Fascinating article from Slate magazine concerning wrong headed predictions about the future, and why they might be made. Particularly interesting are the thoughts on Clifford Stroll's 1995 prediction that the internet wouldn't amount to anything: http://www.slate.com/id/2246515/pagenum/all
An amusing (and pretty brief) article that explores a topic that is ripped ( ripped I say!) from today's front pages: Why are figure skating movies so awful?! http://www.slate.com/id/2245094/pagenum/allOk, all jokes aside, author Torie Bosch does make some good points in this article, especially with regard to ice skating movie cliches (the "hero" is often an outsider who skates for fun and has some kind of natural predisposition to great skating, something that is pretty much impossible in the real world. Meanwhile, the "villain" is often a skating robot with no life and an unhealthy desire to win it all). Of course, if that article doesn't tickle your fancy, then how about this one: Dannish Men have smaller testicles than Finnish Men. Why? The answer lies but one click away... http://www.slate.com/id/2245110/
Unless there's some big, important front page news (or some big, important sporting event I'm curious about) I usually start the newspaper reading the editorial pages. I enjoy editorial opinions, both from the "pros" as well as letters to the editor. This Sunday, there were a pair of them that, together, focused on something that has happened distressingly (and depressingly) too much lately: People who are so set in their ways they cannot be convinced their opinions might...just might...be wrong. The first, by Eugene Robinson, focuses on the "climate change" naysayers who point out the recent snow in Washington D.C. as proof positive this whole Global Warming thing is wrong: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/hey_dummy_climate_change_is_real_20100218/One can argue, if one wants, about the validity or lack there of regarding climate change. Certainly scientists are fallible. But when decades of scientific investigation and the vast majority of scientists agree on the validity of a theory...well, how can we argue that just because it was very snowy one week that somehow disproves all that investigation? As Mr. Robinson himself points out in the article, quoting Stephen Colbert: ...it would be like looking outside at night, seeing the darkness, and concluding that "the sun has been destroyed."Coincidentally (or not) Leonard Pitts offers the following editorial, entitled "Facts No Longer Mean What They Once Did." It's not about climate change, but the anecdotes provided within paint a sad picture of intellectual (self) dishonesty: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/21/1492484/facts-no-longer-mean-what-they.htmlOne might argue that Mr. Pitts generalizes more than he should...surely there are more rational people out there willing to accept that their opinions about something are wrong when confronted with evidence to refute their original claims. Then again, Mr. Pitt's concluding lines are devastating:
But objective reality does not change because you refuse to accept
it. The fact that you refuse to acknowledge a wall does not change the
fact that it's a wall. And you shouldn't have to hit it to find
that out.
Interesting article from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/02/17/ufo.files/index.html?hpt=C1I think I mentioned it before but it bears repeating. There is probably no one on the face of this planet who has used the whole UFO thing than director Steven Spielberg. His film Close Encounters of the Third Kind was essentially a love letter to the whole UFO phenomena (along with being one of the director's many mega-blockbusters). Yet Mr. Spielberg himself noted that he has growing doubts about UFOs existing. In this day and age, where almost everyone has a camera/video recorder on hand in the form of a cell phone, it is strange to Mr. Spielberg that so few legitimate videos/photographs of UFOs exist. Or, to put it another way, remember all the mysterious ship/plane disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle? As we moved into the era of GPS and satellite technology (which, in turn, offered advanced weather warnings), suddenly we're not talking about "mysterious" disappearances in the so-called Bermuda Triangle anymore. It is more likely, alas, that the previous mysterious disappearances were the result of the most mundane (yet deadly) events: Getting lost, encountering a sudden storm, having a slow leak, etc. etc. Note too the following clip from the article, wherein author and journalism lecturer David Clarke points out how the shape of the UFOs seen most recently bear a resemblance to pop cultural appearances of the same: He pointed out that in the years covered by the latest file release,
triangle-shaped U.S. stealth bombers and Aurora spy planes featured
heavily on TV shows like "The X-Files" and movies like Independence Day. "It's
impossible to prove a direct link between what people are reading and
watching and what they report as UFOs, but one interpretation could be
that the latest advances in technology may be influencing what people
see in the sky," he said. So, what's the answer? Are UFOs really out there? Until there's definite proof, I tend to side with Mr. Spielberg.
By now I'm sure this is pretty old news, but director Kevin Smith was bumped from a Southwest Airlines flight because he was deemed too overweight: http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/southwest-airlines-has-a-big-fat-kevin-smith-problem/19358652/I like Kevin Smith's work. I like many (but not all) of his films. I also admire the fact that he continues producing, and appears to be a very agreeable, indeed likeable person. But I also recall seeing him in Live Free or Die Hard and being stunned by how...large...he had become. That movie was released in 2007, and since then I recall he himself stating he needed to lose weight (something about, if memory serves, him breaking a toilet!). I feel for Kevin. Weight gain is something that sneaks up on you, and suddenly you realize you've put on a tremendous amount of weight and find it very, very hard to take it off. Especially with all the fast food restaurants around and 7-11's with their plentiful stocks of candies and soft drinks. If you're hungry, or want a high calorie snack, there are almost too many places to easily turn to to get your fix. But I also feel for the passengers of the flight Mr. Smith was on. I've had the discomfort of sitting beside large (not necessarily overweight) individuals, and that's uncomfortable enough. Given how I last saw Mr. Smith in film, I can't imagine sitting next to him on a flight. The conversation would probably be interesting, but the comfort level...not so good. The good news is that all you need to do to lower your weight, truly, is to limit your calories and try a little exercise. The hard thing is that it's easier said than done.
And that's the reason I never, ever make any bets. I thought for sure Indianapolis would win. I even wondered if this might be one of those SuperBowls that's over in the first quarter. Mind you, I had no dog in this particular fight. I knew both teams were quite good, but I had loyalties/interest in neither. I just figured that New Orleans was looking so woozy coming into this SuperBowl (let's face it, in the semi-final game before the SuperBowl the Vikings (whom I also have no loyalty/interest in) did almost everything humanly possible to lose their game against the Saints rather than the Saints winning it). So I figured: The Saints, who looked so damn good through most of the regular season, were sputtering a little too much at the end while Indy was looking like it was coming together. And, of course, my predictions were completely wrong. Ah well... Btw, I was floored by this commercial. Hilarious!
Always curious to read reviews of web browsers. Mr. Manjoo, the author of this article for Slate Magazine, reviewed various browsers. His recommendation is... http://www.slate.com/id/2243727/
Absolutely fascinating interview with British journalist and Times of London columnist David Aaronovitch regarding his new book, Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History. I tend to fall into Mr. Aaronvitch's camp, at least philosophically. I think almost every conspiracy theory out there is bunk. As much as I thought President Bush's presidency was one of the worst this country has had the misfortune of living through, there was no way I could subscribe to the idea that people in government were involved in 9/11. Similarly, I subscribe to Mr. Aaronvitch's conclusions regarding why we look for conspiracy surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy (and, yes, I believe Oswald acted alone):
After the JFK assassination, it was unbearable to many people that they
could live in a country where a lone gunman could kill a president. In
those circumstances, it’s not surprising that an overarching conspiracy
theory emerges. It suggests that somebody is in control, rather than
that we’re at the mercy of our neighbors and to some extent of ourselves. Regardless of your opinion, here's the interview: http://www.salon.com/books/history/index.html?story=/books/feature/2010/02/03/david_aaronovitch_conspiracy_theories
I generally love her articles for Salon.com (her reviews of TV shows are never less than very clever...and sometimes brutally devastating). Here, she ponders our current information age: http://www.salon.com/entertainment/tv/frontline/index.html?story=/ent/tv/iltw/2010/01/30/frontline_digital_nationSomewhat off topic, but it is something that's eating at me: A few days ago Apple introduced the (very unfortunately named) IPad. There was much rejoicing among those present at Mr. Job's announcement, even if many critics subsequently found reason to complain about the machine's deficits. But the thing that sent shivers down my spine was that Steven Jobs felt this machine would be a rival to other e-readers. Those who read this blog, and I know the number vary wildly from day to day, do so, I hope, because I offer interesting links to interesting articles. I am also an author of, to date, five works available on amazon.com (the link to them can be found on the upper right of this page). For my latest novel, Mechanic, I decided to release it both in regular print and through Amazon's Kindle. I figured that would open up the possibilities of wider readership. What I didn't realize was that it also opened me up... possibly...to the dreaded reality of illegal downloading. One day, either a google or bing search by me found one of those file sharing sites that allegedly had the book (in four different versions) there for download, and, according to the site, the novel was downloaded a little over 26,000 times. At $5.99 a pop for the legal download at Amazon, a purposely low price, it nonetheless means I'm out an awful large amount of money... ...if this is indeed the case. I haven't downloaded the files and can't help but wonder if indeed it is my book there, or someone simply labeled a file as such and posted who knows what in its place. So, as I near completion of my latest novel (I'm hoping to finish it up in the next month) and will soon enough post it on Amazon, I'm left wondering if its worthwhile to offer the book via its Kindle services, or if by doing so I'm essentially slitting my own wrists. Like the music industry, it appears the book market is also facing off against the juggernaut that is the internet.
