Cloud Enema

Mature Neoteny and Juvenile Pedomorphism

2011-01-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

All things go through a process of growth and maturation. There is a natural pace of development that works best for most things: slowly. Baby humans look like baby chimpanzees. Mature humans also look like baby chimpanzees. Humans experience an extended period of pedomorphism that allows us to remain open to new inputs and to spend more time growing. The bigger, more complex an animal is, the longer its period of gestation and maturation. A great thing about the modern world is the extended period of adolescence that people go through. People put off marriage, family, and their final career decisions much longer than ever before. On the one hand, we can get away with this because we're wealthier than ever before. On the other hand, we are living longer than previous generations. This process allows us to get smarter and more comfortable with our world than ever before. This is ultimately one of the greatest blessings of modernity.

There is also a darker side to growing up and developing in the modern world. In other significant ways, people, organizations, and projects must bear fruit quickly or die. The "Slow Food" people lament the demise of the home-cooked, home-consumed, family meal. Students are expected to start thinking about extra-curricular clubs and sports for college applications and SAT scores before they've even graduated from elementary school.

While we have the means to allow things to come about in their own due time, we increasingly don't have the time to let this happen. Perhaps the best we can do is balance learning, play, and hard work in everything we do. For the youth, we must do a better job of yoking education and work with challenging, compelling, pleasant activities that go beyond the "MAKES LEARNING FUN!" cliche. As adults, we must maintain a sense of playfulness and curiosity. One of my favorite economists spends his free time role-playing a medieval court with his friends and writes fantasy novels and poems. Judging from his papers on the club and its activities, I'm pretty certain his free-time activities have contributed more to his professional thinking on academic subjects than a dozen panels or journal articles ever could.

The Pasha Show

2011-01-08T21:23:00.000-08:00

Check out my friend Pasha's blog: THE PASHA SHOW. Pasha is a Yale classmate of mine interested in libertarian politics and culture. We've got some cool plans in the works so keep an eye peeled for updates.

Respect and Obey Authority

2010-12-26T18:25:00.000-08:00

This is what the Kidz Pop children would be doing if Hitler won the war.

ht: Radley Balko's The Agitator

Parlimentary Suicide Jump Fail

2010-12-25T22:20:00.000-08:00

Displeased with salary cuts, this state television employee jumped off the balcony of the Romanian parliament. After years in the public sector, Adrian Sobaru finds himself unable to engineer his own death without public support.

HT Tristyn Bloom

Christian Yoga

2010-11-04T10:37:00.000-07:00

This is no weirder than secular yuppy women using hindu prayer postures to tone their butts.

Radical Rascal Elevator Rally: Korean Version!

2010-10-29T20:01:00.001-07:00

I wonder what he did that put him in a scooter in the first place.

Red Shirt Guy: King of the Nerds

2010-10-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

Fishing Show Bloopers

2010-10-24T16:33:00.001-07:00

Face Yoga

2010-10-14T22:07:00.001-07:00

Thanks Tristyn

Copying Isn't Theft

2010-10-13T22:06:00.001-07:00

North Korea is Endlessly Fascinating

2010-09-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

North Korean grieve for Kim Il Sung.

Ibex on a Dam in Lago Baitone in Brescia, Italy

2010-09-16T14:53:00.000-07:00

via my mom

North Korea Dance Party

2010-09-15T12:24:00.000-07:00

Revolutionary juche funk is a flower that will bloom in the hearts of an entire nation in the era of independence.

Cooking Soup with Masaokis

2010-09-14T21:56:00.000-07:00

Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior

2010-09-01T21:05:00.000-07:00

The voices of the announcers are far more ridiculous than the outfits or action.

Keyboard Cat Cover Band

2010-08-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

Statist Jesus

2010-08-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

TV Hat

2010-07-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

Added bonus: you won't be able to see the others laughing at you.

Via David Broockman

DOUBLE RAINBOW!

2010-07-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

I've seen this a couple of places and it's totally made my week. You only wish you could be this excited about something.

