You are browsing the archive for M. J. Young.

On Point

May 22, 2012 in Blogs

Today the Examiner article falls in the political category, with what I think is the critical case in the whole “birther” question, and so I imaginatively entitled it The Birther Issue:  The critical case.  It strikes me that some are saying the Supreme Court has to define “natural born Citizen”, but it appears to me that it already did.

In other news, Collision has a new Facebook page, and I had nothing to do with its creation save that I posed for a picture last week which I was told was needed for the promotional materials for the upcoming concert.  Meanwhile, I hope I am not saying too much too soon, but I think I have a rhythm guitar/vocalist, and I’m far enough along on that that I will be printing music for him (well, yes, a guy, but his range his higher than mine so I think we can do this).  He suggested it first in jest, I think, but he’s the best candidate I’ve seen, and he’s good.

Eric Ashley is again staying on top of the writing, with two contributions since I was here yesterday.  Practise Bits:  Weak has a bit of an unexpected twist in it.  Practise Bits:  Sacrifice is interesting, but I am not absolutely certain what it is that the character did to achieve his objective.

I have long lists of necessary tasks today, and some of them must be done earlier rather than later, and it’s already getting later, so I’m going to have to attend to other tasks and then return, Lord willing.

–M. J. Young

Seems Like Long Ago

May 21, 2012 in Blogs

It occurred to me upon my arrival here that it was early this afternoon that I uploaded another Examiner temporal anomalies article, although after all the work I’ve done since then it feels like it was on a different day.  This is the last forum through which I announce these, so if you have not yet received word through one of my other connections, consider yourself notified that 11 Minutes Ago part 11:  Chance continues to explore the problems of the card trick and finds a plausible, if dangerous, solution.

I did manage to read Eric Ashley’s latest contribution, Practise Bits:  Sales, in which a brash and arrogant fellow makes a shocking discovery about reality.

It’s too early for me to tire, and I’ve too much to do, so I’d better wrap this and move forward.

–M. J. Young

Must Be a Trick

May 17, 2012 in Blogs

Yesterday in comments I said that today should not be a problem; I should learn to keep my mouth shut, or at least to rein in my fingers, because of course it’s already late and I have too much to do still.  I realized that with the way my schedule looked, if I did not get to the grocery store today I would not be able to get there until Tuesday, assuming nothing went wrong on Tuesday, and I did not have enough food in the house to make meals between now and then, so I lost a couple hours to shopping.

That was not until after I uploaded today’s Examiner article, 11 Minutes Ago:  Cards, obviously in the temporal anomalies category.  It looks at the toughest part of the movie, how it is that Pack can know what card Tim will draw the first time he gets to that point in history.  At least that part is finished.

Collision is confirmed for a concert next Friday evening, at Dutch Neck Village’s outdoor stage at 6:30 in the evening, if my memory is working right.  If you’re in the Bridgeton, Cumberland County, New Jersey vicinity (why would anyone be there?) come see and hear us.  Our part is about an hour; there’s another band after us, with a set change between.  Tomorrow night will be the busiest rehearsal I’ve had in the shortest time, thanks to everyone’s time constraints, and I’m not yet ready for it, so I’ve a lot to do.

Given that there is so much to do I ought to go do it; but last night I managed to print the two recent articles by Eric Ashley, and to read them in the car while waiting to pick up someone around midnight or so, so I should mention them here.  The first, Practise Bits:  Cycling, is a short piece capturing the flavor of a high-speed motorcycle drive.  The second, Practise Bits:  Pallor, is about racism, violence, and redemption.

So I’m done here.

–M. J. Young

In This Case

May 15, 2012 in Blogs

I am racing against the clock, but have managed to upload and announce my second Examiner article in the politics field, The Birther issue:  Supreme Court decisions.  It deals with several of the cases that address citizenship questions, getting a few important points, but leaving one case for separate consideration next time.

I am hastening because before I visit Kyler today and deal with car problems, I have to drop someone at a bus stop; and I do not know when I will return, so I want to leave as little as possible unfinished–particularly since after an early morning start and five to seven hours of driving and time at the motor vehicles agency I’m going to be rather tired upon my return.  So this is me, hurrying.

–M. J. Young

The Last First

May 14, 2012 in Blogs

In today’s Examiner temporal anomalies article, 11 Minutes Ago part 9:  Spoilers, we finally get to Pack’s first arrival, which is his last departure, and begin to explore some of the peculiar things he does based on the fact that he knows what happens not only in the rest of the party but in the years to come.  There are more things to cover in this, including the most vexing problem of all in this film, but we’ll get to those soon enough.

It appears that my week now will include a trip north to visit a son with car trouble, which might be tomorrow and might not be easy on any day.  I also apparently have a Collision rehearsal Friday cutting into my time a bit deeper.  So it promises to be a busier week than usual.  Id’ better get to it all if I hope to stay afloat.

More Circles to Run

May 10, 2012 in Blogs

My wife was told that because her place of employment is changing hands, her final check from the previous employer would not be directly deposited into her account and she would have to drive across town to get it from their local offices within a very narrow time window today, or it would be mailed and at the mercy of the postal service.  Thus we rushed to be out of the house, and I delayed all the work I do to start the day, only to discover that we were misinformed–the electronic deposit had been made overnight, and all we received was an explanatory stub.  But then, as long as we were “oot ‘n’ aboot” she thought of wonderful things we could do on her off day.

