The Number Zero

Berries of Varying Ripeness

2012-01-27T01:12:00.002Z

The only value of this one is minute - it's concentrated on the little point of focus encapsulating the upper-most group. Still, longtime readers of this part of the blog should already know that I'm a sucker for the unintended consequences of one's depth of field. Finding them is worth the surrounding blandness.

White Trumpet Flower

2012-01-25T01:05:00.002Z

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At this angle, it's difficult to see the depth of this flower. But, then, were it any other way, you wouldn't get that stark, white pentagon jumping out of the foliage.

Malva sylvestris, Flower, Close-Up

2012-01-21T19:27:00.000Z

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The flower on the left is what the right one will turn to as it ages, although, it, too, is beginning to wither. Besides looking pretty, Malva sylvestris is a fairly versatile plant. You can eat the leaves, raw or cooked, using the young ones as a lettuce substitute, while the flowers can be used to garnish your salad.

M. sylvestris can also be used for medicinal purposes. According to Plants For a Future (linked above), "All parts of the plant are antiphlogistic, astringent, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, laxative, salve." The website also provides sources for these claims, which you can find in the "Links / References" section.

Sources:

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Malva+sylvestris
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malva_sylvestris#References
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Flower_poster_2.jpg

Disclaimer: Plants are living things. The Number Zero and all associated parties do not advocate killing plants, whether for ingestive, medicinal, recreational, or any other use. Killing plants is plant murder. The Number Zero and all associated parties acknowledge that killing plants is plant murder. In detailing the various methods of which one can dispose a murdered plant, The Number Zero is merely providing information and not endorsing these methods. By reading this, you are agreeing that The Number Zero and all associated parties will not be held liable for any misconduct that results from your reading of this article when the anti-vegetarians come and get you.

Coccinellidae on Bright Green and Yellow Leaves

2012-01-19T23:52:00.001Z

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Talk about having everything come together. That ladybird was in the perfect spot for this shot, and all I had to do was catch it. It also goes without saying, after yesterday, it was like this when I found it.

Bright Green and Yellow Leaves, and Why I Don't Edit My Photography

2012-01-18T19:12:00.000Z

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I want to say again at this point that none of my images (save a few that were edited for privacy or security reasons, and stated as such in their posts) that appear under "The Photographer", the banner under which all of my photography appears, are post-processed. I realise that in this age of infinite pre-shot modifications, such as lenses and filters or white balance and ISO, the claim of photographic purity is quite hollow. I know well enough that choosing a monochrome setting before taking a shot is rarely different from changing the same colour image into monochrome in Photoshop: at the end of the day, you'll still end up with the same image.

Nevertheless, I still draw a distinction between the two; the line between them may be blurry, but that doesn't mean it isn't there (cheap joke: perhaps you should adjust your focus, eh?). And that line is the shutter's snap. That is when the image is created. Anything before that moment is just possibility, variables that determine the end result, but have no effect afterwards. You have ideas and an internal picture of what it'll look like. When the shot is taken, all those variables and possibilities and ideas culminate to form the image. It is copied to your memory card, or a chemical reaction saves it on the film, or, to put it in two different ways, the painter's paint dries on the canvas, or the footballer has kicked the ball. Everything leads up to this moment, and after it, there's no going back. What's done is done.

Until you manipulate it, of course. And I purposefully use "manipulate", because that's what it is. By editing it, you're changing it from what it originally was. And it's here that opinions divide, as we can employ a reductio ad absurdum to prove the logical fallacy of my belief: if one balks at the manipulation of photographs, they would also have to balk at the thought of body modification (from the benign earing and tattoo to more extreme implant), electric guitars and effects pedals, agriculture, and clothing. But then, there is nothing wrong with not wanting holes in your ears with metal loops hanging from them, preferring to play a Spanish guitar, hunting and gathering, or going nude.

Ultimately, it's all a value judgement. The correct answer applies only to each individual person. In my case, I believe that there is more joy in putting some effort into creating something, seeing the result pop up on the screen, and for three seconds thinking, "Dang, that looks cool." Even with all the flaws and imperfections that come with a photographer that is, frankly, not special in the slightest. That small joy is, to me, still large enough to be worth more than lackadaisically (in the modern sense) moving onto the next shot, remarking, "Eh, I'll just fix it later."

Links: McDaniels Returns to the Patriots, Officially

2012-01-14T06:00:00.000Z

With the Denver Broncos set to meet the New England Patriots today, NFL pundits are double-checking their notes and rehearsing their predictable, hackneyed storylines. Many Broncos players will be "facing" the man that brought them in, by which I mean they will be facing the Patriots, while the extent of Josh McDaniels' role is currently unknown and nowhere as expansive as the writers want us to believe.

Masshole Sports' response to Klis and the cries of cheating.

Now that McDaniels' return to the Patriots is official, opinions vary. The few Chiefs fans that genuinely wanted him are despondent, the rest are jubilant, or masking their bitterness over losing out with jubilance. Patriots fans appear overwhelmingly positive, save for the odd goof that, blaming the Super Bowl defeat against the New York Giants on McDaniels, belligerently opposes the move. Others, like the Denver Post's Mike Klis (the article itself doesn't deserve your page view, so I linked to Pats Pulpit's excellent response instead), are screaming bloody murder because the cheating Patriots™ have circumvented the rules yet again, despite the fact that when the Dallas Cowboys did the same thing, no one cared. They're not the cheating Patriots™, after all. As for me, let's revisit what I last said:

...I'm both excited and disappointed. The Patriots will probably be an easier challenge than, say, the Kansas City Chiefs, and thus probably provide less room for growth, but can anyone blame him for preferring a less tumultuous location right now? It's also worth mentioning that the Chiefs, when McDaniels talked with the Patriots, still hadn't asked the Rams for permission to meet with him. Give credit to the Patriots here, they went out and got their man while the Chiefs twiddled their thumbs.

Nothing has changed from how I felt here. With the lockout, shorter training period, abundant injuries, and requisite learning curve, McDaniels' first year with the Rams was a gimme. Ideally, he could have stayed for one more year to confirm where that offence was headed. The massive coaching turnover (and player, eventually, too) may have thrown any sort of continuity out the window, however, and the resultant uncertainty could very well have been a step back for the team and McDaniels, too, so departing now, for all we know, isn't as bad for Bradford & Co. as I may think. And where Bradford goes, now, is a mystery. We don't know whether he will ever have a coach of McDaniels' calibre again, and losing him will alter the trajectory of his career. I believe he was headed upward with McDaniels; the troubles of this year would have been an aberration. I still think he will improve (and people will no doubt point to that improvement as proof of McDaniels' incompetency), but by how much, we don't know. If the Rams don't put him in a position to succeed, it is certain that that improvement will not be as steep were he still with McDaniels.

Returning to the Patriots will ultimately prove to have been the safest move, like returning to the comfort of a parents' home. Was it the best move? That, we don't know, either. But it feels like going back to square one, where going to the Chiefs would rather feel like the next square on this journey. But, here in the comfort of his Patriots home, Josh will be given the chance to quietly rejuvenate and safely prepare for his next step.

And at least one thing is for sure: unlike Chiefs fans, most Patriots fans are glad to have him back. This is the most united a fanbase has been regarding his hiring since the last time he was involved in a Broncos-Patriots game. For once, I won't have to face the grind of an ignorant, perpetually negative collective. And I, too, am home, again.

Young Cones

2012-01-10T22:28:00.001Z

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No contrasting colours here. Just a load of greens. The only thing beyond this tree was distant vegetation, so the aperture allowed me to blur it all out and bring out these cones.

This is the start of a long series on nothing but plants.

Links: Danny Walker is Going to School You; Thoughts on Robert Ayers

2012-01-10T09:11:00.000Z

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Drummer extraordinaire Danny Walker just set up a YouTube account for "webisodes and lessons". There is nothing up yet, save an introduction video, but I'm posting this so that when this gets big you can snootily tell your friends that you subscribed to his channel before he started doing any drumming videos.

Or, alternatively, you can just get on this because you agree with me when I say I think he is one of the funnest drummers to watch live and certainly one of the best at using his combination of speed and technicality. It's about time he starts sharing some of his secrets. Check out the video below.

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It's All Over, Fat Man! is the best Denver Broncos source, bar none. One of their recent articles covers (among other things) Robert Ayers and the nonsensical hate he gets.

When he was drafted, Mike Mayock (one of the better "draftniks") said Ayers would be the best defender of that draft in three years. Three years later, is he? With the stats Clay Matthews is putting up, this one isn't easy to answer, but anyone that actually pays attention to the game, knows that the only positions Ayers hasn't played are cornerback and safety. The guy's everywhere. He may not have the numbers, but he's as dominant a player and affects the play as much as the Packers LB, if not more.

Old Wood, Two

2012-01-09T09:38:00.000Z

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This one looks more as one would expect. There's a lot of noise, though, and the focus isn't very sharp.

Links: Update on Lloyd and McDaniels, One

2012-01-08T08:17:00.000Z

In "Links: Lloyd and McDaniels and Carlin and Kroenke and Hewitt and Schadenfreude", I said:

Chemistry is a vital part of any successful team. (One can just ask the New ~~Jersey~~ York Jets for confirmation of that.) That's why it warmed my heart to read this story from STLtoday, about the relationship between a player, Brandon Lloyd, and coach, Josh McDaniels. How often does a player find a coach that suits him perfectly, and vice versa? I'll tell you: not very. And, then, how often does that player admit that wherever that coach goes, he'll follow him? Again, I'll tell you: not very. It's remarkable to find an athlete that would rather take that chemistry over money, because he understands the value of a coach that knows how to use you.

Of course, I'm not surprised that this athlete would turn out to be Lloyd, a player that, when you hear him speak, exudes a surprising amount of thoughtfulness.

