rw+sp

myDVD.Collection

I sometimes doubt your commitment to Sparkle and Motion.

INFORMATION
BBC Americas
slashdot/.
boxesandarrows

4KICKS
hsx
IMDB
orisinal
ESPN

Design is Kinky Mugshots
A Softer World

Those
SLISblogs
Allison
Sampo
m00se
Jaleh
Mfox

Oct 27, 2004

I love those Zen muthas at blosxom, but I'm moving on.

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Oct 22, 2004

Whenever I get an email from a friend with the subject "Is this your mother Toad?" i know that it will be offensive and funny. Turns out it was and I think I might have a costume for this year.

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It really is sweeping the nation. I did it last week, now our next president is getting down with it.

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You're a Mod. You dig expensive things, like suits
and speed. You have a fine appreciation for the
Kinks and know that Motown started it all, and
you have fabulous style. Hey, nice hair.

You Know Yer Indie. Let's Sub-Categorize.
brought to you by Quizilla

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Oct 18, 2004

I got tons of shizzell to this week so I figured I'd just do one "large" post. Last Thursday: The Gideons were in the house. Pete wanted to help out so he left this in our management class.

It was a good weekend. On Friday we went out to celebrate Nic's birthday by seeing Team America. It was quite "Fuck Yeah" Funny. We went to the Lion afterwards for chips and drinks. I broke out the Linndey to honor my good friend Nic on his birthday.

Liscel and I went down to Brown County on Saturday Morning. Not too impressed, but we were able to get some breakfast and buy various local goods. I put together a little slide show this morning.

Liscel let me and Moby watch her fill out her absentee ballott.

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Oct 14, 2004

The posse watched the debate last night at Allison's again. We all thought that Kerry stumbled out of the gates but finished well. Nothing Earth shattering, but no major cock- ups. I thought Kerry probably got more out of it than the President but figured it would play out as a draw. I think a lot of people (consciously or unconsciously) handicap the whole process. Not much is expected of the President so as long as Kerry does'nt really destroy him the public will see it as a draw. That's why I was kind of surprised to hear this morning that a "flash" poll conducted last night had Kerry winning 53-39 (+-5). Of course, it doesn't mean anything.

I've been tooling around with a few CMS this week. I did installs/implementations of WordPress and Mambo earlier this week. I was planning on doing a couple more this week but I really think Mambo is going to work.

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Oct 11, 2004

I need a better camera. Anyway, here are some of the pictures I took with my phone at Allison's debate party.

7 Comments | Link

Oct 08, 2004

L505 Required
L528 (W) Required
L610
L625
What do you guys think?

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Oct 07, 2004

But its just so easy to clean. Looks like I might need a new pan.

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Oct 06, 2004

Liscel had her birthday dinner. It was good. I had the meatloaf sandwich that looks like an ice cream sundae. One of my favorites. We went by the Apple Store since we were in the neighborhood. We were both on the verge of buying iPods ala Pete and Sarah. In the end she decided it would be best to wait. It’s a lot easier for me to be patient because I have my old school 5-Gig model, but she is really ready to get one and I am finding my 5-Gig model limiting. We looked at the new iMacs also. I need one even more now.

To cap off our night of festivities, we listened to the Junior Varsity debate on they way home and watched F-9/11. I don’t know why we felt the need to depress ourselves after such fun night but we did. I thought it was interesting that there was a rental next to it, whose name escapes me, that “Uncovers the truth about Michael Moore and Fahrenheit”. It reminded me of all those “The truth about the Da Vinci Code” books.

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Oct 05, 2004

I love you lady.

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Oct 04, 2004

I decided it was time to get a new backpack this week. I've always wanted a fancy shmancy one and later this week I will have one. I looked around (actually Liscel looked for me) and thought this was going to be the best deal. It looks a lot like the one I stole from Liscel last year except it has more pockets. I'm all about secret compartments.I looked at patagonia but found that the packs I was intersted in were a little too expensive. I've also always wanted a Boblbee but again too expensive and I fear that it would get old after a couple of weeks.
Currently Listening: Satin in a Coffin (Live), Modest Mouse

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At least the playoffs won’t cut into my study time this year. The Cubs were eliminated on Saturday. How sad. If you can’t beat losing teams in the last two weeks of the season, you don’t deserve to go to the playoffs. I was pretty upset Saturday and to make things worse, I couldn’t even drink myself silly (the whole school thing again). At least things are going to settle down a little this week. After today, I don’t think I have any papers do for week or so.

I had to get up early this morning to do some work, and I saw an effing Swift Boat ad. “John Kerry gave aide and comfort to the enemy by advocating their negotiating points to our government.” If it’s on TV it must be true. What a joke. And by joke I mean "Fucking Joke".

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Oct 01, 2004

I've seen few news shows discussing how the debate "played" to undecided voters. One defense of the President's ass kicking was "He comes across as more of regular guy than Kerry." I don't want a regular guy in the White House. This man is the most powerful person in the world. Its not a place for a "regular guy". But I'm just a cave man.

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Sep 30, 2004

It’s been a rough few days and its going to be more of the same for the next few days. Papers due On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and two more coming up on Sunday and Monday. The ever so lovely Liscel brought me down some Lemon Grass Chicken and Pho Ga? (Rare Pho) and some Bawls.
I love hearing Kerry quoting GHWB to tear up President Bush. I know I’m looking at this threw my own lens, but the first half hour has been JFK handing GWB his ass. I must admit that I have heard GW drop some sound bites though.

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Sep 27, 2004

In my L524 reference interview paper, I misspelled "embarrassment". Actually I must have fat fingered the spelling and Word corrected my cock-up to "embracement". I just think it's funny, how embarrassing it is to misspell "embarrassment".
Currently Listening: Political Science, Randy Newman

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It was a pretty good weekend, if you ignore the Cubs. The MetaCrew went to the Lion and had fried food and booze. Liscel came down on Saturday and we kicked it old school. Lots of work to be done this weekend if I am going to make it to the ND vs. Purdue game this weekend.

