Friday, February 21, 2003

 
My uncle Oliver let me know that he is starting to put his story Darkness Takes Control on his website. (Click here.)

The introduction starts off: There is in each of us, an unknown that haunts us mostly when we are asleep. Often, we dream and are almost on the verge of discovering whatever it is that seems to haunt us from time to time. Then, for no reason at all, we awaken with a fear in the pit of our stomach that is only reminiscent of what we experienced as young children when we had to go to bed at night and imagined that there was some unknown under our bed or in our closet...

Reading this introduction, I was reminded of something that H.P. Lovecraft wrote:

"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live in a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age."

H. P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu (1926)

By the way, if you're interested in Lovecraft, I can think of no better story to start with than The Night Ocean. Click here to read the entire story. It's not full of action, but it is full of mood, and very well written. Some quotes from the story:

"Vast and lonely is the ocean, and even as all things came from it, so shall they return thereto. In the shrouded depths of time none shall reign upon the earth, nor shall any motion be, save in the eternal waters. And these shall beat on dark shores in thunderous foam, though none shall remain in that dying world to watch the cold light of the enfeebled moon playing on the swirling tides and coarse-grained sand..."

"The house, dark from the sea-wind though it had not been painted, was not even a satellite of the village; but swung below it on the coast like a pendulum beneath a still clock, quite alone upon a hill of weed-grown sand. Like a solitary warm animal it crouched facing the sea, and its inscrutable dirty windows stared upon a lonely realm of earth and sky and enormous sea..."

"I walked along that darkened sea as I went back to the bare little house, sending the beams of my flashlight out upon the naked and impenetrable void. In the absence of the moon, this light made a solid bar athwart the walls of the uneasy tide; and I felt an indescribable emotion born of the noise of the waters and the perception of my smallness as I cast that tiny beam upon a realm immense in itself, yet only the black border of the earthly deep. That nighted deep, upon which ships were moving alone in the darkness where I could not see them, gave off the murmur of a distant, angry rabble. When I reached my high residence I knew that I had passed no one during the mile's walk from the village, and yet there somehow lingered an impression that I had been all the while accompanied by the spirit of the lonely sea. It was, I thought, personified in a shape which was not revealed to me, but which moved quietly about beyond my range of comprehension..."
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posted by Dylan at 11:38 PM

Thursday, February 20, 2003

 
ANTI BUSH T-SHIRT BANNED AT MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL... click here for the story.

Apparently, the teachers were concerned that the t-shirt would create a disruptive environment, and the students would not be able to "learn."

What about the kids learning about the First Amendment? Why not use this as an example? Some people may disagree with the message on the t-shirt, but the First Amendment is not there to protect popular opinions. It's to protect unpopular opinions.
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posted by Dylan at 2:47 PM

 
I was just watching some of my Hyperspace DVD. I know this stuff, but it's a nice re-fresher, and the graphics on this DVD are stunning.

Just got to the part where it talks about the number of stars in the universe. For every grain of sand on the planet Earth, there are a million stars in the universe.

Think about that.
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posted by Dylan at 10:15 AM

Wednesday, February 19, 2003

 
Saw Daredevil yesterday. Man, does that movie ever suck. What a complete rip-off of Batman.

Meanwhile, how COOL is this: Christopher Reeve will be on Smallville next week. More info here.
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posted by Dylan at 9:58 PM

Sunday, February 16, 2003

 
To me, astronauts are heros. My uncle Oliver sent me an email with some thoughts about the Space Shuttle disaster:

Just been reading your weblog/journal page....and wanted to comment on the space shuttle disaster.

As you know, it disintegrated not too far from our home here in Arlington. My brother-in-law and I were working in North Richland Hills framing a house we're building. At approx. 8:00am, he yelled at me, "Oliver, did you hear that loud bang?" I had just turned on the chop saw and did not hear it. He yelled that it sounded like a car backfiring loudly. But, he thought it was too loud for that. We looked around thinking it was an explosion of some kind, but didn't see or hear anymore. No sirens, etc...

About an hour later, Henry and his son (the other two helping), arrived and asked us if we knew the shuttle "blew up". After they explained what had happened, George realized what he heard was the explosion which caused the unfortunate deaths of the astronauts.

Just thought I'd share that with you.

posted by Dylan at 5:40 PM

 
My uncle Oliver is working on his own webpage -- just thought I'd post the link here, for future reference:

http://www.geocities.com/odavis44/index.html

posted by Dylan at 10:03 AM

 
Wow. That was a lot of snow.

I spent the day basically just reading, and hanging out with Danielle and Logan. I started another Dan Simmons book today, called Hard Freeze -- actually, I started it and finished it.

