Category Archives: Rant


Rant

Oh Dear God

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NYTimes: As the congregation of the World Overcomers Outreach Ministries Church looked on and its pastor, Apostle Alton R. Williams, presided, a brown shroud much like a burqa was pulled away to reveal a giant statue of the Lady, but with the Ten Commandments under one arm and “Jehovah” inscribed on her crown.

And in place of a torch, she held aloft a large gold cross, as if to ward off the pawnshops, the car dealerships and the discount furniture outlets at the busy corner of Kirby Parkway and Winchester that is her home. A single tear graced her cheek.

Talk about not pleasing anyone – this is 72 foot tall lightening rod in a nor’easter.

Rant

Rain In The Fourth

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I’ve been told that summer in western WA starts on July 5th. Sure, it might be June 21st on the calendar but in terms of weather, there’s usually a last shot of rain that closes out June and carries into the beginning of July. And then after July 5th, you can usually count on a dry and warm run of days until September. I’ve also heard that there’s a WA tradition that there is always rain on the Fourth of July.

I dunno about that “Summer on the Fifth” business but we didn’t have drop of rain recently. Like since around June 20th. Didn’t really see a cloud from the 23rd to the 1st. Wouldn’t ya know it? It rained this morning, been partly cloudy (and like 65-70) most of the afternoon, and a passing shower is currently over Redmond.

Who says weather isn’t predictable? Happy Independence Day!

Rant

Justice?

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Gothamist: Yesterday afternoon in East Flatbush a livery driver seemingly lost control of his vehicle and swerved into an 8-year-old riding a bike. When the hack finally stopped crashed his cab into a wall a “group of dozens of bystanders confronted and attacked him.” And then it gets crazier. The cabby, as he was being beaten, finally managed to explain his side of the story to his assailants. It wasn’t that he was a bad driver, he explained, no, it turns out he lost control of his car after “his passenger had struck him in the head with a metal bar” in an attempt to rob him. Upon hearing this news the crowd left the driver and “turned to his passenger, beat him, and tightened a belt around his neck.”

What’s an interesting point is that Gothamist points out “See, this is why mobs aren’t really a good idea. They’re just too quick to judge,” which rings just as true with me as them beating the shit outta the fare thief. Especially after the whole “No Justice No Peace” business from the last round of LA Riots, which continues to boggle my mind. The whole point of having a representative government is so that mob-rule doesn’t happen.

Ugly situation here, either way… and they say New Yorkers have no sympathy for others!

Rant

All The News That’s Fit To Tint

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The modern media is lost. It’s been obvious to me for a while now, but it looks like other people are beginning to realize it – look at the backlash that’s being unleashed on the New York Times. Of course the ACLU will respond and the Times will circle the wagons. Within 48 hours I expect to see George W dressed in a Nazi uniform and sprayed across media of all kinds, including the evening news. Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Press, all that rot.

What really, really pisses me off is that through all of this debate and chaos, no one talks about the Responsibility of Freedom.
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Rant

OOF

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I’m OOF. As in Out Of Faculty. Or even more accurately: Out Of oFfice.

I’m on a mini-break while some family members are [finally!] out to visit the area. As can be expected, there’s sun everywhere which is completely normal for first time visitors to the area… and for the end of June: the weather tries to make liars out of us, about the typical rain here. Besides, I’m convinced you don’t need a calendar here: as soon as you get a stretch of 7 days of sun with temps around 80 or 85, you’re in July or August. Honest.

So, I’m off to be a tour guide for a while – and maybe even a tourist in some cases!

Rant

PokerStars Blog Tourney: How’d I Do?

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I registered for the PokerStars blog tourney again this year… I did pretty bad then. You see, over last summer, I read a few books and sites to “improve” my style of play. Worst. Decision. Ever. Got all up in my head and over analyzing things… what’s worse is that I play in a friendly game every week and a lot of the “normal” card tricks simply don’t work there. Position raise someone while you have the button? You’ll get four people that will call the raise and one that will come over the top on you. And if you’ve got Aces on the button, better hold on, because that 74o the big blind has will meet a 568 on the flop.

Sometime this year, I rebooted myself and went back to my own style of play… since then I’ve done much better. A month ago I accidentally left my sunglasses on – mirrored front and prescription lenses – and did very well. Seems that all those years of teaching my eyes to show emotion worked against me at the poker table. Or I’ve just been on a run of timely suck outs – I don’t think so, though, since I’ve gone as long as 30 hands where the best hole cards I’ve seen at T9s.

Anyway, the real story of this years Tourney is what would happen if I did well and won a prize, seeing as online poker playing is now a Class C Felony in WA state…
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Rant

Kids Today

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What’s wrong with kids these days? *snort*

CNN: College life is not just about drinking beer.

In a rare instance, Apple Computer Inc.’s iconic iPod music player surpassed beer drinking as the most “in” thing among undergraduate college students, according to the latest biannual market research study by Ridgewood, New Jersey-based Student Monitor.

I don’t know what they’re doing with their beer, but they’re obviously not doing the right things with it.

Rant

My Jeep Is Wounded!

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Fuckin’ A. I finally decided to get the Jeep washed today… but since I also wanted to put the top down and go to the gym and do somet other stuff, I didn’t go to my usually washing place – I went to a place that’s near the main campus because I was near there. Went through the thing, holding the canvas near the door so an overflow of water didn’t come in – this is normal – and got bounced around so I kept my eye on my antenna… half way through I felt a good nudge and heard a crack, but the antenna was OK, so I didn’t think anything of it.

Went to the gym while I let the top dry off. Came out and went to put my bag in the trunk… there sat my mangled license plate – second time I’ve had to replace that damned plate holder! – and my tail light was perpendicular to the body of the Jeep. One light bulb torn off, another hanging by its wire, and the housing hanging on by a thin thread of plastic.

Ran it back to the car wash: I have to call the manager tomorrow morning… I’m half expecting a “not our problem” shtick, and I’ll fight it until I lose my voice, but WTF man… easily the most annoyed that I’ve been at a retail place since I’ve been out here… and on the second anniversary of my moving to WA, to boot!

Rant

The Bush Family Is The Anti-Kennedy Family

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It came to me while driving to work, while listening to a talk show this morning. The talk show isn’t all that political, but seeing as a high ranking “officer” of a terrorist organization was capped today, they were taking calls about it. The stand of the radio host was “the Bush administration is responsible for the US being there and getting this done – good or bad for the Prez?”

Of the three people that called in, all three of them said “bad for Bush”. All three calls went like this: “I don’t agree with Bush” ‘What about?’ “Well, I don’t think that he should be given credit for it.” ‘It’s his administration that driving this.’ “Yeah, but it’s not like HE’S doing the work.” ‘…’ One guy even went on to say that the Army just “got lucky” when they hit this guy. The host pointed out that the Army sure did get lucky since it was an Air Force strike.

The American public suck at times. If you’re going to like or not like a guy, have a reason. And for God’s sake make it a good reason, if you are pressed to justify your opinion… I would swear that the three callers have this opinion because they were told to have the opinion. By who? By the media, of course. And that’s when it hit me…

The Bush family is the antithesis of the Kennedy family.
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