Oh yes, a final - pun fully intended - piece of the puzzle. This course is a core requirement for graduation and it is only offered in Fall semesters. Meaning a failure would set graduation back a full year!

I was mortified to tell the bride about my predicament. With each test, I thought I understood the material and was prepared for anything that she could throw at me, except what she actually threw at me. With each test I sank lower and lower. In my defense, several of my classes had no assignment graded and returned prior to the drop deadline. This class had only one. So I didn't have a chance to evaluate the course before I was stuck with it.

So here we are. The bride's company Christmas party was on Friday, Dec 1. My test was Monday, Dec 4, 9:00 am. We went to the party and spent the rest of the weekend studying. Yes, I said we. On our large whiteboard, we evaluated and drew Turing machine diagrams all weekend. There were about 60 probelem sets that she could draw test questions from and we made it through about half of them.

I went to the test confident, I felt pretty good during it, but the points just didn't add up to a passing grade. I went to see the professor (Dr. Francine Blanchet-Sadri, one of the world's leading researchers in the area of Combinatorics on Words, studyer of Algebraic Theory of Languages and Automata, impressive, eh?) on Wednesday, but the tests were not graded and would not be until the next week. Considering the difficulty of what she had to grade, 8 complex problems, with each student completing a unique solution, she was offering a pretty quick turn-around. So I passed the time by taking the other 4 final exams that week. By Friday, I was burned out and didn't care.

But then came Monday, and I cared a great deal. Other classes started posting results. I was in a computer lab just around from Francine's office, checking email. She walked in to pick up a print job. I didn't want to pester her, so I even avoided making eye contact. Then she approached me. And she was smiling. She had not completely decided on a final grade, but she had been impressed by the last test. She said I had done very well, completely solving some of the hardest problems. I had passed the course, she assured me.

Eventually all grades were posted and I received a C (not even a C-, but a solid, bona-fide C). We had done it. So, now you see how much my degree has really been a joint effort. Thank you dear!

The Lump moves!!

2007-01-03T10:52:00.000-05:00

I have been gently prodded by someone and encouraged to post.
So, how about an update?
Since I posted last:
I attended a grid computing workshop at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. Great gig - they put me up in a hotel, fed me and PAID me, plus taught me some fundamentals about distributed computing. Geeks with money to burn, gotta love it.
I spent Thanksgiving at home with my wonderful bride.
I nearly went crazy studying for finals.
I passed said finals and graduated from the University of North Carolina Greensboro.(More on those last two in my next post.)
I spent Christmas and New Years with my bride and some (newly) close friends. I hope to have many holidays doing the same.

An inadvertant lack of equality

2006-11-01T15:33:00.001-05:00

It may be possible, implausible and improbable though it may be, that some poor soul has wandered to this site, looked at my most illustrious list of links, and attempted to find, by following those links, just who is Fred Reed and why does Leatherwing link to him. Well, due to the lack of an = (that's an "equals" sign) the link to Fred was rerouted back to this page.

The problem has been corrected, I hereby offer apologies and encouragement. Go check it out. Fred is an old codger, and most of his articles reflect his codgeriness. But they also reflect the opinion of an old soldier, world traveller, journalist, and thinker. You may not agree with all he says, but will probably laugh a little and maybe see things from another perspective. (Mild warning: he is an old codger and occassionally uses words you wouldn't say in church. But you've probably heard them all before.)

I like this, but should I?

2006-10-15T20:52:00.000-04:00

I recently got sick (and unfortunately infected a friend or two) and missed a few days of school. While watching the toob, I saw an ad for a new show on Showtime called Dexter. Showtime has made the first two episodes available online. I am really excited about the networks publishing their content online (I've recently watched episodes of Studio 60, Heroes, Numb3rs, The Unit, Jericho, and 30 Rock online. I love that I can miss a show and still not miss it!) so I decided to watch Dexter during my recuperation.

