Friday, November 30, 2007
Teddy Bear Imbroglio
I thought I'd seen everything. There are riots in the streets of Khartoum calling for the head of the fifty-something British teacher who had the temerity to name a Teddy Bear "Mohammed." The fifteen-day jail sentence was just far too lenient.
TEN THOUSAND people, some carrying knives and sticks, have marched on the capital of Sudan calling for the teacher jailed for naming a teddy bear Mohammed to be shot.
To be shot. I've long held that the arrogance of the Bush administration and their hubristic myopia with respect to other cultures has done the United States a great disservice (to put it very, very mildly.) But this, to me, is just too fucked up. Is this eighth-century bloodlust just a manifestation of poverty and hopelessness brought about by repressive theocratic regimes?
I doubt there's a very rich stand-up comedy scene in Sudan. Headline: 12 Killed by Angry Audience at Khartoum's Laugh Factory Open-Mic Night
TEN THOUSAND people, some carrying knives and sticks, have marched on the capital of Sudan calling for the teacher jailed for naming a teddy bear Mohammed to be shot.
To be shot. I've long held that the arrogance of the Bush administration and their hubristic myopia with respect to other cultures has done the United States a great disservice (to put it very, very mildly.) But this, to me, is just too fucked up. Is this eighth-century bloodlust just a manifestation of poverty and hopelessness brought about by repressive theocratic regimes?
I doubt there's a very rich stand-up comedy scene in Sudan. Headline: 12 Killed by Angry Audience at Khartoum's Laugh Factory Open-Mic Night
Gumbel Bumble
For those of you who watched the Cowboys defeat the hated Packers last night, I think there's something we can all agree on: Bryant Gumbel is a shitty play-by-play guy. With four minutes left in the first-quarter, he had already mistakenly referred to the Cowboys as the Packers four times. At the conclusion of the game, he called Tony Romo "Rick Romo." My wife heard him refer to Brett Favre as "Frank." One time when Kevin Burnett came out of the game with an injury, Gumbel first said the injured player was Akin Ayodele, then said it was Bradie James, before finally settling on Burnett.
I'm sure play-by-play is much harder than it looks, but there's plenty of B and C-team guys out there that wouldn't make these fundamental errors that smack of a general lack of preparation.
Plenty more agreed. I googled "Bryant Gumbel play by play Cowboys Packers" and got a ton of results including flubs not mentioned above.
I'm sure play-by-play is much harder than it looks, but there's plenty of B and C-team guys out there that wouldn't make these fundamental errors that smack of a general lack of preparation.
Plenty more agreed. I googled "Bryant Gumbel play by play Cowboys Packers" and got a ton of results including flubs not mentioned above.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Thought Crimes
Let's go Orwellian...in a country that cherishes free speech, are ideas ever illegal?
I just read this piece in Slate about a new bill sponsored by Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) that is cruising through Congress. The overt parts of the bill, which some have dubbed the "Thought Crimes" bill, don't seem too nasty. It basically forms a study group to look into homegrown terrorism. Luckily homegrown terrorism hasn't happened much in the US, except for Pro-Life abortion clinic bombers, Timothy McVeigh, high-school shooter-uppers, and some radical lefty enviro-terrorists.
However the undercurrents of the bill seem to swirl around the use of the internet as a means of dispensing some pretty nasty material (and I'm not talking about Britney Spears beaver). In a hearing about the bill, Harman said that Americans:
"no longer need to travel to foreign countries or isolated backwoods compounds to become indoctrinated by extremists or learn how to kill their neighbor. On the contrary, the Internet allows them to share violent goals and plot from the comfort of their own living rooms."
The author of the article, Dahlia Lithwick, concludes:
The point of this new legislation isn't just to interrupt existing homegrown terror plots but to do something about the radical ideas that inspire them. That may be a worthy goal, but it's assuredly a goal that implicates protected speech.
So here's the rub, as I see it. Ideas are OK, plots are not so OK. Free-speechers like me are faced with distinguishing between and idea and a plot...lots of slippery slopes here into murky waters. What about revolutionary talk about overthrowing the government? As I've heard, sometimes in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another. Ain't that why we still have guns?
But, is it okay to post instructions for making a pipe-bomb, or an IED, what about a nucular weapon or biological weapon? My answer is a reluctant yes, because I think free speech is that important, and that we have the FBI, Homeland Security, Police for something other than doughnuts.
Would we prefer the antithesis, China, where they have hundreds of thousands of people whose sole job is to censor the internet, including censoring anything smacking of political criticism or democracy.
