Sunday, December 30, 2012
Obama Gives a Good Interview
A big part of being President is knowing what to say and how to say it. Of all our recent Presidents, Obama stands out as the one that gives a great interview. Bush was a buffoon with a dim understanding of the world. By contrast, Obama is a very intelligent man. Too bad the Republicans set their #1 goal as making sure nothing moves forward in this country. The Republicans place party above country every time.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Avast the Booze
God preserve me from the temptations of the booze good and generous and well-meaning friends laid upon me as Christmas presents. I've succumbed to most of the temptation, four-fifths of the Bailey's and the keg of Heineken's, so maybe I can abstain from the last few dregs in that Bailey's, the last several bottles of wine or whatever it is, I don't want to look at them; vipers, rattlesnakes.
My head felt pins and needles today. Darkness washed over me. I was not myself, not exactly, not my good self. I will remember the darkness. I am reinforced in my conviction: I believe alcohol is poison. Sometimes I forget, but not this year. Inoculated with a booster, I should remain sober through 2013.
Just tea for me now. Good, wholesome tea.
What a mercy it is for me that I do abstain--outside the Christmas holiday--if friends don't lay bottles on me--if I don't feel obligated--if the old habit of scores of Christmases don't come back--I'm such a creature of habit.
My head felt pins and needles today. Darkness washed over me. I was not myself, not exactly, not my good self. I will remember the darkness. I am reinforced in my conviction: I believe alcohol is poison. Sometimes I forget, but not this year. Inoculated with a booster, I should remain sober through 2013.
Just tea for me now. Good, wholesome tea.
What a mercy it is for me that I do abstain--outside the Christmas holiday--if friends don't lay bottles on me--if I don't feel obligated--if the old habit of scores of Christmases don't come back--I'm such a creature of habit.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Isy Suttie of Peep Show
Isy Suttie, Mark's girlfriend in the unique UK comedy Peep Show, is an atypical beauty. Her expressive face and gorgeous blue eyes in season 8 episode 3 are not to be missed by anyone that is open to the concept of feminine beauty. Although her role isn't demanding, she brings an uncommon authenticity to it and can't improve, having already achieved perfection. Half her charm lies in her demerit, her deviation from the popular notion of beauty, her uniqueness, hence her attainability. She's not thin, not like so many ambitious actresses today, nor very young--not some mere child, but thirtysomething--and she has a big nose, a beak in fact, larger than most men's noses--and we know that a big nose correlates with a big penis in men--and regular breasts, but she's fifty flavors of awesome somehow, and one wonders how she attracts, what is her secret? An inner joy, a light within, a mystery that must be studied further. Isy Suttie is the fun gal that geeks would like to get with and more to the point, that geeks think they actually could get with, the woman that wouldn't shoot them down or misuse them, a straight-shooting, plain-speaking, laughing, warm and sunny type of woman, with a Welsh accent that reveals itself at unexpected moments, adding to her mystery and allure, as when she says to Jez, "But is Mark fawn?"
I don't know why Peep Show hasn't caught on in America. It's about the best comedy there is on television. It's quirky and offbeat. My fellow Americans just don't know what they are missing. Peep Show is easily the coolest show on television. I have yet to interest any of my American friends in the show. It is an acquired taste. I think it grows on one, becoming funnier the more times it is watched. The first time, a viewer suffers from information overload. There's just too much narrative and too many things happening at once. Understand, this is both a weakness and a strength. The show makes extraordinary demands upon the viewer, indeed, and that is its weak point, if there is any weak point, reducing its popularity in the mainstream. By the second and third viewings, the viewer is prepared and has already absorbed much of the storyline, so the show increases in value over time, unlike most other shows, becoming funnier the more times it is watched. I cry foul to critics until they watch the show thrice. If by the third time they aren't laughing, then fair enough.
I don't know why Peep Show hasn't caught on in America. It's about the best comedy there is on television. It's quirky and offbeat. My fellow Americans just don't know what they are missing. Peep Show is easily the coolest show on television. I have yet to interest any of my American friends in the show. It is an acquired taste. I think it grows on one, becoming funnier the more times it is watched. The first time, a viewer suffers from information overload. There's just too much narrative and too many things happening at once. Understand, this is both a weakness and a strength. The show makes extraordinary demands upon the viewer, indeed, and that is its weak point, if there is any weak point, reducing its popularity in the mainstream. By the second and third viewings, the viewer is prepared and has already absorbed much of the storyline, so the show increases in value over time, unlike most other shows, becoming funnier the more times it is watched. I cry foul to critics until they watch the show thrice. If by the third time they aren't laughing, then fair enough.
China
I changed my mind about China. China's probably more corrupt than Russia. They recently tightened the screws on Internet censorship, all because people are clamoring for democracy and exposing corruption. I bet what has been exposed is just the tip of the iceberg. Those who suffered under communism now suffer under kleptocracies, but I guess there was never much difference between the two systems in practice, whatever theory might have intended. Always the insiders, the elite get to have the best of everything, while everyone else is treated second-rate.
Here's a letter from a Chinese laborer working 15-hour days.
We in the West are just fooling ourselves about China, which is going to start the next world war, and at that time, future generations are going to be wondering why we let the suits export all the really important jobs over to China. Too late in the game to reboot the manufacturing sector once a hot war is on. Manufacturing is what won WW2, and ultimately it is what wins all wars. If you can replace a tank division, then you can lose a battle and still win the war.
Will we retain Alaska and Hawaii?
