47 Squared

The Thune Amendment, I'm torn

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:17:00 +0000

I can't decide, I know this has already been shot down, but I'm trying to figure out which of my senators (Lugar, a republican who's getting a lot of credit for shooting it down, or Bayh, a democrat who voted for it, crazy) to send the angry letter to. On one hand I personally would like other states to recognize my concealed carry permit. On the other hand, I don't want the federal government meddling in state affairs.

Federal standardization of permit requirements was a fear of opponents, who stated that the amendment would essentially allow non-residents to carry without meeting the visited state's requirements. The opponents also cited extreme cases of criminals with guns, child molesters, etc. Ok, we get it, your rare exceptions to the rule and crazy examples are valid reasons to oppose this amendment.

So what do I think? I was surprised to learn that 48 states allow concealed carry, only my two neighbors Illinois and Wisconsin do not (they're 'special'). I like the idea to be able to carry into other states, but not necessarily at the expense of state sovereignty. I believe I'll take the Star Trek way out, and propose a third option. Expand on what already exists. Several states have already figured out on their own, without any federal legislation, how to identify other states that share similar permit requirements, and have decided to acknowledge them. Indiana requires a background check to obtain a permit, if Virginia requires a background check and a training course, Indiana should happily recognize their permit. So if the Fed wants to do something, create a voluntary group of which participating states meet a set of minimum permit requirements.

One last comment, it's pretty absurd to allow visiting residents a pass on any law just because it's law in their state. Would that ever slide with gay marriage, tax rates, um, uh, gun laws? Next time I visit Illinios I'll just tell them, "Well we don't have a county tax back home, I'll just go ahead and not pay that here either."

Pandora is cutting me off, noooo!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:53:00 +0000

I just received an email from Tim Westergren, the friendly exec at Pandora. Apparently Tim thinks I stream too much of his kickin' tunes. They're setting a cap of 40 hours as a result of the great internet radio debaucle of 2007, and he says of me, "Most listeners will never hit this cap, but it seems that you might."

Ok, so I listen to internet radio a LITTLE bit.... but I am resolute, just like traditional radio, I WILL NOT pay for internet radio. I've used Live365 and Slacker in the past, but found Pandora to be my favorite. So far the options are to pay $.99 after you reach 40 for unlimited songs the rest of the month, or pay $36 (too much!) per year for unlimited.

So here's the real question, is it 40 hours per ISP address or per user account? As soon as I run out this month I'll find out!

USB Powered Chainsaw

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:43:00 +0000

I want this. I want it right now.
Be sure to watch the video, it shows you how to saw your coworker's Ikea bench in half!

i.Saw

I hate this...

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:53:00 +0000

...so much.

Wet and Wild Wombat Action

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:26:00 +0000

(He's "special")

I hereby want a pet wombat. I would name him Wario, because I name all my pets after Nintendo game characters. Wario the Wombat would burrow in my backyard and we'd be best friends.

One thing I found very interesting is that a wombat's pouch, unlike other marsupials, opens backwards. I guess when you're scurrying around underground a front-loading pouch might be counterproductive.

Check out the blog post and satiate your hunger for wombat knowledge.
Link

Eat Sweet Potatoes, Live 147 Years.

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:02:00 +0000

"Sweet potatoes are one of the highest ranked vegetables on the nutrition scale. They're essentially a perfect food; what can be termed a "superfood." They're high in fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, potassium and manganese. They can also help stabilize blood sugar, which means
they're a good choice for diabetics. They're relatively low in calories for all of the nutritional power they pack, at approximately 95 calories each."

Sweet potatoes will cure the common cold, extend your life, and curb your pretentious nature. Eat them, live longer, and annoy your friends by relentlessly badgering them to follow your example. Stare in silent discrimination of those who consume lesser foods, yours are 'super'. Sure, you'll admit fried potatoes are enticing, but you've seen Super Size Me. Even though you don't consider yourself an elitist, you know you're healthier than most, I mean, who else do you know that purposely doesn't put dressing on their salad?

So eat that potato skin, reveal that sinister smirk when you see them uneaten on others' plates, drink that glass of red wine with dinner, just one piece of dark chocolate for you, please. You'll outlive all those white bread eating, non-diet soda drinking, MSG abusing neanderthals.

They will die young.

You were right. You are better off. You are alone.

Backpacking the Manistee River Trail

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Campsites: Plenty along the River Trail.

Water: Lots, and very clear. (on the River Trail)

Suggested Route: If you can't tell, I have a thing for the River Trail, it's really beautiful, hike it through to one of the other parking lots, or hike in and turn around to hike it back out.

