This blog will be migrating to a new home
October 19, 2008
Hey everybody,
Despite how easy it’s been to have my blog hosted by wordpress, and despite how much I like the domain, it’s time for me start the long slog of migration back to a self-managed installation. I need the plugins and widgets, I need better customization, I need to control my own domain, email, etc.
After a couple of years on this thing, there’s a ton of content I don’t want to lose, and I have no plans to SHUT DOWN LOREM IPSUM. But it’s going to see less love, and I may end up using it as a mostly private blog.
Meanwhile…
I’ve just made my first post at the still VERY UNFINISHED BUT UP AND RUNNING REGARDLESS TEXBURGHER.COM.
Please bookmark it, subscribe to its feed, pass the link around, give it lots of love, etc. Thanks. 
//Geoff
Who says presidents need to be edu-mc-cated anyhow?
October 7, 2008
A modest proposal
When it comes to job qualifications for the role of President of the United States, let’s do away with archaic showstoppers like “well-educated.” Shall we?
After all, our current president “earned” his undergraduate degree from Yale University and his MBA from Harvard. While some have argued Mr. Bush was able to gain admission and enough credits to graduate only by wholly relying on his family connections, let us assume for the sake of argument that his poor showing as President is instead a reflection on the decaying quality of higher education. Let us embrace this assumption and conclude that top-notch education is, in fact, detrimental to one’s preparedness to lead the United States. It’s worthless. If the best education in the world made spit’s difference in forging leadership qualities in those who undergo such rigors, we wouldn’t be in the mess in which we find ourselves today.
And if you can swallow that line of argument, then buddy have we got the presidential ticket for you! You guessed it, it’s the everyman’s ticket: McCain and Palin. With investigative research and commentary by Laura Hayward, and with the caveat that Wikipedia has been found to be occasionally imperfect, we present to you the comparative guide to the educational backgrounds our 2008 Presidential & Vice Presidential candidates.
Check out McCain’s class rank at US Naval academy!!! What a Maverick!
McCain entered the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. McCain came into conflict with higher-ranking personnel, he did not always obey the rules, and that contributed to a low class rank (894 of 899) despite a strong intelligence.[9][11] He did well in academic subjects that interested him, such as literature and history, but studied only enough to pass subjects he struggled with, such as mathematics.[4][12] McCain graduated in 1958.
Sarah Palin, on the other hand had a hard time staying put anywhere for more than a semester…and no offense, but has anyone heard of these schools??
In 1982, Palin enrolled at Hawaii Pacific University but left after her first semester. From there she transferred to North Idaho College, where she spent two semesters as a general studies major. From there, she then transferred to the University of Idaho for two semesters.[11][12] During this time Palin won the Miss Wasilla Pageant beauty contest,[13][14] then finished third (second runner-up) in the Miss Alaska pageant,[15][16] at which she won a college scholarship and the ‘Miss Congeniality’ award.[17] She then left the University of Idaho and attended Matanuska-Susitna College in Alaska for one term. The next year she returned to the University of Idaho where she spent three semesters completing her Bachelor of Science degree in communications-journalism, graduating in 1987.[11][12]
Admittedly, Biden ranking is not much better than McCain’s, but at least he’s honest – he was lazy!
Biden attended the University of Delaware in Newark,[10] where by his own later description he was a lazy student.[11] He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a double major inhistory and political science in 1965,[2] ranked 506th of 688 in his class.[12]
Finally, someone with a strong academic record qualified enough to be leading the country!!! (Oh wait…we almost forgot that George went to Yale & Harvard, proving that education is worthless.)
Following high school, Obama moved to Los Angeles, where he studied at Occidental College for two years.[10] He then transferred to Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in political science with a specialization in international relations.[11] Obama graduated with a B.A. from Columbia in 1983, Obama entered Harvard Law School in late 1988. At the end of his first year, he was selected, based on his grades and a writing competition, as an editor of the Harvard Law Review.[19]
The meaning of the word Interrogatory
August 26, 2008
Yesterday, I came home from work to find 50 pages of questions in my mailbox. Not just any questions, but questions from my ex-wife’s attorney: “Interrogatories.” Questions about where I spend my money, where I earn my money, whether or not I’m seeing a psychiatrist. All told, over 150 questions designed to uncover hidden money, embarrass, harrass, and ruffle feathers.
This, from a woman who spent half of our marriage lying about her alchoholism and drug abuse, keeping herself drunk or high all day long, even while at home with our kids. A woman who refused to work (thanks, drunken incapacitation) while claiming parental duties precluded her ability to do so. From a woman who, in the end, had three affairs – in order to end the marriage.
I can’t fathom the real purpose of this document. I can’t imagine she really believes I’ve hidden assets, income, etc. It’s deeply ironic to me that a document designed to uncover waste and misspent money where none exists to uncover, will cost her thousands of dollars she could (and clearly should) devote to her own support, to our children’s needs, to her betterment.
