Friday, September 21, 2007




Time for a follow up on current reading status. The books I have most recently acquired and those i have read. "World without us" ---nah---I cannot really recommend this book. An excellent concept but a not so hot read…without a doubt this would have made a great feature article in wired magazine—but the subject matter cannot hold one’s awareness through an entire book format...Sorry but true. This will become a book I will loan out and not attempt to recover when the borrower "forgets" to bring it back.
"Counterculture to Cyberculture" falls unfortunately into the same review category. A great feature for wired magazine—but repetitive for a book. Once you get a handle on the concept that elements of one culture moved to a completely new culture involving computers and networking you’ve pretty much got the entire book. I was hoping for a little more historic background on the nuts and bolts of how and why of the berkley computer movement. The book's elements on the creation of the whole earth catalog, and the aftermath were very interesting, but the actual how of the cyberculture remain unclear to me. Again a book for the reference shelf, but not something I am going to pull down and enjoy over again.
The best book out of the last 3 was "thirteen" by Richard Morgan. Cybernoir styling and preserving one’s curiosity to the end. (I love the term cybernoir and will use it as much as possible in the future) 13 was an interesting read and unique view of a possible future when genetic manipulation works like plastic surgery does today. So overall one out of three is a keeper. ..after this somewhat disappointing last run of books----i am currently focused on reading books relating to the background and cultural effects of anime--"Anime--from akira to Howls moving castle" by susan napier--which in the first few chapters appears to be very good. A total listing of anime is in route to me and will be provided by "the anime encyclopedia"--- so i can make logical choices on what to view next---which is pretty much a basic description of what this volume is about. "Crusing the Anime city" focusing on Tokyo's otaku computer, anime and manga center---akihabara. Maps, store descriptions, a report on the local culture--interviews a ver cool book if you are into technology-anime-gaming. i purchased all three of these books in varying stages of newness via Amazon.com. I desire to know more about this artform that has intrigue me as time goes on and i selectively view more of it....

I am actually enjoying my shift to my personal, modified version of vegetarianism. Mini-drama free so far....
There has been no problems so far and nothing that has put my lifestyle out of sequence other than the fact that for the first few days of the switch to a no-meat diet I seemed to scat like a hedgehog (or some other bizarre woodland creature).... other than that personal refuse problem my overall world has been somewhat unaffected…Mentally I do experience a sense of well being ---of being less dark…less burdened----for no true logical reason I cannot explain this new set of feelings other than to simply report it.
I have not at all turned into some raving vegetable ombudsman…just normal life…except no meat. I'm not doing this out of a last minute late in life health jag thing---i'm sure you're familiar with people who suddenly later in life want to live forever---after never thinking about mortality previously---nah--this is just a circumstance i decided i wanted to experiment with and see if it was for me and apparently it may be....
I have been attempting to determine what brand-type-style watches the characters in "supernatural" wear – the brothers Sam and Dean?
I have not received a clear opportunity to observe their watches. I think one character, dean, wears either a knock-off Tag Heuer black and white or it may possibly be the real thing—I’ve only gotten one distance look at his watch wear. The other main character Sam, I have no idea what type of watch he wears there has yet to be a visual where I can actually see and freeze their watches for examination— and I’ve been actively looking for watch scenes…"Supernatural", unlike the x-files does not give good watch—--time is not a major plot element in "supernatural" as compared to the X-files. Time/number alignment/watches--- were in everything in the x-files. Mulder was constantly checking his Omega—very specific close-ups of alarm clocks—and numeric time indicators were constantly given out…..this type of time compulsion was also a standard element in Millennium with consistent views of Frank Black’s Omega Speedmaster. Supernatural however does not focus on time as a plot element—which would explain no cool watches…so i am going to give up the Otaku watch chase on supernatural---i was hoping for good watch outa this show but no dice. I personally have done nothing watch wise lately...I have been Omega Speedmaster hunting on ebay but prices have risen on good used omega's and there does not appear to be a great deal of logic in chasing shadows...

Just a short update/briefing on my current ongoing project listing--
I've worked out posting to flickr and i am now a member of the "what's in your bag" group--
studying my new sony clie---trying to figure this out. I've donwloaded a ton of stuff--received a new battery--and just need to start working the item for competency...
Anime--watching the last exile disc's 6&7, just received the directors cut of afro samurai.Reading and researching the history and background of the artform--- Hybrid---the hybrid world is working great with 47.7 mpg this week--square foot gardening-- i had an idea this week that instead of building wooden boxes for my square foot gardening project this coming spring--to try to find 4'by4'plastic pond liners or small kid's swimming pools..it would hold up better to the new mexico elements and all i would have to do is drill holes in the bottom for drainage and place the garden boxes on plastic sawhorses at waist level---i could even paint them to match the house??..so projects are working---i'm not eating meat and i'm studying anything that interests me---and the world is constantly interesting---








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