Hidden Moose

Libertaria

2009-03-30T18:01:00.001-05:00

Check out my new blog, Libertaria!, when you get a chance. Because of it, you will probably be seeing a lot fewer rants around here, which I guess could be a good thing if you're not too fond of my leanings.

The Best Compliment

2009-03-06T20:27:00.005-06:00

I think that being called "competent" is just about the best compliment anyone can give you. "Gifted," "talented," "visionary," etc., all imply innate skill and/or intelligence, but say nothing about one's ability to apply those traits. In my view, "competent" means that not only is one greatly skilled, but that one also has superior drive, work ethic, and motivation as well as a penchant for critical thinking and problem solving. These factors propel the competent to not only do things, but to do those things to the best of their abilities and in a timely manner. It is competence which drives the world.

Similarly, I think that "incompetent" is quite an insult. To be called incompetent is to be ridiculed not because of lack of intelligence or skill, but because of one's inability to apply those traits towards a fruitful goal. If competence drives the world two steps forward, it is incompetence which pulls it back one.

I was called "extremely competent" today, by someone who I consider to be more than extremely competent. I don't know if a compliment has ever meant more to me, or put me in such a joyous disposition.

Template Issues

2009-03-04T18:31:00.002-06:00

As my lovely girlfriend noticed (and hopefully she's the only one), my blog was recently uglified when the background images were replaced by something really annoying. Apparently, the people who wrote the open source template I was using decided to be stupid and use a free picture hosting service to host the background images. So when that service did clean up they removed the images I was using. **sigh**

Oh well. For now I'm going to be using this built-in minima dark theme. I've recently learned me some XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript, so I'll fiddle around with the template in my spare time, and there may even be some interactivity coming in the future.

"Smoking" Hot Topic

2009-02-24T19:09:00.004-06:00

Some time before the beginning of last semester, the University of Arkansas instituted a new tobacco-free policy which completely banned smoking (and chewing tobacco too, I presume) on campus. The Arkansas Clean Air Act banned smoking indoors but allowed it outside as long as you were at least 25 feet away from all public building's entrance/exit. But the University's new, less sensible policy has banned smoking anywhere on campus, at any time.

Though I dislike smoking, I oppose the University's new tobacco-free policy on three grounds: it unnecessarily infringes upon students', faculties', staffs', and visitors' liberties; it was enacted unilaterally by the University's administration without much, if any, consultation with or input from those whom it affects; and it is currently not being enforced, making the University appear insincere and/or weak with their regulations.

Proponents of the University's policy justify prohibiting smoking, which would be permissible almost anywhere outdoors off-campus, by claiming that second-hand smoke is harmful to non-smoking passersby. Sadly enough, the science to support this claim is just not there, though there is plenty of rhetoric spread across the internet and elsewhere. Smoking is dangerous to the smoker, and absolutely harmless to non-smokers unless they are a premature infant or trapped in a small room with a chain smoker for hours on end every day. I won't cite anything because that's not what I'm here for, but if you doubt my claim simply watch Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, Season 1, Episode 5 (long story short, the original EPA study -- which almost all successive studies use as a basis -- fabricated data to be used by those with an anti-smoking agenda).

So the anti-smoking advocates on campus who so ardently defend the policy are advocating infringing on smokers' liberty to put whatever legal substance they want into their own bodies on the scientific basis of...well, there is no scientific basis. The only thing that they have left to claim is that the smoke is unpleasant, which I don't disagree with, but which is not a legitimate reason to ban smoking. If it was, you could apply the same idea to obsessive Axe bodyspray users, people who listen to music too loudly while driving, or the dude who chews with his mouth open at the table next to you: all those behaviors are unpleasant, but you just can't in good sense do anything institutionally about them. Same goes for smoking.

I take issue with the way that the University enacted the tobacco-free policy. From what I understand, there was no ad campaign to raise support, no open forum for discussion and/or debate, and no input solicited from the student body or government. The policy was formulated and enacted solely by the University's bureaucracy and administration. At a public university, enacting such a sweeping yet non-essential policy should be a much more open and inclusive process so that its opponents have a fair chance to be heard. Instead, the University chose to disregard almost anything its students might have to say on the matter, which clashes horribly with the new Chancellor's motto of "Students First."

Finally, we get to the sheer ridiculousness of enforcing the policy. All a smoker has to do to get around the policy is cross the street to off-campus, or even just whip out a pack, light up, and hope that one of the three people on campus who actually care about following the policy don't walk by. And even if they do, what are they going to do: ask you to stop? "No thanks, I'd rather not." Flag a passing police officer? Campus cops are few and far between and have more important things to worry about even if they could enforce the policy (to my knowledge, they currently cannot), and so would probably laugh at you for wasting their time. Grab the cigarette out of your mouth and quench it? That's a form of assault and theft, both of which the University and the law consider much more serious than smoking. Besides, the smoker will just light up again as soon as the coast is clear. Accordingly, I know only one smoker who has changed his habits because of the tobacco ban, and he only does so because he is an RA and could lose his position otherwise.

Unenforceable laws or policies only degrade the integrity of those issuing them. When college kids see that they can get away with not abiding the University's widely publicized ban on smoking, psychologically it makes it easier for them to break other, less advertised rules. I don't know why the University would want to potentially add to the problems it already has with under aged alcohol consumption, public intoxication, narcotics use and addiction, unruly drivers, etc., but that's exactly what they do every time they institute an unenforceable policy like the smoking ban.

C is for Death Metal

2009-02-09T02:26:00.002-06:00

All Hail Skynet!

2009-02-03T15:13:00.002-06:00

Judgment Day is upon us. If you see a blinding flash of light and then a naked Arnold Schwarzenegger, it's already too late.

Gizmodo: near-future supercomputer will be capable of 20 petaflops (that's faster than the combined computing power of the world's 500 fastest already-existent supercomputers!).

Love/Hate

2009-02-02T19:16:00.004-06:00

This is a theme that's been stuck in my head for a while now. I figure getting it down on digital paper might make it go away...or maybe it won't and you'll see more of these posts in the future. Meh.

I love (meaning appreciate, enjoy, etc):

Good action/science fiction movies.
Guitar solos.
Caffeine.
Low gas prices.
Fresh-out-of-the-dryer clothes, especially hoodies.
Procrastinating.
Kickin' ass and takin' names.
Netflix.
Sarcasm, and lots of it.
Earl Grey with half-and-half and sugar or honey.