As much as I love Football (of the major professional sports out there, it is easily my favorite), over time it has become all too clear that this sport is very dangerous to the players. Not too long ago there was mention on either a radio or ESPN show that a professional quarterback (I'm thinking it was Carson Palmer, but I could be wrong) noted that he feared one day someone would die on the football field. Another player noted that each game he played produced the equivalent trauma of several serious car crashes. This article, from Time magazine, notes another of Football's many dangers to the players' health: Head trauma... http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1957046,00.htmlSo, what is the solution? Is it even possible to remove the violence inherent in the sport or lessen its danger to players' bodies while still retaining what makes it such a great sport to watch? I suspect, at least with regard to concussions/head trauma, this can never be entirely eliminated. Further, while I still love the sport, it does make me feel uncomfortable that I'm watching people doing things to their bodies (albeit for large quantities of money...at least on the professional side) that, in time, they will suffer from.
Though there is no reason for anyone to believe me (I've mentioned before that my crystal ball can be quite foggy), I guessed that this year's SuperBowl would feature these two teams. Then again, my prediction came before yesterday's games, when the alternatives were either the Jets or Vikings. Now, had I guessed these two teams would be in this year's SuperBowl before the season started, well, that would have been something!
The world of archeology has always interested me. We're offered a window into the past along with insight into the people of that time and their customs. In this article, from AOL, we have news that the remains of Princess Eadgth (pronounced Edith), a 10th century princess, may have been found. If that's the case, her remains will be the oldest ever for an English royal: http://www.gnn.com/article/experts-may-have-found-bones-belonging/865757
One of the more intriguing passages of this intriguing article regards the possibility that the bones found may not be hers, and why:
"It was possible that (Princess Eadgth's) bones were lost and swapped with someone else's during any one of the moves (Royalty and saints, the article notes, frequently had their bodies moved around at that time!), he said.
"Quite often they scooped up any old bones and put them in," he noted.
Absolutely fascinating article by Reilly Brennan for AOL regarding the Detroit Auto Show, and the color choice by GM in showing their vehicles... http://autos.aol.com/article/gm-gray-car-strategySometimes, as the saying goes, a "cigar is a cigar". However, in this case it is clear the color choice for the presented vehicles was carefully calculated to make certain cars stand out...while others were left in the background.
...after being hit by a mini-van: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/11/joe-rollino-dead-104yearo_n_419269.htmlWhile its sad to read about someone passing away, I'm intrigued by the fact that Mr. Rollino lived to such an age and was, apparently, still very healthy. What time couldn't bring down, apparently, was brought down by other means. Quick calculations suggest Mr. Rollino was 12-13 years old when World War I ended in 1918. He was 39 years old when WWII ended in 1945 and 63 when Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon. Quite a lifetime of interesting things to see and live through!
Haven't posted since Thursday, when my ex-computer became my ex-computer. Painfully. Ah well, she lasted a long enough time before melting down. On the one hand its nice to have a new, fast(er) computer. On the other hand, what a freaking pain it is to reload all your old material. But I learned my lesson from the past. At least I have a backup hard drive keeping all my personal goodies intact.
...at least regarding what a Moon base might look like: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/space/01/01/moon.lava.hole/index.htmlAccording to this article, a base within a Moon "hole" might be safer, as it is less prone to dangers such as meteorites, extreme temperature fluctuations, and UV radiation. It's fascinating, at least to me, when scientific thought is brought to the possibility of something so commonplace in so many works of science fiction (whether they be novels or film), and the differences between fiction and possible reality.
...and make it a safe one. So long to the 00's, hello to the 10's. I tend to agree that the 00's were pretty bad, with the economic upheavals and general gloominess. But tomorrow is a new day and the beginning of a new decade. Let's hope things pick up!
I suppose it was a matter of time: http://www.sphere.com/world/article/craig-lazie-lynch-escaped-prisoner-taunts-british-police-on-facebook/19298030The most amazing/predictable thing is that many people are rooting for the criminal (his crime, according to the article, was "burglary with a weapon") and his taunts. Others, of course, take the opposite side. My prediction is that his Facebook notes will eventually lead to his arrest. Either that or he'll be walking down a street somewhere and someone will recognize him and the next thing he knows...no more Facebook.
Interesting article: http://www.sphere.com/science/article/russia-may-send-spacecraft-to-deflect-asteroid/19299234It seems prudent, given our current levels of technology, to at least explore/test the notion of asteroid deflection. Sure, its been many, MANY years since Earth-altering objects have fallen on our planet, but there is no reason to believe we'll always be this lucky. As for the Russians involved in this, I wonder if this is more talk than reality. Regardless, it seems a prudent thing to consider.
...sports talk. I know many football fans feel that the 1972 "Perfect Season" Dolphins are a bunch of, as the media has labeled them, "grumpy old men" because a few years back some of them popped some champagne when the last undefeated team of whatever season that was went down. I'll grant you that of the group, Mercury Morris is the one that mostly talks to the media about his pride regarding that season and scorn for whatever team comes close to catching their record. But he's an exception rather than the rule with regard to the members of the team. I'm certain they all have great pride in their record, and I'm sure deep down inside they all hope this record will stand the test of time. But several have expressed the feeling that if another team comes around and breaks their record, they'll salute their accomplishment and welcome them to their (so far) exclusive club. Yesterday, the Indianapolis Colts, the last remaining undefeated team, lost. And the way they lost, I must say, is perplexing. Ahead only 15-10 in the third quarter, the decision was made to pull quarterback extraordinaire Peyton Manning (as well as several other starters) from the game. What happened next was that the Jets, who didn't feel the need to reciprocate, went on to win by a score of 29-15. Television cameras captured Peyton Manning on the sidelines, a look of indigestion/disgust/anger/incredulity on his face each time the backup quarterback put in his place screwed up (I can't blame the guy entirely...but he simply doesn't have anywhere near the skill of Mr. Manning) and the Jets scored. One of the reasons, I suspect, that the Dolphin's perfect season might never be duplicated was in perfect evidence with this game. At 14-0, Indianapolis simply had no real reason to play this, or next week's, game. If they won them, fine, but if they didn't it simply didn't matter. Their place in the playoffs was already locked in, and playing Peyton Manning for the entirety of these last two games made little sense. At least that's what the management figured. Why risk injury when the important games are a few weeks away? Still, even as a fan of the Dolphin's perfect season and someone who is happy they retain that unique record for another year, I nonetheless feel for the Indianapolis fans. They paid their money to see a game. They paid their money in the hopes of seeing history made. And what they got was management, be it the coach or someone higher above, essentially dictating the team throw in the towel and not be bothered with winning this game. I suspect the fans of the team (and more than a couple of the members of the team) are understandably angry about this. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/34604721/ns/sports-nfl/
An amusing list from msnbc.com, recounting 10 wildly varied forms of idocracy in the past decade: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34481925/ns/us_news-decade_in_review/Missing on that list has to be the invasion of Iraq, although I suspect it wasn't included because it was related to the "mission accomplished" banner (a big mistake). However, one could have included the response to Katrina (if there was ever a "big" mistake, it was here). Then again, maybe they just didn't want to pile on the Bush administration...
Amusing (and depressing) video from CNN regarding what the editors of Politifact think are among the biggest (and THE biggest) lie of the year:
That rather unique dishonor falls, shortly, to Laredo Texas, population 230,000: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34452179/ns/business-retail/Allow me a moment to get on my soapbox: It's sad that books, today, appear to be in such dire shape. While I love the huge mega-bookstores (like Borders and Barnes and Nobles) I worry about the smaller booksellers. In the case of Laredo, the last remaining bookstore is one of the big ones and, granted, they may have another bookstore in a little over a year's time, its just sad that a city of that size somehow got itself in the position of having only one, and one alone, bookstore. Books are a passion for me, and to find that a city could be without a single bookstore simply amazes, and depresses, me.
