Andrew Sawyers - SawBlog

Well, planning our wedding should be *fun*, shouldn’t it? Hell if I know…doesn’t matter; I think eloping in Vegas is a sensible option - and I’m not even within spitting distance of the date. So, what’s going on with me…well, I’m thinking I’m going to do the music for the wedding reception myself. Sure, yeah yeah, I need to save a couple bucks where I can - but I also am figuring it’s not like the most crucial role. It’s not like skipping over the pastor. It’s not like having MickeyD’s for food, innit?

So, with a little planning and ingenuity I figure I can create some play lists for the various aspects of the reception - and then just teach a couple of the relatives how to add songs to a play list. I’m going to buy a shite load of music (gotta love soundike).

Seriously, how can it go wrong? A myriad of ways I imagine.

So, my little plan is basically to build a library of top dance hits and then just collect a bunch of the songs from the lists…..I’ve already got some great swing and early Jazz that’ll be really fun as well…..I mean, when I crank up Pantera and D.R.I no one is going to be dancing anyhow….so I really only need a few filler songs until the bride passes out and the in-laws bore of me!

Ok, ok, ok - all joking aside. No Pantera or D.R.I. - I mean, how can I explain a song called “I’d rather be sleeping” is just a joke? So back to the task at hand. Collecitng a list of great (and fun) dance songs…..

So where am I going to get the top lists from? Well….that remains to be seen.

There’s a couple WTF’s in this news article. First, who names their kids like this moron? I’ve seen some dozzies (think Frank Zappa and others) where people forget their kids gotta live with their names for the rest of their lives. Okay, so it’s their right as a parent to name their kids whatever they want; which takes precedence of whatever I might feel about their choice of names. That said, I’m even more WTF’ing over the fact the state can take children from a family, and provide no reason - when there’s no case for abuse. See this story on yahoo for the full details. With poor children getting their asses blown off in war zones in the middle east, is one’s unorthodox political views really that much of an issue? I’m really tiring of the holier then thou’s out there…..

Yahoo, why not report on the atrocities to the children all over who are being killed by corporatocracy and facked US policies.

No matter what anyone thinks about the election results, there’s one great thing to celebrate. The end of Bush’s failed regime. I hope Obama rises to the occasion. Let’s see if he’s sold his soul to get where he’s at or if he truly is there for America and Americans. I have hope…..only time will tell. We can likely rest assured that he’s not sold his soul to the same people Bush had……

Cheers Obama!

A windowglass
you on the far side,
and my own face
semi-reflected there
where light and surface share.
This is how we slide
one into another;
this superposition of faces.
The connection of lovers
is a union of graces
as in prayer.
The eye that frees itself.
There
is only one face in the glass.

Jon Cavala (Land of the Headless)

I’m feeling annoyed….maybe I need to make some t-shirts.

“Jesus built my hotrod…..now he needs gas for it.”

“Oil is a divine right.”

“Jesus wants us to get the oil.”

Course, they’re no good without some good bansky-esque imagery to go with them…..
Maybe it was my visit to the Tate this afternoon and the fear of the forth coming elections and what is in store.

Bollocks!

If you’re one to dole out some cash to help others in need over the holiday season, consider giving to these 3 blokes sitting in prison. The West Memphis Three have been sitting in prison for ~15 years for crimes they did not commit, one on death row. I’ve been watching the progress of their case for years now, hoping to see some justice for these 3 guys. Thankfully new evidence will finally exonerate them. I originally learned of their case from an HBO movie, Paradise Lost. Unfortunately I wasn’t surprised at the ignorance which convicted these poor fellas.; it’s rampant - not not limited to just America. Over the years, there has been lots of support for freeing these guys by musicians, doing benefit concerts and contributing to their legal fund. If you’re in the giving spirit this holiday season, this is a good cause to consider. Drop them a 20 or 50 spot via pay pal for LDavis11@hotmail.com or you can send them a check here:

Damien Echols Defense Fund
PO Box 1216
Little Rock, AR 72203

This case is yet another shining example why the rest of the US needs to step up and stop executing people. Way to go `Jersey!