I hate (meaning dislike, despise, condemn, etc):

Chain mail, all "pass this on" memes.
Surprise-attack cold hands on the back of my neck, my stomach, or pretty much anywhere.
Obama-fanatics and Bush-bashers.
Bush-fanatics and Obama-bashers.
Pretty much anyone who idolizes/demonizes someone who really isn't all that great/terrible.
Landscape photos being posted on the interwebz in portrait orientation, and vice versa.
Insomnia.
People who own a computer, but don't know the first thing about it or how to use it.
Legislating from the pulpit. It's called liberty, people: get with it!
Awkward moments. They're awkward.

Long weekend is looooooooooong.

2009-01-29T21:10:00.002-06:00

Yay for six day long weekends! After visiting Ariel (and going to her niece's first birthday party) this last weekend, I came back to the UofA not quite prepared for, but expecting, a normal week of classes, homework, and research. Apparently, the weather had other ideas.

Two days of freezing rain, one night of sleet and snow, power outages, and all of the damage caused by falling tree limbs caused the university to close its doors for the next four days. If what my roommate says is true, that the UofA has only been closed due to weather 18 days during the last 100 years, this week had to be a record. Hey, I'm not complaining.

Yo-ho.

2009-01-29T00:45:00.002-06:00

Found this pic in a gallery of inauguration pics. It's of the Bush's greeting the Obama's for the traditional pre-inauguration coffee.

Look's like Michelle Obama has a little Cap'n Morgan in her.

:D

Good Day

2009-01-21T20:53:00.005-06:00

It's been a good day. I got plenty of sleep last night, and almost jumped right out of bed this morning. I didn't, because I would've hit my head on the ceiling (it's happened before, lol), but I wanted to. Classes were easy, yet interesting -- especially my International Relations course. I really love that class and professor. My boss at Kaplan actually EMAILED ME BACK. I don't know if she's extremely busy, or just bad about communicating, but her relative silence was beginning to annoy me. I took a walk, had a good dinner, and got some chai tea from Wal-Mart.

But the biggest news of the day has to be this: Dr. Susan Gauch, the head of the Computer Science Department here at the UofA and one of my professors last semester, has recruited me for a research project which will employee me through October at the earliest. The research grant comes through a two-person company called Cyberneutics, which is developing a web-based, inter-agency, collaborative planning application for the State Department and the U.S. Joint Forces Command. I will be helping to develop the graphical user interface for this program, with the goal of making it as intuitive and user-friendly as possible while still displaying a good amount of information quickly and in a readily-understood manner. I'll be working part time for the rest of the semester, and full time over the summer. At the moment I know almost nothing about web development, so it should be quite the learning experience for me.

Weight loss update:

The weight gain has been halted, and has begun to show signs of reversing. In the last three weeks, I have lost somewhere between 2 and 4.5 pounds, depending on the time of day I weigh myself. I plan on severely limiting my soda/junk food intake indefinitely, continuing attempts at portion control (which seems to be my biggest hurdle, at the moment), and finding some sort of physical activity which I can participate in regularly.

And now, Hidden Moose's Random Thought of the Day:

"Poke poke poke! Mmmmmmmmmm, that was a good poke!"
"Cheeeeese..."

(These are both excerpts from some instances of me sleep talking, relayed to me by my roommate.)

Demographics

2009-01-04T22:51:00.002-06:00

According to this article on The Washington Post's website, one of the most worrying trends facing the world in the coming decades is rapid population aging. With birthrates significantly less than 2 children per couple in the majority of the developed world, such as Europe and Japan (it's 2.1 in the United States), the world faces many economic, diplomatic, and other difficulties.

My New Year's Resolution

2009-01-01T22:44:00.002-06:00

Generally, I chuckle when people say that they've made a New Year's resolution. Most of the time they're so ... lame, I guess, and most people don't make it a quarter through the year without giving up. I don't think I have ever made one myself, and if I have I certainly haven't kept it (because I'd remember that, lol).

But this year, I almost HAVE to make a New Year's resolution, if not in name then at least in deed. So why not call it what it is? My resolution, common though it may be, is to lose weight and keep it off.

I'm not talking about losing the little bit of weight that everyone seems to get around the holidays. I've been gaining weight at a significant pace for at least two-and-a-half years now. I remember starting my junior year of high school at 180 pounds. I wasn't exactly skinny, though I reckon I was in the best shape of my life so far. I began my senior year at just under 200 pounds. By graduation, I weighed 225. Last I checked, my weight was around 240 pounds.

And the weight gain has really accelerated in the last six months, to where it's affecting my physical appearance in more ways than just giving me a thicker profile (stretch marks, etc). If I let it stay I'm sure that it will soon negatively affect my health.

I don't mean to make my problems yours. Rather, I mean for this to be a motivating factor for me: if everyone knows that I've gained a lot of weight, and even a few people are willing to hold me accountable for it, I think I'm much more likely to succeed in halting, then reversing, my weight gain. So please, if you see or talk to me, ask me how the weight-loss is going. If I say "not good" or whatever, feel free to reprimand, insult, or laugh at me (Sawyer, this does NOT apply to you. Keep YOUR chubby mouth shut, lol). Just PLEASE don't tell me that it's okay, because it's not.

I hope to reach 200 pounds within a year. As a first step, I'm not going to drink any sodas for at least a month. After that, there will most likely be a one-a-day limit or something along those lines, and I'm going to otherwise improve my diet by reducing portion sizes, eliminate unhealthy snacking, etc. I will also look into plausible (meaning not-boring) ways to get into better physical shape, such as taking martial arts classes again, or whatever my schedule will allow.

If you've read this, thank you for caring at least that much. If you're going to hold me accountable, you get double the thanks. :D

Wow, there really isn't a good way to end this post, sooooo...

Wish I had found this earlier...

2008-12-27T11:12:00.002-06:00

Watch Hammerdance videos and dance lessons at DanceJam.com

Ex Post Facto

2008-12-20T00:00:00.006-06:00

Article I, Section 9, Paragraph 3 of the Constitution of the United States reads:

"No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed."