Here's the autotune remix:

Finish Christmas Cheer

2010-07-07T22:53:00.000-07:00

A Christmas greeting from Chairman of the Board of Sanoma Corporation Jaakko Rauramo & President and CEO of Sanoma Co Hannu Syrjänen.

ht Robert Popper

What Do You Want?

2010-06-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

Never take advice from someone wearing a vest like this. Cringeworthy.

ht Found Footage Fest

New Olympic Sport

2010-06-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

Being able to squat my middle aged gay lover is pretty much my new training goal.

Thanks BoingBoing and Robert Popper

JumpSnap

2010-06-28T00:43:00.000-07:00

I love jumping rope, but I hate the part where you jump over a piece of rope. Anything you could recommend? I've budgeted $40 towards addressing this issue.

ht Something Awful Forums

Dog Wolf Duet

2010-06-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

I read about an old-timey hacker who was prohibited from owning a computer or working with computer networks by court order. I don't know what the law in Sweden is like, but I think something like that should happen to this weirdo swedish dude.

There's more!

Suave and Stylish

2010-06-13T20:21:00.000-07:00

What do you expect from a fashion forum on an humor website?

Deeply Satisfying Shredder Porn

2010-06-08T01:50:00.000-07:00

EMBED-Shredder Tears Apart Engine Blocks - Watch more free videos

I wonder if you can rent these for pranks and revenge.

Street Dentistry - Indian Style

2010-05-26T21:59:00.000-07:00

Really impressive. Unlike the guys in China, this guy doesn't even bother with a plastic chair.

Where I Get All of My Opinions

2010-05-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

"Liberal gonzo rants" from Dognooz.com. This guy has made 42 of these things. Hard hitting news and views with a bongo drum and a blue screen.

Delightful Duck Toy

2010-04-28T14:58:00.001-07:00

Let the Bodies Hit the Floor

2010-04-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

Bizzare benediction turns graduation ceremony into revival service.

ht: Rex

Lord, before I ask you to bless myself and my fellow graduates. I repent for myself and my peers for the sin of idolatry. Forgive us Lord for worshipping the intellectual mind. I repent for the humanism that we have embraced. I repent... Now, Holy Spirit, I ask you to descend on this place with your presence and prepare out hearts, our souls, and our spirits for this day of destiny. This will be a day of death to old habits, thoughts, and ideas. This will be a day of new life. We praise you God. We worship and adore you. Thank you Jesus for your death. We do not esteem it lightly. You are holy, and you alone will be lifted up in this place and in all of our lives. Lord have mercy on us this day. We cry out for mercy rather than judgement. Mercy on our country, mercy on our lives. Lord we need your love to make it through this world. *mmm* *mmMMm* *ah, shit* Father, God, I just ask, right now, that you let your glory fall into this place, Lord. Jesus, let you pour out your mercy out on this place. Lord, I know there are people here who don't know you. People who are making wrong decisions. People who are not living their lives as you have called them to live. Have mercy on them, Lord. Have mercy on them, Jesus.
*collapses in rapturous spasms*

"Suburbanfreude"

2010-04-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

HT Will

Toast Mario

2010-03-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Toast Mario was constructed on March 4th, 2010. In a suite just above a Tully’s coffee shop, on the intersection of 47th and the Ave in the U District, Seattle, WA.

Darth Vader Loves Sparklers

2010-03-09T11:39:00.000-08:00

I actually kind of like the song.

Fat Man Will Own You on Asheron's Call

2010-03-06T16:00:00.000-08:00

Doesn't sound like a fun game.

YAAAHHWEEEHHHH!

2010-03-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

EMBED-He Fought The Law And The Law Lost - Watch more free videos

It's easy to laugh, but look at it this way: Man calls upon the name of God, and miraculously escapes from two armed assailants while being tased.

I know what conclusion I've drawn.

Exploding Face Bananas

2010-03-01T12:52:00.001-08:00

The only way to treat this painful skin condition...

cht Will

Ultimate Muscle Roller Legend

2010-02-25T13:05:00.000-08:00

"Deep in the forest lived Billy and his charming companions. They peacefully honed their bodies and listened to music there. But a wave of development came upon the forests. One who would turn all to road. Kagamine Rin had come. Billy must stop the construction before all is turned to road."