Food: Plenty of places to eat in Cadillac, mostly chains though. If you're taking 94, stop in New Buffalo, MI for a Redamaks world famous burger, their site is annoying, but the burgers are pretty good (and the messy fries, or chili fries, whatever they're called, are pretty amazing).

Trail map

Manistee River Trail

Don't worry about carrying in too much water for your trip, the trail is along the river most of the time, and there are tons of creek and stream crossings along the way flowing with crystal clear filtering water. Along the trail there are several campsites, some with great views, just be careful if it's going to be cold out, the sites with the best views also tend to be windy.

There are several 'hiker made' campsites that aren't marked on the trail map, so if one that you want is full, don't worry, the unmarked sites are easy to spot from the trail. The sites are primitive (duh), most have makeshift benches around a fire ring, and are situated close to good filtering water. Sites can be accessed by trail and by water, so if canoeing or packrafting is your thing, this is a great place for that.

North Country Trail

This trail is not nearly as scenic as the River Trail, it doesn't follow close to the river and there are no designated campsites. Also, access to filtering water is limited. I'd suggest hiking in on the River Trail, and then turning around and hiking out. Another option if you're bringing two cars, would be to park on both a southern and northern trailhead, and simply hike through. Either options makes for a good weekend hike.

Crazy Celebs

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 06:24:00 +0000

Ever notice how a celebrity or comedian's obscure social disorder will be twisted into their most endearing feature after they're dead?
"He'd fling his own fecal matter in crowded restaurants and would sometimes spit in my mouth when I wasn't looking, and its that willingness to do anything to get a laugh that I'm really gonna miss about him."

Health Ledger

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:41:00 +0000

Nope, that's not a spelling error, I got that right from Hulu, it's even in their URL for the video, "http://www.hulu.com/watch/58995/nbc-today-show-health-ledger-wins-posthumous-oscar". Finding spelling errors is intensley satistfying for me, it validates the tfact that I'm better then you.

Mountain Biking in the Gym

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:49:00 +0000

Check out this very well written article that discusses the different types of mountain biking, suggests a gym workout, and breaks down training techniques by riding style.

Oh, and if you're in the Northwest Indiana area, join my Mountain Biking Facebook group!

Painted Video

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:22:00 +0000

This short film was made from 6,000 individual paintings, and appeals to my incredibly underdeveloped artsy side.

Khoda from Reza Dolatabadi on Vimeo.

Link to some of this other stuff.

Cancer Rate by State

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 05:06:00 +0000

Check out the cancer rate for your state (ha, rhyme!) on this interactive Cancer Map, I've preset it to include all races, age, and gender, but you can customize it to more accurately reflect you. Also, you can adjust to include all incidents of cancer, or only mortality.

Chicken Fried Rice 2

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:57:00 +0000

(Photo courtesy of ME!)

This is what I made myself for dinner tonite, it doesn't look all that great, but Chinese food just isn't all that photogenic. If you're interested, the recipe is below (Caution! I don't like to measure, so everything is approximate, basically just add it till it looks good.)

Prep:
This is really simple, just make sure everything is cooked, and then add it in the order it is listed below on High, stirring almost constantly, let each ingredient cook to nearly the desired tenderness before adding the next.

Ingredients:

2 Tbls Sesame Oil
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cubed (cook completely before adding next ingredient)
1/3 large onion, chopped
1 1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped (and rinsed, duh!)
Half a bag of peas and carrots
Half a bag of bean sprouts (or until it looks pretty, don't cook these too long)
3 cups of rice (precooked amount, make sure you cook it before adding it.)
4 eggs, pre-scrambled
Add low sodium soy sauce until it reaches that desired color
Pepper to taste

I like to eat it with some chinese hot mustard, it adds lots of flavor with a small amount of calories.

Canada Bus Decapitation

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:38:00 +0000

I haven't posted in awhile, but this really got my attention.

The story is very disturbing.

Microsoft Surface

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:03:00 +0000

Most of you have probably seen Microsoft's Surface in action, or at least heard about it, it's definitely cool, although it's practicality as anything but a novelty item is questionable.

For those of you unfamiliar with it, here's the original teaser.

Now for those of you who are as cynical as I am, here is the parody of the above teaser.

Ode to Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:48:00 +0000

My love affair with coffee began one fateful evening in Minnesota while attending a small concert/talent show at a coffee house. I had been up all night driving, and being the young adventurous 17yr old that I was, I did not want to miss out on the night's activities, so I did what anyone in my place would have done, and downed a cup of that bitter, brown liquid, and enjoyed my night!

Nearly 6 years and approx. 4,500+ cups of coffee later, not only do I drink coffee religiously (addiction.....?), but I've worked at Starbucks, and am a regular advocate of its benefits.

