Happy New year to you-all out there----

2008 for us was the year of changing lifestyle. This year we moved out of a 5000 sq.ft. house into a 1200 sq. ft. historic bungalow--rehabbing and starting on the yard--and it was a busy year--we remodeled the kitchen--replaced the entire house electrical system---replaced the concrete driveway----laid hardwood floors throughout the house--painted all the rooms---repaired the shed--mounted four solar panels---privacy fenced the yard--built our waist height, square foot gardens for this coming spring--planted 8 trees---rehabbed the garage into an art studio---

The Entire purpose of all this work---(believe it or not) was to start living a life of art, energy simplicity, financial responsibility, and value for the future. 2009 is for refinement of our concept...and enjoyment....2009 should see less big work, more enjoyment, flowers and greater attention to the good life, details....Anyway that's our story and plan---apparently we're not alone----Here's a link to another individual who spent a year living more simply---it displays what you can do in the real world----

http://broadcast.oreilly.com/2008/12/2008-my-year-of-living-smaller.html

I just ordered two copies (one for my boss, who's a friend, not ass-kissing here) of the book---"TONY SOPRANO ON MANAGEMENT" I'll review this book on a later blog...but I've always said that everything i do on the job is based on the Godfather Movies---since I'm a big Soprano fan---it can't hurt...it may help to translate my natural state of New Jerseyese for my staff......

I just became aware of this 2009 release, Science Fiction film, 2012, if the film is 1/10th as good as the trailer (you can see it at the link below) it will be something to see...
http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/2012/
2012 is by Roland Emmerich the writer/director of Independence day & Godzilla....

This is hard to accept but...after watching the new X-FILES movie for a second time for the specific purpose of determining what type of watch Mulder is wearing. In this 2nd film---i discovered that there was not one, single shot of Mulder wearing a watch---amazing---in the series time & watches were a huge element--with a corresponding number of watch shots...the new film however passes this element by completely?

Only a Russian would predict that West Virgina would join forces with the European Union? This is a link to a prediction by a Soviet academic describing the future breakup of the United States of America. There have always been predictions of the unraveling of the union---and it is a typical SF plot circumstance....however even the furthest out SF writer never, ever considered the possibility of West, by God, Virgina paying for chewing tobacco with Euro's.....

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123051100709638419.html

This i enjoy, electric transport filling a commerical niche'.

ZINGO is a we drive you home from the bar service...they arrive on electric scooters that fold up--and is placed in your trunk---they then drive you home in your car and then scooter on to the next job...how cool....no dui's and social responsibility combined together....

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/article949192.ece

I hope you are looking forward to the new year--we have much to be thankful for---Bush is gone and in 18 days Obama is President---i'm so proud of us---and for the first time in a very,very long time i'm looking forward to our future---take your dog to the park.... try making a tank of gas last as long as you can...start planning a garden for the spring...pick up one piece of trash where you work---

As a kid, I've got to say, i never actually liked Christmas--(i can hear the gasping)--even amidst the dazzling bru-ha-ha- i could never figure out why something you needed in April had to wait for December? Why we were nice to strangers for two days and then returned to normal suspicion status....I hated visiting and visitors...i hated having to do specific activities because of a date on the calendar---of course i was a very,very Asberger syndrome http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asberger_Syndrome like child and now a rain man like adult. There was no sense, no logic in any of it to me---and with hardly any family then and now zero family i am freed of the Christmas requirements that are chained to everyone by society...being free now is what makes the season bright to me---but since you all seem to truly adore it---happy holidays to you all--enjoy yourselves--

It must be bad out there economically--here's a story about a guy who is selling the original starship model used in the movie Forbidden Planet. Before I'd get rid of this item I'd really have to be hurting---http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_11180380

Here are acouple of just plain strange items that i ran across...first a Mexican beauty queen--Miss Mexico or something like that was arrested with 7 guys, machine guns and dope in an SUV---sounds like a party going somewhere to happen----http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/12/23/mexico.beauty.queen/index.html

The smarter you are the more likely you are to die in combat --the Scot's are the leader in IQ testing follow up and this is an interesting article on how IQ worked out for combat soliders...
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16297-intelligent-soldiers-most-likely-to-die-in-battle.html

It just keeps getting stranger and stranger---here's a good one that will make you put your X-FILES tinfoil hat on!The white house all through the Bush/Republican agenda has been using an independent email system. Independent from the official,standard, white house email system---- this independent system allowed the Republican white house staff to freely communicate on that all that tricky stuff---Bush has been resisting subpoena's to produce this independent email traffic in regards to several legal "problems" of his----such as firing federal prosecutors for political reasons...but anyway---the guy who was in charge of the email system and originally set it up worked for Karl Rove, Michael Connell -- get this---- he's turned up dead in an aircraft accident---amazing----you couldn't make this stuff up...oh-by the way he also set up email systems for John McCain

