Switched Hosting Providers... Again...

After putting some more thought into it, and finding out about A2 Hosting through an attempt to find a work around a full text search limitation that HostNine forced upon me, I cancelled the account with HostNine and opened one with A2 Hosting. It's not only cheaper, but it comes with a modern version of PostgreSQL, one that includes full text search right off the bat. Now, there is a new limitation that I'll have to deal with versus HostNine: I can't host any porn... Sigh... Oh well, it's not like I was hosting porn before...! So no big deal...

Switching Hosting Providers

For the last few years, I've run a number of web sites on West Host because they seemed to be stable, friendly, and offer a good deal considering the flexibility they offered. For instance, I was able to ssh into my VPS account and set up my preferred database system, PostgreSQL, and only use their supplied MySQL when I absolutely had to.

Well, earlier this year, West Host was purchased, and they began revising their plans on what features were offered to their customers. While I might be able to continue to ssh into the VPS in the near future, they're planning on eliminating the compiler and programming tools, which would mean that I would no longer be able to run PostgreSQL. As a result, I decided to switch to a different hosting provider.

After a few months of looking, evaluating, and flip-flopping, I opened an account with HostNine on Thursday. The reasons I chose HostNine are that they support and provide PostgreSQL right off the bat, and they're giving me unlimited disk space and bandwidth for a year for $20 more than I was paying per quarter for West Host. Needless to say, this is overall a much better deal.

That's not to say that my switch isn't going to be painful. After struggling to connect to my new server via ssh and sftp for hours, I filed a trouble ticket to figure out what's going on. It turns out that though these access methods are supported, I have to first fill out a form requesting secure access to the site via these methods. Fine. Moving on.

I then found that though I do have immediate PostgreSQL access, it's somewhat restricted. I don't have superuser access. Not really a huge deal. All of my database names and user-names are automatically prefixed by my account user name. Not a huge deal but kind of irritating that I'll have to go back through my various sites and update the database names and user-names. Something that I'll get over but again, it's irritating. Then there's the fact that it's an older version of PostgreSQL (8.1.8 instead of 8.3.x or 8.4.x) which combined with the lack of superuser access creates a whole world of hurt on recreating even one of my sites' databases. Oh, and I just had to file a trouble ticket to get full text search capabilities added to my database, and I suspect I'll have to file a new trouble ticket for every single database that I will need those features for. (Fortunately, not many at the moment.)

But the kicker for me was that last night, after several trouble tickets, I posted a message in their community forums asking if any one knew what I would need to do in order to set up a web accessible Subversion version control repository the proper way within the account. Less than an hour later, I was permanently banned from the forums for spamming. With a single message. That included no advertisements or spam like content. Yeah. I filed a new trouble ticket on that issue including their notification email and this morning that situation was resolved, but I'm already beginning to wonder if I should just abort this effort and try to find another host instead...

The Fort Hood Tragedy

With my fellow Americans, and I suspect a great deal of people around the world, I grieve with the families that have lost loved ones and I'm praying for the wounded. Words can't describe the impact of the tragedy adequately, but that's not why I'm writing tonight.

If Major Hasan is indeed the culprit, I fear and have feared that two further tragedies will and are occurring as a direct result of his actions: the damage to the Islamic image, and more importantly, that he will be artificially linked to terrorists.

Let's face it America, we've never fully recovered from the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and there are many of us that are looking to blame those faithful to Islam, are Muslim, or of Middle Eastern descent for just about anything at any given moment. Frankly, this attack, whether it was terrorist linked or just one random idiot going on a shooting spree couldn't have come at a worst time for the Islamic faithful. Between this and the shooting of Luqman Ameen Abdullah here in the Detroit area a few weeks ago because of his suspected terrorist plans, I'm beginning to think that many people are starting to look at the Islamic faithful as the followers of Hitler. They seem to be becoming the general purpose villains of 21st century America.

Let me share with you the opinions of one Baptist Christian man from Detroit: me. I have only known a few people, personally, that have followed the Islamic faith, but each and every one of them has been a decent and honest person. Here in Detroit, I have had a fair amount of exposure to people of various Middle Eastern descents, most of which I'm sure have been Islamic, whether I knew them personally or not. Aside from an incident with a family of Middle Easterners cutting in line in front of me to get the H1N1 vaccine a few weeks ago, I've never seen one try to do anything that was even remotely unfair. Even the Nation of Islam, Black Americans like myself, have generally done far more good than harm; It's interesting to note that the people that seem to think of those who follow Islam seldom stop to think about the long history of N.O.I.'s long presence in America, and only occasionally pipe up to call Louis Farrakhan various names.

