Andrew's Upstanding US Citizen Homepage

I hear a lot of my friends, co-workers and random people on the subway talk about their troubles in life. They complain, fret, struggle, dismiss and lament, but they hardly ever say anything inspirational or admirable. Sure, you figure any friend who turns to you and gives you some advice you can read about on a fortune cookie is not really on the level with you, but the overwhelming (or is it underwhelming?) mode that people are in when they talk with their fellows is that life sucks.

*Link to article at Yahoo! Dating*

The above link is to an article that outlines, for women, the 10 characteristics that will make men not want them on a first date. For reference, these qualities are so:
1. Lies / Bait and Switch
2. Insecurity
3. Interviewing
4. Flakeyness
5. High-maintenance
6. Excessive talking
7. Rebounding
8. Teasing Bitch
9. Stuck-up
10. Jumping to marriage conclusions

To the internet entrepreneur, Ecommerce is an expansive frontier waiting to be tamed. However raw the marketplace is though, it is important to recognize that internet retail is not too different from brick & mortar retail. I work at an Ecommerce development firm and I can attest to the capability of the internet to provide a solid online business with enough customers to flourish. What few retailers fail to realize is an online storefront takes more care and planning than their physical storefront. While there is less overhead, the clientele is more fickle.

You too can have your opinions heard on this network of nearly infinite reach. With not so much as a certification to your name, you can reach out. High tide has come and the flood of democratic internet participation has begun crashing through the levies and sandbag walls. And as the waters of free, unencumbered speech carry us into the streets where only experts once walked, we pierce the air with our battle cry. Web 2.0! Democracy will rule the internet!

Halism is my term for the philosophy that I hold on to when I move through life. Like all things, it changes over time to adapt to the new things I learn about myself and others. It's not a religion, nor is it a spiritual thing. In fact, I am an atheist with no belief in any special presence or creator beyond the scope of science. Halism is then a means of explaining my world to others by defining my motivations to be the way I am. How am I, anyways? I am determined to change the world in a big way with my will and my passion, which is unordinary to say the least, and I am doing this because I simply feel it is the right thing to do; I am not compelled by any other motivation.

What is an Atheist?

An Atheist is someone who doesn't believe in the existence of a god. They do not believe in the existence of a higher power, omniscient being, one true creator, or the supernatural. It seems like nowadays, one has to make a conscious effort to be an Atheist. There are so many things to believe and so much pressure to believe them, that you're almost forced to make a decision. I suppose that is why most Atheists I know are fairly solid about their position on the matter.

So, what are you then?

This is the new media; the user-run democracy based on the passion of the people. Every place you look on the internet lies an accusation of control of the main stream by the corporations who profit from war. Every night there is a new outrage that changes the face of a news article printed the next morning. Every voice you hear demands a change in the government and a change in the flow of information. But everything we see is still only a fraction of the whole.

Spider-man 3 is.. so bad. So bad. Astonishingly bad.

This was the show "The Producers" wish they could have made.

Filled with terrible gags, shitty acting, gaping plot holes, worthless characters, fanboy fallacies, and a flock of seagulls, this was one of the worst movies ever. Like Catwoman and Batman Forever, you have to wonder how the fuck these movies get made.

Somewhere at this moment, there is a kid who has found a way to have fun with a mound of dirt and his BMX bike. Meanwhile, in the park half a mile away, another kid stares perplexedly at a new-age all-plastic playground setting. There is an adult volunteer beckoning the child over, inviting him to play in this new, safe and sterile environment. "This is a better way," his mom thinks to herself as she watches from the bench.

Are nerds really that nerdy? When I was in high school, my favorite band was Sublime. I remember humming to the tune of Santeria when a classmate overheard me. He was simply amazed that I listened to "popular" music. He told me that he always imagined me being into "Mozart or some shit." I felt a little bit of pride in that moment. It spoke for myself and geeks everywhere that we're not as far removed from "cool" as everyone thinks we are. Today is another matter. Gone are the grunge bands with shine-bright burn-out talent that anyone would be proud to call favorite. In their place are custom-built throw-away bands cashing in on teenage angst and the youthful lust for celebrity. How does a passionate, nerdy music fan fill the void?