Down with squares and rectangles! Long live parallelograms!

Of course there are plenty of examples out there of plain shapes capturing the public imagination. The Empire State building was probably one of the first, but, I think, the most beautiful of the New York lot has to be the Chrysler Building.

Detail view of the steeple

Especially true when compared to some of its contemporary structures…

Midtown Manhattan, New York City 1932

But even this structure still follows the age old square base and brick (as in shape) walls. Modern skyscrapers have started to deviate from the brick, and it’s about time too.

Enter, Santiago Calatrava’s “Turning Torso” built in Sweden

Finished in 2005. Malmö, Sweden. Photo courtesy of Väsk

But even this is tame by comparison to some of the things yet to come. As designed by NL Artchitects, the new design proposal for the Groninger Forum is nothing short of amazing.

Side view

Frontal view including atrium and staircases

Perspective view

Interior structure including the stairs.

Top view really illustrates the base > top deviation. It only looks off balance, but the weight is evenly distirbuted to the base.

More detail on the company web site.

But the real cream of the crop when it comes to asymmetric (and truly a balancing act form) architecture has to be the Beijing CCTV building designed by Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren.

Frontal view

Perspective view

But unlike the Groninger Forum which is still just beyond the design stage, this building is already under construction.

Under construction

Update 7:22PM

Shannon mentioned the asymmetric Boston suspension bridge in the comments.
Which reminds me of this one in Spain also designed by Santiago Calatrava.

Seville, Andalusia in Spain

You would think any service that has the nation’s official name somewhere in the title would have some competence left to hire people without severe brain damage.

I’ve had packages delivered all over the country under my name and USPS is the only carrier to give me this much trouble. It’s as if they obsessively try to not deliver the package just to spite me!

The drivers leave those infuriating slips (”we will Re deliver” with a cute slant on the “Re”) in the mailbox without even knocking on the door when a package is to be delievered.

This latest escapade had the driver leave a series of question marks next to my name on those slips, instead of actually coming up to the door to make the delivery and get my signature.  I swear, these people are morons of a very special breed. And now they want me to come down to the office and pick up the package instead of “re” delivering and leaving it at the door as requested. 

If I had the time to come down to the office, I would have driven up to the place I got the package from and not have it shipped at all!

“Snow nor rain” my foot. These idiots can’t deliver a simple package in clear weather in broad daylight.

Never use USPS. I’m virtually convinced any other service would be far better.

I can understand some of the confusion here since certainly he entertains (some) conservative viewpoints. However, Bush is anything but a conservative as true conservatives would understand the concept.

Let’s look into some of these misconceptions so we can really filter out who or what we understand and where we stand in regard to our own political preferences.

Full Disclosure: While I’m certainly not one of the thumping conservatives you see out there protesting certain (and as far as I can see, incredibly exaggerated and misdirected) demons in society, anyone who knows me personally would know that I do tend to lean right of center on certain issues. I won’t go into detail on which issues exactly as it doesn’t pertain to this discussion. Suffice it to say, I’m not a Republican but an Independent.

Warning : TL;DR version…

Neo-cons and Conservatives are the same thing

False!

Calling a Neo(new)conservative a Conservative is like calling a Christian a Neo-Jew. While somewhat correct, technically, considering both religions have common religious texts and share many prophets, there are significant enough differences to refer to them as two distinct religions.

Conservatism did give rise to neoconservatism, however the differences (where they truly matter) are enormous. In fact, many neo-con doctrines fly in the face of traditional, conservative, (redundant, I know) values.

Differences which we will examine later…

George W. Bush is a Conservative

False!

First and foremost, this confusion stems from the neo-cons who, for completely superficial reasons, happen to call themselves conservatives. While it’s true that Bush does have certain conservative view points, Bush is about as conservative as far as Buddhists Monks and Christian Monks are both considered ascetics. Yeah, there are similarities, but those are only on the surface.

Ask as many conservatives as you run into, both within and without the Republican party to see if they think Bush is really acting like conservative or like a neo-con.

All Conservatives are Christians

False!

There are Christian conservatives, Jewish Conservatives, and even Atheist conservatives. One is a religious affiliation (or lack thereof), but the other is a political and economical stance. Neither adherence needs dependence on the other.

