Thoughts unconsolidated

You ever have a topic that you've been scratching at that ends up being something that there's just wealth of info on? There's a point where you absorb and absorb to the point that it becomes impossible to consolidate it all. You have to start diving into it... Specializing it so that your research becomes more and more focused. It gets so focused that you can no longer really describe what all you've been doing. You over generalize it to people who ask, because to take time and tell them wouldn't be in their interests, nor yours. However, what if you were challenged to tell it, you were provoked or even forced to explain your research and what you've been up to all these months... Could you consolidate all that thought and specificity? Could you do it in 10 minutes?

The greater point is that there's a breaking point where you either have to live your life by getting yourself interested, but not so far in that you can't explain it all in 10 minutes.... Or... You can dive in and plunge into the depths of knowledge as far as you want, but you do it risking somebody forcing you to explain your studies in the lapse of 10 minutes.

Tough isn't it? Well this very thing is happening to me.. I've dived into something so specific that I'm having trouble condensing it into an all inclusive neat little 10 minute speech. It's not 11 minutes and certainly not an hour, just 10 minutes and if I refuse then all that work gets trashed until I find something I can do a 10 min speech on.

*Sigh*.. Perhaps I should take a break.. focus my thoughts.. and come up with the greatest News segment/half truth WOWIE so that I can just continue down this rabbit hole with a seemingly endless end.

~J

New Tech for finding old friends

Man when I took off from high school, or from my old church, or when I split from visiting my counsin's house, or when I graduated from Clark Co., or left clubs... I thought well that's it for those friends. However.. we live in a new age.. The age of Facebook, Myspace, and Google. When ever you get that thought about how old (friend's name) is doing you can actually find him...

I've make myself available, even at the expense of massive spamming, because I yearn to find old friends and stay in touch. The future is going to good for doing that.. Keeping friends close.
With facebook it'll tell you when a friend updates their pics or if they update their mood. It's mind boggling who I've found.

We human's have past the pre-modern era, the modern era, the post modern era, the information revolution, and now we're entering the social communication era which will make it possible to link any human anywhere in the world with another human with minimal-to no lag between them. While that technology already exists- the future will have to make it A:) Affordable and B:) Completely accessible through advanced mobile technology so that we'll be connected 24/7/365. I'm sure it's possible even today, just not affordable and practical.

I await what new technologies are in the mix (like the google phone!)

~J

The Holidays are for humans

The holidays are for humans, thats... people.
~It isn't for machines, pie charts, investment stocks, or for aliens.
~It's not for you to stress out, burn out, flake out, blow up, freeze up, max out, or shop-till-you-drop.
~It's not about ham, turkey, those little napkins with the santa folded right, or obsessing over who get's the angel 'merry Christmas' card or who gets the 'Happy Holidays' card. @_@
~And it's defiantly not about you... :)

It's for us to step back from the rest of the year when we're in each others face for this or for that. It's a chunk of time and space for when we're truly ungrateful and completely forgot what we did (crazy things) to those we love and care about. The holidays is literally a designated bloc of time for you to be happy even if you refuse to be. It's just there, set aside, for you to use.

Nothing in the big-book of holiday rules says you actually have to be happy, but the good book does mention something about 'love thy neighbor.' Don't get bogged down into the 1-up mansship, or the nitpicking of Christmas being some 'pagan' holiday, or how you literally hate it when _X_ comes over, with their goolosh, and wants to spend the next 5 hours telling you about their stay in Nicobar Islands. Nothing says you have to log a certain number of Church hours (though it wouldn't hurt) and nothing says you have to buy somebody a present (however just a note: *that* probably won't go over well, or be understood properly by that person).

