Blogorrhea!

2006-12-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

Moving to MySpace

Hello reader(s)...i am going to try to move my shiznit over to the myspace...Its at www.myspace.com/tburklin. I like the music player thingy in there and the networking going on there...6 porno sites already tried to add me as a friend! The little picture repository is nice as well, although I don't really have anything on there yet. Hope to see you there!

2006-12-06T19:40:00.000-08:00

I'm Both an Analyst, AND and Therapist

2006-12-06T19:38:00.000-08:00

It's Pronounced 'Sheh-Mall-Ay'. It's the Latest In Fashion

2006-12-06T19:29:00.000-08:00

If You've Been in an Accident, You Need Blah Blah Blah

2006-11-25T17:22:00.000-08:00

Little Miracles

Esra is telling me how cute asian children/babies are. I think she wants to adopt an asian kid Angelina-Jolie Style. We can do that, but I will name her Soon-Yi Burklin.

2006-11-24T12:16:00.000-08:00

Lose Weight By Public Humiliation
Diet

UPDATE: Saturday, Nov 24: Down to 200, in spite of several off-days on thanksgiving week! Atkins baby!

UPDATE:Monday, Nov 13,2006: Had a rough couple of weeks in a row, stress-wise: Studying for EIT, Taking EIT, Stressing out about probable non-passing EIT, stressing about elections, I ballooned up to 210 lbs. But I've been on the diet for a week now, and not taking off saturday I am at 202!

UPDATE: Monday, Sept 25, 2006: 205 lbs. didn't exercise or atkins much...let the humilation set it and work its magic!

I always have this need to tell people my weight all the time; it makes me feel proud to have lost it and it makes me ashamed when I've gained it. Nobody gives too much of a crap, but I always felt that when people know something about you, it can shame you into doing the right thing. So I will assume everyone is thinking 'lard ass' when I tell my weight this week. Hopefully, just by seeing it, I will be super-motivated to lose it. Lets see what a partial Atkins and exercise week will do!

Monday Sept 18, 2006: 203.5 lbs

2006-11-16T12:18:00.000-08:00

This is Your Brain On Drugs

(I can't get YouTube to link to my account for some reason.)
HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS MEET SNOW WHITE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiV6AWS4GUw

If you are the writer for a cartoon, that is. I used to love the Harlem Globetrotters cartoon when I was a young'un. When not kicking whitey's ass at basketball, they each had special superhero powers (which I am totally not making up): One of them could pull useful random shit like a chainsaw or something out of his afro, one could turn into spaghetti, one could turn into a basketball, one could clone himself, and one could turn into liquid. Anyways, if that stuff isn't quite bizarre enough for you, the 'Trotters go to fairy tale land and put on a show for Snow White. Yes that one. This is A-1 material for Mystery Science Theater. There are no circumstances should sexual/racial innuendo could be inserted into this YouTube. But if you can think of any, please feel free to leave them in the comments.

2006-11-13T12:21:00.001-08:00

Atkins Diet Potatoesque Salad

I made a great atkins recipe discovery (in a book) for myself this weekend!

Ingredients:
1 1-oz Yukon GoldFingerling Potato
1 12-oz Pork Chop
1 48-oz can of Trans Fat Crisco
1 beef tongue for garnish

Ha! Just kidding Atkins Bigots! Really, its

Ingredients:
4 Hard Boiled Eggs
1 Medium Sized Rutabega (<-Not bad fake potato!)
3/4 Cup Mayo
1/2 Cup Scallions
1/2 Cup Celery
1 medium dill pickle if you like that sort of thing
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 packet of Splenda

1. Pare Rutabega and cut into 4 pieces of roughly equal size. Boil until soft (30 mins), then let cool.

2. Put everything into a bowl (of course chopping up scallions and celery and eggs) and mix it up.

Voila! A 2 step Fake Potato Salad that is lo-carb and tastes good to non-dieters!

2006-11-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

What I Will Like About It

Well let see, honestly #1 I think is investigations and subpeonas of Bush, Cheney, and Republican Congressmen that have been blocked the last 4 years. I know it's bitter, but let's let the truth be heard.

I like to see the minimum wage increase. I'd like an attempt at universal health care. I'd like the EPA to do it's job. I'd like to have a balanced budget with paygo rules. I'd like to know what the true deficit is (currently it isn't counting war expenditures of government borrowing from Social Security.) I'd like better CAFE standards/gas mileage for cars. I'd like tax cuts to end for oil companies and billionaires. I'd like prayers to stay out of school, and for evolution to be taught. I

I'd like to see shit appointments to supreme court, UN get blocked. I'd like the morning after pill not to be blocked by the FDA because of a pro-life christian who forcibly sodomized his wife (Dr. David Hager). I'd like to see global warming reports out of NOAA not blocked by hack political appointees. I like that James "Global Warming is the Biggest Hoax Ever Purpetrated" Inhofe will no longer chair the senate commitee on environment. I like that Ted "I will not make the oil executives swear to tell the truth" Stevens is no longer the chair of the energy commitee.

Honestly, I like divided government best. Even if I despise some republican politics, having the opposition party in power somewhere keeps people honest. Uhhhhhhhhhhh man. I'm done for a while.

2006-11-08T13:02:00.000-08:00

An Anti-Cocooning Realization

I don't have a lot of expectation that this victory will last more than two years. I think a lot of positives will happen, especially with a divided government, but the scandals, the closeted republicans, and the anti-war temporary alliance probably will not be there the next cycle. People will now have to like the policies that come out of dem control to maintain it. Will they? I hope so.

2006-11-08T12:18:00.000-08:00

An Iraq Aside

Now, the dems are clearly in favor of some kind of pullout. But it is clear that Americans are in favor of a pullout. Dems ran on it, many republicans ran on it, or at least ran ads to distance themselves from the president. It is going to happen. Some people might feel that degeneration into civil war is NOT inevitable. I no longer am in this group. But even if the goal is to 'win', where it simply means stability in regards to it's neighbors, this dem win has several benefits and caveats.

