Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
California's State Song Sucks
Most everything about California is awesome, or at least better than you. This is a scientific fact.
But California does have its issues too.
I think the most obvious is that we let Mexico keep Baja California. This is just wrong. Until 1846, Baja and Alta California were united. Just throwing that out there, in case any new filibusters were being planned.
Anyway I remember learning the song "California, Here I Come" in first grade. It's a catchy showtune. I sang it everytime I was coming back to California from parts unknown. I suppose I assumed it was the state song. Nope.
California's state song is "I love you, California"
I love you, California, you're the greatest state of all.
I love you in the winter, summer, spring and in the fall.
I love your fertile valleys; your dear mountains I adore.
I love your grand old ocean and I love her rugged shore.
Chorus
Where the snow crowned Golden Sierras
Keep their watch o'er the valleys bloom,
It is there I would be in our land by the sea,
Every breeze bearing rich perfume.
It is here nature gives of her rarest. It is Home Sweet Home to me,
And I know when I die I shall breathe my last sigh
For my sunny California.
I love your red-wood forests - love your fields of yellow grain.
I love your summer breezes and I love your winter rain.
I love you, land of flowers; land of honey, fruit and wine.
I love you, California; you have won this heart of mine.
I love your old gray Missions - love your vineyards stretching far.
I love you, California, with your Golden Gate ajar.
I love your purple sun-sets, love your skies of azure blue.
I love you, California; I just can't help loving you.
I love you, Catalina, you are very dear to me.
I love you, Tamalpais, and I love Yosemite.
I love you, Land of Sunshine, Half your beauties are untold.
I loved you in my childhood, and I'll love you when I'm old.
They're great lyrics, or at least they're lyrics reminding us of how great California is, but the song is unsingable. I don't know if it can be made to sound good. I think at best it comes off as sounding like an eastern European propaganda song.
Here's the absolute best version on YouTube.
Now compare it to "California, Here I Come" sung by Al Jolson in 1924
But not all our "official" things suck. Most of them are decent. California was the first state to have an official insect. The California Dogface Butterfly.
And our state soil is the San Joaquin.
-All facts and photos stolen from the internet.
But California does have its issues too.
I think the most obvious is that we let Mexico keep Baja California. This is just wrong. Until 1846, Baja and Alta California were united. Just throwing that out there, in case any new filibusters were being planned.
Anyway I remember learning the song "California, Here I Come" in first grade. It's a catchy showtune. I sang it everytime I was coming back to California from parts unknown. I suppose I assumed it was the state song. Nope.
California's state song is "I love you, California"
I love you, California, you're the greatest state of all.
I love you in the winter, summer, spring and in the fall.
I love your fertile valleys; your dear mountains I adore.
I love your grand old ocean and I love her rugged shore.
Chorus
Where the snow crowned Golden Sierras
Keep their watch o'er the valleys bloom,
It is there I would be in our land by the sea,
Every breeze bearing rich perfume.
It is here nature gives of her rarest. It is Home Sweet Home to me,
And I know when I die I shall breathe my last sigh
For my sunny California.
I love your red-wood forests - love your fields of yellow grain.
I love your summer breezes and I love your winter rain.
I love you, land of flowers; land of honey, fruit and wine.
I love you, California; you have won this heart of mine.
I love your old gray Missions - love your vineyards stretching far.
I love you, California, with your Golden Gate ajar.
I love your purple sun-sets, love your skies of azure blue.
I love you, California; I just can't help loving you.
I love you, Catalina, you are very dear to me.
I love you, Tamalpais, and I love Yosemite.
I love you, Land of Sunshine, Half your beauties are untold.
I loved you in my childhood, and I'll love you when I'm old.
They're great lyrics, or at least they're lyrics reminding us of how great California is, but the song is unsingable. I don't know if it can be made to sound good. I think at best it comes off as sounding like an eastern European propaganda song.
Here's the absolute best version on YouTube.
Now compare it to "California, Here I Come" sung by Al Jolson in 1924
But not all our "official" things suck. Most of them are decent. California was the first state to have an official insect. The California Dogface Butterfly.
And our state soil is the San Joaquin.
-All facts and photos stolen from the internet.
Perpetual Motion
I was reading about perpetual motion machines, and basically how they have been completely dismissed as they don't fit the laws of thermodynamics. But. I was thinking, who actually needs created or infinitely re-used energy?
Perpetual Motion, in its name doesn't explicitly demand the same energy perpetually moves, it is simply a description of a reaction.
One would only need to create something that runs continuously, by its own actions, not continuously with a finite set of energy. And it isn't the continued functioning that is against the law of nature, it's the re-used or imagined energy that can't be harnessed.
Looking at the goal of Perpetual Motion, I realize the standard has been set way too high for practicality. And the true desire for Perpetual Motion is not about what energy is used, but rather if it is costly to people.
