Today’s Video Infection

Thought this was pretty cool/funny.  I am a Tebow fan, but I was more impressed by the cleverness of the remix.

Predictions for 2012

It’s that time of year again: time for my predictions for 2012!

Just to clarify (as always) this no attempt at fortune-telling, tea reading, astrology, or anything involving animal entrails.  Instead, I am estimating what I think might happen according to everything from Game Theory and analysis to gut feeling.  Some things I get pretty accurately.  Other times I am flat wrong.  It seems to me that I have a pretty decent track record, but the only reason that I do this is for fun.

The challenge is for anyone to do this along with me, and see who gets things the most right.  So, here goes…

Politics

• The one thing I always hate doing is presidential politics.  It seems to me that in any election cycle anything over one month off is a political eternity, but there are a few points that I think will be big influences.
  • Anyone but Romney will have a hard time winning at all, because they are too flash-in-the-pan-y.  Every other candidate has such big negatives that it will be pretty easy for Obama to paint them as either evil or crazy.  Ron Paul seems to be the one exception to that, but he does his own job of making himself seem crazy by opening his mouth.
  • Romney’s challenge will be to motivate the Republican base.  In the ridiculously long primary season, the fact that almost everyone has taken their turn at leading is a really bad sign for Romney.  It is almost an anyone but Romney attitude that might be hard for him to overcome.
  • Because of the above points, the chance of a last-minute third party run by someone seems good, but that would lose the election for the Republican, no matter who it is.
  • Really poor economy pre-election loses the race for Obama.
  • A war probably loses the election for Obama also.
  • Even an illusion of a good economy seals the election for Obama
  • All of this is completely negated by major unforseen circumstances, which will probably happen.
• Come Summer no one will be occupying anything
• Summer will see revitalized Tea Party activity
• Immigration will be an even bigger issue than last year

World Events

• I hope that I am wrong–A terror attack on US soil which will involve attackers getting here via Mexico.  This will spark a major tense discussion of border issues.
  • As I see it Game Theory-ed out, this is in the terrorists best interests.  Although my experience has taught me that the formidable-ness of this particular opponent is definitely not in their thoughtfulness, this seems in their best interest.  We have taken the fight to them.  Al Qaida is mostly wiped out.  I have read several articles regarding this, and they have recently raised the idea of negotiating with us (through the Taliban).  In radical islamic strategy, this is the step to take when one is on his heels.  Attacking the US homeland would make sense.  Further, in bringing it from Mexico (also easier to sneak in that way) it would create an internal fight in the US.  With a huge percentage of the population being illegally from Mexico, and without allegiance to the US, it would create turmoil.  If I were a strategiest for them, I would be looking at that idea.  This is the type of process that I go through in determining all of my guesses.
• I am praying that there is a constitutional backlash against the dangerous laws that have been passed to curtail citizens’ rights for the sake of security.  This combined with the above could cause massive chaos politically in the US.  This might be beneficial in the long run, but won’t be fun.
• Military action involving Iran.  It won’t be pretty.  If it doesn’t happen, look for massive war in the future.  If it does happen, there might be war now.  Further, this would seriously hurt the US economy.  This will be an important moment for Obama.  If he allows conflict with Iran it hurts the economy and is another war.  These are the 2 things that would prevent his re-election.  If he doesn’t push Iran, then it will probably cause big problems for the US and our allies into the future.
• North Korea will stay totalitarian communist.  It is in China’s best interest.  Though it could be a tense year for the two Koreas.

Pop Culture

• Lady Gaga gets involved in even weirder stuff.  I know that this seems like a non-prediction (like saying there will be weather), I am serious.
• Facebook will lose users for the first time in its history.
• The world will not end in December.  No planet will pass near the earth.  There will be no magnetic pole shift.  But pop culture will get really obnoxious about the end of the world as you know it by year’s end.  There will be a movie or two.
• The summer movie season will be populated by even more over-hyped action junk than usual.  There will also be a much higher rate of raunchy comedies. -Ryan

Finally, Texas is Complete

This is from today’s trip to In ‘N Out Burger off of the 75 freeway.  It just opened this week.

I feel that this year is now a success.  I have accomplished all that I want to.  Now I will do nothing for 6 months.

From Summer 2011

My New Creation – I Call it the Plunger-Light

Enjoy the pictures of my new light below.  These are available for sale, if the price is right!

Texas Signs

From time to time I am going to add Texas roadsigns that seem interesting enough to catch my eye.  This grouping of signs is near a corner I see regularly, and gives me great insight as to why there are so many crazy drivers in this state.  Enjoy.

Fall Again

Fall descends, a blanket lifted

The stuffy wool of summer gathered up and put away

Fresh air breathes in puffs, the evening sun in golds and cherry reds

The light filtered through trees and clouds, showing a new deep content

Leaves rain on each new breath, and we laugh and sigh, with ciders, and coffees, and baked goods with pumpkin and spice

It will end, the world will turn, and new blankets of frost and snow, like the tightly made beds ready for sleep.

But in this time, lengthened and melancholy, all is just good.  Not shouts of Summer, or Christmas revelry

This still moment, content in itself.

Today’s Video Infection

OK, I haven’t had one of these in a while.  This makes me feel less bad about all of my sports inadequacies, and although this looks pretty foolish, if most of us are honest, we can admit that we’ve made mistakes that are just as foolish–but hopefully weren’t put on YouTube.

Google Voice Transcript

First of all, yes I realize that this is unreadable.  But, you can view full and read the whole thing.  I included this so that you didn’t have to take my word for it.

One of the coolest things that has been invented in the last couple years is Google Voice, a free product in beta from our overlords at Google (just kidding, guys.  I love you).  I have written a couple other articles on here about the joys of Google Voice.  One of GV’s cool features is the transcript it creates of all of your voice mails.  It can then automatically send it as a text to your cell phone and/or send you an email of the transcript.

Usually, I can get the general gist of what is being said by reading the transcript…usually.  Sometimes, I have absolutely no idea what the caller was saying.  They have a ways to go before their system is at all foolproof.

The above message is transcribed: “Hey Ryan, bread streak with her and just calling to check in with you.  That’s based on without your phone number.  I don’t know it was hitting underneath my nose.  But anyway, looking forward to talking with it.   Give me a call whenever you get a chance. [phone number withheld]  Thank you.”

Questions I had before I listened to the recording: 1- is this person a streak on a piece of bread, or bread and recommending streaking with some girl?  2-Why does any of this require notifying me?  3-How did my phone number create this situation?  4-My phone number is actually hitting you in the face?  I knew it was pretty rowdy.  5-You just want to talk with my number?

I have rather enjoyed this transcript.  I return to it often just to reminisce, and realized that this must be shared with the world.

Sun Chips Green Bag – Week 10

My New Clock

I have a clock in my office on the wall…or more precisely, I had a clock on the wall in my office.  For some reason, the ticking sound of clocks drives me crazy.  When a clock is constantly ticking it feels like someone is tapping repeatedly on my temples.  I can’t think of anything else while in the room. I can’t even sleep while wearing a watch.  The sound will keep me awake.

I finally had it with this most obnoxious clock.  As if to spite me and my admittedly quirky pet-peeve, the clock that was placed in my office ticks at a volume that could be heard in from across the city.  Placing it on the wall also creates some sort of resounding chamber.  My office was experiencing sixty 3.0 earthquakes each minute.  My office plants committed suicide after several weeks of this.

So, in a moment of boredom I disassembled the clock and set about photoshopping the clock face.  This is what I came up with.

I am available if Excedrin would like to reproduce this for some sort of viral ad campaign.