I didn't think there could be a stranger story than the one of the library book returned after 99 years ( 99 YEARS!). I was wrong: http://www.sphere.com/nation/article/gambler-blows-127-million-should-casino-share-blame/19269948I really, really, REALLY hate the way our society seems to be moving into a "don't blame me-whatever went wrong is someone else's fault" ethos. From the big to the small, there's always room to blame others for your screwups. Slip on a staircase during a rainstorm? It was the building's fault for not putting up signs. You failed a test in class? It was the teacher's fault for asking tricky questions. And on and on... HOWEVER, this might just be the one case where I kinda/sorta sympathize with this individual. Understand, if what happened to him is accurate (and I have no reason to doubt any of the information presented in the article) the man is an IDIOT. How can you possibly gamble away $127 MILLION dollars in one years time?! But, on the other hand, didn't the people at the casino realize that this man was clearly out of control? What's the limits of loss? $200 million? $300 million? Seriously, someone at the casino had to have seen that this man was totally out of it and blasting far, FAR too much money. Someone should have put a stop to his craziness, even if, ultimately, it was his choice to blast away all that money.
This has to be some kind of record: http://www.sphere.com/nation/article/stanley-dudek-returns-library-book-99-years-overdue/19282703The most fascinating aspect of the story, even if it is on the headline, is the actual date when the book was originally borrowed from the library: May 10, 1910. Yeah, yeah, one can calculate the date in one's mind but still, to actually see the date that the book was taken out is rather mind boggling. Simply thinking about all the history that came afterwards...
There was a time a while back that I had absolutely no interest in sports. None whatsoever. If there was a baseball game on TV, I'd hunt another channel. Same with football. Same with (gasp) golf. And then something happened. Perhaps it was, in part, the rise of quarterback Dan Marino in my hometown team, the Miami Dolphins. Yes, quite a while back. But while my interest in sports grew to the point where I enjoyed watching Mr. Marino perform amazing feats for the Miami Dolphins, I didn't care much for any other sports. Until I did. I don't recall exactly what happened, but suddenly I was watching baseball, football, basketball, hockey, and, yes, even golf. I spent an inordinate time relishing the wins, cursing the losses. I spent a magical year watching almost every single game of the Florida Marlins during their first World Series run (I kid you not, I missed maybe 2 games at the most during that whole season). And then something happened. Again. I realized that too much time was being spent on this. Time, for lack of a better word, wasted that could be spent elsewhere. The link below lists another author's recent disenchantment with sports, although his reasons were at times different, at times the same, as mine: http://www.slate.com/id/2237640/It strikes me that the easiest time to become a sports fan is when the teams you enjoy watching (hometown teams) are doing well. The author of the above piece is from the New England area, and he's had a pretty good decade for a sports fan. Similarly, when I started getting way, WAY too involved in sports, my local teams were also doing well. This line from his article is particularly fascinating, at least to me:
My complaint with sports doesn't hinge on the inflexible hours. There's
also the issue of return on my investment. The games are relentless,
the experience of them too often ephemeral.
The fact is that in this day and age (as opposed to when I first got into sports) there is just SO MUCH out there to see. Too much, perhaps.
Before this article, I had never heard of Mr. Henry Molaison. Now I'm most certainly intrigued by what his brain may reveal, considering his post-operative memory problems: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/12/03/brain.observatory.h.m.amnesia/index.htmlOne is inevitably left, however, with sadness regarding Mr. Molaison and certainly his family. He lived a very long time with his amnesia, and obviously could not function in society given the condition. Amnesia has been a potent source for works of fiction, both in literature and in the movies. One of the more recent examples is The Bourne Identity, the first of the three movies based on the novel(s) by Robert Ludlum. The reality, of course, is far less intriguing.
Love to read stories like this one: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nick-carr/the-secret-bowling-alley_b_376623.htmlThe upshot is: A fellow bought a property and discovered that, in the basement, there was a secret manual bowling alley. He guesses that it might have been part of an illegal speakeasy that operated there during the days of prohibition. If you're interested, there are plenty of neat photographs of the place to be found at that link!
Based on this article, I wonder if there may come a time in the near future when scientists are able to use various remains from corpses (new and old) to determine even more than the "stress levels" of individuals. Perhaps its not a terribly far leap to imagine a time when we can effectively re-live people's lives...at least to some degree. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34241697/ns/technology_and_science-science/
Fascinating article by Bob Sullivan: http://redtape.msnbc.com/2009/12/laptop-computers-examined-by-border-guards-looking-for-pirated-software-ipods-seized-at-airport-security-lines-on-mere-suspi.htmlOn the one hand, I can understand the need to do something about copyright piracy. The fact is that right now, to many there is no reason at all to bother legally buying any music, and movie piracy is certainly on the rise. The amount of money both music and movie companies lose as a result of this is astronomical and, worse, may lead to less investment in future products and, thus, less for consumers to enjoy. I think I've said this before: Imagine if a new band with the potential to be, as the cliche goes, the "next" Beatles comes around, but because their initial album sells poorly, perhaps in part because of illegal downloading, the company supporting them decides to release them. Similarly, why would a movie company invest millions of dollars into a film when profits diminish because people can illegally download the film often on the very day it is released into theaters? Worse, some films ( Wolverine or the Ang Lee Hulk film) found their way online even before their official release! HOWEVER, having said all that, some of the proposals being floated in the article linked above are, frankly, scary. I worry when agencies that are not in law enforcement are granted law enforcement privileges. While I doubt that there will be a "laptop and iPod" check at the borders (there are simply too many people with said items traveling each day), some of the other possibilities are no less chilling. Then again, one is reminded of the myth of Pandora's Box. Once opened, its so very hard to close it again...
Given the amount of speculation and time devoted to this story over the weekend, its interesting to read attorney Jeffrey Toobin (usually seen on CNN, where this link goes to) provide answers, from a legal standpoint, to some of the questions regarding the whole Tiger-Woods-hits-a-tree affair: http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/11/30/tiger.woods.legal/index.htmlI enjoy watching golf now and again and of course know about Tiger Woods and the command he has on the sport. The car crash he had, if for nothing more than the potentially salacious details, is somewhat worthy of media curiosity. However, the only thing the media can do without getting elaboration or comments from the two principals (Mr. and Mrs. Woods), is engage in idle speculation. Which more than a few are content to do!
I previously posted about Time Magazine's belief that this decade has been one of the, if not THE, worst decade ever. Here are ten examples of why, according to them: http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1942749,00.htmlHard to argue with their examples, although several of the items presented share one very interesting direct and indirect common denominator... As I don't like to get too political, I'll keep that opinion to myself!
A provocative thought from Time magazine, that the decade that's about to end has been one of the worst in recent times. Frankly, I couldn't agree more, at least with regard to recent years, say, post 1970's. See for yourself:
Curious article from CNN concerning the couple who crashed the state dinner: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/25/state.dinner.crashers/index.htmlI don't know who one should be angrier at: The Secret Service whose job it is to avoid such breaches (thankfully, their bodies were fully screened before entering the dinner, therefore at the very least they weren't armed) or the couple themselves. According to the article, they are socialites and their publicist claims they had "full clearance to attend the state dinner." Given what the secret service says, however, that appears doubtful. Assuming their actions were what they appeared to be, crashing the state dinner, what would motivate people to do such a reckless thing? At the very least they risked liberty (they could have been arrested on the spot) and possibly injury (I doubt the secret service would have treated them kindly had they been discovered while hovering close to high level diplomats) just for the thrill of being in this place at this time. All in all, a silly thing to do! QUICK UPDATE: According to msnbc.com, the couple are "aspiring reality TV stars": http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34157390/ns/politics-washington_post/Suddenly, it all makes sense! 
I think I made the journey to stores on Black Friday only two times (ie, waking up very, very early and departing to a store seeking something that likely would be sold out quickly). After the second such excursion, it felt like too much effort for a relatively little reward (and savings). However, others obviously disagree and the whole Black Friday phenomenon lives on. This article offers some advice on what to get and, even more so, what you should avoid: http://www.slate.com/id/2235996/
It's always intriguing to read about plans for future space missions...at least to me! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34116126/ns/technology_and_science-space/Between this, finding water on the moon, and the new rockets set to replace the space shuttle, it would appear there is an effort (slow but steady) toward both figuring out and formalizing the next phase in NASA's space exploration. I'll be very curious to see where we go next.
...and the world gets stranger and stranger: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/17/teacher.hit.man/index.htmlA cursory glance at the article makes you wonder just what it was about the student/teacher dynamic that things got so screwy, and especially given some of the weird things the teacher is reported to have said/done.
I originally linked to the Time magazine article here. It was a pretty wild concept, that the Hadron collider's "product" might be so abhorrent to nature that the particles travel back in time to sabotage the machine. Time magazine noted the latest misfortune to fall on the collider was the result of a piece of bread likely dropped by a bird that shorted some electrical equipment, hence the idea that a "time-traveling bird" had "sabotaged" the collider. Or something like that. Anyway, CNN has picked up on the story, their report follows!
Seriously, they hit the nail on the head here: http://www.newsweek.com/id/222503Just about every individual mentioned in this list may have had their humorous moments now and again, but their overall, continued draw after many years has me scratching my head.
