Submarine Dave
Posted on 2004-10-29 at 08:02
Dave is going through a difficult time right now and my prayers are with him.
So now he does give a crap?
Posted on 2004-10-29 at 08:01
Apparently Eminem just caused a bit of a ruckus with a video he released today called "Mosh" (REAL|WMV). A quote from the song:
"Let the President answer on high anarchy/Strap him with an AK-47, let him go/Fight his own war/ Let him impress daddy that way/No more blood for oil, we got our battles to fight on our own soil,"
It's quite a departure from his detached don't-give-a-crap image. A visually interesting video too.
Conspiracy Dave and the Art of Polemic
Posted on 2004-10-28 at 08:02
Arguing with Conspiracy Dave is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win you're still a retard. Why do I bother?
The New Venture
Posted on 2004-10-28 at 08:01
The new business with Roy has hit some small snags. A repair to the new truck must be completed before we can roll out. That's cool. It'll be done soon enough. The truck is nice. It's a 2001 Dodge B1500 work van. Sweet. Looking all official and stuff.
Masterwork Flooring
Posted on 2004-10-22 at 08:02
The tools are purchased in full and the truck should be purchased by close of business today. I hope to see Roy out working on Monday morning. That'd be sweet!
Oetzi the Iceman
Posted on 2004-10-22 at 08:01
Oetzi was a neolithic man whose mummified body was found in 1991 and who lived around the year 3300 BC. He had 57 tattoos many of which cooresponded to modern acupuncture locations that would have treated ailments he had. He used a copper ax and a longbow. He had on his person a birch fungus mushroom, a plant whose primary purpose is as an antibacterial agent. He also possessed a fairly complex fire starting kit. Evidence is inconclusive, but it appears he may have died fighting a skirmish with a rival group. DNA from four other people werre found on his person (notably the ax and an arrowhead) and he had an arrow wound in his shoulderblade. He appears to have died from blood loss. What must have gone through Oetzi's mind as he placed his equipment down neatly beside himself, laid down, and died? There is a novel in that body screaming to be written.
Reminiscing about our first fight
Posted on 2004-10-21 at 08:01
The first fight Bryan and I had took place in San Francisco. I had been practicing my Stepping Eagle Style on the tension wire of the Golden Gate Bridge and he had been working on his Northern Iron Stomach technique in the icy waters below.
We had both nearly finished our regimes when we noticed each other. I, my hand on my car door to leave and he with a raw trout he'd snatched from the Pacific waters hanging from his mouth. A thick ichor dripped from his gaping maw and down the twitching fish tail as he stared me down as a leopard stares down its prey. Haunched over like a beast, he sat perched on the hood of his new green Saturn. Our eyes met and a primal growl rolled from his throat. It was on.
For the past eleven days and twelve nights I'd been in a Red Lotus Trance and, though I sought peace, he projected himself into my dreams, taunting me each night with his his gurgling laughter. Having been in a trance, I had not yet heard about his Six Day training under Master Kim Po Lung. Learning the Art of the Fistless Punch under Master Kim would serve him well.
A flickering eyelid was all that signaled my attack, but it was enough for my foe. As I lept forward, pulling a bamboo shard from my jacket and extending it out to perform the Staff of Seven Winds technique, he lept to intercept my staff before it had gained its strength with his Steel Tonfa. Our bodies met in the air over the bridge and it is said that forty people were deafened that day from the sound of our weapons clashing, such was the power of our mighty strikes.
The battle raged for a week and a half, neither given ground to the other as we advanced through our techniques and eventually surpassed the physical to concentrate our fighting on the psychic realm as we employed the techniques we'd learned from Master Gygax at the school where we first met. Id Insinuations and Towers of Iron Will bent metal and snapped tension wires on the great bridge. Cars flew into the waters and police eventually cordoned off the area to save the lives of the citizens of the city. While we raged, I am told that over four hundred, fifty people lost their lives to our wild combat. But they were commoners so it was OK.
