- 2/29/2000:
Leap year day is strange indeed. I got home before tennis practice and discovered batman sent me some surveillance files. So, from the BatComputer and Gotham City to you, here is Batman's most deadly foe, believed to be hiding out in Pleasant Hill... the name of the villain? Two-Face.
- 2/28/2000:
Lot of stuff going on, but most importantly, I've started ignoring portions of school so I can document some of its absurdity with my digital camera. Some of the photos may have been slightly retouched... ;). Enjoy this glimpse at the College park photo album, I guarantee it's better than our fairly gay yearbook. Oh yeah, I'll be adding photos until around 11:30, then I'm going to bed. I'll put up the rest later. Click here for the photo album.
- 1/20/2000:
Quick news that I'll write up more on later. Campaign to take over school policy continues as planned: my column in the school newspaper brought up such a hot topic that the Cirriculum Associates moved it to the top of their meeting agenda. Spider Jerusalem-style outlaw journalism will spread the truth, dammit! Truly, the pen is mightier than the sword. We'll see what develops next.
First unofficial tennis practice today. Haven't had that sort of workout in a long time; felt like vomiting when I got home. Pain in lunigs faded, adrenaline euphoria lasted. Haaaaaappppppppyyyyyy. Good practice, looking to be a great season. I think I'll add a tennis section to my website so that we might tout the successes of the team. Oh yeah, my groundstrokes and serves were looking cool; I wonder if I could break the singles ladder this year?
Last tidbit. UPS delivered my hat today. It is hella cool. I'm wearing it to school tomorrow; while some may call it strutting or showing off, well... they can go (insert language I only utter on the tennis court here). Hmm, slight tangent. We developed some really stining combinations today. Only sports allows you time to develop a spartan lifestyle, physical conditioning, and the advancement of foul language. Hey, someone's gotta invent new words! Have a nice weekend folks.
- 1/15/2000: Foggy Logpile (sounds like a band name, huh?)
Woke up this morning, cold, but happy after having written last night. I wanted to start a fire (in the fireplace guys, sheesh, how nuts do you think I am?). I step outside, the world shifts. The cool, dry house becomes the chilly damp backyard. Fog hangs in the air, steam exits my mouth when I breathe. It feels very fresh, invigorating after the night's exhaustion. The sun is blocked out by cloud cover and the world seems asleep, very subdued. Peaceful. Being winter, there are no birds to add their shrill notes to the morning. The only sound is that of the dripping of water from the leaky gutter on the roof after last night's drizzle.
I took the hatchet out of its leather sheath and went out back to the logpile. I placed the log on the block, took a firm grip of the ax, and began to methodically pound away. Wood chips and sawdust littered the soggy ground around me. The thwack, thwack of the ax was therapeutic; for some reason, I had a lot of energy last night that I couldn't expend dancing. Chopping wood was a fundamental chore of our forefathers, one we've forgotten. It's hard work; when I was done, my arms were sore, I could barely move them. On the plus side, I was wonderfully tired after I was done.
I have a theory about that feeling of energy last night. Many evolutionary biologists believe that not only did organisms evolve physical adaptations to the natural world, they also develped primal instincts. Urges to help them survive and pass on their genes. Passive humans quickly become lion food. Over the last few thousand years, mankind has redefined its role as an organism. We don't want to be animals, we want to be civilized. A lot of these previously necessary behaviors to survive are now as vestigial as the appendix, some are even liabilities.
The setting is a room full of viable mates. You are surrounded by competitors. You are bombarded by sound and light. You devolve temporarily, reverting to a more primitive, instinctual form of human. However, you have no real outlet for the energy being provided to you by any number of natural steroids like adrenaline that are pumping through your blood. That's the source of this pent-up energy.
Anyway, out at the foggy logpile, it was just me and the log. I had an ax. I had to break the wood. Repeatedly, systematically, I hacked away at log after log, splitting them ito kindling or into smaller logs to fit into the fireplace. Any hostile emotion or desire to fight was unleashed on the block of wood. It felt really good to chop it to bits, to just destroy it with physical might. I smiled as chunks flew through the air. When I was done, I felt exhausterd. I picked up the now-chopped wood and carried it into the house. I started a warm fire, sat down in front of it, ate a breakfast of orange juice and toast, and read a book. What an astonishly stark contrast between civization and barbarity.
PS: I suppose yo could enjoy a good laugh. Before I edited this piece for posting, one of the lines read, "it felt really good to whack away at the wood." As some of you could imagine (at least, those of you up on the euphemisms of society since "Beavis and Butthead"), this can be read in an entirely different context, so I altered to a less ambiguous sentence. Hope you enjoyed the laugh.
- 1/10/2000:
A whole bunch of interesting stuff to put up today, mostly because I
don't have much homework. Yes! Senior Experience can join Cerebrus at
the gates of hell; I simply do not care about it at all. Ok, first up,
Corey Lee is back. That's cool because I like his website. He says he
had a good time in Boston, that's cool. Next up, the prolificly lazy Josh Franklin is coming on-line in
a day or two. I'll link to his site whenever it comes up.
I will be posting some less serious stuff later this week, about pizza,
sleeping, and maybe Hamlet. In the meantime, here's some tirading
(musing is just not true) for
you.
Mrs. Spagel asked for my opinions on economics and religion, and, while I do have some, they're mostly garnered from Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs, and Steel." This is an excellent book, you should read it. Besides, it is required reading for UC Berkeley, so you might as well start now (psst... so is "Einstein's Dreams!"). Entonces, I have written about something else entirely. If you're a good little, flag-worshipping, blindly faithful patriot, well, maybe you don't want to read this. I'd hate to shatter your perfect little world.
The United States Census Bureau recently (no, I don't remeber when and I'm too damn lazy to scour the web for the exact information) lowered the poverty level. Inflation, NOT deflation, seems to be the trend, yet somehow, it is getting CHEAPER to live in the United States? Ummm, does anyone else have serious disagreements with this? Basically, the idea is that by so redefining the level of poverty, the government can claim that less people are "poor." And you know what? Millions of Americans will believe them.
While this does not seem to be a "dangerous" abuse of power, I find it
appalling. It's borderline totalitarian. Why? Let me tell you why.
There are now millions of people that cannot qualify for special
benefits because they are no longer "impoverished." During the current
economic boom we are enjoying (in which aggregate demand seems to be
falling nicely into the intermediate range, past full employment), the
general populace is wealthier than ever before. When the government
tells the populace that there are less poor people, they believe,
enthusiastically. Obviously, the poor people are poor because the choose
to be poor, right? They're all on welfare because they're lazy and
stupid? I will depart from my usual abstention from profanity to say
this: bullshit. Tell
that to the grape pickers in the Napa Valley that travel from farm to
farm, season to season, working twelve hours a day at minimum wage.