Seems that there should be a whole new category in the news section devoted to inappropriate uses of the 911 emergency system. In this case, the man was looking for...sex?! See/hear for yourself:
This might just be, hands down, the strangest, most bizarre article I've run into in a very, very long time. See for yourself: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1937370,00.htmlWhat can I say? The future (or perhaps "nature" or "God") is essentially stopping what scientists in the present are trying to achieve with the Hadron collider?! Wow. Who says fact isn't stranger than fiction!
These types of stories are not only fascinating, but also quite thrilling (at least to me!) to read. This one concerns a lost Persian army that contemporaneous Greek records indicated drowned in the sands
of the western Egyptian desert 2,500 years ago. It is one of archaeology's "biggest outstanding mysteries", according to the article, and there were those who thought the story a myth. However, as this article indicates, the army's remains may well have been discovered: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33791672/ns/technology_and_science-science/As I said before, fascinating!
Interesting article regarding a phenomena I hadn't heard of before, that of the so-called "third man" (and in no way related to the Orson Welles' movie): http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/11/08/third.man/index.htmlAfter reading the article, my feeling is that an explanation to this phenomena is pretty close to this line, offered by the author of the book " The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible," John Geiger: Maybe the Third Man is a coping mechanism, Geiger suggests. The brain
creates a companion to help a person survive a terrible situation. Or
perhaps there is an "angel switch" in the brain that's activated in
life-or-death struggles.
As of today (November 11th), the answer is obvious. Of course, the season officially ends November 30th, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised... For those in the potential path, stay safe. To date I've survived five or six of these beasts, the worst being Andrew (although the worst of it hit a little south of where I was). The others were category 1's, but even that can be harrowing.  
A fascinating article regarding transient global amnesia, or TGA, a condition that has patients lose their ability to retain immediate memory. The cause of this, according to the article linked below, can be from strenuous exercise...such as sex. In the case of this article, just one such example of post-sexual onset of just such a condition is related: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/04/transient.global.amnesia/index.htmlOne of the more fascinating lines from the article: Levitra, which is a pill for erectile dysfunction, lists TGA as a possible adverse reaction.Now you know.
Johann Hari at Slate.com offers a review and blistering comments regarding the philosophy of Ayn Rand, perhaps the far right's philosophical darling:
http://www.slate.com/id/2233966/I've always been intrigued by Ms. Rand, and Mr. Hari's comments offer a scathing look at what may lie behind her philosophies, as well as the paradoxes, self-loathing, etc.. While reading the article, I couldn't help but find comparisons between Ms. Rand and another pretty well known author turned philosopher, who himself has brought about what many consider a cult. In the last paragraph of this article, Mr. Hari himself makes that very same comparison, so at the very least his essay was successful in bringing about his ultimate point. Still, the only thing I've ever really been exposed to, at least concerning Ayn Rand, are reviews of her philosophy (and articles both pro and con) and seeing the Gary Cooper starring The Fountainhead movie (which was, of course, based on Ayn Rand's novel). The movie was decent enough, although the philosophy was spread rather thick, which is evident even in this trailer for that movie.
Absolutely love this story. In the age of fears regarding swine flu, it goes to show the lengths a corporation -with a straight face- would go to try to boost sales of their product. In this case, as Kelly Brownell, director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity is quoted within the article states: "this (advertisement) belongs in the hall of fame...By (Kellogg's)
logic, you can spray vitamins on a pile of leaves, and it will boost
immunity." See for yourself: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2009-11-02-cereal-immunity-claim_N.htm?se=yahoorefer&poe=HFMostPopularI can't help it, I had to post the image of the actual cereal box with its ludicrous claim:
This is one of those videos that is hard to believe, even as you see it. The amount of booze destroyed in a matter of seconds...amazing...
Fascinating story concerning the murder of 13 year old Mary Phagan in 1913 which lead to the imprisonment of Leo Frank and his subsequent lynching in 1915. This true crime story covers so many cultural aspects and is incredibly fascinating. Was Leo Frank guilty of the crime? I suspect that now, after so many years, we'll never know. The link below includes a fascinating video that offers photographs of all the participants in this case, as well as some rather grizzly pictures of Mr. Frank's lynching and the crime scene. If you don't want to see them, you may want to skip the video... http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/02/leo.frank/index.html
Post 700!!! Always love stories like these, this one concerning a lost Mayan city of staggering size, in Guatemala, that the jungle essentially ate up over time. The video below makes me very curious about what fascinating discoveries remain to be made at Mirador...
If the morning/early afternoon are any indication, it's going to be a weird one. Keep safe!
Halloween is upon us, and articles concerning horror movies and the odd are popping up. This one is particularly intriguing, an article concerning abandoned places (there are even websites devoted to showing images from such places. They're described in the article and I'll have to look them over. There's something so sad, and intriguing (at least to me) about abandoned places: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33421753/ns/travel-destinations/The article reminds me of the movie Carnival of Souls. It featured the abandoned (and very stunning) Saltair Pavillion, and is a worthy cult movie (although, like many older films, the "punch" and "surprise" of its plot/ending may be a little softened by the passage of time and other, similar films that followed. Still, very much worth a look.
A little while back (you can read it here) I mentioned I was a big fan of author Michael Connelly. His latest novel, 9 Dragons, is out (I have it, but haven't read it yet) and the author, while researching Hong Kong for the novel, afterwards discovered he was in the area when an apparent crime was committed that has some similarities to what he was writing. The article follows: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/29/michael.connelly.fact.fiction/index.htmlMy heart goes out to the family of Ani Ashekiar. As for Mr. Connelly's novel, as a fan of his writing I'm eager to read it, but the reviews have been pretty divergent. The critic at Entertainment Weekly wasn't too impressed at all with the novel ( http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20310556,00.html). However, other reviewers (like the one here: http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/story/1301193.html) felt it was one of his best books. I'll offer my opinion after I read it!
I truly didn't want to deal with any of the so-called "Balloon Boy" crap...its just so damn depressing on so many levels (from the family's need for attention to the media's general insanity), but here Time Magazine presents an amusing list of top 10 shocking hoaxes: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1931133_1931132,00.htmlI forgot about some of these (I recall, in particular, "Hitler's Diaries" and the subsequent furor...ah memories).
Another one of those heartbreaking stories: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/21/arizona.iraqi.daughter.struck/index.htmlI'm alternatively amused/horrified by people and their views. It is horrifying when it appears they allow their views of morality affect their judgment to the point they act on others, especially when the result is so tragic. If the article is correct, I have no doubt Mr. Hassan Almaleki, an Iraqi, felt his daughter was straying from whatever righteous path he felt was proper. I have no doubt he wanted what was best for her, and perhaps she rebuffed his concerns. But the man's ultimate actions against her are unforgivable.
Ah, the lengths people will go to make money... http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091021/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_britain_crashThe two most chilling lines are at the front end of the article:
Mohammed Patel, 24, charged 500 pounds a time to stage accidents which
enabled fraudsters to claim an average of 17,000 pounds from their
insurers.
Police said he staged at least 92 crashes between 2005 and 2008, each
time persuading the other driver to believe they were at fault. Of course, Mr. Patel not only managed to rake money for himself and allowed the "fraudsters" to claim plenty of insurance money, but he also put people's lives in danger while aiding in his own special way to make insurance rates all that much higher. Well done. 4 1/2 years of prison seems a little to lenient...
Absolutely fascinating article regarding the unattributed play The Reign of Edward III. For years (centuries!), the author of this play was suspected as being William Shakespeare. Now, and with the aid of computer software intended to detect plagiarism in college students' papers, Sir Brian Vickers, a literature professor at the University of London, has concluded the play was likely a collaboration between Mr. Shakespeare and Thomas Kyd, another popular playwright of the era: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1930971,00.htmlIt's always fascinating to me to read things like this, where modern technology may provide insight into old mysteries. Even ones involving authorship of plays. Fascinating stuff!
Until this article, I never heard of Howard Unruh and the murder spree he was responsible for way back in 1949. As the article states: Unruh was considered the first single-episode mass murderer in U.S. history. A World War II veteran, Mr. Unruh was an introvert, according to the article, before the war and returned from the war an even stranger individual. But what is most fascinating, and horrifying, lies in the sentence I quoted above. In the end, he was responsible for the deaths of more than a dozen people. Captured alive, the courts declared him insane and he was committed for the remainder of his life. http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/19/first.mass.murderer/index.html
...and at least one of the discoveries is most...interesting? You'll know what I'm talking about when you see the clip:
This video is unbelievably grisly...until it is revealed that the baby not only survived, but apparently just suffered a minor cut to the forehead. But what could have happened...I don't even want to think about it.
