The American Civil Liberties Union claimed Wednesday that California's lethal injection method violates the First Amendment rights of execution witnesses by not allowing them to see if the inmate is experiencing pain before death.
The federal lawsuit says the only reason San Quentin State Prison officials inject a paralyzing agent is to sanitize the execution and prevent witnesses from perhaps seeing convulsions.
Sorry but just because a person is involuntarily convulsing does not mean that they are in any pain. Ask an epileptic if their seizures are painful or not. Most if not all will tell you that they do not feel any pain or do not remember (only between 0.3 and 2.8% report some or any discomfort). To make the leap from a person convulsing to that person being in pain is a leap too far. It LOOKS painful to see someone convulse and that is all that the ACLU really cares about. They hope that witnesses will see someone convulse during the execution and ASSUME that they are in pain.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Thursday, March 9, 2006
America's Majority
Some positive ads about Iraq, some partisan, most not. You can see them here. We will see if any of them make it to TV.
America’s Next Top Model
Due to circumstances beyond my control, I saw the last hour of “America’s Next Top Model” last night. It was like watching a slow train wreck! I didn’t want to continue watching but I was so mesmerized by what I was seeing, that I could not look away.
For anyone [blissfully] unaware of what this show is about, I will quickly recap. A group of young ladies that wish to be “top” models were selected from around the country (world?) and in the first half of the first episode were whittled down from 30 or so to just 12 (13?). I know this because it was re-capped for the second half of the show. The second hour of this first episode followed the usual reality show format by having the remaining ladies perform some sort of task and be ranked on the results. There are non-task clips as well as interview clips scattered throughout and in the final 5 minutes, someone is sent home.
The challenge in this segment was to do a photo shoot that was run by a world famous fashion photographer (whom I never heard of as I am not into fashion). In preparation for the shoot, the ladies were driven across town to a famous hair solon (something else I never heard of as I am not into famous hair solons). The ladies were all giddy, expecting to get complete make-overs in preparation for the shoot. The host then informs them all that the shoot will be with all of them bald. You would have thought that they were told they would need to loose a finger. One lady almost fainted.
As an aside, if my dream were to be a top model (it is not) and I had made it this far in the selection process, if the host said I would need to get my head shaved for a shoot, I would be sure to be the first person stepping up to get it done and would be darn sure to do it with enthusiasm and commitment. I mean this is supposed to be my life’s dream for heaven’s sake. The man that can make this happen says to go bald; I go bald and am darn glad to do it! That should have been a point of elimination right there, and like that scene from “A League of Their Own” where the guy running the league replied to the woman that did not want to wear a dress while playing, “There are X girls in the parking lot right now that will gladly trade places with you”.
They did not actually get shaved. Much to everyone’s GREAT relief, they were told that they would be wearing bald caps to make it look like they had shaved heads. That made everyone very happy. They all then went off to the shoot location. There the bald caps were applied and it did indeed make them look bald. The shoots were completed and then the ladies were judged on the quality of their photos and one was eliminated and sent home.
This was one of the silliest, most shallow, and superficial things I have seen on TV in I don’t know how long. The judging panel was so crass as they ripped into the different ladies looks, expressions, attitudes, etc. They could not even rise to the level of the American Idol judging panel. I am dumb-struck that shows like this can be produced from season to season. It is a text-book example of all that is wrong with TV today.
For anyone [blissfully] unaware of what this show is about, I will quickly recap. A group of young ladies that wish to be “top” models were selected from around the country (world?) and in the first half of the first episode were whittled down from 30 or so to just 12 (13?). I know this because it was re-capped for the second half of the show. The second hour of this first episode followed the usual reality show format by having the remaining ladies perform some sort of task and be ranked on the results. There are non-task clips as well as interview clips scattered throughout and in the final 5 minutes, someone is sent home.
The challenge in this segment was to do a photo shoot that was run by a world famous fashion photographer (whom I never heard of as I am not into fashion). In preparation for the shoot, the ladies were driven across town to a famous hair solon (something else I never heard of as I am not into famous hair solons). The ladies were all giddy, expecting to get complete make-overs in preparation for the shoot. The host then informs them all that the shoot will be with all of them bald. You would have thought that they were told they would need to loose a finger. One lady almost fainted.
As an aside, if my dream were to be a top model (it is not) and I had made it this far in the selection process, if the host said I would need to get my head shaved for a shoot, I would be sure to be the first person stepping up to get it done and would be darn sure to do it with enthusiasm and commitment. I mean this is supposed to be my life’s dream for heaven’s sake. The man that can make this happen says to go bald; I go bald and am darn glad to do it! That should have been a point of elimination right there, and like that scene from “A League of Their Own” where the guy running the league replied to the woman that did not want to wear a dress while playing, “There are X girls in the parking lot right now that will gladly trade places with you”.
They did not actually get shaved. Much to everyone’s GREAT relief, they were told that they would be wearing bald caps to make it look like they had shaved heads. That made everyone very happy. They all then went off to the shoot location. There the bald caps were applied and it did indeed make them look bald. The shoots were completed and then the ladies were judged on the quality of their photos and one was eliminated and sent home.
This was one of the silliest, most shallow, and superficial things I have seen on TV in I don’t know how long. The judging panel was so crass as they ripped into the different ladies looks, expressions, attitudes, etc. They could not even rise to the level of the American Idol judging panel. I am dumb-struck that shows like this can be produced from season to season. It is a text-book example of all that is wrong with TV today.
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
The gulag that is Gitmo
Well what do you know, Gitmo is not a gulag after all! A Reuters story on a report out of Brussels seems to indicate that it is not the hell hole that most of the MSM and human rights organizations would want you to believe.
Inmates at Guantanamo Bay prison are treated better than in Belgian jails, an expert for Europe's biggest security organization said on Monday after a visit to the controversial U.S. detention center.
MSM wrong again, go figure...
Inmates at Guantanamo Bay prison are treated better than in Belgian jails, an expert for Europe's biggest security organization said on Monday after a visit to the controversial U.S. detention center.
MSM wrong again, go figure...
Friday, March 3, 2006
Crushing Quarters
Sorry but this is just too cool. Crushing quarters and other coins and objects using super high strength magnetic fields! For fun and profit...
Friday, February 24, 2006
The cluless-ness of Richard Cohen
This is pretty much the most clueless thing I have read this week and this statement from his op-ed demonstrates the depth of his clueless-ness:
Writing is the highest form of reasoning.
Rich can't do math and so it is a waste of time to know how. Heck, that is why we have calculators and computers, right? Please tell me you are kidding! Just because you can string a few words together does NOT mean you can reason. You column is adequate proof of that! I hate to break it to you but writing is how you express your ability to reason. It is the thought process that is reasoning, not the ability to write it down. The ability to write is a skill just like math. What algebra does is help teach reasoning in the abstract. Helps one to learn to analyze a problem, apply rules, think it through and resolve & solve it. Expecting someone to be able to do simple (yes simple) high school level algebra before they can graduate is not too much to ask, not even from a journalist.
Writing is the highest form of reasoning.
Rich can't do math and so it is a waste of time to know how. Heck, that is why we have calculators and computers, right? Please tell me you are kidding! Just because you can string a few words together does NOT mean you can reason. You column is adequate proof of that! I hate to break it to you but writing is how you express your ability to reason. It is the thought process that is reasoning, not the ability to write it down. The ability to write is a skill just like math. What algebra does is help teach reasoning in the abstract. Helps one to learn to analyze a problem, apply rules, think it through and resolve & solve it. Expecting someone to be able to do simple (yes simple) high school level algebra before they can graduate is not too much to ask, not even from a journalist.
The Colorado Kid
Read Stephen King’s “The Colorado Kid” last night and I enjoyed it. Big surprise there as I am a fan of King’s writing. It is not his usual fair but it does fit in. It is a novelette and more in line with his earlier work under the Bachman pseudonym. It is not a supernatural tale but it is a mystery. One of the things I like about King’s writing is his attention to the most unusual details. In this story (and this gives nothing away so don’t worry) it is a Russian(?) coin that is found in a man’s pocket. Didn’t really need to be there but by having it in the story, King added that extra little something to make it seem more real, more possible. He does that a lot. Other than the location of the story (you write what you know) I did not catch any cross-tie-ins to his other stories though I could have missed it. A good, unusual little story to fill an afternoon with.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Some really great advice...