Now, speaking politically, this development has a fascinating consequence, if Lloyd is actually serious about following McDaniels. Namely, whatever team hires McDaniels (or in the Rams' case, keeps him), will have the opportunity to get one of the best wide receivers in the NFL right now. And, conversely, if that team doesn't want McDaniels, getting Lloyd will be trickier. For example, we know the Rams want to re-sign Lloyd, but we also know McDaniels may not be on the team for much longer, so what do they do? How much do they want Lloyd?

This is a problem worth considering and worth remembering. Depending on how the 2012 NFL off-season progresses, we may soon be back here.

It has since been revealed that McDaniels is likely to join the New England Patriots. I'll have more of an opinion on that when it's official, but I'm both excited and disappointed. The Patriots will probably be an easier challenge than, say, the Kansas City Chiefs, and thus probably provide less room for growth, but can anyone blame him for preferring a less tumultuous location right now? It's also worth mentioning that the Chiefs, when McDaniels talked with the Patriots, still hadn't asked the Rams for permission to meet with him. Give credit to the Patriots here, they went out and got their man while the Chiefs twiddled their thumbs.

Regarding Lloyd, we may recall that the Patriots have attempted to acquire him before. We don't know whether he'll want to sign with them, but this bodes well for both Lloyd and the Patriots, and I now believe they have the best chance of getting him - if they want him.

Old Wood, One

2012-01-08T06:44:00.000Z

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Too much on the low end of exposure, but I like the white light bouncing off it, giving it a studio feel.

Links: Lloyd and McDaniels and Carlin and Kroenke and Hewitt and Schadenfreude

2012-01-08T00:09:00.000Z

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With the 2012 election officially underway in the U.S., I want to send my sincere condolences to Americans everywhere.

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We'll get properly underway with some personal pimping. I've mentioned before that I was writing a piece for Mile High Hockey (it was originally two shorter ones, but morphed into one long one). I've finally finished it and you can read it here. If you prefer to read it on No. 0, I will be posting it here soon, after it has burned through on MHH.

As expected, the response to "Blanket Trends" has been fair, but underwhelming. It feels, as expected, like an afterthought in the flavour-of-the-month morass. And it has not, as expected, gained the traction I wished for it. Honestly, I am disappointed with that. I'm not feeling the familiar urge to pat myself on the back after a job well done, which means I'm feeling rather hollow. Which, yeah, stinks. But there's no use in whining about it. Artists, whatever they are, don't choose how their audience responds to their work, no matter how hard (or not) they worked on it.

And, really, the frustration that comes out of learning that is a point of growth as one. Because if you're not frustrated that what you're working on isn't popular enough, acclaimed enough, or understood enough, then you're either seriously underselling it, or never believed in it in the first place. If you're content with your lot, then you've stopped growing. You've very likely begun to stagnate and should start considering alternate occupations.

The pertinent quote here is the one Brian Forte took from Thomas Mann: "[a] writer is somebody for whom writing ismore difficult than it is for other people". Were this journey easy, the path would have been a tad more crowded. Alas, it's rather lonely, and if you're feeling similarly hollow that no one gets your masterpiece, take this advice: suck it up, because clearly we're all dumbasses for not getting it. And I mean that.

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Chemistry is a vital part of any successful team. (One can just ask the New ~~Jersey~~ York Jets for confirmation of that.) That's why it warmed my heart to read this story from STLtoday, about the relationship between a player, Brandon Lloyd, and coach, Josh McDaniels. How often does a player find a coach that suits him perfectly, and vice versa? I'll tell you: not very. And, then, how often does that player admit that wherever that coach goes, he'll follow him? Again, I'll tell you: not very. It's remarkable to find an athlete that would rather take that chemistry over money, because he understands the value of a coach that knows how to use you.

Of course, I'm not surprised that this athlete would turn out to be Lloyd, a player that, when you hear him speak, exudes a surprising amount of thoughtfulness.

Now, speaking politically, this development has a fascinating consequence, if Lloyd is actually serious about following McDaniels. Namely, whatever team hires McDaniels (or in the Rams' case, keeps him), will have the opportunity to get one of the best wide receivers in the NFL right now. And, conversely, if that team doesn't want McDaniels, getting Lloyd will be trickier. For example, we know the Rams want to re-sign Lloyd, but we also know McDaniels may not be on the team for much longer, so what do they do? How much do they want Lloyd?

This is a problem worth considering and worth remembering. Depending on how the 2012 NFL off-season progresses, we may soon be back here.

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An interesting thing we didn't know before about Rams owner Stan Kroenke: he's a follower of the Patriots Way. This says a lot about his desire to keep McDaniels, and is something to consider as we move forward into the Kroenke era of Rams football.

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And, now, to quote Neal Conan, the opinion page. Former St. Louis Rams employees gathered in a local Buffalo Wild Wings to "celebrate" the firings of Steve Spagnuolo and Billy Devaney. Let's ignore the snotty schadenfreude, I'm posting this here because a certain comment was just too good to let slip. Former equipment manager Todd Hewitt, responding to Spagnuolo's departure, said:

What upset me was that someone was able to come in and take control of a situation and destroy the lives of a lot of good people.

Do I even have to point out Hewitt's hypocritical trough of logic? Yes, Todd, Steve fired you. It disrupted your life. I sympathise. But, say, what happened to the guy you replaced? And, now that the boogeyman is gone, you think everything's great? Because the next head coach is totally not going to be firing anyone, either. I just think it's funny, and, really, it's funny, because you can't be bitter about this stuff, I think it's funny that Hewitt felt like celebrating that Spagnuolo's own life is now "ruined" and disrupted, and Hewitt fails to see how wishing that Spagnuolo will be fired inherently means that you're wishing for a lot of other peoples' lives to be "ruined". Because it's never just one head that rolls, no matter how narrowly you aim your grapeshot.

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I'm a huge fan of Dan Carlin. Constantly challenging my perceptions and forcing me to re-evaluate my knowledge of a subject, he is the political commentator I respect the most. What draws me to him is that, although he has an opinion, it isn't a barrier for him. When you listen to Common Sense, you know it isn't going to come at you from a particular angle, like what you get from, say Talking Points Memo. Now, as a news resource, TPM is excellent. All of their writers are professional and diligent. And, come on, how can you not love this:

'...the “he’s a Chicago politician” phase of the race to the White House.'

The problem, however, is that TPM's community is unbearable. When you read the message board, you see two things: a) Republican trolls, or, b) loyal Democrats pointing out the apparently evident idiocy of Republicans. There is no true discourse, because whether you read an article about a Republican (Ron Paul) that is, on civil issues, more "liberal" than a Democrat (Barack Obama), or an article about a legitimate idiot, there were will be the exact same substanceless wringing. It brings down an otherwise great website, because you know you won't be learning anything new or getting any rounded perspectives.

With Dan, there is a rounded perspective, with actual thought behind his opinions. It's, frankly, refreshing to listen to Common Sense; it feels like a detox. With Carlin's voice, your body is washed from the stink of one-dimensional groupthink, and your mind takes on new clarity.

And with that overwrought poetry, I say go check out Hardcore History and Common Sense.

Long Hair, Close-Up, One

2012-01-07T09:53:00.001Z

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Older readers will recognise a brown(ish) variation of this shot, which served as Number Zero's background for a time. Although this one doesn't stand out as much as that one, I'm posting it anyway because we won't be seeing that image any time soon. Besides the fact that, like clouds, I like the detail in hair, what I like about this picture is that when you're using a very shallow depth of field, the fine strands do a great job of coming in and out of focus, and really stick out when they do.

Man Under Surveillance

2012-01-06T09:10:00.001Z

Every time I look at this picture, I'm drawn to the man. It's all about the angle. It feels like one from a surveillance plane, capturing the distant human going about his daily business. It's almost unreal - and coincidentally also reminiscent of the still figures of Madurodam.

Distant Moon in Late Afternoon Sky

2012-01-05T02:52:00.002Z

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If I didn't tell you there's a moon in the middle of that shot, you would probably not have known. I'm zoomed out so far, that it looks like a not-so-distant planet, as mere a blimp in the sky as Venus. At least that's one lure behind my inability (when this picture was taken, anyway) to get a good moon out the camera.

Water Running into Lake Shore

2012-01-03T06:35:00.000Z

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There's a lot of detail hidden behind what draws your eye here. For example, that rock is actually three steps; the first, which is below water, is in the top-left, the second in the middle, and the third and highest is in the lower-right. Water is cascading down from the third step; you can catch it frozen in the shot. That is where this big aperture left the focus - not on the steps themselves, but the waterfall.

Plant Breaking Through Rocks

2012-01-01T06:46:00.002Z

This isn't about whether it's a good picture or not. I just like the sight of the plant's fortitude. Hopefully it will will be a metaphor for the next 266 days. Whatever obstacles are thrown our way, may we push them aside as this plant does the measly pebbles in its way.

I also want to thank all of Number Zero's readers for sticking with me in 2011, both new readers that came here through perverted means and the oldies that have resolutely put up with my narcissistic ramblings for what soon will be five years. Every minute you spend on this blog is greatly appreciated, and I sincerely mean that. Now, onwards to 2012!

Sympetrum sanguineum Set

2011-12-30T23:26:00.000Z

Side, One:

Back, One:

Back, Two:

Front, One:

Side, Two:

Okay, first, an error on my part: I originally identified this as the Sympetrum fonscolombii, or Red-veined Darter. Unfortunately, I was too zealous with that classification. While S. fonscolombii has yellow-striped legs, eyes with a blue/grey underside, lack of waist, and pale pterostigma, this specimen has none of those things. How could I confuse it for a Red-veined Darter! (Yes, it's not even a question.)

So, what species, then, is it? I believe it is the Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum). The British Dragonfly Society says this about S. sanguineum:

This species is smaller than the Common Darter. The legs are entirely black. An intense orange colouration can be seen only at the very base of the wings. The pterostigma is brown. There are usually two prominent black marks on S8 and S9.