I suppose you could file this under "what took him so long": http://my.att.net/s/editorial.dll?pnum=1&bfromind=7404&eeid=6881333&_sitecat=1479&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=0&ck=&ch=en&rg=blsadstrgt&_lid=332&_lnm=tg+en+topnews&ck=&l=hmThe iconic image (sorta/kinda Andy Warhol-ish) Shepard Fairey created of then candidate Barack Obama and the word "Hope" underneath has been the subject of lawsuits by the artist against the Associated Press and vice versa. I think its clear, if you hit the link to the article and take a look, where the original image came from (its presented side by side with Mr. Fairey's artwork). I like what Mr. Fairey did, the work is good. However, credit should have been given from the start to the photographer who took the picture, something Mr. Fairey seems to have tried skirting. Ultimately, I suspect, this revolves around the money Mr. Fairey subsequently made from his image, and the fact that the original photograph/photographer or whoever has the copyright to the original image should also receive their due/compensation. It's only fair.
I'm no fan of Rush Limbaugh, but I felt there was no real reason to prevent him from investing in a business, despite the at times incindiary rhetoric he's known for. Well, his apparent interest in becoming a minority owner of the Rams has been squelched: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/10/14/limbaugh/index.htmlBut all is not so bad for Mr. Limbaugh, as the following line at the end of the article indicates: Others within the league believe that Limbaugh may have viewed his
participation in Checketts group as nothing more than a dose of free
publicity for the radio host, no matter the outcome or the response to
his involvement. "There was no downside in any of this for him,'' a
league source said. "He gets a week of free publicity, and in the end,
he'll frame his rejection to his benefit.''
Truly an amazing story, particularly considering the ordeal the then 8 year old Jennifer Schuett was subjected to. Now 27 years old, it seems that the perpetrator of the very heinous crime she was subjected to has been identified: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/13/texas.coldcase.victim/index.htmlOn a somewhat different, yet still similar tangent, we have Jaycee Dugard, kidnapped at the age of 11 and only recently found and released from her captivity of 18 years, has made a more public appearance in People magazine. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20312090,00.htmlI can't image the horrors she, and Jennifer Schuett, have gone through. One hopes they can somehow put the horrors inflicted upon (as the perpetrators of both crimes are now in custody) in the past and face a pleasant, and happy, future.
While pop culture is littered with ideas of hitmen (hell, my novel Cold Hemispheres featured the last job of an elderly hitman), this is the real deal, an interview with two Medellin hitmen: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/10/14/colombia.hitmen/index.htmlPerhaps the most chilling line in the interview is this one: You kill the first one and you panic for a few days. You're nervous.
But then you kill the second one and that's a kind of a medicine. It
takes the pain away that you were feeling after the first killing.
For those who recall the first story (can be found here), there is an update on Fountainbleu heir Ben Novack (who was murdered) and his missing Batman collection: http://www.miamiherald.com/459/story/1278906.htmlIt appears that Mr. Novack's widow, a woman who, according to the article, is a suspect in his murder, took the bulk of the material to her home. Also according to the article, this is the 2nd largest collection of Batman memorabilia. One wonders just what he had!
A fascinating article concerning Michelle Mack, who in infancy suffered a pre-birth stroke that effectively destroyed the left half of her brain. She is an adult now, and while she still exhibits certain deficits, she has also proven that given time, the human body has a way of adapting to what it does not have: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/12/woman.brain/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Fun and very informative article concerning the whole year 2012-doomsday scenarios...supposedly first conceived of by the ancient Maya: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33261483/ns/technology_and_science-science/The article provides a brief synopsis of where this notion came from, as well as the suggestion that perhaps our Christian/apocalyptic ideals are pushing into the Mayan ones. But I love the last line of the article the most:
"No one who's writing in now (about the potential apocalypse coming in 2012) seems to remember that the last time we
thought the world was going to end, it didn't," says Martin, the
astronomy Webmaster. "There doesn't seem to be a lot of memory that
things were fine the last time around."We do tend to forget about all those "other" apocalypses that were coming, don't we?
Fascinating, and sad, report from CNN about what may happen to the International Space Station, whose funding will run out very soon...
I find the reactions to the award curious, but then again, giving it to President Obama seemed a curious thing to begin with. Does he "deserve" it? Well, that's for the judges who gave out the award to decide. If you have a beef, you have it with them rather than the recipient of the award (some people make it sound like President Obama somehow went out of his way to lobby for it, like he did on the Olympics). But getting back to the central question, I suspect this award was given more as an attempt to further deliver a kick to the Bush presidency, a way of saying "thank goodness" someone other than him is around, and maybe now the world can move on in a more positive way. If that's the case, I can understand (but not condone) the howls of protest from the right. I suspect they see President Obama getting this award as a direct repudiation of them. Then again, your opinions may vary, and based on the article below, they most certainly do! http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/10/09/obama.nobel.peace.reaction/index.html
...and the early results appear rather muted: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33226607/ns/technology_and_science-space/The hope was that the crashing rocket would create a plume of debris which could be examined for evidence of water on the Moon (if we should ever have a Moon base, it would be exceedingly helpful is there was water available in the area). But, as mentioned before, the results appears to be rather non-existent. As a scientist said in the article: We may have hit a dry hole rather than a wet hole.
There are many in this country who are passionate about their guns. I don't understand the love. Especially when you feel the need, as the late Melanie Hain did, to take her weapon, a Glock, to her 5 year old's soccer practice. As I said before, I don't understand the passion toward guns, but I certainly understand one's feelings regarding hunting and/or protection, especially if you feel threatened. But taking a gun to a kid's soccer practice? Odd, to say the least. Regardless of all that, the sad news is that Melanie Hain, 33, was found dead, the victim of gunshot wounds, along with her husband at her home. From the article, it appears to be a murder/suicide as Mrs. Hain and her husband were in the process of separating. http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/08/gun.soccer.mom.dead/index.htmlI've been to many countries in my life, and of those the United States is the only one whose citizens display such strong feelings toward their weapons and the right to have them. I don't know why this is, although it could be lingering ghostly recall to early days of this country and its fight against the oppressive British Monarchy through to the era of the so-called "wild west". In the end, however, the causes of this don't matter. In the end, this one strong proponent of gun rights, sadly, met her end with the very things she felt so very passionately about.
One time Baywatch babe has put on a few pounds, which the tabloids have been rather merciless in pointing out. However, as the saying goes: She who laughs last... Very funny stuff.
When the news first broke, my immediate reaction was: How could David Letterman do this? To get involved with staff, possibly with interns... The National Organization of Women had a similar opinion: http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/07/letterman.now/index.htmlI think it makes sense if you're a boss in a company...any company...you should try to steer very clear of any sexual relationships (or the potential for any such relationships) with people working for you. Especially if you're already in a relationship (as David Letterman was in a relationship, had a child, and eventually married). While right now the public may be on Letterman's side for "coming clean", I wonder if there isn't any more dirt out there that might eventually tarnish him.
A previously unseen, massive ring has been found around Saturn. How massive? It would take 1 billion Earths to fill it (yes, billion): http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/10/07/space.saturn.ring/index.htmlWhat's most amazing, of course, is that such an object wasn't discovered until now, despite evidence that such an object might exist (read the article, its worth it!).
“There is a right to privacy, but not a right to hypocrisy.” Barney Frank Interesting article/review of the HBO film Outrage, which focuses on suspected homosexual politicians (and, according to the article, at least one Fox News personality) whose record is strongly against any homosexual rights (hence the reason I put that quote at the top). The review ultimately pans the feature as being mean spirited and focusing perhaps a little too much on right wing personalities. However, given the subject matter, I think it might be hard to find a left wing anti-homosexual rights politician who may secretly be in the closet. Regardless, the reviewer's points are pretty strong, even while I tend to agree with what Mr. Frank says, too. http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/popvox/archive/2009/10/05/outrage-the-case-against-outing-gay-politicians.aspx
As I said, if you're curious: http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/browbeat/archive/2009/10/02/what-did-the-polanski-petition-all-those-directors-signed-actually-say.aspxI've expressed my own feelings already. What Polanski did was a crime, and the fact that he fled the country made the whole thing worse. Yes, there well may have been some judicial improprieties (a judge who reneged on a plea deal being one of the issues others have noted), but I suspect that had Polanski faced the music and put his faith in his lawyers, whatever maliciousness coming from the judge or the prosecutors would have been revealed and remedied. The bottom line is that he raped a 13 year old child and fled the country rather than face the judicial system. Another interesting opinion piece can be found here:
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/1264559.htmlI agree with the sentiments expressed by Mr. Robinson in that piece. I find some of the quotes that reveal Mr. Polanski was unrepentant, particularly disturbing.