Of course, I’ve been “accused” of being an atheist (as if being an atheist makes me some kind of social criminal) by certain people within the Buddhist community. But this is primarily due to individuals unwilling or unable to examine themselves to see the glaring hypocrisy I’ve tried so desperately to expose.

You know what… If not being a zombie (I.E. following the herd) makes me an atheist, then so be it. In fact, I’ll be honored, since many great philosophers, mathematicians, scientists and social critics are atheists. But, I digress…

Most neo-cons are Christians, however. This would explain the urge of certain Republicans to implant religion in schools. Look closer, and you will see a neo-con behind the conservative facade.

BTW… The myth that there’s a ban on school prayer is also false.
You’re free to pray anywhere in school at any time. Kids, before participating in sporting events do it every time. You’re just not forced into prayer. People who go out shouting how prayer should be instated in schools seem to leave out the fact, that it’s the Christian prayer they want to enforce. I.E. force the participation of non-Christians in Christian prayer.

“Land of the free” eh?

Conservatives hate Liberals

False!

People who indicate otherwise are boorish, boobs who we find in many other groups as well. If a significant percentage of a selected population consists of morons, then it would be a fair hypothesis that some percentage will show up in the cross section of certain collectives.

The same is true of Liberals who hate Conservatives.

It is impossible to run a government for a population consisting of so many diverse groups in our society without representing each of those groups in government. Representation is the only way, following our system of government, to ensure impartiality and fair treatment for all parties involved.

Last I checked, this is the United States of America. I can understand the irony in the term as the similarities are uncanny to the “unity” seen within the United Kingdom, but we’re, allegedly, “The Greatest Country On Earth™” so being at each others’ throats would be rather stupid wouldn’t it?

This is not the Roman Empire. Conformity is not a prerequisite for citizenship, nor is lack of conformity cause for ostracism or worse. If you don’t like a particular group of people…. Tough! They have as much a right to be here as you do.

Conservatives deny Global Warming

False!

There are liberals, libertarians, conservatives and members of any other group you can think of that belong this keg party of idiots.

And I call them idiots, because anyone with the I.Q. of a fruit fly would find it undeniably obvious that the planet is getting warmer and weather patterns more and more erratic. Denying climate change is a hallmark of stupidity, not conservatism.

These people would dig up a litany of supporting counter-evidence (with enough holes to resemble a sponge) to try and deny the simple, and glaringly obvious, fact the climate is indeed changing.

One only needs to glance at a temperature readout from any part of the world going back a few decades or more to see the dramatic increase in the last few decades.

Neo-Cons are following the tradition of Ronald Reagan

False!

In a sequenece of events that would have him rolling in his grave, the neo-cons have used the image or Reagan to prop up their own status in (*gasp*) the same way Stalin used the image of Lenin to prop up his own status. The irony shouldn’t be lost on those of us who have observed the rise of neoconservatism from a seemingly inoccuous splinter group within the Republican party to a domineering influence attempting to tear apart the party (and the nation) from the inside.

It isn’t Conservatives vs Liberals. It’s Neo-cons vs Liberals.

Not only do the neo-cons do things that would have every true conservative and traditional Republican griding their teeth, they do it with a simile and a wink toward Reagan. As if no liberal would undrestand the deception even if some conservatives are willing to play along.

Bush Jr. has taken every opportunity to increase the power of the presidency with the pretext of protecting the nation against imminent destruction.

This nation has truly faced destruction only twice throughout its history.

Once during its young years of formation when even Washington himself claimed…

“Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness.”

Naturally, Washington understood that fighting George the 3^rd of England would be pointless if he himself would end up as George the 1^st of America. Sadly, this subtle reasoning has been lost on our George the 2^nd.

And again during the Cold War where Theodore Sorensen observed…

“When, in the late 1940’s, we faced a global Cold War against another system of ideological fanatics certain that their authoritarian values would eventually rule the world, we prevailed in time. We prevailed because we exercised patience as well as vigilance, self-restraint as well as self-defense, and reached out to moderates and modernists, to democrats and dissidents, within that closed system.”

Now if these observations were made during a time when this nation truly did face complete destruction and the crumbling of our political and social infrastructure, then the attack suffered on September 11^th, 2001 is no cause to forget that we are still a Democracy. A flawed one, perhaps, but a Democracy nonetheless.