Counter clockwise from top right:

(1,1) Nic says b00ger does not have the ability to dislocate his jaw in order to swallow large rodents whole.
(-1, 1) Sarah scoffs when b00ger tells her, “You have no super powers.”
(-1,-1) Pete’s on the phone with the Helsinki office.
(1,-1) To prove me wrong, Sarah transforms into the pure wrathful light of God and smites us all. It was glorious. Pete was suprisingly calm throughout the whole thing.

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Sep 25, 2004

B00ger is excited. Why? Because b00ger is the home coming duke or some shit like that. That’s right, Cay-Lan Nguyen is the 2004 Brownsville High School, Pa. Home Coming Queen. So being the Queen’s brother must make me royalty of some sort.

So, Does that make me a fucker for not making the drive? Well yes, but I did have a meeting with Eco Systems until 3:30 which means I would not have been there on time anyway. Way to go Gurr. Congratulations. How could someone who had absolutely nothing to do with the girl becoming who she is, feel so proud? I don’t know but I do. Its just feels good to know that your younger sibling does well, does better than you did!

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Sep 24, 2004

I went to Goodwill on Thursday and picked up this great shirt for only $1.49.

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Sep 22, 2004

I hammered out a site for my L577 Project. I know it's a rip-off of the page I did for UPDC over the summer, but I don't have time to do anything too creative these days. And if you don't steal your own stuff, who will. The interesting thing about my new site is that it is the first time I have used photos in a site that were not taken by me (Hence the drastic improvement in quality). The photos on the site (outside of the Liberty Tunnel image) where created by Michael Jastremski and are available at openphoto.net. I just resized, cropped and made slight color adjustments. Don't you love open culture? I take your work, acknowledge you, make your work useful to me and then use it.

Currently Listening (Suprise Suprise): Motion Picture Soundtrack, Radiohead

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Sep 20, 2004

Happy Birthday Cay~Lala. I wish I could tell you that there's something good about being 18, but I can't think of anything. Yesterday, if you were to get arrested they would have called your dad. Get rested from today on, and you go directly to jail. Sucks I know. Other than that you can buy tobacco and gamble.

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I hate it when your flip-flops start to stink in the fall. I am in class right now and I can smell them. Oh-So Funky. If I where a chemist or materials engineer I could make a career out of making a super polymer for flip-flops that never get that end of the summer smell. So awful. It smells like old socks and baby pee.

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Please don't think I am making light of this. I am just a sick person who thinks this page is funny. Its only a matter of time until I take a picture of one of you doing the Lynndie whether intentionally or not.

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Sep 18, 2004

This will be the "ride" of my gang. As a child, my neighbors had a small fleet.

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Sep 17, 2004

Actually, I was born in 79 but the rest is right on.

Googlism for: booger

booger is really a beautiful cat
booger is a man of his words
booger is out of the amazing kennels in house springs
booger is the next cur in our kennel
booger is what all things lead to
booger is used as evidence
booger is finished
booger is not someone you want to have on your bad side
booger is an awesome tree frog
booger is used
booger is currently standing to outside mares
booger is calling chiwhora ab
booger is no will kirby
booger is crunched by a falling elbow drop
booger is able to escape
booger is a legend of florida's big foot that roams the bardin woods
booger is one *yourself
booger is connected to the following things
booger is connected to because
booger is but a novice
booger is trying to clean out one nostril while incense flows freely from the other nostril
booger is his star player
booger is grosser
booger is in the driver's seat
booger is fast becoming my go to bait
booger is a "pathological liar" heading towards a criminal
booger is known by my friends as "the drunk lil' kitty" as she often staggers or stands wide
booger is screaming at me to tell him if i'm all
booger is the mother of all boogers
booger is a blue roan and stands at 15
booger is going to be one tall mule
booger is not a round ball
booger is considered stillborn
booger is
booger is slang for a piece of dried nasal mucus
booger is a beautiful chubby baby
booger is as well known as lassie or eddie from "frasier
booger is 21 inches long with porcelain head
booger is like a little person to me
booger is a very
booger is still
booger is backed up against a wall and spidey is facing him
booger is about 0
booger is lucid
booger is vince's new assbitch and he is all jealous
booger is annoyed
booger is my name hair as wild as my ideas
booger is my name for him
booger is so cute
booger is a foundling dumped at bob's mom's house
booger is a local celebrity too
booger is much worse because i would have no problem telling booger is a manatee inhabiting biscayne bay; his best friend is the 102
booger is now free to kiss and make up with the golden gay guy
booger is now?
booger is there saying
booger is a hybred critter that only breeds and lives in the big bottomland hard wood swamps along the
booger is a second generation guide in the pungo area and is one of the only licensed guides on the pocosin national lake and refuge
booger is a litter
booger is florida's equivalent of those legendary monsters
booger is misty's brother and the male of the house
booger is unique and special
booger is still playing in the rucker as far as i know
booger is simply the bottom line in gross
booger is older
booger is picked
booger is gonna come with me to sac
booger is indeed the world's ugliest hobbit
booger is going to either hit the floor or wy lee really hard
booger is still lodged
booger is the coolest cat ever; he is very sweet and loving and has a bigger personality than most people
booger is the oldest of our feline kids
booger is double
booger is called a "bogey" or "bogie
booger is finally happy
booger is the screamer
booger is his cb handle and 65 is the year he was born

1 Comment | Link

Sep 14, 2004

I was recently [indirectly] told that my music taste is "really good, though a tad acoustic and depressing" I agree my taste has become a bit acoustic. But depressing?...Maybe. Its probably that the shit I listen too is so depressing that anything that doesn't explicitly tell you to cry and hate your life seems cheery to me. I actually have a Travis track (Paperclips) that has a poor dog whimpering in the background. I don't typically let things bother me so I mooch my angst and sorrow off the music I listen to. When I was young I listened to P.E. and 2pac because I thought I should feel black and oppressed and now I listen to Elliott Smith and Radiohead because I think I should feel numb and confused.
In reality I am a TinMan without myTunes and feel very little when I can't hear music in my head. So I Googled "basic emotions" I came up with Plutchik's basic emotions (Acceptance, anger, anticipation, disgust, joy, fear, sadness, surprise). So here's a list.