A brace of high-speed gay dudes and a transforming steam roller battle for control of the highway.

HT: Encyclopedia Dramatica VOTN

IRC as Explained by Numb3rs

2010-02-25T12:48:00.000-08:00

Clueless computer scene from the show Numb3rs. I wonder what the mathematical equations flying around the boats has to do with the metaphor. Hull displacement?

Also from TV:

"I'll create a GUI interface using Visual Basic. See if I can track the IP address."

India-Pakistan Border Crossing Ceremony

2010-02-23T13:47:00.001-08:00

Facial hair, goose-stepping, and peacock hats. Nationalism is weird.

HT Will Wilson

Southern Courtroom Drama - Swedish Style

2010-02-23T09:34:00.000-08:00

From the Swedish comedy series Grotesco, a parody of American movies. I love the southern accents, fake English dialog, and blackface.

"I just want to be your Morgan Freeman!"

BBC Newscast Parody

2010-02-21T20:55:00.000-08:00

Charlie Brooker - How to report the news.

Epic Beard Man

2010-02-17T12:16:00.000-08:00

This is a pretty good meme that's going around /b/. Old man in an "I am a Motherfucker" t-shirt beats down a dude on the bus. My favorite part is the "Keep our City Clean and Safe. Do Your Part" sign on the bench at the end.

Vacuum Kid

2010-02-16T17:01:00.000-08:00

Stupid, obnoxious, people with too many resources. Asshole kid breaks vacuum. Lackluster parenting ensues. What the heck is going on in this video?

Gun Pants

2010-02-15T23:53:00.000-08:00

I think the point this video is trying to make is that school uniforms will restrict students to carrying only a single revolver or pair or derringers to school instead of their whole armory.

Balloon Popping

2010-02-12T22:02:00.001-08:00

I love this man's work. He has a genre all to himself: popping balloons and cackling like a madman. I could watch these for hours. His laugh is horrifying and fascinating at the same time.

Melbourne Shuffle

2010-02-11T11:54:00.000-08:00

Dancing tips:
1. Be sure to lubricate the floor of your corrugated metal shack with tea before you begin.
2. A fanny pack is a great place to hold your glowsticks and inhaler when you're on the dance floor and won't get in the way of your wicked footwork like full pockets.
3. Jean shorts are another great way to maximize your range of motion and improve your moves in the club.

Major League Baseball 2k9: Best Game Ever

2010-02-11T09:40:00.000-08:00

Indian Superman

2010-02-09T17:58:00.000-08:00

DC/Marvel crossover!

CHT Roderick Long

Fat Kid Gets Stuck in Skate Bowl - Humilated While Dozens Look On

2010-02-08T15:14:00.000-08:00

Public Access TV + Religion

2010-02-07T02:15:00.000-08:00

Television preachers from cable access spreading the good word.

Pruane2 Highlights: Teeth Everywhere!

2010-02-06T23:52:00.000-08:00

Some Pruane2 highlights. Check out this kids Youtube channel here. I have no idea why, but for some reason I think Pruane might be better off with a blog than a Youtube channel.

Conical hat-tip again to the Goons at Something Awful.

Unveiling of Hanwei Practical XL Katana

2010-02-06T23:42:00.000-08:00

What is it with nerds and swords? I want to punch everyone in this video.

CHT: SA forums

It Ain't Called the Gay Ivy for Nothing

2010-02-03T17:30:00.000-08:00

Musical admissions intro video for Yale University.

Tom Campbell is a Tax and Spend Demon in a Sheep Costume

2010-02-03T17:16:00.000-08:00

It turns out Tom Campbell isn't really a noble sheep on a pedestal that we should strive to emulate, instead he's a furry with glowing demon eyes that match the red-hot hatred of balanced budgets that burns in his treacherous heart.

Hayek vs. Keynes Rap

2010-01-28T17:05:00.000-08:00

Famous economists Hayek and Keynes throw down in order to present their competing theories of the business cycle.