Now that seems kind of simple to me, but here's an explanation of the legal jargon: a bill of attainder is a law which automatically convicts someone without a trial, and an ex post facto law is one which "retroactively changes the legal consequences of acts committed or the legal status of facts and relationships that existed prior to the enactment of the law" (Wikipedia). So in more common terms, the passage from Article I reads:

"No law which convicts someone without a trial or applies retroactively shall be passed."

The writers of the Constitution probably spent all of ten seconds composing that sentence, because it is such an easy concept to understand. Many states (probably all of them, I haven't done the research) also incorporated this concept into their respective constitutions. Take for instance, oh, I don't know...California.

Article I, Section 9 (sound familiar?) of the California Constitution reads:

"A bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts may not be passed."

Huh. Imagine that. So, both the U.S. Constitution and the California Constitution specifically state that no ex post facto laws can be passed. So why is it that the proponents of California's Proposition 8 -- which defines marriage in California as between a man and a woman and which the state's voters approved last month -- claim in a suit that Proposition 8 voids certain marriage licenses issued prior to its passing? Hmmmmmmm...sounds kind of EX POST FACTO to me.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I am referring to certain homosexual marriages which were legal in the state of California up until November 4th.

I am not arguing for, nor against, homosexual marriage. That's not what this is about. This is about people pushing their agendas too far. This is about people trampling all over their constitutions, in effect saying that the bedrock for their entire legal system doesn't matter. You don't want to issue any more marriage licences to homosexual couples? Fine. Whatever. That's another issue. You want to ignore or directly oppose your constitution? Not fine. Not fine at all.

I hope the California Supreme Court takes one whiff of this, holds their collective nose, and declares it the B.S. that it is.

If you would like to read a "fair and balanced" report of this, here ya go.

Motivation

2008-12-12T18:45:00.004-06:00

I think I'm going to watch this video first thing tomorrow morning (I have a final at 7:30am).

Okay, so it's kind of pointless. But it is motivating. :)

"Techie" is just another word for "ninja".

2008-12-06T22:38:00.008-06:00

So I spent a vast majority of today being a lazy geek, instead of studying like my roommate. And it was actually pretty productive, in a lazy geek-ish way. I slept in late -- don't ask -- and once I woke, ate, and dressed, I became plastered to my computer screen. Throughout the course of the day, I discovered several interesting websites and applications, which I would now like to share with you.

The first website which I found was Gizmodo. It's like the CNET of the tech gadget world, but less structured and more bloggy. I'd heard of it before, but had never visited. I browsed for a while, finding a list of awesome apps for my iPhone (I added most of the ones I didn't already have) and an article detailing the author's experience of test driving a Tesla Roadster. Apparently electric car technology is coming along pretty quickly. Some of the Roadster's more impressive specs are its 0-to-60 mph in 3.6 seconds acceleration, it's 250 mile range (1 full charge) -- pretty good for an electric car -- and its pricetag. Coming in at under $30 thousand, I would probably buy a Roadster if I had the cash to drop on a sportscar.

There was some more random web browsing using StumbleUpon, a program that shows you websites based upon your interests. If you value your sleep, DON'T GET IT! I then broke out my Wacom "Bamboo Fun" tablet, opened up Alias/Autodesk Sketchbook, and got to sketching on my gorgeous 24" screen. I doodled a few things, and spent some time on a sketch which started out as a humorous depiction of a dude dressed in only boxers, yawning and scratching his leg, but turned into a pretty serious study of anatomy. It's interesting to me how my knowledge of the human form has evolved, and continues to do so, since I began drawing. There's always something new to learn, some new connection to make. I may upload the sketch to my deviantArt account later, since it is still pretty funny. While I was sketching, I got a craving for some music that's pretty different from the metal that I normally listen to, so I opened up Pandora (check it out, it's awesome!) and created one station based on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, one on the song "Handlebars" by Flobots, and another on the German industrial metal group Rammstein. \m/(><)\m/ Hunger finally caught up to me, so I went to the Pomfreteria for dinner. Normally, chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes with gravy would repulse me (darn you, ASMSA!), but tonight it actually sounded very appetizing. I had two helpings. :) Sitting with a small group of friends, I got caught up in the most random conversations: theoretical physics, crazy professors, ping pong, cult classic movies, and ancient Greek literature were just a few of the topics we talked about. o_O

Then it was time to check my gMail, Twitter, and Facebook, which of course turned into more random web browing. I ran across a website called Lifehacker, and found this article on amazing but underhyped free apps. I already use several of the apps listed -- I would highly recommend Dropbox and VLC-- and decided to try two new apps based on its recommendations.

The first one I tried was Songbird. A music player modeled after iTunes, Songbird has a distinct advantage over Apple's behemoth. Unlike iTunes, Songbird is open source, which means that its source code is not closely guarded, and anybody can program and submit add-ons or alternate versions. This results in quite a few functionalities which iTunes lacks, such as changeable skins or the ability to research and display song lyrics automatically. Songbird also incorporates a decent web browser, since it is based on the code the spawned my favorite browser, Firefox. I'm thinking about dropping iTunes for everything except purchasing music. Overall, I give songbird 4 stars out 5, with the expectation that this relatively infantile program will vastly improve over the next few years.

The second app I tried was Evernote, which has the slogan "remember everything." Right now I use a combination of my brain, my iPhone, sticky notes (both real and virtual), and Lefty Notebooks to keep myself organized and on-track. Evernote promises to unify that function -- although I can still use my iPhone, since there is an Evernote app for that, too -- and much more. It's a little difficult to explain the app, so here is a video explaining it. I haven't really used Evernote enough to give it a rating yet.

I then took a shower, treated my newly operated-on toe (WARNING: kinda gross, not for the queasy), video chatted with my lovely girlfriend using Skype, and sat down to write this post. Since I slept in so late -- again, don't ask -- I anticipate being up pretty late. I'll probably read some more of The Dark Tower, do some programming homework, or maybe watch a movie on Netflix.

Conclusion: my life pretty much operates on technology. And I'm okay with that. :D

Art and Christmas

2008-12-05T00:54:00.005-06:00

I've uploaded my first two pieces of artwork to deviantArt! They're somewhat older paintings that I just so happened to have photos of on my hard drive, but expect some new material shortly. Check out my gallery here.

Also, if for whatever reason you would like to get me a present for Christmas, I have a wishlist on amazon.com, here. Have a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!