Theme songs for my eight basic emotions

Acceptance - Shine, David Gray; Parachutes, Guster; Over Now, Alice in Chains
Anger - Zero, Smashing Pumpkins; You Make Me Feel Like a Whore, Everclear
Anticipation - #41, Dave Matthews Band
Disgust - Can't Truss It, PE; So Many Tears, 2pac; Closer, NIN
Joy - Life is for Living, Coldplay; Sing, Travis; Motion Picture Soundtrack, Radiohead
Fear - Going Away to College, Blink 182; Don't Go Away, Oasis
Sadness - Motion Picture Soundtrack, Radiohead; How To Disappear Completely, Radiohead; The Biggest Lie, Elliott Smith; Whistle of a Distant Train, Ed Harcourt
Surprise - Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset, Modest Mouse; Do You Realize, Flaming Lips

2 Comments | Link

I purchased a single day pass to MLB.tv so that I could watch Aaron pitch (Mets v. Braves). The good news is that he won (6 IP, 4 ER, 7K); the bad news is that the Cubs game was blacked out (They did win though).
It’s so cool to see someone I know; someone I consider a friend, in the Big Leagues. I remember when we were in elementary school on the Daniel Webster A-2 basketball team. I try to find animosity towards “Boner” because he has accomplished so much and I so little, but there is none to be found. He’s about the nicest guy I know, and despite what those dodgy announcers said about him I am confident that he will be in the league for years to come.

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Sep 13, 2004

I don’t want to jinx myself, but it looks like my personal SIS/PeopleSoft saga has come to an end. I looked on OneStart and it all looks good, but I’ll feel better once the money is in my account. I’m hopeful that I was one of the last students waiting for his aid. We’re getting into the third week of class and I couldn’t imagine someone who hasn’t gotten his FA yet, being anything less than pissed.

My friend Aaron is pitching today at 4:00. Go figure its one-of-like Braves games a year that is not shown on TBS. I guess I’ll miss most of it while I’m in class today. I have to turn in a topic introduction for my pathfinder. I have decided to go with Free Software as my topic. Should be fun.
Currently listening: Myxomatosis, Radiohead

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Sep 12, 2004

First, let me start with this fact. If I root for you, then you will lose. Colts on Thursday: Loss. Cubs in game one Friday: Loss. Seminoles playing the Canes on Friday: Loss. And as I type the Cubs are down 6 in the top of the 6th inning.

Friday night I was that guy. That guy at the bar who really thinks he's being clever, but in reality is annoying the piss out of the whole place slamming chairs and shouting. So, my dear new friends please forgive me for acting so strange on Friday. While my conduct was in fact quite typical Nguyen belligerence, I assure you all that I am quite made up.
I wasn't even terribly inebriated. Just me showing my true colors I guess. It's just that I'm fucking tired of beating Miami for three and a half quarters and losing in the last three minutes. How embarrassing for me.

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Sep 09, 2004

My lists (via Pete and Jail)

Top Five Overrated Movies:

Abre los ojos
The Green Mile
The Silence of the Lambs
Requiem for a Dream
The Mummy I & II

Top Five Underrated Movies:

Signs
The Professional
Three Kings
King of New York
Blood in Blood Out (eh, Fuck Spider Homes)

Honorable Mention: 28 Days Later

Top Five Movies I’d do differently:

Heat (DeNiro lives)
Contact
Matrix Revolutions
The Beach
Star Wars, 1999 on (Who wouldn’t?)

I won't front like I read enough fiction to have five movies I would like to see made into movies.

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I am getting old. That's the bottom line. When the most appealing thing I can find on the internet is an article about a Nap Bar, it is time to hang up my spurs and ride of into the sunset. Seriously, I do think this sounds like a cool idea. Since I am the kind of guy who wolfs his lunch in about three minutes, I always have extra time and I can't think of a better way to spend free (work) time than sleeping. Then again, I am the kind of guy who can sleep just about anywhere, so I probably wouldn't want to pay $15.00 to sit in a comfy chair for half an hour.

Ps
Good news, Cokedoutstatesidesonsofprivilegedwhitemenfor plausibledeniability.com is available. In case you are interested.

0 Comments | Link

Sep 07, 2004

College football season is by far my favorite sports season of the year. This weekend I got a chance to go to two different games. On Saturday I went with my boss, Steve, to the IU v Central Michigan game. I’m not a big IU football fan, but it was a night game and it actually ended up being a fun game to watch. Not to mention that it may have been the only game the Hoosiers win this year. On Sunday, I went to the Purdue v. Syracuse game in West Lafayette. I had to leave B Town at 5:00am to collect Miss Liscel and Mac. We tailgated for a few hours before the game. In the process I hammered 12 beers in two hours and burned a lot of hair off of my right leg. I was truly acting as dumb as I look and it was awesome. Not to worry though, Liscel drove us home so no DUI for Dan.

3 Comments | Link

Sep 02, 2004

I saw this picture this morning on BBC America and the girl in the background caught my attention. I've been trying to come up with a funny caption like the clever folks at a softer world but couldn't come up with anything. Any suggestions?

1 Comment | Link

Aug 30, 2004

Who's Your Movie Sidekick? Find out @ She's Crafty
I've always seen myself as a bit of a Cameron. So that means I'm looking for myself in a sidekick? My confuse.

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Bust out the Trapper Keeper, put on your new Reeboks and Levis, because classes start today. All around campus young co-eds will be scouting potential hook-ups in class. They will be figuring out who will be the person to get notes from at the last minute. And they will be plotting ways to spend their entire Fall budget in the first four weeks of class (I suggest building your DVD collection). God Bless the University.

