3.25.2004
OK. I have a new word for the day. Gabber.
Gabber in its true form is evil, aggressive, brutal and provocative techno, ranging in speed from 180 bpm to more than the double. The typical gabber-track is built up from a distorted 909 bassdrum, and kept going by the use of similarily distorted guitarsamples from speed- and black metal, blurry noises and sometimes acidic sounds. It also may contain vocalsamples from gangster-, war- and horror movies, often with a provocative and obscene theme.
more
Gabber in its true form is evil, aggressive, brutal and provocative techno, ranging in speed from 180 bpm to more than the double. The typical gabber-track is built up from a distorted 909 bassdrum, and kept going by the use of similarily distorted guitarsamples from speed- and black metal, blurry noises and sometimes acidic sounds. It also may contain vocalsamples from gangster-, war- and horror movies, often with a provocative and obscene theme.
more
Monday night shared dinner and a movie with my friend JP. We saw "Secret Window" at the Jack London Cinemas. How can a movie with Johnny Depp and John Turturro and a score by Philip Glass be this bad? I was bitterly disappointed by the silly spooky camera tricks, the predictable plot and the unrealistic violent murders. Worst of all were the flashes of Depp's last good role as Capt. Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl."
Roger Ebert says in the Chicago Sun-Times "Capt. Sparrow's behavior is so rococo that other members of the cast actually comment on it. And yet because it is consistent and because you can never catch Depp making fun of the character, it rises to a kind of cockamamie sincerity."
Sigh. At least he could have kept the gold tooth a little longer.
Roger Ebert says in the Chicago Sun-Times "Capt. Sparrow's behavior is so rococo that other members of the cast actually comment on it. And yet because it is consistent and because you can never catch Depp making fun of the character, it rises to a kind of cockamamie sincerity."
Sigh. At least he could have kept the gold tooth a little longer.
3.24.2004
Catching up on postings from mythos_amante. On 3/18 she posts about walking in the dark, and monsters, and claiming personal power. Good stuff.
Among many other gifts Burning Man has given me, I left my fear of the dark in the desert. In 2000, my first year at Burning Man, I went with some people I didn't know very well. We rented two big RVs and I volunteered to do the cooking and housekeeping so I'd have something "finite" to do. One night after dinner, I didn't get things cleaned up and put away until nearly midnight. Everyone else had gone out to find adventures, and I suddenly realized that it was dark out, and I wanted to go out and do something, but it was night, and I was a woman, and there wasn't anyone to go out with me.
First, I was frustrated and started to turn in with a book. Then, I was struck with a radical idea. Why did I feel that it wasn't safe to be out alone at night? It was just what I'd been told my whole life. Ony my assumptions were holding me back. Why not go out at night? I was at Burning Man with 30,000 of my closest friends. If anything were to happen to me, it was more probable that someone would HELP me than HURT me. I put on a jacket, grabbed my water bottle and headed out into the night.
At first it was very weird. Costumed people roaming in packs, art cars decked with christmas lights, thumping trance parties in every direction. I wandered about for a bit, mostly keeping to myself. Eventually I got the nerve to wander up to a few fire-barrels and hang out with people. I met a few creepy strung-out people along towards dawn, but nothing I couldn't handle. I was inspired by walking in the night and decided to head across the open desert towards the trash fence that forms the perimeter of the event.
I walked out until the sounds of camp were a blur and sat on the playa, turning my head one way and the other listening to the sounds I could pick out. I lay back and looked up at the stars. Once and a while I could see the lights of a bicycle or other walkers out on the open playa. I decided in that moment to give up fear and reclaim my right to be outside alone at night and I've never turned back.
Among many other gifts Burning Man has given me, I left my fear of the dark in the desert. In 2000, my first year at Burning Man, I went with some people I didn't know very well. We rented two big RVs and I volunteered to do the cooking and housekeeping so I'd have something "finite" to do. One night after dinner, I didn't get things cleaned up and put away until nearly midnight. Everyone else had gone out to find adventures, and I suddenly realized that it was dark out, and I wanted to go out and do something, but it was night, and I was a woman, and there wasn't anyone to go out with me.