First, a confession. I like dark subject matter. I enjoy dark thrillers if they are intelligently written. I grew up on horror movies, cut my teeth reading early Stephen King and thought that all was right with the world when horror made a comeback in the early 80's. So in many ways, a show like Dexter is right up my alley. You see, Dexter is a serial killer, with a twist:

****Spoiler warning****
Dexter is the good guy. He's a cop who only allows himself to indulge his murderous urges on other killers who have escaped justice. He was trained by his police officer father to cover his tracks and recognize those that deserve to die.
*****End Spoilers******

I know that on some levels, this is social commentary:
The police, the judicial system, and by extension, we the people are occasionally given the duty of deciding life or death for criminals. It is not always done with justice, so could an individual, unencumbered by the rules we impose on a civil society, do a better job?
Should any policeman ever be given the right/ability to take a human life? Can any of them truly be trusted?

I remember a fascinating short story I read about a vampire hunter who was able to do what no one else could do because, like the vamps, he liked killing and was not squeamish about the disgusting nature of his work. Dexter is a character in the same vein.

Like I said, I know that the creators would probably say that this is social commentary and that they perform a public service by causing us to think about these sorts of things. But the truth is that they have created a pleasant character, placed him in a beautiful setting (Miami) and made him a hero because of, not in spite of, the terrible things he does.

I know that Dexter will have many fans. The show is well made. It is likeable (to me). And by watching this likeable show, I would subject myself to weekly mutilations and murders. Carried out by the hero. I don't know how you feel about the idea of televisiona and movies desensitizing society, but I think Dexter is a near perfect vehicle for carrying it out.

Fortunately, Dexter is carried on Showtime, which I don't have, so I won't be watching.

Unfortunately, part of me wishes I could.

Life in a Northern Town

2006-10-15T20:34:00.000-04:00

Recently the Bride who wore Black and I visited some old friends from Texas who now live in Maryland. The Saturday night that we arrived there was a street party in downtown Frederick. I live in Winston-Salem, NC and the city has been trying to generate an active downtown life for the city, but we just don't hold a candle to Frederick, and I'm not sure why.

My first thought is the age of the city. Frederick is about 100 years older than the Winston part of W-S, which seems to be the dominant part of W-S. Frederick is built closer together, with retail, restaurant and residential mixed together, often in the same building. Maybe southern cities had more land and spread out more. But the eclectic mix we saw in Frederick was something that I can't see being generated by city mandate. It just grew that way. I liked it quite a bit.

Things Willa teaches me about God

2006-09-14T08:46:00.000-04:00

I was driving to school this morning listening to Revolution, by George Barna. My buddy TJ loaned me his copy on CD, and like him, I have to rewind pretty frequently just to make sure I heard what I think I heard.

I had listened to one section about three times. The point was that worship is not for the worshipper but for the one worshipped. I understood that and listened on. A while later, as I got excited about the idea of revolutionary Christian living, I finally truly got the point. I was driving along, thinking "I want to do something important (for God)". The emphasis was of course on me. I want to be important. But a revolutionary doesn't see himself as important, only God is important (I know that we are important to God, Jesus died for us, etc., but our worth comes completely from Him, so it is still all about Him.)

So how does Willa fit into this? I often need real world examples to wrap my mind around ideas, and I often use my relationship with Willa. For instance, if I am watching television, Willa is lying beside me on the floor, and I turn of the TV, Willa jumps up, ready to go. This is not because she understands what a television is and that she knows the pretty pictures are gone now so I might as well leave. No, she understands me (as much as she can). She is a devoted follower of me, and when the TV goes off, she knows that I am about to move, so she gets ready to move also. I wish I had the diligence in my observation and study of God that she has in studying me.

But back to doing something important for God. Willa is a good dog. She doesn't have accidents in the house or destroy furniture, she is very obedient, and scares away people when I don't want to answer the door. I even expect her to protect our house while I am away and she is there. But, if I come home and the house has been robbed and she slept through the whole thing, would I love her less. NO, because all I truly want from her is what she gives me every day, love and absolute devotion. I don't expect her to contribute important things to the family, I don't even need for her to. I just want her to love me.

I think that's what God wants from me. My buddy TJ has a phrase - "God doesn't need me to get it done" . I think I may have just gotten it.

I've been tagged???

