Ten Things That I Don't Have To Do Anymore with My Mouse

In an earlier post, I talked about how I use keyboard shortcuts and how that has translated to my usage of a program called Quicksilver. This program has replaced a lot of things that I used to do with my mouse. Here are ten, there are surely more

1. I can launch all of my key programs with three keys. way easier.

2. I can search wikipedia with three keystrokes

3. I can search google with three keystrokes

4. I can manage my desktop with quicksilver (opening zips, mounting disk images, opening folders, putting things in the trash)

5. I can go to websites without opening a browser manually (the program does it for me)

6. I can send emails quickly

7. I can search my computer more accurately

8. I can go to youtube in three keystrokes

9. I can completely control iTunes from within quicksilver

10. I never have to take my hands off the keyboard, saving me important seconds.

Some of these things sound very similar. I can also completely run programs from quicksilver without taking my hands off the keyboard. I can also select and upload pictures to Flickr without taking my hands off the keyboard as well. Anything that you could want to do, even open files with alternative programs, you can do that with quicksilver which is why I use the program. I also use Witch, which allows me to look at the different windows in each program and be more precise than with the built-in mac tab switcher.

If you want to know more about quicksilver, please let me know. The program is really incredible and totally useful and amazing. I can't say enough about it.

Slow Fridays

I don't really have anything to contribute to today's events. Today is a negative and positive day. The positive is that it is the international marijuana smoking day, named for the police code. On the other hand, this is the 8th Anniversary of Columbine and the Birth of Hitler (the first time, that wasn't a coincidence). Anyway, I'm not posting anymore, but I'll leave you with this video from now-Minstrels The Black Eyed Peas (Yo, Will, when did you lose your balls and stop making music with a conscious?). This is B.E.P. Empire.

With the railroading that hip-hop is getting from the public right now with regards to its content, this video serves as proof that fake rappers have been a problem in the game for a while and much of the game has spoken out against the pop rappers being materialistic and misogynistic, with much encouragement from the White media industry who wants to see all of the Black population be typecasted as whores, drug dealers, uneducated, and poor. If you buy any rapper you hear on the radio, you're buying into the brainwashing. Help make rap about something once again.

Night Time is the Right Time

Enjoy the smooth sounds of Nicola Conte.

MSNBC, Call Me, I am a qualified political strategist

Alberto Gonzales met his maker at the hands of the Senate Judiciary Committee today. For about 8 hours today, Gonzales experienced the wrath of an upset public and irate committee wanting answers for the actions of the Attorney General. Unfortunately, no answers were given. Much of the testimony contradicted previous sworn testimony given by his aides and others. He has officially fucked himself.

MSNBC: I called this shit weeks ago. I only have two words left: COUNT IT! The only thing left to happen is Gonzales resigning, and he's not dumb enough to stay around...I hope.

Dickmatized

I've seen this before. It's pretty impressive. You should watch it.

A Defense of the Media

Today, video came out from the multimedia manifesto that the Murder in Blacksburg sent to NBC in between the two shootings. A lot of the public is outraged with the news media's decision to actually air the footage from the package, saying that it is allowing the murderer to become the matryr that he sees himself as. I am not one of these people.

The question that everyone continually asks with regards to this massacre is why. This package is the answer to that. Although, for an English major, the manifestos and speeches are very poorly written with weak sentence structures, grammar & progressions of argument, it gives insight into his mind and why he might believe that he was justified in taking the lives of 32 people. No matter what time we see this footage, it will strike a cord in the hearts of the victims' families.

It could be argued that it is too soon, but that is the only thing that can be argued. This footage has to be aired; it has to be shown to create some form of solace and understanding within the American and international public with regards to this massacre. So, please, stop trying to make a martyr argument. That "martyr" must be heard for the world to ever find solace and move on from the tragedy in Blacksburg.

Mission Accomplished?!

I am glad that Sanjaya has now been voted off of American Idol. His singing has been very bad, but this week is some of the worst singing I've heard in a really long time. William Hung sounded better than he did this week. The thing that I didn't understand about Sanjaya was the fact that he sang a lot of women's songs instead of singing men's songs. While I have no beef with women songwriters, I do have to note that Sanjaya is male not female, meaning his limited vocal range is more limited than it should be.