EDIT: Ooooo! Some XKCD shirts would be cool, too. I like this one, this one, and this one. XL, please. :D

College: the Great Eater-of-Time

2008-12-01T19:46:00.004-06:00

Wow, have I really been here for an entire semester already? Where have the last few months gone? I guess I feel like time has gone by so fast because I really haven't been doing a whole lot here. Classes are really easy, the easiest they've ever been. Finals are coming up, but I only have two of those, and I really only have to study for one - though I'll probably end up studying for both, just to be safe.

Other than academics, nothing has really kept me any kind of busy here, so I've had remarkable amounts of free time to do whatever with. I got a Netflix subscription ("The Unit" rocks!), and have taken to sketching a lot more than I used to. I think I'm going to paint something over Christmas break -- any suggestions would be appreciated -- and start uploading any exceptional sketches to deviantart.com. My goal is to sketch at least one thing every day for a year, and at the end of it see how much my art has improved. Should be interesting...

Oh, I got a JOB!!! A really good one, too. Beginning probably after the Christmas break, I will begin training for a position as an ACT/SAT instructor and teacher with Kaplan (if you've ever used a test-prep book, chance are they made it). The hours are flexible, the pay is OUTSTANDING, it looks really good on a resume, and there are significant opportunities for advancement. My job, along with a more rigorous class schedule, should keep me much more occupied next semester.

I had a good Thanksgiving break, and am looking forward to being home for Christmas (and the TSO concert!). I don't know if it is because of the difference in environments, or if I am the one who has changed, but I anticipate coming home much moreso than I did while attending ASMSA. Probably a combination of the two.

I guess that's it for now. Adios!

Irony

2008-09-26T00:12:00.002-05:00

Gah, the libertarian side of me is screaming bloody murder. Fortunately, the practical side is holding him in check.

Texans are smart.

2008-08-26T19:05:00.003-05:00

In case you don't know, I am a HUGE gun rights proponent. I believe that it is an essential right of law-abiding citizens to protect their lives, well being, liberty, and property through whatever means necessary. I applauded the Supreme Court's decision regarding Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban earlier this year, and now it appears that I am applauding a small K-12 school in Harold, Texas, which has recently allowed its teachers to carry concealed weapons on school grounds for the protection of themselves and their students (full article here).

I can only hope that more schools, especially universities, follow suit. It is ridiculous that peaceful, law-abiding, safety-concerned college students should be afforded the right to protect themselves with a handgun off-campus, but not on-campus where the risk of violence is higher due to population density and other factors. Banning firearms only serves to disarm law-abiding citizens; criminals are going to get their hands on a weapon, ban or no ban.

There is a very real difference between "feeling" safe, and actually being safe. I would much rather college students (with clean criminal records, bills of mental health, and proper training, of course) make those around them feel unsafe by being allowed to carry a firearm, because the reality is that everyone would be much safer as a result. Imagine what could have been done at Columbine or Virginia Tech had even just one teacher or student been legally carrying a concealed weapon. The psychotic mass-murders would have been much less likely to go on their killing sprees in the first place, and barring that, they could have been stopped early on, instead of racking up dozens of victims before committing suicide.

Let me know what you think. I feel like I'm talking to a wall sometimes... :)

College = Awesome

2008-08-22T19:45:00.003-05:00

I've been at the University of Arkansas for just over 24 hours now, and I love it. There are so many interesting new people to meet, and a lot of my ASMSA buddies and gal pals are here to reminisce with. I've got a few things that need doing before Monday, like figuring out some stuff with my computer science course and getting my books, but most of my time is mine to do with as I please. My dorm room is nicer than either of the ones I had at ASMSA (though it badly needs a rug: I thought my feet were going to get frostbitten this morning), and now that I'm completely unpacked, I feel right at home. I got a little homesick last night and earlier today, and I do still miss my family, but I'm getting very comfortable here.

That being said, I still may go to Conway (and home) next weekend. Just cause. :)

Angered and Ashamed

2008-08-14T00:54:00.001-05:00

As Americans, I think we should all be enraged when the authorities,
those who are supposed to uphold the law, overstep its boundaries and
become criminals themselves. Please read: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/13/town.curfew.ap/index.html

This is one of the rare times I am absolutely ashamed to say that I
live in Arkansas, and one of the even rarer times when I actually
agree with the American Civil Liberties Union. Apparently, the mayor,
police, and citizens of Helena-West Helena think that “some
infringement on constitutional rights (such as the right of peaceful
assembly, right to travel freely, and freedom from unreasonable
searches or detention) is OK,” provided that crime levels are high
enough. In effect, the mayor has declared a state of martial law,
complete with curfew and heavily armed paramilitary forces on patrol.

“Papers, please. Papers.”

That law-abiding citizens should be subject to this sort of treatment
simply to curb illegal activity is absolutely outrageous, and steps
far beyond the legal authority given to a mayor, no matter what the
situation. Helena-West Helena is not in a state of war, nor is it
experiencing a natural disaster: even if it was, the mayor does not
have the right or authority to declare martial law. The law does not
afford police the right to stop anyone and everyone, for any and every
reason, whenever and wherever they so choose.

By encouraging, or even allowing, this unconstitutional overstepping
of legal bounds, the citizens of Helena-West Helena are setting a
dangerous precedent. If the mayor and police see the current situation
as permissible, what is their response going to be to future issues,
such as protests, riots, even political rallies? Helena-West Helena is
already practically a police state, so what’s to stop the further
brutal suppression of law abiding citizens? As I said before, “Papers,
please. Papers.”

My advice to the citizens of Helena-West Helena (and everyone else,
for that matter):

Know your rights.

You have the right to remain silent. Look it up, but I believe the
only pieces of information you are required to provide is your name,
age, and your license, registration, and proof of insurance if you are
driving at the time of your detainment.

You have the right to an attorney should exercising your right to
silence cause the police to arrest you – in fact, the first words out
of your mouth if arrested should be “I want a lawyer. I will not
answer any questions until I have consulted with one. And I want my
phone call.”

You have the right to deny police the permission to search your
person, your vehicle, and your home.

And you have a right to own a firearm, if acquired legally, and the
right to use said firearm in self-defense against the criminals who
apparently are plaguing your town. I would recommend you do so, if you
have any desire to repeal the police-state that is currently in
existence. The criminals will be much less likely to shoot up your
home if they know that they will be shot back.

