elurstoidi

What Oil Spill?

2010-05-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Spam

2010-05-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

Lately I've found myself reading through my junk mail folder on a fairly regular basis. I guess quitting facebook has its side effects.

I'm suprised most of this spam is still being sent. It's so ridiculous. And so sad. And so beautiful. Like an old plastic bag floating in the wind above a dirty sidewalk.

Read best with a deliberate and serious cadence.

Otrude which would break his fall.
Shading their eyes? - to tell her!
what fun he used to make for her!
how he entered heart and soul
into all her games
What if I told you
I'm making thousands of dollars

Proud Man or Shy Man
Quit Your Day Job
Within 30 Days
for clicking your mouse
Start earning
Contemporary those contain
coloration between

I am Miss Natasha Briggs
Forget Asking For A Link Exchange
Trevor born created Civilization
printing Ascendency For of All rights
Tom has already noticeable results!
It does work Penny Stocks that Jump 900%

GulfTalent called Producers
are Leading Viagra Dealer
MICROSOFT EMAIL AWARD NOTIFICATION
Kindly View The Attached File
for your reference
and Prize information

My Dear We have arranged your payment
A lump sum of (2.5 Million)
have been credited to your E-mail Address
Congrats
Confirm this

Mrs. Mojisola A.Taylor Dearest,
My name is Mrs. Mellisa Lewis
I am 59 years old and I was diagnosed for cancer
It is with tears and pains
that I am writing this mail
from my sick bed in the hospital
in respect of giving out loans by mail advert
Viagra Trusted Dealer

Doctors believe that most cases of impotence
result from mental or emotional problems.
ATTN: Please attend to a.s.a.p?
I am aware that the Internet
has become very unsafe
but considering the situation

GOOD DAY!!

2010-05-11T10:03:00.001-07:00

Dear Friend,

I am Mr. Shung Hin Hui Edwin a manager on investor relations in Standard
Chartered Bank, Hong Kong. I have a business suggestion for you.

In February 2005 our customer Yashua Mageed Hedaya who was a politician and
also business man made a numbered cash lodgement for 24 months, with a value
of Fifteen millions Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars only in my
branch.

We have sent him several letters and emails before and after the maturity. We
later find out that the politician was killed as he was living his political
party meeting in late 2006. On investigation it was revealed that Yashua
Mageed Hedaya did not declare any next of kin in his official papers
including the paper work of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the
last time he was at my office that no one except me knew of his lodgement in
my bank. So, Fifteen millions Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars is
still lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it. What
bothers me most is that according to the to the laws of my country at the
expiration of six years the funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong
Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the funds.

Against this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you as a
foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Yashua Mageed Hedaya so that you
will be able to receive his funds. Please endeavour to observe utmost
discretion in all matters concerning this issue.

Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank account we shall
share in the ratio of 60% for me, 40% for you.

If interested send your response to my personal email
address:mrshungedwin400@hotmail.com.hk

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Sincere Regards,
Shung Hin Hui Edwin.

YBCA San Francisco Dream House Address

2010-03-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

View Larger Map: 815 Alvarado St San Francisco, CA 94114

For sale for 4 months in 2009: @$2,965,000

1997, when it sold as a 688 square foot one bedroom for $325,000

The patio and hot tub photo kinda sell it for me. It would be a tough call as to whether or not the $1.5 million payout was a better option than the house with pretty much a guaranteed renter.

The Hidden Fee That Happens Every Time You Swipe Your Credit Card

2010-02-26T08:14:00.000-08:00

The Hidden Fee That Happens Every Time You Swipe Your Credit Card: Original Link

It's invisible to you but each time you swipe your credit card, a fee fairy gets its wings. An interchange fee fairy, to be exact. How does it work? This chart from the Government Accountability Office attempts to shed some light on the murky world of merchant processing fees. Did you know that over the past 10 years, while the technological costs of processing transactions has gone done, interchange fees have more than doubled - a cost that gets passed on to you in the former higher prices.