The males become blood-red with maturity with a red frons and red-brown thorax. There is a very noticeable constriction of the abdomen around S4, giving a club-shaped appearence.

Black legs: check.
Intense orange colouration at base of wings: check.
Brown pterostigma: check.
Two prominent black marks on S8 and S9: check.
Noticeable constriction of the abdomen (i.e. waist) around S4: check.

Now, we do need to base classifications on more than appearance, things like behaviour, habitat, and diet, but as we can't do any of those things (minus habitat, which is also confirmed), my tentative conclusion is that this specimen is indeed the Ruddy Darter, S. sanguineum. I want to add, however, that, as always, I'm not a taxonomist or entomologist. If you are and think I got this wrong, please point me in the correct direction.

Both S. fonscolombii and S. sanguineum are commonly found in their range and doing well, according to the IUCN Red List (source here and here), and while for S. sanguineum that includes northwestern Europe, S. fonscolombii has only started encroaching on that area recently. According to Habitas, it was seen in Ireland (specifically in Cavan) as early as the 1940's, but only started being seen annually in Britain in 1995.

Sources:

http://www.british-dragonflies.org.uk/species/red-veined-darter
http://www.british-dragonflies.org.uk/species/ruddy-darter
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/60038/0
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/158691/0
http://www.habitas.org.uk/dragonflyireland/5647.htm
http://www.habitas.org.uk/dragonflyireland/5650.htm
http://www.odesforbeginners.com/ID101/dragon_abdomen.aspx

Links: a Dash of McDaniels; a True Coach; a Continental Difference; as Many Concussions as You Can Spare; and One Lemon

2011-12-29T20:14:00.000Z

Prepare yourself: this will be a sports-heavy edition. Go!

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Adam Schefter, the only writer on ESPN worth your time (and it's not even close), points out that Broncos fans elated with the recent successes of Tim Tebow should thank the man responsible for putting him in a Broncos uniform: Josh McDaniels. I briefly discussed this here; for those too lazy to click, what I said:

Everyone derided McDaniels’ “personnel skills” in the most egregious of ways: by judging them before the decisions had time to mature, i.e. judging a draft a year later, and players before they've had a chance to learn the playbook. But now, those questionable decisions are maturing, and going against the opinions held about them.

When he was fired, the common idea was that he was a good coach, but just bad with personnel. Now that those previously-derided decisions are working out, does everyone change tack and agree that he knows personnel but is a bad coach? Or do we admit that he, Zeus forbid, actually knows what he’s doing?

It’s a sad irony that Fox is winning with the players McDaniels gave him. When he was fired, everyone said Denver was going to feel his influence for years. No one thought it would be positive.

And that's all I'll say on the matter.

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In "Monday Night Lights", the New Yorker's Kelefa Sanneh followed ex-NFL head coach Jon Gruden as he prepared to cover a game between the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. A fascinating point made in this article how Jon views the game:

To see football from a coach’s perspective is to see almost nothing but failure: a grim parade of misaligned bodies, incorrect decisions, missed signals, and bad ideas, occasionally interrupted by a heads-up play or a feat of physical genius. Football is entertainment, but the players dissected on Gruden’s screens seem less like performers in the spotlight than workers under surveillance.

What I'm reminded of here is a complaint Jake Plummer always had regarding former Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan: Shanahan's view that Plummer was never good enough. Said Plummer in a Yahoo! Sports piece, "It just seemed like every game I could have completed these four more passes or these five more shots here and it would have been perfect. And that just wasn't my personality... But Shanahan wanted perfection [...]" From what I've seen, this trait isn't reserved for Gruden and Shanahan - many players appear to feel they're never good enough for their coaches.

In essence, Kelefa's illuminating story is more than a profile of a single coach. It's a profile of every coach.

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James Treadway looks at the difference between American and European basketball in an article that appeared to get more grief than it deserved. There are many astute observations here, but it's Treadway's look at the career renaissance Adam Morrison had while playing in Serbia that provides the truest enjoyment. The way he ends the article just makes Morrison's tale that much more poignant. It's a reflection on Western culture that should make us all think of how we view our lives.

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Ken Dryden makes the case for attempting to reduce the current rate of concussions in the NHL now instead of waiting for the results of concussion studies. It's an eloquent and well-reasoned argument that reminds me of the NFL's recent concussion history.

Just two years ago, the NFL refused to admit there was a link between head injuries in the NFL and post-retirement brain problems. In 2009, Roger Goodell testified against this. From NPR:

The suspected link between football head injuries and brain problems has been the subject of great debate, and it played out again at the hearing. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, under direct questioning, wouldn't acknowledge a link. None of the members of the NFL's medical committee on concussions, which has famously discounted independent studies showing a link, was there to testify.

Instead of taking a more active role in improving safety, the league chose a defensive, blame-shifting strategy that, frankly, was ill-advised. The NHL is in the same spot right now, and it is preferring to wait instead of taking either route. This is certainly better than denying responsibility, but, as Dryden says, "We look back on those people 50 years ago who defended tobacco and asbestos and think, How could they be so stupid? Bettman and the NHL cannot wait for this generation of players to get old just so they can know for sure."

This viewpoint is much like Greg Craven's on climate change; that preparing for the worst and having nothing come out of it isn't as bad as hoping for the best and doing nothing in case something goes wrong. And, really, that's how view on both subjects, too: the Earth doesn't need to be getting warmer for you to know dumping trash in the ocean isn't a sustainable practice, and you don't need to listen to the stories players tell you after retiring to know that every injury is one injury too many.

It's worth noting that the NFL is currently being sued by former players because of brain injuries sustained during their playing careers.

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Okay, enough sports. Bradley Manning has finally been charged, and it's with "aiding terrorists". What's frightening about this development is that Manning is accused of helping the enemy because...

An Al Qaeda propaganda video was shown. The video, with subtitles, featured a figurehead of the organization discussing the released information, like the State Department cables. The figurehead said the cables revealed “foreign dependencies.” He said something about relying on Allah for actions against the United States and then said before taking actions jihadists should rely on the “wide range of resources on the Internet” now.

(Emphasis is mine.) So, get this: "Al Qaeda" says jihadists should use the internet resources available to them, and what Manning allegedly leaked is found on the internet. Therefore, Manning “knowingly gave intelligence through WikiLeaks to the enemy.”

Seriously. Think about that. Releasing information the government publicly (but not privately) considers hugely important to national security, on the internet, means you're aiding the enemy. Because "the enemy" goes online. Who says "the enemy" doesn't read the New York Times? And at what point does a journalist get charged with aiding the enemy for writing an article with information the government doesn't want you to have? When does routine journalism become a crime?

Wooden Platform on Grass

2011-12-28T00:58:00.001Z

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I really like this picture. It's just some wood and grass, but perhaps that's why I like it so much: it's organic. And the vignetting also, I feel, gives it a classic look, both drawing you inward and enhancing the point where the healthy, growing grass meets the dead block of wood. Heh, come to think of it, that would be like making a cow eat lunch next to a dead sheep. But, anyway, yeah, classic and organic.

Holding Violet Flower

2011-12-27T00:26:00.000Z

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This flower was off-angle in the previous image (which I didn't post, so don't bother looking for it), so I held it here to help you get a better look of how the front crumples. The main reason I'm posting it, though, is because the depth of field is so tight. Everything but the tiniest sliver is a blur.

Salvia, Close Up

2011-12-25T22:45:00.000Z

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Whatever good that came out of this image was pure luck, because this plant is such a good specimen, I have to be screwing around to screw it up. (Ha!) And speaking of screwing it up, the full size is so grainy, I think you're better off going with the intermediate size, which hits the best balance between size and clarity, and, I think, brings out the best in the picture.

I want to use this moment to wish a happy birthday to Danny Walker. Most folks are so busy celebrating Christmas right now, they forget someone they know is wishing for a birthday party as their Christmas present.

Red, Spiked Flowers, One & Two

2011-12-23T21:44:00.000Z

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This plant has a very distinctive look, but my unprofessional self is having trouble finding its name. Zoomed out, it looks like a bunch of red puffballs glued to a stick; up close, they remind me of sea anemones.

How to... Fuddify Google

2011-12-21T15:41:00.000Z

Ever dig below the surface of your search settings? Google has a nifty hidden feature that you may have already found while looking to change your language settings in Search, or perhaps missed altogether.

There are two ways to access this feature, depending on where you live and which version of Google you use. You can find both after the jump.

First Method

Google doesn't look the same everywhere. In some countries, it still has that old look, and works as such. If you have that version, use this method.

Go to the preferences page, and under "Interface Language", look for and select "Elmer Fudd".

Click "Save".

Now, go check out your Google homepage.

Everything reads as though Elmer Fudd has invaded Google!

With words like "Mowe", "Advancd surch", and "Gwoups", you've added a psychotic twist to searching for ~~porn~~ dubious medical information online.

Second Method

If you're using the latest version (as of 21st December, 2011), use this method.

Click the "Options" button, and then "Search settings".

In Search Settings, look for "Languages" and click it.

In Languages, under "For Google text", look for and select "Elmer Fudd".

After saving, you should be automatically redirected to the search page you were on before clicking "Options", but now with everything in Elmer Fudd tongue.

And that is how you Fuddify Google. (Now try killing da wabbit.)

Episyrphus balteatus on Red-Flowered Plant

2011-12-19T10:50:00.000Z

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Our old friend, the mistaken bee. I've got to be short with this one, because we're leaving soon for the second part of the Cynic, Live odyssey. I reflected earlier today that I felt seeing them so soon again may be a detriment to the entire experience because the previous one hasn't really settled in, yet, but we're taking these opportunities where we can get 'em. Who knows when we'll see them again?