I'm puzzled the right-wingers ignored current events and replayed Viet Nam from 2001 - 2012, but they never could see farther than their own portfolios. A lot of time was squandered. Missed opportunities. Could have done something about the economy, alternative energy, and global warming. Now there are a lot of people unemployed or underemployed and there's no end in sight to that. The old cling to their cushy retirements and entitlements while casting aspersions on the young, who can't find good jobs in today's economy, and the politicians look to save money by cutting education and benefits (present and future) for the young. So the young have nothing to do and nothing to look forward to, while U.S. companies continue shipping jobs overseas to China, which one day is going stop playing nice and demand territorial concessions.
Here's a letter from a Chinese laborer working 15-hour days.
We in the West are just fooling ourselves about China, which is going to start the next world war, and at that time, future generations are going to be wondering why we let the suits export all the really important jobs over to China. Too late in the game to reboot the manufacturing sector once a hot war is on. Manufacturing is what won WW2, and ultimately it is what wins all wars. If you can replace a tank division, then you can lose a battle and still win the war.
Will we retain Alaska and Hawaii?
I'm puzzled the right-wingers ignored current events and replayed Viet Nam from 2001 - 2012, but they never could see farther than their own portfolios. A lot of time was squandered. Missed opportunities. Could have done something about the economy, alternative energy, and global warming. Now there are a lot of people unemployed or underemployed and there's no end in sight to that. The old cling to their cushy retirements and entitlements while casting aspersions on the young, who can't find good jobs in today's economy, and the politicians look to save money by cutting education and benefits (present and future) for the young. So the young have nothing to do and nothing to look forward to, while U.S. companies continue shipping jobs overseas to China, which one day is going stop playing nice and demand territorial concessions.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
The State of the World
Thank goodness for the West, the source of all things that are good. A glance at Russia or China is all that is required to be thankful that one lives in a modern and civilized Republic. I feel sorry for people that live in Iran, Syria, Malaysia, or many of the other countries around the world where corruption is rife and tribal loyalties mean more than the rule of law.
The Romans were the ancient people that cultivated the rule of law as being sacrosanct, transcending tribalism. So we, the people of the West, have inherited that cultural and legal tradition, while the people of Russia and China must suffer under kleptocracies that benefit a few criminals at the expense of everyone. I read that China's Prime Minister has stolen over two billion dollars for the benefit of his family, while Russia's corruption is inestimable, probably far exceeding anything in China.
I think that Western countries are superior in every conceivable way to others, and I believe this is self-evident, needing no explanation at all. The only thing the West has to do is figure out a way to adjust to the modern economy, and get its people back to work before it is too late. Free trade was not a good idea, not a good idea at all, and now we are coping with the consequences of a devastated manufacturing sector. So what next? The other thing we need to do is keep electing Democrats who understand that the U.S. is not the policeman of the world, that our borders end in North America, and we need to look after our own, not go interfering where we don't belong and trying to help people who hate us.
The Romans were the ancient people that cultivated the rule of law as being sacrosanct, transcending tribalism. So we, the people of the West, have inherited that cultural and legal tradition, while the people of Russia and China must suffer under kleptocracies that benefit a few criminals at the expense of everyone. I read that China's Prime Minister has stolen over two billion dollars for the benefit of his family, while Russia's corruption is inestimable, probably far exceeding anything in China.
I think that Western countries are superior in every conceivable way to others, and I believe this is self-evident, needing no explanation at all. The only thing the West has to do is figure out a way to adjust to the modern economy, and get its people back to work before it is too late. Free trade was not a good idea, not a good idea at all, and now we are coping with the consequences of a devastated manufacturing sector. So what next? The other thing we need to do is keep electing Democrats who understand that the U.S. is not the policeman of the world, that our borders end in North America, and we need to look after our own, not go interfering where we don't belong and trying to help people who hate us.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Puzzlement over the Pope
I was puzzled by the Pope railing against gay marriage during the Christmas season, but then I remembered, of course the Pope was a Nazi, after all. He's simply reverting to form.
There's a goofy-looking UK bishop who seems to have forgotten the Pope's ugly past. Had he remembered, he might have used different phrasing in his political speechsermon. By the way, why aren't these political lobbyists--priests--taxed? They should be paying taxes just like anybody else.
There's not the slightest possibility that these stupid ignoramuses could be the representatives of the Divine on earth.
There's a goofy-looking UK bishop who seems to have forgotten the Pope's ugly past. Had he remembered, he might have used different phrasing in his political speech
There's not the slightest possibility that these stupid ignoramuses could be the representatives of the Divine on earth.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
A Christmas Message
Surround yourself with people of the light: good, honest, kind, and wise, be they who they may, and let their light rekindle yours.
There is light even in the darkness, because the light spans Alpha and Omega. Is within and without. Was before, is, and will be. When all ends, then that end is a false ending, because all begins again, not as it was, but as it will be.
There is light even in the darkness, because the light spans Alpha and Omega. Is within and without. Was before, is, and will be. When all ends, then that end is a false ending, because all begins again, not as it was, but as it will be.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Former Sen. Chuck Hagel
On the one hand, Former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel was a breath of fresh air during the Bush years, one of the few Republicans that was vocal in speaking out against the multi-trillion-dollar wars. On the other hand, his brain fossilized back in the 1950's with all its prejudices, leaving him "openly, aggressively" homophobic, which is too bad, because now is not the time for a homophobic Secretary of Defense.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Gay Marriage Pioneer Richard Adams
I read an interesting blog post today about Richard Adams, who the INS called a faggot back in 1975. That shows how bad the political climate was back then, that INS employees felt they could get away with vulgarity.
Well, times change. An employee at a government agency that wrote a letter like that today would be fired and rightfully so.
