Converge kicked ass

Posted by Johnny at 3:39 p.m.

First of all, Converge put on a great show on Wednesday night. It was the first concert I've been to that was completely devoid of smoke/drugs (that I could see). Most of the attendees and all of the performers were straight-edge types (substance-free), and that's not something I'm used to. The show itself kicked serious ass and I would definitely see Converge again.

I suspect many of the same people who saw Converge will be at the Dillinger show, and I will get to watch them crowd surfing and flailing around again. This will make up for the Gigantour fiasco.

I can't believe how damn busy I am with school. Most of it is really boring too, so I have no incentive to work, other than to not fail. I HATE SENG 443! The only class I really like is SENG 311, which deals with the process of object-oriented analysis and design. It is probably the most useful class I'm taking and despite the class name, is actually really interesting. The prof is awesome too.

Everybody has to come to the Halloween cabaret that my band Tunesmith is putting on. It's on Saturday, Oct. 29 at the North Glenmore Community Association, costs $20 to get in, and starts at 8ish. There will be drinks, eats, and a costume contest. Tickets can be purchased from me in advance or at the door.

Now for some fun:

• This correspondance is freaking amazing. This guy's ex-girlfriend (3 years apart) sent him this crazy-ass letter asking him to leave town so they don't run into each other. That letter is funny in itself, but his reply letter takes the cake. Read it!
• Sony has patented a theory they developed for communicating electronically with the human brain. It is non-intrusive (unlike in the Matrix) and uses magnetic waves. They plan to use it for video games, movies, etc. to allow people to feel like they're actually in the virtual world. I will make a prediction for the probable outcome of this technology: Geeks will become addicted to this form of entertainment, much like with Everquest, and will live primarily in these virtual worlds where they all look like Orlando Bloom and Angelina Jolie. Their real lives will serve only for nourishment, disposing of waste, and sleeping, reserving the rest of life for "interacting" with other "humans" in the virtual world. They will all remain virgins, no matter how many times they have "sex" with Angelina or Orlando.

That's all forks.

The music Gods are with me.

Posted by Johnny at 11:51 a.m.

DEP is playing Mac Hall on November 14, and I have my ticket, which was only $20 + $6 in "convenience" charges! This will make up for the Gigantour fiasco because they are the headliners and thus will be playing a longer set. Woo!

Ubuntu linux is treating me well so far. The only complaint I have is that there isn't a truly decent media player for the linux platform. There are a couple that are OK, but nothing that rivals foobar. Oh well. I think the best solution would be to buy at least 2 more computers, but that probably won't happen any time soon. I still want to get a new set of drums.

Here's the fun stuff:

• This quiz is so accurate, it's scary. It's like one of those things you get forwarded to you by people you don't like, except this one doesn't rely on math tricks or anything to give a 100% accurate prediction. Check it out.
• I'm never working for Microsoft. They had to completely scrap their code for the new OS they're making because it was too buggy and was haphazardly put together. Coding standards? What are those? Looks like they got it together, but I don't consider not having to work over the holidays a reward.

Ok, I really need to do some serious homework.

Quick poke at bush.

Posted by Johnny at 9:15 p.m.

Get your mind out of the gutter! I'm talking about Dubya.

Bush told those gathered for the governor's meeting: “We look forward to hearing your vision so we can more better do our job.”

MORE BETTER DO OUR JOB!

You heard the man. More better do your job, you slacker.

I'm back & blogging.

Posted by Johnny at 10:45 p.m.

Wow, it's really been a while.

First off, I was thinking the other day that I'd like to join a club on campus. So I was wandering around the club expo, and Tom & Scott and I spotted the Campus Crusade for Christ club. Neither of us were really interested, but then something clicked: that's a lot of hard C's in that title. Why not replace them with K's and reveal your true intent?

So, that club has now been dubbed the Kampus Krusade for Khrist. A victory against both the English language and anyone who feels the need to restart the crusades of the dark ages. This is the year 2005, people - we don't need to crusade for anything, much less krusade.

Disclaimer: I realize that 99% of Christians are probably not neo-nazis, so I'm sorry if that offended anyone. But, I'm really not here to please.

Ok, back to the news.

• Jon Stewart & the Daily Show won 2 Emmys. Woo! That show deserves a gold medal in something too, but I guess the Emmys will have to do. He also did a great pre-taped rant that either he so obviously censored himself. Best last line ever: George Bush hates Black *Sabbath*, where Sabbath was overdubbed.
• Hmm, apparently one Chrisitan Rock band is actually being productive. One of the guys from Switchfoot is teaching their fans how to disable copy protection on their new CD. Down with RIAA! Up with Switchfoot??? We'll see about that one.
  
• Sex & Drugs (but not rock & roll) create more depression in teenage girls than in guys. This British study says abstinence is good for the mind, but I would beg to differ. I don't want people getting depressed or anything, but still...
• On a related topic, apparently 14% of women in late teens / early 20s have had erotic experiences with the same sex. Wow! That's more than I would have thought, not that I think about it or anything.
• Lastly, some software developer wants to put a human colony on Mars by 2025. This sounds like a scam to me. "Give me all your money so I can go to Mars. Oh did I say Mars? I meant Cuba."
  

Word verification back on.

Posted by Johnny at 7:51 p.m.

Sorry to do this, but I turned word verification off on the comments for a day, and I got 3 automated advertisement comments. I really don't want those on my site, so I just turned word verification on again.

Intelligent Design, Schmintelligent Schmdesign.

Posted by Johnny at 6:24 p.m.