It's kind of a detective/crime story. Very well written. I won't give away the plot, you can check it out at Amazon.com by clicking here. Two highlights that I will mention:

(1) In one scene, a character is reading a detective novel, part of a series. She describes the main character as an "old fart" that still "kicks ass." She also describes his girlfriend as a "bitch" and "arrogant." One gets the feeling that she doesn't think the novel is very well written. Gee, I wonder who she could be talking about? LOL... Glad I'm not the only one that thinks Susan is a bitch. Thanks, Dan.

(2) At another point in the book, two of the characters discuss Kohlberg's Moral Stages Theory. Any book that's got dialogue like that just has to be good.

posted by Dylan at 12:31 AM

Saturday, February 15, 2003

 
We're all snowed in today.

Just finished the last of Summer of Night. Wow. If you don't like this book, or Boy's Life, then I think you've forgotten what it is to be young.

posted by Dylan at 2:42 PM

Wednesday, February 12, 2003

 
From Foxnews: WASHINGTON — "North Korea has an untested ballistic missile capable of reaching the western United States, top U.S. intelligence officials told Congress Wednesday. In Vienna, the U.N. nuclear agency declared North Korea in violation for its nuclear program and reported the country to the Security Council..."

Read the rest of the article here.

Can I ask again why Bush is pushing so hard to go to war with Iraq, and ignoring North Korea?

posted by Dylan at 8:40 PM

Tuesday, February 11, 2003

 
Squint your eyes! If you squint hard enough, a miracle will take place!



"Workers from Randwick Council repair a vandalised fence at a lookout near Coogee beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs February 10, 2003. Vandals had torn down the fence post in Sydney, which devote Catholics had begun to flock to because they believed it appears as a likeness of the Virgin Mary. For more than a week devoted Sydney Catholics have been flocking to a vantage point about 300 metres (1,000 feet) from the small wooden fence which, when viewed at certain times each afternoon through squinted eyes is believed to be a likeness of the Virgin Mary." REUTERS/Tim Wimborne

posted by Dylan at 3:42 AM

Monday, February 10, 2003

 
Fucking post office.

I went there this morning to mail two packages. I got there 10 minutes after they opened (with my infant son with me) to find the line already all the way to the door. Of course, only one window is open for service, even though there are many employees in the back screwing around -- in fact, one employee was talking to a friend of hers that had come in. All the while customers were lined up to the door.

I wait in line, with Logan, for 20 minutes, for my turn with the grouchy old postal employee. Now, why is that? Why is every male employee of the post office (at least the ones that work inside) such an asshole? God forbid he should smile, much less say hello. I even had one guy last month tell me to "get back to the back of the line" since I didn't have my address totally filled out. Bear in mind that was a 10 second process.

Hey, it's not my fault that he chose a career that's about as mentally challenging as asking "do you want fries with that?".

Anyway, after waiting in line for 20 minutes, the post office guy tells me that my packages are not wrapped up good enough. Perhaps I want to re-wrap them with some of their very expensive packaging, then get back in line.

WHATEVER.

As a testament to my self-control, I did not kill him right then and there. I just left without a word.

And the post office higher-ups just can't fathom why they are losing business to UPS. Speaking of which, I think my policy from now on is to use UPS. They're friendly, and they are dependable. They might be a bit more expensive, but fuck it.

It doesn't matter how bad an employee is -- it's next to impossible to get fired from the post office.

And what's up with this "Postmaster" thing? Other office managers are called -- uh, MANAGERS. But the manager of a Post Office is called a Post MASTER???

Give me a fucking break.

Here's an informative link. Some highlights:

"Americans should be asking if the post office needs another increase. What efforts has it made during hard times to cut costs? Has it enforced a hiring freeze? Has it asked (as some airlines have done) for workers to take pay cuts or reduced hours to help save costs? Has it begun an investigation into waste, fraud and abuse in order to cut costs? In short, has it done any of the things that real private businesses do to cut costs and save profits?

The answer to all of these is "no" because the post office, in spite of all of its propaganda is not a private company. It is a government agency with a government-controlled monopoly on first class mail delivery that is able to get price increases from Congress almost at will, regardless of need or whether its customer base or the market can afford it. It appears that it can demand these increases with literally no oversight of how it runs its business. No private business has that kind of power.

The Postal Service has the most powerful union in the world. It rarely can fire a bad worker or lay off an excess workforce. Even in its current financial crisis, the Postal Service has plans to reduce its 900,000-man workforce by a mere 20,000 workers. However, without a mandated hiring freeze, such a reduction is no guarantee that the layoffs will have any effect..."

Read the rest here.

posted by Dylan at 9:55 AM

Saturday, February 08, 2003

 
Wow.

