Ex-Pat Options
Learn un poquito espanol and vamanos a la Chile... All kinds of wildness seems easily accommodated down there...
Careful...
... to never say "never"... nor... "it couldn't happen here"...
T.A.R.D.I.S
The Doctor has warped the dimensions of both time and space and is back to saving our universe via online animation!! And more than that - the Shada episodes are authored by none other than Douglas Adams. My gawd - it truly doesn't get much better than this, Daleks or not...
Enjoy your weekend! Repeatedly, even...
All Your Base Pairs Are Belong 2 Us
In a previous life, I interned at the UT-MDA Cancer Research Ctr - this was before I discovered Derrida and before inorganic chemistry tore me a new one. Still, I learned a lot and got to do some seriously groovy stuff during my two years at SPRD, and the fascination with chromosomal biology that led me there has continued to this day (read as: "I make NO claims of any exacting understanding of genetics")...
One of the protocols I worked on was a version of in situ hybridization where I was trying to tag particular chromosomal sequences with Tritium (H3 - radioactive... sorry!) so that they would be visible after emersion in a photographic emulsion... Why? For me, it was simply to see if I could do it... For Dr. Conti's lab, tho, it was to develop more tools that would aid in the understanding of just how certain chromosomes function in cancerous cells. All this was in 1989, so you know, in situ has come a long way since then...
But anyway, there is a moment I remember most clearly from that time. And I have thought about many times since. It was the first of many times I would run the in situ protocol, and my advisor Alberto was walking through it with me. He reached into the freezer and pulled out a box.
"These are your base pairs," he said, "you don't ever want to leave them out of the freezer for more than 5 minutes or they might degrade."
"Wow... you mean there's Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine in... that box?!?" I exclaimed.
"Yeah, why?"
"I mean, jeeezus - the building blocks of life are in a box in your freezer and you're all non-chalant about it! That's pretty intense and powerful to me..."
He paused... "You're right. It is kinda scary that we can do this."
I think that all the scientists I ever worked with were always, in the back of their minds, aware of the implications of their study. Unfortunately, there are a lot of implications. Should research stop? I don't know - I don't think so, but it still may be a while before human 'ethics' catch up with technology... if ever... My advice - keep your fingers crossed and your base pairs to yourself.
Dating Advice
You pretty much know a relationship is likely not going to go well when it starts out with head games. I mean, who could ever forgive being subjected to 24/7 of something like this?
Think Globally - Terrorize Locally
Well, it would appear that we are entering the next phase of the new werld disorder here. After the last two weeks, I found myself remembering a conversation Dustin and I had way back in 1988... You've never met Dustin, and that's too bad. I mean, he has a way of cutting to the core of any situation. It's not always pretty. In fact, I think he intentionally focuses on the not-so-pretty. In 1988, we were nihilistic seniors in High School. We had perfected our own special brands of angst. Mine was the poetic whiny type - more words than logic. Dustin's was... well - "Machiavellian".
This is just one of many enlightening conversations we have had - it went something like this:
Me: I have dreams all the time of nuclear catastrophe. I almost wish for it... In fact - i would love nothing better than if Gawd would bring on WW Three before our damn stoopit prom.
Dustin: Yeah, well, real life ain't that easy. World War Three won't be some lovely pre-emptive obliteration, sweetie - it's going to be an agonizing decade or two of little things just blowing up randomly all over the globe, increased government surveillance, and propaganda out the wah-zooo.... So you better get over it, and figure out who you're going to the prom with, anyway.
Going Bananas
I, for one, can never eat a banana without thinking about coups, assassination manuals and psych warfare...
Today's FAS Secrecy Newsletter today has much interesting news... Of special note - "Guatemala 1954 Declassified"... We have been waiting for this since 1996 or so, when a small portion of the relative documents were released, and it appears that finally a greater amount of info will be available.