Numb3rs' Explains IRC

2010-01-23T20:36:00.001-08:00

Hong Kong Bus Uncle

2010-01-09T18:44:00.000-08:00

Older Hong Kong man verbally pwns a younger dude on a bus in Cantonese. This video was something of an internet meme in HK. Bus Uncle on Wikipedia.

Unicorn Warrior

2010-01-08T13:50:00.000-08:00

I wouldn't make fun of this furry to his face. He might donkey kick me with his modified kicks and slap me with his replica sword. Nice abs though...

Why the Internet Exists

2010-01-02T18:32:00.000-08:00

So you can watch a hairlipped 12 year old in a ski mask smoke weed in the bathroom.

Why Does This Product Exist?

2009-12-26T00:49:00.001-08:00

North Korean Beer Advertisement

2009-12-21T03:26:00.001-08:00

Italian Faux-English

2009-12-21T02:37:00.000-08:00

Bank Robbery Suspect Eats Evidence

2009-12-08T16:48:00.000-08:00

Om nom nom nom.

Obsessive Compulsive Mailman

2009-12-05T00:24:00.000-08:00

Who says government employees don't do a thorough job?

Singing Five Octaves on the Piano

2009-12-02T16:38:00.000-08:00

Renowned entertainer Shane Lee is back!

Black Magic Dance

2009-12-02T16:18:00.000-08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you CrowfeatheR and a shitty rapper.

Time for more experiments!

2009-12-02T05:54:00.000-08:00

I'm going to go on a media diet for a week. From 12/2-12/9, I'm going to limit my web use to the forenoon. If I get on the computer after that, it will be with a specific written goal in mind. I'll check my email again before I go to my evening tutoring sessions.

Information is wonderful, but useful information is plentiful; attention has become our really scarce good. The meme ecology/market has gotten sufficiently diverse/competitive that information has had to become increasingly effective at capturing our focus in order to survive and reproduce. Since we are defined by the things we perceive, it makes sense to exercise our ability to consciously control the inputs that reach our senses--including the words that hit our eyes. We should shape our reality tunnels instead of letting our reality tunnels shape us.

Pyramid Scheme

2009-12-02T00:34:00.000-08:00

"Combining the SPEED of the Straightline Downline with the PROFIT Power of Forced Matrix."

Christian Science Monitor on America's Growing Counter-Economy

2009-11-24T12:21:00.000-08:00

America’s ’shadow economy’ is bigger than you think - and growing

The real free market.

Beard Cage Beard

2009-11-22T08:19:00.000-08:00

IT'S A DOOR!!!!

This guy totally blows the doors off the audience at the 1991 National Beard and Mustache Championship in nearby Tacoma, WA. Dean Beacon is an amazing man who has taken his sport to a whole other level of competition.

The best part of this video is the audience's response.

Toshiba Space Chair Advertisement

2009-11-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

A U.K. ad company working for Toshiba launched an office chair attached to a balloon from the deserts of Nevada. The airborne office equipment flew to a height of nearly 100,000 feet before releasing it to fall back to Earth.

Pretty cool stuff but not as neat as the videos of Joseph Kittinger's world record balloon jumps from several thousand feet higher for the U.S. Air Force under Project Excelsior.

Brother Ali - Uncle Sam Goddamn

2009-11-15T18:15:00.000-08:00

from Roderick Long via Rad Geek and Kelly Paterson

Lyrics:

Welcome to the United Snakes
land of the thief
home of the slave
the grand imperial guard
where the dollar is sacred and proud

Smoke and mirrors, stripes and stars
stolen for the cross in the name of God
bloodshed, genocide, rape, and fraud
writ into the pages of the law, good lord
the cold continent [?] latchkey child
ran away one day and started acting foul
king of where the wild things are – daddy’s proud
’cause the Roman Empire done passed it down
imported and tortured a work force
and never healed the wounds or shook the curse off
now the grown up Goliath nation
holdin’ open auditions for the part of David
can ya feel?
nothing can save ya, you question the reign
you get rushed in and chained up
fist raised but I must be insane
’cause I can’t figure a single goddamn way to change it

Welcome to the United Snakes
land of the thief
home of the slave
the grand imperial guard
where the dollar is sacred
and power is God