Blu-ray ripping on a Mac isn't a "Bag of Hurt"

2010-02-19T16:35:00.000-08:00

... just blu-ray watching.

Late 2008 Macbook Pro, 1TB External HD, Cheapo USB Blu-ray drive I picked up at Macworld 2009 that's been gathering dust.

Thanks to an exceptional pointer by Jonathan Seff at Macworld, I picked up MakeMKV, and since anyone with a mac should already have handbrake, I quickly made an iPhone version of Serenity for you know, like waiting in line at the grocery store or whatever.

Actually, I probably will never watch the movie in this format.

But still.

Now one can just plug the computer into the tv and watch blurays. The end of physical media.

Except for all of those HDDVDs. Maybe they'll become collectors' items.

I may just have to restart my Netflix membership afterall. Warner Brothers shenanigans be damned.

Minamoto Kitchoan - Japanese Sweets

2010-02-15T17:47:00.000-08:00

Wagashi (和菓子?) is a traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea, especially the types made of mochi, azuki bean paste, and fruits. Wagashi is typically made from natural based (mainly plant) ingredients. The names used for wagashi commonly fit a formula—a natural beauty and a word from ancient literature; they are thus often written with hyōgaiji (kanji that are not commonly used or known), and are glossed with furigana. -wikipedia

Store's a bit confusing; it just reads Japanese Sweets. Wasn't super sure I had the correct name: Minamoto Kitchoan. Especially as the website doesn't list its San Francisco Location.

Had one of these guys on the left. I far prefer the pastry type outside to the gummy type outside. ^-^

Quite like these beanie pancakes as well.

View Larger Map

Minamoto Kitchoan
648 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
www.kitchoan.com

Visa - Olympic Games "Trip for life" Commercials

2010-02-15T14:36:00.000-08:00

I think three things when I see this commercial:

Visa makes so much money as a transactional vampire that it can guarantee its ability to pay for the winner's trips.
Visa makes so much money as a transactional vampire that it can run these ad campaigns costing millions of primetime dollars.
Visa makes so much money as a transactional vampire that it can pay its top CEOs millions of dollars of Visa users' and businesses' "actually-earned" money.

But for some reason, I don't hold anything against Morgan Freeman.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

2010-02-12T22:38:00.003-08:00

I'm learning how to take pictures with a camera that's not a point and shoot. Here's where I'm putting them.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

tshirt collection

2010-02-11T10:39:00.000-08:00

Facebook wants you to aggressively pursue Intellectual Property

2010-02-10T08:55:00.000-08:00

I received a nice little notice after blocking a ~~myspace~~ facebook spammer that I should check to see if they were violating any of my copyrights... or IP, or whatever.

How to Report Claims of Intellectual Property Infringement

Facebook is committed to protecting the intellectual property of third parties. On this page, rights holders will find information regarding how to report copyright and other intellectual property infringements by users posting content on our website, and answers to some frequently asked questions regarding our policies.

If you are a user concerned about the removal of your content, you may file a counter-notice. You can do so through the email notification you received, or in the warning at the top of your home page.

If you are a user concerned about the security of your account, please visit our Security Help Page.

How to report claims of copyright infringement by users

To report a copyright infringement by a Facebook user, all you need to do is fill out our automated DMCA form. This form is the fastest way to report a copyright infringement.

If you prefer, you can also send a DMCA notice to our designated agent (information below).

How to report other claims of intellectual property infringement by users

If you wish to report other claims of intellectual property infringement (i.e. non-copyright) by a Facebook user, all you need to do is fill out our automated IP infringement form.

Values

2010-02-01T11:22:00.000-08:00

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.

Forgive them.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of having selfish ulterior motives.

Be kind.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies.

Be successful.

If you are honest and frank, people will cheat you.

Be honest and frank.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight.

Build.

