 |
|
|
 | | Castro and 18th Street | I'm back in the swing of blogging on a regular basis, and I'll be reporting on everything from industry trends to local events in San Francisco to what's happening in space. And I sound like a broken Motown record, but I encourage everyone to start their own blog! Writing always enriches your being and sharpens your communication skills in general. And that is a FACT. Remember always that with each blog entry you write, you become slightly more experienced in journalism, and slightly closer to mastering the King's English! So the next time your friend (or foe) attacks you for dweebing inside a blog site for an hour at a time, I just gave you some ammo for a counterattack.
Also, I will grab a digital camera next week to pepper this blog with my own photo essays. One thing I've been dying to do is to snap a few photos each day of sights, highlights, mishaps, protests, and other drama that happens constantly on this street corner that we call Ground Zero.  | (office with
outrageous rent) | Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are especially good for this. And I have that eagle-eye view of the whole area, so why not exploit it a little. In the photo to the left, highlighted, you can get an idea of just how much of a view I have out of those square Gregorian bay windows.
Tonight, the typical crowds are scampering around the area, with those damn insurmountable megaphone protesters in front of Badlands... I can't even understand what's coming out of that megaphone. "Hawk hawk, fawk the walk, Les tawked-a-chalk, don't hawk-a-bawk!!!" If you're going to protest retail discrimination, speak clearly so someone can understand. (for you non-SF lads and ladies, Badlands is a bar whose owner was recently charged with racial discrimination by our city govt.).
Oh, and Critical Mass will be great photo fodder when those hundreds of crazy bicyclists come rolling through here. I can't wait to snap pictures of drivers getting out of their cars and shouting because one of the "massers" nestled their bike up against their front fender, stopping them cold. I wonder if I would do the same if I owned a car and was trying to get home after a long day of work. Probably not. I am one of those uncommonly docile drivers who enjoy every second in my car, bearing a smile even if some drunk smashes into my arse with his Hummer.
I can't help but to sometimes glance out my window pane and see who's holding hands with whom each week, sometimes thinking about adding it to a blog. "Oh, there goes Rob with Blob, hmmm last week he was holding hands with Glob. Too bad for his ex, Slob." No, I'm just kidding. I'm not all that voyeuristic, and I hardly recognize any mug around here, even after 6 years!
|
|
(By Daniel Culveyhouse | See the 1 comment | comment here)
|
|
|
|
 | | A Lark Ascending |
NASA is almost ready to blast our seven brave astronauts of the Space Shuttle Discovery into space, less than 24 hours from now! There will be two holds that occur before launch, so don't lose your panties! At T-20 minutes, a built-in hold will take place in order to fully debrief each key team member on the pre-launch status of the shuttle. Mission Control also completes some final inertial alignments that can sometimes take a few minutes longer than expected.
The countdown then resumes, and another hold happens at T-10 minutes. This hold takes place mainly for the directors to sweep through mission control, asking for a "Go" or "No-Go" from each station.
If you're stuck at work , but want to watch the launch live with interactive bells and cranks, go to MSNBC's special by CLICKING HERE!
|
|
(By Daniel Culveyhouse | No comments yet | comment here)
|
|
|
|
 | | STS-114 Crew (Discovery) |
I don't have a lot of time to post today, so here's something very quick and truly inspiring, something I have looked forward to for over two years: The launch of Space Shuttle Discovery! The planned launch will take place on July 13th, just five days away, and counting! Meet the gallant, wonderful crew of the Discovery (to the right). I salute each and every one of these cosmonauts, as they are the people that will resore hope to our spaceward endeavors. I was jogging around Dolores Park today, almost somersaulting with joy, so relieved that we're returning to our space program in full force!
Click on the image to meet the crew members in detail, or hier klicken! Eileen Collins is commanding the flight this time, and she was the very first female commander back in 1999, commanding the Columbia! As we all know, Columbia was the shuttle that met its fate in February 2003. Soichi Noguchi, from Japan, is the youngest crew member this time. He has accomplished quite a bit in our mutual field of aeronautical engineering and aerodynamics, and this will be his first space flight.
Yeah I know, I'm a space cadet. I have closely followed every space shuttle mission from the beginning, so go ahead! Fire away with the trivia!