Haters that call other people unpleasant names die off and aren't always replaced by new haters. Incidentally, it's a good thing that they die off. I don't think the human race is ready for immortality yet. Maybe in a thousand years. We still have these problems with violence, intolerance, greed, dishonesty, stupidity, and insanity. I think whenever immortality does become an option, then it had better be joined with genetic engineering so that the immortals are as good and strong and most of all, kind as they can be. It's a scary thought to think about evil-doers living forever... like Sauron.
I don't like the fact of my mortality any more than anybody else. It is odd that we begin each day not thinking it could be our last, and yet for some people, it is their last, they don't even know. Life's a strange bird, ain't it? I can certainly sympathize with the folks that want to believe in an afterlife and everlasting rewards. That's a kind of fantasy that is most appealing and soothing, much more comforting than, "You will be gone forever and ever, and in time, all traces of you will be wiped out completely; you are to be forgotten and erased." That's not quite the thing to say, is it? Even if it is true. I wouldn't have the heart to say it to anybody on death's door. I'd just let them partake of their traditional remedy, be it final rites, shaman or priest, as long as the priest doesn't take advantage and try to bully the poor fellow into converting or doing something against his better judgment.
I'm reading a book by a devout Christian woman recounting her childhood. Every little thing she did, everything that happened, she imbued with drama and meaning from the Bible and from theology, so God and Jesus are everywhere, testing, sending signals and messages, guiding, exhorting, and sometimes punishing, like parents. It's quite unusual. I think she is simple, but I like reading her story because it is so different from the usual book I read. She's got a tremendous head trip going on. Jesus is sending her messages, signals. She reads the Bible for clues on how to respond to her wicked stepmother, who is always putting her down. I'm amused because I catch on to her game, as it is a familiar one I've observed many a time among the Christians. One can read the Bible any which way and find a passage in support of this or that. The Bible contradicts itself; it isn't logical and had no one author, but is a cacophony of voices, each with their own agendas. The authors were jotting down things that made sense in the context of contemporary politics of their times, but don't necessarily apply today. All that's obvious to everyone but the devout Christian, who thinks the Bible was written for them and applies to their own life. Well, that's fine, only trouble is, you can get the Bible to tell you anything, just flip to the right page and go, and it isn't necessarily so, anyway. I think there are better books to read, better books to profit from. I particularly like the Simarillion, in which Tolkien describes a beautiful theology in much more detail than the Bible, which is always vague about the Deity. Why be coy? Why not spell things out? Tolkien did. I like his theology better. At any rate I don't take her religion seriously but enjoy reading all of her thoughts about things. I do think she is a passable good writer, not one that could sell books, but good enough to keep me reading.
Well, times change. An employee at a government agency that wrote a letter like that today would be fired and rightfully so.
Haters that call other people unpleasant names die off and aren't always replaced by new haters. Incidentally, it's a good thing that they die off. I don't think the human race is ready for immortality yet. Maybe in a thousand years. We still have these problems with violence, intolerance, greed, dishonesty, stupidity, and insanity. I think whenever immortality does become an option, then it had better be joined with genetic engineering so that the immortals are as good and strong and most of all, kind as they can be. It's a scary thought to think about evil-doers living forever... like Sauron.
I don't like the fact of my mortality any more than anybody else. It is odd that we begin each day not thinking it could be our last, and yet for some people, it is their last, they don't even know. Life's a strange bird, ain't it? I can certainly sympathize with the folks that want to believe in an afterlife and everlasting rewards. That's a kind of fantasy that is most appealing and soothing, much more comforting than, "You will be gone forever and ever, and in time, all traces of you will be wiped out completely; you are to be forgotten and erased." That's not quite the thing to say, is it? Even if it is true. I wouldn't have the heart to say it to anybody on death's door. I'd just let them partake of their traditional remedy, be it final rites, shaman or priest, as long as the priest doesn't take advantage and try to bully the poor fellow into converting or doing something against his better judgment.
I'm reading a book by a devout Christian woman recounting her childhood. Every little thing she did, everything that happened, she imbued with drama and meaning from the Bible and from theology, so God and Jesus are everywhere, testing, sending signals and messages, guiding, exhorting, and sometimes punishing, like parents. It's quite unusual. I think she is simple, but I like reading her story because it is so different from the usual book I read. She's got a tremendous head trip going on. Jesus is sending her messages, signals. She reads the Bible for clues on how to respond to her wicked stepmother, who is always putting her down. I'm amused because I catch on to her game, as it is a familiar one I've observed many a time among the Christians. One can read the Bible any which way and find a passage in support of this or that. The Bible contradicts itself; it isn't logical and had no one author, but is a cacophony of voices, each with their own agendas. The authors were jotting down things that made sense in the context of contemporary politics of their times, but don't necessarily apply today. All that's obvious to everyone but the devout Christian, who thinks the Bible was written for them and applies to their own life. Well, that's fine, only trouble is, you can get the Bible to tell you anything, just flip to the right page and go, and it isn't necessarily so, anyway. I think there are better books to read, better books to profit from. I particularly like the Simarillion, in which Tolkien describes a beautiful theology in much more detail than the Bible, which is always vague about the Deity. Why be coy? Why not spell things out? Tolkien did. I like his theology better. At any rate I don't take her religion seriously but enjoy reading all of her thoughts about things. I do think she is a passable good writer, not one that could sell books, but good enough to keep me reading.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Gun Control
The NRA has had things its own way for too long and it is far too liberal on gun laws. It is easier to get a gun than it is to drive, and there's something wrong about that to anybody that possesses a grain of common sense.