A realistic goal could be set in two lengths, and as far as technicalities are concerned would be "perpetual".
1. Create a machine that requires no more input to function once it is built, that will last a life time.
2. Create a machine that requires no more input to function once it is built, that will last for as long as its energy source exists.
Both of these goals were met hundreds of years ago. Clocks have been designed that run on temperature changes. Earth's temperature always changes, the clocks continue to run hundreds of years later.
Now some energy has to be put in them to maintain their accuracy (setting the correct time), but this isn't the source of the power for the clock, and perhaps, already proof of concept in themselves, if you simply look at the device, not as a clock, but as a machine that moves parts powered by temperature, it has worked continuously for hundreds of years.
When you up the desired results, before the technology exists, sure you might need human input. Now maybe someone needs to make one of these clocks, but make it so the clock is also able to correct its own time (like storing excess energy in a battery, use a memory chip and have it readjust when it needs to, or something like that).
In the meantime, no one gives a shit about inventing a machine that needs no new energy, we just want machines that don't need human energy.
Solar Power, wind power, water power are all renewable and will outlast 1,000 human generations. I'd say that is sufficient to call it "perpetual".
Of course everything breaks down too. But I'm sure there can be ways to solve this when you have the energy continuously backing you up. It's hard to believe there's no perpetual motion, when you think no life could exist on this planet if water itself wasn't in a perpetual state of motion. Water turns to gas, becomes liquid again (or solid) comes back to earth. Water's motion gives resource of perpetual motion to feed plants, which in turn feed animals (who also need water). If water couldn't cycle in this atmosphere, the nature of our bodies could not function.
Anyway. So I was looking at one supposed non-functional example of Perpetual Motion called a "SMOT" where the T is for "toy" meaning it is useless.
Basically you can make a ball roll up an incline if you align magnets on either side. It is argued that this only works because the magnets help "convert" the potential energy of the ball into kinetic energy.
But electro-magnetism is its own force. It is energy. Thinking you can't convert it to kinetic energy is downright idiotic.
Now whether or not the SMOT can be made into a perpetual motion machine remains to be shown, as everyone seems to only make them straight.
But I was thinking, if the magnets can raise the ball on an incline, why not make an incline, have the ball roll up, but have a hole in the incline, the ball will drop, but have another SMOT placed right underneath, each SMOT would be set in a curve, each time the ball would move maybe a few inches up, then drop down, then a few inches up then drop down, SMOT to SMOT to SMOT until it comes full circle, and that would be perpetual motion. (people then argue that might work, but it would drain the magnets power, which doesn't count, but I disagree, I think the whole point of perpetual motion is finding ways of tapping into alternate energy sources).
SMOT
Perpetual Motion? lol. That is how an electric motor works though, converting electo-magnetic energy into kinetic energy through the motion of attracting and repelling magnets.
Absence of heat is absence of friction, thus "perfect" energy transfer.
The last video isn't about Perpetual Motion, but it does make me wonder, you see at the threshold, the rules change, and energy depleting liquid nitrogen actually becomes fuel for the levitation. If absence of energy, is a source of energy, if a system could drain energy completely, and then use it, it would be Perpetual Motion. And again, no one cares where the new energy comes from.
If you want to look at it in the big picture, if no energy can be created or destroyed, no source of energy is really an "outside" source. Call it Universal Perpetual Motion and you've jumped the technicality bridge.
Perpetual Motion, in its name doesn't explicitly demand the same energy perpetually moves, it is simply a description of a reaction.
One would only need to create something that runs continuously, by its own actions, not continuously with a finite set of energy. And it isn't the continued functioning that is against the law of nature, it's the re-used or imagined energy that can't be harnessed.
Looking at the goal of Perpetual Motion, I realize the standard has been set way too high for practicality. And the true desire for Perpetual Motion is not about what energy is used, but rather if it is costly to people.
A realistic goal could be set in two lengths, and as far as technicalities are concerned would be "perpetual".
1. Create a machine that requires no more input to function once it is built, that will last a life time.
2. Create a machine that requires no more input to function once it is built, that will last for as long as its energy source exists.
Both of these goals were met hundreds of years ago. Clocks have been designed that run on temperature changes. Earth's temperature always changes, the clocks continue to run hundreds of years later.
Now some energy has to be put in them to maintain their accuracy (setting the correct time), but this isn't the source of the power for the clock, and perhaps, already proof of concept in themselves, if you simply look at the device, not as a clock, but as a machine that moves parts powered by temperature, it has worked continuously for hundreds of years.
When you up the desired results, before the technology exists, sure you might need human input. Now maybe someone needs to make one of these clocks, but make it so the clock is also able to correct its own time (like storing excess energy in a battery, use a memory chip and have it readjust when it needs to, or something like that).