First, I was frustrated and started to turn in with a book. Then, I was struck with a radical idea. Why did I feel that it wasn't safe to be out alone at night? It was just what I'd been told my whole life. Ony my assumptions were holding me back. Why not go out at night? I was at Burning Man with 30,000 of my closest friends. If anything were to happen to me, it was more probable that someone would HELP me than HURT me. I put on a jacket, grabbed my water bottle and headed out into the night.
At first it was very weird. Costumed people roaming in packs, art cars decked with christmas lights, thumping trance parties in every direction. I wandered about for a bit, mostly keeping to myself. Eventually I got the nerve to wander up to a few fire-barrels and hang out with people. I met a few creepy strung-out people along towards dawn, but nothing I couldn't handle. I was inspired by walking in the night and decided to head across the open desert towards the trash fence that forms the perimeter of the event.
I walked out until the sounds of camp were a blur and sat on the playa, turning my head one way and the other listening to the sounds I could pick out. I lay back and looked up at the stars. Once and a while I could see the lights of a bicycle or other walkers out on the open playa. I decided in that moment to give up fear and reclaim my right to be outside alone at night and I've never turned back.
3.19.2004
I knew the term 'blinkenlights" reminded me of something. Back in the 80's there was a genre of fax and photocopy art that proliferated with the spread of cubicles in corporate America. There were a couple classics... all about the plight of the overworked and under appreciated. One in particular started to crop up in computer rooms.
ACHTUNG!
Alles touristen und non-technishen looken peepers! Das machine is nicht fur der fingerpoken und mittengrabben. Is easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und popencorken mit spitzen sparken. Das machine is diggen by experten only. Is nicht fur gerwerken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseeren keepen das cottenpiken hands in das pockets. Relaxen und watchen das blinkenlights.
http://mzone.mweb.co.za/residents/diont/main.htm
ACHTUNG!
Alles touristen und non-technishen looken peepers! Das machine is nicht fur der fingerpoken und mittengrabben. Is easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und popencorken mit spitzen sparken. Das machine is diggen by experten only. Is nicht fur gerwerken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseeren keepen das cottenpiken hands in das pockets. Relaxen und watchen das blinkenlights.
http://mzone.mweb.co.za/residents/diont/main.htm
To celebrate its 20th anniversary the Chaos Computer Club created a special present to itself and the city of Berlin. From September 12th, 2001 to February 23rd, 2002, the famous "Haus des Lehrers" (house of the teacher) office building at Berlin Alexanderplatz was enhanced to become world's biggest interactive computer display: Blinkenlights. The project was reprised from December 22th, 2003 to January 4th, 2004
The upper eight floors of the building were transformed in to a huge display by arranging 144 lamps behind the building's front windows. A computer controlled each of the lamps independently to produce a monochrome matrix of 18 times 8 pixels.
The display was used to show ascii movies, send love letters and play arcade video games, all controlled by caller's cell phones.
Check out the catchy and irreverant hold song by The Beez Die WarteSchleife and the lyrics. You can use AltaVista if you need a translation from German to English.
Source: http://www.blinkenlights.de/
The upper eight floors of the building were transformed in to a huge display by arranging 144 lamps behind the building's front windows. A computer controlled each of the lamps independently to produce a monochrome matrix of 18 times 8 pixels.
The display was used to show ascii movies, send love letters and play arcade video games, all controlled by caller's cell phones.
Check out the catchy and irreverant hold song by The Beez Die WarteSchleife and the lyrics. You can use AltaVista if you need a translation from German to English.
Source: http://www.blinkenlights.de/
3.15.2004
Did I mention recently that I love my dentist? Had my third apt. with Dr. Markle and hightly recommend him to anyone who can make it to SF for dental apts.