Where did it come from? Coffee was discovered nearly 1200 years ago when (according to legend) Ethiopian shepherds noticed that when their goats ate the berries of a certain plant, they started jumping around madly, with increased levels of energy. So of course one thing led to the other and coffee is now one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world.

Why do I enjoy coffee? Well if you're a fan of zombie movies like I am, you're familiar with the behavior and mannerisms of the walking dead. Plainly stated, that is me in the morning. Communication is limited to Frankensteinian grunts and my level of motivation would be frowned upon by even the laziest of sloths. So needless to say, a strong cup of joe is required to give me that kick-start into consciousness and raise my self-awaredness to the minimum level required to distinguish humans from animals.

Other benefits of coffee? Oh sure they exist, but I doubt there is anyone that actually lists them for any other reason than to excuse their addiction. The health benefits of coffee seem to fluctuate according to whatever study is currently popular, but it is generally accepted that regularly consuming coffee (well, caffeine) helps prevent Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and Gout (my favorite!). It also contains antioxidants that help prevent free radicals from causing cell damage.

Dis benefits of coffee? There are none! Okay, maybe a few. But we prefer not to speak of them, it's bad luck. Except for yellow teeth, bad breath, and possible withdrawal symptoms, and maybe some heart burn, the down side of regular, moderate consumption of coffee is pretty low.

So that's it. That's why I love coffee and you should too! It gives me the energy to enjoy life, pass exams, and it gives me an excuse to hang out at coffee shops (where I'm currently writing this).

DC's Tyrannical Gun Ban over!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:54:00 +0000

I don't have much to say, I'm just happy this 30yr old unconstitutional law has been overturned by the Supreme Court (doesn't go much higher than that), if you are a crazy tree hugging hippie and disagree with me, please see my previous post Guns Make America Safe before leaving angry comments.

full story

New I-Phone 2.0..... is Stupid

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:08:00 +0000

It's funny, (almost) every Tuesday at lunch I sit at my computer and search the net for some great Stupid Video to share, and without fail, I never have to look very long.... There's so much stupid stuff online, it's great!

Today's video is about a guy getting a pre-release of the new IPhone 2.0 that's supposed to come out this summer.

Enjoy!

Odd, Funny, Strange Presidential Candidates

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:47:00 +0000

Here are some 2008 Presidential Candidates that haven't been getting nearly as much press coverage as the three I refuse to mention (you know, those three whose names rhyme with Killary, Osama, and McBain, that's right, Simpsons reference)

1. Jackson Kirk Grimes

Platform:
"abolishing Christianity and replacing it with classical Roman Paganism fused with the political system of Fascist Italy.

Things of Note:

Director and CEO of the United Fascist Union
Mussolini and Saddam Hussein are his political heroes
Three time U.S. Presidential Candidate (he surprisingly didn't get elected the first two times, but there's still hope in Nov...)

Most Endearing Feature:
That warm feeling he gives you, reminiscent of listening to your grandfather tell stories next to the fireplace, when he's sitting at his desk, in a nazi military uniform, wearing black leather gloves, with an inverted pentagram on the wall behind him... (here's a video of him, I'm not just making this up).

2. Frank Moore

Platform:

He actually has a serious platform, it leans more toward socialism, with a 10% tax on anyone making under $1 mil, and 75% tax on people over $1 mil, everything else is a little extreme, but nothing I haven't heard before.

Things of Note:
If you haven't figured it out yet, Frank Moore is a satirist/performing artist, but unfortunately not a very funny one, at least not with this campaign. And the video isn't really an act, he has cerebral palsy, which doesn't allow him to walk or talk, so maybe the offer to speak at events, which he announces on his website is part of the joke?

Most Endearing Feature:
Despite his disability he "has written books; has directed plays; has directed, acted in, and edited films; regularly gives poetry readings; plays piano; sings in ensemble music jams; and continues to lead bands in hardcore punk clubs up and down the west coast."

3. Gene Amondson

Platform:
Prohibition Party's Nominee, so he's against the liquor industry, (he sure isn't going to get the Cubs Fans vote....). That's it, his whole platform, apparently stopping liquor sales will solve all of our domestic issues, and will write our foreign policy, healthcare, protect us from terrorists, and end our dependence on foreign oil....

Most Endearing Feature:
He likes to impersonate Billy Sunday, a famous preacher who fought the liquor industry, but it gets better, he also likes to dress up as the Grim Reaper and hold demonstrations..... once again, I just couldn't even start to make this stuff up.

Gene Amondson as 'Death'

4. John Taylor Bowles

Platform:
Bowles states that he is "the white people's candidate," also he wants "the orderly deportation of all non-whites to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. White American soldiers would be recalled from overseas duty and be placed on the Southern border so they can stop the invasion of illegal aliens from Mexico.

