Space Tomatoes

First World Problems: Toothbrushes

2011-10-28T08:47:00.000-04:00

Ok, I dont watch a lot of TV. Actually hardly zero TV. I canceled my cable TV some time back and honestly it is fantastic and one of the best things I've done.

That being said I dont see hardly any commercials. Some shows I do watch I do so via Hulu, or other means. Well last night I was catching up on Modern Family and was patiently waiting for the commercial break to be over for the rest of the show.

That's when this came on:

The most important part is the opening. This is where a commercial should really snag you and get you latched into it's content. It should be clear and concise and really speak to a deep emotional reaction to the viewer. Typically this is where a common problem is revealed, then your brain thinks that the rest of the commercial will be how there's a new super duper way to solve the problem.

If you haven't clicked on the commercial above, let me quote the beginning line of the commercial for you.

"Choosing a toothbrush can be confusing."

Really? Have you, or anyone you've known been that perplexed by this choice? I realize there are ones that are more ergonomic than others. Ones with soft to hard bristles, different colors and things. Some spin on their own and some *gasp* make you use your own muscles to use. But seriously, has anyone walked into the toothbrush aisle at the store, took a brief look around and just threw your arms up in the air and said, "Oh, fuck this!"

Luckily a professional dentist was on hand at this store to help this lady out. However if you find yourself in this predicament might I offer a few suggestions on making your choice a little easier:

Cory's Handy Guide to Toothbrush Purchasing:

It's a goddamn toothbrush, just grab one at random and go home and brush your damn teeth.
Use the extra brain power you didnt spend on your tooth brush choice to teach your child, cure cancer or club people to death that make these types of commercials.

Willy Wonka

2010-07-19T15:45:00.000-04:00

"You have Willy Wonka songs on your Zune?"

Kayak Trip 2: Electric Boogaloo

2010-06-17T14:59:00.002-04:00

Kayak trip numero deuce is under my belt.

I now have 4.3 miles under my belt on it so far all thru paddle power.

As you can see by the map (click the image to the left) that I inserted at the aqueduct in Saint Marys. This device is a series of tubes and waterfalls that carries the water of the canal over top of the Saint Marys river, as well as provides the river with overflow water from the canal. When properly functioning it helps maintain the canal at a normal level even during very very heavy rains.

The insert depth was roughly 2 to 2.5 feet with the same basic layout as my previous trip. Heavy decaying-organic mud on the bottom, shallow murky water, several fallen limbs and of various sizes.

On this trip I saw two things that I didnt see on my previous trip and it really is amazing just how different living things can can exist less than a mile from each other. However I'm sure it's easier now with humans creating artificial boundaries all over.

The first animal of note was a wood duck. This little critter comes to our area to nest and raise a family. So I saw 1 male and 2 or 3 females and several ducklings.

It was funny, as I would move down the canal, the mother would hustle the ducklings down the canal further on and they would scamper across the water surface trying to fly.

I tried to stay a safe distance back because I didnt want to stress them too much, and I've seen ducks attack swimming dogs before and didnt want to repeat that behavior. Two ducklings got separated and hid along the shore. When I passed they came out and squawked and announced their displeasure with me now being between them and their mother. All along the canal in this area the edges were much too steep and tall for the ducks to scale. Their mother didnt seem too happy with our new positions either and she didnt seem to want to adopt me. I made it to 66a, my goal was on past a few hundred feet away, so I decided to just turn around and not stress them anymore.

Things I learned from this trip:

Make sure your new spray skirt fits right before hopping in the kayak and trying to mess with it in the water.
Canal water is relatively clean, but will still stink after awhile on a kayak haul.
Better paddle control.
Trust the kayak to be stable standing in it.
A little bit of wind at your back can move you around.
I need to a bungie net on the deck to carry stuff easier.
People dont typically expect to see a person cruising down the canal in a kayak.

Oh and one last thing, there were some awesome purple wild flowers growing on several bushes down there.

They were more towards the spot I turned around at, so I picked one. Just like in the Batman movie, I had a quest that resulted in me picking a flower. So I think I am just that much closer to being a super hero.

My First Kayak Trip

2010-06-15T22:28:00.000-04:00

So the other day I did something that, apparently, a few people didnt think I would do, or like to do, or be interested in or whatever.

I went on my first kayak trip.

Over the years me buying a kayak has sort of become and inside joke and way to tease me. Like I said before I dont think many people thought I was serious about doing it or would be into it. But now I own one and I have officially went on one more kayak trip than most of the people reading this blog post.

As you can see by clicking on the map on the left, I took a trip down the Miami-Erie Canal in my hometown of St. Marys. I used the My Tracks app on my Droid to record this trip. Unfortunately I only recorded the one way, so just double the map's distance and path. I took off from the red point, went to the green and back to the red.

It was a very nice and relaxing time. I saw a lot of interesting things on the canal including wood peckers, some wild rocket lilies (well semi-wild) and a couple of small fish jumping out of the very shallow water.

The canal water was about 1.5 feet deep with a very thick mud at the bottom that is unlike most mud you would encounter. It's thick and black and wont let you go if you get into it. So I definitely took it easy in the kayak and did my best to not tip it over.

I'm using a Pelican Break (80) that I bought from a nice lady south of here thru Craigslist. The kayak seemed to track well and was very stable even has I bobbed it from side-to-side in some more interesting moments.

Now what sort of trouble could I get into on a long since used waterway? Well I'm glad you asked. At the green marker on the map is a tunnel that leads underneath State Route 33.

The interesting thing about this tunnel is that it's very similar to a pedestrian tunnel that is on the towpath along the left side of the canal. A tunnel that I've ridden thru on my bike or walked thru several times in the past. So I thought, "What the heck? I can fit and I can see the other end, so let's try it."

The bow of the kayak is in, it's an 8 foot kayak so this isnt going to be very dramatic. A few more light paddle strokes and I'm in. It's dark, the noise is strange from the traffic above. The light reflections bouncing around on the sides are interesting and my paddles make a weird ding off the metal sides when I accidentally bump them.

Then I hit my first spider web. Face first. No big deal. I'm not afraid of a little spider ... or a medium sized spider. Heck even large spiders dont bother me, so I press on. Oh look, there's one of my spider friends right now hanging from the next cobweb. I'm about 12 feet in, roughly under the first lane of traffic, and am now face-to-face with...

Yep. Dun, dun, duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun. The brown recluse. Not incredibly poisonous, but has been known to bite and cause some damage. I pass him slowly. He doesnt seem to know what to make of this person on a big piece of orange plastic invading his pristine home.

My mind races with what could be worse and pleased that my own personal Shelob had let me pass safely. And then I looked up. In the corrugated bends of the steel pipe I am in hangs the reason that I left the tunnel. Well the several reasons.

I present, to the uninitiated, the Orb Spider. This guy doesnt pack the potential problems as the Brown Recluse that I passed earlier, but they are much nastier looking. The abdomen was at least the size of the end of my thumb. Oh and notice how I am using plural pronouns? Yep, you guessed it, there were a LOT of them. I counted at least 15 directly above my head as I spun my kayak around ... there's 3 more ... weird splashing noises start echoing thru here as I hustle myself out of this womb of web weavers.

So I turned around and began heading home. Back the way I came. The canal had one last surprise in store for me though. A good sized snapping turtle leaped from the water, glanced off my back, hit the kayak's stern and slid into the water. Yeah, I think I was attacked by a turtle.

So all-in-all, a nice little trip. No rapids, a casual paddle down calm waters and a few close calls with some local Ohio wildlife. It was fun. I'm hoping to go out tomorrow to another section of the canal south of town. This part goes under State Route 66, a railroad another road and out to the feeder from the lake. I'm hoping this one will have less spiders.

Go for the gold.

2010-05-17T10:07:00.001-04:00

We were talking about being a world class athlete and having an accident during competition.

Co-worker: "I would kill myself if I shit at the Olympics."

FCC pushes ahead with Net Neutrality

2010-05-06T22:50:00.000-04:00

Big ups to the (Obama) FCC today for pushing thru the re-classification of America's broadband access under Title II. With this they can exert control over the broadband providers to make sure the net stays neutral.

The telecom's are upset with AT&T suggesting if the FCC wants this they should go ask Congress to pass a law regarding this. The same Congress who is bought and paid for with lobbying paid for by AT&T. Ugh.

Motorola Droid Review

2010-04-09T14:33:00.000-04:00

So I've had my Motorola Droid for a few weeks now and thought this would be a good time to write a quick review.

Hardware Pros:

Two words: GORILLA GLASS! Wow is that stuff amazing. I never tired of amazing family, friends and random strangers that I can take a utility knife blade to my screen and it not even a mark. I wish the rest of the phone was as sturdy.
The screen's resolution and color depth is AMAZING. This is by far the best screen of this size that I've seen yet.
The slide action has the perfect amount of friction and a very satisfying final "lock" when fully out.
I like the sort of rubbery coating on parts of the phone to keep it from being so slippery, yet not too "sticky" you cant jam it in your pocket, etc.
External audio is loud and very clear and doesnt sound too bad for a cell phone.
Great CPU and Memory.
Good size overall.
Playing with the dock and the magnets is neat.

