Van Du'Vere

Playlist

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:44:38 GMT

My current favorite playlist -- kudos to Apple's Genius

(please excuse the lack of formatting - it took a lot of cut, copy and paste just to get the following in here)

Just Like Heaven The Cure
Personal Jesus Depeche Mode
I Melt With You Modern English
Voices Carry Til Tuesday
New Year's Day U2
Don't You (Forget About Me) Simple Minds
Pictures Of You The Cure
Shout Tears For Fears
Policy Of Truth Depeche Mode
Under Pressure David Bowie & Queen
Don't Speak No Doubt
Never Tear Us Apart INXS
Rock Lobster The B-52's
She Drives Me Crazy Fine Young Cannibals
Friday I'm In Love The Cure
Save A Prayer Duran Duran
The Boys Of Summer Don Henley
Love My Way The Psychedelic Furs
Just Can't Get Enough Depeche Mode
Just a Girl No Doubt
Boys Don't Cry The Cure
Roam The B-52's
I Touch Myself Divinyls
Hold Me Now Thompson Twins
Dancing With Myself Billy Idol
Blue Monday New Order
West End Girls Pet Shop Boys
Close To Me The Cure
Love My Way The Psychedelic Furs
Need You Tonight INXS
Drive The Cars
Nothing Compares 2 U Sinead O'Connor
Let's Dance David Bowie
People Are People Depeche Mode
Pictures Of You The Cure
Your Love The Outfield
Pretty In Pink The Psychedelic Furs
Sunday Bloody Sunday U2
Self Esteem Offspring
The World I Know Collective Soul
Just What I Needed The Cars
Why Can't I Be You The Cure
How's It Going To Be Third Eye Blind
Fascination Street The Cure
December Collective Soul
The Metro Berlin
Back on the Chain Gang The Pretenders
So Alive Love And Rockets
The Love Cats The Cure
Love Is A Battlefield Pat Benatar
Come Out and Play Offspring
Hella Good No Doubt
Take Me Home Tonight Eddie Money
Two Princes Spin Doctors
Round And Round Ratt
Space Oddity David Bowie
True Spandau Ballet
Cars Gary Numan
Hot Hot Hot!!! The Cure
Epic Faith No More
Dreams Fleetwood Mac
Hazy Shade Of Winter Bangles
Mysterious Ways U2
Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover Sophie B. Hawkins
You Oughta Know Alanis Morissette
Walkin' On The Sun Smash Mouth
Broken Wings Mr. Mister
Rhiannon Fleetwood Mac
Changes David Bowie
A Horse With No Name America
She Blinded Me With Science Thomas Dolby
Heaven Bryan Adams
Alone Heart
My Sharona The Knack
Lullaby The Cure
We Belong Pat Benatar
Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own U2
China Girl David Bowie
Let's Go To Bed The Cure
The Unforgiven Metallica
Kashmir Led Zeppelin
Video Killed The Radio Star The Buggles
Blitzkrieg Bop The Ramones
Dead Man's Party Oingo Boingo
These Dreams Heart
Hey You Pink Floyd
Here Comes The Rain Again Eurythmics
Money For Nothing Dire Straits
City of Blinding Lights U2
Talking In Your Sleep The Romantics

Far sighted

Sun, 24 May 2009 00:44:33 GMT

I've decided that I could use a -1 to -5 in glasses. That corrects for farsightedness. I need this to use computers as much as I do. I used to be incredibly farsighted - and still am. Sadly, I can't push the monitor far enough back. Now, if I can just keep god forsaken optometrists from prescribing standard reading glass prescription strengths (+1 to +5).

Reviews

Fri, 08 May 2009 01:15:09 GMT

As I enjoy Simon Pegg's acting, I Netflixed the series Spaced.
While kind of dry and boring at first, the last episode on disc 1 (episode 7) kind of started turning the whole series into something a bit better than I was expecting. Now, to see if I survive the next 2 discs of the series and get my Netflix queue back into motion.

Good To Be The King

Mon, 04 May 2009 12:09:46 GMT

This weekend proves that some days it is good to be the king!

The lack of updates

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:59:29 GMT

I've been "offline" and may continue to do so for the foreseeable future. New job. New location. Movies to watch, books to read, bars to discover, pubs to crawl, and people to do. Add in a few entrepreneurial ventures... and I'm busy.