Destruction of our liberties under the guise is of patriotism is not a trait of conservatism. It is, to put it succinctly, treason.

———–

So, there you have it. There are any number of people who would call themselves conservatives, for various reasons, but only a few would have that shoe fit. And swearing blind allegiance to any political doctrine, does not make one a patriot.

Achieve Nerdvana recently posted the DJ Spock segment. It’s a brilliant combination of old school mixing with old school Trek.

Now comes the new school mix by Shatner

Found courtesy of Nathan Fuller

Lost in Translation

This started off as just a comment to Shannon Quinn’s post “How to succeed at failing” but it got far too long due to my propensity for verbal diarrhea. ;)

Case Study 1

If you’ve ever seen the movie, Men In Black…

Jay, the potential recruit (Will Smith) asks :
“Why the big secret? People are smart. They can handle it.”

Agent-K (Tommy Lee Jones) replies :
“A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous, animals and you know it.”

You say “Napoleon’s” words fly in the face of everything you’ve been led to believe of the fraternity. But he is only doing what the fraternity expects of him. Protect the dangerous panicky animal at all cost.
The organization has completely lost sight of what it is and its purpose. But this is nothing more than the byproduct of its own popularity and growth. The original purpose of founding fraternities died out at least a century ago. The members today only exist to validate the organization well past its expiration date and ensure the survival of said organization. The individual members themselves, sadly, fall by the wayside.

I don’t mean to demean something personal to you and what you still seem to hold dear, and I think it isn’t the fraternity itself that has your interest, it’s the people from across the country you’ve been able to meet. But as far as I can see, fraternities and sororities have become Jabba the Hutt. They exist to gorge themselves upon the fresh recruits and control vast influence based on historical roots.

Brotherhood (or sisterhood as is the case with sororities) is a marketing slogan in the same vein as…
“Come work for Jubba! You will have status. You will go places. You will meet people. You will be rich.”

Well, some of that may be true, albeit vastly exaggerated by recruiters, what are you paying for in return? A lot more than a simple fee.

But this isn’t unique to fraternities or sororities. The plague of self-validation is endemic to all organizations where the members themselves have lost sight of whatever it is they hoped to accomplish once they reach a position of authority. It went from “You will meet people” to you will be eaten by the rancor if you don’t behave or do what we want. And if Jabba is any hint, it doesn’t take much to be eaten.

I’m happy for you that you did get some of what was advertized, but I think you payed far too high a price for it. Forget the fees, I’m talking about mutual respect.

Case Study 2

…She needs to go jump in a pool…

This is a classic case of going from knowing nothing to knowing little. Right now, this little knowlege has made her more dangerous to the project itself than to your career prospects. When whoever they hire will make a mess of things (as I doubt they would run into another Joomla insider), she will come to realise the true cost of cheap labour.

Maybe she hired Joanna Gadel… Har! Har!

Project managers in the real world (at least in the “real world” I live in) rarely, if ever, are required to have any technical knowledge of what the devil it is that they are managing. This is because most project owners are also clueless idiots and post the afore mentioned idiots at critcal positions.

The double-ignorance invariably (my new favourite word) leads to spectacular failiures from which the project manager, and sometimes the whole project iteself, never recovers. I know because I’ve been hired to be the replacement project manager to “rescue” several such failures.

You have two options here…

1. Send a rebuttle detailing the true limits of the event horizon surrounding her ignorance.
2. Considering how your hands are already full, succinctly recommend that she get bowed… To put it politely.

Either option, however, will not prevent the inevitable failiure of the project. Maybe you will be lucky enough to see her face when she needs to beg someone else as she has burned her bridges with you.

Conclusion

Of course these people are wrong. But the ultimate slap in the face to anyone who gets in your way is success. In spite of their interference. And by all means… Call them on their BS when you see it.

The latest string of Google searches may indicate just that :

Is America...

I didn’t make that up, folks. That’s already what’s posted up on the Internet.

I’m not here to endorse one politician or another, but these types of questions really run the risk of disproving our status at the top of the food chain. What’s really astounding is the fact that people who ask these types of questions invariably find it impossible to understand why we’re “just 10 hairs away from being baboons” as Lewis Black would say.