Tricksy! (not about Hobbits)

2008-07-31T21:04:00.005-05:00

Much has been said about Wal-Mart, a lot of it positive, but a definite portion negative. I am going to join the ranks of those voicing their displeasure with the world's largest corporation. But I'm not going to complain about its poor treatment of employees (or customers, for that matter, but that's a different rant), or it's obsession with quantity over quality, or how it affects local and global economies. No, my complaint is much more simple, based in the realm of honest buyer-seller business practices.

You'll agree with me that a basic rule of thumb for purchasing goods, in the United States at least, is that the more of a particular good you purchase, the lower the price per unit. Buying in bulk at places like Costco or Sam's Club saves most of their members a considerable amount of money, despite the hefty membership fees. "Buy more, save more!" if you will.

Apparently, Wal-Mart does not subscribe to this philosophy. For instance, a standard twelve pack of Mountain Dew cost $2.98 at my local Wal-Mart this very evening. The cost of a twenty-four pack of the exact same soda? $6.98. That's an increase of 4.25 cents per can.

Okay, so that's a little deceptive, but it's not outright lying, right? Given, but Wal-Mart did that too. For when I went to purchase my particular brand of deodorant, I saw that it came in a two pack. "BUY TWO AND SAVE!!!" proclaimed the plastic wrapping on the two-packs, which were priced $4.97. Ironically, right next to them were the single packs of the exact same deodorant, priced at $2.00.

Wal-Mart arguably misled buyers with the different Mountain Dew packs, but it blatantly lied by displaying the "BUY TWO AND SAVE!!!" labels on the deodorant. Now that I think about it, I should have asked to see the highest ranking person at the store and complained. But I really just wanted to check out and go home, and apparently write a slightly whiny blog post about it. **shrugs**

Moral: buyer beware!

IN OTHER NEWS:

After a looooooooooong ordeal which culminated with "Pissed-Off Patrick" cracking the gates of Hell and threatening to call AT&T corporate headquarters, I finally got my iPhone last Friday! After owning it for a week, I absolutely love it: it's sleek, shiny, very very very functional, and worth every penny, especially if you get as many quality free apps as possible from the new App Store.

I've begun really looking forward to going to college in three weeks, and simultaneously have started really missing ASMSA. Throughout my senior year, all I could think about was graduation and summer and college, but now that it's over, I miss it. A lot. :( But college is coming, with up to 4 more years of even more fun (I hope). :)

That's all for now. Stayed tuned for next week's riveting episode!

Well...

2008-07-16T21:50:00.006-05:00

...I know, I know. It's been a while. So for those of you who actually read this little project of mine, here you go. Enjoy responsibly.

Hidden Moose's Random Thought of the Day: You know the changing tables in public restrooms? Why are they ALWAYS in the handicap stalls? I mean, seriously, how often do you see an old man in a wheelchair changing a baby's diaper in public? And what happens if a handicap person really needs to go, but there's also a baby throwing the world's largest tantrum because it needs to be changed? Who gets priority use of the handicap stall/changing station? Are the two things supposed to happen at the same time? I can see an intense lawsuit over this very issue on the horizon...

I've been bowling a lot lately, having a lot of fun, and doing really well. I've been in leagues off and on since I was ten or eleven, and this past year the varsity team from Hot Spring High School that I was a member of came in second place in the state, missing first by less than 50 pins out of over 4000 total. A really close call.

But despite my 150ish average this last season, I hadn't broken 200 in over four years (my high game is a 242). Until last Sunday. Since then, I've been to the bowling alley on the Air Force base five times, and have broken 200 a total of nine times, averaging about 185 overall. This has really convinced me that I need to keep bowling in college, and I've been told that the UofA is trying to put together a competitive team. I hope that's the truth, cause I'm really excited about being good at a sport (or pseudo-sport, depending on your definition), and want to compete.

Work has been going well. I really can't think of a better summer job, so I have no complaints. Hopefully I'll be able to do it again if I decide to come home next summer.

I got an iPhone! Well, I didn't exactly get it, but I did purchase one. I should have it in my grubbies by the end of the week because it has to be shipped from a warehouse. :D

That's all for now. I'll try to be better about posting, but the key word there is "try". I would be more motivated to post if people actually commented (it lets me know I'm not wasting my time)...

Baby, and other updates.

2008-06-08T00:40:00.005-05:00

Attison was born yesterday! She's adorable, weighing in at just under 6 pounds. She's also really well-behaved, as far as babies go. She only fusses when she hungry or needs to be changed, and she doesn't care who holds her. It's kind of funny to see Mom and Ashley be so overly protective of her, though she doesn't seem to like nurses all that much. I wouldn't either, if I was her.

As for other events going on in my life: camping was awesome. Ethan, Greg, and I had a great time cooking camp food, making fires, and kayaking the Buffalo River (we paddled 9.7 miles in 3.25 hours -- yes, we're hardcore). I've been home since Tuesday, and I'm leaving again on Monday, going to Fort Smith to spend a day with Ariel, then to Fayetteville for freshman orientation. I'll get to meet my roomy there, so I'm pretty excited. :)

I start work a few days after I get back from Fayetteville. Looking forward to it.

Camping!

2008-05-31T00:54:00.002-05:00

I leave tomorrow -- well, technically later today -- to go camping for a few days with two of my buds, Greg and Ethan, my roommate from my Junior year. Greg and I will be staying the night at Ethan's place after hitting up Wal-Mart for supplies, then we'll get up early in the morning and travel to Bull Shoals, where we've reserved a campsite. Our plans include fishing, canoing/kayaking, not showering, and generally being manly men in the outdoors. There was originally two other people going on the trip, Josh and Grant, but Josh got mono and Grant had a family emergency. We'll miss you, buds.

Next week I go to orientation at the University of Arkansas. I'll set up my class schedule, get some questions answered, maybe look for a part time job, etc. Speaking of a job, I start work on the Air Force Base next week. Fun fun fun.

Since coming home, it seems like I'm trying to catch up on all of the leisure reading, drawing, and video games that I've missed the past two years at ASMSA. Especially the reading; I finished J.R.R. Tolkien's The Children of Hurin a few days ago (so depressing. Incest and suicide, oh my!), have read several graphic novels in the past week or two, and am currently reading Magic Street by Orson Scott Card and Rule #1 by Phil Town. Isacc Asimov's Nemisis is next on the list.