This past week, his elimination week, was country music. There are a number of singers that he could have chose and enjoyed. The first song that I thought of for him would have been a Hank Williams or a Merle Haggard song. Something with a smaller vocal range and well within his capabilities. But, no, that's too logical. He decided to sing a Bonnie Raitt song instead. Along with choosing the wrong song, he wore this tragic red headband over his hair. If I were a country fan (which I am, but I can't stomach the modern country music with its country/rock edge. I'd rather have straight old-school getting drunk and fist fighting country music.), I would have been offended by his representation of my music.

There are still six more weeks, but the worst is now over. Let's see who pulls it out. I actually don't want Melinda Doolittle to win only because I want her to have a completely successful career independent of Idol, which she has clearly proven she could have. I'd rather have someone else win the show. That's just my perspective though.

Another Fashion Tragedy

They keep rolling in. If you look at this and you can't understand what is wrong, you need to take a great, deep look inside and ask yourself a few questions. Also, go to the source. It will further explain. Just say no, girl. Just say no.

Source: Popsugar

Fashion Tragedy

Normally, I read a lot about fashion tragedy. It's inevitable in reading about celebrities, gossip, and, er, fashion. Anyway, I tend to know what is hot and what is not. This is not hot. First things first, I know that women like to let them hang loose and be free, but it's kind of gross, especially when your breasts are huge and you are a celebrity like Ms. Simpson's. There's nothing wrong with having large breasts. There is something wrong with letting them make you look bad in public. Also, there has been this trend in Hollywood of wearing high waisted pants. High waisted pants are awful. They give women the cameltoe and make the men uncomfortable down there unless you aren't working with much then you might still be comfortable. She needs to go do something other than be John Mayer's groupie. Go record an album that DOESN'T suck. Listening to her cover of "You Spin Me Round" was like being waterboarded.

Source: X17

A New Discussion

Yes, Virginia Tech happened. 32 people lost their lives. I am not going to talk about it because CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and any other news organization can do better than I ever could in dissecting the killer and his possible motivations. I'm chiming in because this act highlights something very necessary that needs to be addressed: gun control.

Cho Seung Hui purchased all of his guns legally in the state of Virginia. In Virginia, there is little gun control as well as concealed weapons allowed. There are no waiting periods in Virginia; you can walk into a store and buy a gun immediately, as Cho did. Does this seem right to you? Should it be this easy to arm yourself to murder your fellow man? Seeing as there was a long history of Cho as a psychopathic, sociopathic, and mentally unstable man, wouldn't a waiting period and full background check ensured that he would have not gotten his hands on these guns? The short answer is yes, but the conservatives would never let this stand because they believe in the Second Amendment.

The second amendment states, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." There is a key word in their: militia. A militia, as defined by the Oxford American Dictionary, is "a military force that is raised from the civil population to supplement a regular army in an emergency." Seeing as we have a full military now, the need for a militia to be maintained is unnecessary, an idea only held by libertarians in Michigan. Such a standard would dictate that we are no longer in need of the ability to have free access to handguns.

Gun rights advocates would argue that gun laws would cause restrictions on their freedoms. If they are the good citizens that they think they are, there should be no reason that they cannot wait for an extra five days to get their guns. As I have always believed, if you are a rational actor, you will not have any problem obtaining a gun, and any suggestion to the contrary is absurd.

I hope that this incident in Virginia will help the legislation to review their current policies to do more exhaustive background checks and be more cautious in allowing people to buy guns by doing such things as instituting waiting periods and closing the gun show loophole (the gun show loophole a/k/a saturday night special allows for people to go to gun shows and circumvent the rules that come with buying a gun from a shop, i.e. waiting periods, if applicable, and background checks). Violence is rampant in America. We should not allow the tools for this to be so. I know, I know. Guns don't kill people, People kill people. But they usually kill people with guns.

A Brilliant Blog

A blog that I have listed on the side, but have loved for a long time is we make money not art. It is run by this woman named regine, and she covers different aspects of contemporary art, urban space, architecture, and new media. It's very interesting. I highly recommend it.

Something Light

Boondocks. Best show on TV. If you don't get this clip, you need to get your head examined.

An Actual Good Idea

Over at The Smirking Chimp, Andrew Bard Schmookler proposes the idea that the presidential candidates should be forced to conduct simulations of their presidencies. Seeing as they cannot be on display all of the time, this isn't a half-bad idea. It would allow us to see the real character of the candidate and help to make a better decision.