Of course it all comes back to the see-saw between freedom and security, with 9/11 being the current fulcrum. I'll always err on the side of freedom, but, in fairness, I don't want to dismiss those that are willing to trade a little freedom for security. My problem is that those are the same people that generally want to apply the manacles of "Traditional values" and "culture wars" with charactheristic missionary zeal. At some point in that murky swamp down from the slippery slope, my non-traditional values and countercultural thinking might be the next Thought Crime.
I just read this piece in Slate about a new bill sponsored by Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) that is cruising through Congress. The overt parts of the bill, which some have dubbed the "Thought Crimes" bill, don't seem too nasty. It basically forms a study group to look into homegrown terrorism. Luckily homegrown terrorism hasn't happened much in the US, except for Pro-Life abortion clinic bombers, Timothy McVeigh, high-school shooter-uppers, and some radical lefty enviro-terrorists.
However the undercurrents of the bill seem to swirl around the use of the internet as a means of dispensing some pretty nasty material (and I'm not talking about Britney Spears beaver). In a hearing about the bill, Harman said that Americans:
"no longer need to travel to foreign countries or isolated backwoods compounds to become indoctrinated by extremists or learn how to kill their neighbor. On the contrary, the Internet allows them to share violent goals and plot from the comfort of their own living rooms."
The author of the article, Dahlia Lithwick, concludes:
The point of this new legislation isn't just to interrupt existing homegrown terror plots but to do something about the radical ideas that inspire them. That may be a worthy goal, but it's assuredly a goal that implicates protected speech.
So here's the rub, as I see it. Ideas are OK, plots are not so OK. Free-speechers like me are faced with distinguishing between and idea and a plot...lots of slippery slopes here into murky waters. What about revolutionary talk about overthrowing the government? As I've heard, sometimes in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another. Ain't that why we still have guns?
But, is it okay to post instructions for making a pipe-bomb, or an IED, what about a nucular weapon or biological weapon? My answer is a reluctant yes, because I think free speech is that important, and that we have the FBI, Homeland Security, Police for something other than doughnuts.
Would we prefer the antithesis, China, where they have hundreds of thousands of people whose sole job is to censor the internet, including censoring anything smacking of political criticism or democracy.
Of course it all comes back to the see-saw between freedom and security, with 9/11 being the current fulcrum. I'll always err on the side of freedom, but, in fairness, I don't want to dismiss those that are willing to trade a little freedom for security. My problem is that those are the same people that generally want to apply the manacles of "Traditional values" and "culture wars" with charactheristic missionary zeal. At some point in that murky swamp down from the slippery slope, my non-traditional values and countercultural thinking might be the next Thought Crime.
Steve L's Turkey Trot
I wanted to give props to our good friend Steve for holding his own Turkey Trot in Baghdad. Steve's been running in the Cowtown Turkey Trot for the last several years (if not the last decade...I haven't made one yet.) The problem was, he couldn't make it this year because he decided to stop complaining about Iraq and, instead, try to do something about it. So he loaded up the truck and moved to...Baghdad...with the State Department working on reconstruction projects. But Steve's a doer*, and it will come as no surprise to any that he organized his own Thanksgiving Run in the Green Zone. He emailed me that it came off quite well.
*Except for that one August day when he left us with a moving van full of boxes, a new house, and a tepid water hose (in a dry city), then went to see his son's soccer game.
*Except for that one August day when he left us with a moving van full of boxes, a new house, and a tepid water hose (in a dry city), then went to see his son's soccer game.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
YouTube Music Continued - Uncle Tupelo
One of my all time favorite bands that inspired a movement. Here's Uncle T in their formative years...
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Townes
"Townes Van Zandt's the best songwriter in the world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." Said Steve Earle. This man was the line between brilliance and insanity.
Witness his issues, as evidenced in the brilliant biopic Be Here To Love Me which I encourage everyone to watch, but his brilliance as songwriter can not be challenged. As I've said in posts several years past (which I would link if I weren't so fucking lazy), I don't buy complaints about his voice. He's no Pavoracci, or some such, but his voice is incredibly evocative with respect to the songs he sings.
I love YouTube because I can see things like this:
Witness his issues, as evidenced in the brilliant biopic Be Here To Love Me which I encourage everyone to watch, but his brilliance as songwriter can not be challenged. As I've said in posts several years past (which I would link if I weren't so fucking lazy), I don't buy complaints about his voice. He's no Pavoracci, or some such, but his voice is incredibly evocative with respect to the songs he sings.
I love YouTube because I can see things like this:
Brilliant Music
Steve Earle has always been one of my favorite songwriters. He learned from the best, Ft. Worth born Townes Van Zandt. Here's Steve's tribute to Townes from Austin City Limits...singing about Townes iffy relationship with his hometown:
More Moving the Goalposts...