1. Rumsfeld is Gone. Because of this election. If the reason is incompetence or inablity to change tactics, that's a great turning point. (I believed it may have been at the beginning, but now it's too late)
2. A timetable for withdrawal is a very effective means of putting pressure on the Iraqi government to actually reach a political compromise, which has eluded them. If we leave, it will be up to the local population to elect compromisers instead of hard liners. (Who knows if this would matter, or if I'm stating the case correctly.)
3. Congress does not have the authority to pull out, leaving them there for two years (Bush's remaining term). They do have the ability to cut funding for the war, but I believe it's an untenable political position that won't happen. This gives two years for the iraq government to train up thier forces, if that's the issue.
4. The democratic congress will not authorize war with Iran or Syria, barring the actual necessity to do so.
5. Democrats have much better relations with our allies. I agree that there is no way in hell that other countries will DIRECTLY help Iraq, much can be done with diplomatic support, and periphery support such as intelligence sharing and blocking materials from being shipped to the war zone, etc.

2006-11-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

Whose to Blame?

It's finally the R's, not the D's who have to have some squabbling about who is to blame. They thought that John Kerry was going to lose the election for the D's, buying into thier own hype. An early contender looks to be Donald Rumsfeld, who *ahem* resigned this morning. Actually, I might agree that this IS a huge reason for thier defeat. The blame for keeping him in there of course, would be wit da chimp-in-chief. Iraq should be, and is, reason #1.

Who else? Could it be Rush Limbaugh, with his Parkinson's-mocking tirade against Alex P. Keaton? At least in Missouri it's likely. Neil Cavuto, the Fox money show man, says the Micheal Jackson trial 'distracted people from supporting Bush's privatizing social security'. Hmmmm. Couldn't it be that maybe people don't like that idea? Maybe people don't live in his republican marching band bubble? Of course there are Mark Foley and Ted Haggard. For sure they will get blamed, because they are under-cover homocrats who infiltrated and undermined the Fortress of the Absolute Truth. They were never, ever, real republicans. Was it Ann Coulter's hateful face appearing everywhere?

Safe bets say the goats would be Abramoff (already convicted) and the homocrats. It will be fun to see the feeding frenzy.

2006-11-08T08:47:00.000-08:00

Favorite Republican Defeats

Hmmmmmmmm where shall we start? The following scumbags will have no power to make law or government decisions in the US:

Katherine Harris, Sen FL: In 2000, I couldn't have really thought an election would be stolen in the US. After seeing this crazy rightwing candidate ("We will win back America for God", Non-baptized legislators would "Legislate Sin","God is the one that chooses our rulers") I really believe it now. I saw her do an flirtatios interview with Sean Hannity, standing sideways to stick her boobs out. Ho lee shit.

Conrad Burns, Sen MN: We are up against a "faceless enemy" of terrorists "drive taxicabs in the daytime and kill at night." Abramoff payee.

Mike McGavick, Sen WA: Generically bland, empty rhetoric guy. Maybe not the worst republican ever, but his vacuous ideas "paycuts for unbalance budgets" and vapid statements "Prez isn't getting our frustration, we need to win in iraq and then get our troops home" made his ads really annoying. Plus the 4 mil CEO bonus.

(Shelley Sekula Gibbs) ex-Tom Delay, Rep TX: Well what can be said about this shithead that hasn't been said already? Just the fact that a gerrymandered district, who voted for Tom Fucking Delay, would ever elect a democrat is amazing.

George 'Macaca' Allen, Sen VA: Thank you for introducing the word Macaca in everone's dictionary. Loves the confederate flag, despite being from California. Maybe this is too bad, I was hoping he might run for president, as I would have thought he is a sure loser.

J. Kenneth Blackwell, Gov OH: One of these people who claim the democrats support NAMBLA. 2004 election stealing? Maybe. Convicted outgoing R governer invested state employee pension funds in a 'rare coin' collection.

Micheal Steele, Sen MD: Just watched his bullshit on meet the press, yelling at the democrat as to "What is your plan in Iraq?" When asked the same question, it was all ummms and awwws. He actually had a bumper sticker that said "Steele Democrat" with a blue background. He defended this with "Haven't you heard of a Reagan Democrat?" He had no Steele, Republican bumper sticker. Lying idiot.

Rick Santorum, Sen Pa: "In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That's not to pick on homosexuality. It's not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be." Bullying fundamentalist asshole.

Chris Chocola, Rep IN: Heh heh no real reason, other than his being nicknamed Count Chocola.

Richard Pombo Rep CA: Asshole blocked any new wildlife reserves/parks if they ever ever had a road built on him, including logging roads. Steers federal contracts to enrich himself, Abramoff payee.

Don Sherwood, Rep NY: Okay, Okay, I had a mistress. But I didn't choke her! Please forgive me!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh that feels good. All good representatives of the republican party.

2006-11-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

Great Big Ball of Sunshine

What a thing to wake up to, today of all days. Could this mean something? Is it an omen, after days of katrina-esque flooding? That America woke up and got a clue? A word comes to mind. That word is, quite simply: "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Thank you everybody for voting. I thank myself for superstitiously not blogging so that my acidically anti-republican worldview would not disenchant any innocent undecideds that happened upon my extremely influential blog. As of right now, Dems have taken 30 house seats (needed 15) and 4 senate seats (need 6, 2 races left dems ahead).

So I am extreeeeeemely happy. Yeeeeeeeeeeeee haaaaaaaaaw!

A Giant F-U goes out to the following, who by the republican majority said that thier views represent America's:
Sean Hannity - Rush Limbaugh - Ann Coulter - Michelle Malkin - Brit Hume - Neil Cavuto and of course... Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and thier axis of assholes.

2006-10-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

FE Exam
Engineering

11 hours last Saturday, 12 hours last Sunday, 5 hours Monday, 3 hours Tuesday. And probably 3 today, tomorrow, and maybe friday. All spent studying at Suzallo Library for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. I seem to have lost a lot of my test-taking mojo that I had in undergrad, I should have taken this test 6 years ago. Oh well, I hope I will pass...120 questions in the first 4 hours and 60 questions in the next 4 is going to be difficult. Wish me luck!