As it stands now, presidential politics is like shopping for something over the internet or mail order. We can see the product in its best light, in multiple, pre-selected angles, and with a flowery description. Some companies will be more reputable, you may agree with others more, but that's a personal choice. Eventually, you will order this product if you feel it suits your needs. Some people are happy with their choices, others not so much. It might not fit correctly or do what it was advertised to do. With most of these things, while you can ship them back, you, probably like me, are far too lazy to actually ship them back, wasting your good money on postage, especially if it was a low-ticket item like a two-dollar t-shirt or something of the sort.

The presidency is not a cheap t-shirt, it is the position held by the leader of the free world. This is serious business. We should not be forced to make decisions about who holds the positions under situations that we would not buy a very important item. Could you imagine buying a new car without going to the lot, inspecting the interior, all of its functions, and taking a test drive? If you are not car inclined, could you imagine just buying a bike without having it in the right size, making sure the geometry is appropriate, and taking it for a ride to ensure that it is comfortable and has good shock absorption along with suiting your needs? The answer to both of these questions is most likely no.

We shouldn't decide our presidency in the same way either. Someone should get behind this idea quickly. Additionally, there is only one place that could show this: C-SPAN! It wouldn't be compelling, but it would be effective in helping to show what each of our candidates would do and help to make a better choice for who becomes the 44th President of the United States of America.

Del.icio.us

I do a lot of web reading type stuff, and since Blogger's not advanced enough to put in my links, you have to browse over to my del.icio.us page. It's a social bookmarking website. You can find out all sorts of nifty things there. It also serves as a place to congregate all of your reading in case anyone is interested in what you are looking at from day to day. I had it before, but I didn't know the keyboard shortcut so I never used it. But, now I do, so I am using it more frequently.

If you are saying to yourself, he didn't use it because he didn't know the keyboard shortcut, you need to know me a little better. I'm all about organization and quickness. I use this program called quicksilver for my mac*. If you have never heard of it, look it up. It's one of the best programs that I have ever used, and, more importantly, it's absolutely free!


*you'll need to be running Tiger on your mac for it to work. There is a Panther edition, but it would be better if you run it on Tiger.

Your Bodies are owned by the Feds, Ladies

The Supreme Court came down on the abortion issue today, upholding a ban on partial birth abortion. In case you aren't familiar with this term, it is an abortion usually occurring after the 21st Week of fetal development. The cervix is dilated. Then the doctor goes into the uterus with medical tools to pull out the fetus. This is a very rare procedure, usually done with great hesitance and with immediate health risks to the mother.

I am not one to comment frequently on issues that concern how women use their bodies. That is not my issue as it is not my body. Women should be allowed to do what they feel is necessary to ensure their own well-being, which is what partial birth abortion does. While the child may be lost, the woman will be able to survive and possibly conceive again if they so please.

On this issue, President Bush said that the ban on partial birth abortion will allow a culture of life to be developed in America. Where do I start with this? Firstly, I thought that we, as Americans and as granted in the Declaration of Independence, are allowed liberty and the pursuit of happiness in this thing we call life. How does stripping women of a procedure that they can use to keep their lives uphold the principles upon which this country is founded?

Also, I don't know what right a bunch of men, with their non-birthing bodies, have to make decisions on the behalf of women. If you want to know what a woman thinks about this issue, you should read Ruth Bader Ginsburg's dissent, who is the only woman left on the Supreme Court bench. Whether you agree with her politics or not, you have to agree with the idea that the Government has no business in governing women's bodies and depriving them of a service that they could need to ensure their lives.

No Posts on Tuesday

I got sidetracked and very busy on Tuesday. I also broke my garage door, and I spent some time today fixing that as well. But, everything yesterday kept me from actually reading the news and keeping this blog up to date. I need to insert more humor here, but there's nothing really to laugh about. Well, that is until Jordan and Peter comes on E! This is a show about a woman with massively overinflated breasts and the man who "loves" her. Hopefully this show doesn't tank like the reality show about Lisa Loeb who, while charming, didn't help her own cause.

Also, just a general comment: all of you folks who are voting in irony for Sanjaya, please stop. I don't really care about who wins the show as I don't really care about pop music per se, but irony's so passé. Didn't any of you read that Sincerity is the New Irony? To do things in jest, along with being dumb, is just insincere. What, are you afraid that no one will like you if you admit to liking what you actually like instead of feigning interest in something that bores you to tears? Be real and everyone will appreciate you more because we all know that hipsters don't matter and you shouldn't be looking to them for cred. Cred comes from sincerity with yourself and with others.

