Thanks for making my day, Bill and Kim. Photo from Reuters.
05 August 2009
30 July 2009
Hate Crime Victims in 2007
Among the single-bias hate crime incidents in 2007, there were 4,956 victims of racially motivated hate crime.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
Download the FBI's 2007 Hate Crimes Victims Report
03 July 2009
On this terrace I wait
Spring dares hope from dark ground
While contemplated consolation
Glances back through faded rooms
Disappeared claims to freedom
Clung as eyelid scales mad with "how?"
Love shred, tear through right now
On this terrace I wait
For days promised of
Knowing serum, created cure
Future memories fully insured
Fear is scared to a heavy hole
Openings danced perpetual
Simultaneous breakthrough beings
As a honeybee gently crawls
Perfectly touched never stings
Let loose, still perfect wings
On this terrace I wait
Sensed evidence of love hidden
Tasted serum, abandoned cure
Possibilities pierce dying snow
What methods distant yet bridged?
Held protected in goddess hands
Walled cities vast never conquered
Glowing under impregnated skies
Breached not in this time of easy façades
Darkness encounters no truth, no lies
On this terrace I wait
Glimpsed miracles above
Misted serum, unbottled cure
Everywhere, waiting for her
While contemplated consolation
Glances back through faded rooms
Disappeared claims to freedom
Clung as eyelid scales mad with "how?"
Love shred, tear through right now
On this terrace I wait
For days promised of
Knowing serum, created cure
Future memories fully insured
Fear is scared to a heavy hole
Openings danced perpetual
Simultaneous breakthrough beings
As a honeybee gently crawls
Perfectly touched never stings
Let loose, still perfect wings
On this terrace I wait
Sensed evidence of love hidden
Tasted serum, abandoned cure
Possibilities pierce dying snow
What methods distant yet bridged?
Held protected in goddess hands
Walled cities vast never conquered
Glowing under impregnated skies
Breached not in this time of easy façades
Darkness encounters no truth, no lies
On this terrace I wait
Glimpsed miracles above
Misted serum, unbottled cure
Everywhere, waiting for her
13 January 2009
NJ Overgrounded
I started NJ Overground as a way for friends and family to keep up with my shenanigans while living in New York City. The Midwest was in the rear view apprehensively, but the allure of the Center of the Universe was hard to ignore. The honeymoon was short, and soon my mind was full and my body tired. It was a mix of fast finance, Bohemian Bodhisattva, intergalactic immigrants, fantastic families, and less space for your place. The City left a mark much deeper than any tattoo.
When the divorce went through, I was left with little more than this blog and an IRS bill that blew the lid off. Over a year later, the blog keeps birthing, but the babies aren't related. Ideas need a family too.
I've been racking my head, thinking about times at The White Horse Tavern, and the legendary death by intoxication of its most famous patron, Dylan Thomas. As a poet he birthed ideas also looking for family, but they were orphaned - ravaged by the gutter.
I'd like to think NJ Overground could go out like that too. But a blog is so much easier to kill, as well as forget.
The shadows of the financiers, the politicos, the ballers, the anecdotes, and the antipathy for ideologies will remain. Grounded like a Toyota Camry stuck on a concrete parking block. Should have backed up first.
It'll ferment a while and something will grow. But the life cycle will turn and cells will die too. Inertiating the whole way home. Bleeding electrons. Creating new ideas with families in waiting. Warm milk and cuddley cribs. Check.
Until that time, we're NJ Overgrounded. Check back with the occassional glance. You won't have to stare too long to know she's potentially a knockout.
Thanks for reading.
- NJ
When the divorce went through, I was left with little more than this blog and an IRS bill that blew the lid off. Over a year later, the blog keeps birthing, but the babies aren't related. Ideas need a family too.
I've been racking my head, thinking about times at The White Horse Tavern, and the legendary death by intoxication of its most famous patron, Dylan Thomas. As a poet he birthed ideas also looking for family, but they were orphaned - ravaged by the gutter.
I'd like to think NJ Overground could go out like that too. But a blog is so much easier to kill, as well as forget.
The shadows of the financiers, the politicos, the ballers, the anecdotes, and the antipathy for ideologies will remain. Grounded like a Toyota Camry stuck on a concrete parking block. Should have backed up first.
It'll ferment a while and something will grow. But the life cycle will turn and cells will die too. Inertiating the whole way home. Bleeding electrons. Creating new ideas with families in waiting. Warm milk and cuddley cribs. Check.
Until that time, we're NJ Overgrounded. Check back with the occassional glance. You won't have to stare too long to know she's potentially a knockout.
Thanks for reading.
- NJ
15 December 2008
09 December 2008
Citables - Rickey Henderson Version
I was a huge baseball fan as a kid. I still cheer for the Kansas City Royals, and occasionally the Oakland A's. I grew up in KC, but why Oakland?
I'll never forget the Oakland A's teams that dominated baseball in the late 80s and early 90s. My favorite player was speedster and greatest leadoff man ever, Rickey Henderson.