Embarrassment Never Felt so Good: Cynic Live, One

2011-12-18T23:34:00.000Z

Can you believe it: your eloquent Narratorhumiliated himself in front of Paul Masvidal. The ever-flowery penner who has no trouble constructing prettycollections of words was caught in the trap of too-much-to-say-with-too-little-time. So, instead of reciting the thoughtful linesI’d prepared all week, I, first, giggled like a shy girl, and then burst into amonolithic rant on Cynic’s musical history, without a hint of beckoning, andeven less context. Yes, I told PaulMasvidal what his own music sounds like.

I shouldn’t be allowed near my heroes. No matter how much I convince myself I won’tlook silly, I always end up lookingsilly. I’m like a kid that refuses tolet go of a piece of candy, even though he’s full and has had enough. Cynic and Intronaut are my candy. And enough is not enough. See, I’m sitting in the corner of a trainstation as I’m writing this. It’s dark,cold (no matter how much I prepare, I’m never ready for the agony trainstations throw at me), a wind keeps blowing into my face even though the doors are shut,and after getting just a hair over two hours of sleep today, my body is readyto quit. And yet, I’m having no troubleslinging this together. But put me infront of Paul, and I go all googly-eyed.

The chemistry of a lifelong friendship.

In my defence, though, Cynic gave me a tonto talk about, because their set provided it. For example, Paul’s singing was so subversive it was almost beyondsurprising. He would prolong certainnotes, distort others, and ignore some choruses all together, all to the pointthat singing along required one to stay on edge because we quickly realisedCynic weren’t going to be taking the verbatim route. It gave the show an improvisational feel, andin hindsight, makes absolute sense – even if no one was expecting it.

The songs, too, were distorted. I’m a big fan of “Integral”, the remix of themasterpiece “Integral Birth”, and they did something so brilliant it wasutterly logical looking back at it, but equally unexpected because no one wouldthink they had the balls to try it: rather than play only one of the two songs(a shame, because I’d love to hear both, but that’s impractical), they combinedthem, with Paul playing “Integral” as an overture, before the band collectivelyjumped into “Integral Birth”. It was astunning amalgamation that fit so perfectly one could have assumed it was but asingle song originally composed as such.

Differently, during “King of Those WhoKnow”, Paul stretched the final solo part, and it was here that my emotionreached its peak. As is my way, I closedmy eyes during most of the show (breaking only to see the odd solo or clap inbetween songs), and thus listened to this part quietly, feeling the notes flowaround the stage. He was clearly havingfun with it, because they shifted back and forth between sweet melody and jazzytwang (speaking of twang, there was also very liberal use of the tremolo arm). Then, as he weaved toward the traditionalending, I quickly opened my eyes to get my bearings and suddenly saw him rightin front me. We’ve been here before,when I discussed the connection I felt with Intronaut the first time I sawthem. We know that connection may havebeen nothing but my selfish perception, and that may be true again, here, asPaul may very well have been meaning to pose for the photographer also in frontof me. Each is as probable as the other,but when I saw him playing in front of me, I felt that instant spark. I felt, fairly or unfairly, that for thatbrief moment, the entire venue had melted away, and, for that brief moment, Paul, standing as one person before another, was conversing with me in the purestform possible – wordless sound. Andwithout my bumbling tongue to screw it up, this moment was perfect. Thiswas why I invest so much energy in music, and in this singular speck of theband’s set, all that investment leapt out of me as every note flowed deeperthrough my veins. By the next song, “Veil of Maya”, I could contain myself nolonger, and burst into tears midway through. I was done. (Hopefully whatever manliness I have masked this fact.)

Will Paul forgive my imposition when we methim after the show? Considering how long I’d been waiting to see them live, howgreat they played, how much emotion I expelled during their set, and how allthose three things came together, I just hope he can understand.

Other Notes

This review sounds Masvidal-centric, but in reality, when I was paying attention to the playing, I was probably most focused on Sean Reinert. He plays with an interesting mix of efficiency and groove. His technique is perfect, but at the same time, he doesn’t hold anything back. If I wasn’t too busy listening to the music, I could have focused on him solely and still found a large amount of enjoyment, because it’s quite something to behold. He may still aspire to reach the heights of his own heroes like Vinnie Colaiuta, but I still believe he’s in a class of his own.

Sean slept until Cynic’s set, and thendisappeared, as far as I can tell, after it, so I never spoke to him.

I could swear I recognise Max from someplace. My girlfriend says he reminds
of Chuck Schuldiner, but I don't see it. Chuck had the habit of lifting the neck
really high, and his legs were always close together because of the way he
soloed. Perhaps she's seeing something else, but Max, to me, has the look of
a typical technical death metal musician. It's efficient and no-nonsense, but
still masculine-looking enough to look cool. But, still, I know that face. I
I just can't remember from where. Maybe someone can help me out with it.

The other guitarist, Max Phelps, laughed when I said he looked quiet, but I think his onstage demeanour was very serene. It may perhaps be a product of the fact that this isn’t his band, or not, or he could just have been focusing on the music intensely. He barely seemed to move, and my girlfriend, who prefers the opposite of my closed-eyes style and thus saw much more than me, pointed this out herself several times. It’s a change from the forced intensity you sometimes see from insecure musicians.

Also, this guy was my age when Focus was released? I should just quitmaking music right now.

Brandon plays an instrument uncharacteristic to Cynic: a fretted bass. His
reason? "I don't own a fretless bass!" Thankfully, Cynic didn't turn him away
because of it.

Brandon Giffin, the bassist, has a fascinating story: he left his previous band, The Faceless (for whom I admittedly have little love), so he could return to school. I assumed this was the typical Andols Herrick-like route of a musician leaving a band because he wants to improve through educational means, but there was actually zero truth to that assumption – turns out, he wants to become a biologist, the qualification required to permanently join his local zoo in Los Angeles (where he has already logged over 100 hours). How cool is that? Not only is he talented enough to play bass for Cynic, but smart enough to become a biologist (on his dual passions, we found a kinship, as his mentality on the matter mirrors mine exactly). In fact, we ended up talking more about animals than music the whole time we spoke.

Apparently, he has bred snakes (none ofthem venomous and mainly pythons, for totally rational reasons to me), and leftschool again to join Cynic. (I made aMike Mangini/Dream Theater reference upon hearing that, but it went over theheads of all involved.) As Cynic don’t tour all that often, he plans onreturning when they finish this cycle, and thus, as long as Cynic has a place for him,wants to continue that pattern of steady ascension. I’m rooting for him.

I have to give Paul some love for putting up with me. The greatest example of his patience was when we were about to leave, and I said something to the effect of, “I just want to say something,” and implying I’d be quick. After thanking him for still making music (I bungled this one, too, but I was trying to say that Cynic being around is good for music as a whole, not just me), I promptly went off again, saying a second thing, and a third. Throughout all of it, he never dropped eye contact, and even asked Erin, the tour manager, to finish. (Erin, by the way, is a great individual. Every time we talked with her she was super-nice in a genuinely sincere way.) It’s shockingly rare, unfortunately, that bands actually listen to what their fans are saying and pay attention. (The only other exception that comes to mind is Intronaut, though to be fair, I don’t speak to many bands.) So, not only did Paul put up with me, but he actually listened to what I had to say, too.

From left to right: Jim Hughes, Paul Ortiz, Boris Le Gal.

Adam, in the moment.

If you ever get the chance to check out Chimp Spanner, take the risk. The level of talent in that band is so high, the drummer, Boris Le Gal, likes to goof off in the middle of complex sections (you can view his audition for the band here), and bassist Adam Swan, with whom band-leader Paul Ortiz played in Monuments, displayed some blazing speed. (I have to admit, his unassuming appearance completely threw me off. I wasn't expecting him to be that good.) Chimp Spanner was a one-man project until being joined by Le Gal, Swan, and guitarist Jim Hughes for their continental tour. It’ll be interesting to see where they go next, because I like this group.

The only weakness I see in the music is that it contains a slight overabundance of "djent", a style of music that doesn't speak to me. Otherwise, it's good stuff.
None of the above pictures were taken by me. All credit goes to H.C.B.

Memorabilia

The T-shirt.


One of Sean's drumheads, signed by the entire band. I don't really care about signed souvenirs and the like, but the money went to a good cause. Now, I just need to find a nice frame for it.

Bed of Leaves

2011-12-15T20:23:00.001Z

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The first thing one may notice after some reflection is the dark collection of pellets cupped in the middle. It looks like gravel, but it's probably faeces. Wanna roll in this bed?

I'm stoked right now. We're going to pull strings, dig into reserves, and battle tortuous fatigue to see Cynic for a pair of dates in separate far away places. By the end of it, we'll be out like broken bulbs, but I'm absolutely certain it's going to be worth it.

Bed of Pink Flowers

2011-12-14T09:18:00.002Z

I like the angle and hint of sunshine, here, although it was actually a fairly miserable day. The high contrast is what brought out the light, and convinced me to post this one.

Bumble Bee on Violet Flower

2011-12-13T18:22:00.001Z

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This shot pretty much exemplifies the difference between the photos I take and those you commonly find on these subjects. Compared to the pictures you find on the internet of vibrant flowers and colourful bees, this one is positively bland. But it's also unadulterated. And that's how I choose to approach photography - through the lens instead of through manipulation software. Neither is more correct than the other, of course. It's all about trying to carve your path.

As Thoughts of Failure Swell

2011-12-05T07:09:00.001Z

I was doing some work, recently, good, honest work, when a thought descended on me. I was riding my bicycle, got off, trotted across the street, and just thought, "Damn, I'm a failure." I stopped for a second, breathed. "Damn."

It stunk.

Right now, I'm deep into a project that I've lost the will to complete, but inevitably have to. It's thankless and payless. Its ultimate effect on anything but a tiny scope of knowledge will be beyond miniscule. Frankly, it's almost worthless. This never dawned on me when I hastily jumped on it. At the time, I was chuffed that I was going to enlighten people on an obscure topic; now, that's not enough. I keep telling myself that I have to be working on big things, I have to be living up to my delusions of grandeur. Big things. Important things. Things that will make historians look back and say, "That, now that, that said something about who we were and who we are. That, yes that, that was important." I don't want to be important. I want my work to be important. But this isn't important enough. And that stinks.