Since the days of "shock and awe" how many times have we read articles like this:
With American military successes outpacing political gains in Iraq, the Bush administration has lowered its expectation of quickly achieving major steps toward unifying the country, including passage of a long-stymied plan to share oil revenues and holding regional elections.
How long until we declare complete victory and leave?
With American military successes outpacing political gains in Iraq, the Bush administration has lowered its expectation of quickly achieving major steps toward unifying the country, including passage of a long-stymied plan to share oil revenues and holding regional elections.
How long until we declare complete victory and leave?
Liars - Plamegate
I thought this was worth mentioning because I beat it to death back when it was breaking, but it's nice to see that Scotty McClellan doesn't like being lied to and is willing to name a few names. It's no surprise that all the top dogs were involved, I think we knew it all along. It just makes Bush look like more of a sap than we already thought. They duped him too. "I'll fire anyone involved." Indeed.
Scare Tactics - Common in Monarchies and Totalitarian Regimes
What an asshole:
President Hugo Chavez warned his supporters on Friday that anyone voting against his proposed constitutional changes would be a "traitor".
But it sounds kind of familiar, doesn't it? I tried to include one of Bush or Cheney's comments about opposition to the war being traitorious, but when I googled "Bush Cheney traitor" I got about a million hits and none of them had to do with their rhetoric.
President Hugo Chavez warned his supporters on Friday that anyone voting against his proposed constitutional changes would be a "traitor".
But it sounds kind of familiar, doesn't it? I tried to include one of Bush or Cheney's comments about opposition to the war being traitorious, but when I googled "Bush Cheney traitor" I got about a million hits and none of them had to do with their rhetoric.
Crosswords
In case there are other readers that enjoy the occasional crossword puzzle, I thought I'd provide a useful link.
I'm a crossword fiend, and I might do six or seven crosswords a day. Crosswords typically get more difficult during the week with Monday the easiest and Saturday the hardest. The big Sunday puzzle is generally about a Thursday level of difficulty. The New York Times is the gold standard for crosswords, but there are many other good ones out there (that you don't have to pay for to get online). Other than the NYT, my favorite weekly puzzle is the NY Sun, followed closely by Newsday. The USA today is somewhat challenging. The Washington Post is pretty easy except for their Sunday Stumper. I really enjoy Newsday's Saturday stumper, which I just spent an hour solving.
Of course, you have to be a regular puzzler to be able to solve them as many of the answers are quite unique. To start you off, a sea eagle is an erne, and a high nest is an aerie.
I'm a crossword fiend, and I might do six or seven crosswords a day. Crosswords typically get more difficult during the week with Monday the easiest and Saturday the hardest. The big Sunday puzzle is generally about a Thursday level of difficulty. The New York Times is the gold standard for crosswords, but there are many other good ones out there (that you don't have to pay for to get online). Other than the NYT, my favorite weekly puzzle is the NY Sun, followed closely by Newsday. The USA today is somewhat challenging. The Washington Post is pretty easy except for their Sunday Stumper. I really enjoy Newsday's Saturday stumper, which I just spent an hour solving.
Of course, you have to be a regular puzzler to be able to solve them as many of the answers are quite unique. To start you off, a sea eagle is an erne, and a high nest is an aerie.
Thanksgiving
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, the unique American holiday. I spent mine with members of the Mineola tribe that had been run out of their land by smallpox and musket. Just kidding.
I watched the Cowboys pants the Jets on an outside patio in the midst of large snowflakes and even larger flagons of wine. I've spent the day after by not shopping (except for a brief foray into the local liquor store), napping, feasting on leftovers, and watching my energized Aggies kick a little longhorn butt for the second year in a row.
I watched the Cowboys pants the Jets on an outside patio in the midst of large snowflakes and even larger flagons of wine. I've spent the day after by not shopping (except for a brief foray into the local liquor store), napping, feasting on leftovers, and watching my energized Aggies kick a little longhorn butt for the second year in a row.
How do we know what we want?
Reading the comments from the "Am I Pawn Shop Material" posts, I thougt I'd put out a question. When did you you figure out what you wanted to spend your life doing?
I haven't figured it out yet, but many of my readers have...some early, some late. I'd like to hear how you came to know your calling.
I haven't figured it out yet, but many of my readers have...some early, some late. I'd like to hear how you came to know your calling.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
80's Videos
There's a contest for the best and worst video of the 80's going on over on Andrew Sullivan's site. I don't remember the video below from my adolescence, and that's probably a good thing. Check out the Dog Police...
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Perspective - National Review
The National Review. Yeah, that's right....The bastion of the right. Get ready people. Check this shit out from John Derbyshire.
He says that liberals "want to transform people", and conservatives "want to leave people alone."
Given this definition, consider me a straight ticket man...on Elephant side.