Take the holidays for what it's supposed to be... Again a set bloc of time where (for me):

• I first honor Jesus for dropp'n in from his excellent pad upstairs to tell me whatt'up 'bout God and stuff..
• I make an effort to drop a line on buddies that I haven't talked to in forever.
• I make myself be happy for My parents, Tink, their family, and my family... then try and show them that I am.
• I dig out my sweaters for the long winter, too realize that was a couple of pounds ago...o_O
  
• I write lists up for stuff I don't really need for (not just Christmas) but for my B-day.
• I load up on the good cheer, old movies 'bout X-mas, Cookies, Egg Nog, and Christmas lights
• I celebrate another year on Planet Earth (23 yrs old in less than a month w00t)
• I Pay bills, Make Money, Give the boss and my co-workers small gifts and cards and thank them for letting me drive over 20 miles a day to work there.. ('member: Happy thoughts..)
• I String up the lights and stare in awe at the glow of twinklies on our house (that always dorfs our neighbor's dinky lights) :P Sorry I had too.

ALL that and much more crammed into a fun filled sack-of-a-month.

Oh and in addition there's this thesis thingy that I gotta write. pshh.

Basically here's my note to everyone who wants to know..

This whole month you're going to run into something where you're absolutely are going to go bonkers on somebody else. Know that right now you love them and they don't deserve that and nothing is really *that* bad anyway. Be cool, and safe, and enjoy the holidays because if you just constantly curse it, that is not going to help you surf this massive "Merry Christmas" wave.

Remember that last year we didn't buy as much junk... so the retail stores are going to kick in extra hard to bring you that cheer..... or else. News says we're supposed to buy $800 worth of stuff... yeah right.

Oh and one more thing... The thing that might just save the holiday cheer for every boy and girl:

Welcome to all the Europeans and British visiting the United States in order to bag yerself some great deals on our weak dollars behalf... Please stock your luggage with tons of goods and spend all that cash on fine restaurants all to boost our economy. It's you that *really* keeps America truck'n on!

To the rest of you lot: Merry Christmas

~J

Happy Thanksgiving Indeed

We all must share another round of "I should be thankful for...." sometimes it comes easy for some, but for others they feel that where they are today was just fate working it's magics.

None of us just 'got here' we were ushered, almost by the hand, to get where we are today. As adults (that they say we are) we must look back and be thankful that in our hour of need there was somebody to thrust that plastic spoon of mush into our face in order to keep us alive.

Thankyou Mom and Dad for doing that and making me into what I am today. Thank you God for not ignoring all my 1000 yelps for help either. I'll admit that I'm no more independent than a cat... no food in the bowl will resound in a meow from me and thus *that* which is food arriving upon my plate and moral encouragement to keep going is what I'm most thankful for.

Not just from my Parents. but from everybody whose 'cheered me on' to the finish.

Thanks... I am truly thankful for you.

~J out

Perceived Realities

Imagine this...

I'm sitting at my desk in front of my widescreen computer eating lunch. The walls, doors, and environment is colored in that clean sterilized office look... Very modern and in a fashion suitable to work in. At 12 noon I clock out for lunch... Where to go? there's so many choices, so many places.. Should I walk? Drive? Carpool? I end up going to Quiznos and ordering up a beef dip sub with some of Miss Vickie's Jalapeño chips. At Quiznos they are very concerned about my health so everything you order just happens to be under 500 calories. The restaurant is very modern and clean looking like my office is. Very comforting indeed. Not once on the way over did I have to worry about "making lunch" or tramping through mud to get it. It was all concrete and sidewalks and accessible.. I could get lost in this world and not wonder where my food comes from. Luckily Frito-Lay has stamped on Miss Vickie's chips, "From Our Farm to You." A farm huh.. while in my mind I don't want to think about the intensive process it took, or whether the farmer got paid sufficiently, or whether Miss Vickie is nothing more than a corporate slogan created to confort me.. I shrug and walk out as Muscheeh from Bangalore in his Quizno's Polo and Khaki slacks charges $6.58 for my "SM Prime Chzstk."

Walking back I realize the irony of all of this. The farm scene on the bag of chips, the dim lighting and modern look of the restaurant, and me sitting at my desk accepting it all as being "right."