3.14.2004
reading:
- revelation space, alastair reynolds (not impressed)
- fallen angels, larry niven, jerry pournelle, michael flynn (fluffy but fun)
listening:
- a voyage into the chill-out zone
- revelation space, alastair reynolds (not impressed)
- fallen angels, larry niven, jerry pournelle, michael flynn (fluffy but fun)
listening:
- a voyage into the chill-out zone
I did not realize until last week that interracial marriage was once illegal. I hope that someday my niece someday is similarly surprised that once upon a time, two women or two men could not be legally married.
My friend Becca recently chose to marry her same-sex partner in San Francisco. Her letter below to Barbara Boxer is the most articulate and personal description of the issue I've seen to date. It is posted with her permission.
Dear Senator Boxer,
I write today in response to your recent statement in regards to the same-sex marriages which until two days ago were being performed in San Francisco.
Your statement (reproduced in the San Francisco Chronicle today in an Associated Press article by Beth Foury, March 12th), characterized the California law banning same-sex marriage, as enacted by Prop 22, as being "fair and appropriate because it gives equal rights to all citizens."
Excuse me Senator, but I am absolutely baffled as to how you could say this. I am also deeply disappointed in you. I used to think you were fairly progressive and compassionate in your positions, but clearly I was mistaken.
Equal rights to all citizens would not overtly favor and support heterosexual unions over homosexual ones.
Please allow me to offer just one small example of this disparity. Despite all our legal paperwork and Domestic Partnership registration, if I was to die, my same-sex spouse would lose the home we purchased together.
Why? Because upon the demise of one of us, our property would be reassessed immediately and the surviving spouse responsible for inheritance taxes on 50% of the current market value.
We bought our home back in early 1998 for $385k. It is now worth approximately $800k. That means taxes on $400k, payable to California and the Federal government. As years go by, this value will probably only climb higher. This doesn't even get into other joint property, such as our vehicles and other items of worth, as well as our investment and retirement savings accounts.
Essentially, if one of us dies, the other goes bankrupt and could even end up homeless. (I earn the bulk of the money in our household. I shudder to think what will happen to my spouse if I die before she does.)
If we were a heterosexual couple, this issue wouldn't even be a concern. The surviving widow or widower would inherit everything, tax free, even if there was no Will.
Here's another example: In court, I could be compelled to testify against my spouse. Every communication we've shared between each other could be subpeonaed and revealed to the public at large.
For a heterosexual marriage, immunity is automatic and unquestioned. Private communications are considered inviolable.
These are merely two rights among some 1132 specifically enumerated rights our own Federal government has identified. I don't know how many there are the California state level, but it is probably comparable.
How can you possibly say that the rights that I and my same-sex spouse have are equal to those of heterosexual couples?
Your statement makes no logical sense whatsoever. Or did you mean to say that California law is equal and fair, as long as you're heterosexual?
California law bans same-sex marriages. Marriage confers over a thousand rights and privileges (and a number of responsibilities). Same-sex couples who've been together for decades, many of whom have raised families, are denied access to these rights and privilages.
This is the very definition of unequal.
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon have been together for 51 years. In the eyes of current law, they are merely long-term roommates with a bit of legal paperwork.
Yet a man and a woman could meet in Las Vegas one night, impulsively get married by a drunken Elvis impersonator at a drive-thru wedding chapel, and have that confer immediately all the rights and privileges that heterosexual marriages enjoy.
Does this make sense to you?
Senator, civil marriage is and should be separated from the religious considerations. There are many mainstream religions in the U.S. that have no problem whatsoever with same-sex marriage. The Unitarians and Methodists are performing same-sex marriage ceremonies all the time, and have been for decades. How come it's the religions which object to it that get to impose their particular limited and discriminatory beliefs upon the rest of us?
I see terms being bandied about, like 'sanctity' and 'tradition'. The first is a religious term, and the second was also used as an excuse for slavery and for denying women the vote. Isn't the government supposed to be prohibited from passing laws that favor one religion's beliefs over another's?
(I would also remind you that if not for the work of Susan B. Anthony and all the other women's rights activists, you would not be holding the office you do.)