I think some sensible precautions need to be put into place and should have been done a long time ago. Only now, we see the urgency after so many senseless killings by suicidal maniacs. I'd rather face a suicidal maniac armed with a knife than a suicidal maniac armed with a gun, any day of the week. But you can argue this point until you're blue in the face with a lot of Republicans, and they just don't see it no matter how many people are buried. They think we're after their hunting pastime or trying to disarm everybody.
I don't consider myself well-versed on the issue of gun control, but I would support a ban on assault weapons, a ban on cartridges that have more than eight rounds, and a lot of other new precautions.
I think some sensible precautions need to be put into place and should have been done a long time ago. Only now, we see the urgency after so many senseless killings by suicidal maniacs. I'd rather face a suicidal maniac armed with a knife than a suicidal maniac armed with a gun, any day of the week. But you can argue this point until you're blue in the face with a lot of Republicans, and they just don't see it no matter how many people are buried. They think we're after their hunting pastime or trying to disarm everybody.
I don't consider myself well-versed on the issue of gun control, but I would support a ban on assault weapons, a ban on cartridges that have more than eight rounds, and a lot of other new precautions.
ASUS Warranty & Support
The web site for ASUS is designed with one purpose in mind, to deter warranty/service/repairs. After navigating through their maze of a web site for an hour, I can testify that it is difficult at best to get service on warranty on any ASUS product. If you finally, after much searching, find the link to the web site that handles warranties (why couldn't they incorporate that into the main site?), then if you click on it, you will log on to the web site--and get a blank, white screen, with no text and nothing to click on. That's ASUS customer service for you.
Here's what happened when I tried to chat with one of their "helpful technicians." I should note that the screen also said that I had a 110-minute wait ahead of me, but the screen capture didn't get that part.
Here's what happened when I tried to chat with one of their "helpful technicians." I should note that the screen also said that I had a 110-minute wait ahead of me, but the screen capture didn't get that part.
Europeans are Stupid
The rate of smoking in Europe is higher than anywhere else at 33%.
So Europe might be wiser in some ways, like socialized health care, but they are behind the curve when it comes to tobacco.
Smoking is unnecessary, even for someone addicted to nicotine. There are two alternative methods of nicotine consumption that are far less harmful--nicotine gum (expensive) and vaporization, which has been widely adopted by health-conscious marijuana consumers. Why would anyone smoke the old-fashioned way, when a vaporizer can be purchased for $40? To use a computer analogy, it is like remaining with MS-DOS instead of upgrading to Windows or Linux Mint. Smoking is more expensive, more harmful, and obnoxious to everyone around. Vaporizing is cheaper, tastes better, is much easier on the lungs, and causes minimal discomfort to others.
I've known intellectuals that smoked, highlighting the difference between book-smarts and common sense. I am glad I have enough common sense not to play Big Tobacco's game. I don't use any tobacco products, but you know what, if I did, it would either be through the medium of gum or vaporization. Common sense, if you please. Smoke ain't good for your lungs. Ask a conscientious pothead where to buy a quality vaporizer.
So Europe might be wiser in some ways, like socialized health care, but they are behind the curve when it comes to tobacco.
Smoking is unnecessary, even for someone addicted to nicotine. There are two alternative methods of nicotine consumption that are far less harmful--nicotine gum (expensive) and vaporization, which has been widely adopted by health-conscious marijuana consumers. Why would anyone smoke the old-fashioned way, when a vaporizer can be purchased for $40? To use a computer analogy, it is like remaining with MS-DOS instead of upgrading to Windows or Linux Mint. Smoking is more expensive, more harmful, and obnoxious to everyone around. Vaporizing is cheaper, tastes better, is much easier on the lungs, and causes minimal discomfort to others.
I've known intellectuals that smoked, highlighting the difference between book-smarts and common sense. I am glad I have enough common sense not to play Big Tobacco's game. I don't use any tobacco products, but you know what, if I did, it would either be through the medium of gum or vaporization. Common sense, if you please. Smoke ain't good for your lungs. Ask a conscientious pothead where to buy a quality vaporizer.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Read O'Brian and Despair
As for writing a novel, I'd better put a cork on that. I finished Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander yesterday and observed I'd never write as well as he does, not even if I tried for a thousand years.
One thing about O'Brian is he's an artist, not your ordinary sort of writer. That is, he draws scenes, and the words serve as his paintbrush. As artists go, he's an impressionist. The reader must work to shake out what's going on. O'Brian won't pat your hand and say, "Now, now, we're getting up, dear old Sir, so please put your slippers on," none of that, he zips from point to point without very much in the way of transition. The reader's brain must work overtime, sometimes rereading to puzzle out what is going on in the story. One adjusts to this challenging style, because it has the advantage of compactness. O'Brian draws a scene in ten pages that would take another writer fifty, while imparting more nuance. He does not waste the reader's time and is never boring.
Of course O'Brian's a classic nerd, having devoured every single fact and legend concerning the British Navy of the 1700s-1800s, and he flaunts his knowledge until the reader is cowed into accepting the writer's indisputable authority. I don't know one sail from another, it's all Greek to me. I just marvel. I suppose that the gentleman must have spent a good chunk of his life reading naval histories and stories. I don't even like sailing, but I like Patrick O'Brian's novels about sailing. That's the mark of a great author, that he can hook landlubbers like me with his naval stories. I rank O'Brian up there with the best of the best, and I can only wonder why Gore Vidal never reviewed his books, but Vidal preferred dead authors to living competitors and probably found O'Brian reactionary, although I think O'Brian's personal views may be found in the speech of his character Stephen Maturin, who was liberal enough for me.