2006-08-09T20:11:00.000-04:00

OK, The Bride Who Wore Black has tagged me, so I will submit. While I am very tempted to respond with Wild at Heart for every answer, I decided to play nice - for today.

1. One book that changed your life: Amusing Ourselves To Death by Neil Postman. It opened my eyes to the way the news media shapes and influences opinion, and to how much we have lost the ability to digest complex ideas - we want sound bites.

2. One book that you’ve read more than once: I'm gonna cheat and give two - The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien) and The Stand (Stephen King). I read both while in high school, and many times since. LOTR edges out The Stand by a wide margin, but the Stand has some of Stephen King's best characters (of his older stuff, I quit reading him after IT). They are a little similar in that the characters in both are on quests where they have to face evil both from within themselves and outside. I hate the way King ended The Stand, but the 500 pages before that are pretty good.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island: That book from Myst, where you open it and get transported somewhere else. Or one with a map to all the Dharma Initiative hatches.

4. One book that made you laugh: "I've got it again, Larry...an eerie feeling like there's something on top of the bed." The Far Side Gallery by Gary Larson. A true geek's geek.

5. One book that made you cry: Wild at Heart. I won't try to defend it theologically, I'm not qualified. But it touched something in me that had been dead for a long time.

6. One book that you wish had been written: How to Make a Fortune from the Trivial Knowledge You Already Possess!!

7. One book that you wish had never been written: Prayer of Jabez. It's a cool prayer, but I think it gets blown out of proportion.

8. One book you’re currently reading: Nothing currently. I just finished Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. I like his perspective on some things. On Monday I will be up to my eyeballs in textbooks (final 15 hours of coursework, yeah!) whose names I do not yet know.

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read: Gospel of John in the original Greek. Not to boast, because I'm not sure that I can do it. That's why it's on my "meaning to read" list.

10. Now tag five people: Sorry, this really is a dead end. You got off the superhighway when you made that left turn in Albuquerque.

What's in your basket?

2006-08-06T20:11:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, our pastor spoke about faith, how it is the foundation of God's plan for successful living. For his text, he used the account from John 6 of Jesus feeding five thousand with five loaves and two fish. Essentially, a large group of people had been following Jesus around as he taught. Jesus had gone to a mountain with his disciples, but the people were on their way. And it was Passover. It was obvious that the people needed to be fed. Jesus asked Philip "Where are we going to buy bread to feed these people?" Philip responded with a financial estimate: "It would take over 6 months wages to feed this crowd!" About this time, Simon Peter's brother Andrew brought over the five loaf, two fish lunch he had gotten from a boy in the crowd. We all know the rest of the story: Jesus gave thanks for the food and from it passed out enough food for five thousand people to eat their fill. Then he told his disciple to gather up the leftovers (that nothing would be lost - that part puzzles me). When they gathered the leftovers, there were twelve baskets full.
This last part is the what interests me. As our pastor noted, Jesus was trying to instill faith into his disciples. Isn't it interesting to note the number of baskets? Twelve baskets for twelve disciples. Before the crowd was fed, the disciples probably all stood around and looked into the basket Andrew had brought to Jesus. They would have laughed at the idea of feeding more than a few people from such a spartan meal, much less this huge crowd. Then, after the fact, they each gathered a full basket. Each one of them held a basket that alone was filled with more food than they started with. Each of them held proof that the miracle had occurred. Each had eaten his fill, and still held a basket with more food than in the original lunch. I find a wonderful generosity in Jesus' teaching through this miracle. John didn't have to rely on Peter's word, Matthew didn't have to believe Nathaniel - each had all the evidence in his own hands. In total it was especially awesome, but each had a miracle in his own basket.
All of which leaves me wondering: Is it possible that I have been allowed to gather the remnant of some miracle into my basket, just so that Jesus can show me personally that he is who he says he is?