I have to wonder if you really care at all about your gay and lesbian constituency. If you truly are in favor of discrimination against same-sex couples, I will have to assume you don't want my vote in your re-election this November. I was going to make a fairly sizeable contribution to your re-election campaign this year, too, but I suppose you don't care about that either.
This saddens me greatly, and makes me wonder if my wife and I might not be better accepted elsewhere. Like British Columbia, perhaps, where same-sex marriage is perfectly legal and accepted.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Morn
Married in SF on March 9th. maybe
My friend Becca recently chose to marry her same-sex partner in San Francisco. Her letter below to Barbara Boxer is the most articulate and personal description of the issue I've seen to date. It is posted with her permission.
Dear Senator Boxer,
I write today in response to your recent statement in regards to the same-sex marriages which until two days ago were being performed in San Francisco.
Your statement (reproduced in the San Francisco Chronicle today in an Associated Press article by Beth Foury, March 12th), characterized the California law banning same-sex marriage, as enacted by Prop 22, as being "fair and appropriate because it gives equal rights to all citizens."
Excuse me Senator, but I am absolutely baffled as to how you could say this. I am also deeply disappointed in you. I used to think you were fairly progressive and compassionate in your positions, but clearly I was mistaken.
Equal rights to all citizens would not overtly favor and support heterosexual unions over homosexual ones.
Please allow me to offer just one small example of this disparity. Despite all our legal paperwork and Domestic Partnership registration, if I was to die, my same-sex spouse would lose the home we purchased together.
Why? Because upon the demise of one of us, our property would be reassessed immediately and the surviving spouse responsible for inheritance taxes on 50% of the current market value.
We bought our home back in early 1998 for $385k. It is now worth approximately $800k. That means taxes on $400k, payable to California and the Federal government. As years go by, this value will probably only climb higher. This doesn't even get into other joint property, such as our vehicles and other items of worth, as well as our investment and retirement savings accounts.
Essentially, if one of us dies, the other goes bankrupt and could even end up homeless. (I earn the bulk of the money in our household. I shudder to think what will happen to my spouse if I die before she does.)
If we were a heterosexual couple, this issue wouldn't even be a concern. The surviving widow or widower would inherit everything, tax free, even if there was no Will.
Here's another example: In court, I could be compelled to testify against my spouse. Every communication we've shared between each other could be subpeonaed and revealed to the public at large.
For a heterosexual marriage, immunity is automatic and unquestioned. Private communications are considered inviolable.
These are merely two rights among some 1132 specifically enumerated rights our own Federal government has identified. I don't know how many there are the California state level, but it is probably comparable.
How can you possibly say that the rights that I and my same-sex spouse have are equal to those of heterosexual couples?
Your statement makes no logical sense whatsoever. Or did you mean to say that California law is equal and fair, as long as you're heterosexual?
California law bans same-sex marriages. Marriage confers over a thousand rights and privileges (and a number of responsibilities). Same-sex couples who've been together for decades, many of whom have raised families, are denied access to these rights and privilages.
This is the very definition of unequal.
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon have been together for 51 years. In the eyes of current law, they are merely long-term roommates with a bit of legal paperwork.
Yet a man and a woman could meet in Las Vegas one night, impulsively get married by a drunken Elvis impersonator at a drive-thru wedding chapel, and have that confer immediately all the rights and privileges that heterosexual marriages enjoy.
Does this make sense to you?
Senator, civil marriage is and should be separated from the religious considerations. There are many mainstream religions in the U.S. that have no problem whatsoever with same-sex marriage. The Unitarians and Methodists are performing same-sex marriage ceremonies all the time, and have been for decades. How come it's the religions which object to it that get to impose their particular limited and discriminatory beliefs upon the rest of us?
I see terms being bandied about, like 'sanctity' and 'tradition'. The first is a religious term, and the second was also used as an excuse for slavery and for denying women the vote. Isn't the government supposed to be prohibited from passing laws that favor one religion's beliefs over another's?
