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ABOUT zwarg.blog CATEGORIES MAIN ARCHIVES 1999(14) [+] 2000(3) [+] 2001(4) [+] 2002(18) [+] 2003(159) [+] 2004(108) [+] 2005(129) [+] 2006(38) [+] 2007(23) [+] 2008(8) [+] 2009(3) [+]United States vs. Iraq
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Saturday, December 10 2005
A regular heartbeat is something that I've come to value. When I get an EKG done, I love seeing that regular spacing between the peaks. Like I know when the next one is coming. That really hits me right here.  Sunday, December 04 2005 Snow falling last night and this morning has left my neighborhood shrouded in a light covering of slushy white stuff. Last night we were bundled up, scurrying from a fictitious party to a nearby pub. Good times were had, and a few laughs at the fact that I couldn't drink a 7 & 7 because it was too strong (or I was too weak). The best part was yet to come: our exit. We walked out of the pub onto the sidewalk, and noticed the small stuff coming out of the sky. In little flakes that took a long time to hit the ground. "Snow!" Shouted 3 times, once by each in our party. We walked E. home before catching a cab, but the walk was so very fun and exciting because we were walking in our own little winter wonderland. This was the first time I had seen snow in the city I lived for too many years. I saw snow in June over Berthoud Pass, but that really doesn't count. Thursday, December 01 2005 As part of Benjamin Franklin's 300th, I assisted the firm Design For Social Impact develop a small webcam station where individuals can record what it is they are passionate about. It's a fun-looking installation, and there are all sorts of different takes on technology, mass media, and civic engagement. If you are in Philly, stop by the Nexus gallery and see for yourself. It runs until January 22nd. Oh, there's a website, too. You can look at all the videos captures in the gallery there. Thursday, November 24 2005 Tomorrow is Buy Nothing Day, and would you like to know my favorite part of the "Buy Nothing Day Action Pyramid"? Sounds like a good time to me. I'll be either reading, or enjoying zombification. You? Wednesday, November 23 2005
Some might have said that I've fallen off the face of the planet. Perhaps. I prefer the term 'busy'. I hope you like the redesign. Tuesday, November 22 2005 
We arrive back in Philly, tired and relieved. The kittens are now cats, and the plants: dust. [ google map ] On the pike, heading back to Philly. [ google map ] A hidden town alongside the Hudson, tucked down some steep, curvy, tiny roads. [ google map ] Avoiding rush hour, we duck into New Haven for bagels and rain. [ google map ] Thursday, July 07 2005We dine on delicious homemade burgers and wine. As well as charades. [ google map ] Mary gives a grand tour of her high school, walking through halls with familiar sc [ google map ] We get coffee for the pilot, and I recover my license. Off to see Kai Evans. [ google map ] Monday, July 04 2005We return from Cliff Island today, after kayaking in the morning, exploring the bluffs, some mowing, and some brisk ocean swimming. Mary prepared me my first Clam Bake/Lobster Bake, with Lobster, Steamers, corn on the cob, and homemade brownies. (I made the brownies, but they were from her mother's recipe) We are contented now, laying around reading and digesting. All I can think is, "This girl can cook. Wow." Thursday, June 30 2005Millions of lightning bugs float around the pasture in front of the house, illuminating tiny yellow-green flashes and arcs. The mild weather tonight invites us to stand on the stone wall that looks into the woods, and watch the myriad of ways the bioluminescent insects