They're backs are sore, their hands are calloused, and their wallets are
all too light for the work they do. Tell them they're lazy and stupid
when
they try and make a roll of food stamps last all month.
Consider, for a second, if you were forced to be a migrant farmer or field laborer. Do you think you just might be a little upset with the system that keeps you down on the farm, uneducated, impoverished, and too physically beat to resist? Would it boil your blood even more when you are forced to endure such hardship when you add discrimination and the ubiquitous overweight white man in a suit telling you that you are lazy, stupid, unwanted, and [any expletive]. If you're empathic at all, you'll be simmering with anger around now. You'll want to lash out at any symbol of the system that is enslaving you. You can hear such anger in the lyrics of Rage Against the Machine. "Hungry people don't stay hungry for long; they get hope from fire and smoke as the weak grow strong." "A fire in the master's house is set." "There's a strike in the line, cops outside of the mill; there's a right to obey, and there's a right to kill." Borderline Marxist lyrics.
I abhor physical violence, but that distaste was engendered by higher education. How many uneducated wage workers know about civil disobedience? I am actually amazed that no violent protest has yet occurred. America has one of the most severe gaps in wealth. The rich are filthy rich, the poor are dirt poor. If you looked at percentages of national income, our country looks downright fascist. No matter how high the Dow Jones index soars, the greater population of the United States is still poor. No matter how thoroughly the United States obliterates resistance in Serbia, there are still millions of starving children here in America. Everybody is lucky that there have been people like Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King to act as civil leaders for the disenfranchised communities. What if Malcolm X or Zapata had been more influential during the civil rights movement? Please consider this after you get your Christmas credit card bill. Please also remember how lucky we are. And please don't pretend that there aren't problems in America. There are.
As if this "with one stroke of a pen I can make the problem disappear"-type of crime wasn't bad enough, this is an offense of Orwellian porportions. In 1948, the idea of government bureau that re-wrote the truth was ghastly and shocking. How do we feel about such propaganda now? Does it bother you that the government just redefined a problem out of existence? These abuses of truth always lead to dangerous things. I can tell you, I'm keeping an extra close watch on the government these days. And I swear, if either George W. Bush or that Nazi info-tyrant Giuliani get elected, I'm going to feel a strange urge to vomit on the American flag.
- 1/4/2000: Millennial Meditation
I spent New Year's Eve out in Martinez. I spent New Year's Day thinking. There is nothing physically important about this new year. For most of the life on earth, its just another day. I saw it as an opportunity to reflect, to ponder, and to anticipate. While there is nothing inherently special about this new year, it feels like a threshold. We have crossed over into a new age as a society and a new portion of our lives for us college-bound folk. I encourage you all to ask yourselves the same questions. I hope you draw many fo the same conclusions I did. All I can say is that the experience was quite that. An experience. The exploration of my mind, conscience, and being was exhilariting and enlightening. If you like, please follow along.
Where have I been? Is this a literal question? Or is it omething else? Over the course of my life in this last century, I have been to Brazil, to Disneyland, to school, to a prom, to a friend's house, and any number of interesting places. While I could remember travel pieces, like the insane capital system that has transfromed Ciudad del Este in Paraguay or the delicious tap water of Bodega Bay or just a trip to school in the van. All are interesting trips worthy of writing about; however, I think this question is of a more metaphysical nature.
A few months ago (last summer to be exact), Scientific American published a study on moral behavior and the levels of moral development. There were six levels that the researchers could differentitate, from none to basic to normal to a highly advanced moral system. They also said that, on the scale of six levels, many adults never reach level five. I was very proud that on most of the questions, I scored a moral development of five or six. While I may have been a good student, I am happier to be a great human being. Humans are special; they have a capacity to live as their non-sentient relatives do ("Lord of the Flies" or any totalitarian state) OR they can choose to become something more. When this choice is made, there is a synergy in humans. We are more than the sum of our parts. We become compassionate, thoughtful, creative, and visionary. We live to better ourselves. I can only dream of a society where our brain and all that it entails evolves to the highest level of conscience for everyone. Then, and only then, will we be free of the soul-wrenching and heart-sickening ills that disease the world today.
I have also been learning. While learning in itself is not uniquely human, the end product of this learning so far has gifted me with the unique ability to synthesize. This is a rare trait; only humans possess it, and only some of them! I went from gurgles to words to writing to composing. It has been hard sometimes. Sometimes I had to rewire certain parts of my brain. Sometimes, its entire landscape had to be changed and reformed. All of the hard work that my curiosity entailed was worth it. I have often wondered how my life would have turned out if different things had occurred. If the transmission in my Grandma's car hadn't busted, I would have had a car at age 16, on the day. Still don't have a license. The car is a great freedom and a great temptation, and I know it would have severely altered the course of my life. Before the ninth grade, I was this close to going to Alhambra to be with my friend. Instead, I went to College Park. That would have completely altered my life: I would never have met certain people that had a serious hand in my life. Mr. Runyan. Josh. Corey and Julia. Yes, even you Mike. While I may have some regrets about missed opportunities and a few mistakes, if given the chance, I would not change a single thing.
How did I get there? Curiosity. Hard work. My parents. My teachers, young and old. They have all played enormous roles in my development. Gratitude flows from my fingertips, but it can never compensate them for al they have bestowed upon me. Thank you.
Where am I going? I don't know yet. I thought long and hard about this. My initial thoughts on this topic became my writings of 12/31. There are an infinitude (my new word, whether Mr. Hagar thinks it should be a word or not ;) ) of pathways before me. Some are dirt roads, some are paved, some are fiber optic. All lead in different directions, intersecting here and there. I have picked one (a paved one) to CalTech. What I learn there should dictate which road I take next. I am eager to continue the journey.
A good friend of mine imparted some simple advice in an email about what to do in the new millennium: "LIVE." I can think of no better philosophy. Life so far has been formative, yet fun. The next one, eighteen, fifty, and one hundred years should be good too.
- 12/22: The Definition of Beauty
Today's column is of a more serious note. Over the last two months, I have been keeping track of, in the back of my mind, the number of girls that ask me, "Is Britney Spears beautiful?" Last night, I was asked again, and I think it's finally time to address this issue, once and for all. It is common knowledge that Britney Spears is not a natural beauty. I believe this is the root of the questioning. A number of girls seriously consider whether or not to become "more beautiful" by having comestic surgery. This inferiority complex and fixation on artifical beauty is unhealty and should be dispelled. However, society as a whole continues to propogate this image, so I will cast my vote to dispell it now and hopefully set at least a small number of girls' minds at ease.