He has more stolen bases, runs scored and leadoff home runs than anyone who has ever played the game. And now he has been nominated for the baseball Hall of Fame. When the voting takes place this summer, he'll more than likely get in on his first ballot appearance - the sign of a true baseball great.
But Rickey, unlike another man of the 80s, was not a great communicator. He was known for speaking in the third person and making odd comments. Most of the time this was a source of entertainment for teammates, which makes you wonder if it was intentional.
The Los Angeles Times recently collected some of Rickey's more entertaining comments, which for your entertainment, I'll reproduce here. Enjoy...
I'll never forget the Oakland A's teams that dominated baseball in the late 80s and early 90s. My favorite player was speedster and greatest leadoff man ever, Rickey Henderson.
He has more stolen bases, runs scored and leadoff home runs than anyone who has ever played the game. And now he has been nominated for the baseball Hall of Fame. When the voting takes place this summer, he'll more than likely get in on his first ballot appearance - the sign of a true baseball great.
But Rickey, unlike another man of the 80s, was not a great communicator. He was known for speaking in the third person and making odd comments. Most of the time this was a source of entertainment for teammates, which makes you wonder if it was intentional.
The Los Angeles Times recently collected some of Rickey's more entertaining comments, which for your entertainment, I'll reproduce here. Enjoy...
During a contract holdout with Oakland in the early 1990s: "If they want to pay me like Mike Gallego, I'll play like Gallego."Telling New York Yankees teammates that his condo had such a great view he could see the "Entire State Building."
In a phone message left for San Diego Padres General Manager Kevin Towers: "This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball."
When searching for a seat on the Padres team bus, he was told by Steve Finley, "You have tenure, sit wherever you want," Henderson replied: "Ten years? Rickey's been playing at least 16, 17 years."
And when a reporter asked Henderson if Ken Caminiti's estimate that 50% of big league players were taking steroids was accurate, Henderson replied: "Well, Rickey's not one of them, so that's 49% right there."
08 December 2008
LED Island
I'm kind of obsessed with LED lights these days. They use much less power than most light bulbs (even CFLs), and are much brighter and offer more nuanced colors and shadings. They also last forever. But there is a catch -- they are really expensive. For now. But the total power savings and the length of bulb life will still more than compensate the initial investment.
Anyway, I came across another LED fan who is converting his island/nation to LED lighting, helping make it energy independent. I'm hoping there is some correlation between LED interest and island ownership...
Anyway, I came across another LED fan who is converting his island/nation to LED lighting, helping make it energy independent. I'm hoping there is some correlation between LED interest and island ownership...
Counterfeit Blades
This post is part tale and part warning. The warning will come first.
Do not buy razor blades online unless it is from a reputable retailer. They will most likely be counterfeit - especially if you buy them from random sellers on ebay.
The tale goes like this. A friend of mine told me about the great deal he found on Gillette Mach III razor blades from an ebay seller. He paid about half of retail. If you're like most of America, you probably shave some part of your body and know that these blades can be pricey. For guys, the replacement blades can run up to $2-3 each.
So naturally, I wanted in on the action. I jumped on ebay, and sure enough, after a quick search, I saw several resellers offering Mach III blades for a fraction of the normal retail cost. I was a bit hesitant at first. Was there a catch? Where did they come from? Did they just 'fall off the truck?'
I asked my buddy and he assured me everything was legit. So $40 later I had a year's supply of blades.
They arrived and I broke them out. The packaging was perfect. And upon first inspection they looked like fine.
But then I used them.
I knew right away something was wrong. They hurt like hell. They didn't really shave as much as pull. I have a thick beard to begin with, so sometimes this happens. But that is why I buy Gillette Mach III blades. Because they are the best. And they don't rip my face apart.
I looked closer at the blades. They looked kinda cheap. Even dirty. I was wondering if they had been recycled.
Disgusting.
I began researching and discovered there is a huge black market for fake branded blades. They are made in sub-par, unregulated conditions for pennies on the dollar. Then sold as the real deal. To suckers like me.
Here's a website with more info: http://fakeblades.wordpress.com/
Do not buy razor blades online unless it is from a reputable retailer. They will most likely be counterfeit - especially if you buy them from random sellers on ebay.
The tale goes like this. A friend of mine told me about the great deal he found on Gillette Mach III razor blades from an ebay seller. He paid about half of retail. If you're like most of America, you probably shave some part of your body and know that these blades can be pricey. For guys, the replacement blades can run up to $2-3 each.
So naturally, I wanted in on the action. I jumped on ebay, and sure enough, after a quick search, I saw several resellers offering Mach III blades for a fraction of the normal retail cost. I was a bit hesitant at first. Was there a catch? Where did they come from? Did they just 'fall off the truck?'
I asked my buddy and he assured me everything was legit. So $40 later I had a year's supply of blades.
