The Agrinautica

   I've got a new camera! As father-son Father's day bonding we went out camera hunting and dad got me a new Canon Powershot A710IS (with possible contributions from Dad's Dad?) !

   To celebrate, I am going to afflict you with some un-LJ-cut photos from my first day of cameraness!

Chickens roam our yard


Chicken permits me to pat her.


I am Borg!

And a few more

   So I woke up this morning filled with regret over somethign I'd done the night before. Filled with regrets and second-thoughts. And my internet access was down so I couldn't see how bad it was, but I had a feeling that I'd written a rash and overly saucy theological rant the night before. Anyway I finally got around to looking it (in the computer lab) and its not as bad as I'd feared, so I'm going to go ahead and make some more saucy comments.

   But first to reemphasize from last night, and on further contemplation since then, I think the single most underrated misunderstanding in the history of theology is whether or not it sounds like it would be a pleasant arrangement has absolutely no bearing on whether or not something is theologically true.


   But now to cause controversy in another area. Military recruitment at universities. For the past two weeks or more the letters to the editor in the California Aggie have been filled with arguments back and forth on this subject. In particular I'd like to single todays letter by one Leah Sicat out for ridicule. Her thesis statement: "alternative information about the military is rarely provided to students. Usually the good side about the military, rather than its connection to war, is presented.   So, what does she want, a warning label similarly to the "caution: hot" found on coffee cups? Caution: military duty may involve war? I mean I try to think of the alternatives when someone argues against something and two occur to me on this subject: (1) as Sicat advocates, have them deliver a stern disclaimer to potential recruits, or (2) the more commonly advocated removal of them from universities. As to point one, I can hardly imagine it being anything other than just that, a stern warning that joining the military isn't a decision to be taken lightly and may bring the participant under hostile fire in a foreign war. I must say however, that I think they should already know that and it seems like a silly solution, though easily implemented if one feels its really prudent.
   And as to point two, this implies there are better places for recruiters to hang out ... like high schools?? If one's believes, as Licat and many others seem to, that military recruiters exploit those who don't see any other opportunities for themselves, it seems like this solution would have the opposite of the intended affect. In conclusion on this point, I think university students are probably much better prepared to intelligently consider the offers of military recruiters than potential other audiences, and more likely to have other opportunities and thus not be compelled to join through "lack of other opportunities."
   And for a grande finale of ruining my sensitivity credentials, two more bonus points. Firstly I'd like to note that Licat refers to herself and others as "students of colour" throughout her article, a term which I personally find racist as it describes persons of european descent as being "colourless" and inherently different from everyone else. But moreover, I'd like to mention the perpetual argument that people join the military for the "opportunities" and are then exploited when they are sent into military operations. There is one reason and one reason only people are paid to be in the military: to fight, or to be prepared to fight. During peace time, military personnel are maintained and paid beyond their necessity because they are being paid to be PREPARED to fight when needed. If one joins the military for the opportunities, but is not prepared to fight, one is being paid for something they are representing to have but in fact do not -- they are committing nothing short of fraud. The military is not a welfare organization whose purpose is simply to provide jobs.

   In other news, my little brother is currently on his second tour of duty in Iraq. Apparently he'd injured his hand before heading out there again, but didn't tell anyone lest it cause him not to be sent to Iraq. I must say that his courage and honest desire to fulfill his duties makes me very proud.

   So the other day, my little brother Eric and two of his friends decided to stop by diedrichs ("we're going to come laugh at your friends and tell them they need haircuts"). But upon arriving they discovered there were all these high school kids hanging out by the neighbouring Taco Bell who were even MORE deserving of their ridicule.
   So what did this saucy trio of two marines and another large hooligan do? They drove by the kids and tossed a large beverage at them! With screeching tired they then sped off as a dozen of the guys (I'd estimate the group at a size of say three dozen) piled into a raised pick-up truck and drove over three curbs on its way out of the parking lot to catch up to them. A number of them ran that direction on foot as well though I can't fathom what they hoped to accomplish thereby (fist shaking no doubt).
   Apparently after rally racing through that neighbourhood a bit, team marine corps found themselves heading down a cul de sac. Using the e-break they pulled a screaching 180-degree turn and passed their confused high school persuers and escaped. Team high school testosterone themselves had to do like an 8 point turn to get out.


   Yeah I know, its kind of juvenile, but its also kind of AWESOME. Also, I got it on video (at least the start), on my excellent digital camera. If I could figure out how to host video on the internet I could share this stupendous event with y'all.


