What's on Hulu.com?

I was told about Hulu.com awhile ago by a guy at work and I thought it was neat that there was somewhere I could watch Cleopatra 2525, but after watching 1 ep I more or less forgot about Hulu. Recently I was poking around their website again and I saw that you can add subscriptions now so I clicked a bunch of stuff and waiting for it to show up in my queue....but it's been 2 days already and there's nothing in my queue? Maybe I don't understand how their subscriptions work but it says it will put shows into the queue. Anyway. Somehow I managed to watch 3 episodes of Regenesis even though I keep saying I don't like the show. Maybe it's my vast affinity for Canadians that keeps me coming back.

Of course I shouldn't fail to mention GayTown. The deliciously terrible little show about a misguided heterosexual trying to live in a gay world. Now when I say terrible, I mean it, but I also mean it can be deliciously cute at points. The reviews on it are mixed up and down the board and that suits me, people aren't sure how to take it, whether the dud jokes and cliches are planned or just really poor writing, etc. I think it's all planned and well executed to make you just keep wondering.

Weekend viewing

I hung out at Starbucks and read for awhile and decided to watch some vodcasts.

Jeff Han: Unveiling the genius of multi-touch interface design
From Feb 2006



I still have issues with touch displays and the uses these inventors think they could be put to. It always seems like an interface for the illiterate or slow instead of something useful for the more educated user.


Sir Martin Rees: Earth in its final century?
From July 2005



I enjoyed this handsome astronomers humor and presentation. It's always fun to hear the ramp up of how we may be on the cusp of Becoming.


Dan Dennett: Ants, terrorism, and the awesome power of memes
From Feb 2002



Another fun presentation about memes and this time pointing out that memes are battling for supremacy through spreading. What he doesn't discuss is how the fitness of a meme is measured in its social context vs. competition with another meme. I imagine there's some book or other that discusses that though.

Metro viewing

I finished watching Star Wreck: In The Pirkinning today on the metro. It was alot of fun because it was so tongue in cheek and the battle sequences were amazingly rendered.

Finished watching 'Commanding Heights'

I watched part 3 of 'Commanding Heights' last night. I should probably have watched it over 2 days but felt like staying up, which was a bad idea.

Delicious breakfast from last week.

I tried to blog this last week but blogger was having some problems.
Its the french country breakfast from La Madeleine across the street
from my office. It was wonderful!

Metro viewing

I finished watching the 2nd part of Commanding Heights today on the Metro.

You Have To Burn The Rope

This is a fun little game and I like the song at the end.

You Have To Burn The Rope

Elements React!

Thanks to Ken for sending this to me via IM. It's a fun video of how elements react.

Chemical Party Promo Video For EU Research Careers

Thermoelectric power generation in the news again

Smokestack heat: Fuel of the future?

Metro viewing

Susan Blackmore: Memes and "temes"
from Feb 2008




Richard Dawkins: An atheist's call to arms
from Feb 2002





I think it would be easy to say that religion and belief in a big ol' white guy in the sky is the worst of the meme complexes.

Metro viewing

Jan Chipchase: Our cell phones, ourselves
from March 2007




it was interesting to see how innovative the poor of other countries are. It makes sense and I wonder if there isn't something similar that goes on among the poor here?

Metro viewing

Paul Collier: 4 ways to improve the lives of the "bottom billion"

I listened to this talk on the metro today but it wasn't delivered very well. I can't remember what the 4 ways are, it seems like he never got around to saying anything concrete.

Time is going by really really really slow.

That's because you're a dumbass!

Oh FailBlog, I luv u.

Cop Fail

I've seen the Light!....in the darkness...that wasn't there..

The Critics Need a Reboot. The Internet Hasn't Led Us Into a New Dark Age.

This is my favorite paragraph:
"But the latest crop of curmudgeons fail to acknowledge that there is not much new in this parade of the preposterous. The US has a long and colorful history of being taken in by the erroneous and irrational: Salem witches, the "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast, phrenology, and eugenics are just a few choice examples. The truth is that Americans often approach information — online and off — with a particular mindset. "Antirational junk thought has gained social respectability in the United States during the past half century," notes Susan Jacoby in The Age of American Unreason. "It has proved resistant to the vast expansion of scientific knowledge that has taken place during the same period." Jacoby argues that long-standing American values like rugged individualism and the need to question authority have metastasized into reflexive anti-intellectualism and disdain for "eggheads," "elites," and pretty much anyone who might be described as credentialed. This cancerous irrationalism isn't pretty, but it isn't technology's fault, either."

I love the phrase 'antirational junk thought'. It really sums up what most people spend their time thinking about, talking about, and consuming through media.

Right on Cue, an article about an electric bike

Powabyke X-6 reminds us just how boring we really are

I still don't like that people would be plugging the battery in to charge it. Frankly, I agree with the commenters that fat ass Americans should buy a bike that weighs 4x less and actually BIKE their diabetic flabby assed McStuffed jowls around.

