On a Ship Without Sails

I Can Has Jorb, in Troy

2009-09-17T17:02:01Z

So, some of you may have noticed that I've been haunting Troy a lot lately. I didn't really tell folks when I'd be up here, partly because I'm lazy and partly because I was coming up to see Fred (lazyneko ), and was sort of distracted.

I just got back a little while ago from picking up the paperwork for a new job I'll be starting in a few days. It's food-service work, dishwashing, but the pay is hella better than most places, and come November they'll be offering good cheap health insurance. I also talked to the folks at RPI's Advising and Learning Assistance Center, and am considering returning to school next fall with a different major. I'll be moving in with Fred soon in the apartment he shares with Ryan and Dan-O (both Psi U's).

On a related note, my ongoing presence has convinced the group's fourth roommate, Jeff, to move out. I have no idea when he'll actually do so, but since Fred and I will be sharing a room, once Jeff is elsewhere we'll have a free room to ~~stash bodies~~ house a fifth roommate if anyone's interested. Rent is damn cheap, it's close to campus, and is quite good for a Troy apartment so long as you're not extremely tall. ;-)

lightsailor @ 2009-03-26T14:40:00

2009-03-26T18:40:29Z

In other news: hemp.

lightsailor @ 2009-03-01T19:57:00

2009-03-02T01:03:25Z

http://ohfortheloveofscience.com/2009/02/14/weird-sex-in-the-animal-kingdom/

Cue "2 hippos 1 bucket"

lightsailor @ 2009-02-28T16:53:00

2009-02-28T21:59:23Z

http://www.tweller.com/

"Science Made Stupid" is truly classic, although the online version is not complete.

...I think he needs Soze's exploding ~~cucumber~~ zucchini recipe.

lightsailor @ 2009-02-18T02:03:00

2009-02-18T07:04:10Z

from Dan: Chai-Hulud, the Great Coffee Maker

Oh, and he's not the only one to've thought of it.
http://flickr.com/photos/54121772@N00/sets/72157609313191892/

lightsailor @ 2009-02-12T13:18:00

2009-02-12T18:19:23Z

http://www.bushtruthcommission.com/

It's for figuring out what the hell Bush et al really did, not for prosecuting them (as far as I can tell)... but that's still something.

Anti-Prop-8 petition

2009-02-07T19:02:30Z

http://www.couragecampaign.org/Divorce

Clearly, Ken Starr just doesn't want anyone to get any.

lightsailor @ 2009-01-29T20:54:00

2009-01-30T01:55:14Z

World's first openly gay head of state

And now she gets to fix Iceland. Hoo boy.

lightsailor @ 2009-01-27T19:23:00

2009-01-28T00:24:39Z

David Attenborough gets hate mail

I hate this feeling

2009-01-20T14:16:30Z

[EDIT]: Ohshit, they canceled my seminar today because I was the only one signed up. And will probably cancel the one that's next week as well. And they may well end up canceling AutoLISP in April also.

D'oh! Why are all the cool things unpopular?

Not having heat is

2009-01-15T21:05:35Z

- three pairs of socks
- pajama-pants under real pants
- two shirts
- fingerless mittens from Dan's sister, and
- two-and-a-half sweaters.

Next I shall hunt the mighty walrus for its blubber. Blubber blubber blubber
But Dan said he poked the super, so, meh.

public service announcement: buddhist literature

2009-01-08T19:40:54Z

So I'm 2/3 of the way through Buddhism Without Beliefs. It's about 120 pages long and is a pretty quick read, although you'll want to stop for contemplation periodically. (Or to gush about it on LJ.)

I highly recommend it. To everyone.

It has some of the most understandable explanations I've seen about what is meant by some Buddhist concepts; and the author argues for a nonreligious practice that embraces serious agnosticism. So, it's not an attempt at conversion, but rather an explanation of another way of viewing the world, which you may find enlightening (heh) even if you don't actually agree with it.

lightsailor @ 2009-01-03T02:56:00

2009-01-03T07:57:57Z

I'm okay with this so long as they actually build the smiling-baby matrix.