fly. It looks like fairy dust or magic glowing fields of some fantasy. But no, it's just Maine. We roll into the peaceful homestead in Cumberland, return Victor the Corrola, and relax with English Muffin pizzas and a nap. [ google map ] the maine turnpike will lead us again to peace and family. [ google map ] we leave this small town on the hudson for maine. [ google map ] Wednesday, June 29 2005We are listening to stories of our families, recorded while staying with parents and grandparent They stand on top of the ridge to the south of the freeway, tall and bleach white. [ google map ] We are stopped in front of a rural factory, where the union and police block the highway. [ google map ] We leave Cincinnati via the Applachian Highway. [ google map ] Monday, June 27 2005Over the MS river, and past The Arch as the late afternoon heat pushes 100. [ google map ] We park in front of a Christian Supply store in Lawrence, KS, amid 90s heat. [ google map ] Sunday, June 26 2005We camp late, after our first choice was snubbed by 'Stampede' [ google map ] Saturday, June 25 2005A stop at the Brookville Hotel for some famous fried chicken. [ google map ] In the middle of Kansas is the only surviving African American settlement. [ google map ] Codell, Kansas. Need I say more? (see my resignation letter) [ google map ] An open field near the road houses a collection of odd, empty tanks. [ google map ] We come upon rolling fields of dead automobiles. [ google map ] We exit Colorado and head into flatland. [ google map ] Friday, June 24 2005A quick stop for grub in Grand Junction, and we're off again. [ google map ] Huge stone cliffs surround the highway as it winds through the Utah landscape. [ google map ] Massive boulders and broken stone shelfs litter the landscape at the San Rafael Swell. [ google map ] A smokey haze reddens the sun. [ google map ] We stop for 6 hours of sleep, arriving after dark and leaving before daylight. [ google map ] We photograph rocks that look like squishy folds of flesh. [ google map ] We climb to over 9,599 ft amid rushing snowmelt and warm sunshine. [ google map ] We rent a one-way to Portland, ME and leave Lady Jane in the care of Buck's Body Shop. A small (yet well aimed) doe breaks Lady Jane's grill and more. [ google map ] Wednesday, June 22 2005We leave the city by the bay on a hot, hazy afternoon. [ google map ] Monday, June 20 2005We board the bridge and approach San Francisco on an unusually bright June afternoon. Mary puts in an Eric Clapton song about San Francisco, and we bounce across the bridge into the pretty city. [ google map ] We stay at Julien Ranch, and enjoy some good company, and some good home-cooked dinner. [ google map ] Mt. Shasta looms as we come down the hill from Oregon. [ google map ] Sunday, June 19 2005We turn inland after the Sea Lion Caves, and follow a glassy river. [ google map ] I had my first yurt sighting last night in the coastal woods of Oregon. [ google map ] Toes, you remember Pacific Ocean. Pacific, you remember toes. [ google map ] Saturday, June 18 2005She turns to me and says "Oh, David... It's PRETTY. I like it." [ google map ] mt. hood looms to the east as we cross the columbia river on a drawbridge. [ google map ] the thick mouth of a nuclear reactor punctuates the green horizon. [ google map ] Lunch near the waterfront and in the sun in Seattle proves to be worth the traffic. [ google map ] Waiting to return into the states, our options are: 50 or 60 min delay. [ google map ] We splurged on a swanky hotel & fine dining in Vancouver. [ google map ] We turn away from the mighty Columbia River, and begin crossing the Cascades. [ google map ] Thursday, June 16 2005
coffee shop in spokane, washington..