This should not be construed as complaining about what we did; we had a mostly good time, and I am not regretting it.  I’m only noting that by the time we ceased doing all those things, it was late, I had not yet had my first cup of coffee, and I had–and still have–stacks of things to do even on a light day.  I have managed to upload today’s Examiner article on temporal anomalies, 11 Minutes Ago:  Choppy, in which I explore the quirks involved when Pack takes three trips to fill in his visits between 7:15 and 8:00.  I’ve also managed to pull together a short series on Butterfly Effect 2, and have begun working on a few articles on the implications involved in the whole birth certificate controversy.

I received word that Collision has a solid line on a performance on one of these upcoming Fridays, but the details are still sketchy.  I’m not even certain whether I have a rehearsal with anyone anywhere tomorrow night, and determining this is one of the things still on my plate to do tonight.  I’m going to have to finish this Blogless Lepolt entry and head for other tasks, and hope I return before Sunday, at the rate things are going.

I did read Eric Ashley’s Practise Bits:  Class, about a young verser who is a student in a wizarding college working extra jobs to pay the tuition.  I have not yet read Practise Bits:  Hip, but hope to remember to do so whenever I manage to return.

Constituted

May 8, 2012 in Blogs

As I had hoped, my first political article at the Examiner as New Jersey Political Buzz Examiner cleared editorial today, and so I can announce that the first look at the first issue we will be examining is now available as The Birther issue:  the Constitutional question.  I started announcing it as soon as I saw the notice that it was published, and now await feedback with breath abated.

I’m rummaging over what to write next–that is, after the four-part consideration of this issue finishes its run.  There’s more about the birth certificate that is really separate from the Birther question itself, but I also want to post about coalitions, preferably before the Republican primary at the end of the month.  It occurs to me that I’m not going to make it–I’m too far into the month to get a four-week series posted and then start something else.  But I’ll start writing it anyway, perhaps tonight if things go well.

–M. J. Young

Finding a Sequence

May 7, 2012 in Blogs

I have published the next Examiner temporal anomalies article, 11 Minutes Ago part 7:  earlier, which deals with why Pack makes his next trip to 7:15, instead of following the established pattern of going backward in quarter hour increments.  Meanwhile, assuming that time does not go against me too harshly this evening, I hope to submit the first of my political pieces tonight, in the hope that the editorial staff will clear it for publication tomorrow.  I will attempt to let you know.

There is another bit of a story from Eric Ashley, under the peculiar title Practise Bits:  11!!Leet11!!.  I do not see the connection between this reconfiguration of twentieth century history and the texting language of Geeks, but perhaps I am not understanding something.

Friday’s Collision rehearsal went quite well, overall.  One of the new songs has reached that state that at which the audience would not realize how badly we flubbed it, and that’s a good thing, although it still needs much work.  There’s talk of another concert, and I’m looking forward to it, but am not certain of dates or anything.

Being a bit pressed for time, I’m not going to stretch my brain any further trying to think of what I’m supposed to remember to say, and just leap forward to the next part of tonight’s work.

–M. J. Young

Bouncing Forward

May 3, 2012 in Blogs

I have written and edited four political articles to start my new job at The Examiner, but since today was a temporal anomalies article day I have delayed uploading them so I’m not promoting two different kinds of articles on the same day.  I would rather post the new ones on Tuesday, but I don’t know that I want to wait that long; I’m also thinking that I might do this job in streaks, writing an entire series and posting it on a day-by-day basis then not posting for a while until another series is ready, but I’m not decided on this yet.

Today’s temporal anomalies piece investigates how the time tumbler, the time machine Pack uses, works.  It’s not all assumption.  11 Minutes Ago part 6:  tumbling draws some conclusions based on the alternatives to reach an understanding of what must happen for the story to work as we see it.

I am expected at a Collision rehearsal tomorrow evening, which will put a big hole in my schedule otherwise, but I’m glad they’re excited about this and am not going to dampen their spirits.  I still hold to that perhaps foolish hope that I will one day be a rich and famous musician, even if like Charles Ives I’m getting recognition in my retirement.  If I don’t make it here tomorrow, you’ll know why.

–M. J. Young

Politically Advantageous

May 2, 2012 in Blogs

Snoitalutargnoc.

Yes, I have actually said that aloud before.  You’ll figure it out.

I say it now because, as of today, I am the New Jersey Political Buzz Examiner at The Examiner.  I have not yet published anything under that title, and the rule there requires that my first article under the new title will be reviewed by an editor so I can give a certain date for it, but I’m working on a first piece on the Birther issue, and I have already created and posted an index page for the articles anticipated, Law and Politics:  The Examiner Connection.  So don’t hold your breath or go on a fast or anything, but expect something there soon.

Eric Ashley’s Practise Bits:  Redoubt is an interesting story, but has stirred up some controversy over whether the type of drive he designed is viable for the use he suggests.  I personally liked what he did with Practise Bits:  Nixon, because I think the man was very smart before he became too paranoid; it would be interesting to see which way the world goes from there, though.

–M. J. Young