edible to incredible
80 million tiny images
molten salt




some pics from San Diego:

Cabrillo Monument, with San Diego in the distance
National Cemetery


Salk Institute for Biological Studies
me at the Salk
Salk again
La Jolla Cove


sunset at Torrey Pines Beach


Tide Pools on Point Loma


Sunset Cliffs


as with many of the pics I ever post, clicking on them will reveal a much larger image

i can see where this is going
all right!
neato
i just may become an expat
haha
i'm not sure how to feel about this

let's move, people
just great
hehe
...
sigh
you can't handle it
fucking bullshit
goddamn fatties
yeah






Well today I went down to Ocean Beach and walked around, down the pier, and then ate lunch at Hodad's, which was delicious. I then went back down to Point Loma and checked out the tide pools, which were nice. Though the whole experience was actually terrifying because the rocks were slippery and I was so worried that I would drop my camera and break it. I took the long way home through Mission and Pacific beaches, then narrowly beat the traffic on the 5. It's funny how in California all the freeways have a the in front of the name, whereas in Texas we generally just say the number only.
I'll put up some pics when I get home and I can dump them off of my camera.

I saw the Salk Institute today and La Jolla Cove. Then we watched the sunset further up the coast.

cool
hehe







I decided to go to the zoo. I went today with my mom. Not surprisingly, the tigers weren't on display, which was a terrible disappointment. It made me sad to see the tiny enclosures for the big cats (my favorite at any zoo), but I was relieved to learn that they have much larger habitats that they live in most of the time, only going to the displays on certain days. Still sad, though. It is a nice zoo, but it didn't knock my socks off.
After that we went over to Hash House A Go Go, where the motherfuckers turned us away because they had just closed for lunch. But we ended up going over to Point Loma Seafoods, which was fantastic. Excellent fish sandwiches and shrimp cocktail that still smelled like the sea. After that we drove down to the end of the point to the Cabrillo Monument, which probably has the finest view of the city. Then we went into the national cemetery just up the point and took some pictures there. That was very sobering; war sucks.
Yesterday we went to Del Mar and Solana Beach and walked around and window shopped. We had some pretty good Mexican.

top 25 men who look like old lesbians
not surprised
nice
you're playing with fire. seriously, he has a black belt.
thanks a lot, you neocon assholes

groj sale





I'm reading The Man In The High Castle, and it is good. I never really comment further on what I'm reading. Oh Well.
My stepmom is in Austin tonight and she was planning on eating at Kenichi and I told her about Uchi, which I've heard is far better. Hopefully I'm right.
The Kenichi website is fucked up, otherwise I would have a link.
I'm kind of drunk and on my way to further drunkenness. yay.
I bought a book on San Diego today, and I plan to basically eat my way across the various neighborhoods.

Japanese Bug Fights
Human Shadow Blocks
Algebraic Surfaces





I love you, David Lynch

The Best Moments in Mike Huckabee's Extremism
oh god
Edison Frie[d] an Elephant
The VR hypothesis
fuck em
neat









I'm flying to San Diego on monday. I will not be going to the zoo. I have some moral hangups with zoos. But now I'm thinking I should just go because its the San Diego Zoo, and it is probably pretty nice. I'll have to think about it.
I watched The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari the other day and was very impressed. I never thought I would enjoy a silent film. Its not really silent, the score was performed by Houston's own Two Star Symphony. Hurrah.
I'm about done reading Ishmael, which has been delightful. One of the more exciting events of my high school experience was the discovery in biology that humans are just one species among the many on earth, and that we are not really that special.
You know it's a slow news day when the only two things you hear on the news all day are Iowa and some crazy bitch being taken to Cedars-Sinai. I've been dying to know about that unknown substance.

kind of like geek squad
the i-snake
copyright 'Allah'
yay
terrible
install all of wikipedia on your ipod

