Who ordered the scrambled brains?

Tried tweaking the layout and it blew up. Gonna be using the old layout till I get to sit down and rework it. =/

Update: OK, fixed it. Temporarily at least. The main column and the “sidebar” aren’t really centered. You didn’t know that, but now you will notice it each time you come here. Due to the limits of the CSS web standard, I have to choose either a) truly centered columns, or b) a background that’s white on the left and green on the right. I have one more technique to try in order to have both, but that is something for which we will all have to wait.

Yay, new layout! I was never really too pleased with the other one; since it was basically the default theme with a different header graphic. So I finally hunkered down and tackled the project of a new layout. I thought it would take half a day given all that’s involved: figuring out how wordpress pages are organized, deciphering the current layout, and designing and implementing a new one. It actually only took about 2 hours to put together, about half of which was spent prepping the chair and table graphic. As you can see, I was going for simplicity, and a color-driven layout. The picture is an accent, an afterthought, to the concentrated effect of the large blocks of color. Maybe bright green and light green do not provide enough contrast, and symbolize tranquility and even laziness of thought. Or they carry the political symbols of the color green: environmentalism, progressiveness, responsibility. Or money. I just like the color green, really. And it reminds me of the beauty of two island nations: the hills of Ireland, and the canopies of the Philippines.

I was gonna zip it and provide a link for those who wish to use or modify this layout, but I will no doubt be tweaking the layout periodically. So email me if you’re interested. Any comments or suggestions about it?

There was a great turnout at The Space (2020 Wilshire) on Sunday. The event was called DTOX and it was a fundraiser for a non-profit started by UC students (LA and other) who visited the Philippines last year. The booze flowed as their fund grew. They intend to use this money to help the victims of toxic waste dumps in the Philippines. Filipinos, in particular, that knew of this event and had no reason not be there should re-evaluate the continuation of their existence on this planet. =/ I’ll be posting more info about them as I get it.

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I’m sitting on the Big Blue Bus line 12, heading “outbound” as they call it, from UCLA to Palms. Recently I adopted a new criteria for choosing where to sit on the bus: 2nd or 3rd row, driver’s side of the aisle. I chose this because in the morning, I take the bus north and in the evening I take the bus south, making the passenger side of the bus interminably sunny. As far as the sunniness goes, what can I say but that I’m a hot-blooded guy? I break into a sweat just moving my fingers across this keyboard. I prefer the 2nd or 3rd row because I prefer quieter, cleaner company, and upon entering the bus, the rowdy hooligans of society, the true dirt of the land, prefer to settle in the back of the bus. (I’m only half serious of course.) Mike’s Morsel: When riding the Big Blue Bus line 12, if you can’t stand the heat, sit on the driver’s side; and take the front while your at it, for comfort added.

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“…It will give the federal government long-sought control over the movements of Americans… Soon it will be impossible to obtain government services, travel domestically by hired car, intercity bus, train, or plane, enter a building, open a bank account, pay by check, drink at a pub, enroll in school, or obtain insurance without having your unique federal ID card scanned at the gate.”

Scary times ahead of us. I’ve been following the Real ID Act through Congress for a while via the Electronic Frontier Foundation (of which I’m a member, a proud member). Yesterday, it passed the Senate unanimously, as it was included by Republicans in Bush’s Iraq/Afghanistan/anti-terrorism military spending bill. I’m including it here to inform you, weary Internet traveler, of the latest in a series of egregious appropriations of individual liberty by post-9/11 jingoism. Today British tech news-site The Register posted the quick and informative commentary which I quoted above.

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Finally got around to putting together this little homepage homage to my homie Natalie’s recent birthday outing. We dressed up, went out to the midnight screening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and did our thang. Vince almost landed a date with a gay guy, I now have a fear of falling asleep in a theater, my girlfriend will never volunteer to go up on-stage again, and Sonia… Well, Sonia walked away unscathed. Dang! Lucky!

• Natalie’s 24th Birthday Home Video Extravaganza (13MB) [No longer available.]

We learn tidbits of useful information everyday. They might not change the world, but they might help you remember which toilet paper not to buy, what route to take to get across town, or how to encrypt the rootpw of an LDAP administrator. Just think about how helpful these nuggets are. Now think about how much help each of these could provide to the rest of the world. That’s a lot of help, if there only was a way to get them out there.