Now, this is me speaking. I am answering the question, definitively. Britney Spears is very, very sexy. Denying it is like saying rain falls up from the ground. However, she is not, repeat NOT, beautiful. This important distinction requires a careful definition and explanation. In my mind, beauty is a special quality a person possesses; one that makes them special. Unique. Individual. I prefer someone with a sense of humor over someone with enormous breats. I'd rather meet an intelligent reader than a starving model. I believe the definition presented in the excellent movie "American Beauty" is apt. Beauty is not long blonde hair and bright red lips; it is an inner quality like integrity and faith.
While people may fixate on Spears' sexiness, such a fixation is not unique. Guys will fixate on any sexy image, for a time. But consider this. As we said before, a good part of beauty is defined by individuality. What about Britney Spears cannot be replaced by Christina Aguilera? Or, for that matter, Mandy Moore? They're clones... they're sexy dancers that attempt to sing. They're artificial (in more ways than one!) constructions of what Hollywood is trying to sell at the moment. While guys might confess to "liking" them, I would not be happy taking them out to dinner or to the movies. Sure, you may look cool for having a sexy date, but what fun would it be? Can you really carry on a conversation with someone that doesn't go to school and dances all day?
Beauty and relationships are interconnected extensively. In my mind's eye, the perfect girl is pretty (no matter how transient, pretty girls are still nice to see), but that is not the most important term of the equation. The most important thing is the girl's personality, her mind, the aspects of her character. If Santa Claus were to deliver me Britney Spears and a normal, but still fairly pretty, college student for a date, I'd choose the student. She's probably far more interesting and funnier. She's more likely to enjoy conversation and be a companion worth accompanying.
So, for all the girls out there suffering under the weight of Britney Spears as the ideal of beauty: it's not true. Sexy, yes; beautiful, no. This is a very important difference. And just so you know, I, and I think most people, prefer beautiful people.
- The Haunting of J-1
Christmas time. Time to curl up around the fireplace and Christmas tree with hot cocoa and presents. Time for stories and carols and song to nurish our minds. In this grand tradition and the twisted influence of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (I have a lot of time to watch movies now!), Fletcher Productions now presents, for a limited time, the story of a magical place inhabited by all forms of the supernatural. We proudly present... The "Scientific" Explanation of the Haunting of J-1
The students rushed into the room. Filled with chocolate, egg nog, and New Year's resolutions, the AP Economics class returned to the mecca of financial knowledge, J-1. Though the return to school was, for most, a day of dreary note, bright-eyed economists, interest rate essays in hand, were glad to return to this special room; a room where fun and learning went hand in hand, where monkeys were thrown at ceilings, UpFront magazine was distributed for reading during class, and Richard Gill jokes were a dime a dozen.
What causes these happy little children to rush to school? Well, there is no simple way to put this. J-1 is haunted. Long-dead economists? The spectres of students who so loved the class, they had to return? Malevolent Wall Street demons that revel in brainwashing children into thinking the financial world is sexy? Our Oujia boards and diving rods have not yet revealed this truth to us. However, also being budding scientists in D-12, we are compelled to reveal our evidence.
Exhibit A: The severed hand. Below the white board that is covered in the strange sigils of supply and demand, there is an arm, seperated from the body at the elbow, dangling, fingers pointed at the floor. Why is it there? A ward against the imps of ignorance? A warning against misbehavior? All that remains of a stuffed human that was sent flying into a price floor? It's meaning is still unknown; however, experts on the supernatural aspects of J-1 Corey Lee and Tom Fletcher denounce all statements that the arm is "merely a plastic joke device." "Absolutley not!" denied Fletcher, vehemently. "As an expert on the haunting of this classroom, I can state, without a doubt, that the arm is most likely an unholy sacrifice to the minor gods of the production possibilities frontier. Without their favor, our economy would be mired in skyrocketing inflation. I hear they are also pleased by poorly-rhymed economics poetry, so, if and when interest rates rise, we will begin school-wode recitations of "how Santa saved Thanksgiving.'"
Exhibit B: The unexplained free will of the door to the pod. On many occaisions, the door to the pod has swung open and close on its own, sometimes with a bang, sometimes with an eerie creak. While we first attributed this to invisible gnomes bent on restoring the barter system, fellow experts in the supernatural have calmed us by showing how it is "only the wind." Clearly, this wind is the breath of the spirits of now-deceased economists. The mention of Keynesian policy often opens the door calmly, at leats until the Cult of Sacred Monetarists screams its disapproval through the door with a howling wind. All attempts at placating these vindictie spirits have failed, though exorcists at the Weather Channel tell us that we should expect them to end their haunting sometime this spring.
Exhibit C: The presence of science fiction creatures. On more than one occaision, members of the class have witnessed vampires and tentacled aliens visit the class. WHile non have acted in hostility yet, we believe that it is because their normally insatiable appetites for blood have been quenched by the peace and love the market system. However, if a downswing in the business cycle occurs anytime soon, monks from the Holy Order of Greenspan are standing by with a magical concoction that has been blessed by His farts. In practice, this magical brew has slain 93% of all extra-terrestrial invaders, the natural rate according to financial analysts.
Exhibit D: The Lights Of Heaven. On December 12, winesses watched in awe as, during a video, on mentary policy, a beam of light pierced the darkness caused by the curtain and illuminated Tiffani Fitzsimmons (who was promised to have her name immortalized on the web). As she watched the grainy black-and-white film, the light of heaven brought enlightenment. Where bank balance sheets were once more confusing than the ancient conundrum of Fermat's Last Theorem, Tiffani became an expert in the field in moments. Divine inspiration has also been credited in the understanding of Okun's Law and the Fallacy of Composition.
Exhibit E: Ritual Animal Abuse. Numerous eyewitness accounts have been
recorded citing the flagrant and cruel abuse of animals, especially a
varitey of apes. To achieve the enlightenment of her cult,
Econoshamaness
Spagel ritually sacrificed a baby orangutan by mercilessly flinging it
against the floor, ceiling, and wall. The lack of blood was puzzling,
but we believe it was drank in mid-air by the bitter ghosts of Malthus
and Marx. All indications prove that this was not a stuffed animal.
In another case of ritual animal mistreatment, Mrs. Spagel crushed the
self-esteem of all of the docile primates in the room when they were
compared to ugly baby humans. Three of the saddened chimps are still in
group therapy sessions with Professer of Psychology Darr.