Only for Disciples

2006-07-18T12:40:00.000-04:00

Meaning those with discipline. If you are able to say to yourself "I will do X for 20 minutes and then stop" and you stop doing X in about 20 minutes, then it is safe for you to continue. If, on the other hand, you say to yourself "I will do X for 20 minutes and then stop" and find yourself still doing X hours later, then Zwok is not safe for you.
Zwok is a flash based game that pits teams of three cute little monsters (Yes, this is a guys blog and I just said "cute". Get over it.) against another team of three cute little monsters. You start off throwing balls at the other team, but as you gain points, you get new weapons like clusters, bouncers, or the ultimate - a brick (Hitting a noob with a brick is just a way to say "Welcome to the neighborhood, can we be friends"...really.)There is a rocking soundtrack, cool backgrounds, and rock throwing. What more, you may ask? Well you can customize your creature's appearance by choosing a face, costume and color. You also choose which team you will 'play' for, Blooz or Grienz. Blooz rule, but Grienz drool, and that's cool, just ask Willa.
Should you find yourself in Zwok-land look for Leatherwing. I'll be the Grien with the brick.

Macs just work!! (for people that don't like to)

2006-07-11T15:05:00.000-04:00

In January I bought my first Mac after having used PC's for many years. I like the machine, I dislike the cult(ure). I mean, I bought a computer, I didn't sign onto a way of life.
If, like me, you are a little perturbed by the new Mac commercials that make fun of PC's, give this a try.

Big Ben and the New Yorker

2006-06-13T08:28:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm talking about the motorcycle-automobile collision involving Ben Roethlisberger. I get very angry at the way the media (and from callers to radio stations, the general public agrees) reports any accident involving a two-wheel vehicle. Of course, the magical helmet gets brought up immediately, followed by speculation about everything that the rider/cyclist could possibly have done wrong:was he speeding; changing lanes; outside the crosswalk (for bicycles-you do know that is where they belong, don't you). The fact that the automobile driver violated LAW is mitigated by the fact that the two wheeled vehiclist is a poopy head and shouldn't have been on the street in the first place, being a nuisance to good tax payers.
But the facts (from the newspaper, I haven't seen this on TV or heard it on radio) is that the woman turned left in front of Roethlisberger.
From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Martha Fleishman, 62, of Squirrel Hill, was driving the car west on Second Avenue and turning left onto the 10th Street Bridge when Roethlisberger's Suzuki Hayabusa, which was heading east on Second Avenue, struck the car.

A witness said Roethlisberger didn't appear to be speeding in the 35 mph zone, and Fleishman had slowed to make the turn. Both drivers had a green light, the witness said.

Had she done this in front of an SUV (or another Chrysler New Yorker) there would have been little to talk about, probably no injuries, no news. I am sure that she "feels really bad" but the facts are that she caused the collision, and everyone is piling on Roethlisberger.
Yellow flag. Fifteen yards on everybody for Roughing the Passer.
I hope Ben recovers completely. I also hope he continues to exercise his freedom. I hope little women in big cars start looking where they are going.

Did Christians miss the boat?

2006-05-27T13:05:00.000-04:00

In the days leading up to the opening of The Da Vinci Code, as rumours of bad reviews came out of the Cannes film festival, I began to wonder if we had been duped. What if the movie was not that good, would stir up little or no controversy (on its own merits), and the uproar of Christians had just guaranteed that the film would be a hit.
Did Christians and churches waste their time studying up on the book's claims, preparing to refute them? Was it just a lot of preaching to the choir? Or was it a useful exercise, motivating Christians to step outside our fortresses and mingle with our culture?
I can see both sides. I think there is value in learning our own history, shoring up confidence in what we believe. Also, our enemy is crafty beyond belief and is the ruler of this world. Perhaps he wanted us to be distracted and occupied with something of his choosing for a while.
Just a few thoughts. No answers. You will have to provide those.

Caring a great deal about something they hardly know

2006-04-27T11:50:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, for my 4th semester Greek class we were supposed to recite the first seven lines of the Iliad from memory. It was on the schedule for weeks, everyone knew about it. There were only two people in the class that were remotely prepared two days prior. On the day of the blessed event, about 10 minutes before class, one of the aforementioned prepared students walked in. I gave her a hard time, told her we all hated her because she was ready and we were not. She smiled, laughed really, just did it silently. I said something else and then she walked over and handed me a note.