2006-10-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

Pentium Commercial Song
Music

There are these ads for pentium, featuring a collage of a single person dancing to music through an iPod. Anyways, I think there's this one song with a girl in red, with some 80's style new wave music with the lyrics "I can give you what you want/ I can make your heart beat short/ I can make you ice cream...". Well, I likey that song, and looking at the web a bit I found that the name of the song is "Ice Cream" by New Young Pony Club. Just FYI if you likey it too, and have a downloading program, and don't mind songs from a band that sounds as if it were named by a 10 year old girl with a unicorn lunchbox.

2006-10-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

Medieval Monster Truck Rally
Entertainment, Seattle

Last weekend Esra, Matt and I headed up to Burlington, WA, and watched a bunch of hybrid hillbillies/dungeons and dragonners (some say like myself) fling a bunch of pumpkins using home built trebuchets, like the one shown. Most of them were about 12-15 ft high I think, with one exception maybe between 30-40 feet high. It was ostensibly a competition, but it was quite obvious the huge one was going to win...when it flung the pumpkins you can't really believe how far they go...I think what we saw was something close to 1300 feet. Methinks it pretty good entertainment, snacking on pumpkin pie and chilidogs whilst watching the spetacle of pumpkins dropping out of the sky and splattering everywhere. Each team had a little theme going...one was the 'Gourdinator', one was an UFO theme, one was a dinosaur (for some reason I keep remembering the name as Trannysaurus Rex), the big one was 'Tre Barbaric', and Team Canada. The second place one (first place out of the small ones) utilized an constant torque-linear motion design which I had just pitched to my uncomprehending neanderthal friend Matt for our future trebuchet team. We need a name, however, and suggestions could be useful. How about, 'Gourd of the Flings'?

2006-10-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

Turning Over a New Page
Humor, Politics

the blogger titled his post: "Care to rephrase that?"
Quote of the day:
"Hastert and Boehner need to get on the same page or Republican troubles will continue to mount." -- From an editorial in The Hill, October 5, 2006. (Via Dale Carpenter)

2006-10-10T18:47:00.000-07:00

Battlestar Iraq-tica
TV, Politics

Honestly, it was a little hard to get in the mood, to pick up where I left off in my BSG worship. Especially after my strategic failures in getting people to like it, including some of my nerdiest friends (you know who you are!) But Fridays' 2 hour intro successful was a solid start to what I think was the best show on TV.

So the human race and territory has been occupied by cylons. The humans fight back through insurgency. Some cylons want torture and extermination. Others want peace and co-existence. Some people start working for the cylons, not to enrich themselves, but because they think it's the only peaceful way. Many humans want to kill those humans, and would kill those humans if the cylons left. I find sympathetic characters on all sides. Of course they all hate the cylons, so they resort to suicide bombings. Probably the only TV to ever make me have sympathy for suicide bombers. It seems to make emotional sense to the people doing it, especially in the face of hopelessness...Up to this season, you never got a sense of what ideology the show was pushing. Plus all the personal dramas are pretty good. Too bad the constantly masterbating genius is now the most hated character on the show. For some reason, I have a lot of sympathy for him.

2006-09-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

All the Leaves Are Brown
Family

I love the autumn, when the leaves have fallen off of thier trees and are piled up on the ground. That way, when we take Sushi out for a walk, we don't need plastic bags. When she takes a dump, we can just put a gigantic leaf on top of it, and smash-paste the leaf to the ground, eliminating the walking hazard for others :), and reducing US dependency on foriegn oil (plastic is made from petroleum). Just doing my part.

2006-09-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

Bainbridge Island
Seattle

This weather-changing business has totally clouded my mind recently, making it plenty hard to blog...but whatever I'll start taking baby-step short posts. Bainbridge Island is the ideal short-post entry...because there isn't any goddamn thing to do on Bainbridge Island! I really really like riding the ferry for some reason, which is why we went. For such a huge thing, it goes fast! The wind blows in your face! I think I just like the view from a boat, surrounded by water.

Bainbridge Island has a few nice restaurants on it, I think. We didn't get to go a nice one because *someone* can't keep normal eating times, and gets "low blood sugar" mood swings and has to eat at 3:30 when nothing is open :) AAAAAaaaaaaaaanyways we spent about 1.5 hours there. Did I mention it's the cheapest ferry ride, at $6.50 a person, round trip?

2006-09-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

Camp Muir Attempt #1
Vacation

My brother Bruce (pic -->) and I had a great attempt at proving our masculinity last labor day, by trying to make it to Camp Muir, at 10,200 feet. We were semi-prepared, taking a backpack with warmer clothes for the top, food, and water for an 8 hour journey.

Starting at Paradise, (5,000 ft) it was a beeuteyful sunny day at 82 degrees and dry. It was just awesome, little brooks with colorful flowers everywhere, marmots running around. We hiked up to Panorama point, the usual stopping place for the Burklins, with no problem, and headed up the mountain, confident that we'd make it. (Me@panorama-->)

The first thing on the Muir trail is a big sign saying !Extreme Danger! Death Awaits even Experienced Climbers! We laughed at the lesser men this might scare off. We climbed a bit, and it was really easy, and then snow appeared...and the trail disappeared! It was just snow and loose, martian looking rocks. We hiked up snow (without poles, in tennis shoes...STUPID) and rocks (giant really loose boulders...STUPID x2) and it was really amazing, the environmental changes. The temperature reminded me of descripitons of the moon...when there is cloud cover, it gets icy quick. When the sun is out, its blazingly strong. We saw a few people up there who obviously forgot the sunscreen, and thier faces were peeling off. The air got thin, and on the snowfields, I was gasping for air, taking two steps, and stopping for deep breaths, making the travel extremely slow. We ended up making it to Anvil Rock, at about 9,500 feet, because of the slope and slipperiness I could not actually move forward anymore without falling down. It was truly exhausting, but pretty satisfying as the first attempt up there. Bruce could have made it higher, but my extra 50 pounds in basketball shoes stopped us. There you go Bruce, it isn't your fault jackass.