I should probably go to bed now, since I have to pack a bunch of camping gear and drive quite a ways. G'night.

Graduation!!!

2008-05-26T15:26:00.003-05:00

As of Saturday May 24th, 2008, I am no longer a high school student! Here are a few pics of graduation. :)

Crazy Rooster

2008-05-25T00:20:00.003-05:00

This is my first completed work using my new tablet and OpenCanvas (click it, it's huge). He's a Crazy Rooster. Ask my mom.

Gifts galore!

2008-05-23T22:29:00.006-05:00

I would like to say a quick thank you to anyone who gave me a birthday or graduation gift. I received anything from a Dr. Seuss book to a grooming kit to cash/gift cards... to a car! I appreciate every single gift. Thank you all for making helping to make this one of the most memorable times in my life. =)

Speaking of gifts: I'm having way too much fun with my new "toy," which I purchased with the aid of one of my birthday gift cards.

It's a "Bamboo Fun" tablet from Wacom, and is possibly the coolest thing ever. With it's pressure-sensitive stylus and absolute positioning pad, I can draw directly into programs like Photoshop or OpenCanvas. It reduces messes made from art supplies, makes it super easy to upload my work to the internet (there's some coming, I promise!), and vastly improves the quality of my art. Because I can zoom in and out on the programs that I'm using to draw with, I can make my work very detailed. Coloring is also MUCH easier. =D

Still speaking about gifts: I purchased Ariel's graduation present today (she doesn't have internet, so I'm safe). I got her a really nice bike helmet for when she rides to work this summer. I also got her this:

Shiny!!!

Vindicated

2008-05-22T16:35:00.003-05:00

I wrote (here) several weeks ago about how I thought that the state of Texas was wrong to remove 460 children from an FLDS compound based on information gathered from one, questionable report of abuse. Well, it seems that I'm not the only one to feel that way.

Today, an appeals court in Texas directed the court which authorized taking the children into state custody to vacate the order within ten days. Though it did not directly mandate that the children be returned to the Yearning For Zion compound, it is expected to have that outcome.

You can read the story here.

There's no place like home.

2008-05-21T08:01:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was my last day of high school. I left ASMSA around 3 in the afternoon, never to return as a student. My time there was fun and exciting and good, but I'm glad that chapter in my life's story has drawn to a close. I'm excited to move on with my life (read: get a job, go to college, etc). It's going to take a little bit of time to get used to. For instance, last night when I was watching the 2-hour season finale of NCIS with Mom and Ashley, it hit me: I don't have any homework!!! The realization about made me faint from ecstasy.

The DMV, or whatever Arkansas calls it, in Hot Springs was really full yesterday, so I got up early this morning to go to the one in my hometown. I needed to get my driver's license renewed, because I turned 18 (stupid Arkansas laws). Is it a prerequisite that everyone who works in a government office has to not only be completely devoid of humor or happiness, but also must be continuously grumpy and pretentious? Because it sure seems that way...

I had to rearrange the furniture in my room last night to make space for all of my stuff, like my giant mini-fridge (it's not a contradiction, it's a paradox: how can something so small be so big?). I actually like the new arrangement: it maximizes open floor space in the middle of my room, and puts my desk in front of my window so I can get natural light when I draw or paint. I am a feng shui master! **Bruce Lee imitation, but with furniture**

Today is looking to be fairly busy. I have two Post-Its (so far) of a To-Do list, and a couple of things that I want to go buy. I'm still trying to think of an awesome graduation gift for Ariel. Maybe I'll just go cruise the mall and hope for a muse to provide inspiration...

AWESOME!!!

2008-05-20T09:52:00.007-05:00

Wow, this has to be the coolest thing I've seen in a long time. As a childhood fan of the Ninja Turtles, I have great appreciation for any artist who has the ability to take such an admittedly childish concept and turn it into something so kick-butt. =D

EDIT: the pic wasn't wanting to load properly, so I had to upload it from my computer instead of link to it. As a result, the quality of the picture is a lot less than the actual image. Click the pic for a higher quality version. :)

Sleep? What's that?

2008-05-20T02:45:00.005-05:00

I can't sleep. I'm too excited. I'm excited about graduation, seeing my grandparents, throwing a graduation party, going camping with my buds in two weeks, getting a job over the summer ($$$ + bonding time with Dad = awesome!), attending freshman orientation, replacing my P.O.S. Razor with an iPhone, getting a sweet iMac courtesy of the University of Arkansas, meeting my roommate, moving in and starting classes at the University of Arkansas. There's no doubt in my mind that I've been blessed, and I can't help but feel excited about the next several months of my life. =D

I've been thinking about what I want to study once I get to the UofA. Honestly, this is what I want:

- Major in Political Science/Pre-Law
- Major/Minor in Computer Science
- Minor in Art
- Take some math classes (I'd probably have to do this anyway if I take the comp-sci route).

What do you think? Are you with me, and think that not only is this possible, but that it will be fun? Or are you with the doubters like my friend Clayton, who said he thinks I am "absolutely nuts"? Let me know, either way. I only have a few weeks to make a tentative decision. I'll have somewhere around 40 credit hours, or a year-and-a-half's worth of classes, under my belt when I enter the UofA. My fellowship lasts for four years: think I can do all of that in that amount of time? And the more important question: wanna make a bet on it?

Well, I guess I'd better at least try to get some sleep (again!). I have to get up, eat breakfast with Ariel, finish packing/cleaning, return my textbooks, get a bunch of signatures so I can leave, give a calculus presentation, move out, renew my driver's license, travel home, unpack, and God knows what else. Should be a fun day!!! =D

Church leadership questionable.

2008-05-18T22:58:00.006-05:00

Note: this is a pretty emotional post. Anything said which could be construed as disrespectful was not intended to be.

I enjoyed my time at church this Sunday, an occurrence which is getting rarer as time goes by. The choir sang well, the worship pastor was in his prime at the piano and vocals, and the message was much more thought provoking and on-target than the messages that are spoon fed to the congregation on a regular basis. There was a high school senior recognition segment to both services, so I was congratulated by a lot of people, some of whom I didn't even know, and generally got to feel good about myself and my accomplishments.