On that note, if I could figure out how to host video I could also share with you:

• Security Guard Danny being awesome and hilarious while on the job


• Definitive proof that it was the Johnny Cash version of "Hurt" that was being sung that infamous evening


• Um, probably other stuff I'm forgetting


• The events just mentioned

   I recaptured one of the internet access cables while my older brother was asleep at 2pm. He recently came in and alleged that he was going to steal my internet access again. He's going to have to deal with physical violence before I give it up to him.
   Right now the younger brother and his friend have set up multiple computers in the "bonus room," (they're having a "LAN fiesta") leaving us short one cable, or so I'm told. But before they did that my computer had been unplugged for absolutely no reason for an entire day. They unplugged my machine without plugging anything else in.

   I have removed my brother Tobin from my friends list here. I really do not need to deal with the immaturity he and elements associated with him generate.


   Yesterday I didn't do much of note except hang out with Shalane briefly. Just now I called her but it kept cutting out.. I think she said she'd call me later.


   Little brother and his friend were calling me "jello head" because I've been using gelatin to spike the mohawk. WTF kind of insult is that? Then little brother's woman asked me if I use gelatin and then was like "see Eric, he uses gelatin, NOT jello! thats what my sister uses..." so that was cool.

I JUST ATE A CHEESE DANISH
   Actually I just wanted to show off my new-found ability to make scrolling marquees (but I DID in fact just eat a cheese danish). Hellyes. I'm still dying to know how y'all align things on the right side of the screen.


   Anyway. On Friday I took the 14:15 intercampus shuttle down to Berkeley, which arrived there at about 15:30. I was intended to make contact with my elder brother Tobin, and spend the night at his location. Arriving on the ground in Berkeley I located his place of residence immediately, but opted to wander about a bit before attempting to make contact. So I went down to Top Dogger and ate a delicious hotdog, wandered around a bit on Telegraph, and spent most of the afternoon sitting in the warm sun on the steps in front of Sproul Hall, studying.
   Presently I made a few attempts to reach Tobin via telephonemachine, but they were all unsuccessful. I was however able to reach comrade Michelle (Phelps?) on the phone, a girl I dated in 11th grade but since that time have seen but once (for about 30 seconds), and she invited me to a party that evening, so at least I had something to do.
   It became rather nippy out there if I do say so myself, and still unable to reach Tobin or any other locals I could only wander around homelessly.. hang out in shops merely to stay warm. Went to the familiar Durant Hotel to use its restroom... had another hot dog from Top Dogger, and eventually it was 21:00 and I headed down to the party, which was off hearst somewhere a block or two west of shattuck.
   It was a great relief to be definitively out of the cold, and the people at the party were pretty cool.. it was a nice little shindig of a party. Two people there recognized me from earlier in the day (I was wearing my "UC DAVIS" shirt that everyone always asks if I made myself).
   I ended up spending the night on the couch there. Got up at 07:30 and walked up to the Greek Theatre for Tobin's 08:30 gradumatation. There I met up with the rest of my family; the parents and younger brother Eric, an incorrigable troll. Tobin was graduating in Electrical Engineering / Computer Science (EECS).
   Afterwords we met up with Tobin, his latest woman Nadia, and his eternal roommate Chris Perkins. Now Perkins was only Tobin's roommate for I think two of the five years Tobin had been there, but he will ALWAYS be "the roommate," because.. well.. thats what he is. They're like best friends or something.. ::shurg::
   From there we proceeded to my grandmother's-sister's house (great aunt??) where numerous other relatives descended upon us; most of whom came out of Davis actually. There was of course my two aunts/uncles and subsequent little cousins that I'm accustomed to, but then there were some more distant ones that I wasn't familiar with (as Chris Perkins said, "how come they don't know who you are any better than they know who I am?"). Also around this time I think Tobin's latest woman, Nadia, said "you're family is like a sitcom family, there's The Jock, The Punk, and The Nerd." Obviously meaning Tobin was The Nerd... awww "nerrrrdlove!" (as Diane would say). (=
   AAaaand... then I got home -- The End.

   Oh and mother supplied me with like mass cheese danishes and a pood* of salami!


   Kristy's photos from my party in that recent entry are now on a faster better server thanks to codetoad, so if they weren't loading before, they are now.

   *One pood = 36.4 lbs = 40 funt. Archaic Russian measurements of weight.