Spattering Neurons

A Cranston citizen in support of Jessica

Brian — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:41:19 +0000

The following is a letter which I wrote to Representative Peter G. Palumbo of Rhode Island:

I listened to your interview on the John DePetro Show and wanted to make sure that you heard support for Jessica from your state and from her city.

I’ve seen a lot of backlash about your “evil little thing” comment and so I wanted to make sure I listened to the interview. Fortunately I found that you did take that comment back immediately afterward. What I find most unfortunate about your remarks, though, is that you believe she is being influenced when the strength of her will and her argument comes from the fact that she’s thinking about these things for herself.

I don’t believe anybody, Jessica included, disputes the positive nature of the banner and we would all support a message that supports growth, kindness, honesty, sportsmanship, and friendship. From what I understand Jessica initially suggested that the positive secular message be left alone but her compromise was refused.

I would urge you to remember that the United States is not a Christian nation, nor is it a theistic nation. Institutions such as schools must remain neutral to all sides in order to preserve the balance we’ve tried for so long to keep.

Thank you for your time and your service to the state of Rhode Island and to the United States of America,

Fun with the Flickr API

Brian — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:31:59 +0000

I whipped up a simple Ruby API interface for Flickr using HTTParty and this evening decided to use it to play around with some numbers from my own Flickr account. Just a basic graph showing which hours of the day that I most (and least) take pictures. I did minimal spot checking on pictures and noticed that Flickr thinks that this picture was taken at 3 AM, which can’t be true because it’s a daytime photo from out of doors. I’m sure it’s correct in the aggregate, though… ahem…

Tonight… on MacGuyver!

Brian — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:18:58 +0000

Season 1 of MacGuyver free on CBS.com! Very awesome

“Don’t tell me you can make a bomb out of chewing gum!”
“Why, you got some?”

Yes We Can

Brian — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:26:03 +0000

I hate to quote, link, and run but I’m going to do just that:

“We’ve been asked to pause for a reality check,” Obama said. “We’ve been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.”

Crazy pantsless people!

Brian — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:56:49 +0000

Whoa, I don’t know what to think of this whole no pants on the subway thing, but you’ve got to watch it all the way through.

Skeletooool!

Brian — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:57:44 +0000

My website notes that I’m turned on by style and functionality. Keeping that in mind, I hope you can understand why Leatherman’s upcoming Skeletool gives me a raging hard on. It’s simple, sleek, sexy and, oh yeah, carbon fiber.

Plus, I can introduce it people by saying “This is my SKELETOOOOL!” in my Skeletor voice.

Rock and Roll Wave Induction

Brian — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:59:53 +0000

MC Frontalot
Originally uploaded by cheerfulstoic.

Anybody who’s seen Radiohead, either live or in a video, is probably familiar with the particular way that Thom Yorke shakes his head. Rather than shaking or bobbing, it seems to rotate around a point, in the same plane as his body. Generally this also leads to his shoulders rocking back and forth to meet his head.

When listening to their newest album, I’ve been finding myself doing this exact same motion. I think Thom has found something akin to a resonance frequency in his music which has transmitted his waves to me. I wonder if this has anything to do with why the album kicks so much ass.