I have to agree with each point he makes, for the same reasons he uses:
- If you must be a criminal don't be a con man
- Never fall victim to envy
- Don't expect life to be fair, because it's not and never will be
I will add one piece of advice of my own and it is just for the men...
- Just pee sitting down
I am being very serious here. You will make your spouse, mother, daughter, girlfriend, significant other (all of the ladies in your life) so much happier than you could ever imagine. That one thing, which is no big thing to you, is a HUGE thing to them. So do them a favor and just sit down.
Well this is kind of geeky cool
Space Antenna Design Evolved by Hive of Borg
Eighty PCs running artificial intelligence software used “survival of the fittest” principles to evolve a tiny antenna that will be used on a space mission next month. NASA called the group of computers a “Borg computer collective.” After starting with a random antenna design, the hive of computers spent just 10 hours going through millions of possibilities for a space antenna. The group settled on a design that looked pretty much like a bent paper clip, determining that shape as the most efficient for the mission. According to NASA, the odd-shaped antenna perfectly matches the performance that NASA specified.
But what if you don’t think a bent-up paperclip makes a good space antenna? Tough. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
‘Borg’ Computer Collective Designs NASA Space Antenna
Eighty PCs running artificial intelligence software used “survival of the fittest” principles to evolve a tiny antenna that will be used on a space mission next month. NASA called the group of computers a “Borg computer collective.” After starting with a random antenna design, the hive of computers spent just 10 hours going through millions of possibilities for a space antenna. The group settled on a design that looked pretty much like a bent paper clip, determining that shape as the most efficient for the mission. According to NASA, the odd-shaped antenna perfectly matches the performance that NASA specified.But what if you don’t think a bent-up paperclip makes a good space antenna? Tough. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
‘Borg’ Computer Collective Designs NASA Space Antenna
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Dick Cheney goes hunting
I can’t say that I agree with the general ‘right side’ consensus on this incident. I think that the ‘clown suit’ was a bit over the top and Begala should have acted more professional but everything he said was correct. That Dick Cheney is the person ultimately responsible for what occurs before, during and after he pulls the trigger of a gun. Cheney did shoot a man and Cheney could have killed a man. Not in self defense. Not protecting his life or property. The VP was out relaxing and enjoying himself. That is the least stressful time to be handling a fire arm and he messed up big time. I am also not saying that he should be charged with a crime, resign or any other such thing. It was an accident. Accidents do happen though this was a completely preventable accident. He does deserve to get raked over the coals over this. I do not agree with much that has spewed forth from the press or the left (like this crass statement from S. & J. Brady) but he did do wrong. He then compounded that wrong by not coming clean sooner about what happened and when.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Telecommuting
I am fortunate enough to work for a company that allows some telecommuting and to be in a position where I actually can do it some times. I try to save these “stay at home” days for when I have a large amount of paper work to catch up on (like today). Between a laptop, cable modem, VPN, and cell phone, it is almost like being in the office except not nearly the same level of distractions and interruptions. The phone system we use at work is integrated into the email system so when someone leaves a voice mail message, it gets put into your email in-box and you can listen to it either on the phone or through the computer. Very handy when you do a fair bit of traveling (or occasionally work from home).
Monday, February 13, 2006
The mice that roared...
Howard Dean, the New York Times, Pres. Jimmy Carter, Martin Sean, etc. are rather upset at the current president for illegally wiretapping1 the phone conversations of American citizens. They are also mad at him for Abu Ghraib prison and for illegally detaining non-combatants2 while waging his war on terror.
Where is the equal measure of outrage for Castro, Kim Jong II, and Saddam Hussein3? These leaders of their respective countries routinely spy on their own citizens. They routinely hold their citizens indefinitely for political crimes, that is if they don't just make them disappear. And despite what the MSM would lead one to believe, U.N. inspectors documented Saddam's torture chambers4, rape chambers and mass graves. North Korea is starving to death because of one man's will to hold on to power at any cost.
Where is the outrage at these murderous regimes? Where are the editorials, the protest, and the calls for justice and the crying for the suffering? That this group and those like them can howl endlessly for the alleged fall of America but can spare not one word for those that are truly oppressed and truly suffering and have no voice says all that need be said as to the character and motives of those that scream on.
1) Allegedly as this is still being investigated as to if it is criminal or not. According to the president, members (red and blue) of the congressional intelligence committee were routinely informed of the program and its' progress and the president's position is that this was authorized by congress outside of the Patriot Act. Supposedly only international calls to and from those with known ties to terrorist were/are being monitored. Oh, and Pres. Bill Clinton ran a much more extensive domestic spying program that was much more inclusive and indiscriminate but you don't hear much about that.
2) Allegedly again as the president feels this action does not overstep his authority and is still being investigated and ruled on (he lost some and he won some).
3) Oh, never mind about this one, he is not doing this any more but he was until the US made him stop.
4) I mean REAL torture. Spanish inquisition kinds of stuff like having your nails ripped out, bones broken, fed into wood chippers, raped, etc. Not frat boy stuff, like being made to wear woman's panties on your head or having to sit around naked for a bit.
Where is the equal measure of outrage for Castro, Kim Jong II, and Saddam Hussein3? These leaders of their respective countries routinely spy on their own citizens. They routinely hold their citizens indefinitely for political crimes, that is if they don't just make them disappear. And despite what the MSM would lead one to believe, U.N. inspectors documented Saddam's torture chambers4, rape chambers and mass graves. North Korea is starving to death because of one man's will to hold on to power at any cost.
Where is the outrage at these murderous regimes? Where are the editorials, the protest, and the calls for justice and the crying for the suffering? That this group and those like them can howl endlessly for the alleged fall of America but can spare not one word for those that are truly oppressed and truly suffering and have no voice says all that need be said as to the character and motives of those that scream on.
1) Allegedly as this is still being investigated as to if it is criminal or not. According to the president, members (red and blue) of the congressional intelligence committee were routinely informed of the program and its' progress and the president's position is that this was authorized by congress outside of the Patriot Act. Supposedly only international calls to and from those with known ties to terrorist were/are being monitored. Oh, and Pres. Bill Clinton ran a much more extensive domestic spying program that was much more inclusive and indiscriminate but you don't hear much about that.
2) Allegedly again as the president feels this action does not overstep his authority and is still being investigated and ruled on (he lost some and he won some).
3) Oh, never mind about this one, he is not doing this any more but he was until the US made him stop.
4) I mean REAL torture. Spanish inquisition kinds of stuff like having your nails ripped out, bones broken, fed into wood chippers, raped, etc. Not frat boy stuff, like being made to wear woman's panties on your head or having to sit around naked for a bit.
Friday, February 10, 2006
1 large person + 1 small plane = big trouble...
OK, here we go again. The background is (please feel free to follow the link and review for your self) a large woman is upset at Southwest for requiring that she purchase a second seat ticket before they would let her board the plane. Part of her complaint is that the policy is applied in a non-uniform manner (valid) and that the decision to require or not require the additional seat is made by the gate attendant (not valid and I will tell you why) and that the policy was difficult to locate on their web site (valid). What really got me though was this passage:
But you know what? I didn’t choose the plane. The airline did. This situation is caused by the space, not by my body, just like access to public spaces for people with mobility impairments is impeded by curbs and stairs and narrow bathroom doors, not by the wheelchair itself. Of course, the airline is under no obligation to design a plane that suits me, but if they are offering a particular service which I purchase a ticket for, and I am willing to suffer temporary discomfort for the benefit of traveling swiftly to a distant destination, isn’t that my decision, not theirs?
What? “This situation is caused by the space, not by my body…” You mean to say that you are one of those rare individuals who actually have a glandular disorder and it is through absolutely no actions on your part, that you are the size you are? If that is the case, you may have a point and please accept my apologies and you can stop reading now.
Then there was this gem: "Why is any other passenger’s comfort and right to travel affordability more important than mine"?
