Girls require Time and Money:

1. Girls = Time x Money

Time is Money:

2. Time = Money

Substitution property:

3. Girls = Money x Money = (Money)^2

Money is the Root of all Evil:

4. Money = sqrt(Evil)

Square 4 and substitution property:

(Money)^2 = sqrt(Evil)^2 = Girls

Therefore:

5. Girls = Evil

Math!

The evolutionary psychologist Marc Hauser and others have been demonstrating that more and more of our decisions, thoughts, and actions are in fact unconscious processes. Think of the implications of this! There are too many, so let's focus on one - to what degree you think you know yourself.

Probably most people think they know themselves completely (or at least subconsciously think they know themselves completely) but probably only know their conscious selves, and probably not completely. Often people are surprised at the way they think, feel, and act in novel or irregular circumstances. Moreover, people act differently in these circumstances than they themselves predict they would. This is a well documented human phenomenon. So, is one's self based only on regular and predictable circumstances? I would think not; are not people defined by heroic and extraordinary deeds and ideas? So a person should be more defined on how they would act.

Yet again, we do not know exactly how people would act because we are only aware of our conscious thoughts, feelings, and actions which have only some bearing on the outcomes. What percentage is unconscious? Do we know 50% of ourselves? Would that mean we know 25% of our close friends and family? 10% of acquaintences? 5% of Barack Obama?

I think we just don't know how much of ourselves we don't know.

I voted early today...for Bob Barr! Yes, the libertarian candidate. My grandmother has been telling me the past few weeks that I would lose my vote if I voted libertarian. Correction: John McCain and Barack Obama will lose my vote if I vote libertarian, but I will not lose my vote, and I didn't. The implication is that Barr has no chance of winning and I should therefore vote for the candidate who I like the most who has a chance of winning. Well, perhaps, if I particularly care for either McCain or Obama, and less for principle, but alas, for me it is the other way around.

First, voting on principle is not a waste of a vote. The most successful third party candidate was Teddy Roosevelt with his progressive Bull Moose party. He did not win, but that does not imply his pioneering move had no worthwhile effects. Subsequent Democratic and Republican campaigns realized that if they adopted some of his policies they would pull in more votes, so they did. In this indirect and more long term manner, policies espoused by third parties, if there are enough supporters, are adopted.

And secondly, focusing on long term considerations really sums up the extent to which I care about politics. The message I would like to send to the government in a vote is this: I don't care what the current administration's policies are, I just want administrations in general having fewer of them, and thus making fewer decisions about my life (not in the least taking my money). The government has been steadily growing in size since the late 1700s and I don't approve. This is, in a nutshell, mostly but not wholly, the purpose of the libertarian party.

"Take, for instance, the possible fat man in that doorway; and, again, the possible bald man in that doorway. Are they the same possible man, or two possible men? How do we decide? How many possible men are there in that doorway? Are there more possible thin ones than fat ones? How many of them are alike? Or would their being alike make them one? Are no two possible things alike? Is this the same as saying that it is impossible for two things to be alike? Or, finally, is the concept of identity simply inapplicable to unactualized possibles?"

-Willard Van Orman Quine, 1953.

Earlier this summer M & T and I found an old rusted-out car near Bull Creek. It was a Chevy Nova (no longer made) and it had prolly been there for many years. Because my twin cousins Rick and Jake, 8, love everything and all things car, I mentioned the find to them. Big mistake - or jackpot, whichever way you look at it. The endless questions and persistent insistences on taking them to see it continued until a few days ago I finally took them. Some of their amusing comments:

"Oh my god I see it!"
"Is this your car?"
"Is this my car?"
"The goat-man gave me this car."
"The guy who owned this car must have been a million years old ago."
"Here's a thousand dollars for this car."
"This car is forty to fifty years old."
"Where's the nition?"
"Here's the nition!"
"Are we going to drive it?"
"Jake! Get in the backseat!"
"So this is the car."
"Really fascinating."
"Why is this part blue?"
"Why is this part red?"
"This is the old famous rusty car!"

When I announced it was time to go I started walking back to the trail and looked back and without word to each other they had begun to collect parts they were planning to take home. It was amusing, indeed.

In wake of the Horns' huge victory today, I'd like to share the opening paragraphs of John Kelso's article yesterday in the Statesman:

"Every year about this time, I enjoy making ha-has about Okrahoma - make that Oklahoma - an overalls-ish state north of here that has a great football team made up largely of players stolen from Texas.
So, if Yokelhoma had suffered the misfortune of being located next to, say, Massachusetts, instead of football, OU would be really good at yachting."

