Happy Ash Wednesday!

Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.
(Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.)

Being reminded that you shall simply return to dust seems to me to be at odds with most popular Christian thought. Without the promise of eternal life what are we left with? I would like to think this has something to do with Christ's purported contact with Buddhist thought during the 18 years of his life not mentioned in the Bible but even Buddhism promises some sort of rebirth. This might be heresy but the rites of Ash Wednesday remind me more of something one of my personal saints said:

I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert an afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking . . . The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there's little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides.

—Carl Sagan

Here Mr. Billions-and-Billions describes how it's a little bit more than dust from whence we came (skip to 2:30 if you're in a hurry):

Make-A-Wish Foundation

Help my brother win a 6 month residency (and $100,000) in and around Australia's great barrier reef! This is the leg up he needs to hasten his transition to a full-time nature show host! Go watch his video then give him the five stars he so clearly deserves! Then go watch the videos of his competition and rate them one star for being such utter crap! Then go check out the crazy fish video he just posted on his blog! Crazy, right?! So many exclamation points!!!

NOTE: He's wearing the bikini to make a mockery of more than a few female applicants whose entire application videos seem to consist of little more than them running/jumping/swimming around in their skivvies.

I Made a New Blog

I started a new blog because I'm sick of being accused of making things up. If you don't want to see yourself listed in the tag list of shame now is a good time to start reconsidering doubting me.

I will of course apologize if you are right and I am wrong. I do tend to exaggerate sometimes.

"If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties."

—Francis Bacon

Happy Friday the 13th!

I really recommend subscribing to Mad Decent's podcast (or as they call it "NPR for the streets") to balance out all that This American Life you've been listening to.

Excuse Me Mr. DJ, Do You Take Requests?

Shout-outs to the Bartman and the Turbobass button! I hope to hear this on the dancefloor at the peak of the party, the Lonely Island's new song on their brand new album Incredibad:


Lonely Island - Boombox (feat. Julian Casablancas)
[right-click to download]