In the meantime, no one gives a shit about inventing a machine that needs no new energy, we just want machines that don't need human energy.
Solar Power, wind power, water power are all renewable and will outlast 1,000 human generations. I'd say that is sufficient to call it "perpetual".
Of course everything breaks down too. But I'm sure there can be ways to solve this when you have the energy continuously backing you up. It's hard to believe there's no perpetual motion, when you think no life could exist on this planet if water itself wasn't in a perpetual state of motion. Water turns to gas, becomes liquid again (or solid) comes back to earth. Water's motion gives resource of perpetual motion to feed plants, which in turn feed animals (who also need water). If water couldn't cycle in this atmosphere, the nature of our bodies could not function.
Anyway. So I was looking at one supposed non-functional example of Perpetual Motion called a "SMOT" where the T is for "toy" meaning it is useless.
Basically you can make a ball roll up an incline if you align magnets on either side. It is argued that this only works because the magnets help "convert" the potential energy of the ball into kinetic energy.
But electro-magnetism is its own force. It is energy. Thinking you can't convert it to kinetic energy is downright idiotic.
Now whether or not the SMOT can be made into a perpetual motion machine remains to be shown, as everyone seems to only make them straight.
But I was thinking, if the magnets can raise the ball on an incline, why not make an incline, have the ball roll up, but have a hole in the incline, the ball will drop, but have another SMOT placed right underneath, each SMOT would be set in a curve, each time the ball would move maybe a few inches up, then drop down, then a few inches up then drop down, SMOT to SMOT to SMOT until it comes full circle, and that would be perpetual motion. (people then argue that might work, but it would drain the magnets power, which doesn't count, but I disagree, I think the whole point of perpetual motion is finding ways of tapping into alternate energy sources).
SMOT
Perpetual Motion? lol. That is how an electric motor works though, converting electo-magnetic energy into kinetic energy through the motion of attracting and repelling magnets.
Absence of heat is absence of friction, thus "perfect" energy transfer.
The last video isn't about Perpetual Motion, but it does make me wonder, you see at the threshold, the rules change, and energy depleting liquid nitrogen actually becomes fuel for the levitation. If absence of energy, is a source of energy, if a system could drain energy completely, and then use it, it would be Perpetual Motion. And again, no one cares where the new energy comes from.
If you want to look at it in the big picture, if no energy can be created or destroyed, no source of energy is really an "outside" source. Call it Universal Perpetual Motion and you've jumped the technicality bridge.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Good and bad for the Olympics so far
I live in California. The Olympics are being held in Vancouver, BC. Vancouver is about dead north from where I am. Time zones are longitudinal. If anyone should be able to see these Olympic games live, it should be us here in Pacific. But no. Ever since who knows when, the assholes in the TV industry have decided Pacific Standard Time will NEVER be live. You know they show all the games live in Japan? Yeah. Way to go America.
Really the only reason I wanted to post this was because I just saw a Japanese downhill skier and I realized they all get to have music playing when they go down. Her's was "Around the World" by Red Hot Chili Peppers. They do love their RCHP in Japan. Me too.
I'm going to tell you a little dream I had back then. I wanted to get my Colombian woman, dress her up in white trash clothing, and go to the Fuji Fest (which hasn't been held near Fuji since there was a big earthquake years ago.) only problems were the price (many hundreds per person) and the location (I was near Fuji, it was on the other end of Honshu).
Anyway.
I really like the music, don't like the not live.
Other stuff, it was awesome seeing those two Koreans wipe out at the last second in the speed skating putting Americans in 2nd and 3rd.
Really the only reason I wanted to post this was because I just saw a Japanese downhill skier and I realized they all get to have music playing when they go down. Her's was "Around the World" by Red Hot Chili Peppers. They do love their RCHP in Japan. Me too.
I'm going to tell you a little dream I had back then. I wanted to get my Colombian woman, dress her up in white trash clothing, and go to the Fuji Fest (which hasn't been held near Fuji since there was a big earthquake years ago.) only problems were the price (many hundreds per person) and the location (I was near Fuji, it was on the other end of Honshu).
Anyway.
I really like the music, don't like the not live.
Other stuff, it was awesome seeing those two Koreans wipe out at the last second in the speed skating putting Americans in 2nd and 3rd.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
I told you so
In one of my previous rants I mentioned people only engage me when they want something from me and nothing in return (but of course that part doesn't apply to vendors).
So this morning I was eating breakfast at school and a woman sits down in front of me, staring at me with those "I'm going to engage you because I want something for nothing" eyes.
Her: How much did you pay for that burrito?
Me: Uhh. I don't know. About 4 or 5 dollars?
Her: Why are you so hungry?
Me: This is my breakfast.
Her: Can I have some of your potatoes?