I'm sorry. What?

With news like this coming out, it is puzzling why we are still in Iraq. This isn't new. This is daily life, and we need to take our troops out of it. Hopefully, the politicians on Capitol Hill can stop acting like fifth graders and get the job done.

I've got nothing here

I'm just posting some music from some people/bands that I love.

Broadcast- Papercuts



This video got me into this band. I heard them a few times, but I didn't get it. Then I watched this video when I saw Warpvision (which is incredible by the way). Everything clicked, everything made sense. I love their aesthetic and their sound. I've been really into them since that day, which was in the fall of 2004.

Polly Jean Harvey- Down By The Water

Polly Jean Harvey is one of the best female artists of all time. I first heard this song on Beavis and Butt-head and it's stuck with me all of these years. It's a really creepy song, but its creepiness is becoming and actually endearing. I didn't come up on To Bring You My Love, the album this came from. The first album of hers I listened to was Is This Desire? I would argue that is her best album out of the whole bunch. It's beautiful, sincere, creative, and emotional.

Neither of these artists are willing to compromise, and that's what I really like about both of them. PJ Harvey has albums that have crossed over and had a sort of mass appeal, but, her best albums were the ones that she didn't, the ones where she fully exposed herself to the music. Even in the albums that did, you can still hear her voice and sound. You know that it is her. That, to paraphrase one of her songs, is the best thing about her.

Broadcast is an electronic group. I personally love electronica because, outside of club music, there is no mass appeal attempts within the form. Artists never compromise their sound and essentially do whatever the fuck they want and that has to be admired. Additionally, I know that Broadcast will never sell out because they are signed to Warp Records, which is like the top echelon of electronica. To give a more apples to apples type comparison, they are like the SST of Electronica. They give their artists pure freedom and they are the most innovative of the Electronica labels, having signed such artists as Aphex Twin, Autechre, Boards of Canada, and Luke Vibert.

Alright, I'm done with my rant, so I will stop for now. night.

Movie Failures

Apparently, this movie came out in 2005 called Sahara. It featured both Matthew McConaghey and Penelope Cruz (who's an absolute fox, but I digress). It costs over 270 million bucks, but didn't make it back. It got a huge write up in the Los Angeles Times. The article is convenient, but, seriously people, how many of you a) have heard of this movie and/or b) actually seen it. I'm kind of interested in seeing a movie that tanked this bad. All I have to say is that it can't be any worse than Waterworld where the set sank. But, seriously, if you have heard of this movie or know anything about it, get in touch.

Gwen Ifill Is Smarter Than Us All

Gwen Ifill serves David Brooks and other White Guys on Meet The Press

Racial Harassment

Today, the Supreme Court has decided not to hear a case on racial slurs in the workplace. According to the Los Angeles Times, Robert Jordan was fired shortly after complaining about a comment made by a co-worker following the capture of John Muhammad and Lee Malvo, better known as the DC Snipers. The White co-worker said, "They should put those two black monkeys in a cage with a bunch of black apes and let the apes [sexually assault] them."

If I were in Jordan's place, I would have been offended as well. That's an offensive comment. Period. Also, this was not the first time that the co-worker had made a racially insensitive comment, as Jordan found out from other employees. With little action available, Jordan reported his issue to the manager. He was summarily fired. He sued the corporation.

This case is now over as the Supreme Court refuses to hear it. But, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Paul Niermeyer said, "No objectively reasonable person could have believed IBM's office was in the grips of a hostile work environment." The lower court also said that an isolated racial slur does not create a hostile work environment.

As you can see, there are two primary problems with this issue. To deal with the 4th Circuit first, I do not know how saying letting two men get raped in a cage with black apes does not create a hostile work environment. That's liable to get me on a swearing tangent if someone said that in my workplace. To deal with the lower court, this was not an isolated slur as the employee had a history of making such comments. Counseling does not eliminate systemic racism. It is offensive to me that discrimination rules do not apply in racial situations. Racial discrimination is just as nefarious as sexual/gender discrimination and should be offered the same protections under the law. I am disappointed in the Supreme Court for not taking a positive step in ensuring that EVERYONE can work in a safe, trusting environment.

Isn't this fitting?

