Doug

last post on this blog

2009-09-11T02:27:54Z

Finally I can turn my attention to some of the deeper mysteries of life, such as:
why is it when, in Empire, when Princess Leia yells "it's a trap!" to Luke, no one makes an icon out of that, or quotes that, but when Admiral Akbar says it in Jedi, they do?

I think its because even though Princess Leia was right, we don't sympathize with Luke, because he went willingly and kind of knew, and we wouldn't have done that - whereas Admiral Akbar is the squadron commander of the rebel army, and they didn't know, and the army includes you doesn't it?

Everything Learns

2009-07-20T19:48:12Z

http://www.amazon.com/How-Buildings-Learn-Happens-Theyre/dp/0140139966

if learning is too personal a term then you could say 'adapts'.
Like in Blade Runner, the replicants learn about the future.

This means its important to keep a positivist stance toward science and technology, even though there have been excesses, because for one thing the odds of you being negatively affected are low, the truth of the matter is that the excesses will initially target the scientist themselves, especially if they have been co-opted by a competitive business entity in the name of capitalism. Effectiveness becomes a burden for the rational mind, because you know it may one day be used against you. The Golem gathers legs and starts walking, for example. Or, one could think of the arms race as a better example.

But human curiosity is insatiable, attempts to stall progress are made for religious reasons.

You can also look at this from a low-tech perspective and start with a precondition that everything in the universe is alive to some extent. This is a tenet of Egyptology, and referred to as the animated universe. Many native american tribes also have a pantheistic expression which is similar. This opens up a wide space of 'alchemy' between the frail human subject and hard, tool-oriented 'science,' that anyone can walk into.

Stuf

2009-01-05T04:37:11Z

My album of the year is Who killed Amanda Palmer (by Amanda Palmer)

Go 5 miles east of San Diego and its Arizona all the way to Dallas.

If we can't flow like water we can at least ride above the tide.

watching a lot of Japanese

2008-12-21T04:46:20Z

movies

Whoa

2008-12-09T02:26:49Z

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28115760/

Just about a quarter-mile north of us, I live off Governor Dr. Was just surfing for jobs as usual, heard the big boom, thought it was a car accident at first, but then, no, too big. Going outside and there's this big cloud of smoke billowing away just behind the row of houses at the north end of the street.

They got on it right away, A helicopter was flying over, broadcasting: 'there was no ordnance on the plane - please go back in your homes,' etc. Minutes later, police everywhere. Cars going up and down the street, photographers.

poor people in the house were killed, too bad

Unusual for that to happen

!!

2008-11-28T20:18:00Z

http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2008/11/21/Report_Michael_Jackson_converts_to_Islam/UPI-13801227284529/

exegesisofdoug @ 2008-11-04T12:44:00

2008-11-04T20:47:11Z

What do the colors

2008-10-30T05:27:20Z

black and yellow next to each other
suggest?

-besides caution tape-

Its a hit

2008-10-11T17:54:23Z

My play is a success! Very well-received, well-directed too I might add.
There were some local veteran directors in the audience and they told me it was good.

And one guy gave me the best compliment you can get outside of New York, which is - "this is good enough for New York"

hooray

Robert Reichs' blog -yeah that short guy

2008-10-03T21:08:57Z

http://robertreich.blogspot.com/

Henry Miller

2008-09-17T15:45:20Z

on money:

To walk in money through the night crowd, protected by money, lulled by money, dulled by money, the crowd itself a money, the breath money, no least single object anywhere that is not money. Money, money everywhere and still not enough! And then no money, or a little money, or less money, or more money but money always money . and if you have money , or you don't have money, it is the money that counts, and money makes money, but what makes money make money?"

urban dining tips

2008-09-12T15:47:58Z

if you find yourself out at a mall where there's seven or so of these walk-up restaurant/buffet dealies in front of you and you don't know which one to eat at, err on the side of the one where the pregnant moms are eating.

its not too late

2008-09-07T17:03:24Z

to catch the ending of Old Yeller on Turner Classic Movies!

Diamond Sutra

2008-08-27T06:08:49Z

Subhuti, what do you think ? May the Tathagata be perceived by the thirty-two marks of a great man?

Subhuti answered: Yes, certainly the Tathagata may be perceived thereby.

Then Buddha said: Subhuti, if the Tathagata may be perceived by such marks any great imperial ruler is the same as the Tathagata.

Subhuti then said to Buddha: World-honored One, as I understand the meaning of Buddha`s words the Tathagata may not be perceived by the thirty-two marks. Whereupon the World-honored One uttered this verse:

Who sees Me by form,

Who seeks Me in sound,

Perverted are his footsteps upon the Way;

For he cannot perceive the Tathagata.

The Cat who Escaped

2008-08-23T02:36:28Z

http://www.shantaram.com/

I am now a hippopotamus

2008-07-23T04:18:30Z

and I'll sit here in my African river.

thank you

Argh

2008-06-23T05:42:45Z

RIP, dude

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25322638/&GT1=43001

britbombing

2008-06-13T19:59:04Z

walk into a bar where there is someone sitting there, or working there, whom you want to play a joke on

go to the jukebox. program it to play every single Britney Spears song they have. in a row.

leave.

you have just Britbombed the bar.

But, think ahead on this! If the jukebox is quiet, you need a song that will act as a bumper so that no one can boo your song selection until you're ready to leave. I recommend Hotel California by the Eagles. Unless the jukebox is playing Hotel California when you walk into the bar (its been known to happen - someone should do a survey) in which case any song by Cake will do. For some reason, Cake gets everyone's guard down.

What else are going to spend $5 on, gas?

the Unknown Soldier

2008-03-23T01:52:00Z

I detach whatever his views are on 9/11 from his account of his time of service

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4n5jc8Itvs

The Man Behind the Curtain (of the voting booth)

2008-02-05T17:25:08Z

today's the day - Super Bowl Tuesday
come out for the winning team

vote, citizens!
while the planet is still free,

http://www.angryflower.com/disput.gif

interesting, most recent article

2008-01-24T22:15:08Z

http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2008/01/24/long-live-the-imperial-president/

HST was ok

2007-12-20T04:47:34Z

but as journalists go I prefer this guy:

http://www.michaelventura.org/

Don't chase, offer food

2007-12-08T03:26:16Z

there is a lost dog in San Diego
(oh no)
How do I know this? Cuz there's a notice up on every light pole 300 feet apart in the Old Town, Linda Vista etc.
His name is Domingo. Small, black and white. Looks like Snoopy but with long hair. The kind of dog that makes girls die of cuteness.

Above his name, and LOST! -REWARD are very explicit instructions:

"Don't chase, offer food"

Ok. It's clear to me. If I see Domingo, I just open the Kal-Kan and back up. Don't even bother to put the little purple pill in sideways (that's where all the vitamins are)

Just put the biscuit down, and walk away. Domingo will know what to do.

If I see someone dashing after him, I will shake my finger at this person and say 'hey man, didn't you read the SIGN?!"

When I find this dog, I hope the family offers me a nice square meal. I don't like to be chased either, I prefer going to the buffet. (they have some nice ones here in town mm I think I'll go right now)

Since it came up...

2007-12-02T21:04:03Z

http://www.fee.org/publications/notes/notes/Trusting.asp

check the box marked "other"

2007-12-01T22:37:32Z

good news

I have poetry appearing in the next issue of Other Magazine, issue #13
They are based in San Francisco. A fun read, they really strive to defy genre and categories.

I'm glad for any magazine weird enough to publish something I write. Annalee Newitz also contributes to them, and I read her a lot when I lived in San Jose.

check it out at:

http://www.othermag.org/blog/