Beverly Hills Terestrial

Squirrel: dood guy just saw Beverly Hills Chihuahua and said it was awesome, you should totally check it out this weekend
Rabbit: Killer
Rabbit: Although I thought he was a cat guy
Squirrel: oh, sorry guess you hadn't heard, the dogs are only characters, it is done by cat actors
Rabbit: Oh, just like Shakespeare
Squirrel: yeah, but on a much more intellectual level, it's like if ET were real, which he IS but that's a completely different story
Rabbit: Like if ET were real, but Drew Barrymore was a cat, got it
Squirrel: EXACTLY!

Nuts!

“God gives the nuts, but he does not crack them”

Franz Kafka quotes (German Writer of visionary fiction, 1883-1924)

People of Merica it is time we finally take a stand and get this whole nut insanity (NO PUN INTENDED) straightened out. I have been very intensely conducting a VERY loose survey regarding how the various types of nuts stack up against one another.

Well this is it, this is your chance to come in and defend your favorite nut while for the love of GAWD hopefully insulting your least favorite. Below you will find my ranking. Just because I don't mention your favorite here doesn't mean you shouldn't so take up arms and let's get to business!

One rule I am laying down is, I don't want to hear anything about "well this nut sux because I have to get the shell off, and sniffle sniffle sniffle. I don't care about the shell, all nuts can pretty much be purchase shelled. If you can't afford such shelled nuts, then what are you doing on the Internet!? Oh, and don't even start with, "well in a mixture of nuts this one is good, blahdy blahdy blahh". This is a nut on its own with no others to prop it up.

1. Almonds: Yes top spot for the following reasons; Love the texture, has a nice refreshing taste that isn't overly oily and can take on virtually any flavor and pulls it off with flying colors. A festival for the mouth. Huzzah! Huzzah! Oh and lastly, can anyone say Marzipan!!!!!

2. Hazelnuts: Very good, robust flavor, lots of applications. Comes in and takes desserts to the next level. THE NEXT LEVEL PEOPLE! Really popular in Germany and that makes me happy.

3. Macadamia Nuts: Wow, if you haven't been to Hawaii you have no idea how a nut can define a tropical destination. While being great plain or, my all time favorite, toffee covered the macadamia nut really stands on its own. The macadamia also traverses with ease the various sorts of chocolate out there. It works super nicely when "encrusting" meats such as fish or chicken as well. The least healthy nut BY FAR so watch out.

4. Peanuts: Okay, not too huge of a fan here but I gots to pay my respects to this one, I mean peanut butter, Thai peanut sauces (please go out right now and get some green beans and dip them in this, you will not regret it I promise you). Cookies, getting gum out of your hair, you name it the peanut is probably like 3 degrees of Kevin Bacon away from solving the task at hand. Often imitated, never duplicated (ya hear me cashew, you coward).

5. Walnut/Pecan: So, before anyone rakes me over the hot coals of shiva on this one. You do have to admit they are similar. I find the very thin skin on these nuts bitter so their use to me is limited. I love walnut in cookies and pecan pie ain't bad at all. Sorry guys you have much to compete with, nobody said it would be easy to be the best nut and neither of you are.

6. Brazil nut: Um wuh? Uh okay, a weird one but not the worst, I've had like 5 of these in my life so you know, whatever.

7. Cashews: Don't let the cashew fool you. It is a peanut impostor! It's like "hey, eat me, I'm like a big curvy peanut that is slightly creamier". Cashew, if I could end your existence I soooo would, you lackluster imitator.

Fin!

Quantum Leap

Squirrel: are you going to the quantum leap convention?

Rabbit: oh please tell me you are serious

Squirrel: yeah, price of admission, a dead scott bakula dolly

Rabbit: hahaha

Squirrel: dressed in renaissance garb of course

Rabbit: yayyy

well it just so happens I was making one for my OWN uses

Squirrel: oh

my

GAWWWWD

Rabbit: thank god he is ok though

Squirrel: seriously! Who would save us from the troubles happening in the future-past

Le MegaMixe

Many times I have been approached about the music I listen to. Okay, that's a small lie. The truth is many times I have run into people and have wanted (and in some cases needed) to expose them to the wonder that I call... "The music I listen to".

I have decided to embark upon the impossible. I shall go through my entire music library and hand pick the best of the best. I have a mere 11,000 tracks to go through so it shouldn't be too bad. All; my request of you is to provide any input you have on this task of tasks.