Once you get to a certain height, you really are someplace else. You see nothing green or manmade anymore, just mountain tops. It's funny, Mount Rainier snow is white from a distance, but around panorama point its the icy blue deep freeze color. A little bit into the snowfields, it is actually red! There is red algae living in the snow, and with the red rocks up there, it really is more martian than earthlike than you'd think. But it was a remarkable experience, it felt good doing something like that in light of our resigned sedentary years after college. (<-- Bruce, with Summit in Background, at our highest point). Exhausted, the trip back down the mountain was much faster, as all we had to do was fall down and let gravity and the low coefficient of friction between ice and my ass do the rest. At one point, I was sliding down an ice chute so fast, I didn't make a 90 degree turn the path went through. I was launched in the air, and fell about ten feet down into a somewhat hard patch of snow. It was fun, it hurt like hell, and I was laughing through it all. It actually still hurts now when I sit on a hard surface (two weeks later.) (<--Artist's rendition of my ass post-trauma)

So anyways, that was my Anvil Rock adventure, it was a lot of fun. Hopefully next year we make it to Camp Muir!

2006-09-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

Not That Ubiquitous
Politics, Seattle

Just because I was stuck on I-5 this morning for about 20 minutes, I noticed a truck with a big "Jesus" Sticker on the back of it. Things of this nature, like the little metal Jesus fish, seemed to be everywhere to me, so I started counting passing cars (as I was in the stagnant 520 lane) to see how many symbols commonly associated with the right wing I could find. The tally:

356 cars:
1 Jesus Fish
1 Jesus Sticker (previously mentioned)
12 "Support our Troops" ribbons

So that would make .5% Jesus stuff, 3.3% Iraq stuff.

Honestly, the Jesus fish annoys me but I can try to be less annoyed if this is the extent of the problem.

And no, Jesus himself doesn't annoy me, and I want our troops safe too, but let's be realistic about who puts this stuff on their car.

2006-09-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

When Your Old, Everything Is Old
Entertainment

It just seems like I can't watch a movie or TV show where I haven't seen the theme or twist or whatever before. Is there only so many stories people can think up? This isn't to say things aren't enjoyable, but they just don't hold the same ooh and aah-ishness as before. Maybe I'm flattering myself, but I don't really like the mindless entertainment movies, but maybe I should. I can see myself analyzing what's going on in the plot, and it seems like I'm picking up various formulas here and there. Want a dramatic TV show? Just show the characters and develop thier personalities, and then kill them. Want mystery? Just show snippets of something that seems unnaturally powerful, and never really reveal anything, until the very end. Want scary? Turn off the music, then BOO! How do you turn off the analysis machine? Maybe this is really why the more you look at something and analyze it, the more you tend to wander to the 'alternative' or 'experimental' section, you just need something new for the sake of being new.

When I think about sports, it's the same thing? Why on earth would this be exciting? You've seen home runs, touchdowns, etc before haven't you? Maybe because it is unscripted, and you don't actually know what's going to happen, I guess...maybe this is the appeal of the reality TV shows, until the producers start scripting things.

What about porn? Does people's minds wander to the alternative section? No, I don't think so because precisely because people don't think about it, or analyze it, or whatever. It's just good, the same way eating a fruit is good. A nice variety is there, but people don't feel the need eat alternative fruits, do they? Sure, if some new flavor taste good, I like it because it's good, not because I only like it because I'm tired of strawberries. I think that what people consider 'alternative' on the porno side really falls of the map, in a sexual sense, as well, with fatties and old folks, and feet and whatever.

2006-09-06T14:36:00.000-07:00

Teatro Zinzanni
Seattle, Family and Friends

I've got some catch up blogging to do! It's been pretty hectic for the last two weeks, as Esra's mommy came and visited us. We took her to Teatro Zinzanni, which was our second time. Its purrrrrrrrrr-ty good. Its a 5 course, meal 'designed by' Tom Douglas, the chef who owns Etta's and the Dahlia Lounge and other fancy scmancy places, which is quite tasty...There are cirque do soliel type acrobats, contortionists, a drag queen who is actually quite funny, an illusionist, and lots of interactivity, and a clown who really wasn't funny, doing dated Robert DeNiro and Rocky impressions. There were some amazing French jugglers who do stuff with thier feet, even juggling each other! It's expensive, but once a year for like, a weekend vacation or something, it's nice. You can catch a free sample of them at pacific place at 6 pm this month.

It's a great time, and the funniest parts are when they drag a suburban white guy dad out of the audience, and rub his face in some fat cleavage or put a dress on him. A touristy kind of cliche, but really it's quite effective.

2006-08-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

Our Song
Music

Maybe its a childish notion I have, from some unfulfilled teenage years, but I wish Esra and I had what we could call "our song". You know, like it could be playing on the radio or something, and we would drop everything and make sweet tender love to each other, even if we are in the middle of the 520 bridge. Our maybe just to play it at our wedding. But its re-e-e-eally hard to find something: We both have to really like it, and it has to communicate affection and love, and it should be timeless, right? I don't understand turkish lyrics, strike off half of Esra's taste. My music? Mostly alternative and little bit of rap? Really difficult. We really liked Eliot Smith's "Waltz #2, but the main chorus is: You're no good-your'e no good-you're no good. There were two possibilities on the Stone Temple Pilots No. 4 CD: I Got You:

I got you
But its the craving for the good life
That sees me through troubled times
When the mind begins to wander to the spoon

Wander to the spoon? I don't want to explain that I'm not actually a heroin junkie at my wedding.

Another one: Atlanta

She comforts me when
The candles blow out
The cake has grown mold
But the memories are sweet
The laughters all gone
But the memories are mine
The mexican princess
Is out of my life

Goddamn mexican princess?

I used to like NIN alot...Closer? You Let Me Violate You, You Let Me Penetrate You, You Let Me Desacrate You. Hmmmm, no Mr. Panayirici not till after the wedding.

Somebody help me. (Including you, Esra!) I can't give into the pull of teenybopper music. I haven't been looking that hard, maybe just a pointing in the right direction...

2006-08-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

Mount Rainier Trip with Auntie
Family and Friends

Hadn't been there in a while. Yup it's still purty. First we( Esra and me) had a nice lunch with my parents and my Aunt Rosemary, whom I've seen maybe 15 times my whole life. She's quite a nice person, and she's thinking of moving to the northwest, although Seattle is expensive enough to keep her away from King County. It would be nice for her to live somewhat near here, as I am trying to settle here and establish some roots with family and friends, rather than inching my way up the middle class by chasing the money jobs wherever they are. But I digress...