Me: No. Who are you?
Her: You're racist. You won't give me anything because I'm Filipino (she scowls at me).
Me: Are you serious?! Do you even go here?
Her: (mumbles something, looks at me nasty, gets up and walks away).
I saw her pacing by several more times after that and I planned on threatening her with police if she started anything. Not that I want to involve police in anything, but the campus doesn't have security, instead they have their own licensed police force. Then I started thinking, if any college can get its own legal police, and a private company like BART can have its own legal police. Can anyone make up a police force? Can I just sign some papers with the state and make myself a legal California police officer? (California has no "state" police, but any officer in California can lawfully arrest anyone in the state, including the Keystone Kops at my college).
I would make myself a police force. Then I could sidestep all the commie laws about bearing arms.
So this morning I was eating breakfast at school and a woman sits down in front of me, staring at me with those "I'm going to engage you because I want something for nothing" eyes.
Her: How much did you pay for that burrito?
Me: Uhh. I don't know. About 4 or 5 dollars?
Her: Why are you so hungry?
Me: This is my breakfast.
Her: Can I have some of your potatoes?
Me: No. Who are you?
Her: You're racist. You won't give me anything because I'm Filipino (she scowls at me).
Me: Are you serious?! Do you even go here?
Her: (mumbles something, looks at me nasty, gets up and walks away).
I saw her pacing by several more times after that and I planned on threatening her with police if she started anything. Not that I want to involve police in anything, but the campus doesn't have security, instead they have their own licensed police force. Then I started thinking, if any college can get its own legal police, and a private company like BART can have its own legal police. Can anyone make up a police force? Can I just sign some papers with the state and make myself a legal California police officer? (California has no "state" police, but any officer in California can lawfully arrest anyone in the state, including the Keystone Kops at my college).
I would make myself a police force. Then I could sidestep all the commie laws about bearing arms.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Lewis Carroll, mediocre writer, notorious pedophile
I read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass several years ago. Alice has been embedded in our culture through multitudinous repetitions and homages. What I realized reading the books, was that Lewis Carroll was a flagrant pedophile, and he wasn't that great of a writer.
I'll start with the bad writing first. You see, I've read references about the "deep" meanings of Alice's Adventures, and I've read about the complex math problems and philosophical dilemmas in the story.
Reading the books, I quickly realized they were very much "children's" stories. They were not deep. There was almost no character development. The story just shuffled from one scene to the next with no coherent progression and then it was over. I was very much let down. I realized a lot of the 'depth' and intrigue of Alice has actually been added on through the years. It isn't in the books.
Now, as for the seemingly serious accusation. Certainly pedophillia is serious, but it isn't much for an accusation, as I was to find out.
I first got suspicious while reading the book. It just seemed to focus on Alice the wrong way. But that wouldn't have raised any flags, had I not read the introduction. I don't ever read intros before I read books, because I've found intros try to lead a reader in a certain direction, and it's always written by someone who's already read the book (or wrote it) and assume you have too. So I read the intro after the 10 minutes it took me to read the book and I'll be damned if it didn't reveal his true nature. Alice was a real girl. Carroll actually wrote the books based on stories he would tell Alice. Although he was a priest, and a "family" friend, eventually he just started taking Alice out alone on trips. The intro mentions some unknown event caused the Liddell family (Alice Liddell's family) to forbid Carroll from ever seeing Alice again.
Now why does a parent need to ban a priest from taking their preteen daughter on trips? I don't know, can't think of any reason... except that he was molesting her.
Just reading his own books, and the intros to his books I was certain Carroll was a pedo. But then a couple years later I looked further into the matter. And this is some fucked up shit.
Carroll was a photographer. And he took lots of photos of naked preteen girls. Don't believe me? Google search it. They're online. Don't worry, if society decides child porn is "art" it's perfectly legal. Or don't search it and believe the hell out of me.
What's interesting is that I'm not the first person to realize this about Carrol. In fact books have been written about this issue. Even Wikipedia mentions the controversy, but somehow manages to dismiss it with "NPOV" (their magic word that allow Wikipedia articles to be completely biased as long as they do it in a certain way).
Anyway enjoy the latest movie version of a story created to woo a little girl into sex.
I'll start with the bad writing first. You see, I've read references about the "deep" meanings of Alice's Adventures, and I've read about the complex math problems and philosophical dilemmas in the story.
Reading the books, I quickly realized they were very much "children's" stories. They were not deep. There was almost no character development. The story just shuffled from one scene to the next with no coherent progression and then it was over. I was very much let down. I realized a lot of the 'depth' and intrigue of Alice has actually been added on through the years. It isn't in the books.
Now, as for the seemingly serious accusation. Certainly pedophillia is serious, but it isn't much for an accusation, as I was to find out.
