Sunday, November 18, 2001

So this is what was making all that racket today and yesterday...

In addition to causing incredibly loud and violent banging, this machine pulled an enormous boulder out of a hole in the middle of the street. It is now sitting in front of my house like a trophy. As a bonus today, here's tonight's sunset from Ocean Beach. Click the little picture for a big one!

Sunday, November 18, 2001

I watched the Leonids from the top of Mt. Tam last night till around 3am. We sat in the amphitheatre which looks east right into the path of the meteors. It wasn't quite as outrageous and had been predicted, but still far more meteors than I've ever seen, one after another, really quite fantastic! I was falling asleap toward the end though, and my back is killing me from lying on the rocks.

Saturday, November 17, 2001

The entire neighborhood is literally shaking to pieces due to the antics of a construction crew in the street. It feels like a strong earthquake every few seconds.

Tuesday, November 13, 2001

Eeee gads, what a Monday... one of the more brain damaging in recent memory... no matter, had a fantastic time in LA this weekend with Brian and Dave, along with all the old friends I caught up with, namely Bill, Dave H, and Jason...
As always, we took a ton of photos. Here are a few of the best (click a photo for the larger version):

Brian and I relaxing at LAX in the luxurious Thrifty rent-a-car limo-van. No, I don't know what Brian is doing with his hand.
Dave ponders his position, cruising out of LAX.
Me, driving somewhere in Los Angeles.
Dave and the Glockmaster.
Brian's rearview mirror shot on Sunset across the street from the Cat n' Fiddle in Hollywood.
LA Palms.
Side mirror shot of Dave and Brian, somewhere in South-central, near the Watts Towers. (coolest photo of the trip!)
Brian tries to photograph an airplane flying over our heads just outside LAX, but it was a bit too fast.
Sunset at the Getty.
Brian ponders the sunset.
Dave ponders the sunset.
Nick ponders the sunset.
Dusk over century city.

Many more photos here. Oh yes, and there are some rather amusing videos too!

A long video cruising through Beverly Hills
The Cameron Diaz Debate (ask Dave or Brian why this is funny)
And the best video - the classical classic ride through West Hollywood.

Thursday, November 08, 2001

Messing around with my camera the other night managed to yield a pretty cool picture of the sky:

Of course, the moon wasn't actually full, it just wound up looking that way. If I had a tripod it would probably have come out better. So... Brian and Dave and I are off to LA tommorow, should be a hell of a good time, many photos to be taken of course, and hopfully much commentary. Until then, ciao!

Tuesday, November 06, 2001

I have been playing with this "transparent" map of NYC for a while today - it's very cool.

Monday, November 05, 2001

Ah, finally got those halloween photos developed. I had forgotten what it was like to have to wait for development. Anyways, as evident by the classic costanzo grimace to the right, we had a pretty good time. Click on Ralph for the rest of the photos! (I was the bee, again).

Saturday, November 03, 2001

Today's Rant ::

Why is it that when you call someone's cell phone and get their voice mail, you must "press one to leave a message"... does anyone do any of the other options? ... what are the other options? Why the hell can't I just start speaking at the end of the message? Bloody damn annoying.

Saturday, November 03, 2001

Eee gads... I survived the day. What a friggin' faliure of a day. I did almost nothing. Well I read two magazines. And I went out and had some lunch. That's it. I finally cured the problem by calling a few people. Dear god, I must avoid this trap again. I think it's related to the collapse of my exercise regimen. Must get back to the gym on Tuesday.

Friday, November 02, 2001

That was a slightly rough week, as may be obvious in my tone of late. Anyhows, today may be a good day to sneak out early and start the weekend off right!

Thursday, November 01, 2001

Oh yes, halloween was a riot last night. I forgot my camera, so I bought a disposable one. Should have some more amusing photos in a day or two.

Thursday, November 01, 2001

The other day I missed the train to Mountin View, so I had to sit around and wait for the next one... A bit bored, I decided to write an ill mannered, and oddly toned review of the N-judah on my laptop, which of course ran out of batteries in a short while:

Regarding the recently completed extension to Caltrain, Muni is forced to cross a number of intersections, wherin, the light does not automatically turn green for the train. Rather, the train is often forced to wait still, only meters from it's platform, waiting for traffic.

Is not the purpose of public transportation to provide improvements upon and alternatives to the smog belching automobile? What a disgrace is it then, that a train must be forced to do away with it's efficiency for such a petty reason as an intersection, wherin, were things configured in favor of the train, the automobiles would be delayed mere seconds.

My journey today was pilfered of 5 vital minutes due to these innane and unnessary haltations. I was thus unable to catch the 1:30 Caltrain and was forced to wait for the 2pm train, costing precious plenty in productivity.

I am shocked and disturbed that the otherwise talented engineers and planneers of the muni extension have overlooked this vital issue. I pray that I see the day that San Francisco truely lives up to it's potential as a car-optional city.

And another thing:

Why in the name of god does the N-judah stop twice at UCSF medical center, at two stops whose gap spans less than 30 yards? Is this not a waste of energy, materials, and time? Not to mention a source of confusion and frustration for the passengers and potential passengers choosing to embark and disembark at UCSF? I call for the destructon of one of these stops, and the instalation of an arrowed sign guiding people toward the remaining stop.

And my final, and most important point:

When not halted by mysterious delays, the N-Judah is among the most rapid and delightful modes of transit in our fair city, that is until it reaches Judah street and is forced into an insane and debilitating dance with stop-signs a-plenty, one after another they halt the train's progress. The light-rail vehicle's efficiency is defiled to that of a low-grade bus. Not only is progress thwarted by a plethora of red octagons, the train must halt at platforms, in many cases no less than two blocks apart! It is idiotic to design a light rail vehicle to stop any more often than 5 city blocks, lest it be in the most densly populated zone. I call upon the leaders of this city to remove all stop signs on Judah street, and replace them with lights, that are capable of senseing the oncomming N-train and reverting to a green position to usher the train trough. IN addition, the number of stops must be reduced by no less than a factor of 3. It is only through these actions that our city will progress.

Thank you very much, and good day.