With every passing day, the relevance of this project sinks, making me regret even more that I took it on. I'm putting too much time into it, investing an unreasonable amount of resources to complete it, over-extending myself. I'm a noodle reaching for the other side of the plate; I'm either going to snap or else I'm going to recoil into a bundled morass. Finishing this project is going to feel good, but it's also going to leave me with the sense that I wasted this critical period of the year on something undeserving.

It's not going to receive the acclaim I want for it. It's not going to be noticed by any large majority. And it's not that I'm a fame junky in need of precious love - some Pompey - but that I'm the sort of person that feels the constant need to justify what he's doing. Time is short, there are things to be done, and I can't do them for the sake of doing them. They have to have a reason, a purpose. They have to be important things. And this isn't important enough.

The stress it is drawing is not the stress it requires, but I'm in the middle of it, and I can't turn either way. It's too late to quit, too early to finish. So, I have to keep on. And, so, I feel like a failure. I am my own personal rat race, and I am falling behind. I must get better, I must improve, I must meet expectations. I feel like I'm wasting my time when I can't afford to waste my time. And I feel like the exact spur that stopped me in the middle of the street is that I am wasting my time doing things that are wasting my time. And, yet, here I am. I'm not going to stop until I finish.

So, I breathed, I thought, "Damn," and I trotted on. The only other thought that came me was that I had to work harder, finish quicker, stretch like a noodle until I'm on the brink of snapping, because, right now, I'm not. I must improve. I can still over-extend that little bit more, because if I'm going to work on a project that will having no meaning in 2 months' time, I might as well go all in and be done with it. That stinks. And that's okay, I thought, I feel like a failure, now, and I will feel like one tomorrow and the day after that, because in completing this project I will have continued to squander my hopefully-existent talent and not reached the heights of my ability, as I am today.

Eventually, I got home. I ate some cereal, and the slice of the cake my girlfriend made. It's really good cake, although the perfectionist in her disagrees. Then, I checked my e-mail, and noticed something. I clicked it and saw it was a rejection of my, if you will, latest masterpiece the world will inevitably detest: that old, exuberant tome. The person kindly apologised and left me to wallow in what should have been spurned agony. Instead, I felt those swelling thoughts subside, if for a moment, and I appreciated the rejection. It reminded me that I'm still doing important things. Even if they're not enough and I'm not good enough.

Pine Needles and Spider

2011-12-01T00:40:00.001Z

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I'm currently writing a pair of articles for Mile High Hockey so stat-heavy that when I close my eyes, I see numbers. At the same time, I'm also assisting my girlfriend with some work that has even more numbers. Oy, now I'm beginning to dream about numbers. I feel for you, number crunchers of the world.

True story about that spider: I hadn't noticed it until after I took the picture and suddenly realised what that dark bulb was.

Birch Trees in Woodland, Two

2011-11-27T01:15:00.001Z

A different perspective of the previous picture. Although I think I did a fair job of communicating depth, this one's nothing special, too.

Birch Trees in Woodland, One

2011-11-24T23:30:00.001Z

It's not about whether it's a good picture, but whether it instills something in you... because, you know, it's not really a good picture. Personally, my instinct when looking at it is to go out and start rummaging through the woods.

Young and Old Pine Needles

2011-11-20T22:56:00.001Z

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Old leaves tend to be dark and rigid, while younger leaves are lighter in colour and softer. Here, you can easily tell which is which (never mind the drying leaves giving it away).

Cynic's Carbon-Based Anatomy finally arrived. The expression on my face throughout my entire first listen was of speechlessness. I'm not sure what exactly to make of it, so far, but what I do know is that Cynic are clearly going to take this as far as it can go, and I'm absolutely not ready to get off the wagon.

Links: Lefsetz Gets it; Newt, Part Tew

2011-11-19T16:52:00.001Z

◷

In discussing the cost of music, Bob Lefsetz hits it squarely in the groin, pointing out that the gravy train of CDs and overpriced concert tickets was nothing but a temporary mirage that lulled artists into seeing dollar signs instead of the waning receptiveness of fans. (Now, that's one sentence with too many metaphors.) The "CD era" is, or was, not an upward trend, but a spike in the history of music that will have to, or has already started to, regress to the mean.

He finishes with:

The war is over. The price of recorded music has deflated.

And this is good.

This allows more people to listen to more music. Recorded music used to be for the rich. Most people could only afford a few CDs a year. Now you can listen to everything, for free. And there’s nothing the rights holders can do about this.

I have said before, here or elsewhere, that I wish artists could live for free*, the way Olympians would. Of course, with the way the modern world is structured, this is not possible; but in a certain hypothetical universe or point in history, it is. I don't think you can put a price on art, though people have tried, because ideas are not quantifiable. We can tell when we like one thing more than another, but we can't say, in definable ways, why Cynic, say, is better than whatever over-produced schlock is on the magazine cover this month. It just is.

Ideas are not copyrightable, they are not patents and creations. The people (and other animals) that choose to traverse this road deserve to be commended, not derided. And I don't say it because I'm one of those people, but because I think it's a genuine shame to find dazzling talent wasting away because the number of otherwise valueless sheets of paper collected in their wallet was never high enough. Eliminating this need would allow us to witness an unprecedented era of creativity and invention because the people that do it best would be able to do so without having the politics of their industry slumping over their backs.

Eliminating it would also take away the bitterness many of the aforementioned dollar-eyed musicians must be feeling after reading that quote. But I love it. Both because moving past the constriction of physical media has let me listen to what I want when I want (although, as previously stated, there are special cases in which I do like to have both), and now my decision to give away my mediocre music for nothing doesn't look so bad.

(Stick-tap Metalsucks.)

◶

Again, I have said before, here or elsewhere, that U.S. politics is utterly fascinating to me because not being attached to it affords me the ability to see it for the farce that it is. In a previous "Links", I mentioned Newt Gingrich's Twitter account, which contained 1,325,842 followers, most of which were dummies set up by "a variety of agencies whose sole purpose is to procure Twitter followers for people who are shallow/insecure/unpopular enough to pay for them". Keeping that in mind, Gingrich, in the revolving door that is Mitt Romney's Biggest Rival of the Week, has had a resurgence in the polls and found himself as this week's Biggest Rival of the Week. Newt's schtick of the moment is that he has "matured", or whatever, since leaving Capitol Hill, but, fortunately for us, Truthdig... dug... through the muck and has found the true Newt.

Watching Newt rise, fall, and now rise again is like watching the part-hilarious/part-depressing subplot of a movie about ambitious, vain, greedy - I want to say "pigs", but pigs aren't this bad, so I'll just say "humans" - ambitious, vain, greedy humans vying for a gold crown emblazoned with "Leader of the Free World**". Actually, it's like a reality TV show; except, you know, real! In any case, Conason assures that "this sequel to [Gingrich's] failed career is more likely to end in farce—just like the original."

I love happy endings.

* In a another universe, perhaps these artists are supported by philanthropic billionaires, whose only desire in this relationship is to see what can come out of their union. At least, here, too, the goal will not be to make money.

** Subtitle: "Not really."

Lichen on Old Pine Branch

2011-11-17T09:56:00.001Z

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Even the cones are infested with lichens. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing. It was pleasing to see this dying remnant, though, because in a more polite setting - like a park, say - it would likely have been chopped off for aesthetic reasons. This is one of those things you get to see in an uninhabited forest: nature in its true form; neither ugly nor beautiful. (Although one could argue that nature itself is no longer natural.)

Moss on Tree in Woodland

2011-11-14T13:20:00.001Z

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I've mentioned before that I grow grass on my window sill. I'd also love to grow moss. It may sound like a waste of space, but the texture of moss has a similar effect. Moss is like the fur of plants.

Red Squirrel in Pine Tree

2011-11-11T09:15:00.001Z

There's only one reason I'm posting this picture: the obscure red squirrel poking around the tree branches.

A long tangent is probably required to explain why seeing a red squirrel is special. To put it as shortly as possible: in England (I can't speak for the rest of the British Isles), the red squirrel is declining in numbers because of the "invasion" of the eastern grey squirrel. Generally, these two species are quite different in the way they live: the red squirrel likes hazel but dislikes acorns, which the grey squirrel prefers; the red squirrel lives in coniferous woodland with reliable cone production and continuous canopy, meaning a sustainable population requires a large amount of unadulterated coniferous forest, while the grey squirrel prefers the opposite - broadleaved woodland interspersed with agricultural land, meaning they aren't as timid as red squirrels and can live in a smaller area.* Nevertheless, all of this adds up to the grey squirrel being more suited to the modern world, and the red squirrel suffering as a result in territories where they overlap. (Not only through out-competing, but also the presence of squirrel-pox.)

Red squirrels, already uncommon in urban areas, are becoming increasingly rare, and bringing them from the brink of extinction is an incredibly difficult task, with no easy answers.

And that is why seeing a red squirrel is special, and any time you get the chance to, you should consider stopping and appreciating the moment.

* All of this information is from the paper of a close friend, so blame her if it's incorrect!

Long Shrub in Meadow

2011-11-10T07:57:00.001Z

Cynic's Carbon-Based Anatomy is out tomorrow. Originally, the idea was to buy the record at whatever show I go to when they come to Europe, but then my girlfriend slapped me with a dose of logic: if I did that, I wouldn't know any of the songs when I saw them. Dang. Of course, I could just download it and listen to it until I get it from the show. I'm not opposed to doing that, as I have several times. The band's going to be getting my money, anyway, right? What's the harm in cheating by a few days?