Exhibit F: Bizarre incantations. Students in the neighboring government class have many tales to tell of ritual chanting in the economics cult next door. "Yeah, they talk a lot about 'free lunches' and the queen of the knigdom yells when people confuse 'disposable income' with 'money.' They seem the same to me!" said one unenlightened heathen from the domain of Wizard Bauer. Tape recorders were unable to pick up the rest of the odd chatter in the classroom, but listeners at the scene said that the words "Richard Gill" and "negative externality" must be secret cult words due to the roaring laughter commonly associated with these indecipherable gibberish phrases.
As any learned man of science can see from the concrete evidence presented, a dangerous cult revolution is occurring. A number of brilliant, wily social scientists are trying to create a "science" with no numbers! This new-fangled "science" of economics is clearly a threat to the dignity of higher education and a catastrophic threat to society to boot! We, the informed cybermonks that have uncovered this terrifying story stake our scientific reputation on the facts presented here. Hopefully, this report will get Dan Akroyd and the gang to save our school, humble College Park, from this unidentified nemesis from the netherworld.
In related news, cult members inform me that today's "neutral" bias and constant interest rates indicate "the Fed's" (the pagan god the economists worship) continuing confidence in the nation's economy. A rate increase is projected for the first quarter of next year, as long as increase in the CPI (what could this be? an apocalyptic codeword?) stays below three percent per year. Leading archwizards of the cult in the twelve national parishes stand by the statements of their demon-god, reinforcing their devotion and loyalty to the all-knowing Greenspan. The ramifications of this infidelic dogma are unknown, but the stock markets broke records as tech stocks soared. Correlation? Difficult to see, however, in the continuing pursuit of the truth, these brave reporters will journey to the spidery domain of Shelob, teacher of Statistics, in the mythic "H-Wing" of a land far, far away.
- 12/21:
I'm baaaaack!! Ok, just a few notes, since new visitors are expected. Please sign the guestbook (preferrably in haiku form), I'd like to hear your feedback.I plan to put up some funny pictures as soon as I can find the cable that connects the camera to the computer. Where the fuck is it?! Now, a few thoughts about the end of a trip...
A great journey through time and space ended a week ago this day. I finished the first three sections of the calculus. All I can say is that it was a wonderful trip, one I will miss for a long time. I definitely won't miss the homework or the tests or the (surprise!) quizzes, but there are aspects of the calculus that literally transformed the landscape of my mind.
Calculus isn't about limits and derivatives as some would believe. That is what the class is about. The subject is about matha nd science. But to me, Calculus was a different way to see every facet of the sapphire that is our world. Curves, limits, surfaces, dimensions more than three... each lesson (especially the last one) was a trip, a voyage to a world where everything was a little different. I am particularly fond of the Jacobian transformation. This is a horrible trick used in triple integrals for, how should I put this, making curved things straight. The amazing thing is that it works! I had discovered how to make a curve straight by simply wanting it to be straight. This is almost a god-like ability. Using the calculus, I can decree changes in the world around me! Unfathomable things become level surfaces... variables ebcome constants, straight becomes curve, x and y become t, limits appear and disappear. Calculus is the study of change, but it also gave me the power to change everything around me.
In a more tangible sense, calculus reformed my mind. Like a strenuous regimen of physical exercise, calculus got my brain in shape. After it, analysis became easy. Problems are easier to identify and the solution unfolds like a flower at dawn. Things are easier now, my mind has been honed, like a knife on a whetstone. Whether or not I ever use this math in my life is unimportant; I can now do anything because I understand. It's hard to describe what that word actually means there, but I can try like this:
After calculus, my dad was not always on time to pick me up. I often found myself standing, alone, in the crisp, icy, November night air. This solitude and the chilly air were often very refreshing after two and half hours of class. Even more amazing though was the unity I felt with the surroundings. The grass was greener. The parking lot light was a bright, seering white. The plants smelled more powerful than a broken bottle of perfume. Everything was calm, sort of like the carol, "Silent Night." The high quickly faded, but this state of calm is wonderful. Some call it inner peace. One person I know calls it "bloobala." All i can say is that it is a time in which everythig makes sense. It's wonderful.
It'll be nice to take calculus again next year.
Rising Stars #3 Review:
The story gets more complex. A motive is given for the murders, a very frightening motive. Art was excellent, story was perfect. For those that have read it, I think you'll agree. For those who hate comics, I'll just discuss a point made by one of the charactrs near the end.
"The eyes are how the soul sees out, how it reaches out to the rest of us."
An interesting point, one I had never heard before. This statement forces us to consider, what is a soul? Is it anything more than a collection of neurons and electricity? I lkike to think it is an intangible synergy of the two. Alone, they are nothing, but together, they create something... special. Consciousness. Sentience. The character then says why he is thinkin about this, he is trying to discover what "the eyes rae trying to say." What indeed? A puppy dog's eyes show affection and longing. A madman's eyes clearly reveal a deeply-held insanity. Okonkwo's eyes after Ikemenefuma's death are sad, holding back tears, jaws clenched. These are easy. What do verybody's else's eyes say? What are their souls looking at? I'll have to give that more thought.
- 12/20:
Hmm... well... where have
I been? I gotta tell you, school has been ROUGH. Since I last updated,
I have sent in college applications, finished Calculus III at DVC, done
all of my regular classes, went Christmas shopping, and GOT ACCEPTED @
CAL TECH!! Woo hoo!!! I need to yell some more! WOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOO!!!!!
Yeah! Yes! So happy... all right. Now, down to the business of actually
updating my website.
Christmas. It's here. Part of the reason I can gloss over some of this is because most of you have already received "Tom's ICY COOL Christmas Special," in which I basically mused all I wanted to about this wonderful holiday. For those that didn't receive a copy of this yuletide manifesto, I will slowly be putting it up on my website or doing a second printing. In related news, I will be adding some photos and other stories, news, thoughts to the web page regularly over the next two weeks. Oh yeah... and the bombshell...
The Holiday Special format will be returning soon-ish (in terms of holidays), brought to you by the dynamic duo of Corey and Tom. When will the next special see release? Unknown at present. We have one definite release scheduled with a few more possible releases before "the BIG ONE." That's all I can say without having to kill you... for now.
Coming tomorrow:
Review and analysis of Rising
Starts #3, maybe some Dark Victory stuff. Toys in Christmas trees.
Random
musings. More at 11.
- 10/21:
Here's a quick update for
all you statisticians. Click here to look at my
Stat write-up. Remember, plagarism is (a quick word from Mike
Su: byong is gay) an offense for which you will be severely
punished.