sign on the wall read "friends don't let friends drink starbucks" [ google map ] Camping in the mountains underneath a canopy of silent trees. [ google map ] Little mining towns and trees, trees, trees! [ google map ] Wednesday, June 15 2005A stop in Bozeman, MT means more coffee and more miles. [ google map ] An off dog wanders out of a shop, greets us, and wanders off. Welcome to Montana. [ google map ] We tromp around the alpine lakes at the foot of Grand Teton. [ google map ] An unlucky sparrow net its untimely demise on this lonely road. [ google map ] Our first friendly visit with the Highway Patrol. [ google map ] The barren high desert chills us in Flaming Gorge. [ google map ] Groves of aspen trees hide innumerable deer and antelope. [ google map ] Pink dinosaurs and curious children welcome us. [ google map ] Huge planes of rock angle out of the ground, like vertebrae against skin. [ google map ] Monday, June 13 2005Lunch on a lawn, watching dogs run away with small children in tow. [ google map ] Friday, June 10 2005Waiting for one train, passed by a freight train. As it slows and brakes, a thunder rockets its length. The brakes have been fixed, along with the axle. The $642.85 question now is, "who's payin'?" Thursday, June 09 2005We arrived back to the homestead, and unpacked the truck for repairs tomorrow. Gardening, destroying sprinklers, furniture arrangement, and anger management. All in all, a good day at home. [ google map ] We stop and get some snacks near the Nebraska/Colorado border. Nice view. [ google map ] Wednesday, June 08 2005A series of trains queue up on the Nebraska plains. [ google map ] A rickety bridge reaches over the Missouri River, as we flee thunderstorm warnings. [ google map ] we fell asleep to crickets and river frogs, and woke to birdsong. [ google map ] Tuesday, June 07 2005A tree makes its own skylight in the corrugated metal roof of an old barn in southern iowa [ google map ] oversize out of date signs line u.s. 34 in iowa. [ google map ]
[ google map ] Aiming for a scenic meander down the Illinois River, we sadly miss a nice picnic spot. [ google map ] Chicago and friends welcome us to their turf. Formula for pleasure = wine bar + long time friend. [ google map ] Monday, June 06 2005we decide to follow a local route through michigan. [ google map ] after eleven hours on the road, a university town apartment is like heaven. hooray for generous friends!
Beneath a swirling cloud of DOOM!
A mightily ominous storm comes at us from the west. It's the deluxe model. [ google map ] Homeland security my butt. Whichever joker let us into the country is terribly misguided. [ google map ] on a small farm in upstate new york, a wide jet of water carves a moving arc across the sky. [ google map ] Sunday, June 05 2005thick green hills and rolling roads led us to a hideaway in the catskills for dinner and family. [ google map ] Friday, June 03 2005A picnic by a pretty lighthouse and some awesome fried chicken. [ google map ] One does not typically expect an axle to be sawn into in the following manner:
 This has been the source of all frustration. The shop in Maine refuses to repair the brakes because of the defect in the axle, and the shop in San Francisco says, "Just replace the axle." Oh, okay. I'll just use the extra axle I keep laying around for that. And how do you miss this? Ridiculous. Well, I can't say this adventure hasn't been exciting. When I arrived in Maine, I thought I would just have the brakes checked out and repaired, since they were covered by a service warranty from 11 and 3 months ago (front and rear, respectively). Turns out that the last time I had the rear brakes worked on, somehow the axle was damaged. This has turned into a giant finger-pointing fiasco, with the net result being: I need to fix the axle before driving to California. This is quite annoying, but I am trying to not let it ruin my trip. The tricky part is convincing your girlfriend that she will not be traveling across the country in a flaming ball of death. Other than that, I've welcomed the extended stay in Maine. We went out to Cliff Island (google map), and stayed there a night. Last night was an excellent dinner, some fun bluegrass, and NOT thinking about how upset I am about the crappy situation regarding my truck. What is today? Who knows. I would like to get the truck back, and maybe even pack it up. May be leaving today, may not. I just know we need to get to Grand Lake, Colorado by the 10th of June. Hm. Do I? I suppose I should check. Sometime around there. And I've got seven days. Well, that seems doable. Monday, May 30 2005
Maine And Things Of That Nature