So we hiked up to the Alta Vista viewpoint first, which was .4 miles, but it was 90 degrees and really really steep and was quite a sweaty workout. We continued on only to the glacier view, which maybe was only another .4 miles. We stopped because basically the sweat stripe running down my back was turning into icy glacier itself. We got a couple of nice pictures, played in the snow a little bit, and returned down the mountain and all had dinner in Packwood before parting ways. It was a really nice time.

The trip made me a little ambitious though. I have never been to camp Muir, which is the point where people stop and spent the night before they go up to the summit. It's only 4.1 miles, but the visitor center says it takes 7 or 8 hours to get there because you have to cross a glacier. Now, I know I would face certain death if I tried to make it to the summit. But the camp? mmmm maybe I could make that (with a few hundred rest stops)? I wonder if anybody wants to try to make it there with me, and release their inner sherpa or get away from their babies?

2006-08-18T11:16:00.000-07:00

Katherine Sophia Burklin
Family and Friends

I know what your thinking...blah blah blah media politics where's the good stuff? Well here is my baby niece with me (left) and my brother. Can you guess when this was taken?

Right now she is recovering from a fever and scary siezure episode, but things have returned to normal, and she is a cute and lively baby who is almost walking now!

2006-08-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

Blame the Media...but Not Too Much
Politics

So everyone I know, liberal or conservative, bashes the traditional media for various reasons, which are, of course, very good reasons: bias, innaccuracy, sensationalism, poor priorities, etc. I can't say I disagree with it, but I think people may not think of the consequences of constant generalized media bashing, and that of downgrading the esteem people have in journalists. People seem to be turning to bloggers, news 'analysis' tv shows like O'Reilly or the Daily Show, or whatever. I think it's important that these people are not, for the most part, investigative reporters. They take what's out there, put some outrage or comedy on it to make it interesting, and re-tell the tale. I think, as newspapers and whatnot are on the decline, people are forgetting to read the actual news in the first place. Me included, unfortunately.

When this happens, a lot less resources go into actually investigating things, which is what the press is there to begin with! Remember the term 'fourth estate'? A healthy press - meaning the people who actually spend money on research and investigation, is vital to a democracy because it uncovers corruption and lies of people in power! It's supposed to do that, it's supposed to be negative, and its supposed to be oppositional the the government, as even someone like Karl Rove has mentioned!

So the press is being guilty of making little things into big things? Into putting Natalie Holloway or other pretty white girls on the front page of the paper while there's a fucking war on? Yes! But this is the crap that sells nowadays. There is a hard reality that maybe news has to do this shit to actually stay in business. My friend Julie brought up a good point in that she asks "Which came first? Did people get spoiled and turned to alternative sources of news? Or did the behaviour of the media turn them off, and then they went looking for other sources?" I didn't have a response then, but as is blog fashion, I am thinking to generalize my own experience to everyone: I sure didn't stop really looking at news because it turned me off, but the outrage and jokes of the 'analysis' shows are so much more exhillerating and sexy to me, which is why I turned to them. So did many people do the same thing? I guess I think so...

There is another loss here too: There is a quote from some Senator.."Everyone is entitled to thier own opinions, but not thier own facts". Well, as a result of people skipping the news, I don't think that's true anymore. 99% of climate scientists say that global warming is happening. Hard news reports this. If you watch news analysis shows, liberal ones show it as being true, conservative ones as it not being true. So, who knows what's true? It's just a political issue now.

I know it seems I am thinking of this almost in terms of religious orthodoxy. 'THERE MUST BE ONE ABSOLUTE TRUTH, UNQUESTIONED, OR THE WORLD WILL FALL TO PIECES'. I am aware that the 'hard news' media is full of liars as well. And maybe the whole world isn't turning to bloggers and news analysis just because I seem to be. (I sure hope not). But I think maybe we should consider the costs of generalized media bashing a little bit, and to be on guard that we use criticism to make the media better rather than destroy it.

2006-08-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

A Census Taker Tried to Test Me Once....
News

Holy shit this is the photo of the JonBenet Ramsey killer guy. The caption at seattlepi.com says "Suspect Says He Loved Her Very Much".

*shiver* berrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhghghghg wow can't get much creepier than this. I don't know what's wrong with me, this photo is so cartoonishly evil I laughed out loud.

I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti....SLRGHPTHTHDPDH

UPDATE: I think this guy is a faker!

2006-08-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Choose your Side in the Eternal Battle
Family and Friends

Esra is trying to leave her computer job at a shark's den of a law firm, Preston, Gates & Ellis, to get a job at the Buddhist Monastery in Greenwood. She is trying to leave Team Greed and Evil and to work for Team Goodness and Enlightenment...what an opportunity to have! At the same pay!

But what do the Buddhist monks need with computers?

2006-08-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

No Rework! No Scrap! Woo Hoo!
Work

Let PN J15120015: Assembly, Bearing, Side-Loading go down in the history books. It's my first mechanical design where I didn't generate any scrap or reworks due to design errors! I'm not Senior Design Engineer fo nuttin! (Other than for the company to avoid paying a promotion-related pay raise. Just kidding overlords!) It makes me feel like slightly less of a burned out zombie for a few seconds...

Sometimes I envy the software engineers because they can just try lots and lots of things by changing a few lines of code and hitting the run button. But mechanically, you have to be perfect the first time: stuff has to fit together, it can't corrode, it can't break until 40,000 hrs have passed, it has to be assemble-able, it can't overheat, it can't vibrate, it has to be usable by trained baboons, etc. all sorts of details must be taken into account. Oh and it has to be cheap. Do the software engineers have to have cheap lines of code? I don't think so. Oh, and if you screw up, just send out a downloadable patch, so it's okay if you are somewhat incompetent!