Ok.
Also, for those sick of remembering the very long address to this site, there is now a redirect: http://come.to/tomscasa/. See ya later.
- 10/19:
Yet again, I find myself
with so little to do, I can update my website! I only have a Stat test
tomorrow, so everything is cool. Anyway, due to unprecedented demand
(one:
that's you Byong!), I have sold my soul to a guestbook service. You can
sign that wonderful little guestbook by clicking on the link at the top
of the page. Of all of the guestbooks I researched, it was the least
obstructive.
Some poetic insight was bound to pop up, here is a .pdf version of my "Ars Poetica," an assignment in English class. I think it's cool; it needs some work though. When I finish my CalTech personal statements (this weekend or else), I will post them to give you guys some examples of college essays. I'll do the same with my UC ones.
Here's a really cool link I got from Lloyd (thanks Lloyd!). It's a little essay on applying to colleges. It will tell you everything you need to know. It will enlighten you about everything there is to know about applying to college. It will whiten your teeth. Reading it will make your life less hectic. It will help you get rid of excessive paper waste. It will make you laugh. It will function as a pocket ginsu knife and electronic organizer. Ok, so the last one wasn't true. And maybe some of the others too. But read this article.
Please also notice the extra cool "R-Guy" lurking in the margin. I dunno, he can be the sworn defender of this sector of cyberspace; constantly waging war on evil and crime! He was drawn and inked by Corey Lee (whom I'm sure most of you all know well), and the digital effects were done by me. What digital effects? Don't tell me that you have markers hat color like that cuz I know you don't. That was pure Photshop skill.
- 10/18:
Another in a string of
quick
updates. School is simply waaaay to busy. I can write about college
applications
or homecoming or ANYTHING! But nooooooo, we couldn't let Tom have any
free
time now could we? Ok, I had enough time to do a little redesign and put
up some new graphics. Happy Halloween! Well, since the universe cannot
allow me to have any time for new essays or ideas (I can see the cosmos
laughing now, from the grains if sand to the galactic clusters. Each
unit
of matter shakes with a laugh at the expense of me. "You bastards!"),
I'll
be rehashing old stuff from my Calc. book. When I get my Homecoming
pictures,
I'll post some of those and the extensive writings I did the morning
after,
at like seven am when my sleep-craving brain was articulating all sorts
of weirdness. Anyway,I was saying you'd get the best of early Spetember.
Well, best is relative. Actually, you get what I can post on the net
without
compromising anyone's views too much. A lot of it is silly, but I
promise
to post some real material later (like Ars Poetica and some other
stuff).
Have fun.
"Does the structure of DNA have a mathematical formula? I would say yes. The set of equations: x=acost, y=asint, and z=ct where a and c are constant will form a helix. Now, do another one that is shifted 90 degrees or so, and you have a double helix!"
"hydrogen gumdrops"
the morning bell rings
and another class
starts.
today, AP Biology.
I slouch at my desk
and await the lesson.
In the meantime, where
is Corey Lee?
Ah yes, he is hustling
from Calculus
across the street.
he arrives with tired
feet.
we make hydrocarbons
and organic acids,
but they're still just
composed of basic building
blocks:
gumdrops and
toothpicks.
we hurry through glycine and
butyric acid,
so we can eat the extra
hydrogen.
with a mischievious
grin,
(we know it's a sin)
we partake in three yellow
hydrogens,
their sugar falling
off
like electrons in
plasma.
they might be stale,
but to us, they're
yummy,
because they are more than
just
gumdrops,
they're a shared experience
of delight.
isn't it funny how
some
little yellow atoms
can elicit such
glee?
- 10/5:
Here's a quick update.
I've
added something to the vulture page. It's the SEE
Resume. it is of course in .pdf form, so go download Adobe
Acrobat!
Also, here's a little piece of artwork from school. AP Biology, being exciting as it is, has generated a huge outpouring of new fan art. Here's a gem from Corey lee, with some color and ink by Tom Fletcher (that's me!)
Last, but not least, I enjoyed a little trip to the 'Stick for the Giants' last game. I'll scan my ticket stub soon enough, but for now, all I can say is that it was cool beyond belief. Of course I'll be putting up some haikus about it, perhaps with the soon-to-be-uploaded "Ars Poetica." Plus, a recommended link: www.warrenellis.com. Buy some of that literature guys! It's mind-expanding! After homecoming this weekend, I should have some free time to update this site in more detail. Oh yeah, just because I haven't been seeing the amount of email I like to get to know how much people care, Mike Su is a freeloading ingrate with panda hair on his sweater.
- 9/27:
At Corey's request, an
update.
BTW, I've recently discovered how many people come to this site. Damn!
Ok, anyway, all you people that visit and don't tell me? Well, drop me
a line (tfletcher@home.com. Or
you can hunt me down on AIm; my screen name is haikunerd. PS: I'm
posting
my SEE stuff in the vulture section, whenever I do it.
Interestingly enough, I've still been writing, I've just been doing it in my Calculus book (that class gets boring after the first hour and a half). Some of it's personal (read: you won't be seeing it on this site), but a lot of it is genuine musing, some interesting, some boring. So, here's some excerpts:
It has occurred to me, after some reflection on Greek tragedy, that theology and government appear intertwined. This could be a case of causation v. cauaslity fallacy (from Econ), but let me present a case:A report on Senior Picnic will follow, as well as a brief piece called "Hydrogen Gumdrops." I'll also do some more writing in class today, maybe post some tomorrow. Loyal readers, keep an eye out. I've submitted an article for the school newspaper that will supposedly be published in the near future. It's really cool, but I can't publish it here since I foolishly submitted my only copy (it was handwritten).
Exhibit A: The Greeks. Greek theology revolves around a pantheon of gods and goddesses, all ruling individual parts of the earth. They are led by Zeus, but Zeus is not all-controlling. Greek government consists of democratic councils and independent city-states, unified but independent. In this case, a civilization's theology and government are similiar. This also carries over to the Romans (pre-Caesar).
Exhibit B: Divine Right Monarchs of Europe. These feudal states were all Chrisitan and all believed in a monotheistic religion, even extending it to the point that the King is chosen by God. This is first seen in Charlemagne (in Europe), but extends back to the Pharohs of ancient Egypt.
Exhibit C: Nomadic tribes, isolated civilizations. Here we make a HUGE generalization, but let us take ancient Japan as an isolated civilization. Not big enough to require a King to claim divine right to stave off rebellion, these people worship nature (Shintoism). This is also seen in the Polynesian Island chains. These people, when free of complicated, dense, competetive settlements, are free to worship what is around them and what provides them with their lives: not a King or Pharoh but a field and a stream.