Arrived in Maine a few days ago, and now relaxing in the warm sun, mowing the lawn, and just generally [ insert relaxing related word here ]. I've driven roughly 3,500 miles already, and we're taking a break before beginning the boomerang trip back west. As we've traveled north, the trees have become lighter and lighter, since the leaves have just come out here, but have been out for a few weeks in places like Colorado or Ohio. We are planning on going out to Cliff Island in Casco Bay at some point this weekend. Other than that, I think this time is just recharge time, and preparations. Thursday, May 26 2005A quick visit with the grandparents and some chipped beef on toast. [ google map ] Made it across the country with the blasted trailer, and unloaded. Now to Maine. [ google map ] Wednesday, May 25 2005An abandoned campground, where there are about 100 empty spots. Eerie, yet peaceful. [ google map ] Tuesday, May 24 2005'So quickly that we didn't even know.' - Greg Brown [ google map ] Dare I ask why? [ google map ] Taking a break from Indiana and its 55 mph speed limit. Maybe I'll see some bald eagles. [ google map ] Monday, May 23 2005Finally. I thought I would never get out of Kansas. [ google map ] Sunday, May 22 2005
[ google map ] Just caught up to the same freight train from Lamar. [ google map ] I just watched a freight train rocket through Main St. [ google map ] A short length of coal cars waits patiently just outside of Hugo, CO. [ google map ] Saturday, May 21 2005
[ google map ]
[ google map ] People have spelled out their names in stones along the highway. Also, a big ass sand dune. Wow. [ google map ] Friday, May 20 2005State number two. [ google map ] White snow everywhere. The clouds are screaming through the trees as the sunlight breaks through. [ google map ] 144528 Monday, May 16 2005So I put together a CD full of (somewhat) random music for the triplecross. It's a collection of songs that I have been hearing lately that all have something to do with traveling. Or else they are just fun to listen to while traveling. Especially travelling on a flat, paved surface at deadly speeds.
 'triplecross' is:
The following resource has been rated:
Resource Name : Simulacrum Developer ID : DZ12 Resource ID : DZ12-1 Validation. Cool. Tuesday, May 10 2005I am interested in the idea of colonization of the mind. What is colonization of the mind? It is when an outside force directs itself into the mind, and enforces your thought patterns in a way that are predictable and desirable to the outside force. Looking at the definition of colonization (courtesy of dictionary.reference.com):
Something controlled remotely: a dependency. This is what happens when your mind is colonized. You become some kind of robot, remote-controlled by media, peers, and generally anyone but yourself. So how does colonization happen? Simply put: repetition. Repetition. Repetition. Get it? Repetition. You see the same images in the newspaper, you see the same images on your television, you see the same images on the Internet, you see the same images on the billboards. Where does it come from? Peer groups, media, government. Any place that has an interest in maintaining control. Is the idea new? Hell no. I'm just illustrating a point that has been covered many times over. Bell Hooks talks about freeing your neocolonized mind in "Killing Rage," and Harlan Lane talks about colonization (literally) of Burundi and how the labels applied to the indigenous people there are just as destructive as the labels applied to the deaf community. Break free, declare independence, and speak truth to power. Too much for one day? Yup. Tuesday, April 26 2005This morning I witnessed the moon setting behind Sutro Tower. This city still amazes me. Friday, April 22 2005
From: David Zwarg To Whom it May Concern: I herby tender my resignation effective the end of first score of the month of blossoms of the hawthorn - also known as the month named for the Greek goddess Maia or the Roman goddess Bona Dea (also the only month of the Gregorian calendar in which no United States presidents have ever perished), of the year that differences the smallest composite Mersenne number with prime exponent with the 5th Catalan number. This may bring back fond memories, such as the state of Kentucky proclaiming its neutrality in the Civil War (1861), the day Levi Strauss received a patent for copper rivets on blue jeans (1873), the day Cuba gained independence from the United States (1902), the day (in three consecutive years) the town of Codell, Kansas was struck by a tornado (1916, 1917, 1918), the day Marvin Gaye released "What's Going On", the day Amy Fisher was arrested (1992), and the day that Cheers stopped its eleven year run on NBC (1993). I'm sure this date will stick with you, as these memorable events have, and I hope that The Company prospers (although I realize it may be difficult) without me. David Zwarg p.s. That date is May 20, 2005 Tuesday, April 19 2005
Crime Doesn't Pay. Unless By Payment You Mean Jailtime.