If you find serenity and happiness, others will be jealous.

Be happy.

The good you do today, people will forget tomorrow.

Do good.

If you give the world the best you have, it will never be enough.

Give your best.

The Betterment of One's Self

2010-01-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

The Predicament (also my Jersey Shore nickname)

So, for some reason, around December-ish, I stopped being able to drink more than a beer without feeling really crappy. Like college binge crappy. Most of the kids I know or hang out with probably shouldn't drink as much as they do. But the interesting side effect was that I had more time thinking clearly while I was not at work.

The idle mind is the devil's playground.

This created an interesting pause and retrospective. In these few short weeks between mid December and now, I came to a few realizations.

I don't believe in an afterlife.
I'm almost 30. (that equates to like a billion in dog years)
I've only ever wanted two things in life:

A six pack.
To speak and understand Japanese.

I refuse to be old and full of regret.

The Plan #BSG

Spend money to become better and make a pretty chart to show progress.

I've joined a CrossFit gym run by Chris LaLanne, the grand nephew of fitness legend Jack LaLanne.

In addition, I'm participating in a 12 week body fat loss challenge.
Body fat as of 2010.01.19: 17.3% (ouch)
Body fat as of 2010.04.10: TBD

Part of the challenge is strict adherence to the Paleo Diet.
I've started Rosetta Stone's TOTALe program for Japanese.
I'm running the San Francisco Marathon.

I expect to be the happy fulfilled human I always hoped I would be by July. (I wish I had the new punctuation mark for sarcasm.)

If you'd like to follow my crossfit workout of the day logs, they are here.
If you're feeling super stalkery and want to know what I'm eating, it's here.

Some things frustrate me more than other things.

2010-01-15T15:47:00.000-08:00

The duplication of information digitally is not piracy. It is not wrong. No one is deprived of the information.

Piracy: an act of robbery on the high seas.
Robbery: the act or practice of robbing; specifically : larceny from the person or presence of another by violence or threat.
Robbing: 1a : to take something away from by force 2 a : to deprive of something due, expected, or desired.
Larceny: the unlawful taking of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of it permanently.

For the fun of it:

The high seas: the open part of a sea or ocean especially outside territorial waters.

Super Mario Bros. Wii update won't brick your Homebrew Hardware

2009-11-16T22:15:00.000-08:00

Super Mario Bros. Wii makes you update your system before letting you play the game.

I've grown accustomed to ignoring firmware updates I just don't want, but Nintendo's little nastygram actually said that this update would search your Wii for unauthorized software and delete it, possibly causing your Wii to stop working. FOREVER. FOR. EV. ER.

Sucks cuz I pay for Wii games and own all the emulated games I play on the Wii for their original systems.

Yeah so, whatever. I held my breath and did it. Good to go as the picture shows. Just make sure your homebrew channel is up to date.

Kaskade & deadmau5 - Move For Me

2009-11-12T17:08:00.000-08:00

i love this song.

in case of complete xbox and computer failure, insert disc into ps3

2009-11-06T15:04:00.000-08:00

Magic Mouse Arrives

2009-10-30T22:44:00.001-07:00

A little silver (shiny white really) lining to a rough day.

Secret of Mana and Why the Internet Was Invented

2009-10-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

Having installed the Wii homebrew channel and an SNES emulator via Lifehacker's excellent bannerbomb instructions, I am now playing some games that had previously been gathering dust in a box in the closet because there is not enough console space underneath the television.

One of the best games ever imho is Secret of Mana. Even with fun gameplay and a great story, much of its depth came from the music always playing in the background.

I have the original Secret of Mana OST (a bit redundant in my description there), and find that listening to the songs always transports me back.