Of course contradictions exist, but I have to hurry off to class in five minutes. In conclusion, you can draw the same idea that I have generally accepted: "Religion begins as pure and good, the worship of the wellspring of life. However, as a civilization progresses, the government begins to model the civilization's theology after the state to keep themselves in power." I find this highlgy interesting and worthy of future consideration.
Also of interest: "Guerrila Radio" by Rage Against the Machine. Cool new song. I've got some interesting stuff (like original art from my Calc. book!) to scan, it could come up whenever I have some free time. In the meanwhile, I recommend you all read Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs, and Steel." It's a totally amazing book.
This is the first part of stuff I'm gonna write about Washington DC. It was pretty cool, and very enlightening, thus, it will spawn it's own musings. Here goes...
On July 4, my family and I attended the national fireworks display next to the Washington Monument. Getting there was a nasty mile long walk from the nearest Metro station in the scorching 104 degree heat and sweltering 90% humidity. Only in the heart of America could such unabashed capitalism exist, as recent immigrants hawked bottles of Crystal Geyser for $2.50 a piece. Guess they learn America's economic model fast, huh? Needless to say, we parted with our money for the much needed H2O. This was at 4:00 pm. Fireworks don't start until 9:45. Already, the place is packed.
It's going to be a long wait. Irritated, I don my headphones from the backpack that my family volunteered me to lug across the capitol all day. A few guitar chords, a balled-up towel, and nice patch of lawn at th ebase of the Monument, and I quickly doze off, spending the next three hours between blissful rest and calm peace.
Wow, it's 8:00. My mom arrives with some fried chicken from another tent vendor. The food tastes especially yummy, we hadn't eaten since the cafeteria @ the Air and Space Museum eight hours earlier. It comes as no surprise that the chicken also carried a hefty price tag, but I don't care, it's nice. THe twilight hours afford some relief from the heat (though not much!) and break out a deck of cards. I quickly teach our friends (the Baker family, we are on this vacation together) to play Deuces. Ah, I love that game. The ultimate in cutthroat scheming, without the boredom of poker or any other game. Time continues to pass. It's almost 9:00.
Uh oh, I feel nature's call and abandon the game of Crazy Eights being dealt (we stopped playing Deuces, some people dont like cutthroat games). The journey to the line of Port-a-Pottys was hectic. The place was packed. Later, we're told that there were over 200,000 people there. Holy shit. Anyway, as you can imagine, even with 100 portable toilets, that's a lot of demand, especially with all the drinking of water being done. Shit. Literally. 200,000 people create quite a distinct olfactory experience as you near the latrines. I hold my nose, quickly relieve my bladder, and run back to my towel.
Time passes. I might have read a bit of Things Fall Apart. The sky gets dark. Suddenly, the heaven sare lit by red, white, and blue explosions. I guess it started! The next thirty minutes are indescribable. The orchestra pounds out the 1812 overture as 3,000 shells burst overhead (quick math, that's 100 shells a minute!). The display is breathtaking. We are so close to where the fireworks explode that pieces of ash and shell casing fall on me. They're sooty and hot, but I don't care. I've been enthralled by the light show. Anyone see that episode of South Park where the kids go to the "plane'arium" and get brainwashed by the laser show. Yeah, like that. Damn, it was amazing. I'll never forget that. I'll also never be able to go to see the local fireworks without serious underwhelment. I can't articulate anything else except that all of you that wish to understand this phenomena better must go and see it yourself.
- 8/12:
-
At long last, the Vulture page is up. Guess where the link can be found on this page? I tried scanning in the first page of the journal, but it didn't work to well (the image was > 300k). Seeing as to how you people don't have cable modems (ha ha ha!), I guess I'm going to have to take my time to type it up. To preview it, click on the vulture.
I guess in the future I'll post more stuff under that link, but for now, that's all that's there. Oh yeah, here's another nice link to something I wrote:
http://www-atdp.berkeley.edu/9931/difference.htmlOh yeah, here's some other info I know some of you are looking for. AP Biology seminars: I think I'll try and attend one @ UC Davis on August 30. Here's the link. Seeing as to how it's in Davis, I volunteer Mike Su to drive. This one looks far better than the one @ UC Berkeley and is only an hour long. Plus, it's _after_ registration and it's a Monday.
Oh yeah, and I registered for my Calc. class. This is a public denouncement of the two people that were going to take the class with me so we'd have some friends together, but backed out. That is generally regarded as very assaholic. These people will be known as Mike and Byong.
- 8/11:
-
Well, here's a combined update. 8/6 was planned for 8/6, but an ATDP server break-in prevented me from uploading till now. So here's an additional update, two for the price of one! Alas, it's short. Coming soon: the "Vulture Page" with notebook scans of preliminary "Macbeth" journals. No, there is no digital version because it's easier to write them with pen and paper; that way I can work away from the computer. Anyway, my review so far is enthusiastic; I like the play. Macbeth is cool, and the graphic violence is always entertaining (Macbeth guts and beheads a guy on the second page. How did they do that on stage??). Lady Macbeth is freaky, but compelling in a weird way. She's the most interesting character so far; something like a power hungry Cruella de Ville.
Recommended Reading: Yeah, yeah, Macbeth by that Bill guy and "Transmetropolitan: Lust for Life." Indescribably beautiful stories about life, pure and simple. And your fair share of gratuitous hand-to-hand combat, naughty language, as well as the premiere of the gadget James Bond always wished he had... the bowel disruptor! With three settings: "watery," "loose," and "prolapse." I want one. ;)
- 8/6:
-
ATDP has come to a close, bringing much sorrow. Goodbye friends, these 18 days have been nice indeed. Until next year...
their voices are gone...
-Lloyd Nebres
monitors faded to black.
they've all flown: my friends.
I was priviliged to see The Iron Giant. As I commented after the film in the theater, it was truly a magical film, on par with Toy Story and Star Wars in my category of awe-inspiring films. Masterfully crafted, featuring amazing visuals and unbelievable sound. The foley artists went overboard on this one: the sound of the bicycle, the rock bouncing off the Giant, the cannonball into the water.. wow. Go see it.
This is supposedly a Victorian era ad from Alan Moore's "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." This is proof that truth is stranger than fiction! Heh heh, but what a funny ad!After an afternoon of musing, I've decided that intellectual pursuits make life worth living. There is so much about the world that is so amazing. This was discovered by seeing the incredible variety of books and magazines in Berkeley. The world teems with information, like the rainforest teems with life. The university town is the purest form of this, and that is why they are so special. I guess a quote from the below mentioned Warren Ellis is in order here...