Well, dream no more! I’m proud to announce the introduction of a new feature on the site: Mike’s Morsels! Yes, every now and again, I will be posting my helpful knowledge tidbits, morsels if you will. It is my sincere hope that these morsels will help each and every one of you, and I project the aggregate effect will be a 2% increase in the GDP. And please feel free to respond with your own knowledge, be they tidbits, morsels, or nuggets.

And now, the first of Mike’s Morsels!

I was at Westside Pavillion when a great hunger suddenly stirred in my belly. Fearing eminent death, I scrambled to California Steak and Fries. Sure I’ll admit it, it wasn’t healthy, but I’d rather risk the effects of cholesterol than die in a crappy mall. To be fair, I decided I should get the healthiest thing available, and the 10K Turkey sandwich fit the bill. “Easy mayo,” I clearly requested. Easy mayo I clearly did not get. Both halves of the bun were mayo’d, and also there was mayo drizzled in the meat and lettuce. Well, I might not have died today, but I’ll tell ya, I might as well have. Mike’s Morsel: When ordering the 10K Turkey with easy mayo from California Steak and Fries, make sure you say “easy easy mayo,” or you might as well be dead.

“Easy mayo.” Sheesh. Those words still echo in my brain to this hour. That place should change their name to California Steak and Fries AND MAYO.

I’m currently sitting on a grassy knoll. This particular knoll is located in the UCLA Sculpture Garden. Here’s a pic of what’s near the grassy knoll.

You’ll have to take it upon yourself to envision the swarm of starving gnats that inhabit the garden. OK, you don’t need to envision the swarm. I just killed about 7 of them. I think they understand I’m here for business.

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OK, let’s cheer things up around here. A few old-skool rap PSA’s.

• “Treat Your Mother Right” - Thanks Mike C and Ron for the link.
• “Don’t Copy That Floppy” - Thanks Natalie for the link.

Enjoy!

(By the way, you might have noticed that in addition to commenting on my posts, you can now reply to specific comments left by others. It’s a feature a lot of you have been asking for, and now you have it. Let the flame-wars begin. This is courtesy of Brian’s Threaded Comments plugin for Wordpress. Also, I enabled comments on the static Pages - listed on the right - thanks to this advice.)

Man I been slogging around this campus too long. Every now and again my mind sponatneously recaptures the institutional awe that had permeated it when I entered here. Sometimes it’s brought on by pristine weather. Other times it’s triggered by reminiscing of my freshman year, or by the happenstance of reading several news articles consecutively about other universities and their contributions to society and humanity. It’s a bittersweet experience that simultaneously fills me with renewed peace, respect, humility and intellectual curiosity, and alternately with bitterness, a turning deep in my stomach and finally a suffocating deflation. …Like a washed up athlete or musician, returning to reality after having an inspirational epiphany or moment of Zen.

Yesterday the UCLA University Records System Access website reported to me that my GPA was 2.051. Yes, that magic number. You’re all thinking “Oh wow, that’s terrible, I better send him some money to show I support him during this emotional trial.” Au contraire mon frair! But that’s very kind of you, nonetheless. If I recall correctly (which I’m not know for) this was the first time since Fall 2000 that my GPA was above a 2.00. No emotional trauma yesterday, you see, but quite the contrary. Of course my rejoicing was curtailed by my myopic nature, which, at any given moment, focuses my attention on the immediate. Expenses. Work. School. Traffic tickets. Expanding waistlines. And also that intricate void carefully placed into my life by repeated academic failures. Yes, the immediate.

I’ve slogged around this campus too long. Eaten too many bread “boules” of clam chowder or cream of potato with cheese (depending on the day). Spent too many one-nighters in Powell (one-nighter: different than an all-nighter in that only one night, total, is spent studying, manic-depressively, for an impending final). Watched too many fools jockey for academic or social stature. Walked out of too many finals heavier than when I went in. Received too much random praise and encouragement from people that care. Went to too many, or not enough, stupid parties. Read too many articles or guides or commentaries or papers while class was taking place two buildings away. Too too many.

Feeling better now. Eight months to go. (Move right leg forward…)