I first got suspicious while reading the book. It just seemed to focus on Alice the wrong way. But that wouldn't have raised any flags, had I not read the introduction. I don't ever read intros before I read books, because I've found intros try to lead a reader in a certain direction, and it's always written by someone who's already read the book (or wrote it) and assume you have too. So I read the intro after the 10 minutes it took me to read the book and I'll be damned if it didn't reveal his true nature. Alice was a real girl. Carroll actually wrote the books based on stories he would tell Alice. Although he was a priest, and a "family" friend, eventually he just started taking Alice out alone on trips. The intro mentions some unknown event caused the Liddell family (Alice Liddell's family) to forbid Carroll from ever seeing Alice again.
Now why does a parent need to ban a priest from taking their preteen daughter on trips? I don't know, can't think of any reason... except that he was molesting her.
Just reading his own books, and the intros to his books I was certain Carroll was a pedo. But then a couple years later I looked further into the matter. And this is some fucked up shit.
Carroll was a photographer. And he took lots of photos of naked preteen girls. Don't believe me? Google search it. They're online. Don't worry, if society decides child porn is "art" it's perfectly legal. Or don't search it and believe the hell out of me.
What's interesting is that I'm not the first person to realize this about Carrol. In fact books have been written about this issue. Even Wikipedia mentions the controversy, but somehow manages to dismiss it with "NPOV" (their magic word that allow Wikipedia articles to be completely biased as long as they do it in a certain way).
Anyway enjoy the latest movie version of a story created to woo a little girl into sex.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Songs that tell you to do stupid shit
I figure it's the epitome of collectivism, this ideal of producing a song, that is intended to not be enjoyed, but to get a bunch of people to make idiotic motions together.
A lot of them simply start with "Do the" followed by the dumbshit name they gave their dumb shit commands.
Here are some great examples, old and new.
The Hustle by Van McCoy
This one is simply called "The hustle" but makes sure to say absolutely nothing but "Do it" and "Do the hustle" for 4 godforsaken minutes. At least I assume the lyrics never change, as I am physically unable to listen past 2 minutes. And the idea of looking up the lyrics seems downright insane. You know what, fuck it, here's the lyrics to "The Hustle"
Do It
Do It
Do The Hustle
DO THE HUSTLE
Do The Hustle
Do The Hustle
Do The Hustle
Do The Hustle
Do It
Do It
DO THE HUSTLE
Do The Hustle
DO THE HUSTLE
Do The Hustle
Do the Ricky Bobby by B-Hamp
This song seems to be a 4 minutes of samples. But the songs it is sampling, were samples of covers, so most of the music just sounds like electronic failure.
Interestingly, from what I gather, the "Ricky Bobby" seems to be just making a pose, as opposed to doing any dance, so this is probably the least demanding of the social command songs.
Do Da Stanky Legg by G-Spot
ROFL
Humpty Dance by Digital Underground
I listened to a lot of hip hop in the late 80s early 90s, but it was mostly stuff like Run DMC, Beastie Boys, followed by Coolio and Snoop Doggy Dog, then eventually down the terrible path of gangsta rap towards Biggie, Tupac, Warren G, Nate Dogg. Shit I remember memorizing songs like "Regulate" "Keep their heads ringing" "Murder was the case" as a young tween. This particular artist eluded until the 21st century, although I do remember the line "The humpty dance is your chance to do the hump" from Weird Al's "Off the Deep End" album. Weird Al really introduced me to a lot of different music. I completely missed the "grunge" era until about '94 when I started actually realizing other people liked music too, and I got a flood of Nirvana, Aerosmith, B-52s, Cranberries, REM, from people like my mom, dad, and friends.
Anyway. Nostalgiagasm over.
Do the Bartman by Michael Jackson
Never heard of this song until 5 minutes ago. And I've always loved the Simpsons. Apparently this song was ridiculously popular when it came out. It was mostly written and produced by Michael Jackson, who was a huge fan of the show, but he couldn't take any credit because the song went on a different label.
Walk it out by Unk
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is shitty command music at its most shitty and commanding.
Lean like a Cholo by Kilo
This homemade video has 800,000 views. Jesus Christ. This song came out when I lived in San Diego, it has a special place in my heart, mostly because I've always liked calling people "Homes" "cholo" and "vato".
The Twist by Chubby Checker
It really took radio and records to change the music world, to make the music "industry". Certainly there were folk songs, world famous musicians, and composers, but it wasn't until you could print music and play it in perpetuity, that shitty pop music really took hold of this planet. It wasted no time, and amazingly even with so much modern technology, much of it still boils down to its origins. Pop music is the heartbeat of the unthinking unquestioning masses. That so many songs simply expect people (usually millions of them) to make bad motions with their body in celebration of communal activity blows my mind.