I haven't fed my CNN addiction in over 6 weeks.

I'm also at 6-12 cigs a day (down from the 20 per pack).

No Starbucks in... I know I snuck one in... I don't remember when that was.... I think that was back in March.

Time

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:29:50 GMT

You know what is bad is that the way you've been describing how the universe is becomes proven mathmatically by physicists (finally).

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16796-fasterthanlight-tachyons-might-be-impossible-after-all.html

They've discovered the two-dimensional dual-cone construct! (similar to what thye refer to as the "light cone" dual-cone construct)

In their model, all the trajectories get bundled up into two cones meeting at a point. It looks like one set of trajectories coming in from the past, passing through a point at the present, and heading out again into the future. Something equivalent to time has emerged.

In fact, this bundle of trajectories mimics the "light cone" of relativity, traced out by the paths in space-time of particles travelling up to and including the speed of light. The light cone also divides past from future.

In relativity, it is possible to conceive of tachyons, travelling outside the light cone. But in Wheeler and Spencer's model, that is inconceivable, since the cone is actually defined by the set of all possible trajectories.

I wonder if they will get to the 3 cone construct, the "one-point", and how all space-time is sort of illusionary and we actually exist at all points at all times. Now that they are getting step one of the logic chain established with math and physics, I might get to observe "one-point" definition in physics in my lifetime. I'm not getting my hopes up. They will likely be reluctant to want to prove these things. Mainly due to:

The consequences could be profound. The timeless space can't change, so that could mean that our universe is deterministic, with the future set in stone.

Wheeler suspects that our perceived "time" corresponds to the distance from a special point in the four-dimensional timeless space he modelled. If so, that point might mark the apparent beginning of time at the big bang.

Without some willingness to believe, the entire concept of "one-point" and cone-based future/past projections imposes limits on what we can do (mainly, we're on a vector path and have certain boundary limits -- kind of like driving on a road where we have to stay in the lanes.) That is not entirely correct, as that is why it is a cone instead of a flat plane. Most of our limits are "reality" defined and establish the external boundaries of the cone. That means we can go up, we can go down, sideways, off the road -- but we're always limited by the imposed limitations of "reality". In other words, it is deterministic on a large scale (planetary, over billions of years). On the small scale, it is limited in its deterministic properties.

Again, though -- people behave in what I refer to as the rule of momentum of personality. People will continue to do that which they feel is successful, even if more successful or less successful opportunities present themselves. I'm no exception to the rule. Once a behavior-set is established, people will continue to behave in that manner. Usually, an external catalyst/stimulus is required to change the momentum of personality. This is one reason why I tell people, "Don't just dream, dream bigger!" All in an attempt to change the direction the momentum will carry someone.

Still, I do think it is kind of neat that they got the first step mathematically modelled.

The Prisoner, No more!

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:10:05 GMT

Patrick McGoohan -- "The Prisoner" -- died (age 80).

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/14/obit.mcgoohan/index.html

"I am not a number! I am a free man!"

New Dipping Sauce

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:56:47 GMT

WASABI BURN

Ketchup, Wasabi, and Soy Sauce
Stir some wasabi into ketchup (to taste & tolerance)
Add some soy sauce (to taste & adds a little liquid back to the paste)

Dip boiled shrimp in it!
Delicious!!!

Warning: WASABI BURN is a potential outcome!

Must See Movies

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:31:00 GMT

If anyone has never seen it, I HIGHLY recommend the movie, Stardust -- screenplay based on the work of Neil Gaiman. The cover lists Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro (in one of the BEST De Niro roles, ever!!!)(*arrr*). The cover, amazingly enough, does not list the actual star of the movie, Charlie Cox.

Check out the IMDB on it:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486655/

Oh, one absolutely must check the Special Features: Deleted Scenes: The Next Ruler of Stormhold!!!

I enjoy Lucifer Lightbringer more, though!

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:04:27 GMT

Take The 'Which Fallen Angel Would You Be?' Quiz
Brought to you by Angel August's Abode

Brain works

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 01:43:12 GMT

I will know it when I see it....
The brain functions such that if we do not know it, we do not see it.