(I would also remind you that if not for the work of Susan B. Anthony and all the other women's rights activists, you would not be holding the office you do.)
I have to wonder if you really care at all about your gay and lesbian constituency. If you truly are in favor of discrimination against same-sex couples, I will have to assume you don't want my vote in your re-election this November. I was going to make a fairly sizeable contribution to your re-election campaign this year, too, but I suppose you don't care about that either.
This saddens me greatly, and makes me wonder if my wife and I might not be better accepted elsewhere. Like British Columbia, perhaps, where same-sex marriage is perfectly legal and accepted.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Morn
Married in SF on March 9th. maybe
3.08.2004
Happy day! My mac 12" PowerBook is due Wednesday. I bought online from the Apple store and so far I've been impressed with the sales experience. Can't wait for the "out of box" experience. Per JG, it is pretty smooth, even detects available wireless networks at startup.
The only close contender was the Sony Vaio Picturebook, but the low-quality built-in digital camera was cheesy, and the hinges on the demo model at the Metreon had already died. More than anything else, I am just tired of slow the boot time and hit on system resources required to run anti-virus software. I am looking forward to having a computer that I can reasonably expect to carry with me all the time. We'll see how much of a hit it is to replace my PC software.
The weather this weekend was very fine. Went for a hike on Mt. Tam with JG and JY yesterday. We followed the Cataract Trail to Alpine Lake and back via Laurel Dell. The route was about 2.9 miles each way, with a change of about 1000 feet of altitude. It took about an hour and a half to climb down, and about two hours to climb back up.
The only close contender was the Sony Vaio Picturebook, but the low-quality built-in digital camera was cheesy, and the hinges on the demo model at the Metreon had already died. More than anything else, I am just tired of slow the boot time and hit on system resources required to run anti-virus software. I am looking forward to having a computer that I can reasonably expect to carry with me all the time. We'll see how much of a hit it is to replace my PC software.
The weather this weekend was very fine. Went for a hike on Mt. Tam with JG and JY yesterday. We followed the Cataract Trail to Alpine Lake and back via Laurel Dell. The route was about 2.9 miles each way, with a change of about 1000 feet of altitude. It took about an hour and a half to climb down, and about two hours to climb back up.
3.02.2004
This has been a good week for taking care of things. Recently I joined a health club and found a personal trainer. Two big milestones today. I went to the dentist, and sold my car.
I haven't been to a dentist for four years. My last one retired, and in the gap, I didn't have dental insurance for a while. Now that I'm an employee again, it was time to take care of it. I found Dr. Markle through a web search that eventually took me to 1-800-DENTIST, although all I did with the service was get his number and call his office. Dr. Markle's office represents a whole new world of dentistry. They took a digital panoramic x-ray of my mouth which used one-tenth the x-ray exposure as a conventional x-ray, and required no development delay. They also had a nifty camera/light wand that projected a video image on a monitor. Dr. Markle talked over what he was seeing as he moved the wand to different areas of my mouth and his assistant snapped stills for my medical record. He even ground a rough spot off my tooth on the spot for free during the consult.
Dr. Markle provided the first clear explanation of the symptoms I've been experiencing (sensitive teeth, receding gums). He suspects that the way my earlier orthodontics were done moved my teeth out of their bone pockets, which started receding gums. After my teeth drifted and I lost my bite on one side, the grinding and tongue thrusting started, which further forced the teeth out of alignment. As this point, I can only chew on one side of my mouth, so the teeth on the left side take all the force, resulting in stress cracks, and further gum retraction. My earlier Dentist's recommendation of gum surgery wouldn't be effective because until we fix the tooth alignment, the stress would continue. His recommendation to remove the sensitivity? Simple composite fillings over the exposed tooth surface. An out-patient procedure that can be done next week with no recovery time.
After the consult, his business manager sat down with me to review my insurance coverage and provide an estimate of costs before we scheduled the apts. She discussed payment plans, and offered to knock off some if I paid cash up front instead of charging it. This place even provides Nitrous Oxide gratis to anyone who requests it because "it makes it easier on all of us, and why should anyone have to suffer?" Hooray for modern dentistry! All the work is scheduled to be done before my trip to France this April.
