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Well, it's looking good.
Dec. 19th, 2006 01:41 amTwo grades in of four - the important one is that I got my six credits for the internship. The other one’s the positive vowel. Just two more grades to have a look at. Hopefully, they’ll all be in by the weekend, and I’ll know whether I brought my GPA up or not.
Meindpowerz! Using brainwaves, researchers give orders and control a humanoid robot. It’s crude right now, but it works. We’ll see how long it takes to refine this control into something akin to directing your Roomba to clean the floors while you go play Quake. Or maybe to get the computer to play Quake for you while you go clean the floors. You never know what uses people might put this idea to.
Designer hearing aids. Well, there was that whole “Sexy Specs” thing - maybe this is the next movement on the list? Then we’ll have blingtastic dentures next. You could really do a lot for your self-image if this trend continues.
Those still glowing over the upcoming transfer of power in the Congress may want to keep the party focused and realistic. Neoconservatism isn't dead, just hibernating, according to The American Conservative, and that once George W. Bush isn’t seen as the face of the neocons and Iraq becomes less of a debacle, if such a thing can happen, the neocons will once again be guiding the policy of the populace. I’m inclined to agree, but that’s because I see the fundamental character of the American populace as being neoconservative.
Then again, with Bill O’Reilly as a spokesperson for the ideology, maybe it should die and stay dead for a very long time. According to the latest in O’R(ei)L(l)Y logic, if gay parents are equally competent at raising kids, then why doesn't eating a cupcake get a woman pregnant? Bill decides that he’s going to believe that heterosexual households are always superior to homosexual ones when it comes to parenting, despite several studies that say homosexual parents don’t raise psychosocially defective children. He then dares his detractor to say that he’s a bigot for throwing his lot in with heterosexuals and saying that nature says a mom and a dad is optimum. If this is the voice of conservatism, someone change the channel. I’d like to hear someone reasonable, please. And, if you don’t mind, could you skip past the people who are mobilizing to "take back the rainbow" because gays are using it to promote "perversion". At the same time, they say, “No, we don’t hate homosexuals. We love them like God says we should.” Insert your own cutting remark about how that “love” is traditionally expressed. Is there some other reason other than “The gays use it as a pride symbol! Nobody should be proud of being homosexual and a sinner, in our not-very-humble opinion. We have to stop them!” that’s involved here? If this goes through, then let the pagans take back the Christmas tree, the Yule log, the rebirth or a dead god, Easter eggs, and all the symbols that got borrowed from various religions as Christianity expanded. Then we can talk about any symbols that Christianity wants to lay claim to. First dibs on anything in Torah, thought, to the Jews. So if they pass on the rainbow, then maybe you can claim it.
Speaking of sex and sexuality, The Junior Anti-Sex League claims victory as a 17-year old boy is sentenced to 10 years in prison and mandatory sex offender registration for having consensual oral sex with his 15-year old girlfriend. Yep. They didn’t even go all the way, and he’s still getting hammered with a ten-year prison sentence as a convicted child molester. I don’t know if the court decided to make an example of the kid in denying his appeal or what, but this kid probably just had his life ruined, because he and his girlfriend consented to oral sex. Then again, this is the country that impeached a President because of oral sex...
The power of the Internet: solidifying caste groupings and groupthink. The medium designed to be ultra-mobile, where anyone could contribute, rise in stature, or be mocked endlessly seems to be more and more about the solidification of the divisions already cemented in the off-line world. Instead of joining together and co-operating to build a bright and beautiful new digital world, we’re taking our squabbles and grudges and vengeance on-line with us. I’m probably not helping to bringing the world closer to harmony myself. Maybe we should have expected this, because of the anonymity the Internet is supposed to afford.
The Clapper now has a remote. Which sort of gets rid of the novelty of the product. But if that’s what it takes to get the people to buy it, then that’s what it takes. Still, somewhere along the line, I cant help but think that the person who invented the Clapper should make a voice-recognition box, so that someone can say “Computer, lights off.” and it happens. Or maybe that’s just my sci-fi self coming through. Ah, well. Anyway, Computer, lights off. Enter sleep mode.