Most Endearing Feature:
Just look how cute he is sitting there crossing his arms, he's like a little baby Hitler! I just want to go pinch his cheeks!

Random Firefox Shortcut

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:34:00 +0000

Use Firefox? Have a widescreen monitor and sometimes want some more viewing area? Try hitting the F11 key (for PC's anyways, don't know about you mac owners). I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Pandora Internet Radio Review

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:59:00 +0000

I had been listening to my custom station on Slacker (internet) Radio for nearly a year now, but they recently started to play ads in between songs, so of course they had to go. I don't mind visual ads around the player, but if I want commercials I'll listen to old fashioned radio.

My buddy at Nigzich Nutrition and Fitness recommended Pandora internet radio, and I must admit I like it, a lot.

First let me state what I like about Slacker over Pandora, and then I'll rant about Pandora.
Slacker Pros:

Ban artist feature
Adjust how many artists are recommended
The ability to make exclusive stations
Can add comedians

Cons:

Ads
Poor variety
Radio times out when left inactive
Slacker portable is just lame
Premium features are constantly dangled in front of you, why don't you understand that not wanting to pay for radio doesn't make me cheap!

Now on to Pandora

Pros:

No audio ads
Simple intuitive navigation
Station sharing with friends and messaging (I know it's a marketing ploy, I don't care)
Approval and disapproval of songs
Snooze option allows you to disable a song for a month, I really like this feature
The ~~Human~~ Music Genome Project really does learn what you like and ends up playing some great music as a result
The ability to purchase songs or albums on iTunes or Amazon

Cons:

Can't ban artists, only songs
Can't build exclusive stations that ONLY play a limited number of artists
Also times out after a span of inactivity

I'm very pleased with it, there have been several times where it plays a song and my reaction is, "I LOVE this song, and I totally forgot that it existed!"

Jeopardy Answer

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:56:00 +0000

Jeopardy ~~Question~~ Answer of the Day: A group of this bird is commonly referred to as a "Rafter".

If you know the question, write it in the comments below!

High Gas Prices

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Mon, 26 May 2008 23:32:00 +0000

So gas prices around me are $4.10 a gallon this Memorial weekend (gouging?), and that really sucks, or so I thought initially.

Since the gas prices have skyrocketed, I've really started to become more energy conscious, I haven't bought a hybrid or started using a cloth shopping bag, but I've done other things. I have started asking for paper bags instead of plastic at the grocery store, shutting off lights in the house, and I bought a Honda Civic; gas mileage was a big part of that decision.

I don't think we should all become tree hugging hippies, but managing our resources responsibly isn't something that hippies have exclusive rights on. Our "Carbon Footprint" is kind of a buzz-phrase right now, but as much as we would like to think so, it's not our right as Americans to drive civilian tanks (big SUV's) for no other purpose than transporting people from point A to point B. I'm not against trucks, they serve a vital role in our economy, when actually used for their purpose (to haul stuff).

My point to this post? Don't be wasteful! Or at least recognize that maybe instead of relying on engineers to discover some alternative energy source to solve all our problems and continue to be irresponsible, ride a bike to work, carpool, do something to save oil.

Why oil and not energy? Oil is not renewable, and its products aren't biodegradable (plastic), you can grow more trees, but you can't make more oil in our lifetime.

Another obvious benefit to not burning so much oil? Pollution, I really hate blowing my nose at the end of the day and it being black from all the pollution. (Like when I was in Beijing, but that's a whole other story.)

Conclusion:
Don't be wasteful, figure out something in your life that you can change to use less oil.

Gas Prices in England. (Just some reassuring information that life in America ain't so bad.)

You've Got (Space) Mail!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Fri, 23 May 2008 21:47:00 +0000

I recently read about "Interplanetary IP Communication", or the internet in space, on Google's Blog, and interestingly enough, there's already something similar occurring with NASA and their Mars Rover program. Instead of WWW (World Wide Web), NASA has a interplanetary network called the Deep Space Network (think there's a DSN.Google.com? Not so catchy.) The DSN uses several receivers/transmitters that are on and orbiting the Earth and Mars (and a research ship inbetween).

Initial Reaction: Screw Space Internet and get that World-Wide Wifi up and running!

Informed Reaction: Turns out the research involved is expected to have commercial/terrestrial spin-offs. Sweet.

For more information, check out Space.com's article.

Nailed

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Kamm) — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:54:00 +0000

Check out this post from Science Blogs about things found in people's heads, most of which were self inflicted, that's right, the one above wasn't an accident. The man hammered the nails into his own head over the span of 3 months, and consciously went to the hospital after that big nail started to hurt a little.... can you say crazy?