OK, first off, the ability to freely travel is a right, but there is no right to air travel. Today, most people assume it is but it is not. You use the airline at their discretion and they have the right to refuse service to anyone. If you do not feel that it was fair that they refused you service, you have the right to sue them for redress. Also, you are not the only one on the plane. There will be others there as well that will need to maneuver in the same area that you do. Someone will need to sit next to you (if you do not purchase a second set) so what about their expectation to be able to make use of all of the space that they have paid for? If you are of a size that a belt extender is needed, that means that you will not easily fit into the set dimensions. You will “over flow” to the sides. That means that the person that is seated next to you will not be able to have full use of their space. How is that fair to them? I have had the occasion to ride on an airplane next to a larger than average person on more than one occasion and it is NOT fun. I am not referring to the individual persons, I am referring to being turned into a sardine in MY seat, the seat that I paid for and do not get full use of. The extra seat (you did not want to buy) was to give everyone ample (or at least their expected) room.
As to your issue with the gate attendant making the call as to the need for a second seat, the gate attendant is the guaranteed last person to see the passengers before the plane leaves. They are in the best position to know the capacity of the plane and the availability of seating. They should make the call.
But you know what? I didn’t choose the plane. The airline did. This situation is caused by the space, not by my body, just like access to public spaces for people with mobility impairments is impeded by curbs and stairs and narrow bathroom doors, not by the wheelchair itself. Of course, the airline is under no obligation to design a plane that suits me, but if they are offering a particular service which I purchase a ticket for, and I am willing to suffer temporary discomfort for the benefit of traveling swiftly to a distant destination, isn’t that my decision, not theirs?
What? “This situation is caused by the space, not by my body…” You mean to say that you are one of those rare individuals who actually have a glandular disorder and it is through absolutely no actions on your part, that you are the size you are? If that is the case, you may have a point and please accept my apologies and you can stop reading now.
Then there was this gem: "Why is any other passenger’s comfort and right to travel affordability more important than mine"?
OK, first off, the ability to freely travel is a right, but there is no right to air travel. Today, most people assume it is but it is not. You use the airline at their discretion and they have the right to refuse service to anyone. If you do not feel that it was fair that they refused you service, you have the right to sue them for redress. Also, you are not the only one on the plane. There will be others there as well that will need to maneuver in the same area that you do. Someone will need to sit next to you (if you do not purchase a second set) so what about their expectation to be able to make use of all of the space that they have paid for? If you are of a size that a belt extender is needed, that means that you will not easily fit into the set dimensions. You will “over flow” to the sides. That means that the person that is seated next to you will not be able to have full use of their space. How is that fair to them? I have had the occasion to ride on an airplane next to a larger than average person on more than one occasion and it is NOT fun. I am not referring to the individual persons, I am referring to being turned into a sardine in MY seat, the seat that I paid for and do not get full use of. The extra seat (you did not want to buy) was to give everyone ample (or at least their expected) room.
As to your issue with the gate attendant making the call as to the need for a second seat, the gate attendant is the guaranteed last person to see the passengers before the plane leaves. They are in the best position to know the capacity of the plane and the availability of seating. They should make the call.
Thursday, February 9, 2006
Rights
This column contains one of the best descriptions of a real “rights” that I have run across recently:
…a right is something that exists simultaneously among people and imposes no obligation on another. For example, the right to free speech, or freedom to travel, is something we all simultaneously possess. My right to free speech or freedom to travel imposes no obligation upon another except that of non-interference. In other words, my exercising my right to speech or travel requires absolutely nothing from you and in no way diminishes any of your rights.
ABSOLUTELY 100% CORRECT! Thank you so very much! Coming across this column and this passage was like finding an oasis in the desert. I am just so very tired if hearing every single special interest group in the world prattling on about this or that so-called right. The right to a place to live, a living wage (what ever that is), medical care, food, Internet access, WiFi access, ad nauseam. It is like grand sale day at John’s Bargain Store with all the claims for these rights.
I FEEL that everyone should have all of these things but I also FEEL that they should have them as a result of their own EFFORTS, not as a result of a third-party agency (i.e. the government) taking something away from one person to give to another, that the other already has equal access to (just not the means to buy it). For example, the prescription drug benefit that is getting all kinds of attention right now. It is decried as not doing enough to help old folks with their medicine. I am sorry but why is it a mandatory requirement for me to help someone else pay for their medicine? I have insurance that helps pay for mine. I have insurance because I have a job. I do a good enough service for a company that they continue to employee me and pay me money every week. I use this money that I earned to pay for things I want and need. I also set money aside for when I am old and/or out of work. This is called planning for the future. I do all of these things because I am a responsible person and wish to make decisions for myself and take care of myself. If I don’t happen to have enough money for all the things I want or need then I have to make choices, set some priorities and live with the consequences of those choices.
Because not everyone is like me and actively taking responsibility for today and tomorrow, the government takes some of the money that I earn and gives it to others that are less prepared for today and the future. The government does other things to help the country to operate but it seems to spend less and less time, effort and MY money doing what it was originally designed to do and instead is spending more and more time, effort and MY money trying to be grandma to everyone.
The only real right everyone in this country actually has is the right to FAIL. The right to try to make a life for yourself and your family and to fall flat on your face in that effort. You also have the right to pick yourself up, dust your self off and try again. You do not have a right to expect anyone to help you or for the government to give you anything because you don’t think something is fair. Life is not fair but generally speaking, it is what you make of it.
…a right is something that exists simultaneously among people and imposes no obligation on another. For example, the right to free speech, or freedom to travel, is something we all simultaneously possess. My right to free speech or freedom to travel imposes no obligation upon another except that of non-interference. In other words, my exercising my right to speech or travel requires absolutely nothing from you and in no way diminishes any of your rights.
ABSOLUTELY 100% CORRECT! Thank you so very much! Coming across this column and this passage was like finding an oasis in the desert. I am just so very tired if hearing every single special interest group in the world prattling on about this or that so-called right. The right to a place to live, a living wage (what ever that is), medical care, food, Internet access, WiFi access, ad nauseam. It is like grand sale day at John’s Bargain Store with all the claims for these rights.
I FEEL that everyone should have all of these things but I also FEEL that they should have them as a result of their own EFFORTS, not as a result of a third-party agency (i.e. the government) taking something away from one person to give to another, that the other already has equal access to (just not the means to buy it). For example, the prescription drug benefit that is getting all kinds of attention right now. It is decried as not doing enough to help old folks with their medicine. I am sorry but why is it a mandatory requirement for me to help someone else pay for their medicine? I have insurance that helps pay for mine. I have insurance because I have a job. I do a good enough service for a company that they continue to employee me and pay me money every week. I use this money that I earned to pay for things I want and need. I also set money aside for when I am old and/or out of work. This is called planning for the future. I do all of these things because I am a responsible person and wish to make decisions for myself and take care of myself. If I don’t happen to have enough money for all the things I want or need then I have to make choices, set some priorities and live with the consequences of those choices.
Because not everyone is like me and actively taking responsibility for today and tomorrow, the government takes some of the money that I earn and gives it to others that are less prepared for today and the future. The government does other things to help the country to operate but it seems to spend less and less time, effort and MY money doing what it was originally designed to do and instead is spending more and more time, effort and MY money trying to be grandma to everyone.
The only real right everyone in this country actually has is the right to FAIL. The right to try to make a life for yourself and your family and to fall flat on your face in that effort. You also have the right to pick yourself up, dust your self off and try again. You do not have a right to expect anyone to help you or for the government to give you anything because you don’t think something is fair. Life is not fair but generally speaking, it is what you make of it.
Monday, February 6, 2006
Stephen King, Cell
I just received a copy of Stephen King's Cell as a gift. I am looking forward it quite a bit. I did not even know he has written a new book. From the book jacket, it sounds to be along the lines of “The Stand” but that is just a first impression. I will try to post a review when I have finished reading it.