Hardware Cons:

The BIGGEST issue is the physical keyboard. It is barely usable and is just horrible. I had an issue with the G1's keyboard being so off-centered and this one is just as bad. The D-Pad and the "Verizon" overhang on the phone take too much room and push your thumbs unnaturally off-center. The tips of each thumb should be able to touch the F and J keys naturally. The buttons could also be a bit more raised and "clickier" when pushed.
The outside speaker is too hampered by the phone laying flat and muffling the sound. Put it on a couch or in a case and you really reduce the volume this thing can get to and trust me this little speaker can be LOUD.
The metal that the screen bezel is made out of is WAY too soft and dents and nicks and chips paint WAY too easy. Next time just make the whole phone out of Gorilla Glass. You could get a nice case though for it.
The "Verizon" overhang bit is just ugly and really useless.
The overall design reminds me of a VCR from the heady days of VHS. It's not entirely ugly, but it's not pretty either. Thank the gods the screen is so big and can distract you from how clunky the design of the phone is.
The power button is aimed backwards a bit too much and can be hard to easily reach around press sometimes in certain positions.

Software Pros:

The Android OS is amazingly mature for as new as it is. I love this OS, but coming from Windows Mobile anything would be an improvement. Using Windows Mobile devices compared to this seems a bit like self-flagellation.
This phone is snappy, yes that's partly hardware, but also this OS can handle memory and app usage fantastic.
Easy, consistent and great design. I love how a lot of the default phone features or the official Google apps have an extra little button here or there that just make sense. You really get the feel that there was a person or a team saying, "Ya know, it's annoying when X happens, so this phone should do Y."
Lots of great apps and more and more coming. Over 70% of all current mobile app developers are now working on Android apps. Not to belabor the apps too much here, as this is a phone review, but I havent found a situation yet that I couldnt find an app for to help. And of course there are lots of GREAT time wasting ones :)

Software Cons:

I'm putting this in the software section, but I dont know if it's more hardware, but man is it hard to move a cursor to a specific location with a big old finger instead of a small stylus. I really wish these phones supported a stylus option and e-ink. Would be handy to sign things or tap VERY small areas when needed.
Long Press to select text, cut, copy, paste, whatever gets a little weird sometimes. Sometimes you think it copied everything and it doesnt (try to copy out a phone number from a txt message to manually do something with).
There needs to be a way to view currently open apps to move between them easier.
Um, Google, you're rich - make your own damn file manager.

Okay I'm bored with this post now. Final score A. Go buy a phone powered by Android 2+ and you'll be g2g.

Dont tell me ya love me ...

2010-02-08T21:25:00.005-05:00

Here are some Random Thoughts ...

Lotta snow out there. Just shut up and shovel.
Sony, in an effort to try to get me to hate them again, invented a way to wirelessly transfer data INSIDE a device instead of using circuits. WTF?
Sarah Palin recently spoke at the Tea Party "convention". She was paid to speak there, the promoters are a bunch of GOP billionaires (read grassroot common folk). The whole time she had simple notes written on her hand and even used them later at a paid sit-down interview. The next great part is she was "interviewed" on Fox News, where she IS PART OF THE PAID STAFF and then it only can get better when CNN picks up the whole story and writes it centering around that she did an interview on Fox News and teased her running as President (read only claim to fame). Ugh. Seriously. That's not even a knock about Sarah Palin, it's a knock at an American society who just passively lets stuff like this go on.
I've never seen an episode of Demetri Martin's "Important Things" but I've seen every TOSH.0. I feel like a piece of shit for this.
I loved the Super Bowl, except I couldnt shake the feeling that pro football is fake. But as a long standing fan of pro-wrestling, Go Saints!
Is it some kind of law that whatever device I want to buy always ends up having half the amount of memory as the thing that comes out 3 months later? I know things update fast, but at least let ME have the most RAM for awhile.
I know someone who's in Australia right now and I'm having a hard time not writing "let's put another shrimp on the barbie" in one of my emails.
Is Google Chrome good or is Firefox just getting on my nerves lately? Or both?!?!
FDR was an AMAZING President.
Kingdom Holding Company is getting ready to buy into News Corp. You know, News Corp, the company in charge of Fox News, The Wallstreet Journal, etc? Yes you do. And if you knew that I bet you knew that the head of Kingdom Holding Company is Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, nephew to the king of Saudi Arabia. See and I didnt even need a chalkboard.
Windows Phone Series 7 is very interesting. I'm not buying, but it's neat.
Spicy Chili nugget sauce from McDonalds is awesome.
I accidentally bought two things at Wal-mart that were made in the USA. If I were a big chain retailer, I would make a "USA Only" section where everything is 100% US made.
The need to pass a law that makes all package and marketing material for products sold in the USA to list the top 5 countries the product or portions of it were made and the percentage next to it. And no, I'm not on some Lou Dobbs crazy pills, just trying to help protect our jobs.
if you havent checked out lamebook, do so now.
I once worked on a computer where I had to open the case and inside was a half-eaten Big Mac in its box sitting half on the video card. The person told me he put it in there to keep it warm.
I watched King Kong vs. Godzilla, wow. What a low point in special effects for Kong. Seriously I'm pretty sure I could do a more realistic ape suit. Spoiler Alert: It ends in a tie, sort of. It's hilarious though.

Why Apple makes money ...

2010-02-04T14:32:00.002-05:00

...because you're an idiot. If you buy Apple products, they bank on you being an idiot.

The iPod and iTunes. You had to have one. So did everyone else and Mac sales went up. However when Apple finally realized the iPod wasnt going to drive Mac sales, they released iTunes on the PC about 2 years later. The iPod exploded.

The only problem is that iTunes locked your music to itself and your iPod. "Your" music wasnt yours anymore, but the device and software's music. Oh and Apple started ads hating on the PC (you know the platform that made their iPod what it is?).

Then you're messiah Steve came down from on high and said, "Let there be no longer DRM." and there was much rechoicing. All previous sins were forgiven and everyone was glad that they had to pay money AGAIN to unlock their DRM songs. But they were happy to do it to free their music because they knew Steve Jobs is the Abraham Lincoln of MP3s and they are happy to obey.

Then came the iPhone. Let's get real honest here. No one would buy this thing without Apps. And presto the App Store was born and everyone said "OH I gotta have these apps!". And the few people that said, "uh wait, this is a DRM'ed fully enclosed monopolistic marketplace where Apple is the only gatekeeper," they were ignored because Steve Jobs didnt decree this to be an issue. And remember one of these apps was Apple's Safari web browser (it's important for later).

And now we come to the iPad. People now debate on whether they will buy one or just get an iPhone or keep their iPod Touch. And no one cares about the Apps only running in their enclosed and protected universe.

And no one, seems to care or realize that all the way back to OS8, the common web browser allowed you to purchase and download digital content from any website. And that Apple could've used that all along for their delivery method. Even using their own Safari web browser to do it. But no, they closed the system and continue to leave it closed the entire time so they can make money. And everyone just lets them go ahead and get away with it or get a free pass. Wallstreet's making money, Taiwanese and Chinese companies (with child labor) are making money building all these things, hell Steve Jobs even has made so much money that he bought himself a new liver. He bought himself a new liver with part of your money.

You didnt even need an App to move the files to your device because your Operating System supported that already too. You didnt have to buy all new wires or docks or connectors because USB had that all taken care of too.

So the next time you buy an Apple product or you agree with or assert that they helped revolutionized the industry, just remember these things:

USB cables can do everything just fine.
Your OS can move files between one thing and another just fine.
A web browser can (and should) display any web page on any platform.
Apple didnt invent the idea of ditching DRM
Apple charged you to de-DRM your already bought tunes.
A lot of people made Unix for free and that is the backbone of OSX.
The iPhone and iPad are closed systems where Apple is in control of what apps are allowed on the device.
People buy them because they are "Apple" or are "sexy" doesnt explain why the key trendsetters initially bought enough of them to make them popular. If you cant quantify sexy it can no longer be used as a dismissive way of explaining this stuff when you dont have any other ideas.
Steve Jobs was once quoted as saying that doing LSD was "one of the two or three most important things [he had] done in [his] life."
Steve Jobs is now rich enough to buy his own liver and did. His own liver. Think about that.

Woot

2010-01-07T13:22:00.001-05:00

Me: "Steven you should go to the Grand Canyon."
Steven: "The Grand Canyon? Why?"
Me: "Because it would be awesome."
Steven: "I'm going to Michigan this summer."

The Next XBOX ...

2009-10-31T12:11:00.009-04:00

What might be? In the few free moments between working and thinking about working and half-a-dozen other things, I've been thinking recently about what the next XBOX will look and feel like.

Name?

What's in a name? Well a lot. Microsoft partially chose "360" due to the number 3. They thought XBOX 2 against the PS3 would seem like they are a generation behind. So in a world where the PS4 is potentially on the horizon, where does that leave the XBOX? If you were to take a sample of XBOX Live gamers, solely based on their gamertag, maybe the XBOX 420 would work.

Since the other reason they chose the 360 was to illicit a response based on this is a complete turn around and new approach to gaming. How do you market that again once you've already made a 360? Another 360 puts you back where you were. In my opinion Microsoft will be dropping the number completely. They saw is didnt hurt the Wii and they have really no where to go from here. I look for the next XBOX to be the XBOX Quatro or something similar. They wont drop the "XBOX" name completely and appended it with some hip name.