Remember a little while back when it was announced someone filmed ESPN reporter Erin Andrews while she was in her hotel room? The perpetrator of this apparently used some sophisticated equipment to look through the peephole and fix the distorted images so that they could film her. Well, the perpetrator of this has apparently been caught: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/03/illinois.andrews.arrest/index.html
Sometime you start sniffing around the various news websites and what you find goes beyond strange: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/33134421/ns/sports-baseball/If you don't know, baseball legend Ted Williams, when he died, was decapitated and had his head frozen (this was, I'm assuming, his idea. Perhaps in the future, he could be "revived"...I guess). But what has happened to his head since the procedure? From the msnbc.com article: Williams' severed head was then frozen, and even used for batting
practice by a technician trying to dislodge it from a tuna fish can.To this, all I can say is...huh?!
It was a surprise when several actors and directors whose work I admire came out very quickly to offer support for Roman Polanski, imprisoned in Switzerland for his still pending case involving child molestation in 1978. The surprise was rather bitter. I'd be the first to say that Mr. Polanski has created some truly memorable films. Chinatown may be the best more modern film noirs ever. Rosemary's Baby was creepy as hell, as was Repulsion. But as good as those films were, one must separate the artist from the person. Roman Polanski, the director, has made some wonderful films. Roman Polanski, the person, has made at least one very, very, very bad decision, and compounded it by fleeing the United States and hiding out instead of facing the law. It appears now that some other entertainers aren't quite so quick to express sympathy for Mr. Polanski's travails: http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/10/01/polanski.support.backlash/index.html
An interesting article from the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/sports/football/30dementia.html?_r=1&src=tptwGiven what playing professional football is all about, the results of this study do not surprise me. The game is getting faster and faster, the margin of error is smaller and smaller, and the body slams are incredibly violent. One player (I forget who) likened playing a single game like being involved in several car crashes. A quarterback worried that one day someone might actually die out there. I'm a fan of the game, but watching it nowadays, I can't help wonder about the players' futures. I'm not saying anything new when I say its an awfully violent game...perhaps one of the most violent out there (what's worse? Rugby? Boxing? The Ultimate Boxing?)
The body of Ben Novack, heir to the Fountainbleau (perhaps one of Miami's most famous Hotels, seen in the opening of Goldfinger) and owner of a $50 million a year convention business, was found badly beaten and gagged on July 12th of this year, and so far his murderer has not been found. Since that time, however, the case has revealed a bizarre series of relationships (between wife and daughter, both after the estate) as well as a window on this individual. Apparently, he had one of the largest collections of Batman memorabilia in the world...also apparent, much of it is now missing: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1258660.html
An interesting article from Time magazine. As you may be aware, director Roman Polanski was arrested a few days ago when he entered Switzerland to receive a lifetime achievement award. Polanski, a French citizen, fled the United States back in 1978 following being convicted of child molestation (he had sex with a 13 year old girl). The article highlights the divide between what the French and Americans think about the case. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1926508,00.html
Director Roman Polanski traveled outside of France to attend the Zurich film festival and was taken into custody by the Swiss police. They did so, apparently, in relation to a "1978 U.S. request". This probably relates to charges he had sex with a 13 year old minor: http://my.att.net/s/editorial.dll?pnum=1&bfromind=7403&eeid=6840145&_sitecat=1479&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=-2&ck=&ch=ne&s=en&rg=blsadstrgt&l=hmWhile I admire many of Mr. Polanski's movies, I've always felt uncomfortable about his actions regarding this case, beginning with the obvious crime to the way he fled the United States. He claimed there were extenuating circumstances and that there were issues regarding the judge and/or the law. Regardless, he had sex with a minor. I wonder if the Swiss will deport him to the U.S. to finally face these charges...
Ah, love... http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/25/california.pilot.stalking/index.htmlSeriously, why do so many react in such bizarre and (saddest of all) deadly ways regarding broken relationships? People are obviously very different, and their reactions to stresses (both romantic or not) are also different. It's too bad that when a relationship is over, some people just can't step back and simply let it go.
Terrific article by Michael Klare for Salon.com regarding what will happen when, eventually, we reach the point where oil becomes a rare commodity: http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/09/24/oil/His points are, sadly, very much on target. Perhaps the best descriptive paragraph from the article follows: It would, of course, be ideal if the shift from dwindling oil to its
climate-friendly successors were to happen smoothly via a mammoth,
well-coordinated, interlaced system of wind, solar, tidal, geothermal
and other renewable energy installations. Unfortunately, this is
unlikely to occur. Instead, we will surely first pass through an era
characterized by excessive reliance on oil's final, least attractive
reserves along with coal, heavily polluting "unconventional"
hydrocarbons like Canadian oil sands, and other unappealing fuel
choices.We use tremendous amounts of energy every day (and not just from oil). And, like almost everything, there is a certain amount of inertia to overcome: We're content with what we have, why waste money on something we'll need in the nebulous future? Yet that is exactly what we should be doing. Much more of.
From Newsweek comes this interesting list of what they consider some of the weirdest, coolest military weapons, either in development or already in existence: http://www.newsweek.com/id/215823The high altitude airship (blimp) and the XM-25 rifle were particularly interesting. The blimp looks to be eco friendly, a plus in carrying out highly destructive missions.
Outside of comic books, the name Jack Kirby might not mean that much. However, those familiar with comic books know the name very well. During his lifetime, however, Mr. Kirby was perhaps the one man most associated with comic books. During the "Golden Age" of comics, he and Joe Simon created Captain America. In the very early 1960's, Mr. Kirby, along with Stan Lee, essentially created what is now Marvel Comics. Of almost all the major Marvel heroes to come out during that decade, he was intimately involved with just about all of them, with the exception of Spider Man and Dr. Strange, characters more closely associated with Steve Ditko and Stan Lee. Te relationship between Marvel Comics and Jack Kirby became strained by the late 1960's and Jack Kirby moved on to DC Comics before, eventually, returning for a few more years of work at Marvel. Afterwards, there was considerable friction between Kirby and Marvel over the return of artwork and now, some fifteen years after Mr. Kirby's death, his heirs are fighting to gain some measure of control over his creations, not unlike what the heirs to Joe Shuster are doing regarding Superman and Joe Simon is doing regarding Captain America: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/business/21marvel.html?_r=3&ref=moviesWhile many may scoff at comic books and comic book superheroes, the fact is that many of them (though certainly not all) are ingrained in our culture. Almost everyone knows of Batman and Superman and Spider Man, while precious few know who were the people behind their creation. While some may view the lawsuit as a way for heirs to gain some money, I hope the intentions aren't so cynical. I hope that, at the very least, some of these creators, many of whom are dead now, will gain recognition for their creations.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/09/18/3D.home.television/index.htmlFor some reason, it seemed destined to be. Two dimensional images are nice and all, but for some time now we've desired a more "real" visual experience, and notwithstanding the 3D movies from the 1950's on, the next stage probably involves true 3D images without those clunky glasses. And, as the article above notes, the next stage are...holograms!
Pretty weird sounding stuff:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32909833/ns/health-health_care/As I dived into the article, I wondered how it was possible for someone to catch fire while on the operating table. Then, from the article: Surgical flash fires are most often sparked by electric surgical tools
when oxygen builds up under surgical drapes. They occur an estimated
550 to 600 times a year — a tiny fraction of the millions of surgeries
performed in the U.S. annually — and only kill about one or two people
each year, said Mark Bruley, vice president for accident and forensic
investigation at the ECRI Institute, a nonprofit health research agency.So one to two people per year are actually killed while in surgery and thanks to fires. Odd stuff, certainly...
Ruben Navarrette Jr. offers an interesting commentary regarding what some are perceiving as an increased culture of rudeness, and what may lie behind it: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/18/navarrette.rudeness.narcissism/index.htmlThe usual suspects (Serena Williams, Kayne West, and Joe Wilson) are trotted out, but Mr. Navarrette tries to explore what may lie behind the rudeness, what may be the source. I don't know if I agree with all the points he makes, but I do feel that at least one point is dead on: The current rash of rude behavior is, at its source, self-centeredness. When figures in the media show such rudeness, it becomes big news and is rightfully denounced for what it is. But to me, the major displays of self-centerness are evident on an almost daily basis while driving. Where else are people insulated from others and sometimes feel like they can do whatever they want, without any consideration for those around them? A particular irritant to me (and, thankfully, something that doesn't happen all the time) are people driving in front of you who slow down and come to a stop to either let someone out of their car or pick someone up. I'm not talking about people who pull over and free traffic...I'm talking about people who actually come to a stop on the road, backing up any traffic behind them while conversely increasing the risk to themselves and others to get into an accident. Why would people do such a thing unless they were so tuned out on their surroundings or, conversely, were so self-centered as to care not a bit about every one around them? Then there's this: The other day, at an intersection, the light turned green and I started moving forward to cross that intersection. A lady on the other side of the street wanted to make a left hand turn (thus, crossing my car and lane). Even though the light was green for both sides, she went ahead and began her turn, despite the fact that she saw me driving forward and right at her. Luckily for her (and me!), I spotted what she was doing and slowed. I raised my hands while giving her a "what are you doing?" look (nothing more graphic than that, although I was sorely tempted!). When she finally spotted me and my car, she wasn't all that far into the intersection and, had she wanted to, could have stopped and allowed me through. Why not? I did have the right of way. Instead, she continued her illegal (and dangerous) turn while offering a half-hearted wave (Oopsie...my bad...oh well). More self-centerdness?