I don't believe to be saying anything really shocking here, only that the images and environments being created around us is only made for us to glance at which leaves an impression. Nothing is being designed for us to truly connect with. There's no down the street joint/deli where we go every week day and ask "Joe" what's happening. We don't know our barbers, hardware store guys, mechanics, or even our doctors really. Joe is Americana, we're condition to order a joe and Burger king knows that.. Here's a quote from my future book: "In 2007 we say the same words as they said in 1937, but everything has lost a bit of its original meaning." The question is why?.. Why keep Americana? and why educate our youth to the meaning of what a "cup of joe" is or what a farm is... It's likely they won't *have to know* to get by.

What if companies would strip their products of the lies (like Miss Vickies chips come from a farm to you) and just labeled them for what they really are... (Processed potato with imitation seasoning)... *Cough.. I really know the reason "why" (of course its due to.. marketing, sales, consumer theory, etc. because I work in the same industry) , but I thought I would share this complex over-my-lunch thought with y'all so that you might too have another thing to wonder about.

~J out

----
Examples of Perceived Realities:

"For three generations, the Bigelow family has specialized in creating...teas. We use only the finest mountain-grown tea and natural bergamot in Earl Grey..." Bigelow Ear Grey tea

(Picture) A giant slice of cheese from a wheel of cheeze and underneith the right side of the cheese slice is a cheez-it. The caption reads, "Actual Taste (Cheese slice) Actual Size (Cheez-it)
-Sunshire Cheez-it "The Big Cheese"

Hungary

Sometimes in our lives we get this feeling of hunger. Not the food kind, but the feeling of "I want more." It is possessive, and perhaps egotistical to ask, but I know I find myself in places where I look at my daily routines and say, "that's it? I want more."

Having been shut off from other pleasures and routines, I can say that my life is starting to smell of a state of limbo. I was asked not to recently what all I'm going to do with my wonderful degree from Lewis and Clark. All I could think about was what I was going to do to finish that project at work.

Sad isn't it.

I know this juncture is only a marker that I'll look back on and laugh at. I'm naturally prone to want more in the way of feedback, communication, etc. but it's too cumbersome I suppose to help me out, thus I'm stuck... Stuck in a wedge between wanting adventure and establishing myself in this world.

Enough of my babble.. Life is good in reality...

In fact it's all good... just not satisfying enough :P

Whatever.

Lets just hope Bhutto pushes out of this Musharaf rutt and kicks some behind ..ok! I'll volunteer for any parade she marches in!

~J

Finally I get to Posting pics of my Car
Here's the biography on it:

Name: 青いーくん (aoikun-Blue boy)
Make: Honda
Model: Civic
Style: Hatch Back
Transmission: Manual 4 Speed (currently)
Engine: D15b1 1.5 liter 16 Valve
Throttle Body: DPFI (Dual Point Fuel Injection)
Color Interior/Exterior: Blue on Blue
Condition: Pretty Good

The Story so far:

Bought it at auction for $900 and drove it for a week until it broke down (due to a blown head gasket). Performed a full engine replacement over the weekend and got it running. First week after the swap generated some weirdness. Second week I fixed the more rudimentary problems and got it stable enough to drive reliably. Still has some quarks and bugs to work out like the weird idling Wah-wah thing and some wiring funk with the alt.

Current plan:

Drive it until either A.) I find a better car or B.) Fix all problems relating to this car and make it my "daily driver"

Haven't chosen which one I'll go for.. but this car is (slightly) growing on me (more so on my nerves then on my heart)

Ok nuff said... Pic Time.

~J out

Be Prepared

Tonights post has todo with recent events concerning Pakistan.

The Short Version:

Recent Events have led me to believe that anything is possible nowadays and to scoff and say "there's no way *that* could happen" (Like our government declaring Marshall Law on us) is to be really be naive about history and what is very possible. There was a time centuries ago when people like us said, "There's no way they'll do *that* to us because we live in modern times" yet their naiveness ultimately led to a quick takeover by the government. We mustent get caught in the web of disbelief and contentment.