Hurricane Dennis threatened the launch of Discovery, almost forcing NASA to move the shuttle off the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, but luckily, the hurricane is steering clear if that area. That was me, personally redirecting that hurricane. Only kidding of course, but after two years in waiting and anticipation, I will NOT allow a hurricane to dampen NASA's efforts. ;)
|
|
(By Daniel Culveyhouse | See the 3 comments | comment here)
|
|
|
|
Lend an ear to chatter on the street, drop into a current events chat room, or better yet read some political non-fiction and opinion columns. You'll see more and more of it: hatred and enragement. Notwithstanding the four terrorist bombings in London today, I was quite shocked what I bore witness to over the past few hours.
After the terrorist attacks, I walk into a local coffee shop and hear people thirsting for acts of retribution and payback. Then, on the internet, I scan a neo-conservative opinion column on the matter which suggests that France, Iran, and Syria are our newest enemies and should be dealt with accordingly.
Then, I idle on many different IRC channels, including a few political noise channels. For those of you unfamiliar with the old-school IRC network, it is essentially the first real collection of chat rooms on the net, and still one of the largest. And, it's free. Anyway, I sit here and watch line after line of spiteful, racist filth ripple throughout these channels, and others responding with more insults. Of course, this is quite typical of the Internet, but it is times like these where the epiphany strikes: The world is still loaded with plenty of evil, of all shapes, shades, and sizes.
The world needs some fresh new leaders to help us set humanity on its path to prosperity. The days of evil terrorists and war-mongering, single-minded representatives of a divided people are coming to an end. The world of old is parting us, the centuries of bloodshed, those torrents of the 20th century, and that rocky start to the 21st century, all falling behind us. In its place, we are greeted by the AGE OF AQUARIUS.
Although I am often quick to dismiss astrology (and maybe the musical, Hair), I have become more and more aware of my place in time as an Aquarian. According to astrologers and laypersons alike, it will be a period of extraordinary renewal and renaissance. Yet to make this happen, it will take human leaders to realize this new human spirit. Those leaders are the Aquarians, the custodians of a new age. Ironically, we Aquarians are usually the most likely to balk at the zodiac and ignore its meaning, which includes me. At least for the most part.
Look back at the Age of Pisces, which began over 2,000 years ago, and depending upon your point of view, ended somewhere in the 1960s or will end around 2012. Our history over those centuries was littered with war, famine, plague, ignorance, and bitterness, with a little enlightenment squeezed in there somewhere. Regardless of the past, we are at a crossroads, according to astrologers, and current events in science, space, medicine, and humanities are pointing in that direction.
Is all of this astrology valid? I do not know. But Aquarians are to become the representatives of an era of change, the trustworthy guides to carry humanity through this transition into a new age of peace, exploration, love, and harmony.
Is it possible? Take it from an Aquarian: YES.
|
|
(By Daniel Culveyhouse | See the 6 comments | comment here)
|
|
|
|
Within the drone-line doldrums of a corporate office, within that brain-dead monotony of a schedule that you dare to call your workday, and within that melting pot of corporate politics and drained personalities, you hope and hope for one thing that would stand a chance at breaking that frozen realm of a Dilbert-like office life, even if only for one day. The days pass, and then the weeks follow, and eventually you realize that you're on your way out, wishing for one reason to stay.
Then all of a sudden, just as you call your job a total loss of a year, something happens to make it all worth it. A very shy person with a very low profile, a few departments to the left, suddenly jumps out of the woodwork for no apparent reason. A perfectly demure personality. A physique almost too stunning and sinful to look at (in a workplace, that is). An air of mystery and intrigue about him— way too curious to just ignore and forget.
I was on my way out with one week to go (already having submitted my resignation), and maybe this was why I only now noticed this Mr. Mystery in a different light than before. He would still pass me in the hallway and look away without ever saying hello and without smiling. This was perfectly fine with me, because I realized that it went with his personality, which until now, I never bothered contemplating. He rarely talked to anyone. I did see him smile on rare occasions, and that smile was like sunlight breaking through a wall of clouds. No one else in the office could match that smile.
Someone mentioned to me that this guy was fresh off the boat (Asian), and fresh out of college, hardly 22 or 23 tops. To most people, that would be believable enough, but not for me. I couldn't dismiss him as a foreign student with almost an entire generation gap between us. But I guess I would never know for sure, and I am not one to start probing others with Grease-era questions.
Then, the Monday before I resigned, I was literally forced into a first-time conversation with so-called Mr. Fresh-off-the-Boat. It turned out that a long-term project of mine had suddenly broken, and he was the person on the other side of the project all along. After I sent an email to that department, it was he that replied, offering to help. So, I walked over to his desk, silently chuckling at the odds of this happening.