So far I have broken it out into 6 distinct areas. Please suggest any if I have forgotten. Also feel free to suggest if I am way off track in putting these artists where they are. Lucky posters will get a free copy of these discs when done. I anticipate doing only data discs this time so I can incorporate the maximum amount of music.

Alternative (Radiohead, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gorillaz, Weezer, etc...)
Chill (Massive Attach, Portishead, Tricky, Thievery Corporation, etc...)
Classics (Depeche Mode, New Order, Bjork, etc...)
DJ/Club (Oakenfold, Tiga, Stardust, etc...)
Hard/Industrial (NIN, Front 242, 16 Volt)
New/Eclectic (Figurine, Peter Bjorn and John, Royksopp, etc...)

Any input on categories or tracks that you feel are musts for this please let me know. Until then I will be glued to iTunes. All input is "warmly" received.

TST

The Bee Gees saved my dog

The question of the day is: Should one sing in a faux BeeGees voice to their pet? If you answered no to this question then may god have mercy on your soul.

Pants for a Bog?

Gentlemen!

I say, Gentlemen!

Look!

Look down at your pants!

Would you describe the color as cranberry or anything of the sort?!

If you answered yes, you are wrong. Take those pants and nooooo, do not donate them, needy people need not look so tasteless. Take those pants and take the cursed chicken bones you bought from that lady in Jamaica and set them both on fire! Do it! Do it NOW! It is the only way you will escape my wrath!

S

To use or not to use, that is the... oh forget about it!

Lately I have seem to be ending up in meetings where at the end of a PowerPoint presentation the presenter uses a famous quote. Recently this came in the form of an anonymous quote from the underground railroad. The meeting was about, telecommuting... The quote underground railroad, the meeting TELECOMMUTING.

Okay so in case this is not screaming out at you, why on Earth am I supposed to connect the two of these. Don't get me wrong, I am all for using knowledge gained in one area and applying it to another but this has gone to far. Please sound off if you agree. If you don't, please include your address so I can sneak into your house, enslave you, write down something profound that someone said who is trying to free you and then give that quote to a person to use in a presentation about the office coffee!

Somer synopsis says sally sucks strawberries

The following is a highly complex and clever review of my latest mix disc "Somer". I think i may enjoy this review more than the mix itself. Only time will tell. Be forewarned; Zac IS a renaissance man. Some parts were, ehem, edited for all audiences


(1. Justice: D.A.N.C.E) The first song, Hanson's Revenge, gets a live blog breakdown, since the event is burned into my memory down to the second.

(0:00-0:16) hey cute intro, I wonder what this leads into
(0:17-0:32) oh ok same thing, repeated, and louder. Nice melody, but I hope this goes somewhere else soon
(0:33-0:42) uh oh now I'm worried, they're developing the intro and really bringing in the instrumentals to back this up-- oh shit was that the hook
(0:42-1:15) ok stay calm, just focus on the funky Daft Punk bass, and try not to think about how much you viscerally despise Hanson. oh maan this is really bad-- ok that was definitely the hook
(1:16-1:33) back to the intro for round 2. NOT TERRIBLE
(1:34-2:07) second, verse, same as the first, and if you're over 6, then go ahead and curse
(2:07-2:24) yayy is this what is referred to in music as a "bridge"? If so then I hope it takes me to the unfrosted side of the miniwheat
(2:24-2:42) aaaaaaaarrrrrgghhhga *click*
(2:42-end) I don't know SEAN because I've never made it that far

SS: Wow, so i guess that song is an hommage to Michael Jackson. So you were close!

(2. Figurine: Way Too Good) Awesome, very Postal Service. I am memorizing this song for singing purposes. Perhaps someday some lucky :) will get a rad serenade from me. Make his :) day.

SS: This sounds like Postal Service because it is exactly one half of them, the electronic one to be precise.

(3. Stars: Window Bird) Also awesome. I need to know who this is.

SS: And they are Canadian, works totally well for you mister!

(4. The Sounds: Rock 'N Roll) This one bugged me. The rhymes were disturbingly disjointed (am I missing the point here? it strikes me as lazy), the main melody is super unoriginal, and the chorus was yet another Pachelbel Cannn redux

(5. The Dandy Warhols: The Last High) One of my favorites on the album. Also gonna memorize this one.

(6. Bent: Handbrake) Wow sounds like Sean Lennon. Fun to sing along to, but ultimately forgettable.