But, eh, not going through the ritual of oogling the sleeve while my ears meld with my headphones feels wrong. Sometimes waiting for it is worth it - this was the case with Intronaut's Prehistoricisms, for example. After making the mistake of getting Void in digital form (sorry, but getting the CD and then ripping it to my HDD in something like FLAC beats saving a couple bucks on average-quality mp3s, and I won't make that mistake again... I hope), my rigid determination to get a CD version of Prehistoricisms meant that, at a time when funds were scarce, I had to wait for a long while before getting it (as a present from the person literally dozing next to me right now, no less). I tried to rationalise downloading it before inevitably buying it, but, again, not having it in my hands when I listened to it for the first time just didn't feel right. So, I waited, which sucked, but getting to peel open the case gave me a wonderful feeling of satisfaction for not succumbing to the temptation of cheating.

So, should I cheat or wait a month? Fungible principles be damned? Yeah, I never said I was a patient person (actually, I have, but I'm trying to prove a point here so let me fib), so I'm going to do neither and just pre-order it. Not knowing the songs note-by-note be damned!

In conclusion, that's a long shrub, and it's in the middle of a meadow.

Long Shrub, Close Up

2011-10-10T00:08:00.000Z

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A closer look at the long shrub reveals many details. The pale yellow colour is caused by columns of young flowers. Stuck in between those flowers are the seeds of other plants. A spider web runs up the "tentacles". And just slightly out of focus is the shell of a snail.

I've been having my fair share of adventures lately, and hope to write all about them, soon. That will have to wait at least two days, however, because next on the bill is Intronaut for the third time this year.

Long Shrub in Meadow

2011-09-11T23:47:00.001Z

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This plant blends into the background so well that it's easy to gloss over the image and miss it. In fact, I did just that until I zoomed in and saw those magnificent tentacles. And they do look like the arms of a squid, no? The lighter-coloured tips certainly help punctuate that point.

Burgundy Shrub in Meadow

2011-09-09T23:48:00.001Z

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I recently went to the album launching of a band that, let's say, wouldn't normally see me at their album launching. That doesn't make them bad or anything. The music was simply on a level of cheesiness I'm not used to experiencing. And by level, I mean it was Boss level cheesy. It was difficult to go through most of their songs without cracking up.

Nevertheless, the music itself was excellent. A combination of rock, jazz, and occasionally, funk. The rhythm section was tight and groovy, and the lead guitar just blew me away. The guitarist's proficiency was way beyond anything I'd expect out of the genre, mixing a blend of sheer technicality and melody. It's only a shame that, as an extension of that very genre, the songwriting didn't live up to the talent on display.

Anyway, I really like this picture. Those plants have a beautiful shade of burgundy, and the way they're swaying, it's perfectly evocative of what I want to see when looking out over a hill.

Oenothera glazioviana, One & Two

2011-09-07T23:56:00.001Z

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Getting the exact species name was surprisingly difficult, because of the need to sift through all the varieties of this plant that look nearly the same. What ultimately made me believe that this is Oenothera glazioviana is those long, red sepals, which weren't as readily visible in the other candidate, a much rarer and thus unlikelier specimen.

Review: Alice in Wonderland (2010)

2011-09-03T11:19:00.000Z

(via Wikipedia)

Year: 2010

Director: Tim Burton

Writer: Linda Woolverton

Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Marton Csokas, Lindsay Duncan, Jemma Powell, Frances de la Tour, John Hopkins, Tim Piggott-Smith, Geraldine James, Leo Bill, Michael Sheen, Alan Rickman, Barbara Windsor, Paul Whitehouse, Timothy Spall, Michael Gough, Sir Christopher Lee, Imelda Staunton, Jim Carter, Frank Welker

***

Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh. Meh meh meh meh. Meh.

Seriously, though, meh. It has some neat ideas, and I actually couldn't watch it in the background half the time because of all the information on the screen, but Depp doing that silly dance out of nowhere was like taking a fish to my brain. And is it me, or does he randomly change his accent to an odd sort of Scottish? It was so devoid of context, like the "make your luck" line in The Dark Knight that was dripping in the rote filming process of single-camera cinema.

In fact, most of the film was devoid of context. Why is the white queen "good"? Does she even ever do a good deed? Does Burton mean to give her the sinister, psychotic edge I feel in her scenes? She looks like the villain, does that weird hand-waving thing with the creepy smile, forces Alice to risk her life for her while feigning freedom of choice, and then exiles her own sister. Going back to forcing Alice... seriously, man, like... seriously... man... that's totally what every leader of every country that has gone into a war of choice has done: wanna fight some war? Don't want to risk your own life? Or anyone you really care about? Great. Just look for some sap you've never met before, convince them they're destined to kill some Jabberwhythefuckwouldsomeonegivethemostterrifyingcreatureinthestorythestupidestnamethatremindsmeofanewokthathasmatedwithawookiebecausetheproofisinthefinalwordwocky, give them a "magic" sword, and woot, get them going before they go, "Hey, wait a minute... ~~he make fun of our car~~ there never was a cake!" Was Alice anything but a pawn?

And did the Mad Hatter love her? Or was he just looking at her that way because he thinks her head is really deserving of a lawnmower-shaped hat? I have no idea!

Why is the Bandersnatch suddenly friends with Alice? Because she returned the eye? Doesn't it realise she was responsible for it in the first place? And if fixing her wound makes them even, what does bursting through the soldiers mean? It's never explained. Neither is the bloodhound's role in the story; the horse jokes about dogs' habit of believing anything, but this facet of the story is never expounded further.

Now, I admit it looks gorgeous. I could ignore the overflowing CGI because Burton actually did an effective job of suspending my belief, but, frankly, it's difficult to concentrate on Alice's timely request that the Jabberimpossibletobeafraidofthisthingbecauseyouaretoobusylaughingatitssillynametofearitwocky kindly remove his (I assume it's a male because it has Christopher Lee's voice, although Dr. Girlfriend may have something to say about that) head* while swinging her incredibly light sword over her head in the midst of sweet nothing but air when you're facepalming the whole way through.

And, finally, the intensity of my dislike for the bookend scenes has no limit. Honestly, I could get beyond the random switch of accents and dancing, the fact that I preferred the Red Queen to the White Queen (and not because she was the bad ~~guy~~ gal of the story), my surprising discovery that the ugly White Queen was actually Anne Hathaway (I never knew the trick was to make her look like an anorexic goth bride), and cheesy one-liners. Heck, I even enjoyed the rest, particularly Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Crispin Glover (I can never hate him, even though his character could have done with more rounding), and Cheshire (if they replaced the entire second act with Cheshire doing a 45-minute presentation on choosing the correct accounting software, I would still have been riveted). But that dull, trite opening (right until Alice shrinks) required me to literally restrain my hand from, twitching and itching for the the stop button, raising and pressing it. Consciously. Sitting there. Telling my hand to stay.

When the Mad Hatter offered to let Alice stay, I was beyond pressing the button because I was already tuning out. You could just feel that "but" coming. It was omnipresent; bearing down on the scene and just waiting to be uttered. That's a shame, because for a second, I actually thought she was going to surprise and agree to stay.
Alas, we're treated to her returning to the "real" world, doing that silly, surely scandalous, dance, and then stepping out of her gender role (it's a period piece) and presumably commanding a ship on its way to infect China on the empire's behalf.

What a waste. If ever there was a moment to choose an insane hatmaker over scurvy, this was it. So, seriously, Alice? You'd rather deal with intestinally-challenged suitors and the burden of money? Okay. Considering the way the rest of the film, that would probably be a fair way to end it.

* That line should only be said by Bonham Carter because it's genuinely funny every time she does.

Shrubland

2011-09-02T18:05:00.000Z

With the previous close-up shots in mind, we now zoom out and show all of the plants together. It's a pretty sparse sight.

Insect on White Flowers

2011-09-01T16:06:00.000Z

Looks like it's enjoying the sweet taste of nectar - whatever amount there may be in these tiny flowers.

Daisies in Meadow

2011-08-28T05:49:00.000Z

Download original.

You can see the cycle of life here, save for birth. The daisies, before our eyes, grow, open, bask in the light, have their petals fall off, and then wither away.

Links: Plane Mythology; Ruining a Legacy; and Overstacking Your Résumé

2011-08-28T05:14:00.002Z

Patrick Smith tackles the myth that commercial planes can or will be able to fly themselves any time soon, and then takes on the bigger task of calling out misinformation in the media.

I really wish there was no need for someone like Smith. That may sound cold, but I say it with a kind thought, because although I genuinely enjoy reading his articles that are full of invaluable knowledge, I've dealt with misinformation and bias enough that I don't wish those headaches on anyone (okay, mostly anyone). And those that do will surely agree that it isn't done for any sort of pleasure but the sheer, obsessive compulsive will to salvage the truth from the retching oesophagus of lies, laziness, and idiocy. (How's that for picturesque imagery!)

Hopefully, one day he, and everyone else, can escape both the eroding table and frontal lobe damage.

***

Ars Technica's guide to ruining your PC in five easy steps contains some brutal criticisms that are both funny and entirely warranted. The funniest of the lot:

Diablo 3 will also require a persistent Internet connection, and Blizzard's Rob Pardo agrees that it's kind of a pain in the butt. "I want to play Diablo 3 on my laptop in a plane, but, well, there are other games to play for times like that," he told 1up.

Just so we're clear, when you're bored on a plane, and you have your laptop, and you want to play the game you bought in order to fight boredom, Blizzard's official recommendation is that you play someone else's game. That's pride, right there.

Indeed.

***

Staying with Ars and gaming, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford derided a report by Eurogamer as "shoddy journalism", even though the report was correct. Again, Ars hits the nail on the head when they provide their own account of publishing something about Rock Band 3 that Harmonix wasn't too pleased to read, and then dealing with the repercussions, and leaving us with the thought that, "If you threaten [the publisher/developer-magazine relationship] with honest-to-goodness reporting, apparently you're nothing but a shoddy journalist."