CPU & GPU, RAM?

This is a simple estimation. Everything will be at least 3x stronger. If not, pack up and go home. And also hope that Sony doesnt come up with a more simple way to code for CELL processor and somehow magically unlock the power of it that they claim it has.

Drive?

Here are our options and the pros and cons of each:

No Drive:

Pros: No moving parts to die. Less chance of piracy (less not none). Delivery method is already in place with the Games On-Demand.

Cons: People arent totally sold on not holding something in their hand that they've bought. And the big one Gamestop, Walmart, etc will be SUPER pissed. If they dont have games to carry to drive customers into where your console is actually sold, you're going to have a problem. No drive is simply not an option.

DVD:

Pros: Current tech is well known. Manufacturing is cheap. Ubiquitous.

Cons: Too small. Some games now are feeling the pressure of even dual layer disks. And combined with XBOX Live arcade or Games On-Demand to help push thru smaller games that publishers dont want to press disks. Look for the DVD to go the way of the dodo.

Blu-ray:

Pros: HUGE storage compared to DVDs. Now industry standard for beyond DVD media. You get the added bonus of having a system that plays Blu-ray movies titles.

Cons: Not much here other than drive stability because of moving parts (like DVDs). Blu-rays will be around for a long while. The only real con here is Microsoft not wanting to pay fees to the Blu-ray group or losing face for taking so long to move to Blu-ray.

Solid State:

Pros: Less chance of common piracy. Speed across the bus. Could contain local caching. Can really be any size, small or large. No scratches, noise, and vibrations. And no moving parts which means less risk of system failure.

Cons: A reinvention of the mass production of game media. It could blow back in your face if people had to start blowing on the connectors to get the things to run ala the NES. A re-education of the masses as to how this option is better than disks will be needed. Memory prices will have to stay low and more stable or they could end up paying a lot of money for this.

Winner: Solid state. Safer, cheaper, less piracy, easier to market as new and
hip.

Hard Drive?

Microsoft needs to go big here or go home. Since they've proved that selling various versions of the console they will continue that plan but look for none of them to not contain some sort of storage. The boards will have up to a gig of memory on board for data storage. And I think the smallest drive you will see on the next system is a 120gig model.

Hopefully they will learn their lesson and allow users to buy their own, also a move to eSATA wouldnt be out of the question.

Controller?

There will always be controller fanboys and as many people that argue which console is better will argue which controller config is better. Microsoft did a great job with the current controller, so look for them to not push the limits much more in terms of design.

I think you'll see better attach points for accessories like a keyboard, or even a mini thumb drum kit for band games. We're talking mini-USB here.

Battery-wise, is where you'll really see the largest focus. Microsoft will be looking for some long strides here. Maybe they will even adapt to the new PowerMat tech and go that direction. I dont look for them to drop the snap-in piece that allows you to use AA's on your own. Plug-n-play was a big hit for them too, look for that to hang around.

Project NATAL? It will be there. Maybe not built in. Maybe only included on "elite" systems and while the concept will be a great add-on it will NOT be the next controller alone.

Personally I think Microsoft could make some GREAT games by replacing the right thumb-stick with a laser trackball. While this could still act as a "stick", it has the resolution and movement concept that could emulate a mouse pointer. A mouse pointer could lead to the system adapting to flash-based games and opening up a lot more potential to keep users on the system for things like Facebook, etc.

Bluetooth?

Nope. Microsoft will further refine its 2.4ghz wireless tech and maybe drop the licensing fees down to expand 3rd party's to come up with new accessories. Also look for them to keep the IR port for a remote control.

External power supply.

Yep. Bet on it. It's staying. The 360's heat issues will not be risked on the new system, so ALL sources of heat will be kept very far away.

XBOX Live?

Expect Gold to turn Silver and current Gold to turn "Platinum". What the hell is involved in a Platinum service? I dont know but Microsoft is going to have to push to make it great to keep it a pay service. Especially as other current gen systems are eroding XBOX Live with free offerings of cross-game chat, Netflix streaming, etc. XBOX Live in the next gen has the most pressure on it to change and renew itself. XBOX Live needs to explode with something big or it needs to
go free.

Microsoft skirts a fine line with XBOX Live, they need to make sure that the paid people feel the value of the service, but at the same time allow the free users to feel "connected" enough to anchor them more to the console and process and hopefully later turn them into paid users. Paid users will need to be given a lot more of a chance to receive free benefits, little to no-ads, first in line for certain offers, etc.

A grand-slam would be bigger, better, faster and FREE. Also look for the next XBOX to include an internal wireless networking.

Other thoughts:

Microsoft needs to be really careful with their console development vs. their Windows platforms. Driving more gamers from the PC and onto your console could eventually erode your Operating System support from manufacturers. And this would be bad at a time when Apple, Google and various Linux distro's are banging at the gates (no pun intended).

Microsoft needs to stay away from cheap gimmicks. No smell-o-vision or 3D gaming. They need tried and true hardware with accessible and an easy programming interface to keep developers happy.

Look for Microsoft to attempt to shore up exclusivity deals with major league sports franchises with live HD streaming of games via XBOX Live.

Look for more games to feature "Pro" interactions. Microsoft will push to get actual Indy drivers to play the game or map out their best races and allow you to match against their ghosts sessions.

Unfortunately I look for Microsoft to invest again in their own "social networking" (if you could call it that) with Windows Live and start delivering more interactive communication between it and the 360 and the Zune.

Expect better 360 and Zune interaction. Syncing a Zune on a 360 or plugging a Zune and receiving super special 360 only content, etc.

If you're reading this as a syndicated "Note" on Facebook, you can read my official blog at www.spacetomatoes.com

I have a penny in my shoe.

2009-10-16T08:51:00.002-04:00

You might think this post title is some vague and obscure reference, but it's not. I actually have a penny in my left shoe.

The other day in the car I was putting change in my change holder built into the dash. And a penny slipped out of my hand and slid down a fold in my jeans and went right into my shoe.

Normally a bulge on my sock, or a stone in my shoe would drive me insane, but I gotta say the penny didnt bother me at all. So I left it in there. Today is day 4 with the penny bouncing around in my shoe.

I'm not sure why I havent bothered to take it out yet.

A dark day.

2009-10-06T21:39:00.004-04:00

Havent posted on my blog in awhile, been mini-updating via Twitter and Facebook instead of here.

Although you might actually be reading this on Facebook right now since it's been importing my posts here from my RSS feed.

At any rate ... I'm remiss to say that finally, after long last and much consideration ... I have finally thrown out the half-drank bottle of orange juice in my refrigerator tonight.

I bought it March of 2007. It had a long good run, and with a tear in my eye, I now say goodbye. I was with it from the very beginning when it was just a doe-eyed youth at Kroger. It's troubling teen years when it tasted just a little funny. Then on into maturity when the portions of the juice began congealing and the water separating. And it's twilight years when the molecular structure of it had begun breaking down to the point where at the bottom was a true mass of orange. Not the fruit mind you, but the actual color. It was a lump of the purest orange that I have ever laid eyes on.

Goodnight sweet fruit juice and may a flight of angels sing they to they rest. That is if I remember to put the garbage on the curb this week.

Here's a picture of it from a previous post back in June 2008. It's in the far back corner on the right.

Hey Chevy!

2009-09-10T14:56:00.002-04:00

Before you try to "change the world" with your Chevy Volt how about you change the brake lights so they look like you know how to actually fit to pieces of a car together properly.

The image below is the current brake lights on the Chevy Volt (top) and my photoshop of them so they line up and are WAY better looking. God this car is so damn interesting and so damn annoying almost in equal measures.

My Eye ...

2009-09-10T12:13:00.003-04:00

I had a severe corneal abrasion on my "good" eye last week that left me pretty screwed.

I've had an abrasion before and they normally heal over night (the cornea is the fastest healing human tissue). However this one didnt heal over night. Quite the opposite - it got much worse during the night and was extremely painful and swelled very large. At any rate, that is all better now and I had one last follow-up visit with my local optometrist to make sure it was fine and I was able to start wearing my contact lens again in it. It's fine and I am now in a nice new contact (one made even better for astigmatism).

For shits and giggles he checked my surgical eye. When it was last checked by the surgeon back in May it was around 20/65 with an astigmatism. I am please to report now that with the pin hole test (the little shield that cuts out the astigmatic portion of your site, my eye zeroed in at 20/25. That's only 5 points worse than perfect vision.

I continue to be amazed at the success of the surgery and it's a testament to the ability and skill of my surgeon Dr. Farjo. He's an amazing doctor all around and a fantastic surgeon. I got see him towards the end of this month to get the graft checked out and I'm hoping he says it's secure enough to start a contact lens in it. If so it will be the first time in over 6 years that I will have perfect or better eye sight in both eyes.

Tin foil hat freshly washed and re-crinkled.

2009-08-28T14:29:00.001-04:00

Oh shit Beck figured out the plan!

Today's line

2009-08-27T14:46:00.000-04:00

"Dude, have you ever been mocked by a turd? It's not awesome."

- Eric Quade

Im gonna try 2 tame your little red love machine

2009-08-27T10:48:00.004-04:00

Anyone else listen to Prince? I listen to quiet a bit of his songs - including Batdance.

At any rate, I'm trying to determine an approximate speed of the "Little Red Corvette"(a metaphor of a speeding car to a fast woman but let's ignore that).