Japanese scientist invents 'invisibility cloak'

A Japanese scientist has developed a coat which appears to make the wearer invisible... click here.

posted by Dylan at 1:44 PM

Friday, February 07, 2003

 
There is someone out there I'd like to share this with... you know who you are.

posted by Dylan at 8:00 PM

 
I just started the coffee going, and turned on the computer. According to my Weatherbug, it's -3 F outside. Wow. I can't wait for spring.

Haven't written much the last few days because I've felt so sick. Feel a bit better now; I went to the office for a while yesterday. In the last couple of days I read A Winter Haunting, by Dan Simmons. I've never heard of this author before. Man, this guy can write. I'm going to check out more of his books from the library. I did a little online research of him, and found that he has also written a book called Summer of Night, which has been compared to It (Stephen King) and Boy's Life (Robert McCammon). One reviewer said it's better than both.

Well, It is a good book. But Boy's Life is one of the best books ever written. If Summer of Night is better than Boy's Life -- man, it must be a good book. I love it when I discover a new author that's really good.

Starting to get some pretty good hits to my story, The Town of Autumn, thanks to some links from dark websites, especially Horrorfind.

Last night, Danielle and I listened to the first CD of Get The Edge by Anthony Robbins. Great stuff.

posted by Dylan at 5:16 AM

Tuesday, February 04, 2003

 
Man, I feel like shit. This flu that Logan gave us is terrible. Now I know what the expression "death warmed over" means. Danielle and I both went to the doctor this morning; as usual, we got the old "let it run its course" routine. Danielle took Logan to his regular doctor today, since we could not get him in the other day. We had to take him to a walk-in clinic at that time.

The regular doctor was very upset at the walk-in clinic doctor. She said that that doctor had no business giving Logan the medicine that she did; it was a complete waste. She said that from now on, to never take "no" for an answer from her receptionist when Logan is sick -- no matter how busy she is. So that was nice. Logan's got the medicine he needs, now. LOL - Danielle told me that as she was leaving, she could hear them on the phone yelling at the people at the walk-in clinic.

Didn't get much done today, obviously. Looks like I'm starting to get more hits to The Town of Autumn, thanks to the links I set up the other day at a few places. I'm going to read in bed for a bit; I'm reading a book called The Mole People: Life in the Tunnels Beneath New York City. Oddly enough, it's not fiction. Here's a blurb on the book:

"There is, says Raleigh News & Observer staffer Toth, a city below New York City: a fantastic underworld of men, women, and children who are born, live, and die in the darkness beneath the streets. In the early 90's, the author, then a Los Angeles Times intern, spent a year exploring that nether world, preparing this startling report. Toth first heard about ``the mole people'' from a child who claimed that her classmate lived underground; further research brought the author into contact with Sgt. Bryan Henry, a Grand Central Station cop who introduced her to one ``J.C.'' (most of Toth's homeless use pseudonyms), the ``self-described'' spokesman for an underground community of 200--a large but not unprecedented number for one of the dozens of camps, gangs, and roving bands that Toth found in the tunnels. These tunnels--including gas and sewer lines as well as abandoned subway tunnels and stations--honeycomb the city's foundation, descending to seven levels and housing perhaps 5,000 lost souls. To the uninitiated and, at first, to Toth, the tunnels are terrifying: She walks them both guided and alone, aware of forms flitting past, of rats and madmen. She visits camps whose members stay below for weeks at a time; she watches a ``filthy and bearded'' loner skewer and roast a ``track rabbit''--a rat; she talks to graffiti artists, women, teenagers, and a kill- for-hire gang whose services cost $20. Pausing in her chronicle, she surveys underground life in history and literature, from Egyptian slaves living in mines to Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man. Finally, Toth flees the city's depths, her life threatened by a mole man who thinks her a police informer. The life expectancy of the average mole person, stricken by drugs and disease, is under five years. Toth's unusual sociological adventure story, then, is as saddening as it is gripping..."

I'll probably post some more thoughts on this book when I'm done reading it.
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posted by Dylan at 7:57 PM

Monday, February 03, 2003

 
On Friday, the day before the space shuttle Columbia was to land in Florida, mission specialist Laurel Clark sent an e-mail to friends and family describing the awe-inspiring views of Earth from orbit. You can read the email here.

posted by Dylan at 12:41 PM

Sunday, February 02, 2003

 
Logan has had the flu for the last few days, poor little guy... and now I woke up this morning and realized he's given it to me.

So, just puttering around on the web today; don't have the energy for much else. I submitted The Town of Autumn to a bunch of gothic and dark weblink sites, like Darksites.com and Internet Underground. Hopefully, that will get even more people to the story...

I also put my Magic essay up - I wrote it several years ago. You can read it here.

Probably going to read the rest of the day. I got Stephen King's Everything's Eventual from the library the other day. It's pretty good -- I've always enjoyed his short story collections.

posted by Dylan at 2:45 PM