When I think of the times I wanted to write a historical novel, I blush in shame, because I know good and well my knowledge of times past is not one-tenth O'Brian's. My effort would turn out just like the ones of those historical novelists I read in the library and put down in contempt.
So read O'Brian and despair, ye budding writers!
One thing about O'Brian is he's an artist, not your ordinary sort of writer. That is, he draws scenes, and the words serve as his paintbrush. As artists go, he's an impressionist. The reader must work to shake out what's going on. O'Brian won't pat your hand and say, "Now, now, we're getting up, dear old Sir, so please put your slippers on," none of that, he zips from point to point without very much in the way of transition. The reader's brain must work overtime, sometimes rereading to puzzle out what is going on in the story. One adjusts to this challenging style, because it has the advantage of compactness. O'Brian draws a scene in ten pages that would take another writer fifty, while imparting more nuance. He does not waste the reader's time and is never boring.
Of course O'Brian's a classic nerd, having devoured every single fact and legend concerning the British Navy of the 1700s-1800s, and he flaunts his knowledge until the reader is cowed into accepting the writer's indisputable authority. I don't know one sail from another, it's all Greek to me. I just marvel. I suppose that the gentleman must have spent a good chunk of his life reading naval histories and stories. I don't even like sailing, but I like Patrick O'Brian's novels about sailing. That's the mark of a great author, that he can hook landlubbers like me with his naval stories. I rank O'Brian up there with the best of the best, and I can only wonder why Gore Vidal never reviewed his books, but Vidal preferred dead authors to living competitors and probably found O'Brian reactionary, although I think O'Brian's personal views may be found in the speech of his character Stephen Maturin, who was liberal enough for me.
When I think of the times I wanted to write a historical novel, I blush in shame, because I know good and well my knowledge of times past is not one-tenth O'Brian's. My effort would turn out just like the ones of those historical novelists I read in the library and put down in contempt.
So read O'Brian and despair, ye budding writers!
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Stepping Into Her Bones
I've been reading about a page a day of a self-published autobiography about a straight, white, devout Christian woman of no special renown who grew up in America. It is the bathroom read. To my surprise, I have enjoyed stepping into her bones and seeing the world through her eyes. I am beginning to feel a desire to start a novel. There is nothing stopping me. Perhaps I will create a similar character.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Run Screensaver & Music Player from Thunar's File Manager
In my opinion, a screensaver begins and ends with a slideshow featuring beautiful specimens from the realms of art and imagination, nature, and science. I will never understand why so many people opt for alternative solutions such as using a non-slideshow screensaver (called a "visualizer") from within a media player. Configure the screensaver within the operating system but once, and it will function with and without the media player. Pictures appealing to one's personal taste may be obtained quite easily by anyone with Internet access, patience, and storage space. So why use anything else in a screensaver--ever?
When I play music on my media player, I want the desktop to display my slideshow. I do not want VLC to run a tacky visualizer. And I want to use nothing within VLC, but instead the regular desktop screensaver-slideshow, which can be easily deactivated by moving the mouse or pressing any key and which I have configured to my own preferences.
The following custom command, when selected in Thunar, passes selected files and folders to VLC and then, after a five second pause, activates the screensaver. I don't see any reason why this technique would not work in other Linux desktop environments, but I haven't tested it, so I will say, caveat emptor. My own desktop environment is Xfce running on Linux Mint Maya. I have VLC and xscreensaver installed and working, although the logic below could be adapted for other media players and other screensavers.
In Xfce's File Manager, Thunar, click Edit | Configure Custom Actions, and then choose the + icon to add a new one. For the name of the action, let's type "Play in VLC & Run Screensaver," and for the command, "/bin/vlcs.sh %F", which loads a shell script while passing a variable consisting of selected files and folders. Executing a script is indeed necessary, because Thunar seems to not permit multiple commands in a custom action. Perhaps in gnome or kde, the story may be different--experiment and see whether this is so. Of course one would rather not have to create a new batch file just to execute two or three commands.
The shell script, which I call /bin/vlcs.sh, consists of just two lines:
VLC and the sleep command execute at the same time. The sleep command waits for five seconds. Only after the sleep command has finished do I want the screensaver to activate and display my slideshow. I find the delay helpful, because without it, the screensaver executes with such alacrity that my hand cannot remove itself from the mouse fast enough to avoid deactivating the screensaver. Besides, I like to observe VLC's playlist for a moment before it runs. Many a time during testing, I passed an invalid variable to VLC, and it got stuck in an endless loop trying to load invalid file names, which is not very intelligent, to say the least. I tried to add some audits of the variable inside the script, but I cannot add any if...then commands to the batch, otherwise it won't work at all from within Thunar in Xubuntu 12.10. The batch must remain primitive for reasons that are unclear to me. I am sure the solution is something simple that the experts have neglected to mention because they feel it is obvious. At any rate, I was pleased to set this up, because it saves me a step during dinner parties.
When I play music on my media player, I want the desktop to display my slideshow. I do not want VLC to run a tacky visualizer. And I want to use nothing within VLC, but instead the regular desktop screensaver-slideshow, which can be easily deactivated by moving the mouse or pressing any key and which I have configured to my own preferences.
The following custom command, when selected in Thunar, passes selected files and folders to VLC and then, after a five second pause, activates the screensaver. I don't see any reason why this technique would not work in other Linux desktop environments, but I haven't tested it, so I will say, caveat emptor. My own desktop environment is Xfce running on Linux Mint Maya. I have VLC and xscreensaver installed and working, although the logic below could be adapted for other media players and other screensavers.