2006-08-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

Todd's Super-Simplified Economic Philosophy
Politics

In a previous post, I had mentioned this:

... my view is that consumerism creates a blandly pleasurable, albiet empty, existence, where at least people can coexist peacefully in mutual dependence. Other people may think of the political strife, exploitation, and environmental destruction associated with it. Who knows? I think the first statement is probably more true, ...

To which I got this stinging reply (I see through the end-smiley face!):

Maybe both are true...and you are experiencing the first half of it and the third world countries are experiencing the second half? Just a thought:)

Just kidding about the stinging. A good point, I think it is definitely true that my experience has been with the good part of consumerism and not the bad part, and thus led to my opinion. But what it really comes down to is my honkey Tom Friedmanesque semi-libertarian economic opinion:

1. A place starts out in total dire poverty, with skeletal kids who don't seem to mind flies crawling on thier eyeballs, etc.

2. Some shitball company opens a factory, and provides crap, Upton Sinclair's Jungle-type jobs where the mortality rate is at least better than total famine.

3. There start to be lots of these people, and they want to form unions and get political power. And with the help of liberals, internationals, spoiled brats who feel guilty about thier wealth, etc. they get some, and start improving thier existence, and infrastructure.

4. Poof! American-Style Democracy, with an Environmental Protection Agency!

Okay maybe step 3-4 has a few sub steps. I wish you could go directly from step 1-4, but that empirically seems too difficult and exploitation just seems to be an unfortunate step in the more natural process. It is nice to see better attempts at 1-4 jumping, like with "fair trade" things, so I can hope this model becomes obsolete!

So bring it on commies!

2006-08-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

The Stranger
Books

SPOILER ALERT! I just finished an audio-book (I think I am too dyslexic to actually read things anymore) of The Stranger, by Albert Camus. It's a book about a guy who basically doesn't care about anything, because nothing really matters in the big picture of things. This idea is so true to this guy, that he ends up killing a man for really no reason. His 'absurd' trial, where one main bit of evidence is that he didn't cry at his mom's funeral, leads not just to his execution but to his realization that sense nothing matters in the big picture of things, the only consequential thing that matters to an individual is his death, which is his only true freedom to the absurdities of reality. At the very least, it's an interesting book because usually books aren't about unlikable main characters with such bleak subjects. But it's a good book because probably everybody at one time or another just feels this way.

I agree in some regards (before the suicidal point), but my main disagreement is that I consider my own happiness important. What I hope makes this less selfish seeming is that I think my own happiness also depends on other peoples happiness, which manifests itself as morality. Now whether this morality is taught or instinctual (I think empathy is somewhat instinctual and a source of morality) is a whole other question. Morality is probably just an attempt at the optimization of happiness, which maybe just is an increases the survival rate of the human species. I am trying to grapple with how to express that one can feel that things may not matter in the big picture, but why does that necessarily mean one should act or more importantly have an intense, pervading depression(?) like the character did in his real life? I kind of think that whether anything matters is a complete unknown, and maybe really undefinable, so why don't you concentrate on what you do know (things that make you happy) and work on that?

2006-08-03T12:09:00.000-07:00

Guerrilla Graffitti
Art, Politics

Whilst screwing about on the web, I found a little snippet of a 'Guerilla Artist' named Banksy, and I have to say that I find it kind of appealing. He just uses stencils and spray paint, and gets it on buildings in a flash before the bobbies can get'im. His graffitti usually magically increase the value of the properties he puts them on! So I first saw images like the one shown, which were just kind amusing - a maid painted on a wall in a dirty neighborhood. Most of his stuff is more political, sort of the anti-fascist, anti-consumerism stuff you see in a lot with artists.

I do like the sentiments, although of course I am immersed neck-deep in consumerism with my Zuma scooter, bubble tea, RAZR phones, etc. It at least makes me think about it; my view is that consumerism creates a blandly pleasurable, albiet empty, existence, where at least people can coexist peacefully in mutual dependence. Other people may think of the political strife, exploitation, and environmental destruction associated with it. Who knows? I think the first statement is probably more true, although I don't believe my level of consumerism is environmentally sustainable on a global level. I can get into my political wishy-washiness in other blog entries...

Back to Banksy, he also painted his stencils on the wall separating Palestine and Isreal, which seemed very poignant to me in ways I can't really figure out how to express. It's a sad state of affairs, of course, and I do feel a little wierd blogging about it especially after an entry about a high school buddy who just shot up a Jewish center. But to me, maybe just on a fundamental level of the engineer I am, a wall seems like a very humane and effective way to limit the violence, and it could be taken down in the future, should things ever calm down. It does seem to me that where the wall actually is (i.e. it looks like a 'land grab' to my untrained eye) complicates the issue, but again maybe thats another blog entry.

2006-07-30T22:52:00.000-07:00

Naveed Haq - What Went Wrong?
News

For those not watching the news, Naveed Haq is the name of the man who shot 6 people, killing one of them, at the Jewish Center in Seattle on Friday. I graduated with him from Richland High School in 1994. I wouldn't say we were close at all, but I know at one time I called him a friend. I got to know him a little bit my senior year, and at graduation, the two of us hung out together at our class graduation party pretty much the whole time. It's funny, you think that might mean we were really great friends, but I was actually pretty socially hopeless throughout high school, most of my friends being one year younger. Naveed might have been the one friendly person I could hang out with in my own grade.

Thinking back to that guy, and the guy who is on the news claiming to be a representative of angry Islam, I cannot fathom even trying to make that connection. But we never talked after high school, and 12 years is a long time to change, I guess. But in high school, Naveed was not any kind of Islamic fundamentalist. He was not even angry about anything. He was pretty much a normal, Americanized kid, who had friends, who was a decent student, who people generally liked and was not picked on, as far as I knew. He was only a little bit conservative, in comparison to most at Richland High School (other than their conservatism was Christianity or Mormonism-based). I don't mean that in any political sense, because we never talked about Republicans or Democrats, or certainly never Isreal. I just mean in his dress and mannerisms, and that he wouldn't ever talk about women in any sexual-salty kind of way as high school boys usually do. When I had 'achieved' getting a girlfriend, he was really happy and approving for me, and a little bit curious but pulling back any question that might result in some kind of explicit answer.