Things we can extrapolate from the song:

The Corvette is traveling at a speed faster than what Prince considers safe.
The Corvette contains a nearly full tank of gas.
Prince is concerned the speed and road friction will end up driving the car right into the ground (tire wear?).
The song was released in 1982, so let's assume it's a new Corvette. A 1982 Corvette had 200 hp, and did 0-60 mph in 7.9 seconds and the 1/4 mile in 16.1 seconds at 85 mph. It hit 100 mph in 24.8 seconds and a top speed of 125mph.
The album cut of the song is 4:58 minutes long.
The car was parked at the beginning of the song (sideways) and sat still long enough for Prince to examine the contents of the girl's pockets.
Prince first mentions her speed being "too fast" at 0:52 seconds into the song in the first chorus.

It is my assumption that by the time that Prince warns her the first time that she is going too fast that she has easily maxed out the Corvette at 125mph. The album was recorded in Minnesota where this is double the current posted speed limits. Slow down indeed.

Please let this be real.

2009-08-25T11:45:00.002-04:00

If this is a big joke I'm going to be so pissed. If this is real then I'm going to be glued to the tube this fall.

Facebook

2009-08-20T15:10:00.005-04:00

Ok so I know I havent posted a lot on here lately. Stupid Twitter and Facebook are sucking up all my quick post anecdotes lately and I havent had many deep insights worth posting on here.

Dont know if that's a good or bad thing. So here's a list things I've recently been thinking about:

When will Aqua's new single drop?
Why would you wear a gun to a political rally?
How do you tell when cat food goes bad?
How to kill ppl who respond with "k" or some variance.
My new phone (HTC Touch Pro).
Bulking-up.
Robert Frost's ironic commentary on fencing.
Why it's easy to rastorize but difficult to vectorize.
Call of Duty 5 Map Packs.
Shelving.
A vampire's permanent hymen issue.
Faux stained glass.
How cool the word ancillary is.
How I think I've missed doing anything fun this summer in the warm weather.
Nightvision goggles.
Buying a camcorder.
That Democrats normally dont mind being thought of as cowards and Republicans normally dont care if they're hypocrites

Whoa.

2009-08-19T11:47:00.003-04:00

Do you remember the 80's? I do.

2009-08-11T08:58:00.001-04:00

CNR would KILL Chuck Norris

2009-08-05T21:31:00.005-04:00

This is great. Especially now that Chuck Norris has thrown his opinion into the whole Obama-birther crowd.

Sookie (aka my house) is MINE!

2009-08-03T12:22:00.002-04:00

My loan cleared it's last hurdle for my house. Now the title department sets a closing date and I am officially a home owner!

My Blog

2009-07-27T23:32:00.000-04:00

*looks around*

So, who owns this blog? Can just anyone post? haha

Another reason to love "The West Wing"

2009-07-21T23:43:00.002-04:00

A man falls down a hole and cant get out.

A doctor passes by and the man shouts, "Hey can you help me out of this hole?"

The doctor writes him a prescription, throws it down the hole and keeps walking.

A priest passes by and the man shouts, "Hey can you help me out of this hole?"

The priest writes a prayer, throws it down the hole and keeps walking.

Then a friend walks by, "Hey can you help me out of this hole?"

And the friend jumps down in the hole. Our guy says, "Why did you do that, now we're both stuck in this hole." The friend replies, "It's okay. I've been down here before and know the way out."

Fuck that!

2009-07-18T16:10:00.003-04:00

I was so excited when I heard Futurama was going to have new episodes on Comedy Central. Although I was worried that Comedy Central would fuck it up. It seems my concerns were well founded...

Twentieth Century Fox, which is still producing the series even though new episodes will air on Comedy Central, is recasting the major voice roles for the show. That means no more Billy West (Fry, Professor, and Ziodberg), Katey Sagal (Leela), John DiMaggio (Bender), Maurice LaMarche (Kif Kroker, among others), or Tress MacNeil (Mom, and several others). Worst!

Fox released a statement saying "We love the Futurama voice performers and absolutely wanted to use them, but unfortunately, we could not meet their salary demands. While replacing these talented actors will be difficult, the show must go on. We are confident that we will find terrific new performers to give voice to Matt and David's brilliantly subversive characters."

Ugh.

Google Voice

2009-07-16T23:22:00.001-04:00

Woot. Just got my application for Google Voice.

Pretty neat features so far, but it's centralized thru numbers they've pre-setup, so you have to tell everyone that you have a new number. If you want my new Google number, send me an email or txt me.

Apparently later on they are going to support number portability which will be way cool.

Go back to your own country!

2009-07-09T12:39:00.001-04:00

RIP = Rest in Peace

2009-07-04T21:53:00.004-04:00

He's dead. It's done. Shut up about it.

The news needs to end. The "news" needs to end. The ridicule and jokes need to end. The scoop, rumors, theories, innuendo, debate and discussion need to end.

He's dead. Give it up.

Rest in peace, MJ, from the demons inside and out.

Quote of the Day

2009-06-30T23:30:00.001-04:00

I hope that when I die, people say about me, 'Boy, that guy sure owed me a lot of money.'

- Jack Handey

Zune is Sexy!

2009-06-30T15:37:00.008-04:00

So I love my Zune and pound for pound it's as great as any iPod and in a lot of ways better. The one thing that Microsoft has a very hard time doing is sexy though. iPod's get a big rub by the imaginary "sexy" quotient of their products that Microsoft has a very hard time generating for their stuff.

Case in point is Wes Moss, in the latest Zune advertisement. Sure the ad makes tons of sense and is a great selling point over the iPod/iTunes system but it's just not sexy ... or is it? Have you ever clicked on the ad and actually seen the FULL SIZE advertisement? Go ahead, click on it over there and and try it out. ;)

We cannot enforce your Western Bacon Cheeseburger.

2009-06-30T11:35:00.001-04:00

What the hell is going on in the world?

2009-06-24T14:32:00.002-04:00

Been busy today so I've only been glancing at headlines flying by.

Correct me if I'm wrong but did the Gov. of South Carolina fly to Argentina after kidnapping some little girl and while down there give Steve Jobs a liver transplant all because there have been riots in Tehran?

I'm so confused.

Wait it seems like he went to Argentina to cry over the fact he's been cheating on his wife for like five years. And in the last 5 months he's been "in overdrive in figuring out how to get this right and to be honest". Wow. What a fuckwit. You stop by not putting your penis or emotional penis in another woman who isnt your wife. And being honest is a pretty clear and easy thing to be.

Still not clear on how Steve Job's liver fits into all this stuff ... oh and is his new one an iLiver? Wait, is that part of iSurgery or do you have to buy an upgrade? I dont own a Mac so I'm not sure how all that works.

New Blog

2009-06-23T10:24:00.002-04:00

I am starting a new blog. Permanent Loop (www.permanentloop.com).

Spacetomatoes is my blog, a personal place for my thoughts and views and whatever. Permanent Loop is going to be a music only blog. I've been finding tons of music and like to share and read other people's opinions on music that I might like and that's what Permanent Loop is going to be for.

So go check it out and "follow" it if you have a Blog of your own, etc.

President Ninja

2009-06-17T08:19:00.000-04:00

I, for one, welcome our new touch overlords.

2009-06-11T09:04:00.000-04:00

DaVinci (Microsoft Surface Physics Illustrator) from Razorfish - Emerging Experiences on Vimeo.

See you in hell!

2009-06-10T09:36:00.002-04:00

On today's The 700 Club, Pat Robertson was asked what to do if your son tells you he's gay:

Robertson "I am not at all persuaded that so-called homosexuals are homosexuals because of biological problems. There may be a very few, but there are so many that have been made homosexuals because of a coach or a guidance counselor or some other male figure who has abused them and they think there's something wrong with their sexuality." ... "Well, I think you ought to tell him, 'Listen, son, you know, here's what the Bible says about this, and it's called an abomination before God, so I've got to tell you the truth because I love you'...I mean, if somebody's on their way to hell, they'll -- I mean, you've got to love them to rescue them."

I do know what the Bible says now about homosexuality, but the word abomination was added and not in the oldest texts of the book that we have access to. There's also a school of thought that "abomination" isnt the same as a Hell-damning sin by people much more learned and theologically versed then Pat Robertson. But let's assume he is right and the literal direct meaning is that homosexuality is an abomination as it's written in Leviticus 18:22.

Well then Pat Robertson is also going to hell, well that's probably not a shock to anyone. But the specific reasons shown in the above images (and no not just for his fashion sense).

Leviticus 19:19 Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woolen come upon thee.

So he's definitely wearing different fibers in the pictures above, including leather shoes which leather is a BIG no-no. And I'm sure he's eaten shellfish before and all kinds of crazy stuff.

Now enjoy one of the best moments from one of the greatest shows ever, The West Wing:

Amen.

2009-06-09T14:15:00.002-04:00

I just got done watching a rather disturbing video on Youtube that I dont wish to dignify with a description here. However to make up for that evil, I give you this:

2011 Tesla Model S Part 1 of 3: Design | Video - OnCars

2009-06-08T15:41:00.001-04:00

2011 Tesla Model S Part 1 of 3: Design | Video - OnCars

Shared via AddThis

Gimme all your money, all your hugs and kisses too ...