When it seemed as though our fighting would never cease, my enemy took a blow to the head from Blue Honor, my Nine-Rings Sword, and burst into a cloud of biting insects that swarmed around me and infiltrated my armor. Lest the fight fall against me, I knew I must escape. Calling upon the power of my ancestors, I transformed into a cloud of smoke and floated away to fight again. As I left I could see my enemy reforming, a green ooze leaking from the many wounds in his body. The fight so close, I was certain that further training would hand me a sure victory. I now seek out Swami Vishishtadveata, who I will force to teach me the Celestial Palm form. With the Celestial Palm, my enemy cannot hope to withstand my next assault.
Masterwork Flooring
Posted on 2004-10-20 at 08:01
A name has been chosen for the new venture. We've purchased about half the tools. The corporation paperwork is underway. Commitment has been made.
I'm sick of being told to wait my turn
Posted on 2004-10-19 at 08:02
I'll never fall in line, become another victim of your conformity.
The Future
Posted on 2004-10-19 at 08:01
Looking forward to getting the second mortgage paid off. That will lighten the finances enough that I can retire on a whim. I can't stress enough just how important that is! I'm getting tired of dealing with jackasses spewing Orwellian Corporate-Speak. 'Nuff said.
Dendron Koinonias
Posted on 2004-10-18 at 08:03
Brought together in my mind under a tree---
the memories of a lifetime forgotten. To cross
from this world into another, floating on a river
or a flood of ancient imagery I feel a tear
form which drags its way down a sullen cheek
as I pray for an eased relief from the yoke of life.
And as the penultimate whisper of the breath of life
deserts my aged body I look up to the tree
upon which I lay, feeling my sunken cheek
with a brittle hand, I think of a cross
and a man like me, near dead, nails forcing a tear
into hands that flow blood as the Nicene river.
And like the Nicene or Jordan or Euphrates river
that blood poured over the horizon, out of our life,
leaving nothing but twelve small men and a tear.
And I ask, as I lay in the comforting shade of my tree,
Why couldn't he come down from that cross?
When they rend one, why offer the other cheek?
With thorns they strike the Son of Man on His cheek
while the ungodly cross a shallower part of this river
we call life. Easier? Yes. Yet He chose the cross?
We were made to live---not suffer through life,
hanging onto the broken branch of a Messianic tree,
staring up, watching science and the world tear
at the sinewy strands of our faith until that tear
widens to bring us crashing down, bruised cheek,
like Him. Yet some land under a Newtonian apple tree
in an easier orchard where, unlike now, the river
of man doesn't take them down difficult paths of life
and where no one expects them to bear that terrifying cross.
And yet, for my part, I bore the heavy cross
and thoughts of each separate, streaming tear
fill my mind. My pneuma, the very breath of my life,
exhales now in a drumming rhythm with the water on my cheek.
And I think. Now I know. All I ever needed was a river,
a tree,
and Christ whose blood, like a tear, was shed for my life.
My cheek now grows ever paler as my soul trails down the Nicene river.
Now I understand. He died in pain on a cross that I might die at ease under a tree.
-Tom Caudron
-Inspired by my faith
Dendron Koinonias
Posted on 2004-10-18 at 08:02
I just added a new poem to the poetry section of my site. This one is in the form of a Sestina.
Why is no one fixing the problem?
Posted on 2004-10-18 at 08:01
It's been a while since I blogged about personal finance options in Gnome. Things have not changed even a little bit. Frankly, I expected some movement on that front. Everyone knows its one of Linux's primary weaknesses (along with smaller hardware and miscellaneous issues).
The Cornfield...OF WAITING!
Posted on 2004-10-17 at 08:02
The Hunt Club was a no-go. The lines were way too long. We are gonna try again in a few days.
Finally, some respect.
Posted on 2004-10-17 at 08:01
"Last week I told my psychiatrist, 'I keep thinking about suicide.' He told me from now on I have to pay in advance."