I have gotten several emails in the last couple years advocating a boycott of Citgo gas stations. The general premise of these emails is that since Citgo is owned by PDVSA (the Venezuelan state oil company) we should not support them, because doing so would also support Hugo Chavez.
It is true that Citgo is owned outright by PDVSA, but a closer look at the facts will reveal that this boycott is not only foolish but downright retarded.
Where do I begin?
First of all, it is important to note that, despite foreign ownership, Citgo is an American company that employs thousands of hard working patriotic Americans, of which my mother is one. I have been to visit her at her office, and believe me, it is not a bunch of red-shirted Venezuelan communists working there, most of the people who work there would be at home at any of the oil companies here in town.
Furthermore, branded marketing (the industry term for gas stations) is less than 10% of Citgo's business. The great majority of their business is refining, and their refined product goes into ALL the major gas station chains: shell, exxon, chevron, etc. So just because you don't go to a Citgo station does not mean that you are not getting Citgo gas, most likely you are. Also, they are a huge supplier of jet fuel in this country, so any time you fly on an airplane, there is an excellent chance that the fuel for the plane is from Citgo.
It is very silly to imagine that the only Citgo gas on the market is at Citgo stations; the stuff is EVERYWHERE, people.
Another point to consider (and perhaps the most obvious) is this: Venezela is the only OPEC member in this hemisphere, and Citgo is not the only oil company bringing crude out of Venezuela, in fact all the major players you could imagine are bringing the stuff up to North America. So whether you boycott Citgo or not, and even if you figure out how to boycott oil companies that buy refined products from Citgo (good luck with that) there is still a near guarantee that much of the gas you buy ANYWHERE has been refined from Venezuelan crude.
In short, boycotting Citgo gas stations will not make any difference in the money they are making. If the American people really want to stick it to Hugo Chavez, they should stop using petroleum all together, because let's face it, without all his petrodollars, Hugo Chavez ain't worth shit.

contrary to popular belief

sweeeeet
well merry fuckin Christmas
huh
force people to rely on common sense and courtesy
oh god no
fucking assholes
US v. Netherlands
cooooooooool

feliz navidad

do not vote for this man
Larry Flynt: 1 Iran: 0

greetings from Tennessee

stare at this for 30 seconds then look around the room
I want to be a criminal in Austria
yayyyyyy
oh my
emo

i want the world to know
Texas T-bone
synthetic DNA

typical
great
all i want for christmas
teehee
don't panic
yay
it's really a secular holiday
A Russian opposition activist has been sent to a psychiatric hospital by authorities

Shell Plans Biodiesel Algae Plant in Hawaii
Oh God what if he wins
I wanna see it land the fucker
You're in the jungle baby; you're gonna die
I need more vodka
Mormonism: A Racket Becomes a Religion
What would it cost to buy the support of just about every nationally-syndicated neocon talk show host in America?

several of the world’s most important suppliers may need to start importing oil within a decade to power all the new cars, houses and businesses they are buying and creating with their oil wealth

Iowa
oh no

well thank god. more taxes for the oil companies = higher gas prices, you fucking retards.
blah
i guess Chavez is going to have to make some new plans for retirement
hahaha
Nanotube-producing bacteria
Top 15 Quotes of Prince Philip


Emirates began non-stop service from Houston to Dubai this week, and I really want to fly first class and get my own little room on the plane. Too bad it's about $13,000. But when you compare that to the $10,000 price tag of a 2 hour flight on the Concorde (in a small seat, too) your own luxury suite for the 16 hour flight isn't such a bad deal. Qatar airways, or whatever its called, has announced a Houston-Doha flight beginning this summer. And Dallas doesn't even have a direct flight to Amsterdam, the poor saps.

the story of stuff
a good video that basically summarizes Bill McDonough's Book, Cradle To Cradle.

haha

fuck you, ethanol
interesting to see how they predicted fairly accurately a lot of what we have today
don't tell your kids they're smart
the way vs. a way
intelligent design is stupid and it has no place in the classroom
poo



Last night Valery and I went to see Two Star Symphony at the University of St. Thomas. It was a really great show, they played every piece of music they've ever done and it was about three hours long, I believe. Then we drank beer with a couple of her friends.
I am tired of living in the suburbs and I've pretty much decided that I'm going to get my own apartment in the heights. Probably during the summer.
A comment on intelligent design education: I HATE to see politicians stick their fat nasty hands into scientific education. Evolution is a basic phenomenon that occurs within any population of living organisms over time. That is all, and that is how it is taught, that's how I learned it. There is no need to go into abiogenesis, or the origin of life. Yes, it is possible to go back in time through the fossil record and see how things developed, but this exercise is not necessary, and more importantly it is not inherent to evolution. And this idea to teach intelligent design alongside evolution is pure folly. That's what you do when having political debates or philosophical discussions; in science you don't throw in extra stuff that isn't scientific at all just because some people might also believe in it. It's like teaching magic along with physics or astrology along with astronomy. If you want to believe that all the life on this earth was created over one week about six thousand years ago, go right ahead, but you may want to ask yourself: why do I need a new flu shot every year?