Oh Darwin..

You work in wonderful and mysterious ways.

Kite Surfer Goes Out During Tropical Storm, Learns Valuable Lesson About the Power of Nature

McCain is to Bush as wet is to water?

Commentary: Is McCain another George W. Bush?

I don't know if McCain is an idiot, but I know Georgie-fucktard sure is. Being even a little like him is a terrible indictment.

I have heard some gaffs from McCain and it does sound like he isn't on top of his facts.

Thanks go to RoboCub for bringing this article to light.

Asphalt Jungle Energy

This is a technique I hadn't heard of before, siphoning off heat from roads and parking lots. It would be slow to integrate into common use though if it was done through construction projects and repairs, but eventually all paved areas need repairs so in 10-20yrs it could be prevalent.

Tapping the hot asphalt jungle for energy

Late to the party...

I know! I know already! I know! I'm months behind on the links I send myself as important things for me to read or know about. I came across this one tonight as I was going through some old emails and I agree with Wanda. I'm all for raising the level of discourse even if it is just supposed to be catty 'fun' bitching.

Electric Bikes

I liked this story about electric bikes because I hadn't known much about them previously. What bothered me about the story is that it said that people still plug the bikes in, which uses carbon down the line at the electricity generation plant. It should be less carbon than driving a car around but it's still using a resource when you don't need to. Either people should just ride a bike with no charging or the electric bikes should have a mode to switch into where the user peddles exclusively to charge the battery, then when it's full (as when charged from plugging in) it's available for assisted riding.

Electric bikes provide greener commute

Griping

I don't understand this CNN 'news story' about this man that is complaining about the windmills on his fathers property that are guaranteeing a good income for a period of time. In this drama there has been family struggle and threats and high emotions, but none of the opinions the main character spouts seem based on his physical reality. He sounds like a very disgruntled hypocritical bastard that just waits for anything to come along he can pop off to his family or others about.

What a fucking loser you are, John Yancey of Lowville, New York.

Wind power brings prosperity, anger

Fucking Retarded Xians

Petrol pump pilgrims keep faith

Boulevard Woodgrill

Well, this was Boulevard Woodgrills second chance to impress me with its
food and it failed.

Boulevard Woodgrill
2901 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA, 22201

I ordered the 'southwest frittata' and it came with crab, chorizo,
fontina, and roasted potatos. The problem is with the food and its
presentation. What was delivered to my table wasn't very appealing
looking and it also wasn't a frittata. It was a thin layer of cooked
eggs with junk thrown on top that was held in place with melted
cheese.

Unfortunately this is a place that seems to serve food along the lines
of Whitlows on Wilson which is across the street from it. That means it
is just rushed out of the kitchen with no care and is merely something
to slop the fraternity/sorority pigs with.

I wouldn't recommend the food here and there isn't any atmosphere. My
waiter, Gene S., was nice and attentive but that can't make up for food
that is lacking.

pretty planter

I remember when there was no growth in this planter just a few months
ago.

Gay Republican Sex Drama

As I was reading this I had mixed reactions. It is in bad form for him to have donated to a republican, but it is his money and he is certainly free to do it. He isn't necessarily self hating or regressive but may actually think other things, besides freedom and equality, that mccains platform is based on are important.

What I thought was hilarious was that politics were intruding into sluts and whores pursuit of cock and the thought that any of them would really care. I doubt the power bottoms on the site take their asses out of the air long enough to know what is going on around them, same with the meth addicts, if they aren't one in the same.

So, that having been the larger society view of the users of the site, I think it being coined as a gay issue is a misnomer. Its a sex issue, not gay. The website is for sex networking, not social networking as others where users have profiles and interact. All this hubbub is just because it's sex and people identify, justifiably so, strongly with it. Now add in that it is a gay sex site and you get the baggage of people who feel the slightest criticism of their behaviour is a denouncement of them as people and the incident flairs to life.


Manhunt Chairman Jonathan Crutchley Steps Down from Board

Afternoon viewing

Tragedy of Suburbia by James Howard Kunstler at TED 2004.

Love a man with his legs in the air

Unfortunately, this guy was being an ass and not putting his feet down
when passengers would board. It wasn't a crowded train but its still
courteous to not make people go around you.

He had an iphone or ipod touch without headphones and I couldn't figure
out what he could be watching without sound. On my way out I saw he was
reading and not watching video. That is the frst time I'd seen someone
read for 15mins on an iphone or ipod touch.

Metro viewing

I watched 'End of Suburbia' and 'Underwater Astonishments' from last year at TED.

Metro viewing

While riding the Metro the last couple of days I have watched the first part of the 'Commanding Heights' documentary from google video and a talk on AIDS in Africa from last year at TED.