I like King's writing a lot and have enjoyed his other books a great deal. His Dark Tower series was very engaging. I appreciate King’s writing style. He can be very succinct in his descriptions and word usage. Many writers will use 150 words to tell you 100 words worth whereas King can get the same accomplished in 75. He also has very expansive stories. They are not ‘drawn out’ to fill pages, there is just a lot to tell. I like that. A Stephen King story is big enough to sink your teeth into and take a big bite. No nibblers here!
I like King's writing a lot and have enjoyed his other books a great deal. His Dark Tower series was very engaging. I appreciate King’s writing style. He can be very succinct in his descriptions and word usage. Many writers will use 150 words to tell you 100 words worth whereas King can get the same accomplished in 75. He also has very expansive stories. They are not ‘drawn out’ to fill pages, there is just a lot to tell. I like that. A Stephen King story is big enough to sink your teeth into and take a big bite. No nibblers here!
1776, the book
I finished reading 1776 by David McCullough this weekend. Found it quite interesting. If you are not familiar with this book, it is touted as an accurate account of the first year of the war for independence. It relies heavily on material from that period and includes copious references. It is written in a conversational style with excerpts from actual letters, documents, diary entries and newspaper articles. It is not at all dry reading. I would look forward to a follow-up book that covered the entire war in this style and to this level.
Friday, February 3, 2006
Muhammad
I have decided to join the ranks of those blogs that are posting the Muhammad cartoons in support of free expression and in support of the Denmark press. I am doing this for one main reason. No group, under any circumstances should be able to dictate limits to my first amendment rights without a very strong national security reason. It is one thing to expect those that exercise their right to free expression to use that right responsibly. It is quite another to have a group that goes out of its’ way to exercise that right to denigrate other groups but can not stomach even the smallest showing in return.
And as to the excuse/argument that it is the equivalent of a mortal sin in Islam to show an image of Muhammad, I say bunk to that! There is ample proof available to show that this ‘rule’ is selectively enforced, at best. Check out this site for a start and Google from there.
Update 2/6/2006:
I have been following this story like a lot of people that are ‘browsers’ and have read opinions on both sides of the discussion. On the one hand you have those that say that publishing the cartoons is wrong because it offends Muslims. On the other hand you have those who say so what, it is called freedom of speech. I chose to post the cartoons for the reasons stated above and I still believe that it was and is the right thing to do.
I can understand the position of those that say (as do I) that with rights come responsibilities but I also say, you can not have it both ways. The Arab press is constantly publishing the most vile, hurtful and hateful stories, cartoons and lies of Israel, Jews and Christians. They don’t seem to see anything wrong with that. So satire is not the problem It is also (despite what you might have heard or read, see top of this post) not uncommon to see images of Muhammad in Arab countries as well as the rest of the world. So that is not the problem either. The problem seems to be that it was done by Westerners, at this particular time. As others have said, if you find the material offensive, you can do what every other individual or group does when it feels wronged in a CIVILIZED SOCIETY, you write a letter, hold a protest, and/or boycott. You do not do as has been done, riot in the streets, burn a few buildings, and threaten a bunch of other innocent people with death and destruction.
Oh well, just another ho-hum day in the life of the religion of piece…
Update 2/16/2006:
I have wanted to update this story with more recent information and did not get a chance until now. For anyone that does not know. The big picture on this appears to be that a Danish newspaper printed the twelve cartoons shown above back in September of 05. At that time some Danish imams got upset and tried to start a ‘row’. It quickly fizzled out and nothing came of it. The imams then decided that if they could not get any traction in Denmark, that they would try their luck in the Middle East. To help explain their case, the imams put together a pamphlet on the cartoons and (their view of) the prevailing sentiments toward Muslims, in Denmark. As the cartoons were rather bland, even by Muslim standards, the imams decided that the pamphlet needed a little ‘spicing up’ and they added three additional cartoons/images to it that were NEVER published in any paper in Denmark or anywhere else. In fact, one of the three was not even about Mohammad. It turns out to be a very pixilated photograph of a Frenchman in a hog calling contest. There is also some concern as to the true origins of the other two added items. Regardless, the imams took their ‘enhanced’ pamphlet on a road trip to the Middle East and showed it off to a number of the local imams. These local imams then whipped up their followers into the blood thirstily rage that was shown in various videos and news stories. As people have died/been killed, buildings and cars burned and lives directly and indirectly threatened, calling the rage blood thirsty is not over the top.
It is not clear whether any of the actual folks doing the rioting have seen any of the original cartoons or not, as very few if any of the papers in the Middle East will run them. There is also much confusion in America about the cartoons as very few U.S. papers will run them. If anything, this situation helps to demonstrate that more information is better than less. Either out of fear and/or sensitivity, most news organizations have not run all of the original cartoons nor have they deeply covered this story. This leaves the facts to speculation and allows some to take advantage of the situation. How many of those that are involved in the rioting and protesting would still be there if the full truth were known? I am not saying that there would not be some response just that we do not know how much more restrained it would be if all of the truth were known. Part of what gives these imams their power is ignorance and bowing to fear or sensitivity as opposed to truth feeds that power. As to if anything will happen to the original Danish imams for instigating all of this, no one knows. And that is the “rest of the story”.
Update 2/17/06:
The Danish cartoonist’ rebuttal is in stark contrast to the Muslim rebuke. Follow the link. "Gevoelig" means "sensitive" in Dutch.
Update 2/24/06:
U. S. Cartoonists fight back.
And other comments...
Update 3/1/06:
MANIFESTO: Together facing the new totalitarianism
and a very interesting rebuttal that is worth reading.
Update 3/14/06:
In his own words...
"I'm glad there was pain, and I wish there will be more pain," Moussaoui said. . . .
In a lengthy explanation of why he hates Americans, Moussaoui said Islam requires Muslims to be the world's superpower as he flipped through a copy of the Quran searching for verses to support his assertion. He said one verse requires Muslims "to fight against all who believe not in Allah."
Update 5/26/06:
Something has happened to the photo links but they are fixed now.
And as to the excuse/argument that it is the equivalent of a mortal sin in Islam to show an image of Muhammad, I say bunk to that! There is ample proof available to show that this ‘rule’ is selectively enforced, at best. Check out this site for a start and Google from there.
Update 2/6/2006:
I have been following this story like a lot of people that are ‘browsers’ and have read opinions on both sides of the discussion. On the one hand you have those that say that publishing the cartoons is wrong because it offends Muslims. On the other hand you have those who say so what, it is called freedom of speech. I chose to post the cartoons for the reasons stated above and I still believe that it was and is the right thing to do.
I can understand the position of those that say (as do I) that with rights come responsibilities but I also say, you can not have it both ways. The Arab press is constantly publishing the most vile, hurtful and hateful stories, cartoons and lies of Israel, Jews and Christians. They don’t seem to see anything wrong with that. So satire is not the problem It is also (despite what you might have heard or read, see top of this post) not uncommon to see images of Muhammad in Arab countries as well as the rest of the world. So that is not the problem either. The problem seems to be that it was done by Westerners, at this particular time. As others have said, if you find the material offensive, you can do what every other individual or group does when it feels wronged in a CIVILIZED SOCIETY, you write a letter, hold a protest, and/or boycott. You do not do as has been done, riot in the streets, burn a few buildings, and threaten a bunch of other innocent people with death and destruction.
Oh well, just another ho-hum day in the life of the religion of piece…
Update 2/16/2006:
I have wanted to update this story with more recent information and did not get a chance until now. For anyone that does not know. The big picture on this appears to be that a Danish newspaper printed the twelve cartoons shown above back in September of 05. At that time some Danish imams got upset and tried to start a ‘row’. It quickly fizzled out and nothing came of it. The imams then decided that if they could not get any traction in Denmark, that they would try their luck in the Middle East. To help explain their case, the imams put together a pamphlet on the cartoons and (their view of) the prevailing sentiments toward Muslims, in Denmark. As the cartoons were rather bland, even by Muslim standards, the imams decided that the pamphlet needed a little ‘spicing up’ and they added three additional cartoons/images to it that were NEVER published in any paper in Denmark or anywhere else. In fact, one of the three was not even about Mohammad. It turns out to be a very pixilated photograph of a Frenchman in a hog calling contest. There is also some concern as to the true origins of the other two added items. Regardless, the imams took their ‘enhanced’ pamphlet on a road trip to the Middle East and showed it off to a number of the local imams. These local imams then whipped up their followers into the blood thirstily rage that was shown in various videos and news stories. As people have died/been killed, buildings and cars burned and lives directly and indirectly threatened, calling the rage blood thirsty is not over the top.