Is John McCain too old to become president?

If you were born in the 1800’s when health was so fickle that people rarely lived into their 80’s, then I can forgive you for asking this question. But here in the year 2008 where health care (at least for the wealthy) is unparalleled, and where hundreds of the president’s men are at his guard, this type of question is inexcusable. 

Are we talking about his health really? Or is this some contrived way to give undue attention to his age?

Let’s not forget Regan was 69 when he took office and McCain is 71 now. Aside from the jokes thrown about by comedians, both men were more than capable, mentally, to do the job.

Also John F. Kennedy was wearing a back brace when he was assassinated and Roosevelt spent quite some time in a wheelchair due to Guillain-Barré syndrome. These men were only carefully choreographed to appear perfectly healthy in the public eye. All the more proof that isn’t physical ability that makes a leader in a country like the U.S.

Is America ready for a black president?

Let’s use an analogy shall we?
For new readers to this blog… I’m not white. I’m an Asian of Sri Lankan descent.

Let’s say I went to school with a white kid. We lived in the same neighbourhood, shared the same white picket fence, shared many of the same classes and teachers. We grew up among the same community leaders, shared the same political and socio-economic background and shared many of the same ideals.

Is this really diversity?

If you answered “No”, then congratulations. You understand that “diversity” doesn’t come from different physical appearances. If you answered “Yes”, based purely on the fact that I am of a different race, you’re an idiot.

Aside from a few years in the early part of his life (6 - 10), Obama spent the majority of his youth in Hawaii. And was surrounded by individuals who were anything but what we consider to be part of the “black community”. It wasn’t until 1985 that he was ever a part of this community when he took up the job as director of the DCP (Developing Communities Project). He worked at this post for 3 years.

Though he may have been inspired, influenced by, and for a short time influenced the black community, he wasn’t there long enough. In this regard he’s no different than many of the white leaders of the community. I.E. Bill Clinton who was also inspired, influenced by and to an extent influenced the black community. In fact, he might have influenced the black community far more than Obama. 

But, if you’re looking for any major dispositions on his social stance, Barack Obama, even with his funny middle name, is about as “black” as Brook Sheilds.

Is America ready for a female president?

While the question may be moot for this election, it boggles the mind that the so called Greatest Country on Earth™ and the Land of the Free™ is actually behind India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Britain and even Germany when it comes to female leaders of state.

And I’ve already expressed before, my feelings on what it really means to be called an “American”, hence whether it really deserves the title Greatest etc… etc…

Why in the world wouldn’t it be ready? In a nation where women are already in congress, serve in senate and as supreme court justices, what the devil of a difference does gender still have to do with the ability to command a nation?

If you compare the behaviour of many of the past candidates for presidency and, indeed, many of the members in the senate, Clinton’s behaviour is anything but unique. Yet, for some reason, there seemed to be an almost irrational and, in some cases, incredible, hatred of her. I didn’t get it and I still don’t.

How is she any different than any other politician who has run for office? What has she done to provoke the ire of so many commentators?

Did we forget that electing a president is always an excercise in choosing the lesser of two evils?

Is [candidate-x] electable?

This isn’t really a question. This is another way of saying that you must be a popular candidate (I.E. have a lot of connections or are owed a lot of favours) from the two major parties in the U.S. to be elected. Why don’t you stop pussy-footing around and actually come out and say it?

America is not a nation of many parties when it comes to the presidency. There are only two parties as far as the title is concerned and it will remain that way until the Democrats self destruct into a dozen different trbes and/or the Republicans split up into Neo-cons, Christian Conservatives, and Fiscal Conservatives. And yes, the three are most definitely distinct, though there are some cross overs. And generally do hate each other’s guts.

Will the Flip-Flopping™ of [candidate-x] lead to defeat?

Here’s a clue for you people who think heading steadfast on the same course in the face of failure is a good thing…
If you don’t swerve to avoid hitting an oncoming car on the highway, you could die.

If you don’t change tactics or change policy or change your shirt between press appearances the same could happen to your campaign (or if you win, the whole country). Which is why every president in the history of this here land since Washington himself has flip-flopped on something or another.