He was very friendly, seemed to know his job, and spoke perfect English with a nice voice, as I had suspected. Very GQ, and growing on me with each passing moment. So much for the other chump with the "fresh off the boat" comment. But, this guy was also visibly bored. I knew this personality. I've seen it dozens of times before. Mr. GQ must be older than 22 or 23 and perhaps even embarrassed to be working there. And, there must be a good reason for it.
The very next morning, after a quick jog, I was finishing up in the locker room of our office complex and chatting with my co-worker, who also works out in the morning, showers going in the background. Bearing his torso, this co-worker looked pretty good— a martial arts dabbler. He dressed, then left. Seconds later, a shower turned off, and out stepped Mr. GQ, catching me totally off-guard. For whatever reason, I instinctively looked away and immediately moved in the other direction, over to the sink. This was an old reaction (from those closet years) to being overwhelmed by the sight of a dripping wet Adonis.
Somewhere in there, my heart had skipped a few beats. I slipped out of that locker room, relieved in the least that he was totally clueless as to my sexual orientation. That was easily the steamiest locker-room incident in years. I now felt 20 years younger, and I tried to just forget it. I would be gone in a few days, and this Mr. Adonis will fade into a haze of obscurity.
Not yet. At the end of that day, I was ready to leave with my carpool mate on the other side of the floor. As I walked over to meet him, there stood Mr. Adonis with his backpack, talking to my carpool driver. I learned that he would be riding up to San Francisco with us, and he seemed in a very good mood. I would actually get to know him a little, outside the confines of the office. The odds were millions to one. I had never expected this, and I obviously looked forward to it.
As we darted toward foggy San Francisco, the three of us shot the breeze about everything. I found out that he learned Tae Kwon Do and was now teaching it, which now explains that otherworldly physique of his. Totally hot, and totally disciplined. He volunteered his age when the other carpooler asked it. Around 30 years old. Hotter still. He went to college in the U.S., as I had figured. No generation gap, no language barriers, minimal cultural barriers, WOW. And, it seemed as though he was directing these little revelations about himself toward me, as if he knew something was already brewing within me. Go right ahead, I thought! Then, as we discussed musical instruments, he mentioned that he plays the guitar.
I melted. By this time, I was not only impressed, but I was totally turned on. I did a pretty good job at hiding it, but Mr. Adonis, sitting right behind me, was swimming around in my head, and I was loving it. Anyone who knows me knows that I am an instrumentalist, and I have a soft spot for other musicians. As we pulled up to our drop-off spot, I was at a loss of words. I couldn't just ask Mr. Adonis out for coffee, that would not only be inappropriate, but also crude. Maybe I could tell him I'm resigning and offer my phone number for the sake of "business networking." Hmmmm. The car was slowing to a stop, and our carpool driver asked Mr. Adonis how he was getting home.
He said he would just walk to the BART station, and his girlfriend Anita will pick him up on the other side.
A Tae Kwon Do teacher, a guitarist, a programmer, and a smile that doth light the darkest night. And a girlfriend.
Just as well. At this point, I should have felt hollow, but I certinaly was not. I became even happier that he found what sounded like a great partner.
I doubt that Mr. Adonis will ever realize just how gorgeous, humble, self-sufficient, and admirable he really is. But I do, and I am certain that his girlfriend does too.
Thank you for leaving me with a great memory by which to remember this job, always.
|
|
(By Daniel Culveyhouse | See the 5 comments | comment here)
|
|
|
|
 | | Lime Ridge: Watch Fireworks Here |
Just like last year, my friends and I spent our July 4th evening atop a great vantage point at Lime Ridge (between Concord and Walnut Creek). From there we can see firework displays of over a dozen cities, including Oakland's fireworks, if you look closely. It's a great place to watch the close of Independence Day, and the crowd is small and manageable. And except for rattlesnakes (which we still have not seen), it's quite a safe place.