But if every cloud has its silver lining, the opposite must also be true (insert joke about Newton's third law here). At the end of the first service, the church's "shepherding pastor," got up and did his usual thing of greeting visitors, making announcements, and telling people that the other pastors would be available to talk after the service. He then called for about a dozen people to volunteer to "live the Word of God in our community," or something to that effect, by going to the polling place and encouraging people to vote for a law which would make it illegal for unmarried, cohabiting adults (homosexual or heterosexual) to be foster parents.

Ummmmm...excuse me? Let me get this straight, Pastor: you want people to support a law which would further limit the options of an already stretched foster care system, potentially preventing the removal of abused children from dangerous households, all because the people wanting to take them in and care for them aren't married??? That's outrageous! I agree that living in a household with unmarried cohabiting adults is not biblical, nor is it an ideal situation psychologically or socially, but it is far better for a child than living in an abusive environment would be. What's next? Are you going to push for a law that would make it legal remove a child from their home simply because their parents aren't married? What makes it okay for unmarried people to be parents, but not foster parents?

The pastor's position shows incredible self-righteousness and a lack of understanding of what the visiting speaker had preached on just minutes before. Apparently, the pastor would rather force his faith into the lives of those around him by supporting this law without consideration of the impact it would have, effectively thumping people over the head with the Bible, than take Jesus' approach and lovingly persuade the hearts and minds of unbelievers. This does not imbue me with a great amount of confidence in my church's leadership.

That is all I have to say for now. More may come later, or I may just take this post down depending on the response it gets. I would like to get some responses, especially if you go to my church or are affected by this proposed law.

w00t!!!

2008-05-16T12:58:00.004-05:00

No more classes!!! Just two finals next week, and I'm done with high school. Yayzorz!

To celebrate, I'm going with a bunch of friends to a concert tonight. Ginsu Wives, Attractive and Popular, and El Paso Hot Button are gonna be putting on an awesome show. A couple of my buds are running the shin-dig, so it's gonna be frickin sweet! =D

The Divided Party

2008-05-13T23:23:00.009-05:00

Six months ago, everyone I talked to was sure that whoever the Democratic party nominated would become the next President of the United States. No doubt about it, no questions asked. They were probably pretty well justified in their judgment, too. President Bush's approval ratings were at an all time low and continue to sink to this day. The Democrats swept the latest congressional elections, giving them control of Congress for the first time since 1996 (I think. It may have been '94). The only thing people could think about was how much they wanted to get away from the status quo, which they saw the Republican party as embodying.

But hold the phone. The presidential race is far from over, and every day that the Democratic party squabbles over whether to nominate Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, the more likely it becomes that they are going to lose the next election (and America is going to be stuck with at least four more years of incessant whining). Why? Two reasons.

One: while Senators Obama and Clinton are busy vying for the votes of superdelegates and flinging poorly disguised mud at each other, Senator McCain is busy vying for the votes of the American public and electoral college. Every day that the Democratic candidates' attentions are on each other is another day that Senator McCain has to persuade undecided Americans practically unimpeded.

Two: all this bickering, name calling, and insinuating within the Democratic party is creating some pretty bad blood. And as the old axiom goes, "a house divided cannot stand." CNN.com has this to say (Note: I'm not sure about their sources, but I'll trust them for now):

One major warning sign for Democrats could be found in the percentage of Obama and Clinton supporters apparently unwilling to support the opposing candidate. Only 38 percent of Clinton's voters said they would vote for Obama in a general election matchup against presumptive GOP nominee Sen. John McCain. A bare majority (54 percent) of Obama's voters said they would vote for Clinton against McCain.

Whoever manages to eek out the Democratic nomination will have the unenviable task of not only swaying undecided Americans, but also mending fences within their own party by kissing the collective butt of the supporters of the man/woman that was beat to get the nomination. It won't be easy.

So, what once seemed a sure thing no longer looks so final. Can someone say Ralph Nader?

...anybody?

Ha! I knew it.

2008-05-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

Quick: how many text messages do you send each month from your cell phone? Each day? Each hour?

If you answered anything but "zero" to any of the above questions, I have some news for you. Please read the next paragraph. If you don't send text messages because you're old, don't have a phone, or simply think it's a stupid way of communicating (like me), feel free to read it too, or you can just scroll down to the photo of the aardvark.

According to this article, sending text messages is four times more expensive in British pounds per Megabyte than retrieving data from the Hubble Telescope (anybody feel like doing the math for American text-messaging rates?). And that's an extremely conservative estimate. Yes, my little friends who love to imitate the "idk, my bff Jill?" girl from that stupid commercial: you are being ripped off. Royally. You wanna know how much it costs to send virtually unlimited amounts of data via email? It's free. You wanna know how much gmail will charge you to store 6.7 GB (and rising!) of data? Nothing. Zero. I dare you to name something, aside from air, that's cheaper. Go ahead.

So why on earth would you consent to pay such outrageous amounts of money for such a limited --most text messages are limited to 160 characters -- clunky, retarded form of communication? I can see how, occasionally, a text message would be preferable to vocally communicating with someone. But only occasionally, not the hundreds or thousands of times a month that is so common, especially in my generation.

On that note: I plan on getting an iPhone this summer, when the rumored new generation is released. Wanna know how many text messages I'll be sending? Zero. Why? Because I'll have the internet at my fingertips, and thus the ability to send all the emails I want. For free (well, relatively so). Booya. :)

And now, the aardvark:
Isn't he cute? I didn't even know that aardvarks were domesticated. I found this, along with dozens of other pics, here.

Whatever happened to "innocent until proven guilty"?

2008-05-12T15:59:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't follow the news, the Fundamental Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) is a sect -- some call it a cult -- of Mormonism that separated from the mainstream Mormon church more than a century ago over the issue of polygamy. The Mormon church forbids and decries polygamy; FLDS adherents reportedly practice it to this day, against many federal and local laws.

I'm not going to comment upon the biblicality of polygamy, as that can actually become a pretty heated debate. I will make it clear, however, that I personally find the practice revolting, and I am not defending it in any sense.

What I am defending is the rights that each and every member of the FLDS has as human beings and as American citizens, rights which I think have been gravely violated by the state of Texas.