All must bow to the fat and lazy
the fuck you obey me
and why do they hate me – who me?
only two generations away
from the world’s most despicable slavery trade
pioneered so many ways to degrade
a human being that it can’t be changed to this day
legacy so ingrained in the way that we think
we no longer need chains to be slaves
lord, it’s a shameful display
the overseers even got raped along the way
’cause the children can’t escape from the pain
and they born with the poisonous hatred in their veins
try an’ separate a man from his soul
you only strengthen him and lose your own
but shoot that fucker if he walk near the throne
remind him that this is my home – now I’m gone

You don’t give money to the bums
on a corner with a sign
bleeding from their gums
talking about you don’t support a crackhead
what you think happens to the money from your taxes?
shit, the government’s an addict
with a billion-dollar-a-week kill-brown-people habit
and even if you ain’t on the front line
when Massa yell crunch time you right back at it
plain look at how you hustling backwards
at the end of the year add up what they subtracted
three outta twelve months your salary pay for that madness
man, that’s savage
what’s left? – get a big ass plasma
to see where they made Dan Rather point the damn camera
only approved questions get answered
now stand your ass up for that national anthem

Custom made (you’re so low)
to consume the noose (you’re so low)
keep saying we’re free (you’re so low)
but we’re all just loose (you’re so low)
keep saying we’re free (you’re so low)
but we’re all just loose (you’re so low)

First Controllable Robotic Maple Seed Monocopter

2009-11-15T15:23:00.000-08:00

I want two dozen of these armed with retina-burning green lasers that I can shake out of a leather bag and a motion sensor that I can sew into my djellaba that will allow me to summon the swarm to flight and direct them with hand gestures.

I don't think I'll have to wait too much longer. 10 years?

Who Needs Healthcare?

2009-11-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

I spilled some (literally) smoking hot vegetable oil on my foot a couple of days ago. Sometimes I wish I could go to the doctor, but then I punch myself in the balls for being a pussy--some guy in Ghana wouldn't go to a doctor for this little wound--and then I download some more special forces medical PDFs. ALRIGHT!!!

I looked into maggot debridement therapy, but the maggots were hella expensive. Too bad. It sounded like fun.

Jesus is like a Mountie

2009-11-15T12:11:00.000-08:00

The Bee Gees - 9/11's a Lie

2009-11-15T12:09:00.000-08:00

Best Beatboxing Ever

2009-11-13T09:48:00.000-08:00

This guy sort of reminds me of Brack from Space Ghost.

Special Poetry Slam - "Werewolves" + "Bears" and "My Body"

2009-11-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

Catching a Laptop With Your Butt

2009-11-10T15:41:00.000-08:00

I think this needs to be in the Olympics.

LSD Propaganda Film

2009-11-10T15:31:00.000-08:00

Is this supposed to ward people away from LSD or hot dogs?

Dog Food Pâté

2009-11-09T12:45:00.000-08:00

A friend sent me a link to this paper from the American Association of Wine Economists:
Can People Distinguish Pâté from Dog Food?

According to this working paper, they can't.

I knew right away that that's either impossible or awesome. I had to try this Newman's Own Organic dog food myself.

Kitty! Don't you know that's dog food you're eating! The cat refused to stay out of my dog pate.

This stuff is edible but it's definitely not pate or liverwurst--I'm going to let the cat have half the can--and at 2.25 a can it's not a huge steal. A little MSG and salt did greatly improve the flavor. The ingredient list does look like something I would come up with if I was going to live at the North Pole for six months and had to eat everything through a straw: lots of organic grains and three kinds of organic meat + vitamins and minerals and kelp.

I have used pet antibiotics and animal medications before to good effect. I wonder how feasible it is to sell stuff for "animal" use to skirt regulation, custom, and tax, issues. You could probably save a bundle on Ben's Woof Woof brand Organic Corned Beef dog food (made in Mexico.)

LOL Foreigners

2009-11-08T17:05:00.000-08:00

People dropping babies off of a shrine in Harangal village of Parbhani in western India's Maharashtra.

The Tubas of War

2009-11-08T13:34:00.000-08:00

Hirohito inspecting the Imperial Japanese Army's acoustic locators.