2009-06-04T11:54:00.004-04:00

I think I set a new personal record for money spending in a single day.

Yesterday I paid a contractor (doing insulation and HVAC work on my house) $2400 and then opened my mail and got a bill from the anesthesiologist for $676.

Thankfully I've met my $1000 insurance deductible, so if my head falls off I'm good with that at least. Still got some money held back for final costs with my mortgage if that thing ever goes thru. Man it takes a long time to buy a house.

Spin Around Ninjas!

2009-05-29T21:08:00.000-04:00

This Old House

2009-05-27T22:32:00.003-04:00

The house buying saga continues. The main mortgage guy took a week's vacation. Got the appraisal done and have to wait to see if the appraiser is going to recommend the need for an inspection.

I also am getting an estimate on getting my house super insulated and the HVAC shaped up. I also found a great new front door on Craigslist for super cheap that I hope to pick up tomorrow. Once I get it installed then I'll get my storm door on.

Got some more projects to finish around the house. My new tools are keeping me busy. :)

Hey look at that!

2009-05-27T22:25:00.002-04:00

Wow, I had another awesome appointment with the eye doctor. He said I'm several months ahead on the healing process and already took out a few stitches today. Which normally doesnt happen till around 6 months.

My vision continues to improve in general and today ... for the first time in over 6 years ... I saw clearly and distinctly out of my left eye. He tired a corrected lense at -12 diopter which isnt too dang shabby. Too bad I cant get it in a contact yet (too rough on my eye) and no luck with glasses yet as my vision could warp again and they'd be instantly worthless.

I'm also allowed in the water now, just not deep swimming or a lot of submersion without big goggles. So that means I can ramp back up at the gym, hit the pool and the hot tub. WOO! I'm so excited.

Fish Fry

2009-05-23T08:10:00.001-04:00

Okay, Fish Fries are evil.

I went to one last night and ate like 5 big plates of fish and I'm still bloated from it. I came home and in a half hour I was dead asleep and slept all night long less one hour where I woke up to realize that Brian May issued a statement that they might have that American Idol guy sing some music for Queen for awhile. I dont know how I feel about all that since I dont watch American Idol at all.

All hail our new monkey overlords

2009-05-20T13:16:00.002-04:00

Google's logo today is in commemoration of the discovery of "the missing link". The latest best evolutionary link between primate and human evolution.

Check out this great post on a message board for people waiting for the Rapture about this:

I saw it and was going to post on it as well but you beat me to it. I almost threw my laptop it made me soooooooooo mad

Sheesh, rage much? Honestly I know things can be frustrating and a computer can be a large source of frustration when they arent working right. But if you are so wrapped up into something that you read online that you want to physically throw your laptop, you need an adult TIME OUT. Not disrespecting this person's personal beliefs or anything here, but close the laptop lid and go sit quietly in the corner until you can behave.

The same poster follows with:

Made me wonder what the logo would look like after we're taken outta here!

*blink* You're not concerned with the enjoyment you'll receive in Heaven? You're not the least bit concerned about seeing all your loved ones and be eternally in the love and protection of your god? The thought that comes to your mind at this point is what Google's logo will look like after the Rapture? I'm assuming you assume that it will be some soft of pictographic representation of "Oh damn! Why didnt we learn and accept god before it was too late?!". Which shouldnt matter to you at all since you'll be in Heaven. But it seems like you'd like to divide your time in Heaven between tip-toeing thru Jesus's tulips and sitting in judgement on how we all behave down here. You really think you'd be in a Heaven where you would have a free moment to be bored long enough to sit and look down and shake your head at the "stupid" people who are left? Your Heaven sounds like a front porch on a busy street. That's what you're so ready for? Eternal life of watching cars speed down your street, yelling at people to get off your yard and gossiping with the neighbor lady about the single woman who lives across the street? Oh that and what Google is doing for their logo nowadays. I'm serious about the sitting in the corner thing. Go there now.

Rare Sentence:

2009-05-20T12:23:00.000-04:00

An example of a sentence uttered less than 10x in the history of human speech:

“I cannot believe how this goose got into such an incredible position."

Every crime is a hate crime ... no sorry.

2009-05-15T10:05:00.004-04:00

Members of the federal government are still working to pass new Hate Crime legislation that would shore up inadequacies in the current laws and expand the protection to LGBT people.

Many argue that adding Hate protection is unnecessary as all crimes are hate related crimes and thus what? I've never understood the argument against Hate Crime measures. You have the person guilty of committing a crime and you claim to be tough on crime, but you are against further penalizing them in this regard? Anti-Hate Crime comments normally come from the most "lock them up and throw away the key" type people as well. I just dont get it.

How I see it:

Crime 1: A 43 year old man goes and rob's a bank because he lost his job and believes he has no other means to acquire money. He goes in with a gun and threatens the tellers and gets his money and takes off. Is this a hate crime? No. He may have scared the people involved and should receive the extra punishment of it being an "aggrevated assault" while he was stealing.

Crime 2: Two 22 year old men go out to specifically find a person who is black/gay/jewish/etc with the express intent to injure or kill that person simply because that person is black/gay/jewish/etc. They find their target and lure him to a location where they begin to beat him. As they begin to violently dominate this person their rage and excitement intensify. Their work boots begin peeling back scalp from skull as they kick the victim's head. Ribs crack, bruises begin to form quickly from the severity of the blows. Soft tissue is contused and ruptured as they now use weapons because their hands are becoming too sore from their strikes. The person is still breathing and this seems like the ultimate act of defiance against their efforts to fully make this person submit to their will and aggression. They use a length of dog cable and attach it to the victim's neck, cutting his skin and off what remaining air he can muster into his punctured lungs. He's then tossed into the back of their vehicle and driven miles and miles out into a desolate countryside. He is then tied to a fence in a mock crucifixion pose, stripped nude, genitals now mutilated by an old jack handle and the gas they dumped on him is now slightly washed off by their urine. They leave him - clinging to life - for over 3 days. The victim finally succumbs to his injuries and blood loss and the elements and dies hanging there. Is this a hate crime? Yes. Hate motivated the whole process. And on top of the normal punishment for the crime, they should be punished extra for it being a Hate crime as a deterrent against people in our society that need extra protection.

The only argument left I can see is why is Victim A more or less special than Victim B to receive more or less punishment. Well in a simple world this thought is correct. But in our very complex world we realize that some people need our extra protection and as long as it's not reducing the punishment on a non-hate targetted victim, I dont see the big deal.

Meep Meep!

2009-05-14T11:30:00.005-04:00

In case you dont have a Road Runner internet connection with Power Boost and ever wondered if it was worth the money. In the words of my High School Art Teacher (who was Korean) it's "fast as dust". Which basically means super damn fast.

And yes those are "B's" as in BYTES, not BITS. Chica-POW!!!

Home Buying

2009-05-13T10:43:00.001-04:00

Still in the process of buying my house. I changed houses from the one on the corner to the one I live in right now. I will save $20,000 and can get it paid off in about 10 years or so which will rock.

And I dont have to move! WOOT!

The love of atheists

2009-05-04T22:38:00.000-04:00

Ask a deeply religious Christian if he’d rather live next to a bearded Muslim that may or may not be plotting a terror attack, or an atheist that may or may not show him how to set up a wireless network in his house. On the scale of prejudice, atheists don’t seem so bad lately.

-- Scott Adams

I'm out of here.

2009-05-03T22:49:00.003-04:00

I just found out over the weekend that I can start moving into the house I'm buying. Yeah sorry forgot to post that I'm buying a house. Been super busy with all this shit. The carpets were cleaned today and I will be painting over the next two days and then it's time to ... move.

Moving, yeah ... one of those things that sounds fun until you do it.

This is disgusting.

2009-05-01T13:54:00.003-04:00

I've campaigned against this man before as a shared outing with the Obama campaign in a neighboring county. However I am going to go full throttle at him this time.

Better Eye Picture

2009-04-30T12:11:00.003-04:00

My friend Eric Quade purchased an amazing new camera. So I had him take a better picture of my eye. This picture is pretty darn impressive for him not even having a macro lense.

As you can see most of the redness is out of my eye. Even though I'm holding my eye open with my fingers you cant see the anchor points for the cutting guide, but they are way less red as well.

You can get a good sense of the 17 anchor stitches still in my eye that holds the new cornea on. There are a few other tension stitches that are too hard to see yet though.

My vision has improved from 20/500 (a rat's is 20/600) to 20/50 and 20/30 (with pinhole assist). Which is pretty damn amazing. I still have a double image due to the astigmatism but that's normal. My vision should finally become fixed at or around the 6 month mark and then it will be contact or glasses time.

Goodbye Pontiac

2009-04-27T09:52:00.002-04:00

GM has officially announced the end of the Pontiac line of cars, saying that they will be fully phased out by 2010. I, for one, am glad to see it go. While I have owned one Pontiac in the past and enjoyed it, I certainly didnt buy it because it was a Pontiac and I'm glad I dont have it anymore.

Pontiac's model line is one of the things that also confused me with what GM was doing with their cars. So many of the Pontiac's were duplicates of other cars that were made under the Chevy brand or other ones. And while I understand the concept of uni-body designs to cut down on production costs, it really doesnt seem to make sense to me to have 12 different names for basically the same cars.