Lou Perlman is the mastermind behind The Backstreet Boys and N'Sync, two bands that leave me feeling slightly dirty within but this is not about me. I always thought that Perlman was a bit of a swindler, but now I have proof. Old people should be smarter or at least read things before they sign away their money.

Bob Herbert on Imus

Bob Herbert's normally pretty on point. And by normally, I mean always. Therefore, I'm linking to Feministe where you can read a commentary on the Imus situation with regards to sexuality and sexism within the paradigm.

Jose Padilla: American "Terrorist"

Jose Padilla is 36 years old. He is from Chicago, Illinois. He was arrested under the reign of John Ashcroft in 2002 under the suspicion of being a terrorist. Ashcroft believed that Padilla, a former gang member, was planning, with a sleeper cell, to detonate a "dirty bomb" in a major city. Three and a half years later, Padilla is now awaiting trial for supporting terrorism. That is a very different charge from the one that he was originally arrested on but never charged with.

This case may sound routine and vanilla, but it is far from that. This case is one that has far ranging implications for the treatment of American citizens with regards to terrorism. According to Yahoo! News, Padilla has acknowledged that he was planning to make a dirty bomb and engage in other terrorist acts. While this would make everything seem pretty black and white, the "pesky" part here is that Padilla is an American citizen. He, technically, has the right of habeas corpus (something not allowed to the international criminals) and the rights granted under the Miranda decision. As you can tell, this case is a pretty difficult one with a lot of different components to it.

In addition to the fact that he is an American, there are still many unanswered questions about the nature of Padilla's imprisonment. Padilla's law contingent has alleged that Padilla was given both LSD and PCP as truth serums. I think that this case will be telling of many things, but, most importantly, the nature of treatment that the terror suspects have been getting from the United States. The country could be taken to the International Court under the violations of the Geneva Convention with regards to its treatment of suspects. This will definitely be something to look at while it is happening.

Seriously, You Need to Pay Attention

If you have been civilly disengaged recently because you obviously know that Bush is an idiot (it doesn't take an observer more than twenty seconds of a press conference Q & A to know this), Tuesday will now open as a new day for you to understand what politics is all about and why our system is in sure dire straits.

The Albuquerque Journal has an article about the ongoing US Attorney scandal involving the state's former attorney David Iglesias and current Republican Senator for the state of New Mexico Pete Domenici. The article makes the implication that Domenici went straight to the top after applying direct pressure to Iglesias but receiving no satisfaction. If this is the case, this has huge implications on the actual case because this puts the Bush White House directly in the crossfire of this whole scandal and leaves them with many questions to answer on the issue, one of which is did President Bush have a hand in the firing of these attorneys? Before, the White House might have been able to get out, but, with this bombshell, it is now in the sights of the Senate Judicial Committee.

Tuesday will be an important day because this will be the first day upon which the Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will be questioned about the scandal. His former chief of staff Kyle Sampson (I wanna talk to sampson!) has already contradicted him, and the Committee is guaranteed to not let Gonzales off easy. This Tuesday will be the beginning of the unraveling of the White House. Unless there is a major swell of support, we very well may be seeing the end of the Bush Administration as credible in any meaningful way, forcing resignation. This is shaping up to be this century's Watergate for sure. This is a good time to get into politics if you are not already salty and jaded about the American government. These hearings will make you jaded and still have hope.

Planet Earth

Planet Earth is the coolest thing I have ever seen ever. It took three countries and 2,000 days of shooting to accomplish, but it's honestly the most impressive thing I've ever seen. In honor of that, this week is a more subdued version of the random 15.



Random 15:

Mass Romantic- The New Pornographers
Find a Way- A Tribe Called Quest
Guilt- Chapterhouse
Dream T.V.- Sugarcubes
Lady Coca Cola- Metal Urbain
Final Scene- Delta 5
The Breakdown- People Under The Stairs
Front, Back and Side to Side- UGK
Include Me Out- Young Marble Giants
Any Other Day- Slumber Party
Flow My Tears The Spider Said- Liars
Bright Wound- Eisley
Who Are You- Black Sabbath
Go Ahead- Wire
Say It Ain't So- Weezer

Bonus:

Come Into My World (Radio Edit)- Kylie Minogue
Rockin' Bones- Cramps

Thank Me Later

One of the greatest songs in garage rock history is "Surfin' Bird" by The Trashmen. One of the greatest garage bands of all time is The Mummies. This is the Mummies playing "Surfin' Bird."

Seriously, thank me later because this shit is HOT!!