In Xfce's File Manager, Thunar, click Edit | Configure Custom Actions, and then choose the + icon to add a new one. For the name of the action, let's type "Play in VLC & Run Screensaver," and for the command, "/bin/vlcs.sh %F", which loads a shell script while passing a variable consisting of selected files and folders. Executing a script is indeed necessary, because Thunar seems to not permit multiple commands in a custom action. Perhaps in gnome or kde, the story may be different--experiment and see whether this is so. Of course one would rather not have to create a new batch file just to execute two or three commands.
The shell script, which I call /bin/vlcs.sh, consists of just two lines:
#!bin/shName this Linux shell script "vlcs.sh", place it in the /bin folder, and set the execute bit using "chmod a+x /bin/vlcs.sh" so that all may execute it. I'm not a big security buff, but if you are, then set the security however you like it, just so that it can execute from the File Manager.
vlc "$1" & sleep 5 && xscreensaver-command -activate
VLC and the sleep command execute at the same time. The sleep command waits for five seconds. Only after the sleep command has finished do I want the screensaver to activate and display my slideshow. I find the delay helpful, because without it, the screensaver executes with such alacrity that my hand cannot remove itself from the mouse fast enough to avoid deactivating the screensaver. Besides, I like to observe VLC's playlist for a moment before it runs. Many a time during testing, I passed an invalid variable to VLC, and it got stuck in an endless loop trying to load invalid file names, which is not very intelligent, to say the least. I tried to add some audits of the variable inside the script, but I cannot add any if...then commands to the batch, otherwise it won't work at all from within Thunar in Xubuntu 12.10. The batch must remain primitive for reasons that are unclear to me. I am sure the solution is something simple that the experts have neglected to mention because they feel it is obvious. At any rate, I was pleased to set this up, because it saves me a step during dinner parties.
Scalia Plays the Prude
Supreme Court Justice Scalia is not wise based upon his remarks at Princeton, but he thinks he is wise, and that's the most dangerous sort of fool that there is. His arguments against any and all rights for gays are illogical and reflect his own personal hangups.
Since his arguments have nothing to them, one looks at the man. One look at Scalia and all thought of sex goes out the window. Maybe that's his problem--nobody would ever want to do him. Such a specimen finds it easy to play the prude. He can pretend that his "morals" keep him from accepting all the offers that would otherwise flow his way.
Since his arguments have nothing to them, one looks at the man. One look at Scalia and all thought of sex goes out the window. Maybe that's his problem--nobody would ever want to do him. Such a specimen finds it easy to play the prude. He can pretend that his "morals" keep him from accepting all the offers that would otherwise flow his way.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Ars Technica Needs to Learn
Ars Technica needs to learn that not everybody has the time to play password games with their site. I am not going to spend all evening devising a password that has a percentage, an underscore, an uppercase, a lowercase, ninety-nine characters, and a logarithm. I'm just not going to do it. I don't know, do they think we are registering for a lottery prize? More like registering for spam from Ars Technica, sounds like. Do they think somebody is going to try and crack their passwords with brute force? Ridiculous. Note to Ars Technica: you are not a bank.
Ubetatest
Hm. I don't like the sound of this. Canonical is committing errors in judgment. They need money, so while asking for donations, they intend to spy on their users in order to earn money from Amazon, which has ethical problems of its own. Well, perhaps I will not be using anything Ubuntu-related after 2012.
Out of curiosity, I installed both Xubuntu 12.10 and Linux Mint 13 Xfce, and Linux Mint Xfce is better, easier to use, despite being based upon older code (ubuntu 12.04). Xubuntu 12.10 is unstable, makes crash reports all the time, and the updates that Ubuntu releases don't fix the problems. I send crash reports, and Ubuntu ignores them, and instead issues updates for things that are irrelevant to me.
Xubuntu also is difficult to customize. Last night, I spent an hour trying to install new themes in the ~\.themes directory, because the default themes in Xubuntu are all unpleasantly bright. Xubuntu basically offers the user one theme and one theme only, a bright white background that will burn the eyes of any heavy user. This one theme has twenty different names, so it may appear there are twenty themes, but they are similar. Xubuntu does not offer even one theme with a dark background. Not so with Linux Mint Xfce, which at least offers dusk, a true dark background. I tried for an hour last night to install some new ones, but the archive manager crashed repeatedly. Even when I succeeded in extracting the themes into the .themes directory, after rebooting, they did not appear in the Appearances list of styles. In the end, I gave up. My solution will be to remove Xubuntu at some future point in time. I require a distro that does not require hours and hours of research and experimentation in order to change the background.
I'm glad there are options for Linux users. I'm definitely going to stick with Linux Mint for the time being while keeping an eye on other distros such as OpenSuse, which doesn't rely upon anything *buntu. I hope that Linux Mint finds a way to wean itself from Ubuntu, because I think Canonical has strayed into error and its usefulness may be coming to an end.
Out of curiosity, I installed both Xubuntu 12.10 and Linux Mint 13 Xfce, and Linux Mint Xfce is better, easier to use, despite being based upon older code (ubuntu 12.04). Xubuntu 12.10 is unstable, makes crash reports all the time, and the updates that Ubuntu releases don't fix the problems. I send crash reports, and Ubuntu ignores them, and instead issues updates for things that are irrelevant to me.
Xubuntu also is difficult to customize. Last night, I spent an hour trying to install new themes in the ~\.themes directory, because the default themes in Xubuntu are all unpleasantly bright. Xubuntu basically offers the user one theme and one theme only, a bright white background that will burn the eyes of any heavy user. This one theme has twenty different names, so it may appear there are twenty themes, but they are similar. Xubuntu does not offer even one theme with a dark background. Not so with Linux Mint Xfce, which at least offers dusk, a true dark background. I tried for an hour last night to install some new ones, but the archive manager crashed repeatedly. Even when I succeeded in extracting the themes into the .themes directory, after rebooting, they did not appear in the Appearances list of styles. In the end, I gave up. My solution will be to remove Xubuntu at some future point in time. I require a distro that does not require hours and hours of research and experimentation in order to change the background.