Now you may be wondering why there's a picture of an Native American on this post. Well if you didnt know the name "Pontiac" comes from an Anglo-saxon slang version of the Native American Chief Obwandiyag. They started calling him Pontiac because they couldnt pronounce his name or be bothered to try to I guess while they were stealing all his land and mass slaughtering his people. It's also ironic to note that Chief Obwandiyag is probably best known for leading a massive unsuccessful attack against Fort Detroit.

Hopefully once GM gets all settled down again they will introduce a new brand to replace Pontiac. Maybe they can call it Uncle Tom or Sambo. Now presenting the Sambo Melon G5 Coupe new for 2015.

Oh and mark my words, GM will file for bankruptcy protection in June.

Creationism with Ricky Gervais

2009-04-23T09:50:00.002-04:00

Texas Seceding Opinion

2009-04-21T12:18:00.003-04:00

I think this is a great idea. Please leave. Give us our federal money and property back and please leave.

Then you can have prayer in school, teach creationism, outlaw all abortions, whatever you want. Then all the crazy republicans can have a place to go move to to get away from the rest of us.

Although I'm sure there'd be some that would hang around and talk about still fighting to take this country "back". But I bet we could tranq them from a chopper and just air drop them into Dallas.

If you guys need help with the flag or packing or anything, let me know.

What the Tea Parties Are About - My Repsonse to Glenn Beck

2009-04-16T12:45:00.002-04:00

Below is my response to Glenn Beck (I cant believe I'm doing this btw). My responses are in blue.

What the Tea Parties Are About

April 16, 2009 - 0:33 ET

This is what the tea parties are about:

Okay out with it. Let's hope everyone agrees with you and I dont have to do this for all the right-wing people out to define this.

It's about spending — too much spending, to be specific. The idea that a business is too big to fail is anti-American; we've always been for the underdog.

Spending has been bad thru many times in history, why has this time got you so riled up? And if you say this is the straw that broke the camel's back we may have to have a sit down with a line graph. So you'd think it would be a good idea to let these places fail and let that many people out of work and unable to buy products from the companies that didnt fail? I dont agree with helping the businesses out either but this is an extreme situation.

It's about putting my family — my children — under $12.8 trillion in debt; all it took was two presidents and six months.

You bred? How much are you expecting Glenn Jr to pony up of that $12.8 trillion? We've almost always been indebt thru our history and we "the greatest nation ever" so we cant be too bad.

It's about the idea that we're all socialists now.

Welcome. You can pick up your membership jacket at the next table. Honestly explain to me what's so bad about being a socialist.

It's about the idea that the government can force companies, banks and states to take money and the strings that are attached to it, that they didn't want.

Oh man, you mean we cant just give them our money and ignore what they do with it? Seriously?

It's about power — too much power going to federal government.

As opposed to what? The state government? Something would tell me in 100 years you wouldnt like the state government either. Your argument that America is great is slighted by you turning it into America is great, our government sucks. Our government is America along with everything else. Like it or leave it.

It's about corruption — too much corruption, in both parties.

Really? Now it's bad enough for you to say something? The real problem I have is here is you act like the first person to ever notice it or say something.

It's about the rule of law — that no one is above the law: if you're here legally or illegally, it applies-never too rich or powerful.

Really? You're so fair and balanced it makes my head spin. Did you not live in this country during Bush Jr's terms?

It's about if you write the tax code you should pay your taxes.

Not sure where you're going here with this one. Seems like a paritsan slam, but you do know lots of republicans skip out too right? Otherwise this can be condensed with your statement above.

It's about the Republic, not mob rule.

I almost didnt hear you say that surrounded by that huge mob of yours. Not sure how we arent a Republic and technically in a Republic the mob (or largest group of agreeing citizens) do in fact run the joint.

It's about the concept of free speech — we've been called insane, lunatics and worse, just for speaking out.

It's free to call you anything too. Free speech doesnt mean you can say something and people just have to sit and listen. But I'm sorry since apparently you've never casted a stone in your life. Sorry to hurt your delicate sensitivities.

It's about the years of lies from both parties — a Republican Party that claims to be for small government but gives us Medicare Part D that's got $17 trillion in unfunded liabilities.

Straw and camel argument again here? Seriously have you lived in a hole your whole life? Big is subjective too so stop using it in this form for this argument.

It's about hypocrisy — both parties claim to be the most ethical, but we get corruption and not one damn person in Washington to speak out against it.

Yep no one ever talks about that stuff. Thank god you spotted that one and let us all know. “The true hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity”

It's about the media that gets into bed with one party and has moved so far left that it can't even begin to see we're not extremists, we're moms and dads who just want to have a Republic for our children; but they can't see it.

So just when this goes to the left it's an issue? Not when Fox News (in bed with the Republicans) hosting shows that actually shout down the son of someone who died in 9/11?

But I'm the extremist.

Okay. Admitting it is the first step.

Bush and Obama spend or put us on the hook for $12.8 trillion, but I'm the extremist?

Is 12.7 not extreme? What's your reasonable numbers here? Presenting an argument like this does make you sound like an extremist.

Cap and Trade without any plan on who pays the taxes or where the money goes, but I'm the extremist?

See above and then sit down and let's see if you can explain how Cap and Trade actually works.

States are looking to apply retroactive taxes — that's like changing the rules in the middle of the game — but I'm the extremist?

Is it all a game to you? Just curious.

Vilifying AIG executives, without any law being broken, just for accepting money they were owed, but I'm the extremist?

They werent owed it by us. Oh and way to defend AIG you little extremist you.

Bush and Obama have taken over and want to take over banks, car manufacturers and insurance companies, but I'm the extremist?

Sure. I think we've already been thru this.

The politicians in the House and Senate stuff $20 billion in pork and earmarks into spending bills when we have to beg the Chinese to loan us that money, and I'm the extremist?

If you are so pro-private sector, go out and figure out a way to make $20 billion and buy it yourself. Dont be so jealous because the Chinese can out spend you.

A Supreme Court justice and Harold Koh, who will help run the State Department, talk about trans-nationalism and by definition a diminished role for the Constitution, but I'm the extremist?

Yes you are! Ugh.

Politicians openly talk of the Fairness Doctrine — or its ugly twin, "localism" — and curtailing my free speech, but I'm the extremist?

They do? That thing was old news when they stopped using it back in 1987. Sounds to me though you're more afraid of competition with your free speech. Which would also explain why you and your team seem to vilify the blogs so much.

Unions and big labor politicians want to take away the right to a secret ballot, but I'm the extremist?

How so? It's still there, they simply added a step to vote for whether there should be one or just go straight to the union vote.

I believe in the Constitution. I believe in the Founding Fathers. I believe in the American people. When did believing those things make someone — anyone — an extremist?

Good then read the Constitution a bunch of history books. I'm an American do you believe in me too? And it never has made anyone an extremist that's you inventing some bullshit panic "us vs. them" stuff to charge people up. Oh and I'm guessing you havent read those history books I spoke of yet so I will just remind you that believing in those things made our Founding Father's a bunch of extremists if you were BRITISH!!! You dolt. Eye-the-beholder stuff here *smack*.

I'm not the extremist.

Oh. I thought you just said you were ... So are you a non-extremist then? That seems pretty extreme to me.

I learned something from a lawyer friend of mine who won lots of cases in front of judges and lawyers — I asked him how he won so many cases. He said it's easy: If the law supports my client's position I argue the law. If not, I argue the facts. If the facts don't support my client's position, I just attack the opposition.

They can't attack the message, so I guess they have to target the messenger.

I learned something from the waiter in the fabulous movie "Victor Victoria" -- "... it's a moron who argues with a horses ass." so on that note I am shutting up now.

Teabagging Parties

2009-04-16T11:56:00.002-04:00

These "parties" are pretty crazy.

Facsism
n.
1. A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.
2. A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government.
2. Oppressive, dictatorial control.

Wow. Some people scare me.

Pictures of my eye

2009-04-16T00:01:00.001-04:00

Here we go, as promised -- pictures of my new cornea. This is after a LOT of the healing has been over and I cant get a good macro shot of it for better viewing.

I'll keep messing so you can see the stitches and stuff better.I'll also try to get one with my lids spread so you can see all remaining hematomas from where they sutured the guide ring to my eye.

New Zune coming out

2009-04-15T23:25:00.003-04:00

Oh man. I am TOTALLY drooling over the specs of the new Zune HD coming out this fall.

I've been wanting to sell my 80GB Zune ($150 mail me) so I can get a 120GB to put all my music on it (up to about 95GBs now).

Right now it seems the confirmed rumors are only listing the flash memory based Zune HD's which only go up to 32GB. If they launch a 120GB version I am ALL over that.

Zune info 1
Zune info 2

And it will contain the new Tegra from NVIDIA WOW!!!

Shipping Charges

2009-04-15T09:55:00.003-04:00

A co-worker and I were discussing shipping charges and how high they can be for really dumb small stuff.

He said if it was up to him they would base shipping costs on how far a person can comfortably carry the item with it hanging from his penis. I think this would be a good system.

Eye Surgery - Follow-up

2009-04-10T17:45:00.003-04:00

Sorry it took so long to make a post. Today's really been the first day I've felt good enough to get in front of a computer.