***

Ignore the crude URL and mistaken definition of "viral" and watch Maurice Johnston talk about how he came to be a homeless person, despite having multiple degrees and a sterling résumé. It's startling and depressing. This guy deserves a job (and a lot more).

***

Sometimes, doing something good goes beyond partisan lines. In defending Muslim lawyer Sohail Mohammed, Chris Christie, the Republican governor of New Jersey, shows us just that.

Plant with Up-Turned Flowers from Side

2011-08-25T22:40:00.001Z

Not special pictures by any means, but you have to have a look at the gradation of green to white and odd look of the flowers themselves.

Small, White Flowers in Meadow

2011-08-23T23:56:00.001Z

Download original.

The white flowers may be the focus of the image, but it's the yellow flowers surrounding them that grab my eye.

Shallow Pond

2011-08-21T17:17:00.000Z

See, nothing but a puddle of water.

Unfortunately, a certain project demanded more of my attention than initially anticipated. Now that it's complete, we can hopefully get back into the swing of things here.

Plants and Debris in Shallow Pond

2011-08-09T23:56:00.002Z

A log floats by.

Tall Plants Beside Muddy Bank of Shallow Pond, Two

2011-08-08T22:00:00.002Z

Download original.

The focus in this one is a little more difficult to see. To me, the eyes are still on the pink flowers - only a different set - but to others, it may be the tall leaves or even smaller shrubs.

Tall Plants Beside Muddy Bank of Shallow Pond, One

2011-08-07T23:47:00.003Z

Download original.

Despite being beside a mere puddle, the plants have still gained enough nutrients to grow tall. The focus here is really on the pink flowers in the centre. In the sea of green and brown, they're what catches your eye first.

Depth of Pond

2011-08-06T18:45:00.002Z

The rock in the corner creates the illusion of depth; as does the plant. It really is but an illusion, although for a frog that may look over the waves from the edge of that rock, it is surely grand. (Great detail on the rock, too.)

Grass and Plants in Pond Bank

2011-08-04T09:10:00.001Z

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This isn't the same Pond of previous images, but, as you shall see, a very large puddle. Of course, that doesn't stop life from flourishing.

Shrub in Muddy Bank

2011-08-02T15:58:00.002Z

Download original.

I love the detail here, particularly in the stretching branches.

Links: Funding an Arena, Hawking on Heaven, a Newt's Twitter

2011-08-02T08:26:00.002Z

In an article on the future of the New York Islanders hockey club, Puck Daddy's Sean Leahy takes the objectivity he has been using up until the final paragraph and throws it out the window:

So it's up to Nassau County voters on Monday to decide if they're better off with a revenue-generating arena for the next 30 years or let Nassau Coliseum's main tenant leave, thereby losing millions in potential tax revenues and more importantly, jobs.

This ending leaves a bitter taste in one's mouth, because the rest of the article is actually quite informative. So, why the need make a judgement? In any case, voters rejected the proposal by "about 57 percent to 43 percent". I'll leave you to make your own snarky comment about Leahy's article - it's way too easy - and instead make a snarky comment regarding TSN's reaction:

The cost to run the referendum was estimated to be $2 million, which Wang said he would pay, but only if voters approve the project.

Ha! Sounds awfully similar to the old ploy of, "If you're not gonna vote for me, don't vote at all." I have no opinion on whether Nassau County was right or wrong to vote against the proposal - it's a tough position either way, and I'm not the one that'll have to be paying for it - but insulting them for their decision is wrong and trying to force a county that's already in financial trouble to vote your way using the threat of money is even worse.

***

Click this link for the headline, read it for Hawking's illuminating observations.

***

Newt Gingrich (you know, just another lame duck trying to win an irrelevant nomination for an irrelevant election) has 1,325,842 followers. So, what, right? Most of them are probably fake, or something, right? Yeah, right. According to a former staff member, "Newt employs a variety of agencies whose sole purpose is to procure Twitter followers for people who are shallow/insecure/unpopular enough to pay for them."

That's just hilarious. Gingrich is the only reason I'm paying attention to this whole affair; it's like watching George W. Bush, but without the fear that he may actually do something genuinely dangerous (which he unfortunately did).

Meadow, Two

2011-08-01T07:20:00.003Z

What a beautiful picture. It has nothing to do with the image itself, but the subjects... the creaking plant hanging over in the wind, shrubs poking their heads over the top of the hill, seeds stuck in a branch, and a snake no doubt waiting in a corner for its chance to bite me because it's aware of my war with them. Now, that's Nature.

Grass on Gravel, Two

2011-07-31T23:19:00.002Z

Download original.

This isn't related to the first Grass on Gravel, though it may look like it. I love grass (have I mentioned that yet? Of course, I have), but the stones steal the show. Just check out that colour and detail!

Tall Shrub in Meadow

2011-07-29T23:58:00.003Z

Download original.

So, remember when I said I only had one picture of that tall shrub with the white flowers and orange anthers? Yeah, I lied. Turns out I actually had several, even if they were crappy. This one isn't crappy, though. I actually like the atmosphere it creates; that of a grassland wilderness on a blazing afternoon.

Links: Dealing with Advertising; a Pot Meets a Kettle

2011-07-28T10:25:00.001Z

Lifehacker details the effects advertising has on us, and dispenses some advice for those of us looking to steer clear of it, whether through things like Adblock Plus or pure avoidance. It's a valuable read.

It also unintentionally reminds me of a recent episode of Dan Carlin's Common Sense, in which Dan discussed the use of advertising by politicians.

***

Two doses of irony from LucasFilm's High Court loss against Andrew Ainsworth:

Thayne Forbes, a managing director at the brand-valuation company Intangible Business, told Bloomberg that Lucasfilm was trying to protect the "upmarket fantasy experience," and that the company probably didn't want the stormtrooper helmets and armor "to be found in cheap plastic toy territory."

/implying LucasFilm isn't already there.

James Burns, who co-owns the UK's leading Star Wars fan site Jedinews, says he sides with Lucas on the debate about art.
"If you employ someone to design and sculpt it [a helmet] for you, surely by definition that would have to be a work of art. The drawings done and things that come out of that are all art," he said.

If it's a work of art, to whom does it belong except for the artist, himself?

Episyrphus balteatus on Small, White Flowers, Four

2011-07-28T07:11:00.000Z

Download original.

The intricacy of this plant is reminiscent of a snowflake. The flowers grow from a stem that grows from a stem, itself, and that stem grows from yet another one. Actually, come to think of it, it's also reminiscent of this.

(Update on my demolished Broncos fandom: I'm still not over it.)

Episyrphus balteatus on Small, White Flowers, Three

2011-07-28T06:36:00.000Z

Download original.

The best view of the insect, and proof that it isn't, again, a bee. It's funny how easy it is to mistake it for one, and yet, how easy it is to realise it isn't when you just focus for a moment. (Well, that's why you're meant to think before reaching a conclusion.)

Episyrphus balteatus on Small, White Flowers, Two

2011-07-26T23:54:00.003Z

Download original.

The line of focus is so thin, that even the Episyrphus balteatus is blurred. The blending of colours the blur creates adds a nice dimension, though.

Episyrphus balteatus on Small, White Flowers, One

2011-07-25T23:43:00.002Z

Download original.

This looks like the Small, White Flowers I posted earlier this month, and it may very well be the same species, but both plants differ in one significant way (to me, anyway): this one curves upward, while the other one curved downward.

Hand Holding Plant

2011-07-24T23:54:00.002Z

Download original.

You should see this one at full size. With the previously-mentioned strange shadows around the fingers and deep blur, the head of this plant sticks out as though it is floating over my hand. Also have a look at the detail of each part; everything branches out like wheel spokes.

Hand Holding Purple Flowers

2011-07-23T23:43:00.003Z

The shadows around my fingers give them an ethereal quality. It looks like a ghostly hand is inspecting the flowers.

Yellow and Red Flower

2011-07-22T23:54:00.002Z

Download original.

Pretty flower, even though it hasn't yet opened. Check out the dandelion seed stuck in it, too.

White Flowers, Orange Anthers of Tall Shrub

2011-07-21T06:52:00.001Z

Download original.

I honestly have no idea what species this is, and this is the only picture I have of the plant. As you can guess, flowers are meant to open all around it, making it look like a pillar of small, white flowers. Also, note the (winged) insect nearing the flower in the middle.

Blowing Dandelions, Six (Dandelion Seeds Flying from Seed Head)

2011-07-17T01:35:00.003Z

Download original.

Final picture of this series. I felt it deserved a post of its own, capturing what I was trying to achieve with the last post best.

See y'all when I see ya. It's 03:30 on Sunday morning right now (okay, 03:31). Between this moment and the next post is a shave, four long train rides, Neurosis, staying up for some twenty hours, teaching, writing, and whatever naps I can fit in between.

Blowing Dandelions, Five

2011-07-16T23:39:00.001Z

With a faster shutter speed, the seeds stick out here, and unlike the previous ones, where viewing them individually was difficult, you can now see them clearly.

The value of slow vs. fast shutter speed has been discussed many times; everyone has their own preferences. Personally, I liked being able to see each seed bursting from the seed head.

Blowing Dandelions, Four

2011-07-16T06:31:00.002Z

As with the last set, the seeds have a silky look to them. Pure white, and not a blemish in sight.

Blowing Dandelions, Three

2011-07-15T23:20:00.002Z

Again with the purty fingers that hold up the stalk. The person was twirling it.

Blowing Dandelions, Two

2011-07-14T23:43:00.003Z

The focus is off here, but these pictures aren't lost. Those are some purty fingers. :P

Blowing Dandelions, One

2011-07-13T05:03:00.000Z

Download pictures. Open the first one. Switch between them in sequence. Blow mind.

Or you can just scroll up and down.