This is an awesome video of the Talking Heads performing Psycho Killer at CBGB. I'd like to think it was when they were opening for the Sex Pistols in '75, but I can't be sure. This version is quite different from the album version and I love how David Byrne looks downright terrified to be on stage. I'm glad he became more confident in his singing later on.

supermouse bred by genetic scientists that CAN'T get cancer
U.S. may phase out incandescent light bulbs




I just watched the republican debate and as usual I was disgusted by all the blatant question dodging. I was particularly touched by the retired Brig. General who is now openly gay. His question was: are American service men and women professional enough to serve alongside openly gay people? But of course the debate quickly devolved into an act in which the candidates who responded basically talked about how don't ask don't tell does work and that gays make people uncomfortable. The man phrased the question brilliantly, I guess in the hopes that someone would have the balls to say (and by doing so compliment Americans in the military) that yes, they are professional enough and that it shouldn't be a problem, but no. I had really hoped Ron Paul would respond, but he was not asked to.
In other news, I'm half way through my first week at the new job, and lemme tell ya, I LOVE waking up at 5 AM. Not really. But the job is a piece of cake and it keeps me busy. I like it a lot better than my previous job as fundraiser-whore for the University of Texas.
I would love to shock the oil company employees with a choice remark about the Tupi Field or Sakhalin, so I guess I'll brush up on E&P. Twice now people have assumed that because I a) look slightly Hispanic (I am) and that b) I'm in food service, that I speak Spanish fluently, and have started talking to me in that language. I do speak Spanish, but not very well, and it's difficult to understand natives when they talk fast because they think I'm fluent.

i have to get up in 5 hours

800B barrels. god.
Google expands into alternative energy
Mars mission details emerge

India readies combat camels for Darfur
Skysail

Top ten most viewed pages on Wikipedia and Conservapedia
cooooool



Thanksgiving was great, the food was amazing. Fried turkey is delicious. I drank a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau.
Today I helped my brother paint his kitchen a deep crimson.
Tonight I think we're going to eat at Star Pizza.
I'm currently reading Sartre's Nausea.
I recently borrowed my mom's turntable and some records and hooked it all up at my house. I found a mint copy of Talking Heads: 77 at a book store and it sounds great. I also got Joy Division's Amsterdam, which is just a live performance they did somewhere.
the turkey fryer:

I had never heard of Waking Life before today, and now I feel like a dilettante.




oh my god



290 is a commuter's nightmare in Houston. A new tollway was (at one time in the recent past) proposed along Hempstead Hwy that would go from Jones Rd all the way to I 10. All the info here. I made this nifty diagram in photoshop:

Hells yeah
hm


My aunt is having a baby next month so my mom, my grandmother, and I are going to see her in San Diego in January. My mom made sure that I well understood it would be a bunch of baby-crazed women lounging around the house all week, and I would probably not be going but for the fact that I will have free use of my aunt's car. I haven't thought too much about where to go, but I definitely want to go to La Jolla to see the Salk Institute. I need to call ahead and make sure they're cool with strangers taking pictures. Last time I tried taking pictures in a place like that I was quickly and politely asked to leave. I will eat at In-N-Out Burger, of course. Animal style.

yeah okay sure, buddy




I just finished Cities Of The Plain. Very nice. McCarthy is good.
I finally got hired as a caterer for an oil company, and I start next week. I guess it would be okay to say which one, I mean this particular company has more than one office locally, as many of them do, this IS Houston after all. But no. I can't wait to have money again. I won't go into how I've gotten by the past 3 months...
Thanksgiving should be good this year, we're frying the turkey, which is something I/we have never done. Someone is also making a beef roast of some kind. I love thanksgiving but the meal, once I've gotten it onto my plate, is never as good as i expect just a moment before. I should have learned by now. Anyhow I think that right now I would say my favorite thing about thanksgivin' is the smell of all the food together in the Kitchen.
Christmas plans have crystallized: myself and the paternal half of my family are driving to stay with my sister in Tennessee. My two nieces and my other nephew will also be there. Should be fun. I think we're planning a side trip to Chattanooga.
I don't want anything for Christmas. And that is not a polite way of saying "I don't care what I get." I want nothing. I really don't need anything, except for a new car, and I don't think santa can fit one of those down the chimney. My sister's house would be crushed in any event.
Last week my friend Valery and I met up for the first time in forever and it was fun. We went to this neat little place I'd never been to and we listened to some of her friends casually playing music out back. A couple fat tires and a big bottle of Duvel later, we went back to her place to vege and discuss the world. I met more of her friends. I really need to take more pictures. I have 19 fucking cameras and I don't take pictures anymore. It's weird, I bring a small one with me all the time, but I've gotten so used to it that I don't even know it's there anymore.
Valery let me borrow a pretty funny book that I read in a couple days.
I don't really have 19 cameras.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS, LARRY!
MoMA And Nouvel Team Up
petra and others

