8/11/06
Yeah, a bunch of days ago I just got sick and tired of maintaining heptapod.org on a daily basis. Since August has become the unofficial vacation month for the staff of heptapod.org I can flake off.

Mostly I can't stand the sound of my voice or the sight of the things I write here or anywhere.

Mostly I had nothing to say that hasn't been said before over the past six years, eleven months and eleven days. I am ashamed of my life, I am ashamed of my site, I am ashamed of myself that I do not live up to my own cockamamie dreams. Moreso that I'm not making any new dreams.

Right now I'm wondering if the Birds are going to cancel because maribou returned from Canadia, her home and native land, and they always need time to themselves after one of those journeys.

Thursday afternoon had me coming home early from work. I kept repeating to myself in my head, "Lazy fucks. They come in an hour early to help the company catch up and I still kick their asses in productivity and I'm there two hours after they arrive at the office."

Fucking worship me because the day I leave is the day people realize they can't slack off.

My choices at home were clean the apartment or get my bike fixed. Since the apartment seems to require a weekend, and raddidge isn't coming down this weekend, I decided on my bike. The choice was pragmatic since the place which said they'd caliper the front end of my bike for free so I can purchase the right headset. Of course I'll buy the headset from them but I'll probably go to Criterion for the front fork.

Turns out the place was short-staffed and I'd have to leave the remains of my bike for the examination. Plus I was a bit disappointed to learn that it's tricky work replacing the front end. Gotta cut the stem of the new fork and make sure everything fits just right.

I'll think about it. Maybe I'll spend a weekend cussing under my breath, wrecking my knuckles and hoping I'm fixing my bike the right way.

Afterwards I headed to my bank. They told me paying off my car loan ahead of time doesn't incur any penalties. Whether I choose to pay more towards the loan each month or one day I come in and pay the rest off in one lump sum.

Seriously, it would've been the best choice on the part of the Allies. Nazi Germany's two big plans were eliminate the Jewry and conquer the world which would establish the Tausendjähriges reich. Since they fell short by 988 years, the Allies should've given the conquered land to the remaining Jews. I say it would've prevented suicide bombing and guerrilla warfare cloaked by a civilian population. Plus none of the Jews would've had to re-adapt to the middle east! They already knew the area, spoke most of the languages and established commercial relationships which would've served to better everyone rather than stealing land from Palestinians. Also a Jewish Germany would've made the territory distasteful to Stalin's Russia giving a new bent on the cold war.

I understand the irony of a citizen of the Republic drawing this parallel considering the Republic's brutal treatment of the native peoples.

Go ahead, rail against me and call me an anti-semite for being anti-Israel. Israel has done nothing to endear itself to the world or to engender it's sought after peace. Hell, a Jew assassinated Yitzhak Rabin who was going to sign the Oslo accords. Plus I'm certain that after Ariel Sharon's stance regarding Palestine softened, Israel had him dealt with much in the same fashion that the Soviet Union handled unfavorable politicians.

Israel does not truly desire peace in the middle east. Perpetuating violence between Israelis and Arabs serves to maintain the status quo of poor Israel being a nation of victims. Of course the Zionists prefer to call each other "survivors".

The United Nations asked Iran to consider its incentives regarding peaceful nuclear research by June 29th, 2006. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said there would be a definite reply by August 21st, 2006. According to the Muslim lunar calendar August 21st is a holy day known as the Night of the Sira'a and Miira'aj. I cite this article. Emphasis is mine.

the night Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven from the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on a Bourak, while a great light lit-up the night sky, and visited Heaven and Hell also Beit al-Saada and Beit al-Shaqaa

Ten more days. Time will tell. Here's another article to keep you occupied when you leave heptapod.org.

Funny thing about these eschatological dates and prophecies is the fact they never come to pass. In 2003, Iranian mullahs were calling for terrorist attacks on the Republic on November 25th.

Keep an eye out for a double sunrise in eleven days.

Being a child of the eighties, living in the shadow of mutually assured destruction, I don't give a shit.

Paragea is a very fine book. It should be in every bookstore but most would be hard pressed to acquire it from anywhere but Amazon. A pirate, an astronaut and a talking jaguar cross a vast continent seeking a route back to the astronaut's Earth. Either I'm naïve or not very well read but I really didn't see any parallels between Paragea and Burroughs's John Carter books.

I can only write reviews of bad books. Any attempt at reviewing a good book or talking about something good, like autumn, always comes out trite and simple-minded. raddidge is probably right that I'm essentially a negative person.