"Sailing the outer oceans of ideaspace during the spawning season, keeping pace with a school of obsession fish..."
The accompanying visual is breathtaking, but to large to be scanned and posted. Go buy "The Authority" #3 to see it (even though Transmetropolitan is better).Recommended Reading: "Martian Manhunter" #11. For a mere $1.99, you too can witness John Ostrander writing at his finest. This magnificent story embodies masterful storytelling by crafting a quaint tale of three stranded travelers, all in search of inspiration. Trapped by a storm, they find it in each other. Now, add a unique sci-fi, superhero twist. Cool.
Oh yeah, school starts soon. The summer nears an end (well, one month to go). It has been... interesting. I think it has been a formative season for me, I eagerly await the coming school year to see where it takes me. I recall a quote from Crusade (an excellent show): "Where are you going?" "Anywhere I have to." This is an amazing justification for wandering, for searching, and for living. Everyday, a million paths branch out before us, each different in its ultimate destination. Which one shall I take today? Perhaps I will take the Frostian route of the "road less traveled," or I shall I speed on down the Information Superhighway? Or maybe just Viking Drive in front of school? Where will I go today? "Anywhere I have to." In the pursuit of bettering one's self, that is the destination.
Oh yeah, and because I haven't said it for a while: The Contra Costa Times is not worthy of being used as papier-mache to make a bowl to scoop up the byproducts of digestion of sweaty, stinky donkeys. In laymen's terms, it sucks ass.
- 7/29:
-
Here's a tiny update, just cause I'm bored. I'm gonna add another
journal from
Washington (hopefully this weekend) and some more musings soon. Also,
I'm nearing
the end of Crime and Punishment. Ugh, it was long. Anyway, upon
its end, I
will embark on the Shakespeare work for English IV Honors. As those who
care
know, there is an assignment. I will immediately begin doing the journal
and
posting samples on the 'net so you bastards stop fucking calling
me.
Really. I will not field 50 calls a day come the beginning of
September,
damn it. Fucking vultures. You have a tribute coming... anyway, you are
now
warned. If you want to now about these, you can download
them with Acrobat Reader
once they're
posted.
Warren Ellis is a genius, his work on Transmetropolitan and Planetary is just brilliant. Do the poor English guy a favor and go buy a copy. I specifically recommend either Transmetropolitan #25 or Planetary #1 or #2. Try to get them at cover price.
My summer class is almost over. Party on Friday. Quake II for eight hours. I'll write up whether or not I feel like blowing up my school later. ;)
What else is up? Uhh... oh yeah! Mabel Yoshimoto has a new page. She's nice, maybe you'll wanna see her site. on the way there, tell her that King Leonidas was the leader of a brave band of 300 Spartans that opposed Xerxes at Thermopylae. Their insignifigant band actually held back the thousands of Persian invaders for many days, but in the end, they all still died. However, their sacrifice was not totally in vain. Soon after, Xerxes' army was crushed by the Greeks. That's why we're all not speaking Persian and admiring our nice rugs and our... uhh... pet monkeys. Or somthing. Ok...
The rest of the daily musings are below the story from Washington.
- 7/20:
-
More site redesign occurring. Notice the nicer layout, as well as the
expanded
links. Why all the new links? It's a redefinition of self. The trip to
Washington
DC was... enlightening, in a number of ways. More will follow on
this.
Oh yeah, I got my AP results!!! Three fives and a four on Spanish! Estoy feliz!!!
- 7/19:
- Notice the slight site re-design? It's the first in a series of neat changes. A full account of my trip to Washington DC will soon follow, as will some nice mp3s, now that I have a fast connection and unlimited web space! Woo hoo! Oh yeah, it's good to be home.
- 7/1:
- Breaking news from TMF... This'll be my last update to my webpage
for two
weeks before I go on vacation. Sorry regualr readers (all none of you!)!
Anyway,
I'll be back soon and this site'll be better than ever since we're now
hosting
from Berkeley's nice, wonderful servers instead of GeoCities' nasty,
ugly server.
No more pop-up windows! "And there was much rejoicing." Anyway, I leave
you with
these random musings...
I'm getting the new Limp Bizkit CD in a few hours (Mod Lang is a mere block from here). If it's really good, and if I can find a good encoder, I'll see about... uh... supplying all of you with it. Yeah. Ok.
Otter Pops are a true blessing during hot summer months. Current consumption on the Tom-o-meter is at 8 ppd ('popsicles per day,' not 'postponed'). That rate will only increase. Perhaps I'll keep track of the data and graph it in comparison to outside temperature. That might be interesting. I really might do that. THen I'll make a graph in Excel, save it as a GIF and post it. Ok. A new project! Cool!
Anything else? Well, for Corey, when you get back: I'll be back soon. Pleasant Hill's kinda boring with just me, Mike, and Ryan around. Mainly cuz there's no way to play basketball with only three people. I'll see you soon.
On that note, "Gentlemen, I am about to travel through time. I bid you adieu." Err, Washington. Whatever. See ya.
- 6/29:
- Here's another update from Tolman Microfacility at UC Berkeley. Not
only am I
supposed t pupdate my personal project, I should also try fooling around
with the
new code we used. So, in my following treatsie on balance, if you have
Explorer 5
or a nifty version of Netscape, you will notice the Cascading Style
Sheet enabled
text. If you don't, it'll look like boring words. Here goes...
Balance is a concept that has been around for years. Historically, one can see it in the Asian philosophy of yin and yang. One can also see it in Hammurabi's code of laws calling for "an eye for an eye," referring to the world's first recognized penal code and description of punishment for crime. However, the concept is still one of the most recurring themes in modern literature and culture. Even now, it vexes us constantly.
How? Well, consider Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This is a psychological balance between cultured civilization and savage nature. This will be the focus of today's essay, for not only is this a psychological balance, but is also a physiological balance, as will be outlined below. First, a bit of background: I had a number of "balance issues" just after summer break started. I can tell you that after the beach trip, I haven't seen many of my fellow students; I have been somewhat isolated. A number of my best friends are on vacation. This imposition of isolation left me a lot of time to think, and consider balance within me.
Most of the time, I act extremely rationally, to a point that often annoys others (cough, Mike Su). I pride myself on control and an ability to act after considering consequences. This is "Jeckyll Tom." Nevertheess, there are times when "Hyde Tom" emerges. This person is more emotional, irrational, and usually destructive, personally and to others. "Hyde Tom" acts even when he realizes that such an action is detrimental (going to the movies before tennis practice, tossing soda bottles at lawns, conversing sarcastically with friends). This behavior, while fun and amusing, usually only harms in the end. Especially sarcasm. Making fun of people (often entertaining) can really backfire when it's your friends.