I changed my schedule last week in case I want to do the Dual MIS/MLS dilly. Basically, I replaced my electives with core MLS classes. This way, if they decide to let me do the dual, I can finish in June and if they don't I can still finish my MIS in December.

I caught Garden State yesterday with Liscel (in the early stages of reco). Just as I have been predicting for months, it was great. In fact, I bought about 30,000 shares on hsx back when it was called "Large's Ark". My unhealthy infatuation with Natalie Portman aside, the movie was visually pleasing and the story was affective. Not to mention that it seems like they stole my iPod to make the soundtrack of the movie. I strongly suggest it, if you don't go see it in the theater, just call me when it drops on DVD and I'll probably let you borrow it.

Currently Listening, Travis, How Many Hearts

3 Comments | Link

Aug 27, 2004

Here is my slideshow from my visit last week. Its mostly road pics, some Ohio-Pyle, some Pittsburg etc. Dubbed the show to Elliott Smith, No Name #3. Moslty because it was the right length.

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Aug 24, 2004

Here is this years Nguyen family picture. From left to right Khan, Daniel, Cay-Lan, and Thai Nguyen. I put together a little slide show too. I'll post the address soon.

It looks like I will be able to start moving stuff into my apartment tonight. Yea!. But of course, not all can be well. As it turns out, my financial aid has been held up due to a coding error of some sort. I guess it was bound to happen. I've been in school for a hunderd years and until now had never had a problem with getting my aid. Time to get back on the karma payment plan.

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Aug 23, 2004

It’s been a while hasn’t it. Classes are over, and it all worked out. To be honest, I’m not terribly happy with any of my work this summer (Outside the UPDC site). I’m kind of ashamed that I skated on a lot of things and didn’t do anything ambitious. But, I have one more semester to do something I feel good about, before I roll out. Last week I picked up a Firewire car charger ($12.95) for my old school iPod before I left for western Pennsylvania to visit my dad, brother and sister. It was a good trip. I’ll post some pictures soon (maybe today) and bore you all with details about my life you couldn’t care less about.

For those of you interested in a good laugh at my expense, here is an email I received Saturday after driving several hours to return to Bloomington in order to start moving into my new apartment.

Daniel,
In checking rooms for the upcoming term, we found that the ceiling in your new apartment had given way over the summer with the heat and humidity and was ready to collapse. As we just discovered this on Friday, we have arranged for carpenters to come in first thing Monday morning and install a brand new ceiling, but this is, of course, going to mean that you cannot move in before this work is done. We anticipate it only taking a day or two, then cleaning up, but we were not sure when you were planning to arrive. If this schedule is going to be a problem, please contact us so we can discuss it. Someone will answer the number below 24 hours.

Riddle me this Batman, wouldn’t you think that something like the fucking ceiling caving in might show up in an inspection prior to the day I was scheduled to move in. It’s just a thought and I’m just a caveman. Its not a big deal yet though. As long as the floor doesn't start giving way.

0 Comments | Link

Aug 11, 2004

Yeah, 7 of 9 (Jack Ryan's wife) has heard this dozens of times I'm sure. "Oh honey, we're just going to go to this party and cuddle with other consenting adults. I promise"

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Aug 10, 2004

I finished my L571 project last night. It turned out OK. I wasn’t able to get images and content from the club on time so most of the links are dead and most of the content is …”made up” and the images are from my personal collection. The write-up still needs to be proof read, but other than that, it is done. I bought Kill Bill Vol. II this morning. I probably won’t be able to watch it any time soon though because in addition to needing to finish my KM paper by Friday, I need to pack all my shit, move some stuff to Allison’s and decide where I am taking my mini-break. Actually, I’ll probably end up watching it tonight. Despite all the stuff I need to do, I’m feeling good. Dealing with the Info Policy paper in the spring and the Metadata paper last month has toughened my skin a little.

3 Comments | Link

Aug 08, 2004

I snuck to Logansport yesterday. When I arrived I noticed a sign on a building adjacent to the place they hold livestock auctions. As you can see the sign read Moose. No family calls or visits while in the Logan’s Port. Sorry. I did visit B+K though, and stuff my face with 1,2,3,4 Spanish cheese dogs on my drive home this morning. It was glorious.

Most of my afternoon/evening has been spent working on and off like a little citizen. That all ended at roughly 9:30 when I put in Donnie Darko and started drinking Beam out of my lone clean glass. That movie is fucking weird, and I like that about it.

I’ve decided to embrace one of my most embarrassing habits, going balls-to-the-wall big rock when I am driving. I can only imagine how frightening I must look to small children and the elderly when they pass me on I-37. In honor of the acceptance of my flaws, and as a PTFO to Rick James (even though neither Super Freak nor U Can’t Touch This made the list), I have derived my:

Top Ten Raps I Do in My Car Straight Mike Bolton Style.

N.W.A., Gangsta Gangsta
Notorious B.I.G. feat Method Man, The What
Notorious B.I.G, I Got a Story to Tell
Beastie Boys, Paul Revere
Tupac, So Many Tears
Tupac, If My Hommie Calls
Outkast, Elevators
112 feat Mase and Notorious B.I.G., Only you (Exhibiting both my flow, and harmonizing skills.)
Wu Tang Clan, Method Man
Clipse w/ Pharrell and Ab-Liva, Blaze of Glory

Currently Listening: Nada Surf, If you leave (OMD Cover)

1 Comment | Link

Aug 05, 2004

I finally took some time to list my DVD collection. I'm not proud of all of them. There are more than a few that I cannot tell you why I bought them. So friends of me, if you are interested in borrowing one, let me know. It would help me justify owning so many.
Up next for me, Cubs and Grub.