I'm happy to see some countries pursuing folks. I'm not such a fan of the whole killing people thing, and it's so wonderful to see some people being held accountable for events that happened so long ago. I'm referring to this article I found on the BBC's website. Monday, March 28 2005Yesterday evening, I walked to the grocery store. When I left my house, I sensed something was ... not wrong, just ... different. I walked out the gate, stepped down a few steps, turned to close the gate, and noticed the color of things. Everything was bathed in an amber glow. Now, all day yesterday, it was raining or cloudy. At the time I left my house, it was still drizzling a bit. I could see the low clouds tearing off the hills and racing across the city. And they were all lit from above. The amber light was the sun setting on the top of the clouds, before saying, "Goodnight." But the juxtaposition of the wet city with dark, super-saturated colors, the bright orange evening light, the headlights and streetlights, and the empty parks and sidewalks made for a twilight zone-ish walk to the grocery store. This morning was slightly less interesting. I was driving to work (I'm so sorry), and I was stopped at a stoplight in Oakland. The BART train was racing past on the raised tracks, heading toward San Francisco, probably. The morning sun, breaking through the parted clouds, reflected off the windows of the BART cars as they tumbled by. The progression of the reflections across the intersection, over the hood of my truck, and into my eyes was hypnotic, and I willingly blinded myself temporarily watching the spectacle. Friday, March 25 2005Not a bad day, when you think about it. About 8.4 miles before the belly caused us to detour. Yay critical mass!
Now the trick will be: do they do this kind of thing in Philadelphia? Yay for sunny days and volunteering to good music. Thursday, March 24 2005The clarity of the bay, ships gliding on the glossy bay. Celebrating the sun once more. Saturday, March 19 2005I got my teeth cleaned, and now I have a happy octopus.
 Friday, January 28 2005 Wednesday afternoon I was walking toward the bus stop. It was raining at a good clip (almost heavily, but not quite), and the bright evening sun was out. I walked a little distance to the bus stop, realized that the conditions were ripe for a rainbow, and stopped to turn. There behind me was the brightest rainbow I have ever seen in California. The only place where I have seen a more luminous rainbow is probably Hawaii. It stretched from horizon to horizon, and was so rich in color. There were even multiple rainbows inside and outside, and even a secondary rainbow with a larger radius. Thank Mother Nature for optics. Wednesday, January 26 2005I was reading an article today about Spongegate. It's on the alternet website: Cartoon Madness. It is very sad when a 'spokesman' for some morally superior (acting) organization says:
"Tolerance" and "diversity"
are part of a "coded language that is regularly used by the homosexual
community"
And what exactly are "tolerance" and "diversity" supposed to mean? I'd like a working example, because apparently I just don't get it. Tuesday, January 25 2005A Message From Your Friendly UN:
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs has put out a publication called the "World Economic Situation and Prospects 2005." Looks pretty
Imbalances in the world
economy will not be corrected by a rapidly falling dollar since the
depreciation is weakening demand in the United States' creditor countries and
softening the benefits to US exporters of a cheaper trading currency, the
United Nations says in a new report.
The news flash goes on to say...
"The global imbalance is
between consumption and debt in the United States and ballooning surpluses in
many US trading partners. Currency changes by themselves, especially bilateral
currency manipulation, will not resolve the problem," it adds.
Wait...did somebody say that consumption, unchecked, is BAD? No WAY!
It seems as of late, I am becoming more and more socially aware. What do I mean by socially aware? I am becoming conscious of things that have been institutionalized and socialized in the society and culture that I live in, and I am more and more becoming outraged at the net result of those institutional practices. I believe it is called "critical consciousness" by Bell Hooks in "Killing Rage -- Ending Racism." It's not that I hadn't thought about these things before. I had used concepts like "socialization" in similar contexts, and they seemed to fit. They probably still do, but it's most likely a different take on how to think critically about everyone's situation, and recognizing factors that have been institutionalized, and mostly accepted by the non-critical thinking "we." I don't know where I'm going with this. Probably here: this will change with me. Monday, January 24 2005Today is one of the few times I am actually glad I'm an alumni from one of the United States of America's finer institutions of higher learning.