It’s not cowardice or indecisiveness. It’s called being a better leader by being adaptible to changing situations and information. We don’t want pre-programmed robots running for president (at least not yet). We want fluid, flexible and competent people to apply.

Now dubious reasons for said flip-flopping and the specific topic for which the flip-flopping took place, is another matter entirely. Both of which seem to be ignored by both sides of the spectrum when it comes to political debate. The question isn’t “did [candidate-x] flip-flop”, it’s “why did [candidate-x] flip-flop” and “for which issue(s)”.

Any questions directed at the candidates should reflect this.

———

Of course there are many more stupid questions thrown about on “America’s Election Headquarters™” (whichever channel is claiming the title this hour), but one blog post isn’t nearly enough to plow through all of them.

Or so say my OS stats.

OS Stats for July, 2008 on eksith.com

What’s really surprising isn’t the fact that I get these hits, but it’s that if my little, insignificant, corer of the web gets these results, then imagine an ultra popular web page. Apparently “Obsolete” is just a term used by tech guys and marketing guys.

All you consumers out there are happy just using what you have. But I hope you keep your systems secure!

And one more surprise this morning; Apparently Germans love me…

Willkommene Deutsch!

I’m not quite sure what it is about my site or blog that Germans find particularly interesting, but welcome anyway!

I never understood why AOL would still be getting new customers, but many of those will decide they’ve made a terrible mistake. But cancelling once registered, for some people, would seem like climbing Everest.

Of course, a lot of people are already familiar with Vincent Ferrari’s horrific experience. While he’s done a great service to bring this kind of nonsense to the spotlight, it isn’t really necessary for the rest of us to go through it.

And AOL is not alone in engaging in this behaviour though they do get the most flack for it. The same is true for many other ISPs, phone/cable companies and other services.

Those customer service people are specifically trained to behave this way. It is their job to frustrate you as much as possible until you give up the cancellation and continue to make payments (regardless of what a company says is their criteria for acceptable behaviour for employees). Don’t let them do that part of their job.

They can only engage in this if you get into a conversation with them. Always remember… This is not a conversation. It is a command. You are telling them to cancel your account. You are not suggesting they do it or ask for ways they can convince you to stay. As such, no conversation is required.

Of course, you will still go through automated welcome messages, being on hold for half a century, and other automated nonsense, but that’s not something you can control. However, you can control your own actions.

If you want to cancel your account for whatever service and you believe you will be frustrated by the experience, the following procedure will work with any type of account, any type of company and prevent such frustrations. It’s simple, direct and will save you a lot of agony, time and money.

First…
Tell your credit card company that you want all payments to the service to be stopped.

Then call up your service to be cancelled and tell them this…
“I’m calling to cancel my account. I no longer need it. Please cancel it.”

And if they keep talking…
“I’m sorry, but I’m not interested. I’m hanging up the phone now, and I expect the account to be cancelled. I have notified my credit card company to cease payment from today.
Thank you. Have a nice day.”

Don’t be angry or mean; just be direct.

Now if they still haven’t cancelled your account and you get a lovely letter telling you to make back payments, send a succinct reply. Preferably under 400 words.

I suggest the following format. Feel free to edit as necessary :

Dear [company]

I am a former user of your services and my account was [name/number]. I have cancel this account. I called customer service and spoke with [name of sales person] on [date of call] and made it clear I wanted to cancel this account. It was my understanding that [he/she] had done so.

As far as I am concerned the account has been cancelled on that day and I have not used [services] since. I have notified my credit card company to cease all payments to you following the above date. If your records do not reflect the cancellation, then it is an error on your part.

Please rectify your records to reflect the above cancellation.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

That’s it…

No emotion, no frustration, no cursing or flailing. There’s no point, since none of that will move them anyway and you will only succeed in shortening your own life. If they insist on sending you more mails, send them one more reply mentioning your lawyer. They should keep silent from then on. If not, send every subsequent letter from them directly to the shredder.

The only thing a company will really care about, consistently, throughout its entire existence, is money. That is why they have “customer service” in the first place. Not to placate you, but to lull you (or frustrate you) to get your money.

Customer service is there to do what you tell them to do or to fix something that you need fixing. If nothing needs fixing, there’s no need for conversation.