Long Version:

I'm no fool.. I stay up to date on the news and constantly interpret what governments are doing. The recent events of Pakistan have left be baffled and alarmed. The actions of Musharraf to take over in a militaristic fashion proved that he'll never let go of Military power. His actions contradicted years of negotiations and promises by him and US negotiators to take off his uniform and hold elections should be a warning and we should cut ties with him and support India instead. The direct action by the United States (as an upright staunch promoter of democracy) should have thrown their hands up in disgust, issued a flaming message of condemnation to Pakistan, and even put economic sanctions on the table, as well as, revoke anti-terrorism funding for the GWOT. Pakistan, if Musharraf is willing to do what he did, is not worth having him and his country an Ally anymore (no matter how beneficial they've been since the cold war) The United States government did issue any notice of this appropriate magnitude. And don't tell me that it would be ill natured of this administration to take such a strong tone, HAH!, a passing remark by Saddam as to how evil we are provoked serious condemnation threats by these very people, who merely asked (kindly I might add) that Musharraf promise he hold elections NOT THAT HE ENDS MASHALL LAW RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT HE KEEPS HIS ELECTION PROMISE. WTF?!

I see certain wheels in motion that I must comment on before retiring tonight. There is circumstantial evidence that could lead me to believe that the US government wouldn't put it behind them to declare marshall law on us if we acted up in outrage.

Evidence:

~Weak dollar on the global market means that they could jack prices up to starve us out.
~The War in Iraq has primarily been a big training mission for how to combat efficiently in an urban environment
~Recently a "mock Iraq village" was setup in California to train solders in how to find, eliminate, and clear towns of IED's, IED houses, and to learn key traits and characteristics of "potential terrorists"
~Black water clearly values their contracts with the United States and the US clearly supports Blackwater. And-- during the post-Catrina hurricane blackwater employees were asked to guard the streets (Armed)
~The freedom act and the constitution (under war time) does permit the executive branch and the President more powers to "protect the American people from potential terrorists threats."
~The actions by the United States to not send a strong condemning message to Pakistan means that they feel that the military alliance they have there is more valuable then democracy (still!).
~Declaring war on Iran would cause an upheaval by the American people to protest this action. The protest could be seen as a riot and that would authorize mass arrests and threaten national stability which (as in the case in Pakistan) is justifiable reasons for Marshall Law.

There's more evidence to come as we move closer to the date. As I said in my brief intro, it would be naive to think that the administration would not, or could not do this. There was no outrage by the Administration when Musharraf put the supreme court judges under house arrest and then arrested lawyers who were filing lawsuits against the Pakistani government, or any outrage for blacking out the press (who still are blacked out from reporting anything). If It happened, that is things here broke down, it would break down quick and we wouldn't know what would happen. We must be mentally prepared for anything, we must choose what side we would support if asked to pick. We need to think if we would be brave enough to speak out if free speech was banned or at the very least blogging and editorials were banned. (which would suck for me)

Calling the 21st century "post-modern" and "without concern of dictatorship" is naive words. People in 1908 did know Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Castro, or Saddam would rise up in power. People of 1908 knew of the concept of communism, but did not know of the Soviet Union or the PRC. It is very possible to have a dictatorship in the 21st "Post-Modern Era" and we must prepare ourselves for what we would do in that case. This is not "Scare Tactics" this is preparedness for the unknown.

What is scary is not what could happen, but what will happen in time.
Then again nothing could happen, I could be wrong, and everything could be perpetually blissful my whole life (as people want it to be like).

~J out

A blip in the blackout

Hey everybody, haven't forgotten to blog, but also have not time since events as of recently have kept me from doing such activities (such as blogging and sleeping).

Will report the stories soon...

~J out

A Kaze is brewing

I hate to admit it, but I have been struck broadside by a cold. It's symptoms plagued my sleep last night and the congestive nature plagues my ability to stay focused. I could come at this cold with a barrage of chemical concautions, formulas, and cold relieving promising drugs, but their effects are measured in hours and I think (however unwise) I am going to treat this cold with (mostly) herbal remedies and common sense.