Prez Rickard and his team of hippies

2008-11-21T18:50:52Z

WoW Identity of Obama's FCC Transition Team Co-Chair Revealed, Analyzed

I feel so much goddamn happier about America these days. Can't wait 'till Jan 20.

lightsailor @ 2008-11-20T14:59:00

2008-11-20T20:00:34Z

Cat riding a Roomba!

CLICK IT. You know you must.

lightsailor @ 2008-11-18T01:49:00

2008-11-18T06:51:35Z

I have tickets for a Fung Wah bus to and from Boston.

This could be... interesting?

lightsailor @ 2008-11-15T23:14:00

2008-11-16T04:17:07Z

Obama uses a Mac!
So cute!
Oh, and 'cause of the Pac-man: nom nom nom

lightsailor @ 2008-11-14T01:04:00

2008-11-14T06:12:40Z

I would totally take bad and wild over hellish and slow.

lightsailor @ 2008-09-21T20:03:00

2008-09-22T00:24:49Z

Liberal psychologist attempts to make sense of conservatism.
YouTubed speech: The difference between liberals and conservatives
Text essay: What makes people vote Republican?

[EDIT] The last essay among the replies to Haidt is really depressing. I hope Haidt's got it more right than Schank, for most people. I mean, I think Obama's making strong appeals to family-centered and traditionalist attitudes, while still being pro-rights and whatnot, so if Haidt is correct those appeals should help a lot.

I hope.

I know that smile

2008-09-03T19:27:44Z

lightsailor @ 2008-07-31T06:07:00

2008-07-31T10:12:55Z

...and then just now one Santi Insinga called me on Skype, because apparently it's the afternoon or something in Sicily. Mostly understood him, but not quite, and then he logged off and then my connection flickered. I imagine I'd understand him (and Antonino, for that matter, if that weirdo starts calling me too) better if I hung out with Rudy instead of Chris. Damn regional accents from regions that aren't primarily English-speaking.

Heh, and the other day I got IM'd/called by someone whose profile claims they're in Israel. I've not the foggiest idea why that might've happened, but I didn't take the call. I'd blame it on Pirate Josh, but directing random people to poke me is more Marie's style, and she was never in Israel to my knowledge.

Iiiiiii want to just be in SF now already. Flup.

lightsailor @ 2008-07-31T05:46:00

2008-07-31T09:52:51Z

I'm at JFK Airport. Made it through this wait and that checkpoint and oh great you have to take a shuttle to get to that terminal, and the weird-ass system they have for purchasing food at the terminal. So I've had my donut and have got a decaf coffee to glare at while I wait for it to cool.

In a couple of hours I get to board.

Then in 6hrs or so I'll be in San Francisco.

That's, like... the other side of the world. When your world thus far is limited to this one continent, anyway.

Wacky. A good chunk of me is psyched, but at the moment there's another part of me going "huh, it's quarter to six in the morning, and the plane doesn't even board until 7:40." I'd feel stupid if I didn't feel it was worth avoiding the chance of TSA deciding I look like Trenchcoat Mafia or something. (I'm pretty sure my coat's too ratty for that -- yet another button sprang off while I was getting into the subway -- but, you know.)

Wheeeeee. :-)

"Sing-Along" seems like a misnomer, though

2008-07-20T19:33:20Z

Dr. Horrible is excellent. And today is the last day it's available for free on their website.

Go watch it now.

That is all.

lightsailor @ 2008-07-17T15:40:00

2008-07-17T19:55:54Z

Some geek is running for state rep in Kansas. You MUST read this, for the lulz. And maybe some of you have $8.34 to spare for him.

http://seantevis.com/kansas/3000/running-for-office-xkcd-style/

* Service Announcement: Fold.it *

2008-06-17T17:57:42Z

If you find yourself wasting time on silly games, play this one instead.

You probably know about SETI@Home. You may also have heard of Folding@Home, which is the same concept applied to figuring out what shapes proteins take on.

They figured out that people are still better at this than computers, but they can *still* get free "processor-cycles" by way of making it into... a game.

You too can help cure cancer! And now you can do so while also being a lazy bum!

[EDIT] P.S.: There are at least three different n-chan groups on fold.it. I love the internet. And am now on the group led by "mudkip". =P

</service-announcement>