For the first time in about 11 years, I’m seriously considering using another nickname on IRC. I think we can actually blame twitter for this.
Category Archives: Omphaloskepsis
Omphaloskepsis is a word you won’t find in all dictionaries. It refers to the practice of meditating while contemplating one’s navel. Stolen from http://www.gynob.com/contnavel.htm
Random Observation
When you’re listening to Nine Inch Nails and your speakers get GSM interference from your phone…Â It just fits in as part of the music.
365 days of Thing 2
We’ve hit a milestone. Evan hasn’t killed us (or his sister) and vice/versa for a year! Hooray. Happy Birthday to him!
Bleeding edge
Looks like both the upgrade to WordPress 2.5 and to keeping my WP up to date by using subversion went smoothly. I should have done the svn thing a long time ago.
One thing I should note is the rsync magic I used to go from the WordPress 2.5 hand install to WordPress 2.5 svn install. It allowed me to move all the files that aren’t part of the WP distribution that I have, mostly plugins but includes things like .htaccess files as well as plugins. There may be some redundant flags, but it worked and I’m done.
rsync -aCOSpcrv --exclude=wp-content/cache/ wordpress/. blog.new
Now to actually generate some content. But first, to finish with the Disney photos from vacation 2 weeks ago.
[Update 3/31: I forgot to mention, the above rsync command assumes you have the subversion version checked out in blog.new and your old blog in wordpress. Change your line as needed.]
I’m starting to hate the medical industry
So, a few weeks ago Evan had pneumonia. As part of the treatment for his cough they prescribed some medicine to be distributed via a nebulizer. The infant nurse wanted us to replace the tubing with every treatment. Another nurse said “i didn’t tell you this, but you can use it for three or four before discarding.” Now, I’m fine with that discrepancy and I understand that its probably due to avoiding bacterial build-up in the tubing.
Here’s where the anger comes. Based on the advice/orders of the nurse, I would assume the tubing should be easy to come by. So, when Evan was feeling better, we discarded all the tubing.
He’s started to have a bad cough similar to what he had when we were prescribed before. The doctor said that if the cough comes back of this type, we can do more treatments, so we planned on doing that tonight. Unfortunately, we have no tubing and NEITHER DOES ANY OF THE FARKING PHARMACIES WE CALLED! What the hell.
Its our fault for not keeping the tubing, but at the same time, we were led to believe we could just go and get some at any time. What the hell would we have done if we had followed the “toss it after every treatment” rule. ARGHGGHGHADASDFH
Where’s Santa?
Gone are the days of radio updates of where Santa is, now we can get REAL-TIME on your fat-man tracking ass.
First, you can visit NORAD’s web site for tracking Santa that is in 5 languages and features a map that updates every few minutes. Second, they have a link to a kml file for Google Earth so you can track Santa in 3D. I had fun with my daughter this morning showing her the difference of where we are vs where Santa is right now using Google Earth.
Not following Santa, but fun just the same… For those of us around Chicago, if you’re jonesing for some Holiday lights check out Chicagoloand Christmas Lights. Its main feature is a color coded Google map of 216+ well decorated houses around the Chicago area.
Sledding!
The more things change, the more they stay the same
The Blues Brothers cover of Green Onions came on my iPod while I was driving the other day. I have always liked the tune and it remains one I’ll always listen to. In the middle of the Blue Brothers cover is a monologue by Dan Aykroyd (aka Elwood) that seems relevant 30 years later if you change a word or two.  First, about the music:
 This is, of course, the Green Onions tune. It was a very big hit in the early sixties in this country. And ofcourse it was composed and recorded in Memphis, Tennessee, right here in the United States Of America. You know, people, I believe that this tune can be acquinted with the great classical music around the world.
Now you go to Germany, you’ve got your Bach, your Beethoven, your Brahms… Here in America you’ve got your Fred McDowell, your Irving Berlin, your Glenn Miller, and your Booker T & The MG’s, people. Another example of the great contributions in music and culture that this country has made around the world.
And then the political part:
 And as you look around the world today, you see this country spurned. You see backs turned on this country…
I’ve got something to say to the State Department. I say Take that archaic Monroe Doctrine, and that Marshall Plan that says we’re supposed to police force the world, and throw ’em out! Let’s stay home for the next ten years people! Right here in North America and enjoy the music and culture that is ours.
I’m not sure where I’m going with this, but it hit me, and it hasn’t left me for a few days. So, to summarize:
- the blues: all American and awesome
- bombing the shit out of most of the world: all American and not awesome
2 part question
Families are like fudge – mostly sweet with a few nuts