I'm not against dancing. I'm very much for dancing, but I think if you're going to dance by yourself, you should follow your own moves, and if your going to dance with other people, it shouldn't be to the commands of the macarena, or Beck's waltzing, or whatever the shit the Monster Mash actually expected of us. If people want to dance with each other, it shouldn't veil that communal dancing in invariably about sex, and with that, I wholly support two people getting really close and holding each other, and seeing if they can literally move together, as so often metaphors and reality link, and if you can't keep in step with your partner, you might need to find a new partner, and there's no better place to do that than on a dance floor.
A lot of them simply start with "Do the" followed by the dumbshit name they gave their dumb shit commands.
Here are some great examples, old and new.
The Hustle by Van McCoy
This one is simply called "The hustle" but makes sure to say absolutely nothing but "Do it" and "Do the hustle" for 4 godforsaken minutes. At least I assume the lyrics never change, as I am physically unable to listen past 2 minutes. And the idea of looking up the lyrics seems downright insane. You know what, fuck it, here's the lyrics to "The Hustle"
Do It
Do It
Do The Hustle
DO THE HUSTLE
Do The Hustle
Do The Hustle
Do The Hustle
Do The Hustle
Do It
Do It
DO THE HUSTLE
Do The Hustle
DO THE HUSTLE
Do The Hustle
Do the Ricky Bobby by B-Hamp
This song seems to be a 4 minutes of samples. But the songs it is sampling, were samples of covers, so most of the music just sounds like electronic failure.
Interestingly, from what I gather, the "Ricky Bobby" seems to be just making a pose, as opposed to doing any dance, so this is probably the least demanding of the social command songs.
Do Da Stanky Legg by G-Spot
ROFL
Humpty Dance by Digital Underground
I listened to a lot of hip hop in the late 80s early 90s, but it was mostly stuff like Run DMC, Beastie Boys, followed by Coolio and Snoop Doggy Dog, then eventually down the terrible path of gangsta rap towards Biggie, Tupac, Warren G, Nate Dogg. Shit I remember memorizing songs like "Regulate" "Keep their heads ringing" "Murder was the case" as a young tween. This particular artist eluded until the 21st century, although I do remember the line "The humpty dance is your chance to do the hump" from Weird Al's "Off the Deep End" album. Weird Al really introduced me to a lot of different music. I completely missed the "grunge" era until about '94 when I started actually realizing other people liked music too, and I got a flood of Nirvana, Aerosmith, B-52s, Cranberries, REM, from people like my mom, dad, and friends.
Anyway. Nostalgiagasm over.
Do the Bartman by Michael Jackson
Never heard of this song until 5 minutes ago. And I've always loved the Simpsons. Apparently this song was ridiculously popular when it came out. It was mostly written and produced by Michael Jackson, who was a huge fan of the show, but he couldn't take any credit because the song went on a different label.
Walk it out by Unk
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is shitty command music at its most shitty and commanding.
Lean like a Cholo by Kilo
This homemade video has 800,000 views. Jesus Christ. This song came out when I lived in San Diego, it has a special place in my heart, mostly because I've always liked calling people "Homes" "cholo" and "vato".
The Twist by Chubby Checker
It really took radio and records to change the music world, to make the music "industry". Certainly there were folk songs, world famous musicians, and composers, but it wasn't until you could print music and play it in perpetuity, that shitty pop music really took hold of this planet. It wasted no time, and amazingly even with so much modern technology, much of it still boils down to its origins. Pop music is the heartbeat of the unthinking unquestioning masses. That so many songs simply expect people (usually millions of them) to make bad motions with their body in celebration of communal activity blows my mind.
I'm not against dancing. I'm very much for dancing, but I think if you're going to dance by yourself, you should follow your own moves, and if your going to dance with other people, it shouldn't be to the commands of the macarena, or Beck's waltzing, or whatever the shit the Monster Mash actually expected of us. If people want to dance with each other, it shouldn't veil that communal dancing in invariably about sex, and with that, I wholly support two people getting really close and holding each other, and seeing if they can literally move together, as so often metaphors and reality link, and if you can't keep in step with your partner, you might need to find a new partner, and there's no better place to do that than on a dance floor.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Just a regular guy
On Friday a woman walked up to me and asked me why I was not going to class. I vaguely recognized her as someone in my biology class. I'm rather dismissive of people as I know my worth on this planet, and it's not very high. Only people who want something from me for nothing in return, ever engage me.
Somehow she controlled this conversation into her explaining that she's been going to college forever, but that she had a head injury that had put her in a coma. I remarked it was good she recovered (as opposed to being in a permanent vegitative state) and she assured me she had not recovered, as in severe memory loss, problems learning, and has to take buckets of drugs everyday. On top of that she had problems with English, and the school was somehow screwing her in credits.