Rodney Dangerfield died on October 5th, 2004. He made me laugh.
These are the Daves I know, I know
Posted on 2004-10-16 at 08:02
Apparently, I've slighted a few Daves with my blog. For the record, let me officially add Eruption Dave and Dirty Dave to the list. Thanks go to Brent for the obscure reference in the title of this blog entry.
The Cornfield...OF EVIL!
Posted on 2004-10-16 at 08:01
It's that time of the year again, when the guys all go to the Hunt Club's Halloween Festival. We are going tonight. I dig it. You should too.
"I got a wallet!"
Posted on 2004-10-15 at 08:04
I received a request to further clarify the various Daves mentioned below. I should have added that in addition to not being HT Dave or Thievin' Dave, it was also not Submarine Dave or Cardinal Dave. Also, it's worth note that though I called him Destructo Dave, he is more properly referred to by the more recent moniker Conspiracy Dave. Hope that clears it up for everyone. By the way, if you don't get the blog entry title, don't worry because Submarine Dave does.
Things are proceeding apace
Posted on 2004-10-15 at 08:03
I met with the lawyer. The new business venture is underway. The corp should be set up soon. The contracts should be in place soon. The money should be flowing soon. Sweet.
Link directly to your favorite blog entry!
Posted on 2004-10-15 at 08:02
By popular demand (i.e., I was bored and added it though no one asked or cares), I've added the ability to link directly to a blog entry. If you want to reference a specific day in the month, just add "#<day>" at the end of the URL, where <day> is the day of the month you want. So, for instance, if you want to link to my blog entry of August 25th, 2004 (because my views on human nature have changed you profoundly and you now worship me as a Gawd!) you'd link to: http://tom.digitalelite.com/0804_blog.htm#25.
Been pondering weighty issues and this is how I feel
Posted on 2004-10-15 at 08:01
Dave's New Toy
Posted on 2004-10-13 at 08:03
So, Dave (Destructo Dave not HT Dave or Thievin' Dave) got his very own email account a couple of weeks ago. Now I get random blurbs from him every day that don't seem to follow a pattern or have any meaning. It's a new toy. I probably did the same when I first got my email account, lo, those many years ago. I'm glad he's easy to reach now, though. That is way cool.
Thai food is evil
Posted on 2004-10-13 at 08:02
Will spindoctored me into going to a Thai place for lunch. I didn't like Thai food before I went. I don't like it afterward either. My stomach is upset and I have a raging headache.
A Rooster? Really?
Posted on 2004-10-13 at 08:01
Apparently there is a rooster near my house that crows every morning. Far enough away that I can't hear him inside, but close enough to hear him when you are outside. Denise has known about it. I just recently learned this. A rooster? wtf?
Danville
Posted on 2004-10-12 at 08:02
Just got back from Danville, VA. Relaxing trip. Nice time. More to blog about, but that'll wait for a different day.
Pet The Kitty!
Posted on 2004-10-12 at 08:01
Laszlo and the WeatherBlox example app
Posted on 2004-10-07 at 08:01
[WeatherBlox applicaiton removed from the blog because it stopped working right]
Laszlo is an Open Source XML-based alternative to Macromedia's Flex technology. It's a server-side XML markup language for creating dynamic javascript apps. Like Flex, it dynamically produces Flash files. Very cool stuff.
The Blue Book Archive
Posted on 2004-10-06 at 08:04
Will has made some impressive strides on the Blue Book Archive recently. If you haven't checked it out yet, you should. Also, sponsor a roll of microfilm. It's cheap ($70 or so) and shows tangible short term gains (a roll is added to the archive!). This is an important project and it needs to be supported. When more of my money is freed up (see Venture Capitalism above), I have every intent to sponsor a few rolls of film.
What is Project blue book? Well, from their own About page:
"The goal of the Project Blue Book Archive is to provide open access to high-resolution document scans relating to the US government's investigation of the UFO phenomenon through an easy-to-use searchable interface. These documents are drawn from official sources such as the National Archive's Project Blue Book microfilm collection and various other document collections that have been declassified and released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This web-site and its content are provided as a free service to those researching the history of the US government's official interest in this topic."