I'm glad there are options for Linux users. I'm definitely going to stick with Linux Mint for the time being while keeping an eye on other distros such as OpenSuse, which doesn't rely upon anything *buntu. I hope that Linux Mint finds a way to wean itself from Ubuntu, because I think Canonical has strayed into error and its usefulness may be coming to an end.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Massive File Copies--Not for the GUI
There are some tasks at which both the Windows and the Linux GUI stink, and I mean like rotten eggs. I'm not taking sides here. Both operating systems stink at massive file copies. Woe betide the user that tries copying tens of thousands of files from one directory to another directory on the network. This is the single best way to get an unresponsive desktop. In Linux Mint Xfce, Thunar blanked, the "File Progress" window blanked, and on one occasion all my desktop icons disappeared. In Windows XP, I waited. And waited. And Windows XP will also become unresponsive. It's not any stabler than Linux. I've learned. From now on, command-line copy all the way. xcopy *.*, my friends. That's the way to go.
And if only I could figure out a way to bypass the accursed trash can in Xubuntu. Linux Mint Xfce offers an option to permanently delete files, rather than spending several hours, or all day, transferring them to the Trash Can, which does not delete them. Overall, Xubuntu's designers don't seem to give too much thought to usability. Instead, they are concerned with protecting the user from himself. I don't think I will install another *buntu distro again. Instead, my choice will be Linux Mint. Linux Mint is just nicer, friendlier, that's all. Linux Mint adds another ten to twenty per cent to the usability quotient. That's not to say there couldn't be improvements, but when is that not true?
Neither the Windows nor Linux GUI have any conception of batch mode. If a user begins another copy while a copy is being performed, each OS will choose to copy everything simultaneously, a disastrous behavior which means it will take much, much longer to complete each copy task. Why not finish one copy, then begin the next one? That is known as "batch mode." Copying in batch is far more efficient.
And if only I could figure out a way to bypass the accursed trash can in Xubuntu. Linux Mint Xfce offers an option to permanently delete files, rather than spending several hours, or all day, transferring them to the Trash Can, which does not delete them. Overall, Xubuntu's designers don't seem to give too much thought to usability. Instead, they are concerned with protecting the user from himself. I don't think I will install another *buntu distro again. Instead, my choice will be Linux Mint. Linux Mint is just nicer, friendlier, that's all. Linux Mint adds another ten to twenty per cent to the usability quotient. That's not to say there couldn't be improvements, but when is that not true?
Neither the Windows nor Linux GUI have any conception of batch mode. If a user begins another copy while a copy is being performed, each OS will choose to copy everything simultaneously, a disastrous behavior which means it will take much, much longer to complete each copy task. Why not finish one copy, then begin the next one? That is known as "batch mode." Copying in batch is far more efficient.
Respect for Nurses
There should be a rule that no one should mess with nurses. I can testify that nurses work harder than anybody else. The stress level of their job is through the roof. I couldn't do it. I don't have the stamina. I'd never hassle a nurse, and the Australian DJ's who hoaxed a nurse over in London ought to be sacked for doing so. Hoax a banker, politician, or businessman, but never anyone in the medical profession or for that matter, law enforcement or firemen. I understand humor and fun and games and enjoy a good hoax myself, but some people work in uncommonly high-stress jobs and should be given a little bit of slack by the public, and in particular radio DJ's, who are dispensable to begin with, let's face it. Everybody needs a nurse. A DJ, we can do without. I don't know whether some people understand just how difficult it is to become a nurse in the first place.
I could care less about the royalty / Kate Middleton connection. Even though I'm liberal, I'm not particularly anti-royal. I'm a pragmatist. If royals conduct international diplomacy, support charity and worthwhile causes, and use their position as a bully pulpit to support worthwhile and humanitarian causes, then royals might actually do some good in the world, more so than some of our wealthy who inherited their fortunes and do nothing. I think the question of whether royalty is good or bad depends upon the words and deeds of the royals.
I could care less about the royalty / Kate Middleton connection. Even though I'm liberal, I'm not particularly anti-royal. I'm a pragmatist. If royals conduct international diplomacy, support charity and worthwhile causes, and use their position as a bully pulpit to support worthwhile and humanitarian causes, then royals might actually do some good in the world, more so than some of our wealthy who inherited their fortunes and do nothing. I think the question of whether royalty is good or bad depends upon the words and deeds of the royals.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
How to Make Firefox Load the Home Page in a New Tab
I found the way to make Firefox load the home page in a new tab, which used to be Firefox's default behavior back in the good old days. (The suggested solution at Mozilla.org does not work for my purposes.) The user must install a new add-on called "New Tab Homepage" to force Firefox to behave in the way it used to behave.
I see it's time for... Firefox developer training time!
FF dev: So tell me, what is a home page?
igor: A home page is where the user wants to begin browsing the Internet.
FF dev: But when the user opens a new tab, surely he wants to see a bunch of windows thrown together in a big pile, right? That's what I like!
igor: No, the user wants to view his home page when a new tab is opened.
FF dev: But home page is boring...for me. I want to code a bunch of windows and show off what I can do.
igor: Why not use all that energy to figure out a way to integrate flash in Firefox, like Google did with Chrome? Then Firefox might regain some market share.
FF dev: Uh... too difficult!
igor: Thought so.
I see it's time for... Firefox developer training time!