A Round Tuit
Circle Jerk: I wonder how historical revisionism deals with historical parallels? The before-referenced parallaxed conversation occurs in both 1917 and 2003... (coming around to you by way of Cowboy Kahlil > Long Story, Short Pier > Open Brackets)
And speaking of recursive rhetoric... did you know that chauvinistic smut is making a comeback? Wowsers! Now I love the Atlantic Monthly (I am, in fact, a subscriber), and the quality of their writing is beyond the median... Still, personally, I think this article looks better when Pornolized... *link is PG-17!!! (Pornolize.com is brought to you "Big Daddy" courtesy of Juniks.org)
The D-Generation
Let me tell you what... between this and this.. i just really worry about WTF is GO-N on w/ths nxt crop of youngsters... and DON'T give me that 'violent video games and movies' crap either - i cut my eyeteeth on Skinny Puppy's Vivisection video and i don't act out like this...
BUT HEY - how the hell do you expect them to respond when they see the leaders of the world bullying the frik outa each other?
New Bumper Sticker: "Don't like my diplomacy? Call 1-800-EAT-SH*T" (c 2K3, The Daily Show)
Blog Block
I know, I know. I have been unusually quiet blogwise lately, as well as fairly uninteresting when i do blog. We realize here at Dry, Inc. that we haven't been living up to our previous performance in terms of oblique socio-politico mutter-ranting... and itz not as if there isn't enuf going on of late to obliquely agitate about either. In our defense, all we can say is that we are currently preoccupied with mundane meatspace demands such as where next month's rent is coming from and sorting dirty from clean laundry. Back office operations type stuff... as a result, I am pretty much avoiding political news. Many of my links on the left are on top of this stuff tho, so click your way rite on thru to manifest ur own agitprop.
We will try to get back on track here soon - likely by the end of the week. In the interim, we offer up the following jewels:
- Apathetic Online Journal Generator (courtesty of the Brunching Shuttlecocks)
- Blogndx (latest headlines, as well as index of blog links... go crazy!)
- The Solipsistic Gazette (vintage eye candy retro blog style)
- Bar Hopping Flash Emulation (I like to call it "Networking"... courtesy of Geon.ca.to) *PG-17
So, continue to Fite the Power, my minion subversives - i promise you that at least one of my hyper-critical personalities will soon yet again turn to frictive dissing of gubment, conspiracy theorizing and miscellaneous meme propagation. Hail Eris.
X-cuse ME
Tom Paine has Part II of an interview with George Lakoff up now - The Moral Imperative. Beyond metaphor, Lakoff analyzes rhetorical vectors wrt the 2K4 elections... after reading it, i feel paradigmatically challenged... but, hey, what do i kno? I am a target market.
Trepanning
IM of the Day
RRPF: i kind of had a weird fugue over the name of a truck rental company while i was driving the other day
RRPF: "IDEALEASE"
RRPF: i'm still wondering if the owner was thinking "ideal ease"
RRPF: or "idea lease"
pwylla23: hmmm... it seems somehow inappropriate
pwylla23: 'ideal' and 'lease' sharing an "L" like that
pwylla23: i dont wanna lease anyonez ideaz
pwylla23: not w/o insurance anyway
RRPF: it was the equivalent of that picture of the skull that's actually a lady sitting in front of a mirror
pwylla23: RRPF... sometimes ur mind
pwylla23: just flat out scares me
RRPF: hey, at least you can get away from it
pwylla23: there are operations for these things tho if it getz out of hand
RRPF: i've considered trepanation
pwylla23: and thtz one that u can perform w/easy at home kitz too
RRPF: right, reading about it makes me want to give it a try
RRPF: but the sound of drilling into bone gives me the creeps
pwylla23: just it would likely only hurt at first... tho yes the sound mite be a bit wiggy
RRPF: my roommate met a lady yesterday who had her belly button moved... outpatient procedure...
RRPF: i don't get why it's such a big deal to offer trepanning to the public if sh*t like moving navels goes down
In case of emergency, break glass.. drill hole in head... and peruse other weird mysteries.
Lost & Found
I have so much else to do rite now, i am thankful that it seems I do not have to start a "Where Is Salaam?" blog. Yes, after weeks of being incommunicado, Salaam Pax (aka "the Baghdad Blogger"), was able to get word out that he is ok. His site has now been updated with all the entries we missed during the invasion/etc, and they are an educational read if you want an 'on the ground' perspective of what liberation looks like.
The truth is, if it weren’t for intervention this would never have happened. When we were watching the Saddam statue being pulled down, one of my aunts was saying that she never thought she would see this day during her lifetime.
