Terrorist Organizations

Okay, Pakistan nabbed six more terrorists. They all work for al Qaeda apparently. You know there are 38 other groups on the list. How about capturing some of them? Oldies, but baddies, like Shining Path are still out there. While we’re in South America how about some FARC terrorists?

Proving that any metaphor can be taken too seriously the Greece-based Revolutionary Nuclei (ya like that, see it plays on the “terrorist cell” idea. Clever. I’m sure some pomo lit professor is laughing over that one) are still out there. How about the Basque separatists (ETA), while only one movie has depicted them as far as I know (Barcelona), don’t they deserve some attention? Despite the Good Friday peace accord the Real IRA is still out there. Come on can’t we catch one of them?! They are practically in our own back yard.

iTunes Music Service

I’ve been playing with the new iTunes music service and wondering how it works. It uses urls like this:

itms://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/com.apple.jingle.app.store.DirectAction/storeFront

Swap out itms with http and you get a look at an XML document with tags like <PictureView< <OpenURL<

Anyone know if this markup is something Apple came up with? Are there other browsers that can render that markup? I wonder if I could make an Eliteland music store that actually had more of the music I wanted to buy and and drop a link in from iTunes. Listening: the last word is a silent vowel - halley

FOUND stuff

It was April 15th, 2003 in Dallas, tax day, and seeking a break I began walking to the convenience store. As I walked past the empty lot next door I saw the letter. The weather had been windy and overcast so the wind must have caught it. The first thing I found was the letter to Clay from Monica. I call it “good and woken up.”

You could tell the letter had been meticulously folded the way high school students do when they are passing notes. On the back she had written his name with “I (heart) U” next to it. She had pushed down on the pen so hard it almost poked through the page. The imprint is clear on the opposite side. After reading it my problems disappeared while I remembered what it was like to be in high school and have a crush.

The Good Times

Aside from some really strong allergies in Naples, NY my time there was wonderful. I had good food. Local trout, organic tomatoes, duck eggs, rabbit. All but the trout was grown or raised on Rebecca’s mom’s small farm. Bread made by Rebecca and her folks. I finished one book and started another. I felt like I had all the time in the world.

The strongest feeling was one of contentment and peace whenever Rebecca would hug me, grab my arm or hold my hand. A couple times she gave me a kiss on the cheek or the forehead. I felt loved. I hadn’t felt that way in awhile. I felt like Rebecca and I had found our level. Our relationship was fraught with ups and downs. That weekend was just right. I felt sated. Any loneliness I felt dissolved when we were together.

fuck it all

While I was on my trip I talked to some really smart people. People that finished their bachelors and masters in the course of two years. Also, people who are full of wisdom and intuitive understanding that comes from decades spent studying the world. It’s the same as here in Dallas, lots of smart people no matter how you measure it.

90% of all those smart people work on these incredibly pointless problems. As cool as automatic vulnerability remediation may be I can’t fathom why the human race needs it. Yeah, you could look at it is being part of this interlocking system of components that all add up to keep people fed, sheltered and clothed but if you want to do that couldn’t those components be simplified? Does it bring culture or art? Smart people work on millions of things that will have no lasting impact beyond the next five years. What’s the point? Why can’t all those smart people set to working on the problem of global warming, ending starvation, etc in a direct and meaningful way.

Spring Cleaning

I need money. Looks like I’ll be putting stuff up for sale. If anyone is interested then email me. This is just a preliminary list and I’ll post more detailed pages and pictures later. Listening: Holland, 1945-Neutral Milk Hotel I’ve got to go through all my books, CDs, DVDs and VHS but I’ll be selling those too. Although the rare stuff will most likely not be for sale. Listening: Holland, 1945-Neutral Milk Hotel

So long...

Some people just aren’t worth any of your time. You size ’em up, see some talent and nurture a friendship. At some point you forget that the only person looking out for you is you. So you stretch yourself a little, You make the altruistic play with the new friend. It doesn’t work out but you know they’ve got talent so you keep trying to help them along, ignoring what it’s doing to you. At the end of it you realize what a sucker you are because they don’t care, and all you’re left with is peanuts.

Old Man's Disease comes early

(April 11, 2003 - DALLAS, TX) Matt Midboe sits perched on the high-wire act that is being 29. It’s the last year of his life before the Sandmen come and take care of him. A ritual chillingly illustrated in the documentary Logan’s Run. This time would be difficult enough for the cheery, but thoughtful young man if it weren’t for an early onset of Old Man’s Disease (OMD).

Each day this past week has begun for him at 8am, without the aid of an alarm. He wakes up refreshed. Other symtoms of OMD include breakfasts of prunes, lettuce and toast but have not been spotted in Mr. Midboe yet. The rock-star lifestyle he’s used to typically includes sleeping later. Scientists are at loss to explain such an early onset.

Pinching myself

Yep, it’s tuesday now…and the Little Lebowkis are still the League Champions. That’s number one to you and me. Feeling: riding “it’s a small world”

Cinderella team takes it all!