Geek Habitat

I already have three cats, so you’d think the notion of additional pets would be a little, well, alarming. I haven’t gone completely off the deep end, however. The new pets I’m expecting are actually Sea Monkeys, which I’m surprised I never had as a child. I went through numerous caterpillar/butterfly houses, ant farms and even a couple fish tanks (guppies, zebra danios and various tetras, plus an algae-eater or two). But somehow, the Sea Monkey craze passed me by. Well, dammit, I’m an adult now and I’ve got to experience it!

Amazon gift certificates are dangerous things — there’s no telling what you’ll find there — like my Sea-Monkeys Explor-A-Sub — to spend “free” money on! Now, if only they really sold these Nano iPods! (via Joy of Tech)

Since I’m on a pets theme this entry, here’s a cute website I found this morning while reading up on Sea-Monkeys: Guinness the Dog’s website features a videos and a webcam. He’s in Australia, so you’ll have to tune in at night to see Guiness do much besides get his puppy rest.

One need look no further than Afghanistan to see the future of Iraq:

“Aid doctors give up on Afghanistan” (CNN)

Let’s think about this. A respected humanitarian aid group (Doctors Without Borders) that has been working in a war-torn country since 1979 is pulling out. They cite increasing concerns about the safety of their people, and the ever-blurring line between military activity and humanitarian aid. Sound familiar? It’s exactly where Iraq is headed, and it’s taking the express train to get there!

If you’ve never encountered the Reverse Speech website in your Net wanderings, you need to check it out. It is more than a little unnerving. The basic premise is our unconscious thoughts or desires are evident in our speech patterns, when examined in reverse of normal speech.

One of the examples is the voice of a purported business man speaking during a meeting. When his speech is reversed and slowed down, however, he clearly says, “I am so full of shit.”

Anyway, go check it out. It’s eerie, but knowing the untapped power of the human mind I’m inclined to believe there’s a grain of truth to the concept. What do you think — is it pure horse-hockey?

There’s an interesting aspect of this, which is how I was first introduced to the website — it’s analyzing the reverse speech of children, most of whom are pre-verbal… or are they?

With three cats in the house, one of which meows often and intently, I’d like to see this guy find human speech in, literally, a cat’s meow.

“Clean my litterbox,” is one of the first phrases I’d expect to hear… that or, “We are staging a coup!”

Now I remember why I’d previously avoided watching anything except “highlights” from a political party’s National Convention… It’s like watching an extended version of a low budget television advertisement. They’re over-hyped and largely populated by people who shouldn’t be speaking in public. At least, that’s my impression as I half-heartedly watch the Democratic National Convention on C-SPAN this afternoon.

Unfortunately, I’ve never been particularly impressed with politics. It feels all too often like nothing more than organized lying.

When I do a mental tally of the causes and activities I support, I am more liberal than conservative, yet I cringe at both labels. Who will I vote for in November? The real question comes in two parts — Will I vote, and if so, Whom will I vote against?

{sigh}

There are times when you marvel at your own eyes and heart — that you are blessed to see a few very special people for all that they are, and all that they can be.

Unfortunately, this joy doesn’t drown your frustration when others won’t see those same qualities and act accordingly.

I do know this — Life has a way of evening all things out. The trouble is you wait a seemingly interminable span before you might see it.

Free cosmetic surgery for all members of the military (CNN)

Ooooo-kay. I’d hate to see the battlefield results when shrapnel hits all that silicone and saline.

I think what freaks me out the most about the whole concept, however, is the simple phrase — repeated several times in the article: “Our surgeons have to have someone to practice on.”

Keep. that. Scalpel. AWAY. Soldier!

Of course, only physicians and lawyers “practice” their profession after they become professionals. When was the last time you heard something like, “She’s a practicing teacher, celebrating 13 years with the school district.” Doesn’t quite instill confidence, eh?

All kidding aside, it’s not like many servicemembers these days would be permitted any time off to actually get their physique upgraded by the U.S. military. Stop losses, the Individual Ready Reserve, and all that…