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Karl_Roves_IT_guru_Mike_Connell_1220.html Festivus for the rest of us...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus_for_the_rest_of_us Festivus picked up this year as a celebration---in some places they even put up festivus poles near nativity scenes for equal time during the holidays....it's really apparently upsetting the christian ethic...http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/823440.html

Well, it's official---the future's turned out to be crap---the Nakagin building, (one of my favorite "buildings of the future") in Tokyo is in danger of being torn down--i can't stand it---to me this concept was wondrous. A building that could grow as necessary by merely attaching additional cube habitat's---i cannot believe that they are going to demolish this building!So many of the visions of the future from the 1960's and 70's were too hopeful, our future is actually going to be poor and lacking in vision i guess--what a bummer. http://gizmodo.com/5117473/nakagin-capsule-tower-looks-to-be-from-the-future-but-probably-wont-make-it-there

The Prius--it's not just for driving anymore---here's an article on an owner who used his prius to power his house during a multi-day power outage during a winter storm---I'm actually set up to do this as well, it really does not take much just a simply power inverter---when the zombie wars happen -----the geek will inherit the earth....

http://jalopnik.com/5118297/tech+savvy-prius-owner-uses-hybrid-to-power-house-during-snow-storm
I so want one of these---Toyota's finally going to display their electric vehicle prototype...the photo's show a very collio--small--urban vehicle--i have mentally waiting for toyota to save the western world---vehicle wise---i hope this does not become the standard crap of ---this vehicle will not available in north america----Gawd i hate that----

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/12/toyota-goes-ele.html

Go out and eat dinner with friends and talk of the future--make a wind chime out of stuff that is lying around the house--pick a day and sleep in not by accident but because you've decided to---listen to NPR on saturday mornings it will make you happy!

I am somewhat upset---there should be a seniority system regarding Bush hating. These johnny come lately's. You know the one's...The People who used to cheer Bush for invading Iraq, the "let's kick some ass" assholes---the flag wavers, the ones who put 5 different kinds of stupid ribbons on their gas guzzling SUV's---the one's who considered us on the political left traitors for opposing the war--the same ones who believed the mission accomplished spin bullshit---the stupid bastards who then went onto support McCain/Palin------ the zombie army of the right---now they hate their own hero--now they are against the war. Many of us spoke out about what bush and Cheney were doing during these past eight years. Attempting to bring societal intelligence to bear on both the war and Bush/Cheney's rape of the US treasury---Their theft camouflaged by the war on terror---The Princeton club attitude of allowing their buddies to steal from the public through their wall street and banking power positions now exposed---For eight years through the destruction of the American economy and the downfall of the American position in world society---They, the zombie army ignored it all...Now we pay the price---for everything Bush, Cheney and their zombie army did---now the zombie army is outraged...at both the war and especially at the bailout, where were they? It should be illegal for the zombie army to hate him---he was your leader, remember?..

Is this cool or what--the ultimate high tech suitcase! Perfectly designed for the Mad Max, road warrior traveler who must overcome the air carrier wasteland. It even has a built in seat for resting during the wait on the idiot security screening lines. I love this. I wish i could afford/justify buying one of these...Technology assistance for our real lives. http://www.zuca.com/zuca_pro/index.html Recently added to the i want listing is the paracord survival bracelet this to me is the ultimate geek fashion accessory----i want--i want---i want.

http://www.survivalstraps.com/survivalbracelets.html

WELL--WELL--WELL--Sarah Palin that great representative of the right wing conservative, religious element of the American populace...Levi Johnston, the 18 year old father of Sarah Palin's out of wedlock, grand baby---well the boy's Mama, Sheri L. Johnston, Palin's Mother in Law---(although in hillbilly terms i don't know what the biological term actually is) was picked up and charged with dealing dope. Sounds like she was cooking meth from the way the article reads--- When i read this all i could think of was the stupidity laden populace at her rallies...I really am enjoying this....I mean i really am, she's unbelievable a perfect storm of an example of what brought America to the state that it is in. "I taught my daughter all about abstinence, and all i got was this lousy grand baby". http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/crime/story/628010.htmlOther members of the conservative Zombie Army in the news lately include these Jesus freaks now with 18 cult like children----I'll say this one more time----IT'S A VAGINA----NOT A CLOWN CAR! http://www.duggarfamily.com/ and to sum up---two members of a death metal wannta-be band in Italy stabbed their guitar player for his lousy playing---how could they tell? but still it makes for wtf(?) reading....http://www.lep.co.uk/weirdnews/First-cut-is-the-deepest.4791893.jp

This youtube clip is simply inspiring. A producer recorded street musicians,buskers, from multiple countries playing/singing "Stand by me". He then Collated the tracks into a single production track with performance video, it is simply a beautiful piece of work---and displays the true beauty of street music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExMyoutube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM

Let me get this out of the way---i loved the new X-FILES movie---I WANT TO BELIEVE---let me explain however---i expect no one other than a die hard X-FILES fan to appreciate this movie...no one....i want to believe was built without CGI---and without aliens---it was a 2 hour long episode from the show---Scully and Mulder? Well not much was explained---what were they doing---what happen to their son William---even a fan has to admit that confusion---still tho---a psychic ex-priest with bleeding eyes---body parts in the ice---and the FBI--what else is necessary for a good time?