Imagine, if you will, that you live in a neighborhood where cigarette smoking is prevalent and in a time when public opinion is very much against smoking. Public health officials hear rumors of the disproportionate amount of toxins in the air, and about the higher rate of asthma and other lung problems in the youth of your neighborhood. Then, one concerned yet anonymous person reports one case -- the specifics of which could possibly be fabricated, since later on the authorities find no evidence of the existence of an affected person with the name that was reported -- giving public health officials and child protective services the initiative that they need to raid the neighborhood. So they go in, and forcibly separate hundreds of children and teens from their parents against their wills, reportedly at gunpoint.

These children are then put into foster homes throughout the state, and hundreds of attorneys are appointed to represent the children and their parents. These attorneys have little to no time to investigate the situation, and oftentimes are not even able to meet with their clients. Because it would be "impossible" to examine each case individually, court hearings are conducted en masse (but not, I might add, under the time-saving procedures of a class-action lawsuit). The objections from the hundreds of attorneys on constitutional, legal, and technical grounds are so overwhelming that they virtually grind proceedings to a halt. Weeks after the raid, not a single child has been reunited with its family.

This is essentially what has occurred to the occupants of an FLDS compound in Texas.

Now, do I think that smoking/polygamy is okay? Absolutely not.

But is it righteous to simply tear hundreds of children away from their families -- basically treating the compound's residents as one person rather than a collection of individuals -- on the basis of public opinion, nearly non-existent statistics, and a single, questionable report of misconduct? Is it righteous to then handle the resulting legal cases in such a kangaroo-court manner?

Absolutely not.

The state of Texas claims to have a responsibility to defend children who it suspects are being abused. But there is a certain level of proof of abuse that should be present in order to justify any intrusive action by the state. I can think of no more intrusive an action, and I have a hard time seeing how anything could be construed as "proof" that each and every one of these FLDS children have been abused.

Above and beyond its responsibility to protect abused children, the state of Texas has the responsibility to protect each of its residents' God-endowed and constitutionally-protected rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Texas has failed to do so by treating each and every parent separated from their child as guilty until proven innocent.

Physics...ugh.

2008-05-12T15:24:00.000-05:00

I don't know whether to feel elated or horrible about the AP Physics C: Mechanics Exam that I just took. I feel pretty good about my performance on the multiple choice section, but dang the open response questions were difficult. A lot more difficult than any of the questions from the exams of the last four or five years (which are posted on the internet by the College Board). For instance, this exam was the first I've seen that involved differential equations and/or static equilibrium. Yuck.

So I think I probably scored a 3 or a 4. A 3 gets you college credit at most institutions; a 5 is as high as you can score.

On the brighter side: I graduate in 12 days!!! I'm starting to get really excited about it. Hopefully everything will go smoothly until then.

AP Chemistry Exam tomorrow, and then I'm done. Booya.

Mad Skillz

2008-05-11T01:40:00.000-05:00

Whatcha think of my new template? Schnazy, no?

Okay, it came pretty much prefab. I had to make about 45 minutes of alterations, most of which was hunting through unfamiliar code (man, do I ever need to learn at least a little HTML) in search of stuff I wanted to remove.

And now, for the first ever "Hidden Moose's Random Thought of the Day" :

Denzel Washington is an amazing actor. From Training Day (which I rented from iTunes today -- five stars), to Man on Fire, to The Great Debaters, to American Gangster, every film I've ever seen starring or co-starring him has been top-notch. I'm going to give him the credit and say that is due to his acting. You da man, Denzel.

Surprise!!!

2008-05-10T17:56:00.000-05:00

This birthday went from crappy, to okay, to good, to great!

I didn't sleep very well last night -- once I got to sleep, I was tossing and turning and coughing and snuffling -- so I was pretty grumpy when I woke up. I actually used my snooze button three times, and reset my alarm twice. I NEVER do that.

So as I took a shower I told myself that it was my birthday, and I am not allowed to be grumpy on my birthday. I just sort of imagined the hot water washing all my grumpiness away, and it worked pretty well. By the time I met Ariel downstairs, I was in a decent mood.

Breakfast at the Pancake Shop was amazing. I had two blueberry buckwheat pancakes, two fried eggs, and about half of Ariel's grits. What? I like grits.

When we got back to school, I went into a food coma from all the carbs I'd consumed, and woke up a couple of hours later feeling well rested and ready to study some physics. Which is what I did with Justin, until Ariel came into the cafeteria and practically pulled me away. She covered my eyes with her hands (a little tip here: if you're going to remove someone's sense of sight and guide them somewhere, it's generally a good idea to make sure they don't run into stuff) and walked me over to the Red Room door. She opened it and:

SURPRISE!!!

My entire family (minus the dog and the human male with the same name) were there, as well as Kas, Syd, Steven, a cake, lots of presents, bubbles, etc, etc. I was honestly surprised, which really hasn't happened a whole lot to me before.

Well, I'm gonna cut this entry a little short. Ariel and I are gonna watch a movie I rented from iTunes. I'll post some pics when I get them. :)

EDIT: Okay, here is a (working) link to a couple of pics that Mom took today. Ariel took a few more, so I might get them up here eventually. :)

EDIT 5/12/08: Some more pics, taken by Ariel, here.

Happy Birthday...sort of.

2008-05-10T01:23:00.000-05:00

Today is my 18th birthday! I can now legally vote, marry, and buy cigarettes and porn (not that I would do any except for vote). Yay for me.

So, you might ask, "what are you doing to celebrate the occasion?"

I'm studying mechanical physics. Lots and lots of mechanical physics. Especially anything that has to do with rotating bodies. Chemistry, too. Why? Because the *&%#ing AP tests are on Monday and Tuesday. Darn you, College Board.

Ariel and I are going to the Pancake Shop for breakfast -- their blueberry buckwheat pancakes are to die for -- but that's about the extent of my plans other than studying. I don't even know if I'll have a present to open (I already got two or three wonderful ones from my family, and a cute handmade card in a pink envelope from Ariel, so I guess it's not all bad).

Oh well, I'll just have to wait another week-and-a-half to go home. Or maybe I'll go home next weekend. We'll see. Either way, I hope there's a birthday cake waiting when I get there. :)

Post Script: By the way, very few of my entries will be this whiny or angsty. That's just how I'm feeling right now. I tend to get grumpy when my allergies are acting up. : -/

Test

2008-05-09T00:03:00.000-05:00

This is a test so that I can set up colors and stuff. I'll delete it later. :)