Meindpowerz! Using brainwaves, researchers give orders and control a humanoid robot. It’s crude right now, but it works. We’ll see how long it takes to refine this control into something akin to directing your Roomba to clean the floors while you go play Quake. Or maybe to get the computer to play Quake for you while you go clean the floors. You never know what uses people might put this idea to.
Designer hearing aids. Well, there was that whole “Sexy Specs” thing - maybe this is the next movement on the list? Then we’ll have blingtastic dentures next. You could really do a lot for your self-image if this trend continues.
Those still glowing over the upcoming transfer of power in the Congress may want to keep the party focused and realistic. Neoconservatism isn't dead, just hibernating, according to The American Conservative, and that once George W. Bush isn’t seen as the face of the neocons and Iraq becomes less of a debacle, if such a thing can happen, the neocons will once again be guiding the policy of the populace. I’m inclined to agree, but that’s because I see the fundamental character of the American populace as being neoconservative.
Then again, with Bill O’Reilly as a spokesperson for the ideology, maybe it should die and stay dead for a very long time. According to the latest in O’R(ei)L(l)Y logic, if gay parents are equally competent at raising kids, then why doesn't eating a cupcake get a woman pregnant? Bill decides that he’s going to believe that heterosexual households are always superior to homosexual ones when it comes to parenting, despite several studies that say homosexual parents don’t raise psychosocially defective children. He then dares his detractor to say that he’s a bigot for throwing his lot in with heterosexuals and saying that nature says a mom and a dad is optimum. If this is the voice of conservatism, someone change the channel. I’d like to hear someone reasonable, please. And, if you don’t mind, could you skip past the people who are mobilizing to "take back the rainbow" because gays are using it to promote "perversion". At the same time, they say, “No, we don’t hate homosexuals. We love them like God says we should.” Insert your own cutting remark about how that “love” is traditionally expressed. Is there some other reason other than “The gays use it as a pride symbol! Nobody should be proud of being homosexual and a sinner, in our not-very-humble opinion. We have to stop them!” that’s involved here? If this goes through, then let the pagans take back the Christmas tree, the Yule log, the rebirth or a dead god, Easter eggs, and all the symbols that got borrowed from various religions as Christianity expanded. Then we can talk about any symbols that Christianity wants to lay claim to. First dibs on anything in Torah, thought, to the Jews. So if they pass on the rainbow, then maybe you can claim it.
Speaking of sex and sexuality, The Junior Anti-Sex League claims victory as a 17-year old boy is sentenced to 10 years in prison and mandatory sex offender registration for having consensual oral sex with his 15-year old girlfriend. Yep. They didn’t even go all the way, and he’s still getting hammered with a ten-year prison sentence as a convicted child molester. I don’t know if the court decided to make an example of the kid in denying his appeal or what, but this kid probably just had his life ruined, because he and his girlfriend consented to oral sex. Then again, this is the country that impeached a President because of oral sex...
The power of the Internet: solidifying caste groupings and groupthink. The medium designed to be ultra-mobile, where anyone could contribute, rise in stature, or be mocked endlessly seems to be more and more about the solidification of the divisions already cemented in the off-line world. Instead of joining together and co-operating to build a bright and beautiful new digital world, we’re taking our squabbles and grudges and vengeance on-line with us. I’m probably not helping to bringing the world closer to harmony myself. Maybe we should have expected this, because of the anonymity the Internet is supposed to afford.
The Clapper now has a remote. Which sort of gets rid of the novelty of the product. But if that’s what it takes to get the people to buy it, then that’s what it takes. Still, somewhere along the line, I cant help but think that the person who invented the Clapper should make a voice-recognition box, so that someone can say “Computer, lights off.” and it happens. Or maybe that’s just my sci-fi self coming through. Ah, well. Anyway, Computer, lights off. Enter sleep mode.