Enjoy the snow, George. Sunday, January 23 2005So I saw a menu of the airport junk-food place ... er ... I mean restaurant, and on it was Freedom Toast. Is this the same idea as "Freedom Fries"? Like, you are trying to take back (as in rename) something with "French" in the name? I admit, I didn't stop and ask about it, and perhaps there IS such a thing as "Freedom Toast," and I have just not heard of it. This really gets me, though. I understand that whoever created the menu probably thought: "I'll call it 'Freedom' instead of 'French', then I won't have a reason to not eat it." Faulty logic. Because if you like eating it, it doesn't matter what it's called. Also, if you name it in the form of an ideal that you carry, does that mean that it's always had that quality, but you've just been too slow to identify it? For example, did the French recognize the fact that their toast symbolizes freedom first, and you just called them "French," when you really wanted to call them "Freedom," but you just figured it out, so you changed it. That must be the case, because all the French people I know are pretty cool. Also, they haven't started a preemptive war recently. At least, not that I know of. So I bought these jeans. They were really expensive. Even though they were 50% off. Me, being in a typical captilist fodder mindset, thought that was a great idea. Even though they ended up costing me over $90 when it was all over. Hey, I hardly ever do this, so it's okay. At least I thought. The longer they sat in their bag from the store, the more I was disgusted with myself for spending that kind of money on fucking fabric. I'm such an ass. I'm returning them tomorrow. Or so I thought. They sat there for a week, and I still hadn't taken them back, so I DROVE (I never drive anywhere) to the store, and ended up parking as far away from the store as my own house. Fuck this, I thought. I take them back, and the manager looks at them, says, "we don't take returns on sale items." Then walks away before I can respond. Like she's hiding from something, or like I'm going to self-destruct. Well, now I've got a pair of fuck-off-$90-worthless pants. And yes, they are so bad that I couldn't keep them. So I walked down the street and sold them for $9 at the used clothing store. So if you are thinking about buying jeans, and you want your ass to look great, DO NOT BUY THEM AT VILLAIN'S VAULT in the Upper Haight in San Francisco. Or do so. I don't care anymore. Jerks. Friday, January 21 2005Looking on the http://sf.indymedia.org/ site, looks like they're under attack by some malicious hackers. Someone's taken down Texas, Oklahoma, Vermont, and New Hampshire IMC's. And they are quite cocky about it. Way to go free speech. Gotta love this country, where anyone can be as much of an asshole as they want to be. Also, "Fascist Right Wing Hackers"? Damn, have they got a clothing line? I would like to write an indictment for President Bush for being complicit in a system of organized oppression. Anyone know how to write such things?
Insurance Woes
Okay, I found one good use for a website today. I am trying to figure out why my service provider wants to charge me $45/mo for DSL service, when they offer it to new customers at $40/mo. And why I can't get service priced at a level similar to their competitor's, at $27/mo. So this is the transcript of my chat with the service representative:
Welcome to (DSL Provider) LiveChat. Your chat session will begin shortly.
.
'Ron P.' says: Thank you for contacting (DSL Provider) LiveChat, how may I help you today? It doesn't seem to me that they are all that interested in keeping my business. Is that just me? Or do they think they can just suck me dry all the time, and I would like it? In addition, I like how this works out: since I refuse to get shit email from them like "try out new this," I then do NOT recieve the email offering me a lower price to my service. Jerks. Nice out for them, the bastards. UPDATE: The way I knew that (DSL Provider) was offering services a full year before hand was with web.archive.org. Very handy for looking into these types of things. Although it looks like it has stopped archiving as of mid-2004. Bummer. Tuesday, January 04 2005Paid! Yay! Well, that's $7K that I don't have to fret about anymore. |
