Photos

As always, I have a relatively active Flickr account. Please check it out from time to time until I manage to get some sort of dynamic sidebar code that shows my latest uploads or something. Also, if anyone has a clue how to do that, or even just to help me get a custom set of links set up in my sidebar, I'd love the help. Comment away or email me.

Judeo-Christian values...

I keep hearing things being blamed on Puritanical or Judeo-Christian values. I guess I understand the former; solid work ethic, stoicism, private and subdued sexuality, yada yada. The latter, however, always gives me pause. Damned Judeo-Christians... Last I checked the Jews and Christians had hardly reached any sort of accord regarding moral beliefs. Who are they anyway? Could these be they? Perhaps, but it seems doubtful that they are where the phrase came from.

Thoughts anyone?

Raul

Improve on Evolution

WARNING SOME PICTURES DEFINITELY NSFW.

That said, you have to take a look at where body modification surgery has come. Informal comments vote: Which mod would you get and why? You only get one. Comment away.

Raul.

A new spin on an old experiment

Everyone played with cornstarch and water at some point in their life. For me it was one of those science experiments designed to appeal to the kinesthetic learners (read: ADD/me). By mixing the two together, one could make a quicksand-like substance. If you've never done it, it's a lot of fun, so go do it right now. No, seriously. Go now.

Now that you're back: when I did this experiment, I remember hypothesizing a sort of active armor plating for people or vehicles that allowed for drastically increased flexiblity over traditional plate-based armor utilizing the substance's variable viscosity. While you can dip a finger slowly into it, pour it like a liquid, etc., if you poke it quickly with the same finger it's hard as rock. If you drop it, it will shatter, then flow back into what looks like a liquid. It turns out that I was brilliant and simply lacking in venture capital.

Anyway, this video puts a new spin on that old experiment. Note that it has absolutely nothing to do with my flexible armor idea. It's still really cool. Take a look and be amazed, particularly by the last experiment demonstrated.

Via boingboing.

Raul out.

I think this is kind of an ode to someone who never knew how much she affected me.

So, in the last few days as I have cleaned my room at my parents' house, I have run across a number of old pictures and letters from people I haven't thought about in years. Today I found some pictures of a very good friend of mine from my freshman year of college, Kimberly Mueller. I say good friend. I don't really know how else to describe our relationship. I thought at times that I loved her. I know that I was madly infatuated with her at times and also drawn towards exploring all the craziness of college at others. She and I did probably more damage to my sleep schedule than anyone or anything before or since.

I'd met Kim in the fall of 1998, my freshman year, during my failed attempts at romancing the first person I ever spoke with at college, a girl named Anamaria. Kim lived next door with 2 other girls. I'd stop in occasionally and say hello. It was the weirdest thing. For someone who eventually became one of my dearest friends, I never really noticed her. I mean I knew who she was, we talked several times, but just offhandedly, friendly, but not ever really connecting during the fall. The first night we ever really talked, the first time she became real to me, was actually the night of Valentine's day, 1999.

I recall the night vividly, with clarity that I can't match any other time during that year. I was watching as several freshmen ran around outside of the dorm, Jewett Hall, drunk off boxed wine and streaking to celebrate V-day. Someone (as they are often wont to do) stole the others clothes. I laughed a bit and went back into the dorm. At this point I ran into Kim. I remember that she was sitting on the stairs, carrying a notebook with her cropped boy-short blue hair. She smiled at me and I don't even know how it happened but we started talking. We moved into the common room of the dorm and sat in the funky comfortable furniture and talked. And talked. We shared secrets and talked the way only people drunk off lateness do. She was in a bad headspace having just mailed back the engagement ring of her (then) ex-fiance. She was sad and elated. Lamenting the end of that part of her life even as the spirit of freedom guiltily lifted her heart. I don't even know what the hell we talked about beyond that. It's so interesting to me looking back on it. I never at any point thought about her romantically that night nor had I before. Through the following foggy schoolweek, we stayed up every night talking. I believe it was the Friday after we first really talked that things got complicated.

Details aside, the spring of 1999 was one of the most intense times of my life. Through all sorts of exploration and new experiences, my friendship grew with Kim. No matter how things happened, her love for me and her respect was one of the formative elements in who I am today, and what I have to give to the people I care about. I don't think she ever realized what kind of impact she had on me. I know springtime will forever mean walking along small streets lined with blooming Dogwoods. It was hard to break my heart on my best friend, but the friendship we had was worth it.

Raul