I really didn't fucking care. Especially when she mentioned she was married I pretty much tuned her out. Not that I had any superficial interest in her, rather, I've never even had a girlfriend. Love is all that matters in life, and no coma, no head injury will ever take away the fact that she got married. The way I see it, you get married you win. Doesn't matter after that. You won life.
So anyway she mentions that she's struggling in this class. I know what it's like trying to get out of this school, and knowing only 6% of students graduate, I know there's precious few people who are even trying. So I gave her my email. Nothing too special, I've already exchanged emails with people I don't know in 3 other classes, just in case there's critical information that I or they need.
I tell her if she has any questions I'd be happy to help.
Then she told me how everyone else had blown her off, and how nice I was to offer to help her. She started crying.
I hate people. Also I think I have the gout now, or arthritis or something, but I've been in constant pulsating pain and barely able to walk for 3 days now. I've gone past my limit on ibuprofen and I'm wondering what will hurt worse, this non stop pain in my foot, or vomiting blood when the drug wears a whole in my stomach? I'm thinking the stomach blood will be much less painful or inconvenient.
It took me 15 minutes to walk between classes today. Then I had to take the bus home, and walk about a mile limping in excrutiaing pain the whole time.
Reminded me of when I was in high school in San Francisco. I sprained my ankle. The day after I sprained it, I realized after class that I had no money for a bus, and I didn't really have the strength to walk up two hills on cruches anyway, so I just sat on the steps of the school and waited.
No one was coming to pick me up, but I figured maybe after my mom got home from work, maybe a few hours later she'd drive by. Or I could just sit on the steps until school the next day. Either way, I had no money,no friends, or any physical capacity to go anywhere in the city of hills on a sprained ankle.
About an hour later with few people left at that school a teacher came out. She saw I was in a bad situation and offered me a ride home.
I suppose a positive person would say "see, even when the chips are down..."
But that's fucking nonsense. Suffer long enough, someone'll come by eventually. That message sucks.
Suffer long enough, the bullet won't seem quite so sacrificial.
Somehow she controlled this conversation into her explaining that she's been going to college forever, but that she had a head injury that had put her in a coma. I remarked it was good she recovered (as opposed to being in a permanent vegitative state) and she assured me she had not recovered, as in severe memory loss, problems learning, and has to take buckets of drugs everyday. On top of that she had problems with English, and the school was somehow screwing her in credits.
I really didn't fucking care. Especially when she mentioned she was married I pretty much tuned her out. Not that I had any superficial interest in her, rather, I've never even had a girlfriend. Love is all that matters in life, and no coma, no head injury will ever take away the fact that she got married. The way I see it, you get married you win. Doesn't matter after that. You won life.
So anyway she mentions that she's struggling in this class. I know what it's like trying to get out of this school, and knowing only 6% of students graduate, I know there's precious few people who are even trying. So I gave her my email. Nothing too special, I've already exchanged emails with people I don't know in 3 other classes, just in case there's critical information that I or they need.
I tell her if she has any questions I'd be happy to help.
Then she told me how everyone else had blown her off, and how nice I was to offer to help her. She started crying.
I hate people. Also I think I have the gout now, or arthritis or something, but I've been in constant pulsating pain and barely able to walk for 3 days now. I've gone past my limit on ibuprofen and I'm wondering what will hurt worse, this non stop pain in my foot, or vomiting blood when the drug wears a whole in my stomach? I'm thinking the stomach blood will be much less painful or inconvenient.
It took me 15 minutes to walk between classes today. Then I had to take the bus home, and walk about a mile limping in excrutiaing pain the whole time.
Reminded me of when I was in high school in San Francisco. I sprained my ankle. The day after I sprained it, I realized after class that I had no money for a bus, and I didn't really have the strength to walk up two hills on cruches anyway, so I just sat on the steps of the school and waited.
No one was coming to pick me up, but I figured maybe after my mom got home from work, maybe a few hours later she'd drive by. Or I could just sit on the steps until school the next day. Either way, I had no money,no friends, or any physical capacity to go anywhere in the city of hills on a sprained ankle.
About an hour later with few people left at that school a teacher came out. She saw I was in a bad situation and offered me a ride home.
I suppose a positive person would say "see, even when the chips are down..."
But that's fucking nonsense. Suffer long enough, someone'll come by eventually. That message sucks.
Suffer long enough, the bullet won't seem quite so sacrificial.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Bullying
It breaks my heart when I hear about these kids that commit suicide from being bullied. The most recent being Phoebe Prince. Having only come to America months ago, apparently she caught the ire of some vicious people and she was bullied physically and emotionally ceaselessly until she killed herself. Even in death the people that were destroying her have continued their rampage.
I was thinking, this probably pisses a lot of people off because it taps into the heart of our society. Everyone who claims some "care" for this world must talk about "the children". When young teenagers are driving each other into suicide, that hope for the future comes crashing down. Your society has a gaping wound.