"I am observing the National day of Silence."

Oh, OK. I've heard of it. Sort of a vague memory, but couldn''t tell you anything about it. So I ask "For what organization?" She is quiet (of course she's quiet, she has a cause!), looks a little fuddled, then writes "PRIDE, I think". So she can't even tell me for whom she is doing this.

Well, class time comes and she shows the note to our professor. He's not impressed. After everyone else has recited, he calls upon our intrepid mime. She shakes her head "No". He tells her she must. She clenches her fists, and rapidly shakes her head "No". She looks like a toddler being told to eat her broccoli, but I'm sure she believed herself to look noble and courageous. And she doesn't know who she is doing it for! But she must care an awful lot, right?

I think Yeats applies:
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

Finals aren't even here yet and I'm already toast.

2006-04-26T11:34:00.000-04:00

I had to take a brain break. Every day I check one or two major shool projects off my list, but the list is long and I am starting to crack. One week from today finals officially start, even though I have one tonight.
I still have two software projets that are way behind and they are my main concern. The tests will take care of themselves - good or bad, they will be over soon. The software won't write itself (yet).
On top of that, my in-laws are coming, which alone would be a good thing, but in tandem with finals, it feels like competition for my time.
OK, that was a waste of your time, but I needed the break. Hopefully next time will be more worthwhile for you (whoever you are).

Country road, take me home

2006-04-14T07:41:00.000-04:00

We decided to take a last minute, but much needed, three day holiday for Easter. We decided to head for the mountains of North Carolina. It was Monday night when we started looking for a place, assuming we would board our dog. When we found that some places allowed pets, we redirected our search in that direction. I found a bed & breakfast called the Dog House Inn that caters to dog owners, with free pet sitting and a small private dog park.
The Morrigan liked the link I emailed her, so she called on Tuesday - we were in Thursday night. I got out of class at 3:15, drove home like a madman, grabbed the wonder dog to get her to the vet for a two month overdue shot and a bath. The plan was to be on the road by 6:30, but it was 8:00 before we finally got underway.
For a couple of city dwelling devils, the road was a bit harrowing. When the pavement ended and the dirt road ran for half a mile beside a river, I was wishing we had driven the 4WD and/or arrived before dark. But we arrived with no mishaps, and the place is pretty nice, emphasis on pretty, but in a deliberately rustic sort of way. It was far too dark to see the view, but I could hear the river from our private terrace. Nice.
We slept with our balcony door open (the heat had been left on and the room was stifling, but the cool air balanced it perfectly) and the morning was beautiful.The sky was overcast (just the way I like it) and morning came slow, not in a blaze of glory but instead slowly brightening until you could see all the neighboring mountaintops. I can see one other house, three hills away, and on a smooth patch of ground in the distance two black dots move slowly. They are either horses or cows, but it is too far away to tell. As dawn broke, I thought there was a vineyard a couple of hills away, but more light revealed that it is a Christmas tree farm. The river is still flowing, as I can hear it below, but can't see it, only the gap in the trees that defines its path.
We may stay here all day, we may go for a hike (yea right!!). But we will soak up all of this that we can store, and take it back with us.

Why I've been reluctant to write anything here.

2006-04-04T11:39:00.000-04:00

I really started this blog with a specific purpose in mind. My father died in June of 2005 and I waqs going to write about my feelings, sort of a therapy. So I created a blog and couldn't bring myself to write. Then I moved over to Livejournal and sat on my hands some more. Then I moved back here and decided I was going to keep this up. But every time I've logged on, I've been reminded of why I started this.
So here it is. I loved my dad and wish he hadn't died, but he was surrounded by a family that loves him. He was able to make the final decisions about his life, and we didn't have to wonder what he would have wanted, he told us what he wanted. So in that respect, we were lucky. He wasn't afraid to die and was a great example of courage to me. There are things I wish I'd said, things I wish we could have done together.
That's it. I don't want to say anymore here, I just felt that I needed to at least acknowledge him and the reason I am here.

I love you Dad.

Something old made new, in an old fashioned way.