It is not clear whether any of the actual folks doing the rioting have seen any of the original cartoons or not, as very few if any of the papers in the Middle East will run them. There is also much confusion in America about the cartoons as very few U.S. papers will run them. If anything, this situation helps to demonstrate that more information is better than less. Either out of fear and/or sensitivity, most news organizations have not run all of the original cartoons nor have they deeply covered this story. This leaves the facts to speculation and allows some to take advantage of the situation. How many of those that are involved in the rioting and protesting would still be there if the full truth were known? I am not saying that there would not be some response just that we do not know how much more restrained it would be if all of the truth were known. Part of what gives these imams their power is ignorance and bowing to fear or sensitivity as opposed to truth feeds that power. As to if anything will happen to the original Danish imams for instigating all of this, no one knows. And that is the “rest of the story”.
Update 2/17/06:
The Danish cartoonist’ rebuttal is in stark contrast to the Muslim rebuke. Follow the link. "Gevoelig" means "sensitive" in Dutch.
Update 2/24/06:
U. S. Cartoonists fight back.
And other comments...
Update 3/1/06:
MANIFESTO: Together facing the new totalitarianism
and a very interesting rebuttal that is worth reading.
Update 3/14/06:
In his own words...
"I'm glad there was pain, and I wish there will be more pain," Moussaoui said. . . .
In a lengthy explanation of why he hates Americans, Moussaoui said Islam requires Muslims to be the world's superpower as he flipped through a copy of the Quran searching for verses to support his assertion. He said one verse requires Muslims "to fight against all who believe not in Allah."
Update 5/26/06:
Something has happened to the photo links but they are fixed now.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Kennedy, Alito and the Supreme Court
Well it looks like Justice Alito has been confirmed after all. This entire episode is just another step in the ever quickening downward march of the “loony left”. Alito is, by the statements of everyone in the legal profession that knew him (from both sides of the fence) a fair, intelligent and open minded judge.
That is just not good enough for those on the left. A good and fair judge is not enough. You must be a warrior for social change. A progressive. That is the new code word for liberal, in case you did not know. The word “liberal” has been so tainted that a new “code” word was needed. Progressive was picked.
This mind set is very well illustrated by one of the poster boys for the “progressives”, Sen. Ted Kennedy.
Sen. Ted Kennedy on C-SPAN said in a speech to the President, of Justice Alito, “And that is what we are doing (voice quavering) with this nominee. HE FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE before this Judiciary Committee that he was committed to the continued march for progress...”.
I did not realize that the Supreme Court was responsible for continuing the march of social progress. I thought the point and purpose of the Supreme Court was to uphold or strike down laws and court rulings as judged by how well they conform to the framework of the constitution. To rule on law, not make it. I guess that makes me also, out of the main stream…
That is just not good enough for those on the left. A good and fair judge is not enough. You must be a warrior for social change. A progressive. That is the new code word for liberal, in case you did not know. The word “liberal” has been so tainted that a new “code” word was needed. Progressive was picked.
This mind set is very well illustrated by one of the poster boys for the “progressives”, Sen. Ted Kennedy.
Sen. Ted Kennedy on C-SPAN said in a speech to the President, of Justice Alito, “And that is what we are doing (voice quavering) with this nominee. HE FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE before this Judiciary Committee that he was committed to the continued march for progress...”.
I did not realize that the Supreme Court was responsible for continuing the march of social progress. I thought the point and purpose of the Supreme Court was to uphold or strike down laws and court rulings as judged by how well they conform to the framework of the constitution. To rule on law, not make it. I guess that makes me also, out of the main stream…
Friday, January 13, 2006
The Oscars
I don’t watch the Oscars. There I said it out loud. I also don’t watch the Golden Globes, the Peoples Choice Awards or any of the other “entertainers honoring entertainers” award shows. I don’t care much if they are sports stars, music stars, movie stars or any other ‘stars’ of the entertainment class. All of those ‘shows’ are just self congratulatory self-love fests of ego stroking.
Part of my disdain for these public shows of self adulation is rooted in my general apathy toward the entertainment industry as a whole (which in my mind includes all of the groups mentioned above) and partially because nothing that happens in the lives of highly paid, generally over indulged stars has any affect on my life (unless one of them happens to decide to give me a few million dollars). It is really sad that more people can tell you who JayLo is currently dating/married to/going with/whatever than can tell you the name of the Secretary of State of the USA or has a clue about the current political scandal in Canada.
While we are on the subject, I really do not care what Sean Penn, George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Alec Baldwin, Kirsten Dunst, Ted Nugent or any other celebrity/star thinks. All of these people are paid to entertain me and that is all that they should do. Anything they say that is outside of a paid performance should carry the same weight and get the same attention as that of any random, anonymous person off of the street. To allow these folks to comment on any subject outside of their chosen field of pursuit and treat it as some sort of insightful addition to the debate would be hysterical if not for the fawning multitudes that fall all over themselves to drink from these self anointed fountains of wisdom.
I am not saying that this group of people can not contribute to the debate on any subject or that they should not be allowed to talk at all. I am just saying that their comments should be treated just as those from any other random person and not as a holy mandate. You would not normally ask your mailman for information on spinal surgery. You would not normally ask your doctor about setting up a collage trust. Why would you think that an entertainer would have much relevant to say concerning world affairs or politics? Is the thought that because they are so wealthy that they can afford to spend more time actually learning all about these subjects and can spend huge amounts of time discussing the finer points with other deep thinkers? I think not. Me thinks it is just because they are ‘stars’. Well this is still America and anyone has the right to say whatever they want but I have a right too. The right not to have to listen to them exercising theirs.
Part of my disdain for these public shows of self adulation is rooted in my general apathy toward the entertainment industry as a whole (which in my mind includes all of the groups mentioned above) and partially because nothing that happens in the lives of highly paid, generally over indulged stars has any affect on my life (unless one of them happens to decide to give me a few million dollars). It is really sad that more people can tell you who JayLo is currently dating/married to/going with/whatever than can tell you the name of the Secretary of State of the USA or has a clue about the current political scandal in Canada.
While we are on the subject, I really do not care what Sean Penn, George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Alec Baldwin, Kirsten Dunst, Ted Nugent or any other celebrity/star thinks. All of these people are paid to entertain me and that is all that they should do. Anything they say that is outside of a paid performance should carry the same weight and get the same attention as that of any random, anonymous person off of the street. To allow these folks to comment on any subject outside of their chosen field of pursuit and treat it as some sort of insightful addition to the debate would be hysterical if not for the fawning multitudes that fall all over themselves to drink from these self anointed fountains of wisdom.
I am not saying that this group of people can not contribute to the debate on any subject or that they should not be allowed to talk at all. I am just saying that their comments should be treated just as those from any other random person and not as a holy mandate. You would not normally ask your mailman for information on spinal surgery. You would not normally ask your doctor about setting up a collage trust. Why would you think that an entertainer would have much relevant to say concerning world affairs or politics? Is the thought that because they are so wealthy that they can afford to spend more time actually learning all about these subjects and can spend huge amounts of time discussing the finer points with other deep thinkers? I think not. Me thinks it is just because they are ‘stars’. Well this is still America and anyone has the right to say whatever they want but I have a right too. The right not to have to listen to them exercising theirs.
Hypocrisy Example #219
The controversy following revelations that U.S. intelligence agencies have monitored suspected terrorist related communications since 9/11 reflects a severe case of selective amnesia by the New York Times and other media opponents of President Bush. They certainly didn't show the same outrage when a much more invasive and indiscriminate domestic surveillance program came to light during the Clinton administration in the 1990's. At that time, the Times called the surveillance 'a necessity.'
When a Democrat does the same thing as a Republican, the Democrat is doing it for noble and good reasons while the Republican is doing it because they are just plain evil. Media bias, what media bias?