I think I remember the first real time we talked he had found out I was half-Turkish and thought that was cool in some way. Although I mentioned he did have friends, I am not sure the connections were that deep, and he may have possibly felt some kind or outsider status, and that maybe we could relate. We got along okay, but I think we only hung out from time to time within the confines of school hours. I do remember talking to him about religion once or twice. I, not being religious, said something about the illogic of some religion vs. science thing. He thought I was talking about Christianity, and agreed heartily, and said Islam was better in some regard. I had replied for him not to get the wrong idea, I thought Islam wasn't a 'good' religion either, poiniting out that it's very bad in it's treatment of women as mere chattel, with the veils, isolation, etc. He replied, no, this is not Islam, this is some cultural issue in which people are claiming Islam, which says to value 'modesty', to a ridiculous twisted interpretation.

Does that sound like a fundamentalist to you? It doesn't to me, either. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't believe case he ever even went to a mosque, did he? The Times does not mention that. I think the story pieces together what really did happen. In high school he's a normal, study oriented kid who maybe didn't have a ever have a girlfriend. Maybe a little bit of an outsider, but not an outcast. But he was accepted to Rensellaer Polytechnic Institue on some kind of 'accelerated medical program' (I remember his words) and seemed to have a bright future. But I guess he didn't make it. The paper story makes it sound like he didn't ever have a relationship. And 12 years goes by never having a relationship or career success, perhaps not even having many friends (being Americanized foriegner can mean you don't fit in anywhere). And his life didn't turn out like he wanted. And he started blaming his failure on others, like 'the Jews'. It seems he 'snapped' at one point, exposing himself in the tri-cities mall to a bunch of girls. And things never got better for him. Thinking about this, and this being a blog, I have to say I have some sympathy for the guy, probably just because I knew him when everything was normal. But when it comes down to it, its murder. It's hard to even write this because I'm thinking about the high school times. And its a hate crime, even if the real culprit was him not having any of his expectations fulfilled, for his perceived shitty life, because he blamed another group of people for it.

Now is 'snapping' the same thing as insanity? I don't know. When I think about this, hate crime = death penalty. For fucking Naveed Haq. Out of all the fuckups at RHS. I don't want that to happen. Because I knew the guy when he was normal? I don't know, but it makes me sick, in the 'if it happened to that guy, who couldn't it happen to?' way. I just hope that his parents have peace, his victims have peace, and that he has peace...after whatever happens...its just horrible to know that it isn't going to happen anytime soon for these people.

2006-07-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

Friends, Romans, Countrymen...Lend Me Your Wasted Time!
General

I have a new soapbox to stand and deliver my opinions, whims, and decrees to the unwashed masses as I see fit! Prepare to have all of your preconceptions smashed, your mind blown, and to see cute pictures of babies I am related to, family and friends, and pugs! I welcome comments, nay, yearn for them as validation and connection to the outside world! Let the games begin!

The author (There is no good side)

2006-02-08T09:25:00.000-08:00

[from BEAN] The Greatest Invention Ever Created
TV

I can't believe what science today is capable of. I saw this cryptic advertisement for a new invention during the superbowl, with scientists and clipboards and beakers and all of this mind-blowing fantastical technological crap. Apparently after years of blood and sweat and tears and millions of dollars of R&D, our greatest corporate scientest have come up with this: a razor with FIVE BLADES! The Gillette Fusion.

I know what you're thinking..."Five f&*%king blades? Too much battlestar galactica sci fi for you. We are least 20 years away from that. Well strap in little girls. Were not in Kansas anymore, trying to stab the hairs off with old rusty pitchforks. They put ANOTHER blade on the back! See, the five blades will shave off the hair, the little baby hair follicles, and 3 layers of zit. But what's that blade on the back for? Its evil genius baby. Its to lull your naive, happy go lucky face cells into that false sense of security, to let thier guard down before POW facial five blade Armageddon.

I have never been prouder to be an engineer.

And The Onion can predict the future. From Feb 2004. www.theonion.com/content/node/33930

2006-01-19T15:55:00.000-08:00

[from BEAN] Battlestar Galactica Get Together
TV, Friends and Family

UPDATE: Well that was fun, thanks for organizing all of this Amy! And thanks to BEAN-ers Niphon, Svet,Sonja, Emek, for the food and conversation, I am sure we will do this again.

Hey whaddya know a few other people like this show! Amy Chang has suggested some kind of BEAN-ish get together for some Battlestar watching and snacking. We don't have too many details sorted out, but hey please indicate your interest by commenting to this post or Amy's.

Did I mention this show kicks ass? OK first full nerd-dom disclosure: I like Lord of the Rings. I liked star trek. I played Dungeons and Dragons in middle school. I get The Onion joke about "Bill Gates gives self 18 in Charisma." But I have my limits. I have never, ever worn a cape. This show is not really limited to that kind of appeal.

It's smart and full of dialogue, its not reliant on the characters being really good looking, not full of sci fi science mumbo jumbo. There is lots of political and religious conflict, without any ham-fisted messaging. Got suspense, complex characters, and reveals sh*t in a timely manner unlike LOST!

Anyway that's it. Again, post a comment if interested. Take it away, Amy...

2006-01-19T15:52:00.000-08:00

[from BEAN] Battlestar Galactica Get Together
TV, Family and Friends

UPDATE: Well that was fun, thanks for organizing all of this Amy! And thanks to BEAN-ers Niphon, Svet,Sonja, Emek, for the food and conversation, I am sure we will do this again.

Hey whaddya know a few other people like this show! Amy Chang has suggested some kind of BEAN-ish get together for some Battlestar watching and snacking. We don't have too many details sorted out, but hey please indicate your interest by commenting to this post or Amy's.

Did I mention this show kicks ass? OK first full nerd-dom disclosure: I like Lord of the Rings. I liked star trek. I played Dungeons and Dragons in middle school. I get The Onion joke about "Bill Gates gives self 18 in Charisma." But I have my limits. I have never, ever worn a cape. This show is not really limited to that kind of appeal.

It's smart and full of dialogue, its not reliant on the characters being really good looking, not full of sci fi science mumbo jumbo. There is lots of political and religious conflict, without any ham-fisted messaging. Got suspense, complex characters, and reveals sh*t in a timely manner unlike LOST!