Sometimes reality is wilder than anything you could find in science fiction: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/16/tooth.eye.vision/index.htmlThe procedure is modified osteo-odonto keratoprosthesis, and it involves removing a healthy tooth and part of the patient's jawbone. As the article goes on to say: The
tooth and bone were then shaved and sculpted, and a hole was drilled
into them to hold the prosthetic lens. Then the whole unit was
implanted into Thornton's chest and left for several months, allowing
the tooth and lens to bond. This was then implanted into her eye. The bottom line is that this procedure has been performed some 600 times, and in the case of Sharron Thornton, the subject of this article, her vision (she was only able to see "shadows") is improved and expected to continue to improve with time. A wild, wild story!
Absolutely fascinating article from Time magazine. At least according to this article, you should not be cited for either saying or displaying something others may consider vulgar to the police. Who knew?! http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1923125,00.htmlOn the other hand, I certainly wouldn't recommend it!
...especially after reading the linked article's first paragraph: Two Norwegian citizens were sentenced to death by the Congolese court on Tuesday, after being convicted of both espionage and murdering their
driver. (They claim the man was killed by bandits who attacked their
vehicle.) The Norwegian government insists that it is completely
uninvolved. Do small countries like Norway engage in international
espionage?Interesting question. Does Norway engage in international espionage? If so, why? What do they hope to gain, and who's side are they on? The answers lie ahead... http://www.slate.com/id/2227803/
Last night, President Obama addressed congress regarding the health care issue and by now most of you know about what happened: During one portion of the speech, wherein he talked about his reforms not covering illegal immigrants, Republican Rep. Joe Wilson yelled out, saying he was a liar. What's most intriguing, to me, was the way the other Republicans reacted to this breech in protocol, condemning the action but then somehow twisting this to blaming Obama (one example I heard, some Republican said something to the effect that if only Obama would release the speech in advance so that Republican's wouldn't react to things in the heat of the moment!). Seems I'm not the only one to notice this: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/09/10/you_lie/
In Europe, the old fashioned incandescent bulb is on its way out, soon to be phased out completely in favor of the more energy efficient fluorescent bulbs. Indeed, Europe is promoting energy efficiency and, according to this video, the old incandescent bulbs use only 5% of the energy to "light up". The other 95% is wasted! But the Germans appear unwilling to give up the old energy wasters, and it appears many are buying (hoarding) the old bulbs. Strangely, and again based on this video, this hoarding behavior appears limited to the Germans... I'm not sure what conclusions to draw from this!
Interesting video via CNN about Wikipedia's attempt to legitimize its information. A note: I like Wikipedia, but I've heard the horror stories so when I use the website, I try to make sure the information I'm looking for is more "dry" and hopefully, less prone to mischief. However, considering the vast amount of information offered relatively easily, I hope the service cleans up the kinks and makes itself even better than it already is as a source of general information.
One of those human interest stories you can't help but read, about a 91 year old woman from Orlando, Florida and her car, which she's had for 45 years (its a 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente) and has racked up an impressive 559,000 miles. The link features a video segment, so you can see the whole thing as well as read about it: http://autos.aol.com/article/rachel-veitch-old-car
At least some reason for optimism regarding Jaycee Dugard comes from this report by NBC about Jaycee Dugard and her daughters. Jaycee Dugard, of course, was kidnapped at the age of 11 in 1991 by Phillip Garrido. Until only a few days ago, she was held captive.
The first one, for very obvious reasons, has been making the rounds in national (and I'm certain international) news. It concerns Phillip Garrido, the very, very sick individual who in 1991 abducted 11 year old Jaycee Lee Dugard and, over the course of the following years until just a few days ago, held her in his backyard and raped her repeatedly (she bore 2 kids by him). What's adds even more disturbing elements to this already incredibly disturbing case is the fact that Mr. Garrido was a registered sex offender and was being monitored, both by ankle bracelets and by parole officers, during the years he held Jaycee...and apparently not one of the agencies involved in checking him out realized he held the poor girl captive. http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/01/california.garrido.monitoring/index.htmlA second, perhaps just as heartbreaking case involves Diane Schuler, who while carrying five children in her car, drove the wrong way on New York's Taconic Parkway and hit another car head on. It resulted in the deaths of Mrs. Schuler, four of the children in her car, and three adults in the vehicle she ran into. The curious element of this story is that toxicology results show that Mrs. Schuler had both high levels of alcohol and evidence of marijuana use in her system, yet friends and family, including the husband, say there was never any evidence of her abusing either. Further, she was seen shortly before the accident at a fast food restaurant and appeared to be fine, according to witnesses. But the reality, at least to me, lies in the autopsy results. I feel for both the husband and for the family in the other car, but in the end, and unless something was seriously botched in the examination, the evidence proves that Mrs. Schuler did abuse alcohol and that she likely was impaired when she had that horrific accident. Perhaps Mrs. Schuler hid her problems only too well. Regardless, I sympathize with the husband, who, if the evidence does indeed prove irrefutable, didn't know his wife as well as he thought. I also sympathize with all the victims involved. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/09/01/new.york.wrong.way.driver/index.htmlAs I said before, a pair of heartbreaking cases.
An interesting list of ten famous people who disappeared (at least two on the list were found...one, unfortunately, dead, the other came out of hiding): http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1846670_1846800,00.htmlI didn't know about a few of these, and found the whole thing fascinating in a morbid way. Of course, you have the obvious ones (Jimmy Hoffa and Amelia Earhart), but the lesser known people are equally, if not more, fascinating.
It's been making the news since yesterday, a girl kidnapped when she was 11 years old was found eighteen years later. Other than the very good news that she's alive, the fact of the matter is that what happened to her during the past eighteen years can only be described as horrifying: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32583149/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/My heart goes out to her and her children and family.
A while back I posted a link to an article about the most dangerous searches (or some such) one could make online. The results and links presented after the search usually yielded many links to sites that could have either virus or malware waiting to pounce on your computer. I found a similar article this morning, this one focusing on the "celebrity" with the most dangerous search name. ie, look her up on Google or Bing or Yahoo and, as a result, you'll find plenty of potentially dangerous websites presented. The celebrity? Jessica Biel. You've been warned! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32533198/ns/technology_and_science-security/
Amusing article from Salon.com from Amanda Fortini and the (apparently) growing movement of iPhone haters. She details some of her experiences and why she (and maybe others!) feels this way: http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2009/08/24/hate_my_iphone/I'd be lying if I said I didn't find the amusement in this article partly due to the fact that there are those willing to berate the almighty Apple Corp. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Apple, but the company smugness (which for some reason seems to rub off on their users, particularly those that swear by their computers) has on occasion bothered me. I've seen/used the iPhone and its a neat enough gadget, but its also expensive and, frankly, I simply don't see the need to spend the extra money. It may be good, but it's not that good. Apparently, Ms. Fortini agrees, although her experiences are much more first hand.
Simply mindboggling, in this day and age: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,877155,00.htmlThe judge's statement, in particular, I find incredible: In an extraordinary decision, Judge Camarata
denied the Burkes' right to the child because of their lack of belief
in a Supreme Being. Despite the Burkes' "high moral and ethical
standards," he said, the New Jersey state constitution declares that
"no person shall be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshiping
Almighty God in a manner agreeable to the dictates of his own
conscience." Despite Eleanor Katherine's tender years, he continued,
"the child should have the freedom to worship as she sees fit, and not
be influenced by prospective parents who do not believe in a Supreme
Being."Hmmm. So if I read this right, the Judge feels freedom of religion means you have the freedom worship God in the manner you want. Not freedom to follow your own path, even if it leads you to a life free of religion. I can't help but feel that the judge is imposing his feelings regarding religion on others, something I find...terrible. This couple apparently are quite fit to raise kids, whether they feel the need to follow a religion or not.