Now, to get quite frank. One's state of rationality (based on my clinical trial of one test subject, me) is directly related to one's arousal. Really. This is evolutionary. Among Man's bag of evolutionary tricks is epenephrine release in "fight or flight" situations and a desire to survive. Another is sexual desire, directly related to Man's ability to reproduce and thus "win" at the "game" of Life. Hopefully, such an act would propogate his genetic code, this being the goal of life, in terms of Darwinian success. Anyway, this applies to us, modern humans. Even though we now live in houses, drive cars, and read books, genetically we are identical to Cro-Magnon man of 35,000 years ago. We have the same hormonal triggers and responses. Although civilization may prevent us from acting on these directly, such internal biological pressures still greatly affect out ability to think and act rationally.
Phew, that was a mouthful. What does it mean? Due to our Biology, the common high school student also acts according to his Biology. When someone shows off and makes a gratuitous slam dunk, he is displaying his physical prowess to potential mates. Just observe the behavior of people when among their own sex and when among members of the opposite sex. yes, it is quite, quite, quite different. No human being is immune to his or her physiology, no matter how logical they may act. What does that mean? If I ever did anything mean to you, I blame it on some chemical compunds in my body. It's not my fault. I'm really very nice.
Now, back to the original topic. A few weeks ago, I was smitten quite badly by these chemical compounds. In fact, the trigger of these hormones was a female I consider a good friend. This physiological assault on my senses almost caused me to make a few, verrrry bad mistakes. Thankfully, through the counsel of a good friend, such a disasterous surrender to biology was averted. Thank god.
Well, this essay wasn't really on balance I guess. I intended it to be, but kind of wandered off into my personal war with chemistry (Note: I hated that class!). So, I guess I will have to write another essay on balance at a later time. See ya for now!
- 6/21:
- Page update from Tolman Microfacility in Berkeley. A lot of stuff
has been
moved around on the page, making it easier to navigate. Just to let
regular
readers know, more and more of this page will be assimilated by ATDP
9932
content. For example, lists and journals will start showing up with no
real basis
on the Casa; this is just a good place to upload them. Ok.
On a slightly related note, Lycos' MP3 search engine is just damn cool! I love this thing. With the coming cable modem (yay! only one more week!), this web site may begin to host some more cool toys than just assorted text.
I've been thinking about balance a lot. I'll write up all of my thoughts soon. Does anyone know why most good thinking happens in the shower? Is it water or water vapor that stimulates brain wave functions? If it's either of these, why don't you think cosmic thoughts when you go on the Class Trip to Stinson Beach?
On that topic, man, it was pretty fun, but I got sunburned. Actually, come to think of it, deep thoughts did occur. It's extremely sad how culture affects social behavior. A person is not racist, but their fucked-up parents are. Example: At the beach, I go with Mike (Taiwanese), Byong (Korean, but we call him 'Gook' in an affecionate way), Ryan (an amalgation of Spanish and Guamanian), and Corey (Chinese). While with these friends, I see not a trace of anyone else from our school. As soon as they leave, I'm greeted by "Hi Tom! Move your towel over here with everyone else!" Ok, you know what? The cycle has to end. People need to stop acting like that and accept everybody as more or less the same. After all, most of your genetic base pairs are the same. I mean, if some elderly Republican Roosmoor-resident can love her poodle, why can't she love the African-American gardner that maintains that fabricated land of conservatism. Oh, and stupid people suck. And a few other things.
- 6/11:
- Check it out, another update! The Prom Gallery has
been updated! Hooray! Now, here's some musings...
Our yearbook cover sucks, and so does the interior. However, the writings of my friends redeems this otherwise expensive piece of paper waste. I'm really happy at how many of my friends helped me remember the school year with a few words.
Next week is finals week. Yeah. Woo-hoo. Can anyone else detect the sarcasm dripping from their computer?
Only a few more days until ATDP starts! Woo hoo!
A musing: Cultural upbringing leads to a difference in perspectives and humor. This is really sad. This makes it hard for cultures to agree over things. Oh well. This is why you thought Grosse Point Blank sucked Mike, even though it kicked serious ass.
I want to see AUSTIN POWERS!!!!
- 6/7:
- Oh gee, no update in two and a half months?! Sorry guys. I think I'll list a
bunch of causes: School, tennis, standardized tests like the SAT II, school,
school, star wars, prom, school, school, and school. But the good news is I'm
working on my prom gallery. How about that?
As of now, Quote of the Week and Haikus are on hiatus, just so you know. Now, for some daily musings:
- Barry Bonds is coming back to the San Francisco Giants on Friday! This is unbelievably good seeing as to how the Giants have NO offense without him. i could write a thesis on this, but I have a feeling only Corey would read it, and he'd probably just skim it, so, I guess I won't write one... yet (summer's almost here).
- Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon create a little comic called Preacher. Damn, that's a great comic. I feel so sorry for the tragic figure of Cassidy. he tries to do good, but in the end, he always fucks it up... case in point, at the close of "War in the Sun," he make s abig mistake with his best friend's girlfriend. You just know this is gonna cost him later. man, what a poor guy.
- On amore literal note, we just finished The Great Gatsby in English... man, that was a great book. I thought jay Gatsby was a great character. Hey, guess what? An underlying theme of both of the cited works is friendship. i thought Nick Carraway was agreat friend to Gatsby. Ok, that's all I have to say about that for now.
- Slobodan Milosevic is dumb. I hope NATO bombs his ass to the Stone Age after he turned down the peace treaty. People like him keep the world fucked up. I mean, what the hell is his motive? It's not the good of his people! It's not personal wealth now that his house(s) have been reduced to ash. It's a pure power trip. people like him should be locked in rooms and given a game like Civ II or Quake so they can get off on their little pwer trip without hurting real people. More bitchs. Notice the lack of a smiley.
- Ummm, Mike and Byong are free-loading ingrates... uhh, I mean, Byong only. Mike, you owe me that ticket for Austin Powers 2. We're going on Friday.
- That's all for today, coming soon: Prom Gallery and Recommended Reading List.
- Barry Bonds is coming back to the San Francisco Giants on Friday! This is unbelievably good seeing as to how the Giants have NO offense without him. i could write a thesis on this, but I have a feeling only Corey would read it, and he'd probably just skim it, so, I guess I won't write one... yet (summer's almost here).