Islam isn't the problem people. Yes, there are some extremists that are utilizing Islam and faith to encourage acts of terrorism, but I think that most people that blindly blame the religion are fools. For one thing, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all branches of the very same religion. To call or to consider the religion or its followers evil is to essentially call Christianity or Judaism just as evil. Before condemning Islam, think of how many millions have died in the name of Christianity! Think of the slaughter of Native Americans, the slavery in America first of Africans then of their descendants for generations, the wars fought in Europe, all in the name of the Christian God! Do you think He wanted us to do this to one another? Just as those that caused those atrocities are a minority, so are the terrorists among the Islamic faithful, and we should not, and cannot blame or fear an entire religion because of it.

Then there's the other issue with regards to Major Hasan. As soon as I found out that he was of Middle Eastern descent, and that he was Islamic, I told my mother that they, the government and/or the media, was going to find a way to link him to terrorists. It doesn't matter whether or not he actually was a terrorist or not, or whether he might have had some contact with terrorists, he was automatically doomed to be linked to them. Sometimes, I really hate to be right. It took a little longer than I thought it would, but some connections are already being drawn. Now, I don't know the truth in this matter, but neither does anyone else at this point. What I am afraid of, however, is that Hasan will be used as a political tool to support the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, whether he really has terrorist connections or not. Even now, I'm sure that the FBI and various intelligence agencies are trying to track down every last individual that has attended the Virginia mosque for years before and after the 9/11 terrorists and Major Hasan attended it. Background checks are being run, and I have little doubt that one will be run on me for my comments here, and surveillance plans are being formulated. All with the hopes of first making some political gain for one side or another, and second in the hopes of protecting the American people. Why can't Hasan have simply done as many others have done: just fucking snap? Did the kids that shot up Columbine have terrorist links too? How about those bank robbers in Los Angeles back in 97 or so, that had a running gun battle with police? How about any of the other mad men that have shot up schools, malls, or other gatherings of people in the last 15 years...? What's being done to protect us from them? Not every nut is a fucking terrorist! But since 9/11, any time an Arab or follower of Islam does something abhorrent, they're automatically a terrorist, and it's just a short time before they're found to have terrorist links...

Hell, even with Luqman Ameen Abdullah, he was already being branded a terrorist by the FBI the day he was killed. I'm not saying I believe in Abdullah's ideas or ideals, but God knows there are a lot of other people in America that have weapons stockpiles that AREN'T considered terrorists.

So what do I want on this second issue? I want truth. I want honest investigation of Hasan and Abdullah, and I want the American people to be told the full truth of what is discovered. If real terrorist links with valid evidence is unearthed, then fine, brand them terrorists. But if not, then tell us the truth. Don't start throwing people under the bus to rally political support; that's un-American.

And above all other things, people, don't give into blind fear, hate, or trust. Go into all things with your eyes and minds open, and trust what your gut, mind, and your God tell you.

Thank God for Our Daily Miracles

How many times have you sincerely thanked God recently? I am firmly of the opinion that when something good in your life happens, you should thank Him. I'm not just talking about the big stuff; I mean a lot of the little miracles he blesses us with on a daily basis.

Take, for example, the relatively insignificant event of me pulling into my school's parking lot this morning, and finding a spot quickly. This is a routine and otherwise unremarkable event. Or is it? While I prefer to park in Oakland University's Lot 1, it is the most common lot for people to park in, so it's usually quite full as it was this morning. In fact, it's usually so full that I usually don't try to find a spot there any more, and settle for Lot 3 further away. But today, I entered the lot, made a few turns that I didn't particularly want to make, and found a large spot staring me in the face. Despite the numerous other cars circling the lot looking for a space, one was presented to me uncontested and quickly. While this was an world changing event, it was just another one of God's daily miracles.

This isn't the only example; take those occasions when you happen to have just enough money for something you spontaneously decided to buy. Or perhaps when some stranger willingly helps you when you need it the most, and doesn't even wait for a "thank you." There are miracles in our lives daily, we just have to learn to see them for what they are. Then when you do recognize God's hand in your life, if only for that brief, insignificant moment, tell Him "thank you", and mean it from the bottom of your heart.