Last night, while writing an analysis of one of my thesis sources, the cold hit me with a 1-2 punch (Cough and Runny Nose), I hit back with a pitcher of 100% Vitamin C Orange Juice, Zinc candies, and a pack of tissue (and TP for back up). I lasted that battle, today at work my strategy is simple:

~I have a 16oz mug with two Green Tea bags (2 because I'm running into something one can't handle
~2 ply Kleenex Anti-Bacterial Tissue (2 ply for the same reason :)
~Those zinc "Cold Eeze" cough drops
~Frequent, short breaks from working
~and Baroque music from Otto's Baroque Music Internet Channel via Shoutcast.

Today I will try to survive the work day... Hope this doesn't turn into a kami kaze and make it to the weekend...

So it's friday everybody.. you know what that means...

"All hands prepare for Friday morning weekend ho!"

"WEEKEND HO!" I repeat, "WEEKEND HOOOOOOOO!"

~J out

Working you over without pay

When I hear the dollar is sinking and that the Dow Jones Industrial & Nasdaq in their first hour today have dropped over 100 points.. I think about how that vacation to Canada is slowly moving towards un-affordability. Every one outside the US's money is either remaining the same or going up as our dollar is going down and now we're slowly feeling the effects of a weak dollar.

Today I filled up my car, a new car that I promise to post on soon, with 9.5 gallons. The price of gas, in Washington, was $3.15/gal making my 9.5 gal or so over $30 bucks... Before I could scoff at the outrageousness of what was being charged, a man pulled up in a construction like truck, a diesel truck and filled up with about 16 gallons of $3.69/gal diesel fuel.

Did gas go up because the nations hoarding the oil decided to jack up rates? or is it that our money doesn't buy as much oil as it used to? I'm leaning towards the latter, but why? Why let the dollar sink? Why another recession? Why let it happen now?

Don't put it on a bad administration, the faults of a couple of bad investments (like the sub-prime mortgage fiasco) were on our backs.

America isn't doing good, we're clinging on to supremacy, but if the dollar sinks lower we won't be able to rebuild anything in NO, or San Diego... And the answer to immigration isn't to drop the worth of the dollar so low that Mexicans will go home for better jobs neither.

Be concerned because it could all fall apart. A man working a job in Britain, getting paid 15 pounds a hour, means that he's getting paid $30+ an hour in the United States. Reverse that and you get a person in the United States working for $9-$15 an hour and in the UK (if they visit the UK) they're making 4.5-7.5 pounds/hr. 4-7 an hour is roughly what a corrupt hotel owner is paying his Mexican hotel maids. He's breaking the law by not paying them minimum wages, but what about us? We're getting paid less for the same amount of work hours, so we work an average of 9 weeks more than European countries to make up for it.. Double productivity yes, but not double compensation. A problem I might say...

When Saddam fell, so did the dinar money... The dinar dropped to such a worthless rate that you couldn't give it away as confetti. Slowly it is going up, but the impacts of that is likely to be the cause of why Iraq just isn't 'bouncing back.' If that were happen here, even on the micro scale, it could cause some serious problems for everyone looking for jobs, working jobs, or retiring after 20-30 years working a job.

Sidenote:

~One country to watch (as we slowly sink into doom) is Japan. While the dollar tanks, the yen remains the same in trade value. Yesterday the yen topped out at 115 yen to the dollar. When I was there a year ago it wavered from 100-116 yen to the dollar. Today it's hovering at 114 yen to the dollar.. This means that our economies are linked in some way. A recession effects everything and everyone across all borders, we can't go into a recession.

Christmas time, in all is whore and greed, is what always rescues America out of the pits. We buy cheap stuff to keep the economy rolling, but if filling up on Gas costs $10 more this year then last year, then that is $10 less on gifts and egg nog. The same goes with Natural Gas costs.

I detect a chain reaction and (like the Matrix) I feel that any uncertainty might trigger "the bomb." Unfortunately there's nothing you nor I can do, but hope. Hope that Europeans who *do* have money come over here and spend *their* wad of money.

We live in freak'n weird times guys.. watch out or else we'll be working our jobs, but be living in the poor house owned by some rich Swiss cow farmer. =P

~J out