10/26/04 12:44 - ID#35643
so many duckies
In the future, says George Carlin "at birth, religions will charge people an initial fee of $50,000 and then pretty much leave them alone." Amen, sir! If only I believed in such a bright future...
Permalink: so_many_duckies.html
Words: 91
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/25/04 04:58 - ID#35642
Online addiction and dead Justice
sidenote: Chief Justice Rehnquist just went through surgery for thyroid cancer. The dude's now 80 and has cancer: he's going soon (one way or the other). This is something that really matters for a very very long time. Maybe it'll even sway me to vote for Evil #2 instead of an alternative... I still am not sure who I'm pulling the lever for on Nov. 2, I'm leaving it to my gut to make the final decision (my head is overtired from thinking about it for years now). But, I really don't want to see a courthouse populated by right-wing nuts and Christian fanatics. Really.
Permalink: Online_addiction_and_dead_Justice.html
Words: 389
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/23/04 07:08 - ID#35641
careless "c" word
Actually, in the same book, The Age of Kali Dalrymple visits the island of Réunion which is located miles south of India, halfway between Sri Lanka and Madagascar. There he finds a great mingling of cultures, ranging from exported French convicts to Madagascan ex-slaves with dashes of Tamils, North-Indian Muslims, Canton Chinese, and Yemeni Arabs (most of which were imported originally as slave-labor). Each of these cultures has brought with them a steady stream of peculiarites associated with their native lands, languages, religions, and cuisines. The result, after a couple hundred years is a truly unique blend of all of the above. He is told of an island legend:
"Grandmère Kale, who is said to live in the island's volcano, emerging to eat up Réunionais children who don't finish their homework, is a cross between the witches of European and African folklore, and Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction."
Later a Tamil (a people from Sri Lanka) Catholic priest tells him that, "In the same family you can find a Chinese Taoist, an Indian Muslim, a Metropolitan Catholic, an African witch-doctor and a Tamil Hindu...I have many Chinese Catholics in my parish who are involved in ancestor-worship, as well as Indian ones who believe in reincarnation...it is the same with other religions: the Hindus here all eat meat and perform blood sacrifices...and it probably derives from the African gris gris [voodoo]."
Of course, some of the greatest cross-culture successes arise from the clash of cuisine. On the island they cook a unique brand of Créole which "mixes French and Indian culinary enthusiasm with a dash of Arab, Chinese, and Malagasy influence. The result is a fusion startlingly unlike any of its parent traditions. A typical Réunion meal might consist, for example, of cari z'ourite et cari poulpe (a creamy sea urchin and octopus curry) with a scattering of side dishes of puy lentils, choux choux (crystophene), rougaille (a spicy tomato chutney) and bredes (a spinach-like digestive); pudding might be gâteau patate (a sweet, heavy potato-cake)."
The inhabitants mostly speak French but also use "an impenetrable Créole patois which mixes Malagasy, Tamil and Arabic on a base of eighteenth century nautical French."
Anyone want to go for an extended Indian sea vacation? Of course it's not all happy times, as the mostly poor agrarian residents slowly cope with the rise of international tourism and the complexities which come along. Like many other tourist destinations you find a few harbor towns enjoying the material wealth of vacationers while just a half-hour's walk away dwell farmers who have never used a telephone. The clash of cultures has somehow worked to the islander's advantage now it's time to see how the real clash of a globalized economy will play out on this beautiful melting-pot of an island.
Permalink: careless_quot_c_quot_word.html
Words: 588
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/23/04 12:58 - ID#35640
Flamboyant tree
Permalink: Flamboyant_tree.html
Words: 72
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/20/04 09:23 - ID#35639
Where have I been
I have been roaming in other lands. Daring perilous quests in search of honor and the ever elusive booty. In short, I've somehow become hooked on an online game, a massively multi-player one at that. I am an elf-wizard right now. I have spells and such. I've met some friends online, well maybe friends is a strong word, but we go on quests together and earn experience points. Yeah, it's pretty much a gigantic waste of time, but I have no excuse or defense, it has sucked me in.
The game is Lineage II : The Chaotic Chronicle. The graphics are pretty neat, and there really is tons of stuff to do. There're five races, each of which has different classes to choose from. I am an Elven Mystic right now, though I'm about to advance to the next stage and have to choose between wizard and oracle. I'm leaning towards oracle, which is basically a support character, you heal and protect others with spells. Well that's it, if you don't see me ever again it's because my brain has permanently interfaced with the computer (like there wasn't enough of that going on in my house already). Here're some pictures:
Here's me with Sang, the guy who introduced me to the game in the first place, Damn you Sang!
Here's my beautiful elven face. I'm hanging out on a mountain now...
This is this hottie dark elf boy I met. We partied for awhile, and then I took him out back for a good...
A hottie-girl of my own race and me, staring into the moonlight together. How peaceful and serene the elven race is. If only...
Permalink: Where_have_I_been.html
Words: 291
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/20/04 01:19 - ID#35638
The life of a Public Servant
Well, I looked through the thing and right off the bat spotted some problems. I work a full pay period - 80 hrs. I work another - 80 hrs. Total time worked so far - 16 hrs. What's that? Maybe you forgot a fucking zero, and lost 144 hrs. there buddy! Another pay period had me as working just one week instead of two - 32 hrs. difference. After I had dissected the thing, I came to the conclusion that I was behind 292 hrs. (almost a month of full-time work). I should have received my raise three weeks ago. I guess that's what you get when working for the government though. At least they're going to fix it and credit me with the lost pay, just sucks that I had to fix it for them.
sidenoteish: On our last pay stubs we got a little reminder to vote in November. It very nicely told us that we could use administrative leave to vote if necessary. Take a look:
Notice anything wrong? Maybe something to do with when the election is? Yes, that's right, they've got the wrong fucking date. The election is on the 2nd not the 4th. Now I'm not saying this was intentional (though it's a fact that the highly unionized federal workforce generally favors Democratic candidates) but it's a least pretty fucking lazy. Hasn't everyone of us who's at least sorta intersted in politics heard the date, 11/2, like 1000 times this season? How is it that the D.C. employee (most likely a GS-15, see above payscale) who submitted this little helpful blurb was unaware of the correct date? I will say, to be forthright, that they did have a correction on the website this morning, which hopefully everyone who may have been led astray saw. Time will tell just how many feds are standing in line to vote two weeks from Thursday.
Permalink: The_life_of_a_Public_Servant.html
Words: 619
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/17/04 12:37 - ID#35637
Channel 4 Panos Story
Permalink: Channel_4_Panos_Story.html
Words: 11
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/15/04 10:26 - ID#35636
Who's a big girl now?!?
Have a wonderful day, and get your ass smashed.
Permalink: Who_s_a_big_girl_now_.html
Words: 15
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/13/04 11:48 - ID#35635
Marriage refugees
Permalink: Marriage_refugees.html
Words: 135
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/12/04 04:24 - ID#35634
Happy birthday Tina too!!
Permalink: Happy_birthday_Tina_too_.html
Words: 26
Location: Buffalo, NY
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