Anyway, I was thinking about what one could do to help people in such a situation, then I remembered, I've been shit on and ostracized by society since I was 10. Fuck you people.
I was thinking, this probably pisses a lot of people off because it taps into the heart of our society. Everyone who claims some "care" for this world must talk about "the children". When young teenagers are driving each other into suicide, that hope for the future comes crashing down. Your society has a gaping wound.
Anyway, I was thinking about what one could do to help people in such a situation, then I remembered, I've been shit on and ostracized by society since I was 10. Fuck you people.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Fuck Toyota
I first heard about the gas pedal issue a few months ago. I heard the audio of the family that called 911 to report their pedal stuck, the phone call ending moments before their death.
Repeatedly Toyota denied every claim that the pedals would rev-up and accelerate without the driver's action. They claimed that it was the floormat, even when people reported removing their floormat and still having their vehicle accelerate without their control.
In the case of the family that died, a series of electronic systems, set up to improve convenience, and protect the car from user mistakes caused the vehicle to become a death trap.
Here is the problem, the acceleration is now electronic, so if a rogue signal is sent to the engine, it can accelerate without the pedal being depressed.
Combine this with all these modern technologies that assume the driver is a moron, and make decisions for them (the dead family couldn't simply just turn the car off, because it is started electronically, and requires specific steps to turn off).
I am becoming increasingly disgusted with these technologies; cars that automatically force you back in your lane, cars that automatically put your seat belt on, cars that automatically lock your door, cars that automatically arm your alarm.
Every technology is put out with the assumption that people are bad drivers, and that the cars know better. Now this policy has literally killed people.
Now I'm not a lawyer, I'm not an employee of the government, nor Toyota, nor anyone for that matter. Reading that people are dying because of Toyota's lies and shitty technology I was pretty much helpless. I only thought, maybe Toyota is somehow right. The fact that they have finally admitted they were wrong, and are doing the recall (I hear it was under government pressure) now I see how fantastically evil they were being.
I thought in the 21st Century this kind of shit was no more. What's worse, no one seems to give a fuck. A major global corporation was literally selling faulty products that killed people AND NO ONE FUCKING CARES. Where's the outcry? A few decades ago a couple people got poisoned by Tylenol and the fucking nation came to a standstill. It wasn't even Tylenol doing the poisoning. Toyota literally knowingly killed people with their cars.
Crickets chirping. The time is ripe for great and varied evil.
Audio of last minutes of people killed by their car:
(http://www.entertonement.com/clips/mrkdpgncbs--Toyota-911-Call-Of-Family's-Fatal-Lexus-Crash-Due-To-Gas-Pedal-Stuck-On-Floormats-The-Consumerist-911-Call)
Repeatedly Toyota denied every claim that the pedals would rev-up and accelerate without the driver's action. They claimed that it was the floormat, even when people reported removing their floormat and still having their vehicle accelerate without their control.
In the case of the family that died, a series of electronic systems, set up to improve convenience, and protect the car from user mistakes caused the vehicle to become a death trap.
Here is the problem, the acceleration is now electronic, so if a rogue signal is sent to the engine, it can accelerate without the pedal being depressed.
Combine this with all these modern technologies that assume the driver is a moron, and make decisions for them (the dead family couldn't simply just turn the car off, because it is started electronically, and requires specific steps to turn off).
I am becoming increasingly disgusted with these technologies; cars that automatically force you back in your lane, cars that automatically put your seat belt on, cars that automatically lock your door, cars that automatically arm your alarm.
Every technology is put out with the assumption that people are bad drivers, and that the cars know better. Now this policy has literally killed people.
Now I'm not a lawyer, I'm not an employee of the government, nor Toyota, nor anyone for that matter. Reading that people are dying because of Toyota's lies and shitty technology I was pretty much helpless. I only thought, maybe Toyota is somehow right. The fact that they have finally admitted they were wrong, and are doing the recall (I hear it was under government pressure) now I see how fantastically evil they were being.
I thought in the 21st Century this kind of shit was no more. What's worse, no one seems to give a fuck. A major global corporation was literally selling faulty products that killed people AND NO ONE FUCKING CARES. Where's the outcry? A few decades ago a couple people got poisoned by Tylenol and the fucking nation came to a standstill. It wasn't even Tylenol doing the poisoning. Toyota literally knowingly killed people with their cars.
Crickets chirping. The time is ripe for great and varied evil.
Audio of last minutes of people killed by their car:
(http://www.entertonement.com/clips/mrkdpgncbs--Toyota-911-Call-Of-Family's-Fatal-Lexus-Crash-Due-To-Gas-Pedal-Stuck-On-Floormats-The-Consumerist-911-Call)
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