This is historically documented from the ancient Aztecs, who did not see the Spanish Conquistador ships. They had to invite a shaman out to view the ship before the rest of them could see it.

The function of the mind that does this involves visual pattern recognition. If a visual image is not put into a recognition pattern, then the mind can not "see" whatever that visual image actually is.

This means that if we do not recognize an image, we do not see the image.

One resolution of this involves keeping the mind open to all possibilities.

Likewise, this translates into other patterns. How can we feel an emotion we have never experienced before? How can we identify a situation if we have never been in that situation before?

No matter how well trained I am, even I am susceptible to this working of the brain.

Damn, that was a cool test

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 03:24:19 GMT

Your rainbow is shaded black.

What is says about you: You are a powerful person. You appreciate mystery. You may meet people who are afraid of you.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Epiphany

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 07:02:02 GMT

I will know it when I see it... is false.
The brain functions such that if we do not know it, we do not see it.

Gremlins!

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:51:01 GMT

Scientists find Mowglis. Natives warn, "Do not get wet! Do not feed after midnight!"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/11/19/elusive.primate/index.html

Grraargh

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:12:17 GMT

All set. Getting out the door to go to work. Things looking good. Put key into door to lock it and..... WTF?!

It would seem that something was jammed into my lock that prevents my key from going all the way into the lock. As such, my front door will not lock.

Now, I sit at home briefly. I wait for the apartment maintenance to get here to fix it. Whee!

(note: I really hate being late. Especially being late to work)

Winner of successful Stem Cell application, not the USA!

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:33:59 GMT

Barcelona, Spain - FTW!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/11/19/windpipe.transplant/index.html

The hospital that used a patient's own stem cells (grown from bone marrow) successfully used those stem cells and organ-stripping/matrix building in transplant.

The process involves stripping down replacement tissue to a collagen layer ("scaffolding") and applying the patient's stem cells back onto that tissue layer (where the stem cells regrow the remaining tissue).

Combine that with Portugal's regrowth of injured spinal cords by using stem cells from the upper nasal cavity.

Doesn't it feel nice to be a third world!
Doesn't it feel nice to be all wrong!

Doesn't it feel nice to see the USA fall behind in these kinds of things due to religious dogma?

(that question is rhetorical & sarcastic)

The Iraqi people have spoken! (are speaking)

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:35:00 GMT

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/11/16/security.pact.vote/index.html

The agreement sets June 30, 2009, as the deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from all Iraqi cities and towns.

The date for all troops to leave Iraq will be December 31, 2011.

These dates are "set and fixed" and are "not subject to the circumstances on the ground".

The agreement still needs to be approved by the 275-seat parliament's vote.

Global Cooling

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:17:51 GMT

Extrapolation of numbers and faking numbers has led to global warming:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/11/16/do1610.xml

It would seem that the warmest time on record was actually in the 1930's.

Jurassic Park - Overlooked due to election

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:23:50 GMT

The recent scientific "breakthrough" that would allow the creation of Jurassic will be overlooked due to US Presidential elections.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/11/04/japan.mouse.clone/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Cloned mice from mouse cells that had been frozen for 16 years.

Just wait until they clone the neanderthals or other frozen examples they have. Then again, we probably will not hear about it if they do (which they probably already have).

Worlds

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 04:41:59 GMT

This is just a brief observation....

What world are you living in?

I know people who live in worlds of business suits, meetings, corporate airplanes, and anything their money can buy.

I know people that live at the bottom of the poverty line -- social security disability is what they live on.

I know people that live in worlds so far removed from my own that even when I visited, I had difficulty relating to those worlds.

I know people in other countries. Those are worlds foreign to most of us. But those are not really the "other" worlds.

The differences between worlds is in the imagination. Somewhere where we think, where we believe, and where we dream. The distinction between worlds rests there.

What world do you live in?

Remo Williams!

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 04:12:39 GMT

As I have been a Remo fan for a long long time (not many people have actually read or have as many of The Destroyer series that rests in my library)....

Your result for The Badass Secret Agent test?...

Remo Williams

Trained to use your mind and your body. You are the thinker. Extremely calm under pressure and with a hint of venom you strike. You know how bad ass you are and that it doesnt mean that you have to show off.. No... It is what you dont show to people that proves how badass you are. When someone hears your name... its quickly followed by how badass you are.