Fun talk about food and what we do with it

Thermoelectric Cooling

Promethean Power uses the sun for cooling

Ripping on Fiscal Conservatives

Not true fiscal conservatives but the Republican fakers that act against the interests of the majority of their supporters. You know who I'm talking about, all of the poor stupid people that vote against their economic interests.

Fiscal Conservatives?

Forced Sterilization

Swedish Castration Proposal Opposed

The article is about transgendered people undergoing sterilization as a mandatory step in gender reassignment to prevent them from getting pregnant, or I assume impregnating.

That is so wrong. What if the person doesn't want to become a traditional female or male but instead a gender queer individual? What organ would they decide to forcible rip out of their body then?
I doubt they've even thought about this aspect of peoples choices, that it isn't male or female but instead there's a spectrum of genders they could occupy, though we don't have names for them.

What they mainly seem to be worried about is a FTM becoming pregnant. Conversely I'd imagine they'd be worried about a MTF impregnating her girlfriend with her penis, if she chose to keep it. But what is wrong with either scenario? In the second one you have a woman pregnant, very normal. She was just impregnated by her girlfriend, which isn't so unusual because of fertility clinics giving lesbian women sperm for home inseminations. In the first one it's a pregnant man, different but hardly disruptive. Everyone already knows what to do for a pregnant person, meaning maternity leave (a change of terms would be nice), and reduced strenuous physical activity toward the end of the pregnancy. So what's the big deal?

Zombie Tech

Wesley sent me this article last week and I finally had a chance to read it. It's a fun look at 6 technologies that are dead but don't know it.

Zombie Tech

Learn to Beatbox!

http://www.mouthdrumming.com/

I was talking to my friend Jeff tonight and he mentioned that he had dinner recently with someone he went to MIT with and sent along a couple of links. As you can imagine I am amazed and pleased at the breadth of people Jeff knows. :)

Athens Boys Choir

I don't understand the title of the video but I don't care. He is a very cute guy. :) and bonus! FTM my favorite flavor. :D



Athens Boys Choir - A Gender Deviant, Multi-Media, Spoken Word / Hip-Hop
Extravaganza

Luv it!

Green Porno on Sundance

I love when Isabella Rosselini is creepy. *swoon* :D

Green Porno

Dramatic Kitteh!

Thanks Wesley!

I've had a wonderful time the last 2 days

I've really had a great Sunday and Monday. Today I slept in an hour and got to work at my usual time, had a nice day chugging through issues and fixing things. I left before I was exhausted and got home at 6:30pm and decided to go for a bike ride. That was a great idea! The weather was perfect for it and I went without my glasses because I was having a headache and had taken some aspirin before heading out. While I was riding my headache cleared up and I just biked leisurely along my normal route for a workout bike ride. Riding through the neighborhoods by my house usually takes an hour so it's a great route for me. I didn't push myself and work my legs to within an inch of life, instead I just biked like a manatee, slow and steady. :)

I got back feeling energized and relaxed and had a quick shower before I made dinner.

It's interesting to me that I ride my bike differently when I don't wear my glasses. It was alot more fun and I think it was because I couldn't see anything else so could only connect with my body, the vibration, my bike, and about 5 feet around me.

Sunday was a great day because I relaxed and had coffee at home with Kathy Griffin, then headed out to do the grocery shopping and put laundry in before I left. When I got back the laundry was moved to the dryer and I put the groceries away and rested for half an hour. Then it was back out to find a late lunch or early dinner and the place I wanted to go was closed and the other alternative only took cash, I don't carry cash, so I ended up riding around for awhile and wound up at Tandoori Nights. I had a great dinner there and wandered around in Barnes & Noble afterwards and then walked over to Boccato for gelato. I had Gran Limone with Strawberry Margarita, delicious!

Later I came home and ended up having a dinner of blueberries, pecans, and a slice of sweet potato pie. :)

Tandoori Nights

I had a great morning of relaxing with coffee at home while watching
Kathy Griffin. Later I went to the grocery store and did laundry and
decided to get a late lunch / early dinner. I decided to try a new
place:

Tandoori Nights
2800 Clarendon Blvd
Arlington, VA

It's an indian restaurant and I ordered the vegetable pakora and palak
paneer, pretty basic dishes. The pakora was a little too fried but not
unpalatable, just darker and harder/crispier inside than I'm used to
with pakora. I ate them all so clearly they were fine. The palak
paneer was very nice and tasted / looked fresh. The paneer was a good
texture and there was a right amount, not too little or much.

It was great to have a mild day to try this place and sit outside, the
view is wonderful of the sky and down into the shopping center. That
would sound terrible to me except the shopping center has a canopy of
trees and 2 fountains so it's as peaceful as a yuppy hell can get.

I would come back to Tandoori Nights to try a korma or jalfrezi.