My Film Sense Must Be Fucked...

I blame Maxx.

While I have always enjoyed watching movies, it's only been since I've known Maxx that I started watching some of the really strange stuff, and some of the really bad stuff. In all honesty, he's made me into a movie critic, and a connoisseur of well written movies. That's a really good thing I owe him. He and Omar are as much my brothers as my actual blood siblings are, and they are both responsible for pushing me creatively speaking more than most people I've known. They are directly responsible for my sick and twisted sense of humor.

You hear that world? You can blame them!!

Now, tonight's blamestorming session is focusing on two movies that I've partaken of in the last three days. One was a big multi-million dollar blockbuster release, and the other seems to have been a little independent film that was trying to go viral through the net a couple years ago. But before I go into the movies, I want to point out some facts that lay further blame on Maxx.

Many moons ago, Maxx and I went to the same high school, along with Omar. I was already hanging out with the bad crowd, psycho-nerds like myself, starring Omar and a few other sick and twisteds. Omar later introduced me to Maxx who subsequently disappeared and resurfaced a few years later as Omar was headed into the Air Force. Maxx and Omar both encouraged me to push myself as a writer, and to come up with stories that were interesting to say the least. Maxx, a former film student, but a kick ass artist, would likewise push himself artisticly. Now, considering that I, more than 15 years later, am a cinema studies student, I feel that I can confidently blame Maxx directly and indirectly for this post. This one's for you Maxx!

Now, on to the films... The blockbuster you may have heard of ran epic looking commercials with the title character screaming his introduction in a voice reminiscent of 300's King Leonidas. I speak of none other than Beowulf. Many, many, many moons ago, long before I ever met either Omar or Maxx, before I even entered high school, I had heard of and read a small portion of the great epic poem known as Beowulf. In high school, a friend of ours based some of his characters in our role playing games off a combination of Grendel and Marvel Comics' Wolverine. Needless to say, I was greatly looking forward to seeing the movie once it was announced, and I was even more eager after seeing the commercials. For reasons that I shall not discuss, it didn't happen...

Until Friday morning.

Just before I was to leave for school on Friday morning, I discovered that Beowulf was on some random cable channel; I don't know if it was HBO, Cinemax, Showtime or what, but I sat down and watched about a half hour's worth of the movie. What I saw left me completely speechless.

I hated every second I watched. I know that computer animation has become a large part of the movie industry, particularly for special effects, and God knows I love animated movies, CG and otherwise, but I was not even slightly impressed with Beowulf the movie. I had been under the impression that the movie was live action, and to be honest, I'm not 100% sure it wasn't live action, but there were enough telltales for a guy like me to determine that it was at the very least significantly computer enhanced where it didn't need to be. Watching it reminded me of half remembered, half thought out rumors that the movie wasn't what my friends and social circle at the time wanted to see, and I'm definitely glad I didn't pay money for it. Now, that's not to say that it was all bad... I did enjoy some of the chanting songs that were being sung by the characters at various parts, and I certainly think that they were the high points of the film. You can probably guess, though, that Beowulf is now being removed from my "To Buy on Blu-Ray" list...

The other film is more complicated. I was watching TV, looking for something that might catch my attention and amusement for a little while when I stumbled across it. It looked like it was going to be cheap soft-porn, based on the name and description given to me by the satellite TV network, and I thought to myself "What the hell... Why not?". Now, I'm not going to say that I'm always up for porn. Frankly, while I do occasionally enjoy partaking, I'm really not into the made for cable soft-porn that even hardcore porn stars think is disgusting. (For different reasons of course. The bottom line is that at least hardcore porn is honest, with people actually having sex, while the soft porn is just faked all around without even the decency to have a good plot.) But being a hetero male in America, I was hoping to see some boobs. So, given the title and description of Zerophilia, I was intrigued and curious about exactly what they were going to do.

I'm not going to lie and tell you that it was the best movie ever. I'm not even going to tell you that it was a better movie than Beowulf. But the bottom line is that I actually enjoyed Zerophilia more than Beowulf, and I definitely think that it had potential. While Zerophilia did indeed have a couple of scenes with the naked breasts of twenty something young women and talked about sex and gender quite a bit, it actually wasn't porn of any kind. It was a real movie with an interesting plot, though it was a bit weak in some respects. The basic plot, for the lazy, is that a young man discovers that he changes gender when he's sexually aroused after having his first sexual encounter with a woman, and of course he meets the girl of his dreams just days later.