When a Democrat does the same thing as a Republican, the Democrat is doing it for noble and good reasons while the Republican is doing it because they are just plain evil. Media bias, what media bias?
Four Kings
I saw Four Kings last night for the first time. It was their second episode. Most likely, I will not be watching any more.
It is about four single guys that are sharing an apartment in the city. That means that the show is about four different flavors of ‘hound dogs’. Last night’s episode was mostly about trying to hook up, specifically trying to get a one night stand. I can only assume that this is what each episode will be about as it involves four single guys, trying to hook up.
There was one part that was rather amusing though, if I am not giving the writers too much credit. One of the regulars had to baby sit an ex-girlfriends young twin daughters. The guy was having trouble sleeping and the twins said that they could help by singing him to sleep. They then broke out in song. I had a flash back to those old Japanese monster movies from the 70s. A few included a pair of vary tiny (like 9 inches tall tiny) twin native girls that could sing to attract monsters or to put them to sleep. I hope that is what they were going for because if it was, it was quite inspired.
It is about four single guys that are sharing an apartment in the city. That means that the show is about four different flavors of ‘hound dogs’. Last night’s episode was mostly about trying to hook up, specifically trying to get a one night stand. I can only assume that this is what each episode will be about as it involves four single guys, trying to hook up.
There was one part that was rather amusing though, if I am not giving the writers too much credit. One of the regulars had to baby sit an ex-girlfriends young twin daughters. The guy was having trouble sleeping and the twins said that they could help by singing him to sleep. They then broke out in song. I had a flash back to those old Japanese monster movies from the 70s. A few included a pair of vary tiny (like 9 inches tall tiny) twin native girls that could sing to attract monsters or to put them to sleep. I hope that is what they were going for because if it was, it was quite inspired.
Monday, January 9, 2006
The deafening silence of NOW
The silence from NOW is not quite unexpected. This is really not much different than the deafening silence from NOW during the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. They are all for woman's rights until it runs up against their political leanings. It was fine for Clinton to take advantage of a much younger, subordinate from what is arguably the most powerful of power positions because, one can only assume, he was/is a Democrat.
This is in sharp contrast to the allocations against Arnold S. (when he was running for governor of CA) that he had groped women some 20 years earlier. With Clinton, we had the stained dress, with Arnold we have hearsay. I am not saying it didn't happen, I am just contrasting the difference in positions and coverage and cover afforded to those on the left versus those on the right. Also where is NOW on the ritual mutilation of girls that takes place every day in Africa? I guess they have more pressing matters here at home.
This is in sharp contrast to the allocations against Arnold S. (when he was running for governor of CA) that he had groped women some 20 years earlier. With Clinton, we had the stained dress, with Arnold we have hearsay. I am not saying it didn't happen, I am just contrasting the difference in positions and coverage and cover afforded to those on the left versus those on the right. Also where is NOW on the ritual mutilation of girls that takes place every day in Africa? I guess they have more pressing matters here at home.
Up in smoke
Very interesting OpEd on the affects and side-affects of anti-smoking laws.
I don't smoke. My wife used to. My dad smoked for over 40 years and my mother never smoked. I am of the opinion that if most folks practiced a little common courtesy and that the issue of whether you are or are not allowed to smoke somewhere were governed by the owner of the place, this would be a non-issue. If a place allows smoking and you don't like it, don't go there. Either enough folks will be like minded to cause the owner to change his mind or another business will pop up to cater to your needs.
I can see though that there may need to be some specific no smoking areas, like airplanes, where everyone is packed into a small space with no fresh air but that too can or could be managed by the business.
Too many folks forget that you should only make rules/laws on the minimum necessary and they should be as general as possible. The best set of 'laws' ever written are the 10 commandments. Religion has nothing to do with it. Read them. They cover all behavior in just 10 rules. Nearly anything that you can do today can be fit into these 10. Everything else is just thinner slices of the same bread.
I don't smoke. My wife used to. My dad smoked for over 40 years and my mother never smoked. I am of the opinion that if most folks practiced a little common courtesy and that the issue of whether you are or are not allowed to smoke somewhere were governed by the owner of the place, this would be a non-issue. If a place allows smoking and you don't like it, don't go there. Either enough folks will be like minded to cause the owner to change his mind or another business will pop up to cater to your needs.
I can see though that there may need to be some specific no smoking areas, like airplanes, where everyone is packed into a small space with no fresh air but that too can or could be managed by the business.
Too many folks forget that you should only make rules/laws on the minimum necessary and they should be as general as possible. The best set of 'laws' ever written are the 10 commandments. Religion has nothing to do with it. Read them. They cover all behavior in just 10 rules. Nearly anything that you can do today can be fit into these 10. Everything else is just thinner slices of the same bread.
Wednesday, January 4, 2006
New year, new start
Well I am back from my CHRISTMAS vacation, yes I said CHRISTMAS, not holiday. It is indeed a holiday but the word holiday is descriptive, not a noun. My wife and I decided to get out of town this year, way out of town. Out of the country in fact. All the way to Jamaica. We stayed in one of those all-inclusive resorts. Had a very good time. One of the things I like best about an all-inclusive is that they are all inclusive. You are not reaching into your wallet every 5 minutes for every little thing that you want to do. Included in your stay is food and drink (to include alcohol), the room and activities. In our case activities included a wide variety of non-motorized activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, swimming, volleyball, etc. One of the things that I liked about the place that we stayed is that at 11:00PM sharp, the outdoor shows end and silence takes over. There was at least one club that was always open so those that wanted to party-on could but those of us that wanted to or needed to sleep, could too. As with most vacations, it was a bit too short.
Got to play with a new video camera that we got just in time to take with us. A Sony DVRDVD403. Was very nice. Uses mini-DVDs. Either DVD-R, DVD-RW or DVD+RW. Each has different benefits and features. The camera takes videos and stills at 3 mega-pixels and has a number of very nice features. I just wish the zoom was better, more like that on the DVRDVD92.
Got to play with a new video camera that we got just in time to take with us. A Sony DVRDVD403. Was very nice. Uses mini-DVDs. Either DVD-R, DVD-RW or DVD+RW. Each has different benefits and features. The camera takes videos and stills at 3 mega-pixels and has a number of very nice features. I just wish the zoom was better, more like that on the DVRDVD92.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Thank you, Morgan Freeman
Thank you, Morgan Freeman!
"I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history."
and
Freeman notes there is no "white history month," and says the only way to get rid of racism is to "stop talking about it."
I have been thinking and saying the same for quite some time. I believe that the racism that still exists in America is such a pale version of that which existed in decades past. I am not saying that racism is gone but take a good look around. Race relations in this country is SO good that it is not even of note any longer to see inter-racial couples. The level is SO not where it was and the cause of race relations is not helped in any way by the professional race-baters using any current event to trumpet the race horn. I believe that the country is at the point where we could just let it go. As Freeman says, it is not black history or white history or yellow history, it is American history. I am just glad someone of Feeman's prominence said it.
"I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history."
and
Freeman notes there is no "white history month," and says the only way to get rid of racism is to "stop talking about it."
I have been thinking and saying the same for quite some time. I believe that the racism that still exists in America is such a pale version of that which existed in decades past. I am not saying that racism is gone but take a good look around. Race relations in this country is SO good that it is not even of note any longer to see inter-racial couples. The level is SO not where it was and the cause of race relations is not helped in any way by the professional race-baters using any current event to trumpet the race horn. I believe that the country is at the point where we could just let it go. As Freeman says, it is not black history or white history or yellow history, it is American history. I am just glad someone of Feeman's prominence said it.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Reporting from Iraq
If I am truly unbiased, then I need to get used to this one simple fact; that the untold story, might in fact, be a positive one.
All I can say about this is "do you think?". Read the whole thing.
All I can say about this is "do you think?". Read the whole thing.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Frog water
I was watching the nightly news last night and one of the stories was about Iraq. In this piece, the reporter was out in a village that was fairly isolated. It did not look like the village had electricity or sanitation or running water. In fact, the point of this story seemed to be about the water well that was on one of the villager’s property. The owner of the well was sharing his water with the rest of the village and everyone seemed OK with that.
