0. The Fool

GOAT FIGHT GOAT FIGHT GOAT FIGHT

It comes with Tacoma.

Oh yeah, I went to Tacoma, didn't I?.

Next time: "They called me Mister Glass!"

I've read a fair amount of Kierkegaard, but I have to say that Works of Love is introducing me to a new side of him. Specifically, I'm not sure how I feel about his near-fetishistic admiration of a particular typographic symbol.

pg. 256-260: "There are many writers who employ dashes on every occasion of thought-failure, and there are also those who use dashes with sensitivity and taste. But a dash has truly never been used more significantly than in the little sentence above...

For in this dash is hidden the sleeplessness of anxiety, the night-tossing of labour, almost desperate exertion; in this dash is hidden a fear and trembling which has never found its expression, and for this reason is all the more dangerous...

What wonderful recollections the [spiritual] lover acquires as thanks for all his labour! In a sense he can pack his whole life together in a dash. He can say: I have laboured in spite of everyone, early and late, but what have I accomplished--a dash!... I have suffered as heavily as any man, inwardly as only love can suffer, but what have I gained--a dash! I have proclaimed the truth, clearly and well thought through in spite of everyone, but who has appropriated it--a dash!"


pg. 284: "And so the breaking-point between the two [lovers] is reached. It was a misunderstanding; yet one of them broke the relationship. But the lover says, "I abide"--therefore still there is no break. Imagine a compound word which lacks the last word; there is only the first word and the hyphen (for the one who breaks the relationship still cannot take the hyphen with him; the lover naturally keeps the hyphen on his side)..."

If you live long enough, you'll get to see something good.

I'm so happy for, and proud* of, everyone involved.

The last set from NYC. Out of photos now, so I guess I'll see you all further on down the road.

NYC.

Any suggestions/recommendations for a local mechanic that works on Japanese cars?

Fresh from the excitement of 'Miscellany 4,' I bring you 'NYC Misc,' now featuring the most hardcore act of meditation I have personally witnessed.

Yep.

for Jesus, in his many forms.

Oakland cathedral. Well worth visiting, if you're in the area; these photos don't capture the cathedral proper very well at all. It is, to put it mildly, quite nice.

"As a safety feature, your vehicle has a release lever on the trunk latch so the trunk can be opened from inside [...]
Parents should decide if their children should be shown how to use this feature."

... or if you want to keep them in there a little longer?

It's been a while since I posted photos. Out of a sense of deep obligation, I'm posting 5 sets, thereby catching you up to speed.

Frontalot
Snowy Windows
Rochester Interiors
Rochester Exteriors
Binghamton

An interesting contemporary observation of pre-internet memes. It's interesting how lowly the only one to survive to this day is portrayed:

"It was next thought the height of vulgar wit to answer all questions by placing the point of the thumb upon the tip of the nose, and twirling the fingers in the air. If one man wished to insult or annoy another, he had only to make use of this cabalistic sign in his face, and his object was accomplished. At every street corner where a group was assembled, the spectator who was curious enough to observe their movements, would be sure to see the fingers of some of them at their noses, either as a mark of incredulity, surprise, refusal, or mockery, before he had watched two minutes. There is some remnant of this absurd custom to be seen to this day; but it is thought low, even among the vulgar."

Personally, I would love to see a revival of the titular phrase, but I suppose there's not much call for it these days.

Anyone interested in seeing MC Frontalot either
- in Oakland tomorrow, or
- in Mountain View on Thursday?

Anyone interested in seeing the Nerdcore Rising documentary in SF either tonight or tomorrow?

Miscellany Strikes Back.

Kittens. Kittens. Lo, how the mighty* have fallen.**

*Not actually that mighty.
** They are cute, though.

If you want a free copy of Crossover (enhanced WINE), now's the time to get it.

I just read through the ballot initiatives for CA and decided on them. This was a long process involving a lot of reading and external research. But I notice that I could have saved a lot of time by sticking to one simple algorithm:

1. Read the arguments for and against the proposition.
2. Take note of which side uses more WORDS THAT ARE IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
3. Vote against them.

In cases where this could be usefully applied, it agreed with my own opinions 84% of the time. Maybe I'll just go with this in the future.



As this is the first time I've dealt with these propositions, I was also amused by number 12, which proposes that the state sell bonds to fund low-interest mortgages for veterans. The argument in favor points out that it's essentially the same thing Californians have been funding since 1922, and it was unanimously approved to go on the ballot. This argument is signed by three state lawmakers. The counter-argument agrees that this is essentially a good idea, and is signed by one guy, who does not have a title. For context, every other argument in the entire booklet is signed by three people, each of whom have some impressive or relevant title. You'd think this guy could at least round up a couple friends who agree with him. Interestingly enough, also the only argument in the booklet not to contain UNNECESSARY CAPITALIZATION on either side, perhaps because it's too forgone a conclusion to get worked up over.

So, I was recently reading someone bemoaning that his small New England town had a substantial population of people that are adopting the cultural signifiers of redneckdom. (Stars and bars, pickup trucks, etc.) I got to thinking: this problem couldn't possibly be as widespread as this guy makes it sound. I grew up in a small New England town. Seeing a bunch of people walking around dressing/acting like 'rednecks' would be as flatly ridiculous as seeing a bunch of people walking around dressed in clown makeup. Surely not.

... then I remembered that it wouldn't have been so long ago that the latter might be plausible...