I can't say how I'd improve Zerophilia, because certain things were just plainly obvious to me right from the beginning, but I can't see how those points could have been done any differently. I think I might have gone in a different direction with the main character's discovery and exploration of his feelings about his gender, and I probably would have done without a plot twist near the end altogether. But the thing that is probably most important to Martin Curland, the writer/director/producer of the film, is that I enjoyed the movie more than Beowulf.

Mr. Curland, I'm a nobody [at the moment], but I'd like to see what you're working on next, and see if I can contribute to it in some way!

So, as you can see, while I ended up disappointed with both films for different reasons, at least I enjoyed watching one of them. And I think the key reason in both cases is my long experience watching movies, analyzing movies with Maxx and Omar, and getting an early schooling on a number of things film related by Maxx. Ultimately, I blame Maxx for this, and I think you should too! On three, everyone shout (with feewing!) "Thanks Maxx!"

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THANKS MAXX!!!!

Oh, and uh, go and Netflix Zerophilia. Throw some cash at Mr. Curland for being creative. You don't even have to feel guilty: you can watch it instantly instead of waiting for the DVD to arrive.

コーヒーはにほんであなたをのみます。

Ok, if you read and speak Japanese, you probably know that the title of this post is bad, and likely a mistake. Well, it's a mistake, but it was done intentionally. For those that don't speak Japanese, the title translates roughly to, "Coffee drinks you in Japan." Now, the reasons I wrote this title like this are two fold: first, while in my Japanese class today, we were working on using the de (で) particle, which denotes a place an action takes place, and on a couple occasions, I was placing the nouns in the wrong place, resulting in sentances like "Coffee drinks you in Japan." Second, there's a somewhat common meme that goes something along the lines of "In Russia, the coffee drinks you!"

Now, I didn't think about what I was screwing up in this second context until I was on my way home. When it suddenly occurred to me, I started laughing uncontrollably and decided to make this post. So, the translation of the title, in the spirit of this meme is, "In Japan, the coffee drinks you."

I had some other random things to say, but they've slipped my mind. If they come back to me, I'll make another post.

Michelle Obama's Slave Ancestor and the U.S. Reaction To It

Last week, the New York Times apparently released a story that they had been researching for some time, that determined that Michelle Obama had an ancestor that was a slave here in the United States, and apparently the news was so shocking, NBC seemed to go out of their way to talk about it on several news programs (Today and NBC Nightly News) for at least two days. I wouldn't doubt that other channels also covered this story in depth. The thing is, I don't know what the big deal is. Or do I?

Being Black (I'm not African-American because I'm not from Africa) and growing up in Detroit, I got regular lessons on slavery, the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Jr., and most of the other slavery and civil rights related issues that Blacks faced here in the United States. While I'm not dismissing the significance of these things, I can say with certainty that to most Blacks that I know, the slave period of America isn't that big a deal any more. To have an ancestor that was a slave here? That covers far more than half of Black American families. We're not surprised that we had ancestors that were slaves less than 200 years ago, so why is every one else?

In fact, as my family and I discussed last week, we'd be very surprised if any Black family in America (whose ancestors were in the U.S. during the slavery period) today didn't have ancestors that were slaves. There are Blacks that have ancestors that came to the United States after slavery ended, but comparatively speaking, their numbers are tiny. I told my mother and sister this last week: you can take 100 Black Americans, at random, put them in a room, turn off the lights, reach out and touch any random person among them, and be over 99% confident that their ancestors were slaves in America.

So what's my point? We got over it. Yes, we're glad that we now have a Black president, but we're not sitting around waiting for him to invoke a slavery act to put Whites through what we went through. We're not waiting with baited breath for him to give us reparations for slavery... I sure as hell wouldn't know what to do with 40 acres and a mule, and I surely couldn't afford the taxes associated with the land.

In short, we celebrated Obama's victory in last year's presidential election because even though his father was not a slave here in America, his victory meant that we as a people have finally reached a level of equality here that our slave ancestors couldn't have dreamt about. It meant that we were that much closer to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream. That the country that we love has finally permitted us to participate in the highest office we as a country have.

I think the bottom line is that we Black Americans, whether we have the blood of slaves running through our veins or not, finally feel like complete Americans.