Of course this is a magnificent lie. We all know the transformational inertia is on the right side, not the least of which are the Christianists who have missionary zeal behind their efforts. Just check out the greatest horror movie ever...Jesus Camp. The Christianists seek to impose their version of morality on the entire population.
Unfortunately, their version of morality keeps getting undermined by their leaders who do not act according to their votes and/or rhetoric; there seems to be a documentable trend highlighting more than a few Republicans hypocritically versifying while maintaining lifestyles that include hedonism and gay lechery. This seems to fit well with the recent scandals involving Catholic priests. We'll leave correlations between extreme piety and extreme lechery for another day. However, I don't believe it is coincidental that all of the exposed lechers are also people that spoke highly against lechery.
As for the claim that conservatives will "leave me alone" let's consider all of the activities the CIA, FBI, and NSA are now conducting against citizens. The Republicans (no longer conservatives) would have you believe that anything they do is in the interest of "National Security." Frankly this has become a party of "we know better, trust us." This theory is completely divergent with Goldwater-era conservatism and really turn a so-called government into a nanny-state.
This makes my election decision decidedly difficult becaust there's no real candidate that wants to let me be free. ( Ron Paul is a social conservative....he wants to tell you what to with you womb.)
In fairness, let me addres the "want to transform" liberals. Well, they've been out of power since 1994 for the most part so it's hard to evaluate their work. I guess Kennedy kind of agreed with Bush on the No Child bill, but that's been a disastrous failure. I'll be happy to criticize liberals once they've done something, but, right now, it seems like I can count on a liberal to leave me alone a lot better than a conservative.
And if you want to know who you should vote for, go here. As a statistical acolyte, this site has some cred. Let us know if who you like is who is chosen for you.
He says that liberals "want to transform people", and conservatives "want to leave people alone."
Given this definition, consider me a straight ticket man...on Elephant side.
Of course this is a magnificent lie. We all know the transformational inertia is on the right side, not the least of which are the Christianists who have missionary zeal behind their efforts. Just check out the greatest horror movie ever...Jesus Camp. The Christianists seek to impose their version of morality on the entire population.
Unfortunately, their version of morality keeps getting undermined by their leaders who do not act according to their votes and/or rhetoric; there seems to be a documentable trend highlighting more than a few Republicans hypocritically versifying while maintaining lifestyles that include hedonism and gay lechery. This seems to fit well with the recent scandals involving Catholic priests. We'll leave correlations between extreme piety and extreme lechery for another day. However, I don't believe it is coincidental that all of the exposed lechers are also people that spoke highly against lechery.
As for the claim that conservatives will "leave me alone" let's consider all of the activities the CIA, FBI, and NSA are now conducting against citizens. The Republicans (no longer conservatives) would have you believe that anything they do is in the interest of "National Security." Frankly this has become a party of "we know better, trust us." This theory is completely divergent with Goldwater-era conservatism and really turn a so-called government into a nanny-state.
This makes my election decision decidedly difficult becaust there's no real candidate that wants to let me be free. ( Ron Paul is a social conservative....he wants to tell you what to with you womb.)
In fairness, let me addres the "want to transform" liberals. Well, they've been out of power since 1994 for the most part so it's hard to evaluate their work. I guess Kennedy kind of agreed with Bush on the No Child bill, but that's been a disastrous failure. I'll be happy to criticize liberals once they've done something, but, right now, it seems like I can count on a liberal to leave me alone a lot better than a conservative.
And if you want to know who you should vote for, go here. As a statistical acolyte, this site has some cred. Let us know if who you like is who is chosen for you.
Moving the Goalposts
Brief post: I know I'm dollar short on this but I thought it was worth documenting for posterity:
The "end" of the "surge" was political reconciliation. The "means" was some additional forces and some new strategy. Well, the "means," by all notices, has been mildly effective. Yet when the critical September deadline occurred (which was, to most Americans, advertised to be a Go/No Go decision) we ended up with groveling equivocation by everyone. More of the same, we somehow agree to keep doing the same in the absence of any Iraqi political movement.
The "end" of the "surge" was political reconciliation. The "means" was some additional forces and some new strategy. Well, the "means," by all notices, has been mildly effective. Yet when the critical September deadline occurred (which was, to most Americans, advertised to be a Go/No Go decision) we ended up with groveling equivocation by everyone. More of the same, we somehow agree to keep doing the same in the absence of any Iraqi political movement.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Old Website
I had forgotten that I used to have a website. I did a little searching and was able to find it. It appears that this was about six or seven years ago, back when our only cat was the Sheep and when my digital photo library was pretty limited. I need to update this with the two newest cats (which are both old news and I have about a thousand pics of each) and new pics.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)