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Aug 04, 2004

Sometimes I like mindless work. It gives me a chance to think, hatch out plans for my evening and weekend. Today however, I was given a report that went something like this:

Enter ID
Check for record
If no record
Set to no record
If record exists
Set to ready

Hundreds of times I've been through this sequence today. Experiences like this have been known to dirve lesser men to Truck Driving School. Not me though.

Currently Listening: Diffusion

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Aug 03, 2004

Amnesiac has been the topic of a few conversations of late. So, naturally I have been listening to a lot of Knives Out and Like Spinning Plates. In LSP Thom says

“This just feels like spinning plates
I’m living in cloud cuckoo land”

When I got to work today, I was checking out the neighborhood blogs and came across particle & wave. She had a little post about a BBC article on Deutsch Linguistics. One of the words Wolkenkuckucksheim means, cloud cuckoo land. Weird. I just thought cloud cuckoo land was some nonsense phrase, so I titled my earlier post "I'm living in cloud cuckoo land". What a coincidence. She posted yesterday, but I swear I didn't see it until just now. Ask Thom, he'll tell you.
Currently Listening: David Gray, Birds Without Wings

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National security is wicked important to me. So if there is a threat, the Federal government should let us know about it, and we should be able to say to ourselves "This is not politically motivated, this must be serious.". I cannot do that though. Too much history between myself and the current Administration (A nice way of saying I would not trust them with a cold cup of piss, let alone a warm cup.)If it is relevant, then tell me about it. But while you are at it, you might want to mention that you are telling me about something that was done years ago. I am mature, if you briefly explain why it is still important, I will understand. Don't make me read about it the next day in the Times.

Currently Listening: Elliott Smith, The Biggest Lie

0 Comments | Link

Aug 01, 2004

No more workshops and I mean it (Anybody want a peanut?). It’s all fine and dandy in May when you’re making your schedule. “Its just one weekend” you’ll say. Which is true, but somehow you will find a way to make the weekend of your workshop the one where you want to do Nothing, et al. The good news is that I got out early enough to watch N-O-M-A-R get his first RBI as a Cub. The Cubs and I have a love hate relationship. I love them and they hate me. Some days I hate them back (Mostly just LaTroy Hawkins. Whiney Bastard), but not today. I need to order my Garciaparra jersey.

I went looking for Bottle Rocket yesterday during lunch. My local video store only had it on VHS but, I have no VHS player. Looks like Alison is going to let me store some stuff at her place during my temporary displacement. Thanks.

PSA
Erections lasting more than four hours, while rare, require immediate medical attention.

Currently Listening: Pixies, Where is my mind?

2 Comments | Link

Jul 31, 2004

Thats right. N-O-M-A-R.

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Knowledge Management. Once again social networks are being thrown around. Talk of Granovetter, Milgram, Barabasi, and Kevin Bacon abounds. Social networks are totally enamoring to me. The fact that you are connected to anyone through no more than 6 or 7 people blows my mind most days. So, as proof of concept, here are Daniel Nguyen's Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. (Note: I have always played SDKB with the rule that the fewer links the better, so those of you who are Kevin Bacon purists need not point out the fact that I don't have a full Six degrees)

I was an extra in Blue Chips with Nick Nolte who was in 48hours with Eddie Murphy who was in Trading Places with Dan Akroyd who was in Great Outdoors with John Candy who was in JFK with Kevin Bacon.

Here's an interesting connection made through someone I actually met.

I met Mark Hoppus (of Blink 182 at a "meet and greet" in 2002) who was in American Pie with Jason Biggs who was in Loser with Greg Kinnear (another Logansport native) who was in As Good as It Gets with Jack Nicholson who was in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon.

You are connected to Kevin Bacon. If you have not been in a movie, start with someone you know who has been in a movie or someone who knows someone who.........

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<Metadata> is over. The 681 crew (minus a couple key players) went out to say good fucking riddance tonight. My camera phone got put in play and these are a couple of the pictures that came out of it. For the record, I wanted to keep the party going but Sampo, Moose and Allison+friends decided to tap out. I’m the only one who has class tomorrow and I wanted to chop it up.

Pete reiterated my need to see Bottle Rocket so I have put that on my list of things to do. I, like the ass I am, made the mistake of confusing Wes Anderson with P.T. Anderson. “Wes Anderson, Magnolia right?” I said. How embarrassing for me. Bring on the knowledge management. I’m ready.

Currently listening: Alice in Chains, Over Now (MTV Unplugged version)

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Jul 30, 2004

Outside of some formatting and stapling, my metadata project is finished. I feel better already. I have once again avoided completely undoing myself at the last minute. Maybe this time I really learned my lesson.

I am going to housing tomorrow to sign a contract for the fall. It introduces a bit of a dilemma for me though. I have to be out of here by the 15th, but can’t move into my campus apartment until after the 20th. I’ve lined up somewhere to stay, but unfortunately, my stuff has not. The plan is to stuff as much as I can into my car and find somewhere for the rest to take refuge for just over a week. So, do you have too much space at your house or apartment? Want to know what your hallway or dining room would look like with mattress or futon leaning against the wall? If so, drop me a line and maybe we’ll work something out.

That damn sure is a handsome shoe isn’t it.
Currently Listenting: Travis, Somewhere Else

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Jul 29, 2004

Set -> Done
Schema -> Done
Set -> 10 of 15 Done
Review -> Cake

Gonna make it.

Currently listening: N.E.R.D. Loser

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Jul 26, 2004

Looks like BL got some burn in the NYT yesterday. Kinda cool I guess.

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Jul 23, 2004

Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. If I keep saying it the neurons will fire. Like my grandmother starting a car in the winter. "Come on Nellie. Nellie, Nellie, Nellie". For the most part that car always started.

Sampo made link boo-boo last night. The good news is that it smells like roses. Anyway, as I was typing, Sampo posted a link to a softer world. I've been reading these for a good part of the morning. So funny. My favorite. One more. Last one, I promise.

Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. Metadata. The neurons will fire.