Venture Capitalism
Posted on 2004-10-06 at 08:03
So, I decided to expand my business in a new direction. In addition to IT, I'm bringing Roy on board to get a foothold in construction...yes, construction. Specifically hardwood flooring. I think I can recoup my investment within a few months and start seeing decent profit inside a year. I need as much income as possible as soon as possible if I'm to pay of the second mortgage and retire early.
I spoke too soon
Posted on 2004-10-06 at 08:02
Sure, the system booted after the kernel upgrade, but the usb-storage driver no longer works with my DiskOnKey drive. wtf? Lame!
I am a Defender Ship
Posted on 2004-10-06 at 08:01
I am fiercely protective of my friends and loved ones, and unforgiving of any who would hurt them. Speed and foresight are my strengths, at the cost of a little clumsiness. I'm most comfortable with a few friends, but sometimes particularly enjoy spending time in larger groups. What Video Game Character Are You?
Astronaut
Posted on 2004-10-04 at 08:03
Duran Duran is coming out with a new album. No, I'm not recommending it or looking forward to it or anything, just thought it was interesting. Apparently the original five members are back together on this album. Astronaut will be the first album they were all together for since Seven and the Ragged Tiger came out in 1983! Not insignificant, since the last good album they put out was Seven and the Ragged Tiger! I liked their first three albums (Duran Duran, Rio, and Seven and the Ragged Tiger) but found their later work to be kinda off. Some was good (the informally named Wedding Album) but most was just a bit off. I wouldn't buy an RIAA-sponsored album, anyway, but I admit to being intrigued.
Fascinating
Posted on 2004-10-04 at 08:02
From Robert Fogel's The Escape from Hunger and Premature Death, 1700-2100: Europe, America, and the Third World:
So the implication seems to be that the discovery of the New World and the second Agricultural Revolution (or events thereabout) caused the elbow-bend in population growth by stemming the tide of deaths from hunger?
Kernel upgrade roulette (update)
Posted on 2004-10-04 at 08:01
It booted. Yea! Though the "nvidia" driver ceased working and I had to revert to the generic "nv" driver. I took the opportunity to switch to using the Livna nvidia drivers. Makes things easier anyway. :-)
Damages
Posted on 2004-10-03 at 08:05
Mongo Head Hurt
Posted on 2004-10-03 at 08:04
This is not an animated gif.
If laziness were muscles...
Posted on 2004-10-03 at 08:03
...I'd have been the governor of California by now.
Kernel upgrade roulette
Posted on 2004-10-03 at 08:02
So, I just upgraded the kernel on this systen. I wonder if it's gonna reboot? :-\
About me
Posted on 2004-10-03 at 08:01
Someone asked me why I bothered getting a degree in Religion and Literature if I'm gonna spend all my time making jokes about body functions and reading comic books. If a lifetime of reading the Amazing Spider Man has taught me anything, it's that high and low culture are false distinctions. Friedrich Nietzsche? Asshat.
If I did, but I don't, so I won't, but if I did....
Posted on 2004-10-01 at 08:03
So, as everyone knows I've been boycotting the RIAA's music since around 1997 or so. The only new music I get is from non-RIAA artists who actually want me to hear their stuff. That said, I saw Nellie McKay on David Letterman a few months ago and I've been interested in her music ever since. I downloaded the free stuff she put out, but I won't buy her CD (boycott and all that). Maybe if she comes into town on tour I'll go see her.
Shout out to my unknown homey
Posted on 2004-10-01 at 08:02
So Dave tells me that the webmaster at his job, Frank, reads my blog on occasion. Cool. :-)
Herman Goering, founder of the Gestapo and one of the main architects of Nazi Germany
Posted on 2004-10-01 at 08:01
"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. [...] Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."