Is there a form I can fill out that will simply demonstrate that, while I had nothing to hide and wasted nothing, she squandered thousands trying to quench her endless thirst for conflict?
Spam on the IM-ernets.
July 31, 2008
In fact, I think there’s some sort of code here. Can you decipher it?* Here’s the transcript…
johnnyjacobsonnpghgwdinnbi 7:53
kajxzetyvwfhifyHijgbjagtsihmpstigeoff barnes 7:54
ahh, good. I have been waiting for your message.johnnyjacobsonnpghgwdinnbi 7:54
wcamfheyksuauhowqrybqrczjdrya?ttxpigeoff barnes 7:54
yesjohnnyjacobsonnpghgwdinnbi 7:54
gziaadoonpoduwhmsvremembercszcfme?geoff barnes 7:54
sometimes, but not today.johnnyjacobsonnpghgwdinnbi 7:54
usmgvit’sqpiovme Taylormdioejlbpleyfxhgeoff barnes 7:55
Really?johnnyjacobsonnpghgwdinnbi 7:55
rjawyvcukiu busynidshthis weekend?szfxpi’m lookingemduwfor somengptsone toortubhavezpkxvazhuinlittle…bgxwefunuzvyiwithyjanemxbdj
geoff barnes 7:55
Oh well. I’m having trouble reading that gibberish.
56:00
I guess we’ll talk again later, right?
* Check out what’s underlined.
Unsurprising new look
July 14, 2008
Not much else to say. I’m going plainjane (sorry, Jane) for awhile while I work up something slick and personal for end of Summer.
MVM: Cannonball, by the Breeders
June 30, 2008
They had it made in the shade. Where did the Breeders go? This tune, Cannonball, was compelling and catchy. Was it just the 90’s, or was there really some genius that appears sadly to have fallen by the wayside?
My day in 13 seconds
May 1, 2008
Spinning Aeron at The Warhol, originally uploaded by texburgher.
Spinning Aeron at The Warhol. AKA My day in 13 seconds.
It was not without tremendous relief that I encountered this exhibit when I went to the Warhol Museum today for a late lunch. I’ve been feeling like I’m being walked on by a bunch of golf-shoe-clad sumo wrestlers lately, and here this chair was, behaving like my head. Perfect. Too perfect, in fact, not to sneak a video clip of.
A farewell letter to myspace
April 30, 2008
From: friend of Larry
Date: Apr 30, 2008 2:01 PM
I’ll start by admitting I’m not all that wild about Facebook either, though I know it’s all the rage in comparison to myspace. Truth be told, I kind of hate them both. I liked them as social experiments, but I dislike them as enduring entities competing for my attention.
The question myspace doesn’t answer for me is: Why should myspace matter to me? You folks on my friends list are important to me. Some of you are my closest friends. Some are fun acquaintances or net-friends I barely know or have never met. In a strange way, social networks equalize the value of those relationships. I talk with my friend Mike less because I see his myspace updates and go away with the illusion that we’re connected. Truth be told though, I haven’t talked to Mike in months. I have no idea what he’s up to. I don’t even know if he still lives in Atlanta, how is dad is, if he’s got a girl these days, etc. In short, myspace is partially responsible for the actual deterioration of some of my relationships.
Now, that’s not universally true. I met my girlfriend on myspace. MET HER. That’s a powerful testimonial. But with few, rare exceptions, myspace has not enhanced my social life.
So I’m thinking about canning my membership and profile here. Friends, I don’t want to lose contact with you over that. And if myspace messages have been the strongest contact we’ve had, then I want to make sure to replace it – get your email addresses, phone numbers, other social network names, etc – before I go. To those of you with whom I talk more regularly – you wouldn’t miss my presence on myspace anyway.
So drop me a note, give me your email. Make sure we’re current.
Lots of love,
Geoff
(http://www.myspace.com/emailgeoff)
There’s so little that needs to be said about this video. So little, in fact, that I’ll leave it at that. Enjoy.
SXSW2008 Day 1
March 7, 2008
Speedy post commences here:
Sitting outside room 18 at the Austin convention center. One real session down, many to go. Lots of people here. Main observation so far is that “internet famous” is a heavily used word, and until today I hadn’t really considered it meant anything outside of the tongue-in-cheek “not actually famous at all.” It does though, and it seems SXSW is all about internet fame. There’s a presupposition in the air that if you’re here, you’re in hot pursuit of internet fame. It’s an axiom that appears to drive the postures of the entire flock.
There are more bloggers here than on the internet.
Takeaway #1:
Despite exhortations to the contrary, I’ve yet to be swayed from my conviction to seek excellence over recognition. Rubbing elbows is fun, and may indeed launch many great adventures. If those elbows rubbed yield likeminded friends, I’ll toast to that.
Chasing fame is for American Idol contestants though.
