Random Noteworthy Remarks

The Stalagmites is a GREAT name for a band.

Film Etiquette

One of the traits in my ideal man is that he will know when commenting during a movie isn't okay. There are times when the movie is spinning such a great atmosphere that I want to lose myself in it, and someone beside me commenting on the scene tends to ruin that atmosphere. No questions about the film, please; no clarifying, no jokes, no comments. Allow the epicness of the film to stand alone. It should be able to handle it.

That's not to say that I don't like joking around with movies EVER. It's just that there is a time and a place and a certain type of movie that I can't STAND it with. We can discuss the interesting change of social interplay AFTER the credits.

It's not that I'm angry, either. I just really wish more people knew how to lose themselves in the same movies that I do.

I Know Kung Fu

Ended up seeing Kung Fu Panda on Thursday night. Surprisingly enough, I really enjoyed the film. Jack Black's voice acting wasn't nearly as distracting as I thought it was going to be. The animation was very good, and perfectly suited to the content. The kung fu aspect was totally interesting, and the parts that got ridiculous were, again, perfectly suited to the content; the parts that made fun of old martial arts flicks didn't go so far as to completely interrupt the storyline, so that worked out just fine as well. I really liked the movie.

I identified the voice of Jackie Chan after the second word he spoke. Nate next to me waited for the freaking credits to roll before telling me, "Hey, it was Jackie Chan... good call." As if I haven't seen enough Jackie Chan movies to know his voice when I hear it. *Insert derisive snort here*

One Billion: Perspective

Found the following in a bulletin posted on MySpace. I really like it. You should read it.

The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans. It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu (D) is presently asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number... what does it mean?

A. Well... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, and child) you each get $516,528.

B. Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans, your home gets 1,329,787.

C. Or... if you are a family of four...your family gets $2,066,012.

Washington, D.

C, HELLO!
Are all your calculators broken??

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Marriage License Tax
Medica re Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Tax
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago... and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt... We had the largest middle class in the world...
and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened?
Can you spell 'politicians!'

And I still have to press '1' for English.

I hope this goes around the USA at least 100 times.

What the heck happened?

Puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

The Original Goofy Laugh

Also, see this amazing commercial.

But seriously, THIS GUY is the best dancer, like, ever.

I love Alex Trebek.

Whereas THIS is the best music video I've ever seen in my life.

And I'll never look the same way at cell phones ever, ever again.

This is just incredibly impressive.

Jewelry

Scanning through the products of a company called Vagabond Jewelry, and these are my favorite pieces:

Oddity - Look Up - Knave - Kite - Innocent Bystander - I know stuff - and most of all, Geek.

Seeing their prices would have me far more excited, but I really do like silver better than copper... pretty much for the same reason she describes it on her main page. I've always liked air and water better than earth and stone.

Radiohead's Remix

First:


Then:

Big Ideas (don't get any) from James Houston on Vimeo.

Found on The Ridiculant, here.

Obama? Seriously?

It's a long movie, but worth seeing. Interesting stuff. I knew I didn't like the guy.

Motion Carried

Here. Have a poem.

The rhythm of the lines -
Steady - beat, beat.

Blue bars on a page,
Thick beats on a drum.
Versatility in motion,
In sound, in sight.

Touch the bitter colors
Taste the silken verbs
See the rhythms inside;
Hammering at the walls,
Scratching at my throat.
Dry birds, thick wingbeats,
Buzzing at my fingertips -
Beat, beat, beat...

Steady as a motor,
As a pulse in my wrist.

Hear the shift in motion.
Air thickens, movement
Hastening to keep up -
Beat, beat, beat.

Self-Decoration

It was a D&D game, and my character hadn't been introduced yet. I officially despise being a mere level 1 char.