On Flatulence

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I think that the need to release excessive flatulence is sufficient license to go to the restroom, and is just as justifiable as a pee break. Far better to be away from your desk and someplace safe for a few seconds than to inflict the discomfort of broken wind on your office neighbors.

That, or get Beano and a Flatulence Filter. Surely there must be ingredients which can metabolize hydrogen sulfide into odorless gas, wihch can then be integrated into our daily vitamin pills or something? Doesn’t modern science have a practical and applicable solution?

Netscape 7 pr1

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Netscape 7 is out?! I’ve just barely finished installing v6.2!

Hmmm, interesting. The new browser has inbuilt instant messaging support for AIM and ICQ (both systems are under AOL), but the FAQ and “What’s New” pages only mention AIM. ;)

… Okay, just installed. With the sidebar and interface skin, it’s practically indistinguishable from Mozilla. I like this. In fact, I think this is more than sufficient penance for the sins of Netscape 4.xx. Still, at this point, I don’t see why I can’t just stick with a Mozilla release. More feedback on MeFi.

Telford Work on the Middle East

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The cluttered desk of Telford Work yields one of the most lucid and concise Christian positions on the Middle East that I’ve read thus far:

Being faithful to our Lord and King is more than picking the right side in this contest. Prophecy is not punditry. Israelis and Palestinians alike will — should — find faithful Christian ministry unsatisfying, inasmuch as it refuses to accept the finality of either side’s narrative.

I believe that no dubious theological stand that favors a political side in this conflict, is tenable in the light of a Kingdom which transcends worldly borders and wars. We speak not of a kingdom which finds its home within any nation on this earth, but rather a Kingdom within our hearts, the overflow of which should be the spiritual fruit of our Savior’s Spirit, and not the support of bloody conquerors — on either side. And so our preaching should not focus on Israel as a sign of the Endtimes, nor should it be one of feel-good diplomatic syrup; but rather, as it always should be, the salvation of Christ to Jews and Gentiles, Arab, Israeli, whatever; open to all people by grace through faith.

Tagalog PalmOS

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Looks like we now have PalmOS in Tagalog. “Baban Oras? Talaarawan? Kategoriya / Hindisinasalansan?” Man, some of those interface items are in even deeper Tagalog than I had in Filipino class back in high school. (link via Republihk)

J Lo who?

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I have a shocking confession to make: I only found out tonight, watching the trailer for Enough, that “J Lo” is Jennifer Lopez. Hey, stop laughing. This is from a guy who listens to 14th-Century motets, remember?

In other news, I just ate my first kiwi fruit. I cut it in half and scooped out fresh green kiwi goodness, and it was kiwilicious.

Inter densas

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Currently listening to Inter Densas Deserti Meditans, a motet from the Chantilly codex. It’s rare that I’m actually able to enjoy a piece which is relatively dissonant for its genre, as compared to other polyphonic music from that period. Of course, some dissonance is to be expected, as the “diplum” and “triplum” voices in these early motets were often based on settings of completely different texts sung simultaneously, but Inter densas is something else, almost cosmic in its atonality — which is a rare effect for a 14th-Century motet.

Text and translation of the motet here. I’m listening to it on the “Gothic Music” CD by the Early Music Consort of London. Apparently Van Nevel’s Huelgas Ensemble has a more recent recording; I must get my hands on that. The Huelgas Ensemble’s renditions of early renaissance works are absolutely sublime.

Cancelling AOL

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Note: I AM NOT WITH AOL. This is a personal weblog post about me, Paulo, cancelling my AOL subscription following unsavory experiences with their software and service. If you arrived here via a search for instructions on how to do it, go here:

Cancelling AOL.

I just cancelled my AOL, and none of the infamous horror stories came to pass. The guy on the line was courteous and thorough, even through the usual AOL service sales pitches. I’m wondering if this means that, when my service expires, I will lose my pre-existing AIM screen name which I used to sign up. No great loss, I suppose. I have others.