The reporter then went on about how the villagers had to ‘share’ their well with some frogs. To drive the point home, the camera-man showed the well and it had two frogs in it. The well looked to be about 6 feet deep with about a foot of water in it. If the darn frogs bothered the villagers so much, it looked like it would be fairly easy for them to fish the frogs out and get rid of them. They were just frogs. These are people that are so grateful to have ANY water at all.
So many things are so relative and it seems that the news can not help but try to show anything in the worst possible light. Instead of a story of how a remote village was sharing their limited resources and everyone was getting along and surviving, it was a story about how the poor, poor villagers had to drink ‘frog’ water. Grow up already. To put this in a little perspective, have you not ever taken a drink from a stream? Also, there people in are places in Africa (and I am sure in Iraq as well) that would give their right arm to have a supply of water, frogs included.
The reporter then went on about how the villagers had to ‘share’ their well with some frogs. To drive the point home, the camera-man showed the well and it had two frogs in it. The well looked to be about 6 feet deep with about a foot of water in it. If the darn frogs bothered the villagers so much, it looked like it would be fairly easy for them to fish the frogs out and get rid of them. They were just frogs. These are people that are so grateful to have ANY water at all.
So many things are so relative and it seems that the news can not help but try to show anything in the worst possible light. Instead of a story of how a remote village was sharing their limited resources and everyone was getting along and surviving, it was a story about how the poor, poor villagers had to drink ‘frog’ water. Grow up already. To put this in a little perspective, have you not ever taken a drink from a stream? Also, there people in are places in Africa (and I am sure in Iraq as well) that would give their right arm to have a supply of water, frogs included.
Just say no to the movies...
My main comment on this passage;
Hollywood honchos continue to wring their hands over why you've stopped going to the movies. They blame ticket prices and DVD availability. They had better start considering the fact that filmmakers are so disconnected, so nihilistic, that the hopelessness and hostility they feel toward the world now permeates their work. Americans will no longer go see movies which are nothing more than the manifestation of the backwash of malignant narcissists. We're also sick and tired of listening to actors lecture us about how awful the US is, and
more recently, why a cold-blooded mass murdering gang founder should have been
given clemency. Enough is enough.
is right on!
Also, I don’t mind being surprised by a movie. To a degree, that is what I am paying for. To be whisked away from the every-day and told a story. Movies like “The Village”, “6th Sense”, SAW, and “Flight Plan” were able to do that.
What I DON”T like or want is to be fooled and it seems that Hollywood is more and more getting into the ‘fooling’ game instead of the ‘surprising’ game. The earliest example of this type of movie that I can easily remember was “The Crying Game”. A more recent example is “Million Dollar Baby”. Both of these movies were sold as something other than what they were. They were meant to shock “vanilla middle America” and to “open our eyes”. I don’t go to the movies to learn Hollywood’s lessons.
Lately it just feels like a lot of what Hollywood does, it does “because it can” or because “the director wants to make a statement” or wants to make the story “their own” or to show ‘America” how wrong/bad/evil/stupid/dupes we are. Get over it. If you want to make movies for yourself, more power to you. Have at it and have fun but that does not give you the right or the moral high-ground to get into a snit when no one wants to see your “great vision”.
For example, compare “The Big Red One” with “Jar Head”. Both are war movies but “The Big Red One” was a war story told from a solder’s perspective about the war. It covered the suffering and hardships of war but was entertaining and satisfying. “Jar Head” is about Hollywood’s expectations of modern solders. One was compelling and entertaining and the other was a waste of film.
Oh, and my wife and I completely enjoyed “The Incredibles”.
Hollywood honchos continue to wring their hands over why you've stopped going to the movies. They blame ticket prices and DVD availability. They had better start considering the fact that filmmakers are so disconnected, so nihilistic, that the hopelessness and hostility they feel toward the world now permeates their work. Americans will no longer go see movies which are nothing more than the manifestation of the backwash of malignant narcissists. We're also sick and tired of listening to actors lecture us about how awful the US is, and
more recently, why a cold-blooded mass murdering gang founder should have been
given clemency. Enough is enough.
is right on!
Also, I don’t mind being surprised by a movie. To a degree, that is what I am paying for. To be whisked away from the every-day and told a story. Movies like “The Village”, “6th Sense”, SAW, and “Flight Plan” were able to do that.
What I DON”T like or want is to be fooled and it seems that Hollywood is more and more getting into the ‘fooling’ game instead of the ‘surprising’ game. The earliest example of this type of movie that I can easily remember was “The Crying Game”. A more recent example is “Million Dollar Baby”. Both of these movies were sold as something other than what they were. They were meant to shock “vanilla middle America” and to “open our eyes”. I don’t go to the movies to learn Hollywood’s lessons.
Lately it just feels like a lot of what Hollywood does, it does “because it can” or because “the director wants to make a statement” or wants to make the story “their own” or to show ‘America” how wrong/bad/evil/stupid/dupes we are. Get over it. If you want to make movies for yourself, more power to you. Have at it and have fun but that does not give you the right or the moral high-ground to get into a snit when no one wants to see your “great vision”.
For example, compare “The Big Red One” with “Jar Head”. Both are war movies but “The Big Red One” was a war story told from a solder’s perspective about the war. It covered the suffering and hardships of war but was entertaining and satisfying. “Jar Head” is about Hollywood’s expectations of modern solders. One was compelling and entertaining and the other was a waste of film.
Oh, and my wife and I completely enjoyed “The Incredibles”.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
All done with Boston Legal
Last night was probably my last episode of Boston Legal. I was out of town last week so my wife recorded it for me and I finally got a chance to see it last night. I saw the trend coming but I was hoping that the writers could restrain themselves. I guess it was just too much to ask. In this episode the story line had two of the junior lawyers impersonate FBI agents with the help of an FBI agent. He gave the lawyers badges and a fake search warrant. The show was not done there; they then had one of the lawyers ‘accidentally’ chop off three fingers from a priest’ hand, had the priest break the confessional seal and be a crook. On top of that they have turned the only conservative character into a walking joke.
James Spader’s character, Alan Shore, used to be interesting, now he is just a liberal stereotype. William Shatner as Denny Crane was accosted by a homeless man and he shot the homeless man with a paintball gun. The homeless man tried to sue, was bullied by Shatner and so Spader decided to defend him. As part of his speech on that, he actually said that America let poor people die during the Katrina hurricane because they were poor. I can understand this sort of talk from the professional race baiters but I expected more from TV (shame on me).
Well I am done with BL...
James Spader’s character, Alan Shore, used to be interesting, now he is just a liberal stereotype. William Shatner as Denny Crane was accosted by a homeless man and he shot the homeless man with a paintball gun. The homeless man tried to sue, was bullied by Shatner and so Spader decided to defend him. As part of his speech on that, he actually said that America let poor people die during the Katrina hurricane because they were poor. I can understand this sort of talk from the professional race baiters but I expected more from TV (shame on me).
Well I am done with BL...
Monday, December 12, 2005
Regardless of how you feel about Christmas...
Regardless of how you feel about the Christmas holiday there is just NO justification for this. He may or may not be doing this as a joke but it is still over the line. As the article says, the kids in the neighborhood can see this. Part of being an adult is showing a little restraint. Just because you can do something does not mean you should.
And where is the media on stories like this?
Saddam Hussein loyalists who violently opposed January elections have made an about-face as Thursday's polls near, urging fellow Sunni Arabs to vote and warning al Qaeda militants not to attack.
In a move unthinkable in the bloody run-up to the last election, guerrillas in the western insurgent heartland of Anbar province say they are even prepared to protect voting stations from fighters loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al Qaeda in Iraq.
Graffiti calling for holy war is now hard to find. . . .
But Saddam loyalists have turned against Zarqawi, a Jordanian militant whose fighters travel to Iraq from across the Arab world to blow themselves up in a bid to spark sectarian civil war.
"Zarqawi is an American, Israeli and Iranian agent who is trying to keep our country unstable so that the Sunnis will keep facing occupation," said a Baathist insurgent leader who would give his name only as Abu Abdullah.
