Recently I was discussing with a Russian friend about cars. Specifically we were discussing the prevailing American attitude that upon one’s 16th birthday one is entitled to a car. My friend had been exposed to this through films, and MTV. (She did marvel at the spoiled arrogance of the folks featured on shows like “My Super Sweet 16″. Luckily the last time I watched MTV, which was about 2 years ago, I did see a few episodes of this repulsive program or I’d have been less able to understand my friends thoughts.)
All this said I didn’t get a car at age 16, I got one around 17 (Thankfully my Dad traded a beat up White Dodge Omni with a blown engine for a Pontiac Fiero).
By 1997 your average Fiero was worth about 300$. Again luckily, mine was an 1988, but we’re still talking about a car old enough to be my little sister. I did mention to my friend that even if free I certainly paid for it in full given the parts I replaced over the next several years. I still love that car but eventually parted ways with it; you can only call into work so many times on account of your car being broken.
And so I figured I’d post a couple photos of the old car. And note that (even though a Russian Lada probably still costs more used today that than what I paid over the years, not ever 16 year old America get’s a free new car, nor the opportunity to complain they wanted a Ferrari not a Porsche.
For Mac Users out there note: I had to convert this from PICT format which Preview.app doesn’t support, and it’s likely scanned because I know darn well I hadn’t heard of digital cameras in 97.
If you have the ability to change the world. To ‘put a dent in the universe’. To change all the rules so that everyone is better. Then to not seek out and destroy anything that is keeping you from doing so is the worst sin ever!
It is a sin against whatever caused you to be.
It is a sin against yourself and the potential you possess.
It is a sin against the people you know, and it is a sin against those you do not but should.
Your unrealized potential is not just hurting you. It is literally hurting everyone who has done so much to make your existence and way of life possible, and everyone who will in the future suffer from your non-contribution and have to, quite literally, have to die waiting for it.
Make today matter.
Make that contribution you know darn well you can, and take every piece of fire you have and make a dent in the universe.
Make everything better that you can.
Do not relent until you have done more than you can!
Give it 110%
I am certainly often perceived as a political conservative (though frankly I consider myself a paleoconservative, leaning towards libertarianism).
There is some bizarre drive in conservative circles to blame Obama for the recent spill in the gulf, and handling thereof. Perhaps this is driven by liberal accusations when the woefully non-conservative Bush Jr. was in office. I do not see how holding Obama accountable for this is at all tenable. Certainly Obama personally is about as capable of stopping the spill as BP’s highest trained folks (due specifically to the obvious incompetence not some specific knowledge of drilling mechanisms on the part of the president). That is about the only way I could find any fault with how he has addressed this specific issue.
That said I am more shocked every day that this ‘spill’ (or in plain words underwater oil geyser caused by drilling into the earth and not having a nicely sealed pump attached before oil began spewing about) cannot be adequately addressed by BP, British Petroleum. Yet the Western Media were all abuzz when the Russian Government thought they were incompetent on a recent project and handed it over, after massive cost overruns and setbacks, to locals. Maybe when we look at the big picture, rather than simply finding any excuse to assail Vladimir Putin, the truth is BP isn’t very good at what they do (ostensibly drilling and harvesting natural resources), but is very good at convincing similarly closely held British media to shout loudly that Putin is the new Stalin.
The shame on this spill rest squarely with BP, and I rather hope this will be remember BOTH when they attempt to use corruption and coercion to assail foreign leaders in general into supporting their projects as well as the next time the average Brit or American shows up at a pump with a BP logo. Further, I hope more than likely will pay attention to the company behind the ‘brand’ when BP does what they inevitably will; change the name to something that confuses the average consumer.
For those that remember the site, Kharaku.com has long been my ‘homepage’ on the web. Originally in was became something of a technological problem all of my sites were hosted using one system and my companies, and resume were all in one place. Non distinct, and hard to maintain. Much of those sites are no longer affiliated with me at all. My Laura Harris fan site, has been given over to more interested and capable folks. Curent Solutions is now defunct. Kawaii Fashions is still around but with new people with the time and interest to pursue it.
What will be here.
Firstly info about me, resume, profile, etc. That’s what a blog is supposed to have right?
Also news, and comments about the state of things in general.
To the extent that I wish to let the world know what I’m up to this will be the center for all things related to me; George Edward Green III.
Beyond that some of my acquaintances also have news, rants, and observations they’ve elected to ask me to post somewhere on the web.
Before our host deleted our account and asked 250 to restore the content (noting that’s about 8 years of their hosting fees) we had a few articles that will return. Also old stuff I’ve written both the non-macintosh stuff from MacRelations, and things such as how-tos for a Pontiac Fiero should be up soon. If you remember something that was here that isn’t please remind me, it’s more than likely on a hard drive somewhere and should be restored.
Had some host issues, please stop back soon!