Dirt Road

2011-07-12T22:48:00.003Z

At the end of that road lies wonders beyond my imagination. Wonders like Japanese evergreen trees and dragonflies.

Dandelion Branch

2011-07-12T00:44:00.001Z

Download original.

Expect to see more dandelions in the coming days.

Shrub Branches

2011-07-10T22:59:00.000Z

Download original.

I like the focus and depth of field here. The way everything drifts in and out of focus is awesome.

Yellow Flowers, Two

2011-07-09T22:49:00.002Z

Download original.

I may not know the species, but it's still pretty for what looks like a weed below the petals. Check out the original size to see an insect crawling within said petals and a stunning amount of detail.

Yellow Flowers, One

2011-07-08T22:39:00.003Z

Download original.

Chrysanthemum? That's what I'm told, but I'm not sure.

Meadow, One

2011-07-07T22:58:00.004Z

Wider view of the flowers and plants in the ~~field~~ meadow. The road on the edge of the picture runs into a botanical garden.

Snail on Leaf

2011-07-06T12:48:00.003Z

Download original.

Wouldn't mind knowing this plant species, but I really can't tell. And what's that next to the shell? Do you want to know? Not quite sure I do.

Butterfly on Yellow Flowers

2011-07-04T14:24:00.003Z

Download original.

Again, not perfectly in focus, but what a pretty creature. And the flowers on which it is relaxing aren't too bad, either.

Dandelions in Meadow

2011-07-04T12:34:00.001Z

Download original.

Not a perfect picture with everything slightly out of focus, but something about this image draws me to it. I just had to post it.

Plants in Meadow

2011-07-02T21:29:00.002Z

Download original.

These are actually immature versions of the previous post's flowers, with a sprinkling of various grasses and a dash of yellow.

Small, White Flowers, One & Two

2011-07-02T20:37:00.001Z

Download original.

Too bad the insects on the side were just out of focus, but the detail of the flowers themselves makes up for it, I think.

(Update: fixed the second image.)

A Pair of Plush Friends

2011-06-30T17:19:00.003Z

I don't know what the whole point of this series was, besides serving as an excuse to goof around. The fun of it aside, though, I have to say I liked these two characters (past tense because they're no longer around). The duck was a great cushion and the stoic raccoon never wavered from his stern contempt of everything me.

Plush Raccoon Touches Plush Duck

2011-06-28T16:05:00.002Z

Okay, that title sounds dirty, but I assure you, it isn't. They're just friends, and if you think the relationship is anything but Platonic, then, that's just, like, you're opinion, buddy.

Plush Side Portraits

2011-06-27T14:28:00.001Z

Duck and Raccoon from the side.

Final Thoughts on 2011 NHL Draft

2011-06-27T07:39:00.003Z

Okay, I may not approve of the Avs' drafting strategy or wished for these particular players, but that doesn't mean I hate the new guys. As Avs, they have, at the very least, my respect, and from this day forward, I will cheer for them and wish nothing but success. (Wishing failure on someone, for what it's worth, is one of, if not the, most despicable things one can do.) After all, if they're winning, we, as Avs fans, are winning, too. It's a win-win! So, welcome to the Avs, Gabriel Landeskog, Duncan Siemens, Joachim Nermark, Garrett Meurs, Gabriel Beaupre, Dillon Donnelly!

My only reservation (besides the individual ones) is this:

When Duchene was drafted, there was an audible buzz. I don't know why, but you could just feel that something special was coming out of the '09 draft. With Landeskog, I don't feel it. In the end, I think drafting Duchene at #3 will present higher value to the Avs than drafting Landeskog at #2 will. That's a shame, considering it's a higher pick, but what can you do? That's the draft for ya. Every year is different.

(Incidentally, a large complaint amongst Broncos "fans" looking for another reason to hate McDaniels was the perception and problem that he was drafting character and leadership over skill. Something to think about.*

*Of course, ultimately, McDaniels will be proven right.)

Open Letter to the Colorado Avalanche

2011-06-27T01:36:00.001Z

Dear Avs,

If you say you're going to do something, and then do something else, that makes you a hypocrite. If you claim to believe in something, and contradict that belief, then you're not, if you'll forgive the phrase, practising what you preach, and, thus, a hypocrite.

If you say you're going to draft the best player available and then pick according to need, you're not picking the best player available.

If you say that you draft for skill and then pass up on the most skilled defenseman in the draft for a less skilled, but bigger and "meaner" defenseman, you're not drafting for skill.

This isn't a criticism of the Avs' draft, but an observation.

For the past several months (years, really, but let's ignore past drafts), we've been told that the Avalanche drafting strategy is BPA over need:

...the organization will stick to its draft strategy of picking the best talent and won't try to address a specific need, said Rick Pracey, the club's director of amateur scouting.

"The best player available is certainly the way we do build our list," Pracey said on a conference call Monday morning.

Does Gabriel Landeskog fit that criteria, or were all those Landeskog-to-the-Avs predictions driven by anything other than the fact you're supposedly short on tough wingers? (Those that predicted Jonathan Huberdeau, for example, were doing so under the assumption that the Avs would, you know, draft the most skilled player).

In the Denver Post, Pracey had this to say:

Skill, instinct and competitiveness are the key traits we look for.

...and size, and meanness, and grit? None of those are bad traits, but they aren't the traits you mention as a priority, either. If you weren't looking for skill, but size, all along, why didn't you let us all know before the most offensively-gifted defenseman in the draft fell into your laps? Avs fans familiar with your (alleged) drafting strategy could see it coming from a ~~kilometre~~ mile away - so much so that we were getting ready for it. It was was perfect: Avs eschew need, stick to BPA and take a veritable stud that had no place dropping beyond the 10th spot. It was Ryan O'Reilly and Joey Hishon all over again. And then...

Oh, man. My face turned red with embarrassment. What happened? Honestly, I was stunned that you ended up passing on Ryan Murphy, but not because you passed on him, but that, for the second time, you went against everything you said you would do.

I admit, Landeskog and Duncan Siemans were not the players I wanted, because when it came to looking at prospects, I felt there was no way you'd take them. But if I had known you were just going to draft according to need, I may have been fine with it, and all that time spent on scouting more talented players could have gone towards a more useful something. And, oh, convincing myself that you weren't going to succumb to the temptation of drafting ~~the heir to Forsberg~~ (sorry, there will only ever be one Peter Forsberg) a prematurely-developed Swede but take someone like the high-skilled, high-character Huberdeau with his apparently "crazy hands" and unbelievable ceiling, because that's the type of player you keep saying you want... how foolish that was, how easily it could have been avoided.

I've learned my lesson, though. Don't worry. I get it, now. You're a bunch of hypocrites. You aren't drafting for skill, after all. You aren't after the best player available. I totally get it. And that's fine. Seriously. Draft the players you want and, for we are loyal fans (at least, I'm assuming we are. We are, right? Right?), we will completely get behind them and support them (no, not in that way). Unless it's, like, the love child that came out of Todd Bertuzzi and Kris Kraper's weekend discovering Denver, of course. But don't lie to us about your intentions. Don't try to paint a different shade over it. Don't spend the entire fucking year trying to deceive us.

Drafting for need may be a strategy I deplore, but I'm willing to defer to the experts here and give you the benefit of the doubt. You don't have to be afraid of the truth, just let it out: you drafted for need. It's okay. Come here. It's okay. I like Gabriel, too. Yeah, I know he has really blonde hair. No, I didn't know he was ripped, but that's okay, too. Come on. It's okay. It's okay. Just take that dog out, wipe that silly paint from its face, and let us see it for what it is.

Sincerely,
Irrelevant, Disgruntled Blogger

Plush Hands

2011-06-26T22:57:00.004Z

The Duck and Raccoon's Hands.

Plush Eyes

2011-06-25T22:57:00.002Z

The Duck and Raccoon's eyes.

Plush Raccoon

2011-06-24T22:56:00.004Z

And this is the Duck's friend.

Plush Duck

2011-06-23T08:36:00.000Z

Say hello. Come on, be nice.

When Plans Go Awry: Intronaut Live, Two

2011-06-21T23:27:00.003Z

Well, seeing Intronaut for the second time didn't turn out as planned, even though it was much closer than last time. Speaking to the band (mostly Joe for a couple hours) was, again, awesome, as was the first half of their set. We missed the rest so we could catch the final train home, which, oh, joy of joys, was first late, and then cancelled as it pulled into the train station.

The collection of travellers were justifiably pissed, but there was nothing we could do. Eventually, we hatched a plan to share a taxi with six other people, allowing the ride to be only slightly more expensive than the train ticket. So, all was not lost... for us, anyway.

As the taxi stopped for a minute in front of the station, an old man standing beside it stared at me. He had a hunch, long, black beard, unkempt hair, and the look of a bitter, defeated man. Only minutes earlier, he had been standing alone while we tried to get a taxi home. Before that, he was angrily asking an attendant why he wasn't allowed in the train. When we exited the station, I felt his distress - we, too, were stranded. But, then, there I was, safely on my way home while he stood there, watching everyone but him leave.

Man, that felt shitty. I should have done something, more than just pondering aloud whether we was headed in the same direction. There probably wasn't enough space (I believe adding us was the limit), but does it hurt to try? In the end, I can only hope he eventually found his way home, whether it be on the first train of the next day or some other means.

Doritos

2011-06-21T22:58:00.002Z

Download original.

Check out the detail there. Gotta love how printing works.

Subtle Clouds

2011-06-16T22:54:00.002Z

Download original.

There's a reason I use the adjective "subtle", because it's the subtle colours that draw you in. From the blues, to the greys, to the pinks, they all come together to create a compelling view, which I hopefully managed to capture.

City, Sky, Four

2011-06-15T04:49:00.004Z

Clear sky on the left side, looming clouds on the right. I really like this picture, if only because of the look of those clouds. (And speaking of clouds...)