Sushi Models
Before sunset, we enjoyed a potluck barbecue, courtesy of John B.! It wouldn't be a party without John, Mitsuo (sp?), Dale, Hideo (sp?), Edmond, Norbert, Russell, and all the rest. We had our regular quirky conversation, this time about straight/gay interaction, the sex drives of men vs. women, and lastly, Sushi models. See the photo below. I haven't had time to research this new fad, but food service just keeps getting more and more interesting, doesn't it! Now, what if this lady suddenly had to sneeze, or what if she had diarrhea? Or body ringworm?
 | | Sushi Model, Minimum Wage |
As I mentioned last year, San Francisco's fireworks in the Marina district have fallen out of favor in my humble opinion. Too many drunks, drug addicts, and riffraff tend to spoil the fun. If you were there last year or the year before, you must have seen the dangerous and irresponsible behavior of these disreputable persons. Some of them were launching their own fireworks directly into the crowd of parents, children, and tourists.
|
|
(By Daniel Culveyhouse | See the 2 comments | comment here)
|
|
|
|
 | Bang.
|
I don't believe it! Less than two hours before Deep Impact's copper "missile" slams into the comet Temple 1, and NASA'S website HAS experienced a Denial of Service crash! The world is understandably curious, with tens of millions trying to hit NASA's site to find out the mission status, and apparently NASA's IT dudes did not plan for such an influx of traffic. I've been trying to get an update for over one hour, and the best I (or anyone) can do is try CNN.COM and get a vague, goofy article named "Probe Hits Comet."
Instant update.... while writing this, NASA restored their web services. You know, while planning our first manned mission to Mars, I certainly hope NASA does not allow these same IT people to prepare and install the computer hardware that will keep our astronauts alive during that mission. Christ, HIRE ME! I'll do a better job. Nothing like a mission-critial website folding from a denial of service, which I have seen on a daily basis over the past 6 months.
Anyway, the mission appears to be a success (see the photo to the right). This is certainly a relief for NASA's mission control, and for the space exploration community in general, since a private mission earlier in the month failed (Cosmos 1 Solar Sail).
|
|
(By Daniel Culveyhouse | See the 3 comments | comment here)
|
|
|
|
 | | Young Donald Trump |
Entrepreneurship
As of a few days ago, I am once again a brave entrepreneur, pouring my heart into my little business in the Castro (of San Francisco). Luckily, most all sectors in the area are now ripe for business, so it's a fortuitous time to be building new biz relationships in the Bay Area. I have turned down numerous contracts while working full-time, and I unfortunately those may have slipped through my fingers forever, but the goal is to replace those missed ops with bigger ops!
Business-wise, in the tech sector, those days of low-hanging fruit abound have all but disappeared, unless you really know where to look. Personal and professional networking is mildly effective at peppering freelancers with work, opportunities, and financing, but I am going well beyond this and diversifying my efforts as much as possible. More on this later, but let's just say I'm capitalizing on my lifetime of accumulated skills, hobbies, and passions to strike gold wherever it may be, by chasing dozens of ventures at once. I'm not a Donald Trump, whose father claims that everything Donald touches turns to gold (insert disclaimer here). Sounds like smoke and magic to me, and anyway how can this be true for anyone? After all, even Donald filed Chapter 11 restructuring for his casino company, twice! Maybe I could try turning lead into gold by trading commodities, but that happens a few years down the road.
 | | NASA's New Project |
Deep Impact
As July 4th approaches us, Nasa's Deep Impact spacecraft approaches comet Temple 1, hoping to produce some extra fireworks on the 4th by launching a copper port-o-pottie and slamming it into the comet, talling the results and transmitting them back to Earth. Now, you can guess that there are some scientists that strictly oppose this type of behavior (or misbehavior) in space, particularly as barbaric as this mission seems. Even a Russian woman, who is an author and spritualist, is attempting to sue NASA for over $300,000,000 in "moral" damages. Well Dang Ho, Russia is quickly "Americanizing" its legal system, wouldn't you say? Honestly, I understand both schools of thought— the pros and cons of tearing up objects in space to piece together our long history. But entertaining the accumulation of such wealth into the hands of one Russian lady should not be a by-product of trying to further space exploration.
I do hope, however, that NASA and all other space agencies limit their bombardment of small objects, and ideally, end the practice with the close of this mission. Because, you never know just how many fragments we might expel from these "experiments" of ours, and how many of those fragments will deviate from the comet's orbital path, and wind up on an intercept course with Earth. We earthbound misfits do not yet have a defense grid installed anywhere in space to blast these approaching metoroids before they hit Earth's atmosphere (now a meteor) and finally clobber the surface (now a meteorite) with an explosive energy that we can only guess. Of course, the chances of this happening are less than the chances of Michael Jackson's hair igniting on stage a second time, but we should always err on the side of life... err, caution.
|
|
(By Daniel Culveyhouse | See the 1 comment | comment here)
|
|
|
|