Currently listening Beneath the Balcony, Iron and Wine

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Jul 21, 2004

I don't really have any enemies. Granted, there are people I don't like and people who don't like me, but no one I would call my antagonist. Maybe that is what I am missing in life, a rival. Someone who really doesn't want anything good to happen to me. Someone who is doing his worst to stack the deck against me. So, here it is my RFE (Request for Enemies).

Twenty something graduate student seeks nemesis. Ideal enemy will hate dogs, poor people, minorities, foreign cars, The Cubs, The Bulls, The Colts and Purdue Football. I also think abortion should stay legal and that Lance Armstrong took steroids. Male and Female replies will be considered. Must genuinely want me to fail in life and generally be miserable. A love for The 700 Club, Von Dutch, trucker hats or Texas would be a plus.

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Jul 20, 2004

Watched Royal Tenenbaums again. I had forgot that Needle in the Hay was playing during the grooming/suicide scene. Richey + Suicide + NiH + Elliott Smith who committed suicide less than a year ago. Strange indeed. In fact, I am pretty sure I picked up a Nick Drake song in the movie. I don’t know anyone who would accuse the movie of being cheery, but the presence of two self terminators strikes me as odd (Granted ND did himself in long ago). Whatever, I still got a metadata project to do.

You know what I like about Photoshop? More than anything else, I like color adjustment. With a click you can make your pictures reflect how you want to remember things. Take this picture for instance. It started with a blue tint, partially because I took it through a window. Regardless, I don’t want to remember it with a blue tint. Currently listening:
From the Morning, Nick Drake

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Jul 19, 2004

Chalk this one up under the “Who cares?” category. I got some fly new shoes this weekend. This is my second pair of black diesels, my first fell victim to my over-pronation and tore along the outside edge. These have a nice thick piece of leather right where the others tore. So I should have better luck this time.

I was in an interesting conversation the other day and am curious to know what some of you might think about the dilemma being discussed. So here is the dilemma as told to me by my friend Doug.
Boris and I used to be great friends. However, over the last few years he and I have become less and less friendly. Mostly it had to do with him taking my autographed New Order, Blue Monday single and selling it on E-Bay because I paid the cable bill late. Anyway, after years if silence I hear from a mutual friend that Boris' dog died and his Atari 1600 (his prize posession) was stolen by a unscrupulous pack of Carnies. So feeling great sympathy for him I reached out and we have reconciled. However I'm really not over the whole E-Bay deal. Should I still be pissed?
Right, so my made-up-story telling skills need some work. But seriously, does an old friend's recent extreme misfortune absolve him of past transgressions because you feel sorry for him? I say no. But I'm a bit of a fucker. So, what do you do?

I did an ethical philosophers quiz and here are my results.

Aquinas (100%)
Aristotle (84%)
Kant (84%)
Spinoza (81%)
Stoics (77%)
John Stuart Mill (74%)
Jeremy Bentham (72%)
St. Augustine (67%)
Epicureans (66%)
Nietzsche (66%)
Jean-Paul Sartre (65%)
Cynics (61%)
Ockham (60%)
Ayn Rand (59%)
David Hume (54%)
Nel Noddings (54%)
Prescriptivism (54%)
Thomas Hobbes (36%)
Plato (24%)

I also took the religion selector quiz, and it turns out I am all about the Unitarian Universalism, which as far as I can tell means that I don’t really believe in anything.

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I went back to my roots this weekend. Not intentionally. My brother's air conditioner went out last week and he asked if he could have my old window unit. Since I have no use for it I naturally agreed to part with it. In delivering the AC to my brother I found that there was a Mid-West extravaganza going on that very day. The White County 4-H Fair. That's right White County, and let me tell you it didn't get that name by accident.

While at the fair, Liscel and I enjoyed some of the finest cuisine America has to offer. First, we started off with Sweet Corn, my favorite. I also had a rib-eye sandwich. To wash it all down, we went light and had a fried Milky-Way bar. It tastes of a candy bar. Except it has a sweet corn dog shell.
It's weird to go home and feel both comfortable and uneasy. Comfortable because I know my way around, and sites and smells (that's right, cow shit and burning stuff) are familiar. Unsettling because I'm not the same person who left that place over seven years ago. Or am I? I guess I never really fit in that place. I haven't done anything special to change who I am, except pack on about 25lbs. I never owned a four wheel drive vehicle or shot a deer. Who cares anyway? I've got a metadata project to do.

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Jul 12, 2004

It has been a while since I posted. I haven't had anything interesting to post lately, which may lead some to say "You've not allowed you lack of interesting content to stop you in the past." To which my response is "touche ".

I went out Saturday. Good times. My friend somehow got his hands on an army helmet and goggles. Danger!

I am addicted to taking pictures with my cell phone. I like the pictures I get out of it. They suck aesthetically, but they work for capturing moments. This one (green lights) seems representative of how things are going lately. Lots of things I need to do. Things for which the planning has been completed and all that remains is to just do them. I have two websites to create and a final paper on metadata to write, a job to find, and the rest of my life to plan.

Had a good Independence Day Holiday last weekend. I went to the West Burbs with Liscel. We went to Joy-Yee for some excellent food and drink (bubble tea). My personal favorites are Grilled Eel w/ Lemon Grass Chicken washed down with Watermelon Freeze with tapioca pearls and fresh fruit on top. I am yet to eat something there that I didn't like.

Didn't see a lot in the way of fireworks, but I have a good idea of how they went. Bang-Bang-BangBangBangPop - BangBangBangPop BangBangBangPop BangBangBangPop - BangBangBangPop BangBangBangPop BangBangBangPop - BangBangBangPop.

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Jun 30, 2004

I tweaked my pollxn plugin that counts the number of comments I get and look.. .Now I have images instead of text in the comment section. SWEET. I love pollxn and blosxom.
I was in yellowland earlier today and came across this article describing how conservatives are shelling out cash to get Nader on a ballot in Oregon.