Everything went really well. All the people up at Vision Associates are so great. I cant believe I even thought about going somewhere else. They got me right in and all setup and it wasnt too long till I was loaded up with some good drugs and off to surgery I went.

I dont remember a whole lot of the procedure itself, because I had a memory block too, but it seemed to go simple enough - didnt feel a thing. And afterwards all the doctor and nurses said everything went fine.

I was pretty wiped out the rest of the day and basically came home, took my first round of drops and antibiotics and slept. I got up the next day and off we went back to Toledo for my first follow-up appointment.

They removed the bandages for the first time and light and shadows started streaming thru my new cornea. Then shapes and colors. Even though my eyelashes were pretty mated down I could see way better than what I thought. I could see my doctor's fingers in front of my face, then from halfway across the room and then all the way across the room. He fired up the eye chart and I read about 5 lines of it pretty well. The best they could've hoped for was just me counting fingers in front of my face. The doctor even said he could see signs that the top was beginning to heal.

They went thru some more questions I had and made sure I was good to go until my next follow-up appointment and cleared me to drive when I felt well enough. I didnt drive home, or have driven yet. My eye's still pretty weepy and honestly I feel like total poop. No pain or anything, apparently it's a side effect of the oral anti-biotic I've been taking (Cipro) that and I get some pretty rough sinus type headaches from all the drainage. Other than that stuff though I feel pretty good and very excited to see how well my eye continues to heal.

I'm going to take off and get some more rest. I need to make sure I'm in good shape to color easter eggs this weekend and for work on Monday and dont want to push myself while I have time to rest. Thanks for all the emails, phone calls and well wishes. I really appreciate it.

Big Day Tomorrow

2009-04-06T09:56:00.002-04:00

I've been extremely busy lately. Work has been going like gangbusters. Getting ready to turn up a new cellular network, so that will be cool.

I've also been trying to get a bunch of little odds and ends done because tomorrow I go for my corneal transplant.

You may remember I tried this last time and between the doctor's office dicking the times around and my anxiety I just canceled the whole thing and didnt reschedule.

Well I'm back to my original surgeon in Toledo and it's all setup for 9am tomorrow morning. So hopefully this will be it and I will finally get all fixed up and be able to see again out of my left eye.

Look Around You: Maths

2009-03-25T09:56:00.000-04:00

Fat Cat vs. Small Box

2009-03-25T09:55:00.001-04:00

China's last eunuch spills sex secrets

2009-03-18T14:20:00.002-04:00

China's last eunuch spills sex secrets

Okay so I click on the link for that headline not really expecting what to read in the article but it sounded like a nice enough diversion and a chance to learn things about a people and culture that I dont know much about.

But nothing, nothing could have prepared me for the first sentence of the article...

BEIJING (Reuters) - Only two memories brought tears to Sun Yaoting's eyes in old age -- the day his father cut off his genitals, and the day his family threw away the pickled remains that should have made him a whole man again at death.

Greatest Birthday Gift Ever!

2009-03-16T10:42:00.001-04:00

Pet Shop Boys New Album

2009-03-10T14:23:00.002-04:00

I am super psyched for this new album. I love this first track.

The new album "Yes" drops on March 23rd.

I need a new hobby...

2009-03-10T14:17:00.002-04:00

I was watching a documentary on Burning Man and I think I might get into some fire twirling/eating kinda stuff. That seems cool.

The Golden Girls House

2009-03-05T14:55:00.000-05:00

The outside model used in the shots of the house in the series was part of the backstage studio tour ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios. This façade — along with the Empty Nest house — was among those destroyed in Summer 2003, as Disney bulldozed the homes of "Residential Street" to make room for its "Lights, Motors, Action!" attraction.

The façade was reportedly based on a real home in or near Pacific Palisades, California. The real house was seen in the first season's exterior shots. It was after this that the model was built at Walt Disney World.

--
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

7.5 days and counting

2009-03-05T13:18:00.001-05:00

I have officially been free of caffeine for 7.5 days. I drank my last Mt. Dew sometime last Tuesday.

I gotta say it's been pretty damn easy. No headaches or other noticeable withdrawal issues.

My new chosen drink is Sierra Mist, which has less sugar too.

Bananarama or Marylin Manson?

2009-03-03T12:27:00.003-05:00

Are these lyrics from a Bananarama song or a Marylin Manson song?

Last night, I was dreaming
I was locked in a prison cell
When I woke up, I was screaming
Calling out your name

And the judge and the jury
They all put the blame on me
They wouldn't go for my story
They wouldn't hear my plea

And dont cheat and use Google. Vote in the comments.

Wii Guys

2009-02-16T11:25:00.000-05:00

Domain

2009-02-14T20:24:00.002-05:00

I finally did it (thanks to Google making it easy and fast) I got a domain.

Feel free to visit this blog now at:

www.spacetomatoes.com

Grammar?

2009-02-14T20:12:00.002-05:00

The still-unreleased police file on the shootings, which also left 18 students wounded, shows that 27-year-old Kazmierczak had been hospitalized several times as a teenager for psychiatric issues and had a history of suicide attempts.

Is this grammatically correct? Am I the only one who, at first blush, thought the "police file" wounded 18 students?

Sony's new POS

2009-02-10T09:39:00.000-05:00

Sony Releases New Stupid Piece Of Shit That Doesn't Fucking Work

Oh how I wish I didnt give up my hate for Sony or this would be even funnier.

There is no Eye in Surgery

2009-02-04T15:05:00.001-05:00

So I didnt end up having my eye surgery.

Left out before 5:30am and made it past Bellefountaine and turned around. They ended up delaying it from 7:45am till 2 hours later and I was not in the mood to deal with it. Way too anxious, tired and pissed by that point.

I will try again some other time. :P

Eye Surgery

2009-01-27T11:32:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday the 2nd, I will be having my corneal transplant. So if you dont hear from me for a bit or whatever that's why.

I will try to post my progress and any gross pictures I can get of it.

Wish me luck!

They do what?

2009-01-22T19:40:00.000-05:00

Um. Wow that is affection.

Note: a "fist bump" is not "fisting". haha

Watching History LIVE

2009-01-20T10:59:00.003-05:00

I'm at home watching the Presidential Inaguration live right now.

This is an amazing thing to watch in HD. Too bad, the NBC channel's sound has an extreme whistle feedback in it :P

At any rate, sometime this week, I am going to finally cancel all my cable service. Just dont watch anything on TV anymore and Time Warner doesnt carry enough HD channels to really care about.

Fanfic

2009-01-16T14:26:00.002-05:00

I both envy people who write fanfic and think they are total losers who should find more important stuff to do.

Where's the beef?

2009-01-14T21:20:00.005-05:00

So we've become a little obsessed at work for watching people in the ice and snow to see if they wreck their car or slip and fall. We refer to it as someone "beefing it". And now you can join into the fun too.

Print off the official Beef It score card for your friends and everyone can chip in a dollar for a score card and at a future date, everyone turns in their points and the winner gets the cash!

_______________

Beefing it Official Score Card

Points:
Boy or Girl (0 to 10 years) 3 points
Boy or Girl (10 to 18 years) 5 points
Adult Man or Woman 5 points
Eldery Man or Woman 10 points

Beef Bonuses:
Inappropriately Dressed for the conditions +2 points
At work or doing their job +2 points
Carrying something bigger than a bread box +5 points
Their beef caused someone else to beef x2 modifier
They beefed again trying to get up from the first beef +7 points
Their beef required an emergency workers assistance +12 points
A driver beefed in his car or truck +5 points
A driver beefed in his car or truck and totaled it +10 points
You saw blood from their beef x5 modifier
They were knocked unconscious x10 modifier
They died from the beef x50 modifier

Beef 1: _____
Beef 2: _____
Beef 3: _____
Beef 4: _____
Beef 5: _____
Beef 6: _____
Beef 7: _____
Beef 8: _____
Beef 9: _____
Beef 10: _____ Congrats on 10 Beefs add 10 points to your grand total.

TOTAL: _____
_________________________

Example: If you see an old lady fall down on the ice, you get 10 points. If she then falls down again trying to get back up, add 7 points (17 total). And if her head starts spewing blood from the second beef, then you get to multiply that by 5 for a grand total of 85 points!

You might also want to designate a Beeferee to make final judgement calls on certain beefs and point totals, he would also be the best person to keep track of the winnings for everyone.

Excuse me is that a cock in your mouth or do you work for the government?

2009-01-13T14:53:00.003-05:00

Clinton Assistant Interior Secretary John Berry is rumored to be Obama's Director of the Office of Personnel Management. Said The Victory Fund's Chuck Wolfe: "It says a lot about Barack Obama’s commitment to equality in the workplace that he has apparently chosen an openly gay person for this extremely important job.

Yeah because you know how gays are ... always losing track of personnel while sucking all that cock.

"Did you ask Gay Bob if he had his quarterly reports?"

"No I didnt bother he's in there getting fisted by that truck driver guy."

Grrr. This really bugs me. I've never once thought - "Oh wait, this person seems nice but does he like to have his penis in a vagina or what?"

The Timothy Plan

2009-01-09T14:33:00.002-05:00

The Timothy Plan family of funds conducts proprietary research on publically traded companies based on their moral integrity. We then apply that information to maintain a "Do Not Buy List" for our family of morally responsible mutual funds.