They arrived and I broke them out. The packaging was perfect. And upon first inspection they looked like fine.
But then I used them.
I knew right away something was wrong. They hurt like hell. They didn't really shave as much as pull. I have a thick beard to begin with, so sometimes this happens. But that is why I buy Gillette Mach III blades. Because they are the best. And they don't rip my face apart.
I looked closer at the blades. They looked kinda cheap. Even dirty. I was wondering if they had been recycled.
Disgusting.
I began researching and discovered there is a huge black market for fake branded blades. They are made in sub-par, unregulated conditions for pennies on the dollar. Then sold as the real deal. To suckers like me.
Here's a website with more info: http://fakeblades.wordpress.com/
Airline Pillows
Some of you might remember the sordid tale of my half-eaten muffin that was literally stolen from under my nose at a NYC coffee shop. There must be something about my face that reads "sucker," or "nice guy," because this kind of brazen thievery of my personal items is becoming more commonplace.
This time it was my airplane pillow.
While I was sleeping.
I was on a return flight from a Bay Area work trip with my friend and colleague Paul. We boarded the plane, which wasn't too full, and found our seats (it was the Southwest cattle call). I sat down and noticed the luggage compartment across the aisle that was full of pillows, which started calling my name as Burger King food coma set in. But I was next to the window, so I asked Paul, who was in the aisle seat, to grab me a pillow. We finally got settled, the plane took off, and I began reading. Soon I was feeling tired. I grabbed the pillow, placed it between the airplane wall and my head, and promptly fell asleep.
Not too long after this initial descent into dreamland, I subconsciously heard the airplane stewards asking for drink orders. I wasn't going to miss out on that free ginger ale. I opened my eyes slowly, ordered a soda, and happily accepted some Keebler shortbread cookies. Not too bad - but they sure don't beat Midwest Airline's fresh-baked and still warm chocolate chip cookies.
After the snacking, I decided that there was still sleep to be had. I tidied up my seat area and went for the pillow.
But it was gone.
I thought it had fallen on the floor, so I looked down near my feet.
Nothing.
I looked under the seat.
No pillow.
I asked Paul.
He shrugged his shoulders.
Where on earth could this sad excuse for a pillow be? We all know airplane pillows are pathetic - about one tenth the size of a normal pillow, and with even less padding. But they're not small enough to just disappear...
Earlier I had noticed that the girl behind me had been lucky enough to get an entire row to herself. So I inconspicuously looked back, and there she was, spread out across all three seats, covered in blankets and sawing logs.
I had a strong hunch that my pillow was under those blankets. But what could I do? Wake her up and grab it? Nah, I'm not that assertive. So I just went back to sleep and used my jacket to rest my head.
A few hours later we were landing, and the mystery was still unsolved. We arrived at the gate and the captain turned off the seatbelt lights. I stood up and looked at the girl with the whole row. She was standing up too, and obviously avoiding eye contact with me. I looked down at the seat beside her.
There were two pillows.
This time it was my airplane pillow.
While I was sleeping.
I was on a return flight from a Bay Area work trip with my friend and colleague Paul. We boarded the plane, which wasn't too full, and found our seats (it was the Southwest cattle call). I sat down and noticed the luggage compartment across the aisle that was full of pillows, which started calling my name as Burger King food coma set in. But I was next to the window, so I asked Paul, who was in the aisle seat, to grab me a pillow. We finally got settled, the plane took off, and I began reading. Soon I was feeling tired. I grabbed the pillow, placed it between the airplane wall and my head, and promptly fell asleep.
Not too long after this initial descent into dreamland, I subconsciously heard the airplane stewards asking for drink orders. I wasn't going to miss out on that free ginger ale. I opened my eyes slowly, ordered a soda, and happily accepted some Keebler shortbread cookies. Not too bad - but they sure don't beat Midwest Airline's fresh-baked and still warm chocolate chip cookies.
After the snacking, I decided that there was still sleep to be had. I tidied up my seat area and went for the pillow.
But it was gone.
I thought it had fallen on the floor, so I looked down near my feet.
Nothing.
I looked under the seat.
No pillow.
I asked Paul.
He shrugged his shoulders.
Where on earth could this sad excuse for a pillow be? We all know airplane pillows are pathetic - about one tenth the size of a normal pillow, and with even less padding. But they're not small enough to just disappear...
Earlier I had noticed that the girl behind me had been lucky enough to get an entire row to herself. So I inconspicuously looked back, and there she was, spread out across all three seats, covered in blankets and sawing logs.
I had a strong hunch that my pillow was under those blankets. But what could I do? Wake her up and grab it? Nah, I'm not that assertive. So I just went back to sleep and used my jacket to rest my head.
A few hours later we were landing, and the mystery was still unsolved. We arrived at the gate and the captain turned off the seatbelt lights. I stood up and looked at the girl with the whole row. She was standing up too, and obviously avoiding eye contact with me. I looked down at the seat beside her.
There were two pillows.
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