(7. Tracey Thorn: Easy) I liked this song a lot more on my headphones than in my car for some reason (some songs are like that, aren't they?). Touching. Sad. Completely gay.

(8. The Soft Lightes: 1983) Another favorite. I love the neo 80s sound and the lyrics are refreshingly cognizant and life-affirming. Wait, is this a gay song too? I can't never tell if it's the song or just me.

(9. Unkle: Keys to the Kingdom) Rockin'

(10. Digitalism: Pogo) So Rockin'

(11. Naked Ape: Fashion Freak) Hahaha fuck you SO ROCKIN. you wouldn't believe how many people I almost kill when this song comes on in my car (hint: MANY)

SS: You should see the video for this. Zombie models cleaning a car while the band sits inside. Amazing!

(12. Vitalic: Poney, Pt.1) Great song. Dark, driving, brooding, creepy and hilarious all at once (I want to master some pseudo german matching the timbre the pony speaks). Love that whole Vitalics album.

SS: Based on a French childrens story about a pony who wants kids to know how miserable he is working in a fare.

(13. Tiga: You Gonna Want Me) Super dancy, super rad. Poney somehow fits with this really well. In my singing practice I am also trying to sound like a black woman.

(14. The Knife: Heartbeats (Rex The Dog Mix)) This wins the award of Most Listened To song. Everything about it rocks. The minute and a half intro, that chick's voice, the melody, the completely-not-overbearing neo-Cindy-Lauper instrumentals, the rockin' breakdown at the end.

Great job Sean! YOU FROZE MY DOUBLE DRAGON.

Zac

PS OK I went ahead and listened to the rest of song 1, and I thought the last 20 seconds was pretty good, like Daft Punk had kids that will ultimately grow up to disappoint them and those who depend on them. Perhaps.

Not being fair with fruit

Today I have finally realized that I haven't been exactly fair with a highly popular fruit. I had long thought the apple was a complete waste. I have been known to openly challenge people eating them. Today I have realized that the apple is not really all that bad. I realized the a few weeks back that the REAL impostor is the watermelon. I mean, come on, who is it kidding. Compared with its melonic siblings the watermelon ALWAYS leave you wishing for better. Like, oh here I am eating a watermelon, sure wish it were honeydew. Watermelon you are on notice!

My new tumblr

Awesome, so I have one now

My Tumblr

Does this mean the end for 12 Sycamore Trees?
No way, it just means lengthy thoughts go here and the more fun random ones which people really know me by go on the Tumblr

The REAL deal

Agent2: Hey Agent1, you up for lunch on Friday?
Agent1 sure lets do it
Agent2: coolio. Already arranged with Agent3. 11:30 @ Bella Vista.
Agent1 kool, so you didn't go yesterday then?
Agent2: Nah, decided to reschedule instead.
Agent1 k, i got a message from him but i can never understand what he is saying on his phone
Agent2: awesome
Agent1 yeah, wonder if that is an add on to his service
Agent2: It's a form of encryption, to keep that government from stealing his secrets
Sent at 8:20 AM on Thursday
Agent1 oh that's right forgot about those, his sekrets that is
Agent2: The Japanese are always trying to steal his Guitar Hero secrets. And the Russians are after that Tetris skillz
Sent at 8:22 AM on Thursday
Agent1 i heard tetris skillz stealing is at cold war levels
Agent2: Only since we started building our Europe-based Polygonal Defense Shield. We didn't really leave the Russians any choice...
It's starting to look like Arkanoid out there.
Sent at 8:24 AM on Thursday
Agent1 i heard there's a new top secret tank being built, it is the shape of a disc with a pie piece cut out of it, who KNOWS what that will be used for
Sent at 8:28 AM on Thursday
Agent2: Yeah, but the Russians have a better version. It's got a BOW on top. How can you counter that kind of thing? It's so inhumane, I think it may violate the Colecovision Convention.
Sent at 8:32 AM on Thursday
Agent1 if only we had someone who could jump over obstacles and could swing on ropes to avoid aligators
he may be our only hope
Sent at 9:07 AM on Thursday
Agent2: I hear the Chinese have leveraged their ridiculous ping-pong powers into some sort of gigantic, flying deflector shield. Maybe we should look into that.
Sent at 9:20 AM on Thursday

Budapest

What: The street by our hotel that is lined with awesome restaurants

Attendees: Roy and Yours truly

Comments: Not much to say really, I pretty much eat here every day. Thank gawd there are tons of restaurants.