Dear Ralph,
Go Home. When the other team sees you as the secret weapon, its time to go home.

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Jun 28, 2004

I got back from Vegas on Friday. I've spent the last few days getting the regulatory systems back to normal. It would seem that the GI track is going to be the last to respond. Vegas was a good time. We did the casino and nightclub thing. I left the casinos up $10.00 and I left the clubs down $$$. It was a lot of fun though. I'm burnt and peeling. My scalp was badly sun burnt and is starting to peal so if you see me walking around with a pig-pen like cloud floating around my head, please don't think badly of me. It's the sunburn I swear. Anyway back to the grind.

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Jun 18, 2004

I got busted to pissing around at work today. I've been making some pictures in Photoshop and sending them my friends, ala Fight Club, in an effort to get geeked up for the Las Vegas Mission next week. The boss came by and asked, "Is that work related?", half joking I'm sure. Still sucks big manpart though, to get caught not doing shit. Not to mention that my desk is in the middle of a high traffic area with my back to everyone. So now I'm kinda jumpy. I tried to get pissed of at the old Boss, but couldn't get past the little fact that its her job to make sure I'm not .... pissing around. So embarrassing being in the wrong.

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Jun 14, 2004

That's right kids its student loan disbursement day. Today thousands of students on campus will be spending too much money on shit they don't need. (Myself included). Student loans. Did you know that they want you to pay those back someday? Weird. Anyway disbursement day always makes me see myself as Lloyd Christmas spending his last hundred dollars on porn, video games, and fried chicken and eventually having to sell my dead bird to the blind kid downstairs. You'd think my extensive experience as a student combined with my experience as a financial aid counselor/representative would lead me to be more responsible with my student loans. But of course it doesn't. Viva la Stafford! Viva la Perkins! Viva la Sallie Mae! And come next week, Viva Las Vegas!

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Jun 13, 2004

Its been 2f's ruff the last couple weeks for myself and just about everyone I know. And I'm not talkin about the Gipper getting his bucket kick on. So tonight, by myself in classic Nguyen fashion, I have taken it upon myself to make things a little better by.....drinking heavily. You might ask yourself, "Dan, Isn't strange to drink by yourself? A sign of a problem?". Thats a reasonable question, easily answered by "FUCK OFF, You mudder fucker you". See I feel better already. Anyway, feeling sentimental. Better finish this post before I write something really stupid. Time to get back to my show dvd's. I've already finished More Than Us and have scanned Coldplay Live 2003 so I need to put in David Gray, Live at the Point to put me to bed. Thats fuckin right. I am Dan's total lack of suprise.

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Jun 10, 2004

Those of you who know me personally know that I work on the web team at the IU Financial Aid Office. Well, we turned our new website live this morning and so far so good. I'd like to think that I had a lot to do with the development of the navigation from an architectural stand point and the minimalist in me sort of got his way as shown by the lack of images throughout the site (though I'm sure they'll be added eventually). The organization was definitely influenced by Dr. Jacob's L540 class. (I was in the class when we started the development of the re-design) So if you get a chance please check it out and let me know what you think of it. The feedback we've gotten so far has been positive but you never really know until it's been unleashed on the public.

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Jun 07, 2004

I don't know why, but I Need AirPort Express. Mostly because it looks so cool and it would be awesome to stream music from my iTunes to the stereo I don't yet have. But, I guess I don't REALLY need it.

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Jun 06, 2004

I took the geek quiz but am not telling my score until I see someone who has a higher percentage than me.

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Your name alone strikes fear into others; but maybe, just maybe, there's a little vulnerability and weakness beneath that stoic, fierce exterior of yours.

Take the What Pulp Fiction Character Are You? quiz.

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Jun 02, 2004

I'm terrible about taking pictures and never doing anything with them. It doesn't bother me because I always have them and am able to look at them whenever I want. It does however, slightly peeve Liscel and her friends since the pictures I take are most often pictures of them. So here are some OLD and not so old pictures for Liscel and her friends. Though, of course, anyone who cares to look is more than welcome to.

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Good luck to Pete, who is making his Bloomington amplitude modulated debut today with his show dif.fusion today. I think P&S have both seen better weeks than the one they're in right now. So here is a good vibe picture for them.

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Jun 01, 2004

Thanks for your comments on my bathroom etiquette situation. In an attempt to take the high-road on this matter, I have initiated operation "Hey Pigpen, Use This Cup As an Ashtray Instead of the Sink." A slight variation on the suggestion proposed by Allison. This is almost fun.

Turns out my blog looks like shit on IE.

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It was a good weekend. I went with Liscel to see her family on Saturday and had lunch with my mother on Sunday. On Saturday, we went to see The Day After Tomorrow. It paints a grim picture, and while I'm sure they took a high degree of dramatic license, I was still a little moved by it. Not to mention it had some wicked special effects. Getting to my point, on the way to my girlfriends house, we saw a tornado form in front of us (just like in the movie). The tornado stayed to the west of us, but it was still a little scary and surreal. I felt like Meatloaf in Twister. Wish I had a better digi so that I could have zoomed in more.

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May 31, 2004

No I don't have a Korean cousin. If I were to be jacked into the Southpark Matrix, this would undoubtedly be my projected self image. Click the image and you can build your very own. Better get to work. Having too much fun.