But,
War. No matter what the outcome is. These things leave a trail of destruction behind them. There were days when the Red Crescent was begging for volunteers to help in taking the bodies of dead people off the city street and bury them properly. The hospital grounds have been turned to burial grounds when the electricity went out and there was no way the bodies can be kept until someone comes and identifies.
I confess to the sin of being an escapist. When reality hurts I block it out, unless it comes right up to me and knocks me cold. My mother, after going out once after Baghdad was taken by the US Army, decided she is not going out again, not until I promise it looks kind of normal and OK. So I guess the Ostrich maneuver runs in the family.
Things are looking kind of OK, these days. Life has a way of moving on. Your senses are numbed, things stop shocking you. If there is one thing you should believe in, it is that life will find a way to push on, humans are adaptable, that is the only way to explain how such a foolish species has kept itself on this planet without wiping itself out. Humans are very adaptable, physically and emotionally.and I also confess that I am going thru massive internet withdrawal symptoms.
I feel ya, Salaam. I am pretty sure that if the east village were clusterbombed i would have very similar reactions, and i am not ashamed to admit that lack of internet access would one of them. Regardless - I am very glad that you made it through, and thankful for your postings. Hopefully we will make good on this, and give meaning to 'liberation' beyond the destruction part of it.
Moment of Reverie
... The RRPF informs us that CFP#8's New Zealand Pics are up on Pilgrimage and that Tim is now in Bangkok. As noted before, there are great journal entries, as well - which are remarkably wordy for Timeteo's normal style... I encourage all our friends to check it out. Also, I want to post here one pic from his trip.. Un homage to Sarah.. wherever you are, i still feel you.. thnx.
Tonite -
... Or this afternoon, rather, i plan to be within 100 or so feet of one of the men i am stalking*. Do not call the police. I will behave myself - i promise that i will keep my head, hands and feet inside the bus...
Tonite's show should be fantastik, tho - the guest is Chris Matthews.. can't wait to see how this turns out!
*Many, many heartfelt thnx to "My Name is 'Vijay', dammit - not 'Veeeeej'!" for procuring me this glorious opportunity to bask in the suave ambience that is JS...
UPDATE: See comments for very sad news... Regardless, I want everyone to kno that this minor setback WILL NOT deter me from my stalking. In fact, it will likely fuel my obsessiveness with high octane "almost but not quite" angst... woooh-tah!
Getting a Handel on it...
This eveningz agenda: Mexican cuisine nouvea at Rosa.. followed by NY Philharmonic...
Note - My partner in crime tonite is dear Victoria... I declare in advance that the following will NOT happen, again ... hopefully...
- I will not snog with unknown NYFD firefighters whoz names i do not remember the next day.
- I will not give my work email address to cute guys named Luciano... I will only take their address and consider emailing them in the cold lite of day.
- I will not close down Cafe Taci with you and smoke funny cigarettes with the Tenors.
- I will not go home with anyone from the Bronx.
- I will not screw up my manicure or break a nail.
- I will not break my Rolex band.
- I will not fall down and scrape up my knees.
- I will not wake up tomorrow, crusty, and in the same clothes I went out in the night before.
Game Over Dude
Reuters informs us that the war is over but Iraq is plagued by shortages and security issues, hampering rebuilding. This is confirmed by Bob from Accounting... (And for those of you who don't know, Bob from Accounting has the final say on any and every thing no matter how much stock u place in reuterz accuracy).
Well I have done some follow up werk on exactly WHY these shortages are occuring... And wouldn't you know it! Itz the Christians fault!! Yep, trouble in toyland...
Letter from John
Via Steven Aftergood at the FAS: John Ashcroft supplies data regarding 2002 domestic surveillance. States Aftergood in "Secrecy News" newsletter*:
It is not exactly a surprise, but it is now official: Domestic U.S. government surveillance of suspected foreign intelligence and terrorist targets under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reached an all-time high in 2002.
According to the latest FISA annual report from the Department of Justice, "all 1228 applications presented to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in 2002 were approved."
The report, from Attorney General Ashcroft, notes that two applications were initially denied in part but then later upheld on appeal to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review.
In 2001, 934 applications were approved.
So, are you paranoid enough? Cuz it sure seems like your government is...
*you can sign up for the "Secrecy News" newsletter on the FAS site... it is very informative - well researched and supported with evidence.. (as one would expect from scientists)