After we fix the sensitivity, it's back into orthodontics to align my bite. I want to keep my teeth another 40 years, at least, so it seems well worth it to me.
Selling the van was a huge relief. My wonderful landlord MG helped me list the van and show it to folks while I was at work. He met with some colorful characters, but in the end, we went with a lowball offer today because one guy actually hooked it up to a compression meter and convinced MG that the engine was only running on three cylinders. I swear, the van knew it was time for the glue factory. Right after I cleaned it out and decided to sell, someone backed into it and left a substantial ding in the side. With the odd-colored back door, and the ding on the bumper, it looked pretty sad. I am so glad to see it go. I don't have to insure or park it any longer, and I just don't have the worry of driving it. It's gone now, along with some unpleasant memories from the past two years of my life. This car taught me a lesson about bad relationsihps. Don't jump into things for emotional reasons and don't be fooled by "fixers." No matter how much you put into it, you're still left with an old car.
I haven't been to a dentist for four years. My last one retired, and in the gap, I didn't have dental insurance for a while. Now that I'm an employee again, it was time to take care of it. I found Dr. Markle through a web search that eventually took me to 1-800-DENTIST, although all I did with the service was get his number and call his office. Dr. Markle's office represents a whole new world of dentistry. They took a digital panoramic x-ray of my mouth which used one-tenth the x-ray exposure as a conventional x-ray, and required no development delay. They also had a nifty camera/light wand that projected a video image on a monitor. Dr. Markle talked over what he was seeing as he moved the wand to different areas of my mouth and his assistant snapped stills for my medical record. He even ground a rough spot off my tooth on the spot for free during the consult.
Dr. Markle provided the first clear explanation of the symptoms I've been experiencing (sensitive teeth, receding gums). He suspects that the way my earlier orthodontics were done moved my teeth out of their bone pockets, which started receding gums. After my teeth drifted and I lost my bite on one side, the grinding and tongue thrusting started, which further forced the teeth out of alignment. As this point, I can only chew on one side of my mouth, so the teeth on the left side take all the force, resulting in stress cracks, and further gum retraction. My earlier Dentist's recommendation of gum surgery wouldn't be effective because until we fix the tooth alignment, the stress would continue. His recommendation to remove the sensitivity? Simple composite fillings over the exposed tooth surface. An out-patient procedure that can be done next week with no recovery time.
After the consult, his business manager sat down with me to review my insurance coverage and provide an estimate of costs before we scheduled the apts. She discussed payment plans, and offered to knock off some if I paid cash up front instead of charging it. This place even provides Nitrous Oxide gratis to anyone who requests it because "it makes it easier on all of us, and why should anyone have to suffer?" Hooray for modern dentistry! All the work is scheduled to be done before my trip to France this April.
After we fix the sensitivity, it's back into orthodontics to align my bite. I want to keep my teeth another 40 years, at least, so it seems well worth it to me.
Selling the van was a huge relief. My wonderful landlord MG helped me list the van and show it to folks while I was at work. He met with some colorful characters, but in the end, we went with a lowball offer today because one guy actually hooked it up to a compression meter and convinced MG that the engine was only running on three cylinders. I swear, the van knew it was time for the glue factory. Right after I cleaned it out and decided to sell, someone backed into it and left a substantial ding in the side. With the odd-colored back door, and the ding on the bumper, it looked pretty sad. I am so glad to see it go. I don't have to insure or park it any longer, and I just don't have the worry of driving it. It's gone now, along with some unpleasant memories from the past two years of my life. This car taught me a lesson about bad relationsihps. Don't jump into things for emotional reasons and don't be fooled by "fixers." No matter how much you put into it, you're still left with an old car.
3.01.2004
Hooray! Cavalia has extended through March 12. The site is a little thin on content, so here are some photos from Karen Turvey, a performer in the show.