Lentil and Rice Diet Wrap-up

2009-11-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

I finished my week-long lentil and rice diet last week. The diet wasn't very difficult but I did have some cookies at the homes where I tutor. I was really surprised how hard it was to eat that many bean. Even though I was trying to neck back on calories, I still had trouble putting away more than a cup of dry lentils in the course of a day. You'd be hard pressed to become obese with food with so much stomach-stuffing fiber in it.

I'll update this post when I get my weight tomorrow at the doctor's office.

Kid on Anesthesia - David After the Dentist

2009-11-08T13:07:00.000-08:00

This is just like the time I got my wisdom teeth out. You've probably seen this before since it's been all over the place but just in case...

Lucid Dreaming Mask

2009-11-07T01:49:00.001-08:00

When I was a kid, I really got a kick out of lucid dreaming. In an effort to induce more of these experiences, I remember doing stuff like napping at weird times in the sun, sleeping in uncomfortable positions to lighten my sleep, and reciting phrases over-and-over in my mind at bedtime to delay the loss of consciousness.

These techniques only worked some of the time. Some time later, I saw a segment on the Discovery Channel's Beyond 2000 about lucid dreaming masks that flash LEDs to remind dreamers they're dreaming when the devices senses the wearer has entered REM sleep. I remember being a little crushed when I saw how much these dream machines cost.

It was thus pleased to read that this guy was tinkering with homemade versions of lucid dreaming masks and that he had figured out using sensors to detect eye twitching in REM sleep were unnecessary and that a simple timer is good enough for most purposes.

This is my really half-assed first attempt to make one of these masks and my first attempt to do something practical with the Arduino. Luckily the software and circuitry for this project are stunningly simple.

All I had to do was attach two LEDs in series to a pin on the Arduino board (didn't even need a resistor) and hookup a 9-volt battery with a 5-volt power regulator to the DC connection. The program I put on the chip is just a simple variation on the sample Blink LED program they start you out with (the microcontroller version of "Hello World"). My program just waits one hour at startup and then blinks the LEDs every 15 minutes thereafter. The hardest part of the project (besides soldering) was figuring out how to attach the circuit securely and comfortably to my head--something I haven't fully worked out yet.

Right now, I have my circuit wired to a perfboard that's taped to a pair of drug store reading glasses. The USB pins push uncomfortably against my nose and the LEDs I'm using seem a little dim but I think the goggles could work in their present form. I'll report back when I've tested the goggles or improved the design.

Halloween: Dancing Man in Seattle Safeway

2009-11-07T01:24:00.000-08:00

This is what I came across in the U District Safeway when I went to buy some bread on Halloween.

Arduino Lucid Dreaming Mask Mark 1

2009-11-06T22:48:00.000-08:00

Great news everyone...

I used my new arduino microcontroller programmer to make an uncomfortable and unattractive device to flash LEDS in my eyes in the middle of the night while I'm sleeping.

Of course, I couldn't wait to try it out!

Here are some 100% genuine candid photos of an average bedtime at my place.

The Cetacean Nation Is Not Pleased

2009-11-06T22:20:00.001-08:00

The Future of Advertising - No Bullshit

2009-11-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

I would buy a mobile home from this guy. I think you would too.

New Arduino Arrived

2009-11-03T13:02:00.001-08:00

My roommate got a Arduino board in the mail yesterday. I've been playing with it today and making tentative attempts to learn how to use it. My goal is to make an LED lucid dreaming mask like this guy's.

According to the Arduino site: "Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It's intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments."

This thing is really cool. I know nothing about programming or electronics but I was able to compile and upload a simple program and get it to run almost right away. I messed around with a little microcontroller programmer thing before but the learning curve was a little too steep for my feeble mind.

Right now I'm working with class notes from a beginner's Arduino course. We'll have to see how well I can puzzle things out.

Here's my blinking LED setup.

7-Day Gandhi Diet

2009-11-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

As a proud member of the genteel poor, I have a lot of free-time but limited means.While this arrangement wasn't fully intentional on my part, I wouldn't have it any other way.