Take The Badass Secret Agent test? at HelloQuizzy

Hot N Cold

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 04:26:01 GMT

I heard this song and found it an amazingly accurate enough description of what being in a relationship with me is like:

Katy Perry

You change your mind
Like a girl changes clothes
Yeah you PMS
Like a bitch
I would know
And you over-think
Always speak cryptically
I should know
That you're no good for me

(chorus)
'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down
You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

You, you don't really wanna stay no
You, but you don't really want to go o
You're hot then you're cold
You're yes, then you're no
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down

We used to be
Just like twins
So in sync
The same energy
Now's a dead battery
Used to laugh
About nothing
Now you're plain boring
I should know
That you're not gonna change

(Chorus)

Someone call the doctor
Got a case of love bipolar
Stuck on a roller coaster
And I can't get off this ride

You change your mind
Like a girl changes clothes

(Chorus)

I know I am like this. I try not to be. I have yet to succeed. This is why I try not to have relationships with people that mean a lot to me. That does not always work, either; but, I have run from more than a few people so as not to subject them to that kind of thing.

I am not bipolar. I am trying to come to terms with what it is I am. I think it has to do with intelligence. For all of my life, I used to look up my definition of intelligence and think of my father -- super genius, photographic memory, and a speed reader. For the past few weeks, I have been made to examine my own intellect. I am not too shabby. I never give my IQ out - I think maybe a handful of people know what it is (I was tested in the 4th grade, it does get out, sometimes). Far too many people, recently, have identified me as being the most intelligent person they know -- and some of those people were my "gifted" peers.

I think the relationship roller coaster all stems from being sold on an illusion of what love is. I know I have felt it, though. I think that when I cut a part of me out I screwed up that part of myself. Thus, I do the "Hot N Cold" effect -- hot... for whatever attraction reasons.... cold... due to guilt of actually taking someone through this kind of ride.... or cold due to discovering how unintelligent the person is (and I get bored).

I don't mean to be this smart. Sometimes it might be nice to be average. I get an option in that like I get an option to know mystical stuff -- I don't.

Obama spanked McCain

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:28:51 GMT

When the Democratic presidential nominee says the following (from third debate):

...
Recently his key economic adviser was asked about why he didn't seem to have some specific programs to help young people go to college and the response was, well, you know, we can't give money to every interest group that comes along.

I don't think America's youth are interest groups, I think they're our future. And this is an example of where we are going to have to prioritize. We can't say we're going to do things and then not explain in concrete terms how we're going to pay for it.

And if we're going to do some of the things you mentioned, like lowering loan rates or what have you, somebody has got to pay for it. It's not going to happen on its own.

I am stuck wondering WTF is McCain smoking?

A Democrat tells a Republican, We can't say we're going to do things and then not explain in concrete terms how we're going to pay for it.

A Democrat that is concerned with how it is going to be paid for?

I have been wanting to ask that of both parties for many years now.

That quote is like a super powered reverse bitch slap or an ultimate combo move in a video game.

We Have Regen!

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:00:38 GMT

This article shows that there should be "regenerated" major tissues and organs, likely within a few years:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/10/13/eod.ghost.heart/index.html

Where I have been...

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:47:17 GMT

I'm in the real world most of the time. I am out, doing, having fun, being an extravert again. I have missed it immensely.

From the hurricane until this week.... I have been going full force. I sort of had Monday and Tuesday nights off (Not really, sometimes I have to stop and do laundry). I have tonight off (more laundry).

Sadly, I had to attend my maternal step-mother's funeral (my grandmohter) last week.

In short, beyond just being extraverted, I had a week of dealing with hurricane related clean up and fixes. Then the next week I got to go to a funeral I did not want to go to (I really hate funerals).

This week, I've almost caught back up to myself. Just in time for the weekend and to go out and have more fun!

My god, I almost forgot what it was like to be this damn cool! This reminds me of how I have gotten into so much freaking trouble in my past. All of those bad stories I tell with regards to strange things.... well, they are real. It happens. I even, finally (after more than 10 years) found a lead to an old friend -- an old friend I spent spring break in Daytona with! Now I just have to find his phone number!