What: Escalator down to the subway at Kalvin Ter (this is where my hotel is)

Attendees: Roy and Yours truly

Comments: This escalator is rocket fast. You really have to watch out or you will be destroyed. There are really corny adds for bad movies and businesses around Budapest.





What: Saint Stephen's Basilica

Attendees: Roy and Yours truly

Comments: This place was huge much like the rest. You can see this church from pretty much anywhere in Budapest. The decoration in the church is much darker than in the German churches.





What: Statue Park

Attendees: Roy and Yours truly

Comments: I am almost positive that this statue in particular was in the Goldeneye (game and movie?). The hands are probably about twice as tall as I am (that's 12 ft for people that don't know me, or my height, well).






What: Statue Park

Attendees: Roy and Yours truly

Comments: This statue was really huge, maybe 2 and a half stories? The lady said that it was a running joke, when the statue was in its original location, that the guy is saying, "Sir, you forgot your towel". Most of the Hungarians weren't really "down" with the communists post 1956 so there was plenty of internal mockery between them.









What: Hungary's Statue of Liberty

Attendees: Zoltan and Yours truly

Comments: This statue sits really high and is located at one of the highest points surrounding Budapest. You can see the entire city from up here. The statue was erected when the Soviets "freed" the Hungarian people from Nazi occupation. After the Soviets left Hungary in 1991 there was great debate regarding whether to move the statue or not. They decided to keep it but remove the Soviet statues that surrounded it to statue park.







What: Pariament Building

Attendees: Zoltan and Yours truly

Comments: This is probably the most captivating of all the buildings here in Budapest. The picture really doesn't do it justice from a size point of view. Zoltan said that during communist rule there were three large red stars on the points of the three middle towers. The Danube is what is in front of it.



What: Just your run of the mill Gypsy Circus

Attendees: Roy and Yours truly

Comments: Um yeah, so this was set up in front of the office here. There were small malnourished horses/ponies wandering all around as well as semi-violent dogs. We didn't go in. Zoltan said they (the gypsies) probably stole everything for this production.

Chiemsee [28 April 2007]

What: Palace at Chiemsee

Attendees: Reinhold, Monika, Yours truly

Comments: This picture looks out from the palace. This is one of King Ludwig's unfinished castles. The palace is located on a small island and is surrounded by a very dense forest. The terrain around it reminded me very much of the northwestern US. This fountain started to go off after I had already put my camera away.



What: Palace at Chiemsee

Attendees: Reinhold, Monika, Yours truly

Comments: This is a picture looking directly at the palace; a 180 degree turn from the previous one. The palace is modeled after the one at Versailles, France. King Ludwig was obsessed with several people. A French king to name just one, which is what led to the construction of this massive palace. The main entrance to the palace located along the southern edge was really something out of this world.

Wasserburg [28 April 2007]

What: Wasserburg

Attendees: Reinhold, Monika, Yours truly

Comments: This town was really charming and very small. Reinhold pointed out that it had a Tuscan influence. In fact he said that Munich was considered the northern tip of Roman architectural influence (not in those words of course). Many of the buildings in this town were painted vibrant colors. The town had a very Italian feel to it.


What: A really cool church in Wasserburg. Can't find the link for this one either.

Attendees: Reinhold, Monika, Yours truly

Comments: This was the only church that we encountered the whole trip that was gated off (this pic was taken through the bars of said gate). Note the yellow ceilings.

Regensburg [27 April 2007]

What: Just your ordinary beautiful street in Regensburg. This was par for the course for walking around this town.

Attendees: Hanns, Klara, Reinhold, Monika, Yours truly

Comments: We walked around for quite a bit this day. The weather was completely awesome as usual and there were lots of birds chirping. Along the streets and in gardens there were massive amounts of Lobelia growing. This seemed to be the case for most areas in Germany that I visited. I told Klara that my mom, aunt, and grandmother plant lots of it during this time of year. She seemed happy to know this.

What: Regensburg Cathedral

Attendees: Hanns, Klara, Reinhold, Monika, Yours truly

Comments: This church was really big, but very dark inside so really none of my pictures turned out from the inside. This was highly disappointing as it was really nice in there.












What: A very old church in Regensburg, so old in fact that I can not find the link for it. This isn't the major church in town but is certainly the most ornate.