I don't really have to work. For the cost of some certainty and comfort, I have found a new way of life for myself free from most toil. I still have to make money of course, but I make it doing things I enjoy in amounts that that keep it from getting boring. I play all the time and I don't do anything that doesn't stimulate my mind, tickle my senses, or warm my heart, but through my own laziness and inaction.

I haven't solved all the problems of securing a living and living a life, but if I can take the system I have now and, mitigate some inefficiencies, fulfill some standing responsibilities, plan and provide for some future contingencies, and eliminate the remaining contradictions and hypocrisy, I could have a realistic and sustainable lifestyle on my hands.

With this in mind, I've decided to go on an experimental diet. For the sake of vanity and keeping myself honest, I'm posting about it here. From 11/1 to 11/7, I plan to eat the following every day*:

1.5 cups lentils
1 cup brown rice
4 eggs
1 tbs of vegetable oil
Indian spices, salt, garlic
1.5 liters of Crystal Lite

Calories: 720+680+280+120=1800
Fat: 0+6+18+14=38 grams
Carbohydrates: 120+140+4=264 grams
Protein: 60+16+24=100 grams

I'll also be taking the following supplements**:
multi-vitamin
fish oil
krill oil
piracetam - memory supplement
Bios Life2 - fiber powder

*I also had two apples that I need to eat this week before they go bad. I polished them off Monday night.

**I dumpster dived some of these supplements. If I had to pay for supplements, I would probably only include the multi-vitamin, fish oil, and piracetam, (It's good stuff!) in this experiment.

Rationale:
Besides losing some weight, I wanted to test the feasibility of, and my personal fitness for, a diet that is much more practical and virtuous (they come to the same thing), than the one I usually consume.

This diet is thrifty. My bill at the grocery store came to about $11. Skipping the Crystal lite would have cut that down to around 8 bucks. I had half a carton of eggs already and a couple of cups of rice but those are cheap. With this sort of diet I could feed myself with less than two hours of work a week and that's including vitamins.
This diet is easy on the environment and doesn't hurt anybody. It's not my job to right every wrong and solve every problem in the world, but I do have a responsibility not to actively contribute to the suffering of others. Everybody in the world could eat like this, using available cultivation and transportation techniques, without straining the environment or our psyches in the slightest. Hell most the world already eats like this.
I didn't include any meat in this week's diet. I love the taste of flesh and I don't have any problem with raising animals for meat, but as somebody who's raised and butchered animals, I have major qualms with the way the meat industry handles livestock. Meat is also expensive, and at least the way we do it today, a pretty inefficient use energy and resources.
This diet is healthy. Or at least as healthy as possible considering the other restrictions I've put on it. I'm going to run it my my fitness buff brothers to see what they say.

Since this diet is only for a week, I'm only eating one kind of food. I did this to make it more rugged but also because I'm lazy and it makes the nutrition and cost calculations, serving measurements, and preparation easier. If I keep dieting after this week I'll expand the variety.

Inspired by these photos of the weekly groceries for families around the world, I took a picture of my provisions.

My supplements:

Egypt's Strongest Man

2009-10-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

Egypt's strongest man's strength comes from drinking butter. His power equals 260 horsepower. He has no idea what that means but a doctor told him it was true. Swear to Allah.

Bangladeshi Guy Carries Stack of Bricks on His Head

2009-10-26T00:43:00.000-07:00

The Animal Song - The Europeans

2009-10-25T22:49:00.000-07:00

"The Animal Song" by The Europeans - watch more funny videos

Film Number #10: Mirror Animations (1957)

2009-10-25T02:06:00.000-07:00

LOL Smiley Face - Trey Songz ft. Gucci Mane & Soulja Boy WITH LYRICS!

2009-10-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

Culture.

1980s Video Dating - Men's Profiles

2009-10-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

Dating Montage
Uploaded by smithy00101. - Arts and animation videos.

Concerned Citizen Remonstrates with City Council Over Rouge Helicopter Pilots, Arena Ice, and Terrorist Pussies

2009-10-14T00:40:00.000-07:00

I've been ready to explode like Mount Saint Helens...

Russian Lumberjack Girl

2009-10-11T12:28:00.000-07:00