FF dev: So tell me, what is a home page?
igor: A home page is where the user wants to begin browsing the Internet.
FF dev: But when the user opens a new tab, surely he wants to see a bunch of windows thrown together in a big pile, right? That's what I like!
igor: No, the user wants to view his home page when a new tab is opened.
FF dev: But home page is boring...for me. I want to code a bunch of windows and show off what I can do.
igor: Why not use all that energy to figure out a way to integrate flash in Firefox, like Google did with Chrome? Then Firefox might regain some market share.
FF dev: Uh... too difficult!
igor: Thought so.
Harmlessness
There is something to be said for harmlessness. I believe that seeming harmless is an art form, requiring patience, imagination, mindfulness and discipline. My blood runs as hot as anyone else. At times, I get angry. On rare occasions, I thirst for vengeance. Then I think, Wait. No. This is not the way.
One can't please everyone, so there will always be a detractor here or there, and occasionally a detractor devolves into an enemy for reasons of their own, misapprehensions, defects in their temperament. Yet even an enemy is inclined to ignore the harmless and the quiet, those that do not appear to oppose their will, so there is an answer. After early experiments, I decided long ago that it was better to lose or appear to lose and let the ugly soul celebrate its dark victory than to waste time and energy upon pointless petty battles that no one else cares about. This strategy not everybody follows, which gives insight into the tragic headlines one reads in the daily news. Vengeance remains popular. So why then should I seek it? I will cede the field, knowing that the one who wronged me will wrong others until their luck runs out and they encounter one that requires vengeance at all costs, and then woe for them.
One can't please everyone, so there will always be a detractor here or there, and occasionally a detractor devolves into an enemy for reasons of their own, misapprehensions, defects in their temperament. Yet even an enemy is inclined to ignore the harmless and the quiet, those that do not appear to oppose their will, so there is an answer. After early experiments, I decided long ago that it was better to lose or appear to lose and let the ugly soul celebrate its dark victory than to waste time and energy upon pointless petty battles that no one else cares about. This strategy not everybody follows, which gives insight into the tragic headlines one reads in the daily news. Vengeance remains popular. So why then should I seek it? I will cede the field, knowing that the one who wronged me will wrong others until their luck runs out and they encounter one that requires vengeance at all costs, and then woe for them.
System Builds
My ideal job would be to build and configure desktops. I have probably built about a dozen desktops over the years just for my own household, never buying from Dell, Gateway, Best Buy, or Staples. I like to choose every part from the case up. I've even grown quite opinionated about the power supply, something a lot of builders ignore. I'm all about efficiency. I like the idea of a computer using a minimal amount of electricity, especially a computer that's on 24/7. For my part, I cannot justify using any processor that consumes more than 45 watts, not for today's applications. Of course, if everyone used efficient computers, then our energy crisis would be that much less.
In the olden days, I was a Windows XP diehard, but now I'm coming around to appreciate the Linux point of view a bit more than I had before. Most of the credit goes to Linux Mint and Ubuntu, distros that made things easier on new users (with considerable help from Debian and Linux itself, of course).
The biggest problem with Windows, as I see it, is the restrictive licensing. Just because a new Windows is released doesn't mean I'm happy to drop $300 for the dubious privilege of doing a complete reinstall requiring many hours of work on three different desktops. Linux offers freedom in more ways than one. And while I'm not as fluent on the command-line as a Linux guru, I grew up using MS-DOS and am not afraid to type commands. I prefer GUI, because it's faster, but will use the command line if needed. My hope is that Linux becomes easier to use and that customization becomes easier using GUI tools. Already I can testify to the fact that Linux is much easier to install than it was several years ago. I have been able to get Linux Mint installed with little effort. When I last tried Linux, I experimented with Mepis, Open Suse, PCLinuxOS, and Ubuntu distros, and I ran into various issues such as mouse not working, display not working, or sound not working. I soon went back to Windows XP. With Linux in 2012, installation is a breeze, with the exception of exotic hardware like S/PDIF sound output. It's just the customization and optimization that takes some time, along with setting up the home network, something I found aggravating on my first try.
In the olden days, I was a Windows XP diehard, but now I'm coming around to appreciate the Linux point of view a bit more than I had before. Most of the credit goes to Linux Mint and Ubuntu, distros that made things easier on new users (with considerable help from Debian and Linux itself, of course).
The biggest problem with Windows, as I see it, is the restrictive licensing. Just because a new Windows is released doesn't mean I'm happy to drop $300 for the dubious privilege of doing a complete reinstall requiring many hours of work on three different desktops. Linux offers freedom in more ways than one. And while I'm not as fluent on the command-line as a Linux guru, I grew up using MS-DOS and am not afraid to type commands. I prefer GUI, because it's faster, but will use the command line if needed. My hope is that Linux becomes easier to use and that customization becomes easier using GUI tools. Already I can testify to the fact that Linux is much easier to install than it was several years ago. I have been able to get Linux Mint installed with little effort. When I last tried Linux, I experimented with Mepis, Open Suse, PCLinuxOS, and Ubuntu distros, and I ran into various issues such as mouse not working, display not working, or sound not working. I soon went back to Windows XP. With Linux in 2012, installation is a breeze, with the exception of exotic hardware like S/PDIF sound output. It's just the customization and optimization that takes some time, along with setting up the home network, something I found aggravating on my first try.
Good Vs. Evil
I don't think there's any reward for doing good in the world. Do good anyway. Others have before us, and that is why there is good remaining in the world today. I think that evil isn't sustainable, and good wins the long game. Yet even if this were not so, still do good. Do it for the Mother. Have you felt her presence?
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
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