Wow, I was just watching the Daily Show and they're running their "Evolution Schmevolution" week. They showed clips of these "professors" of theology talking about intelligent design and made lots and lots of fun of them.

For example: this one alleged Doctor of theology, Kent Hovind, likened mankind to a wristwatch/calculator. He said, "This Casio wristwatch has a clock, a calculator, a daytimer, and a stopwatch. When I went to Japan, I didn't meet the man who designed this, but I'm sure he exists." That was his arguement. His entire arguement!

Oh my God! That was so profound! You mean, someone actually designed that inanimate tool? It didn't evolve from lesser watches over millions of years through mutation and survival of the fittest? Well, if that watch was designed by someone, clearly we as humans were designed by a supreme being as well, because logically speaking, if one thing in the universe was designed by someone, everything in the universe was designed by someone. This is irrefutable logic, and I will dig up my logic textbook from the PHIL 279 class I took last year to prove it.

Afterwards, Lewis Black did some digging into the credentials of this "doctor". Naturally, if someone called themselves Doctor Jerk, you would assume that they had a doctorate degree in something, whether it be theology, science, or jerking off... it doesn't really matter as long as they actually have a doctorate. And the last time I checked, to get a doctorate and call yourself a doctor, you need to complete a thesis in a Phd program at an accredited university or college.

This doesn't mean that you can just earn a fucking teaching certificate from Patriot Bible University and call yourself a doctor!

Yes, this is where that wristwatch-worshipping "doctor" of theology earned his title. He has a certificate of teaching from that "university", so now he is a "doctor".

Ok, that's enough ranting for now. Stay skeptical! Also, Kent Hovind sucks!

Reid is my God on Friday.

Posted by Johnny at 4:26 p.m.

Ok, this is a quick post to inform the public that I will be worshipping Reid as my personal God on Friday, September 16. This is because he found someone with an uglier unibrow than my ENCM professor.

All hail Reid! (tomorrow)

I actually respect Kalan Porter.

Posted by Johnny at 7:33 p.m.

I saw a bit of the Canadian Idol finale tonight and Kalan Porter was playing fiddle on "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", and he actually rocked. I have great respect for anyone that can rock out on fiddle, and he is certainly one of those people. I officially apologize for all the times I called him Frodo and put quotations anywhere in his name. I still don't like any of his singles, but his skill on the fiddle make up for it - I'd jam with him any day in the vein of the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Ok, now for some news.

• Apparently Google Earth threatens democracy. The Register has some interesting pics taken directly from Google Earth that show close-ups of some South Korean, Thai, and Australian military bases. You can actually see the US-bought planes with near-shocking clarity. I'm so impressed... maybe they can use Google Earth to find Osama once they incorporate the privacy invading technologies of microscopic zoom and X-Ray vision.
• Always bring ear plugs to concerts and try to get sound isolating headphones. This article says that headphones are detrimental to your hearing, especially when listening at high volumes and for long periods of time. I know you have to crank regular headphones to block out ambient noise, but this causes more problems than it solves. Look into a set of sound isolating ear buds, like the ones from Shure, because they passively block out external noise, allowing you to listen to your music at a much lower volume. I own the E3's and they are fantastic, but the E4's are probably a better buy. They are great to take to concerts too, because they reduce the ambient noise and you can hear the band on stage more clearly.
• Coolest bug ever. It eats away a fish tongue and then takes its place, presumably eating the fish's food. This is one Reid should post on his site and discuss on a more in-depth level than I could ever do.
• The church is continually losing my respect. They held an exorcist convention in Vatican City recently, at which the pope spoke and commended them for the important service they provide to the world. Important Service?!? What the fuck!? I hardly call tricking the mentally ill into believing they are possessed an important service. Fuck, I could do an exorcism: toss some holy water here, say some shit in Latin, yell at the devil a bit - it would be a grand old time. Hmm, maybe I should exorcise George W. Bush. He could use a good talking to.
• Haha, these kids in Pensylvania are doing some interesting fundraising for New Orleans at their school. They're playing Mmm Bop (by Hanson) through the school's PA system before class, at breaks, and basically any chance that they get. The idea is you donate money to Stop The Bop. Once they raise $3000, it will stop. How I pity those poor souls who have to listen to that garbage many times per day. I would probably donate the full $3000 after hearing it the first time.

Ok, that's it for now, I have to get some reading done. Fuck I hate reading.

First day of classes...

Posted by Johnny at 6:14 p.m.

...was bleh. I had 1 cool prof (with a mullet), 2 average profs, and 1 with a thick accent and an even thicker unibrow. I couldn't believe how thick his unibrow was - it was even thicker than his mustache! He really needs an eyebrow wax because I'm going to be staring at that all semester instead of paying attention in class.

Anyway, got a Jazz Orchestra audition tonight, so I won't be posting a lot of news at the moment. I just wanted to post about the unibrow because it was really weird. Here's a picture:


He actually has a mustache now, so try to picture that. Also, I'm sure he's a great guy and everything, and I have nothing against him. I just want to point out the fact that he needs to befriend his tweezers.

I'll post something better later.

Vitae Vera & Drowning Lessons

Posted by Johnny at 6:48 p.m.

Just a quick post to plug some other blogs that are good. First, my friend Reid's blog, Vitae Vera is a scientific news & opinion blog that will probably end up being another creationism/evolution blog, says he. Second, Drowning Lessons is my friend Sara's blog in which she logs her life's events and her poetry. It's become kind of like a soap opera to me, because her life is way more interesting than mine.