I'm afraid i need to view the film again--for a report on what kind of watch mulder was wearing this time around---my apologies---I'll find out and mention it later...continuing on with the un-appreciated top five films of all time--this weeks mention goes to----Grosse Point Blank---a hitman having an identity crisis goes to his 10 year high school reunion...perfect....an oldie but it stands up well to the passing years...my personal favorite lines in the movie are the ongoing conversations where John Cusack tells everyone who asks the truth that his career is killing people and the questioners come back with "oh--that's nice" or "do you get health care with that?" Absolutely perfect-you may have noticed that allot of my top five films have john Cusack in them...he seems to choose smart movies--with snappy dialogue, which are my favorite style films---plus he can rap with the best of them.
Paint something---paint a room a refreshing color--or redo the trim on your house---sharpen all your kitchen knives and your scissors one afternoon when you have nothing to do. Teach yourself one new thing a year you think you cannot do...one year i taught myself how to juggle. feed stray cats they have nobody....

I have been working all the past week to living in the now. I had become disconnected, an automaton. I had been living as if i was one of those auto plant assembly robots and not, well not at all involved. This circumstance had crept up upon me simply through the daily requirements of work--home--work--home--weekend--work--home--work--home--weekend. There is a war for connection within all this that goes unnoticed.

Regular, normal things are sometimes difficult for me. I resent the having's to in day to day life as an impediment. A waste of what i think is time better spent---that if i do actually control or gain, i then usually waste.

I had become trapped in a personal event horizon.

"In general relativity, an event horizon is a boundary in spacetime, an area surrounding a black hole, inside which events cannot affect an outside observer. Light emitted from inside the horizon can never reach the observer, and anything that passes through the horizon from the observer's side disappears."

I purposefully set out to change myself and my way of thinking and operating...and creating change from within as we all know is exceedingly difficult. I've had some success with the start of my personal program---success at the start of a project such as this however in some ways means nothing. Remaining in a state of connection will require ongoing, never ending work---so that's what I've been doing....more later....

My months delayed, till DVD release-- 20 second film review section: I recently viewed Dark Knight and Hancock just released on DVD.

Dark Knight:

Outstanding visuals--tremendous Batman tech---Heath deserves all the acclaim he's gotten as an actor in this---but the plot?? I know there are several underlying stories there but--i can't find them as of yet..I'll keep trying.

Hancock:

a great plot that could not have been done without Will Smith--it's him, just being him that allows this movie to be excellent. Without him it would have been a failure--with him--outstanding. Loved it...

Information that has interested me this week---

Chinese cities are attempting to regulate their citizens tendency to simply wander about doing errands in their pyjama's. Apparently doing one's shopping, hanging out all day in the neighborhood, walking your kid to school why not stay in the PJ's....i have several very politically conservative co-workers whose main rap is that the Chinese are going to take over the world---seems like if they do it they'll be in their footie-pj's.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3723539/Chinas-pyjamas-police-fight-Shanghais-daytime-love-of-nightwear.htmlI absolutely hate to have to keep writing on this subject but it apparently will not stop until all the Bush appointee's are in jail or pushing shopping carts on the streets of LA--The latest "discovered" demon in the Bush rape of the treasury through the Iraq war comes to you from Armed Forces Information Service chief Alison Barber. Appointed to head a project(called fittingly America supports you--ha) which was supposed to provide money and support programs to armed service families while their significant other who were posted to the needless war zone. Ms Barber instead, provided zero support, zero money to service families and re-directed 8.8 million dollars to public relation firms run by her friends. Of course she's resigned with no jail time---as soon as Obama is in power we need to run these people down and put them in a PMITA prison. Incredible and unbelievable simply does not fit the robbery committed by Bush's minor imps and demons..read it and weep for yourself... http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/12/asy.html At least their may be light on the horizon...79% of the American public approves of the way, the method the operation of the Obama transition..while 76% of the population wants Bush out of there RIGHT NOW!--maybe the country is not as stupid as i may have thought it was...
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/09/Obama.poll/index.html However---if you're Amish and not a member of the Bush circle--you get fined and possibly do jail time for building your own house without permits. That the Amish are not allowed to comply to signing building permits by their religion.Amazing we are aren't we...Alison Barber goes free while the Amish go to jail??http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081213/D951NEGG0.html

Do a mental review of how you are interacting with the world around you---appreciate the genius of architecture---watch the sundance channel it will make you feel better.... Put plants out and around in your living space...draw birthday cards for your friends--go out and eat some Italian--- food you two thin anyway----and stay away from doctors, they make you sick.