May 2003 Archives

I am beginning the migration to a new domain name. homeinjapan.com would or will be a cool name if/when we live in Japan. However, we don't seem likely to end up there any time soon. So, I went looking for a more fitting name.

Some cyber-squatting company named Eurobox Ltd. is squatting on smittie.com. Cyber-squatting sucks. Eurobox Ltd. will gladly sell me the domain name for an offer of $500 or more. I don't think so.

smittieandcompany.com was available and is now mine. This is actually better in that it reflects the involvement of my family. So, over the next year we will be transitioning from homeinjapan.com to smittieandcompany.com. Woo woo. Isn't the Internet grand.

Aloha

There are openings in Utah.

Aloha

Well, I did the obligatory viewing of The Matrix Reloaded today. It was OK. A bit slow in places. Some interesting puzzles to mull over while we wait for The Matrix Revolution.

I recommend the movie mostly because it is a cultural phenomenon.

Aloha

I bought quite a few t-shirts while we were in Hawai`i. My favorite is one on the back of which is written 'Kimo's Kaua`i Rules'. As printed on the back of the shirt the rules look like this:

Kimo's Kauai Rules
Never judge a day by the weather
The best things in life aren't things
Tell the truth - there's less to remember
Speak softly and wear a loud shirt
Goals are deceptive - the unaimed arrow never misses
He who dies with the most toys - still dies
Age is relative - when you're over the hill you pick up speed
There are 2 ways to be rich - make more or desire less
Beauty is internal - looks mean nothing
No rain - no rainbows

As is my norm, I began investigating the origins and background of 'Kimo's Kauai Rules'. Kimo's Rules can be found all over the island. And always with a copyright attached to it. And the copyright is never to the same person. It is always to the company that made the shirt.

Then I ran across this. Mr. Knief, if you should happen to read this, I would love to read your unpublished book, Kimo's Rules. I'll sign an NDA of course.

Here is a great article that describes what MIUW, IBU and HDC units do.

For those you don't know me IRL, I am a Navy Reservist currently attached to a MIUW unit.

Aloha

When I was a child my mother taught me some rather fun songs. She remembered a time before Television and MTV when families gathered in the Parlor and entertained themselves through interaction with each other. But that's a different rant.

One of the songs my mom taught me one day as we were driving to somewhere was the MTA song. I still love this song though it draws the odd look when a play it in my office at work. I recently discovered a web page that tells the history of the MTA song. The MTA song is one of those that is funny in its own right. However, the more you know about the environs the MTA song is about the funnier the song is. Moreover, the more you know about the actual history of the song the funnier still.

A slightly modified version of M.T.A. done by the Kingston Trio is available on a number of albums. It is also available from the uber-kewl iTunes Music Store.

Aloha

Politics, one of those topics on the list of ones to avoid in social conversation. I've never been one to concede to convention. On we go then.

This Political Compass provided me with some enlightment as to my own political views. It turns out I'm not the staunch conservative I thought I was. In fact, according to this particular tool, I'm primarily a centrist on the liberal side of the fence. Huh. How about that!

My political position:
Economic Left/Right: -0.62
Authoritarian/Libertarian: -2.05

Aloha

Went to a class this past week where we got to learn about/play with some really cool toys. The class was on portable communications. It was a modified version of the class taken by Marine Force Recon. Very cool stuff. I'm looking forward to implementing my newly acquired knowledge in the field.

Being back in a full time military environment reminded me of how much I enjoy military life. I really miss it. So much so that I looked into returning to active duty. Unfortunately current policy dicatates that anyone entering active duty military must be eligible for retirement by age 55. Since I won't be eligible until age 57 and a half, I cannot return to active duty.

Maybe they'll raise the age soon.

Aloha

This tops my "wow, that's gross" list.

Aloha

zmittie (10:46:18): Joey's site inspires me to put more content on mine but damn it takes a lot of time to do the content right.
cls (10:46:27): YEs, yes it does.
cls (10:46:44): That's what I have so much halfdone content on my local machine and crap on my site.
zmittie (10:46:50): I'd like to do some music content and some book related content.
zmittie (10:47:45): The book related content is double bad because I don't have time to read the book, let alone create the associated web content.
cls (10:47:57): Hehe, ahuh
zmittie (10:48:09): This whole "work" thing is really getting in the way of my life!
cls (10:49:09): Fucked up, ain't it?
zmittie (10:49:16): Seriously so.

Aloha

I got linked!! I got linked!! This is so cool. I got linked! And by somebody famous too!! I mean, like, I don't wanna get all gushy but this is pretty exciting day for me.

OK, so here's the details. My new best friend Joey had this incredible, hair color-changing experience (before/after) that's currently all the talk in Blogsville. I learned about this from my old best friend's blog entry about it. So after reading Joey's story I send him an email in which I mentioned how I'd come to read his story. Joey being the ultra suave and cool dude that he is gave me and cls props in a recent blog entry.

And now, since it appears on two of the pages linked in this entry I have to comment on the Whites-only prom in Georgia.

The article states that they organized separate proms "to avoid problems arising from interracial dating." Hum? The only problem I can see in interracial marriage is the failure to perpetuate 19th century practices that should have died long ago. And I don't see that as a problem. It is a terrible pity that an entire commuity lays it on the shoulders of High School Juniors to drag that community out of its enslavement to antiquated and ignorant customs and practices.

Aloha