Attendees: Hanns, Klara, Reinhold, Monika, and Yours truly

Comments: I went to the back of this church and saw dates that went as far back as the mid 800's. There were also a couple of skeletons that were on each side inside glass boxes. This church had a mini church off to the right after you entered it. In the basement which usually is reserved for a tomb I found an even smaller cathedral which looked like it was reserved for smaller more intimate ceremonies.

What: Old stone bridge of Regensburg

Attendees: Clara, Hans, Reinhold, Monika, and Yours truly

Comments: This bridge was very old and spans the Danube river. There were some people sun bathing on the other side. Where this picture was taken was a very old restaurant that has been flooded many times. It had the most sour sauerkraut that I could ever dream of. I think they said it ferments for 10 years. My aunt Chris would love it! I literally felt it in my cheeks for the rest of the day

Munich [26 April 2007]

What: Olympiapark, Munich

Attendees: Reinhold and Yours truly

Comments: This was the first day in Munich. We did the most walking this day and the weather was amazing, as were the sights. You can see the beginnings of a large hill on the right. Under this hill is all the debris from when Munich was bombed relentlessly during WWII. They covered it with dirt and now is a really nice rolling green hill with trees. The architecture here is really something to see. Also the BMW HQ is located next to this. This is a must see

What: Munich Residenz

Attendees: Reinhold and Yours truly

Comments: We went here the first day as well. I was getting very sleepy at this point. In fact I think I fell asleep standing a couple time. I was kept awake however by the awesome beauty this palace had. The picture to the right is the Antiquarium (Hall of Antiquities) which was the most notable sight in the palace. This place was huge. We headed to the Hoffbrau house after this and had some really good beer.


What: Frauenkirche - Cathedral Church of Our Lady

Attendees: Reinhold and Yours truly

Comments: Perhaps my favorite thing to do in Europe is to check out the churches. They are truly amazing especially when you consider they were built by hand. Pictures just really can't even capture the immense size of the interiors of these churches. They are always cold as the huge amounts of mortar used in their construction keeps them well insulated. There is usually a tomb/catacombs that you can visit which is always interesting which you can find in the back of the church.

Allianz Arena [27 April 2007]

What: Allianz Arena, a very large sports complex located on the outskirts of Munich. My cousin Daniel says that it holds 67K people and the Reds play there. Apparently that team is really awesome. The shell turns three colors; Red, White, and Blue. Surely not in that order?

Attendees: Reinhold, Monika, and Yours truly

Comments: This place was really a marvel to look at, you can see through its semi translucent skin. On the way there Reinhold took his Benz to somewherez around 220kM/hr. I think this was the fastest speed that I have ever experienced in a car. The Benz handled it well of course.

Dinner at Klara's [26 April 07]

Menu: Sauerbraten, potato dumplings, creamy cucumber salad, and cranberry sauce. Oh and of course Weissbeer.

Attendees: Yours truly, Klara, Hanns, Reinhold, Monika, Manfred, Susie, Daniel, Stephan

Comments: A very good meal and conversation. I think I may understand what Hans is saying, maybe not. Oh well, lots of beer, lots of food and laughs, can't ask for more than that.

Electro, and my love affair with it

TST: So Sean what music do you prefer to listen to when The Robots are hunting all the humans down and trying to eat ALL brains?

SSS: I like Electro and all of its varieties

TST: Why is that?

SSS: Because it makes me feel like robots are hunting me down and trying to eat my brain.

TST: Wow, where can the rest of us get in on some of that

SSS: Go to the following link http://www.traviscastillo.com/

SSS: Go directly to the electro sections for a given year

SSS: Grab anything that has Tiga or Justice in the title

TST: Will it make us feel like Los Roboticos are going to eat our brains

SSS: Don't call them that, and yes, yes it will

You are not right, you are wrong

While going up the elevator yesterday a tall man was riding it with me. He had a cyborg like apparatus hanging on his ear. It was then that I had a flashback PTSD style that went back to basic training. The elevator became hot, like those brutal 100 degree days running around Panama City. In the back of my head a voice became louder and Louder and LOuder and well you get the idea. The voice was my drill sergeant and it said this.

"IF YOU ARE STANDING HERE ON THIS ELEVATOR WITH A STUPID EAR APPARATUS ATTACHED TO YOUR HEAD, YOU ARE WRONG!"

"I HATE THINGS THAT ARE WRONG AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE AND I HATE YOU!"



I can only hope that he could hear my delusional thoughts. He needed to and so did I.