This post is an exposition of my view of art, which has developed and slowly solidified as I have learned about, talked about, and seen more of it. !Caution!: you may disagree. That's ok, many people disagree with many of my views.

Of what is traditionally considered art, I acknowledge about 25% of it as art, about 25% of it as cool or interesting, but not art, more belonging in a category of other cool stuff such as juggling, and the remaining 50% as undiluted bullshit on the rocks. Art, in my opinion, is about the result, the final product. I don't give a shit about what you were thinking or how you got your idea or what you are trying to say. That should be expressed in words, not on a canvas or in a sculpture. Art IS about representation, and the better the artist represents the actual world the better the piece. The measure of art is technical skill, as seen in the product, not thoughtful expression or originality. Art should be measured more quantitatively, such as, but not limited to, a piece of art is better if fewer people can make it.

Take Kazimir Malevich, a 20th century Russian painter. One of his most famous paintings is "black square", which hangs in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. It consists solely of black oil on a canvas. That's it. He also painted "black circle." These paintings were instrumental in the Suprematist movement, which emphasized rebirth, transition, ferment, and commotion, which, of course, were feelings of 1915 Russia. Ok, here is how a conversation between Kazimir and myself would go:

Me - Honestly, Kazimir, I don't think it's very good. It's just black. It looks like it took 10 minutes.
Kazimir - Well, it represents the flavor of the times. There was great tumult and change in my country and I felt it all around me everyday. I was led...
Me - Sorry, but I can see the painting. I still don't think it's very good.
Kazimir - It's not just a black square. I was exploring geometric forms from the new position of...
Me - Yea, I know what geometry is. Look, dude, you're still talking. I think I know what you need (pulls out paper and pencil). Here, write down what you're thinking...I'm sure there is a lot of great stuff goin on up in that head of yours. I'm sure you have a lot of insightful things to say about Russia. Oh, better yet (sets laptop computer on desk). Here, sit down. This will be even easier. It's got Word 07.

Get the point? Most of modern art doesn't belong in the same sentence with true artists such as Da Vinci. Perhaps only he could have displayed such subtle and visually enigmatic technical skill. That makes it great. That's what art should be about. Black oil on a canvas is an insult.

Of course, this is what I think. You are entitled to hold your own inferior opinion (Wink)!

All right, time for some straight talk. Don't like what's going on in Austin right now. I don't like it at all. The city skyline is dotted with some six or seven cranes that are constantly in motion working on these disgusting, revolting, oh my god are you shitting me, holy hell you're blocking the fucking capital view so that some douchebag can fly down here and look at it all by himself for two weekends every year and feel good about that residential condos. If you're ever sick or ill or too full or something and feel the need to throw up, go to theaustonian.com and browse around. Takes approx. 2 min. Yes Austin is selling out like a little bitch. Austinites, those people who made, represent, and continue to carry on what Austin really is and is known for, deplore these developments unanimously. But that's part of capitalism, which is fair and square. That's why the loyalists should recognize and treat this atrocity for what it really is, not the result of economics and free enterprise, but a call to war. People have to stand up for principle. So, in the words of a friend, whose identity I will not disclose, "Hey, guys....does anybody know where I can find....large explosives?"

Who would have known it could be so nice here in the mornings this time of year? I guess I have forgotten, it being six years since I spent any time in Texas during September or October.

Google has this new feature where it predicts what you're typing into the Search bar based on number of previous hits that begin with what you have so far typed. I'd like to share what I think are some interesting predictions with you. The capitalized portions are the words that have been typed and the lowercased portions are the predicted aims.

How stuff works - 9.4 million.
How to kiss - 61 million.
How to make money - 66.4 million.
How to play guitar - 12.5 million.
How To make a website - 144 million.
How To get pregnant - 6 million.
How Do i live - 58.4 million.
How Do es criss angel walk on water - 129,000.
How Am i going to die - 140 million.
Why so serious - 63.6 million.
Why did i get married - 10.6 million.
Why Am i single - 63.3 million.
Why Am i here - 180 million.
Why Am i gay - 9.7 million.
Why Does sex hurt - 560,000.
Why Does love hurt - 1.35 million.
Why Does poop float - 739,000.
Why Are we here - 345 million.
Why Are people gay - 39.3 million.
How Often should you poop - 696,000.
How Often should I work out - 34.7 million.

And the star of the show:

Am I in love - 1.14 billion.

Consider that there are less than 7 billion people on the planet, that not everyone speaks English, is literate, has access to a computer, etc., and you'll realize the significance of that number. We are an uncertain species.

Go to YouTube and search for Noah Kalina. Watch his video. I discovered it yesterday in the Austin Museum of Art. It's something I really appreciate, especially because it is a work in progress. Also visit everyday.noahkalina.com.