I recently came across youtube user CalebElijah, who does the most excellent guitar renditions of some of the best video game songs ever. And without further ado, here is some SOM.

the ghazal at the end of the world

2009-10-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

the street prophet

a swirl of smoke passes through my fingers
one last drag closing my eyes to start
to type, coffee on the far desk end of my world

the crisp of morning, lies outside the sheets
better to stay like this
until the end of the world

years pass and the sun turns
watching our mistakes
patiently waiting to end our world

growing up sucked. maybe that's why i'm awesome.

2009-10-06T22:13:00.000-07:00

run on thoughts

1.
the roughly cut fabric of the seatbelt makes fresh red marks
across the top of schoolwork is always a great job or a well-done
burgers and fries are all food is, and swiss cake rolls
hidden underneath navy blue jacket summer heat makes sweat and smell

2.
the contempt radiating from fresh athletes cool kids
around friends and they are all but good
intentions for cool get pegged by fucking red bounce-balls
to the wall take it like men, friends that is
a demonstration of cowardice when the teacher is told
ringing bells end of class little boys so cool
cold glances waiting at the end of the long green hallway in middle school
children forming circles waiting for the dogs to take apart the pig
skins versus shirt at the football game shirted not playing
with myself i talk on the sideline thinking of Jesse Jenkins’ curly blonde locks

3.
the door breathes open lightly
she steps toward the bed on which i lie
to her i teach all of my subjects

4.
in school boredom wrought well worn love letters never sent
of roses and Heather and soft sweet music with passion
fruit sweet naïveté is the only recompense remembering

Discomfort was the inspiration...

2009-09-21T22:24:00.000-07:00

... that I now find oddly to comforting read.

you awake to find

the leaves of your tree
are glass shards
flowers garish, orange, ammonia-blooms
on thin branches
rigid without sway
the slightest wind
snaps off whole limbs
showering you with rough cut diamonds
under the sun
bark glistens and drips
over knobs that spot a short twisted trunk
your sought refuge
from the heat only finds
your quilted garden gone
before summer comes full
your tree’s foliage crashes down
like a spasm jolting you out of sleep
or the slam of a door
at a eulogy

''Somebody's Watching Me'' Rockwell vs. Mysto & Pizzi featuring vocals by Renald Francoeur

2009-09-20T18:34:00.000-07:00

Did you know GEICO put up a free download of that insanely annoying and surprisingly addictive song, "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell vs. Mysto & Pizzi featuring vocals by Renald Francoeur. It is here. And apparently the money with googly eyes is not cash, it is "kash".

a funny thing: an ars poetica

2009-09-19T23:10:00.000-07:00

a funny thing

a funny thing is
and this is really
quite amusing
a funny thing is
is that to my
bewildered bemusement
wait
wasting words seems wrong
a funny thing is that

see I
I am reminded of a gaping hole
my mouth that is
a gaping hole
going down the gullet
leading to
both lungs and stomach

this hole
opened
always makes my ears pop
equalizing pressure so that
so that my head doesn’t explode
and a funny thing is that
that all one can hear
is the whooshing
the whooshing of quick wind
at the entrance to a cave

Star Wars and a Dirty Limerick

2009-09-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

I have never thought of myself as a particularly Star Warsy kinda guy. More just science fiction in general. We all grew up with it. Sure I tracked down the original lazer disc cuts of episodes iv through iv cuz Han fraking shoots first and good muppets are better than bad CGI any day. But I mean, who has not?

It is funny how over-Star Warsed the Bay Area is. Everytime we pass by the cranes from the Oakland shipyard, you see AT-ATs. Everyone knows someone who works at LucasArts or has been to the Ranch and met George.

But in going through the archives, I found the little ditty below. It is pretty terrible, but it made me chuckle. For the not super familiar with limericks, they're AABBA, read exactly like those There once was a man from Nantucket rhymes, and have a penchant towards the obscenely humourous.

episodes four through six

luke fell in love with this chick
but this incest was making han sick
solo dropped his wookie
from leia got nookie
luke's wishing vader'd chopped off his dick

Best read with a slight slur. And a hint of an Irish accent.