This is a "company" that goes thru and rates video games and other content for what they consider to be anti-Christian themes and creates this list so you dont have to think about why something is being banned, you can just blindly trust and obey.

I went thru the whole list, which can be found here. And I found this little gem from their review of Army of Two:

Gay & Lesbian: Homosexual Themes: Although never spoken of, undertones of homosexuality are present. Weaponry in the game can be decorated to be anything from diamond encrusted to gold plated. You share a parachute with your partner, and the riot shield system allows one player to use a shield or car door as portable cover while the other cuddles up close behind and dispenses "lead" from his "iron".

...

Wow, just ... wow.

Look what I just bought!

2009-01-09T13:41:00.003-05:00

WOOOO! *passes out*

Although I am still a little miffed at B.O. for the Rev. Warren pick for the innaguration.

End the Hate

2009-01-08T13:44:00.002-05:00

The voting is over.

I will no longer be hating on Sony.

... and there was much rejoicing.

And on a related note, FUCK APPLE.

Connections?

2009-01-08T13:43:00.004-05:00

Two headlines from MSNBC.com. There's some sort of connection that I just cant put my finger on. Hmmm.

Great film.

2009-01-08T12:55:00.003-05:00

I just got this movie from Netflix and was half-tempted to reseal it and just send it back. I've been off the documentary kick for awhile and wanted to move onto better things in my queue (like Golden Girls series 3) - I'm very glad that I took the time to watch this film.

If you are a practicing Christian of any sort, or not, but you feel that you derive even a small portion of your spiritual concepts from The Bible, then I highly suggest you take the time to watch this movie.

The movie details how religious leaders have taken portions of The Bible and have used them to demonize people being gay. It covers their incorrect assumptions on the things they read in The Bible, as well as their ability to accept certain passages as the literal word of God, but completely disregard other ones that read just as literally. It also explores how this impacts several families and how the parents came to terms (or not) with having a religious upbringing that degraded and demonized gay people and then having a gay child.

It's an amazing look at this whole concept thru fresh eyes and different perspectives and helped clarify and understand some things I didnt even realize I was confused on. Just a good watch overall.

Movie: For the Bible tells me so

New Macbook!

2009-01-06T11:25:00.001-05:00

Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

Welcome to 2009!

2009-01-02T12:07:00.005-05:00

Well we've made it onto this side of a new year and all seems well enough. Strange the way people expect such radical shifts with the passing of each new year.

At any rate, I've been trying, over the last few years, to let go of hating things for no good reason and learning to not become aggravated by certain things. Although that would be hard to tell by some of my rants, but it's true - I'm trying to let a lot of the negativity in my life go and to that end I need you're help.

If you know me at all you know I hate Sony and Apple for various reasons. Some good, some not good and finally some just because I'm stubborn. To that end I want you, dear readers, to VOTE on which company I should finally stop hating so much, if not entirely. I will also now consider them a valid option when purchasing products that they make and end my boycott of their company.

Please post a comment with your vote and, if you want, a reason why you are voting the way you are voting that way.

So who should I stop hating?

SONY or APPLE?

I will let the voting go on for about a week and close it around 1/7/2009.

Make that Yellow Ribbon Brown ...

2008-12-30T15:09:00.002-05:00

... and shove it up your ass. You're not supporting the troops with these damn things and I am far far far from sick of seeing them.

You bought these damn magnets at Walmart or a gas station and while it makes YOU feel good, it makes NO ONE else feel good at all. It doesnt make me feel good, the troops feel good, the Chinese guy who earned 30 cents that day to make it or you after awhile because I'm sure you've forgotten about it 5 minutes after you put it on. So just stop.

If you really want to support the troops kindly do one of the following after you've pulled your head out of your ass:

Research who you are voting for in every election and their policies on troop usage and care and vote for the guy who really does take care of them and not just says he does.
Volunteer some of your time at a local Veterans Hospital or care center. Trust me they need all the help they can get.
Put together a care package and mail it to a random soldier.
Recycle - yep you heard me. Cell phones are a big one, but recycling lots of other stuff really helps cut down on production time for things that soldiers actually need.
Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity or other low-income housing solutions. About 75% of all homeless people in America are veterans. Yeah your magnet ain't doing shit for them.
Volunteer at a local soup kitchen or food pantry and donate food. Buy a little extra at the store or go out hunting and donate the kills to a local meat service that donates the meet to needy families. You'd be surprised how many soldiers, active and veterans, that are hungry and need this type of help.
Volunteer for the Armed Forces yourself. No better way to support a troop then to directly help one out who's next to you getting shot at or your presence could displace one of them entirely. I mean 6 or 7 tours in Iraq has probably got them a bit frazzled. And you're in luck the Army has dropped recruiting standards thru the floor.

And you, my sinews, grow not instant old, But bear me stiffly up. Remember thee!I

2008-12-30T15:01:00.002-05:00

Okay I've officially had it.

Username and Password remembering is an ENORMOUS pain in the tuckus. Any Microsoft domain never remembers me. Google is better but still forgets after awhile. Firefox always remembers but wont tell the page and makes you go thru the login process again.

All this Microsoft Passport shit and OpenID can all suck a big pile of gopher weenie. None of it works how humans function. Basing it on arbritary cookie time-limits for rechecks that are different across multiple domains is infuriating.

Think of how many pages you go to that require you to login in AND offer the "Remember my username and password" but then forget you after some time.

Oh sure, security you cry, yep security. You know what else is secure - boarding an airplane buck ass naked with a speculum up your netherbits, but we dont have shit like that going on. There's a limit.

I want one username and password, tied to Windows or a thumbdrive or a magic the gathering card being furiously rubbed on the monitor that remembers who I am and all my various incarnations across the internet and just fucking logs me in and keeps me logged in when I'm there and not when I'm not. How can this still be this hard?

Simple Minds

2008-12-29T22:24:00.002-05:00

There's nothing like leaving a party and the first song that plays in the car is "Don't You Forget About Me".

Happy Holidays Everyone!

2008-12-19T09:09:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts. Too busy on this end between work and the holidays.

Just wanted to drop by and wish everyone a great Yule, a Merry Christmas, Happy New Years and all the great holidays this time of year.

Oh and btw, I've lifted enough weights the last two times at the Y to equal the weight of two full grown elephants.

Odd shoplifting

2008-12-02T11:33:00.002-05:00

AP: NAPLES, Fla. - An X-ray marked the spot for southwest Florida police who say a teenager swallowed a $16 pair of earrings after taking them from a JCPenney store at a mall.

Authorities say William Colburn faces charges that include retail theft and tampering with evidence.

Naples Police say the 18-year-old was in the store on Saturday when security saw him remove the earrings from a box, drop them into a bottle of water and leave without paying.

When a security officer approached him outside the store, authorities say the teenager drank the water, swallowing the earrings.

Police said Monday the X-ray confirmed the earrings were inside him. A police spokesman didn't know whether the suspect required medical treatment for having swallowed the earrings.

Police do not know if he has an attorney. A phone listing for Colburn couldn't be found.

---

I find this just a bit odd. So the security guard saw him put the earrings in the water bottle and then stood by him as he drank the water bottle and the earrings, yet they still X-rayed him. So the price of taking him into the hospital and using the X-ray machine to do this was worth it for this pair of $16 earrings. The only thing I can come up with is that they mistook the kid for Chris Angel and thought that he was pulling some weird magic trick.

This cant end soon enough...

2008-11-30T21:03:00.004-05:00

I cannot wait for January 20th to put the last 8 years of incompetence and hell finally to an end.

This is the United States of America the last 8 years has wrought:

The new round of White House pardons announced late last night are Mr Bush's first since March, and come less than two months before the end of his presidency.

The beneficiaries' crimes include drugs conspiracy, tax evasion, poisoning bald eagles, dumping hazardous waste, bank embezzlement and theft of government property.

John Edward Forte, a Grammy Award-winning rapper, is arguably the best known of those pardoned. He was arrested at Newark International Airport in 2000 after being found with a briefcase containing $1.4m of cocaine and was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

And at the same time:

Ms. Amero, a substitute teacher prosecuted on felony charges after a malware-infected computer in her classroom began spewing ads for adult entertainment sites, agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge, pay a $100 fine, and surrender her credentials to teach in the state of Connecticut. "I'm disappointed it ever got this far."

...

I just cant take much more of this.

Not saying Barack wont make bad decisions or do things I dont agree with, but at the end of the day it will just be nice to have someone else to complain about. An overwelming majority of Americans are crying "UNCLE", we're done, we want out of this spiral.

A heartbeat away ...

2008-11-21T08:33:00.001-05:00

... from getting your head chopped off.

If she thinks politics can be hard to deal with, she should try being a turkey. Or a turkey politician - that's total hell!

New Keyboard

2008-11-20T13:21:00.004-05:00

I bought a new keyboard. A Microsoft Comfort Curve keyboard. Pretty nice button motion so far. The space bar's a little rattly and when I try to fix it, it looses it's spring back. All the extra buttons just work without installing any new software. No extra USB ports though.

But it does have a button sepecifically to open the Calculator:

Finish This Song

2008-11-20T09:21:00.001-05:00

Circus life
Under the big top world
We all need the clowns
To make us smile

Just finish that section of the song before the chorus and bonus points for Song Title and Artist.

And no cheating, do it from memory!