(Came accross the flash app while at Mr. HappySad)

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Which political party do you typically agree with? Independent
Which political party do you typically vote for? Democratic
List the last five presidents that you voted for? Gore, NA
Which party do you think is smarter about the economy? Democratic
Which party do you think is smarter about domestic affairs? Democratic
Do you think we should keep our troops in Iraq or pull them out? I'm in favor of the old switch-aroo. Can't leave until we get someone (who Iraqis can trust) to replace us.
Who, or what country, do you think is most responsible for 9/11? The hijackers.
Do you think we will find weapons of mass destruction in iraq? No.
Yes or no, should the US legalize marijuana? No.
Do you think the republicans stole the last Presidential election? No.
Do you think Bill Clinton should have been impeached because of what he did with Monica Lewinski? It depends on your definition of "did". Of course not.
Do you think Hillary Clinton would make a good president? Yes.
Name a current democrat who would make a great president: Bill Clinton
Name a current republican who would make a great president: John McCain
Do you think that women should have the right to have an abortion? Yes
What religion are you? NA
Have you read the Bible all the way through? No, New Testament only.
what's your favorite book? Catfish and Mandala by Pham, A. X.
Who is your favorite band? Radiohead.
Who do you think you'll vote for president in the next election? John Kerry
What website did you see this on first? Jaleh's Weblog

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May 28, 2004

It's funny how a picture can make you see things differently. Take this image for instance. This is the front porch of my current abode. I live in a hundred year old house with what seems like 20 other people. If this picture was the only thing you had to go by, you might think it's a nice little set up. But you see, I have to share a bathroom and kitchen with seven or eight people. Which isn't a problem when everyone has a basic sense of (for lack of a better word) courtesy. During the first semester that was never a problem. Unfortunately, in January this Jeffery-Dahmer-looking mo-fo moved in. This kids a fucking nightmare. He seems to be a nice enough person, but it's as if he has no clue that he shares the bathroom with others. I mean, besides my grandfather, who smokes in the bathroom? At least my grandfather didn't ash in the sink AND LEAVE IT THERE. I have no idea of what this kid is doing in there, but everyday there's bits of what looks like tobacco on the sink, ashes on a ledge near the light switch. So tell me, am I too uptight? Or would this shit bother you too?

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I spoke to my father last week. Inspired by a film I saw on Independent Lens the week before, I asked him questions about Vietnam. I always feel bad about not knowing more about how he came to America. I felt bad that I didnbthe map) he is officially a political refugee. I felt bad that I didnbhe spent a summer in Rach Gia with his uncle, who now lives in D.C. My dad is wise. When I asked him about the comparisons between Vietnam and Iraq he didnbxperienced Vietnam as a teenager, I expected him to have strong views about occupation or war in general, but he didnb get into it. He just said b

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May 27, 2004

Remember Spy-Tech? Well I caught this story the other day on slashdot. Basically a group of Kiwi hackers DIY'd a wifi dish that gets a wicked long range (like 4km) for about $50. I don't fully understand how internet users get tracked online, but I think that little rigs like this can create some ways to get online and not be monitored. For instance, I live about a block away from a couple of hot-spots (Bloomington Bagel and Starbucks) and it stands to reason that I could connect to the internet through them and my activity would be traced back to them. Like Christian Slater did in Pump Up the Volume. I'm probably wrong though.

You know whats over-rated? Spelling.

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May 22, 2004

Did anyone notice the address bar? If you are using a mozilla based browser you should see and address icon. Kinda cool huh. It was pretty easy to do.

Make a graphic, (32x32)px is the size I used, and save it as a .ico file. Upload the graphic to your server, and include this snippet <link REL="SHORTCUT ICON" HREF="logo.ico"> and you are on your way.

So here is my cool idea. You know how causes have thier own little symbols (Red ribbon for Aids, Pink ribbon for B. Cancer, etc). Well, I think it would be cool to do something like that with address bar images. Its kind of 7th grade-ish, but it would make me feel less vain if I could have an image there that stood for something other than my silly blog. I thought maybe an upside down flag or something like that? Come on, it will be cool. If you got ideas, leave them. If you think its lame, tell me.

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May 19, 2004

Censorship was the topic in my IF class today. Particularly, the role of the librarian plays with regards to censorship. So here's Dan's gorilla logic on the matter.

Let me state that I have no intention of becoming a librarian. If I were however, here would be my position on censorship.

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May 18, 2004

Which Evil Criminal are You?
A Rum and Monkey crime.

There are really some tuff sounding criminals available, and I get stuck with Marcos. Yeah, she did damage, she made millions of Filipinas worse off, but the image of closets full of shoes doesn't seem too threatening. I'm taking the quiz again until I am two 'f's' tuff.

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I haven't had any novel or interesting thoughts in the last week. Not for lack of trying though. So to start, I guess I'll write about something uninteresting ...me.

My father is a Vietnamese refugee. That makes me a Vietnamese American. To be honest, the only thing about me that is Vietnamese is my name.

I am not green, as this picture might lead you to believe.
I think OJ did it.
I think Kanye West is the last hope for Hip Hop.
I have never been the smartest person in a room.
I think Martin Sheen would make a better President than G.W. Bush
I think Steve Martin would make a better President than G.W. Bush
I listen to
- Travis
- K. West
- David Gray
- Radiohead
- Coldplay
- Mike & Mike in the Morning
- The O'Franken Factor
I watch
- The West Wing
- Alias
- Late Night with Conan O'brien
- Charlie Rose
I read
- As little as possible
I cheer for
- Boilermaker Football
- The Colts
- The Bulls (Come on fellas)
- The Cubs
I think Martin Lawrence would make a better President than G.W. Bush

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May 13, 2004

This is my first post. Please excuse the title. Consistent with my usual go to moves, I've lifted this blogs name from a radiohead song(Motion Picture Soundtrack, Kid A).I admit the lyrics are a bit morbid but for some reason I have latched on to this song. Its probably the harps. I don't even like red wine.

Make sure to come back. More to come. I might even write something interesting.

Thanks to Pete for pointing me towards Blosxom.

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Free Beer
iTunes
GIMP
OpenPhoto
Lessig, L (2004). Free Culture
Bambooda

These
Gleanings
biLL
Shing-Lai Ho
Okra Hates Me
Old Time Nerd

Worthy
Make Trade Fair
pbs
NAATA
Air America

nguyen
Bloomington/Indianapolis
MIS Student: IU (30 of 42)
Est. 1979

classes (F04)
Information Sources and Services
Management of Libraries and Information Centers
Design of Information Systems