Anyway that's it. Again, post a comment if interested. Take it away, Amy...

2006-01-13T12:15:00.000-08:00

[from BEAN] Living on the Edge
Seattle

Under the cover of darkness and rain, I find it is getting so hard to resist my ultimate temptation. I mean, no one can really see me, inside my car every night, in the protective shield of a million water droplets. Every night I see it, and it is just sitting there, waiting for me to ravish it. The white diamond, neglected, calling to me, haunting my dreams. Yes, the 520 car pool lane.

Is anybody going to call 764-HERO? I dare you! Try it, hero. It's too rainy, too dark. Maybe that thing just looked like some jackets and pillows. Or just maybe, it's my fat cousin taking a nap in the front seat. I mean, I was going 50 mph faster than you, just a blur. At least until I get to the next entrance ramp, where I can blend in, just like nothing happened...

2005-12-29T12:17:00.000-08:00

[from BEAN] Slow News Day
Seattle

Howard Wu is on the front page of the PI! Congratulations and good luck with the Orange Badge Club.

2005-12-12T14:33:00.000-08:00

[from BEAN] Discovery Park
Seattle

Discovery Park is by far the most beautiful and romantic wastewater treatment facility/park combo I have ever been to. Kidding aside, I went there for the first time recently, and it is actually a very nice park there, with about 2.8 miles of trail (about 1 hour walking) through a forest, onto a beach, and overlooking the beach by a cliff. Projecting my own experience upon everybody (that's what a blog is for) I assume this is a relatively unknown park. I think it is worth a looksy for a nice walk or if you are econo-dating. Despite the haze, what little of the sunset I saw was quite striking - pink and blue sky, an orange sun, the hazy blue cascades and ocean was really picturesque. The wastewater treatment facility kinda smells near the lighthouse, but its not the smell you think it is, but everywhere else is foresty fresh. FYI it is on the southside of whatever that canal is that separates Udistrict, fremont and ballard from queen anne and montlake, at the very westerly point jutting into puget sound.

2005-12-12T10:50:00.000-08:00

[from BEAN]Travesty of Trump Part I: Alla
TV

Two weeks in a row of crap firings!

I know that microsoft ad was low-rent as-seen-on-tv garbage, but so was the other one! Alla had to put up with sniveling, insecure Felicia who went on and on about how she needs the spotlight and she doesn't want to be shown up. That's all she cared about. Her attitude was: "I want to be the actor, and uh the director, and you can make comments as long as they only serve to inspire my genious."
Maybe I'm being cynical, but I think the notorious "double-standard" showed up here, too. Oooohh Alla's 'too hard to get along with'. She 'can't be led.', or was bossy (actually a coworker said this.) I viewed this as if Alla was a man, she'd be 'tough' or 'strong', but if she's a woman, she's a 'b*tch". Alright I'm not going to write a check to NOW just yet, I'm just mad over a completely unjustified firing and really a less exciting finale.

2005-12-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

[from BEAN] Splenda
Science and Technology

I hope that stuff doesn't end up causing cancer. I probably have 15 packs of that stuff a day.

2005-12-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

[from BEAN]Travesty of Trump Part II: Adam
TV

I don't think the Team Trump has really strong math skills. Okay this firing wasn't as bad as Alla's. Here is my main objection: Adam's team did the horse carraige advertisements (Adam's idea), which ended up looking really crappy, for 6K. They also had 15 barkers, (Felecia's idea) run up and down the street hawking Shania's perfume for 4K. Randall's team had 60 barkers running around doing it (and no other advertising method), for 10K.

The final score, Randall's team got 900 something call-ins. Adam's team got only 5 less. Adam was fired for the horse carraige idea.

What doesn't make sense to me is that Adam and Felecia had 25% of the barkers, and 99% of the points. Doesn't this mean that the horse carraiges might have actually worked very well despite the crummy appearance? If Felecia could have gotten 1 more barker, they probably would have won. Felecia also got less workers per dollar spent than Randall.
She should have been fired here! NO TALENT ASS CLOWNS!

Oh well. I feel better now. Thanks blog therapy.

2005-11-17T05:46:00.000-08:00

[from BEAN] Lost: My patience (almost)
TV

Don't get me wrong, I love the show Lost. But this show has mastered the art of going a whole hour without revealing almost anything. Like last night's "extended" episode (for 4 whole minutes.) What did we learn? Nada. Okay, we saw some of the coed hippy death squad people. Is it too much to ask for some more Dharma project info? And maybe for another shower scene with Kate? Just asking.

2005-10-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

[from BEAN] MP3s and Computer Speakers
House Stuff

Here's a little home audio tip: it might be obvious, I dunno, but I just figured it out this weekend. I have a ton of song files on my computer, but I a pair of crapola speakers on the computer. My girlfriend keeps burning CD's to play on our little home stereo system, which has a lot nicer sound. Our computer is somewhat close to the stereo reciever, so I bought a $30 sound card with an optical output (I'm sure you can get a card for whatever input your stereo has) and connected them. Voila, we have our entire digital library able to play through the nice speakers without screwin around with CD's. Sound quality? Sounds great even at 64 kpbs.

Posted on 10/17/2005 4:50:45 AM

2005-09-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

[from BEAN] Globalization Therapy
Books

Hey cool it's my first ever blog entry - about the book club meeting we had about a week ago. The book was "The World is Flat", and it was all about globalization. So I'm a Mechanical Engineer, and I have some anxieties about this subject, and I got to spew them all out the meeting. Politically, I would call myself a social liberal but economically I throw my hands up about what is the best way to do things. Thomas Friedman (the author) seems really positive about it.
I was wondering, is there anyone out in this community who has been impacted by globalization? Positive or Negative? Please add a comment.

2005-01-17T22:03:00.000-08:00

[from BEAN] Battlestar Galactica
TV

Wow. Just rented and saw season 1. What an fraking awesome show this is. What does it have? Everything! Creepy sex-bots with a close personal relationship with the lord! Crazy genius guy with a public masterbation problem! Genuine surprises and tension! Drama! Edward James Olmos!