2006-03-28T20:09:00.000-05:00

By the time anyone reads this, if anyone actually does read this, it will probably be too late to see the Triad Stage production of Brother Wolf. But probably won't be too late to buy the CD of the music from Brother Wolf.
BW is an original musical production that mixes Beowulf with Appalachian music and folk tales, with a little Hell-fire and brimstone thrown in, just because. It deals with Pride, Vengeance, Forgiveness, long knives, pistols, demons, snake-handlers, snakes all played out to toe tappin' fiddle music soundtrack. I doubt that it will see a national tour anytime soon, and if it does, it probably won't take along composer/musician Laurelyn Dosset or musician Riley Baugus (they form two parts of the trio Polecat Creek). The music is the soul of the play, even though the actors are very good. But the script loses steam in the last act and the music, consistently good throughout, has to carry the show at the end. I don't know if the music was composed after the script or simultaneously, but it fits seemlessly into the plot, and at times seems crucial.
I recommend the CD if you like mountain music (not Bluegrass, mountain). You can hear snippets here and here.

Where'd you come from?

2006-03-25T08:56:00.000-05:00

If you're here, you're probably lost. If not, welcome. This is a bit of a restart, hopefully more successful than its predecessor.
Leatherwing

Why does good TV fail?

2005-11-09T17:28:00.000-05:00

I recently became a fan of a television show that had already gone off the air before I saw a single episode. The creator of the show had reassembled the cast and made a feature film. Before I saw the film, which I expected to like, I wanted some background in case there were inside jokes or bits that would make more sense if I knew the show. The movie is Serenity (if you hurry, you might still catch it in theaters) and the show is Firefly.

Both are the brainchildren of Joss Whedon, the writer who created Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. I was already a fan of those shows and expected to like Firefly, but BtVS and Angel both take place in the same universe. Firefly is a new creation, still full of Whedon's excellent writing, but in it he looks at the world(s) a little differently. I won't go into a review of the show, other than to say it's good, it's available on DVD , and you should try to watch an episode or two.

What I want to say is that Fox, which used to stand behind its innovative shows, treated it very poorly. The show was scheduled for Friday night, the episodes were shown out of order, disrupting continuity, it was preempted for baseball after two episodes, and the pilot was shown dead last. Very few shows would have produced decent ratings with this type of treatment, and Fox unceremoniously canceled it for low ratings.

If you look at some of the breakout hits, shows that everyone knows by name, you will find that many of them struggled in their first season (or longer). The X-Files, Everybody Loves Raymond, Cheers all took time for an audience to warm to them, and then ran for many years, becoming the backbone of their network. Does this mean that every poorly rated show would rise to that level given enough time? Of course not. Bu there are very few original ideas on television these days. We have three versions of CSI, uncountable Law & Order spin-offs, multiple Apprentices, OC-like dramas and I'm sure we'll soon have more Desperate Housewife clones than we can bear. Television always wants to copy someone else's original show, without letting its own original gel and rise to its potential.

Where am I going with this? I don't know. I guess it's just a rant. A really good idea has been snuffed out. I hear that Whedon was able to sign a three picture deal. I hope that Serenity has been successful enough to allow him to make the next two. He created a world that I liked to visit and would like to see more of. You should too.

You can rent it from Netflix.

Tough Chicks

2005-10-24T18:21:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you, but I am getting tired of all the women in movies/TV beating up men. For me the straw that broke the camel's back is the Michelle Rodriguez character on Lost. I know that Sawyer is weakened from being shot, but when she punched him while they were in the pit, I felt like the writers were equating them, as if she could do that whether he was weak or not. I just don't buy it.
This summer in Texas, I went to a martial arts belt test for my niece and nephew. My brother (their dad) was all excited about these two female instructors and especially how one of them always kicked her sparring partner in the head. I watched them spar (He is about 6'2") and she got her foot up there, but I don't think it had much power (granted a kick in the head is a kick in the head). But being limber and able to place your hand or foot somewhere does not equate with being able to put it there with enough force to be effective.
I have to say that when done well, the movie/TV tough chick can be a good thing. But right now I feel like I've had too much of it, and not all of it is even done well.