In one of the most extreme signs of China's modern grasp of entrepreneurial possibilities, gold panners are striking deals with jewellery factories to buy the contents of their septic tanks

It is time to quit dancing to the tune of a lobby with dual loyalties and to pursue America's interests

some might go as far as to really believe that they are already dead and are indeed a walking corpse, even maintaining that they can smell their own rotting flesh

If I had heard him ... I would have stared him down like an Indian, because I am an Indian and a little bit black and white



a comment on the Wright Amendment: It's fucking bullshit protectionist garbage designed to give American Airlines and DFW airport a monopoly on air travel. Basically, flights are extremely limited out of Dallas Love field, which is Dallas' smaller airport, to only a handful of local states, so if you want to get anywhere further than that you are forced to fly American (yuck, i KNOW!) out of DFW. In Houston, our second airport has no such restrictions, and it is a major p2p hub for Southwest, and a couple others. Meanwhile, Continental still operates more international flights out of Intercontinental (i still don't like calling it bush) and the airport as a whole serves more destinations than DFW.
I think it would have made a lot more sense to have both airports owned by the same authority, as is the case here with the HAS.
The moral of this story: government should stay the hell out of private enterprise.
This is what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass, Larry.

Surfer dude stuns physicists with theory of everything
welcome to our hell, Britain
isn't that nice

only the Hazmat disposal crew provides children with the stark reminder that mankind's excesses will eventually doom us all
yay



the U.S. government is sitting on a large reserve of oil, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which now holds about 700 million barrels of oil. This is enough oil to provide about 10% of daily U.S. oil consumption for a year. And if the U.S. government got smart about selling the oil -- a big if -- it would make money for the Treasury and help consumers by bringing oil prices down. Moreover, the government could make even more money, with minimal risk to the economy, by selling the SPR oil altogether.

what can $611B buy?
socialism at work
Lawsuits Are Turning Our Kids Into Pussies
neato
umm, sweet?
20 logical fallacies

Radio, live transmission.
Radio, live transmission.

Listen to the silence, let it ring on.
Eyes, dark grey lenses frightened of the sun.
We would have a fine time living in the night,
Left to blind destruction,
Waiting for our sight.

And we would go on as though nothing was wrong.
And hide from these days we remained all alone.
Staying in the same place, just staying out the time.
Touching from a distance,
Further all the time.

Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.

Well I could call out when the going gets tough.
The things that weve learnt are no longer enough.
No language, just sound, thats all we need know, to synchronise
Love to the beat of the show.

And we could dance.

Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.

oh man if I could go back in time I would go see Joy Division and film Ian Curtis dancing. I really want to see Control.
the trailer:

Socialist Oil Death Spiral
I wish I had a starchitect father

MIT sues Gehry



One poorly-understood element of cat hunting behaviour, is the presentation of killed prey to their human owner(s). The motivation is not entirely clear, but friendly bonding behaviors are thought to be often associated with such an action. It is probable that cats in this situation expect to be praised for their symbolic contribution to the group. Some theories suggest that cats see their owners gone for long times of the day and assume they are out hunting, as they always have plenty of food available. In simple terms, cats adopt humans into their social group, and share excess kill with others in the group according to the local pecking order, in which humans place at or near the top. Another possibility is that presenting the kill might be a relic of a kitten feline behavior of demonstrating for its mother's approval that it has developed the necessary skill for hunting.

neato
All your magenta are belong to us
SOLD
Eat it, Nancy Reagan
cookies?


He took a middling Bordeaux and served it in two different bottles. One bottle was a fancy grand-cru. The other bottle was an ordinary vin du table. Despite the fact that they were actually being served the exact same wine, the experts gave the differently labeled bottles nearly opposite ratings




holy shit

some fruit cumpney
oh no
“If anything characterizes the 21st century, it’s our inability to restrain ourselves for the benefit of other people”
yes
The Five Biggest Badass Popes
coooooool





Thats a fast train

400

awesome:




"This is a dictatorship masked as democracy"



found on Strangemaps: