Son of a shit

My mom ran into my truck... hell.

What a pisser

Somehow I got sidetracked today. I was reading about the Mike Gravel (whom I support) and the FairTax bill (which I support) and got to reading about a few different US Codes out there. It's depressing this is the place I'm still kinda proud to be from. What happened to us?

Extra Stout

I remember the first time I tried Guinness Extra Stout. I was blown away. The first sip was like a bitter kick in the taste buds. By the time I was half way though the pint I was ready to put the glass down and walk away. No way could I have known then what I was experiencing.

I've just finished my second glass of Extra Stout for the night and I can't help but think back to that time, almost three years ago, and realize just how far along I've come. Today I can taste the malt and appreciate the richness of it. I can taste the soured beer and understand that even though it might be bitter like hops, it is not that most aromatic of organic flavors. The only hops in this treat come at the end, giving it a rich, organic smell without overpowering the already bitter taste.

Okay, I'm really talking out of my ass here. I know that Extra Stout is bittered by sour beer and I know it has some aromatic hops added at the end of the boil, but I'm not sure to what extent the flavor is affected by that. The larger point is that my taste buds are no longer assaulted by the bitterness of the beer. I've come to really appreciate the different flavors and that strong, malty characteristic has come to be one of my favorites. It's hard for me to imagine being the type of person that drinks fowl, skunked beer assuming that's how it's supposed to taste. The type of person who drinks Corona with a lime, never questioning why that lime is a requirement to drink it while claiming it to be the best of the Mexican lagers.

Anyway, I just found that to be an interesting change. I've been afraid to give the Extra Stout another try because of my first experiences with it and I'm happy that I chose to tonight.

Blackwater

Will someone please, please tell me why in the everliving fuck I am paying for this bullshit? Shooting civilians? Disarming *American* troops at gunpoint in Iraq? Pulling in larger paychecks than the fucking military I happily support in their unfortunate endeavors overseas?

I am so pissed at this mess. What can I do to stop it? I feel like a jackass sitting here doing nothing, what can I do to put an end to it? Don't tell me to vote either, you asshole, because the majority of people in this country didn't vote for Bush and look where that got us.

The world as he saw it

Pretty good read.

Motivation

I dunno why, but I love those.

Grave of the Fireflies

By far the deepest anime I've seen to date. If you haven't seen it yet, put it at the top of your list.

Free Burma!

Equilibrium

Been watching this flick for a bit now and had a bit of an epiphany. Good sci-fi is rarely what the masses categorize it as. It's not aliens, it's not advanced technology, it's the science and it's not the fiction. It's always been about the humanity. The best sci-fi has always been about looking at the world through new eyes and seeing what it is to be right here, grounded in ourselves. The sci-fi part is just a vehicle for delivering the overall message of preserving and appreciating everything that makes us who we are, no matter how bad it can be at times.

I'm sure there are a lot of delivery methods for that core idea, but the freedom that sci-fi allows us is what gives it the depth, I think. It frees us to imagine a world in which the things we should cherish above all else are taken away. That's sort of what I'm enjoying about this movie, in the same way I enjoy books like Fahrenheit 451, 1984, and A Brave New World. I know it's a common theme throughout all of them, so maybe I should be pissed at everyone stealing from everyone. In reality, I think it just gets to me because everyone, myself included, are so willing to let go of those things. So willing to set them aside for "the greater good".

Anyway, good movie. It kinda sucks it hit around the time of the Matrix phenomenon. Christian Bale is a far better actor the Keanu Reaves and the plot definitely comes closer to more old school sci-fi.

Burma

Good find there. A list of companies to avoid. I dunno what else I can do other than feel powerless.