The Register reports that the New York Times have broken a story into the illegal wiretapping conducted by the Bush regime. The register reports the story in short here. In one area where we still have the power to let Bush know we are not going to tolerate his criminal activity in the white house, take the opportunity to let your representatives know we do not wish his legislation to pass, exempting those responsible from prosecution. It’s time the regime is held accountable for the continued criminal activity that’s been conducted during their tenure. From lies about the war in Iraq to continue constitutional violations, how long are Americans willing to stand back passively and look the other way? Being an ex-pat in Europe, I am often embarrassed by the tolerance we as a nation have for the continued abuses coming from the Bush regime. I hope we can stand together and let the world know Americans as a whole do not support the policies and actions coming from the white house. We were duped. We were duped when the idiot was sworn into office and we continue to be duped today by the self interests of those covering their asses for the mistakes made over the past 7 years.

While the article indicates these measures were in place since the 90’s - it’s not come to light that any other President has condoned and allowed - encouraged - their use. Bush and his agenda for the few mega-rich need to be sent the message the rest of us working American’s aren’t interested. Just say No to politics as normal.

That said, IMNSHO that will include Hillary Clinton and anyone from the current Republican ranks. Does Obama have what it takes? I hear rhetoric about new ideas and an end to politics as normal.
Now I feel ambivalent. Bleh. With the economy going into the toilet, the housing market plopping into the toilet, and oil interests sapping at both the environment and our wallets who’s got the “golden balls” to ensure things in the US are put back on track?

Dear Mr. Gore,
Let me say upfront, I’ve never called myself a Democrat. In recent years, I’ve not called myself a Republican either - go figure. I do think I’m a Republican: a fiscal conservative. No, not a neo-Republican, worrying about social conservatism; that’s really a contradiction to the party IMNSHO. To be honest, I wouldn’t have voted for you when you first ran against Bush. Not because I liked Bush. Not because I didn’t like you. I *think* ‘we’ (me) didn’t know you. Not sure if I do much more now, but I saw your show - and was able to see you as a fellow human; someone who cares of bigger things - more then himself, more then how he might increase the wealth of his wealthy constituents. I dread our options: Hillary, the cardboard facade of change. Who could the GOP offer up for slaughter that’s anything more then a sacrifice?

Please, just run for President.

Now that I’m living in London, I don’t get much US news. I do subscribe to a few RSS feeds, namely since the current economic situation has me worried. I have to fret daily about the value of my house and whether I’ll manage to get out from under it within the next 20 years. A day couldn’t go by without having to calculate if the real estate agents will make more in commissions then I actually have in equity; even after dropping about 12 grand cash and 6 months of hard ass labor doing most of the improvement works myself. That’s a pisser, it really is. Greated this morning by a headline in my RSS aggregator, I eagerly click to read how my representatives are working for me, ensuring that the US citizen is just as enslaved by governmental debt as the rest of the Third World.

In an article titled “Congress boosts debt ceiling“, MarketWatch notes,

“The move marks the fifth increase in the debt limit since President Bush took office.”

Seriously, this cannot be true. My fellow republican’s would not stand for this. Not for a second. Republican’s stand for fiscal responsibility, reductions in spending - not enslaving the nation in debt to the likes of China or some other hazy nation.

Woe is me. Who is going to represent the segment of the population who wants to reduce government spending? Who is going to represent those of us who want smaller government? Anyone who’s talked politiks with me knows, I prefer more government locally - less federally. The local community is where your voice can be heard; imagine how loud you have to scream in a crowd of 150 million? The picture that comes to mind is not pretty; but let’s not go there, eh?

I am coming home at some point. What awaits me? I honestly have fear. I am brave. My solidarity with the disenfranchised, gazing at the political meandering of the corrupt and conniving, blankets me in these cold British nights.

I had glanced at the google web toolkit quickly in the past; but being as busy as I am, moved on quickly when it was directed to Java programmers. Sadly, as with web applications, UI issues tend crop up in regards to my projects. Being the masochist I am, and seeing as though I’d rather visit the dentist then do UI - today’s announcement caught my attention. Of course my first thought (pFFft) was to google ‘GWT Python’ - I knew someone would agree this was possibility was really more interesting then SJAT (Some Java Ajaxy Toolkit). Low and behold, there is a Python project working on this. Looks like a small community so far (imagine me looking surprised - if you know me, that’s not hard)….
Pyjamas might even fill that void I have; I’ve been aching for something to spark my interest - of course other then the (10 or so unfinsihed) personal projects I have. Let’s not mention the exceedingly fun project(s) at work. Ooops.
Anyhow, I’m going to have to check Pyjamas ou. It might make my (interesting, but unfinished) personal projects and work more enjoyable….Not to mention there’s the start of a spiffy looking webmail project based on this (all in Python of course): Beanmail. Stay tuned yoda, reading the source now….