Yes there are bad things happening over there but there are good things happening over there too. The voices in the MSM shout about how they are the protectors of truth well this is truth too. The nightly news is 'oh so quick' to give the latest casualty figures for road-side bombs (yes that is news and needs to be reported) but what about how many schools have opened or hospitals? How about a little word on the new freedoms being experienced by your average Iraq in the street? It seems that all of the major news outlets are using the same 'news worthy' filter and it seems to be tuned for bad news only. Half the truth is not the truth. It is called a sin of omission.
In a move unthinkable in the bloody run-up to the last election, guerrillas in the western insurgent heartland of Anbar province say they are even prepared to protect voting stations from fighters loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al Qaeda in Iraq.
Graffiti calling for holy war is now hard to find. . . .
But Saddam loyalists have turned against Zarqawi, a Jordanian militant whose fighters travel to Iraq from across the Arab world to blow themselves up in a bid to spark sectarian civil war.
"Zarqawi is an American, Israeli and Iranian agent who is trying to keep our country unstable so that the Sunnis will keep facing occupation," said a Baathist insurgent leader who would give his name only as Abu Abdullah.
Yes there are bad things happening over there but there are good things happening over there too. The voices in the MSM shout about how they are the protectors of truth well this is truth too. The nightly news is 'oh so quick' to give the latest casualty figures for road-side bombs (yes that is news and needs to be reported) but what about how many schools have opened or hospitals? How about a little word on the new freedoms being experienced by your average Iraq in the street? It seems that all of the major news outlets are using the same 'news worthy' filter and it seems to be tuned for bad news only. Half the truth is not the truth. It is called a sin of omission.
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
WiFi
I do a bit more air travel than I used to and I really appreciate the WiFi setup at the Orlando Airport. The entire airport appears to be covered and no matter what terminal I am it, it works just fine. It is surprising how quickly that you not only get used to such technology but start to take it for granted. It definitely makes it more bearable to spend time in the airport between flights when you have Internet access and it does not hurt when it is free access to boot.
The Atlanta airport has WiFi too but it is not freely available. Would like them to 'fix' that.
The Atlanta airport has WiFi too but it is not freely available. Would like them to 'fix' that.
Friday, December 2, 2005
Police chases
Does anyone know exactly when it became the fault of the police when anyone is hurt as the result of the police attempting to apprehend a fleeing suspect? So many police departments seem to be issuing restrictive policies on when police can pursue fleeing suspects. Many are along the lines of “if the suspect is wanted for minor traffic violations (or similar) and while fleeing exceed X miles per hour, brake off the chase”. I don’t get any of the supposed reasons for this. I don’t think that there is ANY reason that the police should willingly stop chasing a fleeing suspect. My reasons are:
- The suspect is fleeing from the police. This by definition makes them guilty of failure to obey a police officer. No one knows what else they may be wanted for. America’s most wanted could have just gotten away because this time they just had a broken tail light.
- Why are they fleeing? We don’t know. That is the point. They could be just afraid of another traffic ticket or there could be a 13 year old girl in the trunk. The fact that they ran should raise a red flag and demand that they police catch them.
- Anyone and everyone that is hurt during a chase and subsequent apprehension is the fault and responsibility of the suspect. The police would not have had to chase them if they had stopped. No one else would have been hurt had they stopped.
I believe that these sorts of pursuit policies just encourage suspects to flee from the police. The mindset being “if I just go fast enough, quickly enough, the police will stop chasing me and I will get away”. I just don’t see the sense in that. The police want to catch ‘bad guys’ and make the streets safer. Restrictive pursuit policies do not help.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Misdirected angst
I just watched a report on the network nightly news concerning the marketing and selling of mature video games to minors. At least half of the surveyed minors said that they were able to purchase adult rated games. I agree that this is not good. The news reporter then interviewed a representative from the video game industry to discuss whether the game rating system works. Isn't that a little misdirected? Why not talk to the stores that sold the games? Getting upset at the game industry about minors purchasing adult rated games is like getting upset with Philip Morris because a convenience store sold a minor a pack of cigarettes.
Tribes and Other Whittle Writtings
If you have never had the pleasure of reading William Whittle then you are missing out on some of the most honest, thought provoking and inspired essays available on the web. A prime example is his Tribes essay. He rates as a must read in my book. My only complaint is that he doesn’t post often enough.
Google's gmail service
I recently signed up for one of those gmail accounts from Google. Can’t say yet how I feel about their twist on the mail ‘bag’. Their system does not seem to support folders or other traditional visual categorizing method for messages. They do allow you to give a message a ‘label’ which you can filter on to view groups of messages. It also appears that they track and condense message threads (where you send a message, some one responds, you respond again and so on) into a single message cutting down on the total number of mail messages to display/manage but I have not used it enough yet to decide if I like it or not.
You can sign up for a gmail account here (this is not a promotion of the service, just including it for completeness).
You can sign up for a gmail account here (this is not a promotion of the service, just including it for completeness).
Monday, November 28, 2005
Portable storage on the go
My new job has made me a frequent traveler and I like having backups of my data when I do travel. I was using (and still have) one of those USB memory sticks. It is OK and it holds a Gig which is nice but it was starting to get full so I started looking for another, at a fair price. What I found instead is one of these.
I actually have their 6 gig version and I have to say I like it a lot. It is small and contains a 6 gig hard drive, is totally powered off of the USB port, holds plenty, was not too expensive compared to the memory sticks I looked at, comes with a nice case and (I think) best of all, the actual USB plug-in swivels 180 degrees so you can twist the body to fit into those cramped USB ports. I use it with my laptop to store important files and presentations while on the road and as a general data backup device.
I could have gotten a 40 gig unit for just a few dollars more but all of the units of that size needed external power and I just did not want to go there.
I actually have their 6 gig version and I have to say I like it a lot. It is small and contains a 6 gig hard drive, is totally powered off of the USB port, holds plenty, was not too expensive compared to the memory sticks I looked at, comes with a nice case and (I think) best of all, the actual USB plug-in swivels 180 degrees so you can twist the body to fit into those cramped USB ports. I use it with my laptop to store important files and presentations while on the road and as a general data backup device.
I could have gotten a 40 gig unit for just a few dollars more but all of the units of that size needed external power and I just did not want to go there.
About me...
I am a middle aged, white male. It sounds funny to say middle aged because I don't feel that way in-side. I probably look that way on the outside, like a weather-worn house but you don't see that from the in-side and it is easy to not see it when you look in the mirror. Your mind's eye is a powerful thing and it continues to show you a younger you long after the fact.
I am married to a wonderful woman that I didn't deserve then and still mostly don't deserve now. We have been together for over 20 years, married for 10. We have no kids. We do have two dogs.
I work in the software industry by day and putter with various other activities at night. My wife spends most of her time taking care of me (believe me it is a full time job and I would not want it for anything).
I recently (earlier this year) started a new job after 13 years with my prior company. I have also just started going to collage (online) after more than 20 years out of school. I was able to locate an online program that allows me the flexibility to get the course work done when I can without the scheduling nightmare of trying to get to a brick-n-mortar building X times a week.
My life is good, happy and full. I like who I am, where I am, what I am doing and who I am doing it with.
Everyone should be so lucky.
I am married to a wonderful woman that I didn't deserve then and still mostly don't deserve now. We have been together for over 20 years, married for 10. We have no kids. We do have two dogs.
I work in the software industry by day and putter with various other activities at night. My wife spends most of her time taking care of me (believe me it is a full time job and I would not want it for anything).
I recently (earlier this year) started a new job after 13 years with my prior company. I have also just started going to collage (online) after more than 20 years out of school. I was able to locate an online program that allows me the flexibility to get the course work done when I can without the scheduling nightmare of trying to get to a brick-n-mortar building X times a week.
My life is good, happy and full. I like who I am, where I am, what I am doing and who I am doing it with.
Everyone should be so lucky.
First Post
This is my first post to this blog. I plan to use this soapbox to spout, shout, talk, mutter, muse, and of course rant. Read, comment, enjoy.
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