Absolutely spot on article regarding the recent spate of (how to phrase this nicely?...I guess it's impossible) idiots carrying weapons to town hall meetings: http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/08/22/sirota_guns/I'm sure the more level headed proponents of the second amendment must cringe at these attention seeking/starved...individuals whose only goal it seems to be is to try to intimidate others. The best line from the article: Generating maximum media attention, the weapons-brandishing displays
are "intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population." Yes, the
gun has been transformed from a sport and self-defense device into a
tool of mass bullying. Like the noose in the Jim Crow South, its
symbolic message is clear: If you dare engage in the democratic
process, you risk bodily harm.I truly, truly hope someone on the "other side" (whether it be the NRA or GOP) comes to their senses and tells these bullies what they're doing is counterproductive and counterdemocratic.
I know, I know...the topic may seem rather dull or perhaps too played out. However, Ms. Ghitis provides a very, very strong opinion piece here which I feel illuminates much about the current healthcare debate, by looking at it from the outside in.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/1197368.htmlGotta love the first comment afterwards, from "socialismsucks". Talk about making her point for her! And here is another article, a look from the inside out, an American woman muses on her experiences in a British hospital (I hope "socialismsucks" eventually reads this): http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/08/22/nhs/
That's the term used toward the end of this article, which focuses on Caster Semenya, a female track runner (and winner) who is now the subject of a "gender test". Her times on the track are blazing, sometimes winning by a wide margin, but there are those that wonder if (and I don't mean to be crude here) she's really a she: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/more/08/20/semenya.ap/index.htmlBut as I said before, the most interesting lines, to me, were toward the very end of the article, where the author offers two example from the past of athletes with gender issues. The second and last one was particularly interesting: Perhaps the most famous case is that of Stella Walsh, also known as
Stanislawa Walasiewicz, a Polish athlete who won gold in the 100 at the
1932 Olympics, and was later found to have had ambiguous genitalia.Curiosity got the best of me, and I just had to find out a bit more about Stella Walsh: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanis%C5%82awa_WalasiewiczWhile the whole "is she a man or a woman?" issue is curious enough, perhaps the saddest aspect regarding Ms. Walsh was how she eventually passed away: Walsh was a bystander in an armed robbery in Cleveland, Ohio on 4 December 1980, and was killed at the age of 69.Interesting how one story takes you to another, then another.
One thing that disheartens me about many of the politicians on the left is that they don't seem to have the will to fight. They meander through many policies and don't appear to have the backbone of those on the right (this is probably the biggest complement I can give them). However, there are those on the Democratic side who are willing to give as good as they get, and Barney Frank is one of them: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/18/frank.heath.care/index.htmlWhether you agree of disagree with current attempts to address the health care issue, I suspect the final product could/would be so much better if the two sides simply talked to each other and worked together to create a policy that (hopefully) serves everyone. Unfortunately, thus far we've had precious little of that. On a related an even more distressing level, there are those that have appeared outside the President's events carrying weapons: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1917356,00.htmlI've asked this before: What is wrong with these people? Do they truly believe that displaying firearms somewhere near the President of the United States will somehow bring others to their side?
Intriguing article from CNN examines a theory put forth by researchers at the University of Virginia and the University of Maryland-Baltimore County that global warming may have started with ancient farmers and their methods of clearing forests to plant crops: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/08/18/ancient.global.warming/index.htmlI tend to the agree with the later quotes in the article by Ken Caldeira, however. While ancient man probably played some role in pumping carbon into the atmosphere, I can't see how that would compare with the amounts being pumped since the late 1800's until today. Take my comments with a grain of salt, though...I'd be the last person to claim some scientific higher knowledge in this respect!
As this fascinating article notes, the idea of a space elevator (ie, a platform in orbit that reaches all the way down to Earth and, using a very, very long tether, works as an elevator, taking material/personnel from Earth to orbit and thus avoiding the dangers of rockets and cutting the cost of rising above the gravity pull) has been around for a while. Famed science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke ( 2001: A Space Odyssey) even offered an amusing quote regarding the subject: The idea is at least a century old - and was most famously popularized
by science-fiction guru Arthur C. Clarke, who once said the space
elevator would succeed "50 years after everyone has stopped laughing."The idea remains wild, but work is being done to solve some of the problems in the creation of such a device: http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/08/17/2033079.aspxA space elevator would most certainly be a boon to space travel. Much of the energy, risk, and cost involved in space travel involves getting a spacecraft (and its cargo and passengers) out of Earth's gravity. A space elevator, of course, would cut down on these three elements. If such a device could be manufactured.
Fascinating article from The New York Times regarding the apparently very real possibility to fabricate DNA evidence: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/science/18dna.htmlAs an author, these sort of articles can really fire up my imagination. The role of DNA evidence in determining the presence of a person/people at the scene of a crime is practically ingrained, certainly considered very, very strong evidence in a court of law. However, this article suggests that DNA evidence can be fabricated, something which must be very worrisome to those in law enforcement, and perhaps those in other fields as well...
Interesting article about the possibility that the days of "classic" cars (defined in this article as the cars that tend to show up at shows, usually sporting plenty of gas powered muscle) are gone: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32430516/ns/business-autos/While I believe the days of the gas powered muscle engines are over, there's no reason to believe, even with the advent of electric powered systems, that a new generation of beautiful, sexy, and muscular cars won't eventually show up on the market. The big difference, of course, will be that these cars will be much quieter!
The above question gets trickier with each new court ruling: http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/08/13/warner-bros-has-lost-krypton-will-lose-superman-in-2013/I'm of two minds here: I most certainly side with the creators of Superman (and their families). The fact of the matter is that Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and sold for what amounted to a token fee to what eventually would become DC Comics (Warner Brothers would eventually buy up that company, and thus own the various characters under the imprint). Siegel and Shuster made plenty of money off Superman after it became successful, but the reality is that the company made much, much more. And when the two left the comic book field, they made nothing from the character they had created, not until DC Comics relented and gave them pensions in the mid-1970's (although I could be wrong, I believe this was done in part to avoid any negative publicity concerning the upcoming Superman film). But issues regarding the work for hire contracts and copyrights have embroiled DC Comics and the Siegel family in issues regarding the ownership of the famous character, and thus far it appears that piece by piece the family is gaining control over parts of the character. It's a fascinating article, and I suspect that in the end what will happen is DC Comics/Warner Brothers will reach some kind of settlement with the family. Superman is simply too big a character to lose.
An interesting article from CNN that compares the electric Volt versus the hybrid Prius and, most importantly, the potential savings one would have regarding the price of gasoline: http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/14/autos/volt_vs_prius/index.htmI've mentioned before that I'm all in favor of the new electric car technology. However, like the cell phone, I suspect the first models will be clunky pieces of work that will be way overpriced and will probably perform less than what we can eventually expect. I recall when the cell phones first appeared they were very, very expensive, and looked not unlike the ones in those pesky (but often hilarious) credit report commercials. I specifically recall Arnold Schwarzenegger being interviewed about cell phones back then and he noted he paid something like $2000 (or maybe even more) for his cell phone and another thousand or two for the monthly service. Times quickly changed, of course, and in a few years everyone has cellphones, and the service is light years away from that during those first years. Hopefully, the same will happen with electric cars...
Fascinating article from USA Today regarding a tiny company, Toronto-based i4i (30 employees), who have won a ruling that " Microsoft violated an obscure patent
related to Extensible Markup Language or XML." Further: the judge in the case " order(ed )
Microsoft to pay $290 million in fines and stop selling Word in the
U.S. in 60 days." I suspect there are many Apple users out there cheering any misfortune that falls to Microsoft (seriously, why all the hate? I've used Windows and Apple and the difference between the operating systems used to be noticeable, but now its minimal), but consider this, the final sentences from the article (the emphasis on the very last bit is mine): No one expects Microsoft to actually pull Word off the market. It's a
big company with deep pockets that has faced many legal challenges over
the years. It could win the appeal, settle with i4i, or even buy out
the company.The article follows: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2009-08-12-microsoft-lawsuit_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
In all of modern American history, there is no one that perplexes, annoys, and just plain angers me as much as Dick Cheney, George Bush's Vice President. The man behind many of the more dark aspects of Bush's presidency (a presidency, by the way, I felt was one of the most incompetent, amateurish, and amoral of recent times) is in many ways a cipher. Some who knew him before he became Vice President were startled at what they felt was his sudden, abrupt changes in philosophy. Well, he's about to write a book (another change, see below) that presents his views of the Bush years: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32398177/ns/politics-washington_post/I've long felt that the Bush/Cheney's gang's motto should have been "Do as I say, not as I do". To Cheney, "Scooter" Libby was "an innocent man" despite having been convicted in court (and need I go over the whole messy Valarie Plame affair? I can only imagine what the conservative pundits would say if, for example, someone in the Obama administration was suspected of outing a secret agent...like the Bush administration did). To Cheney, torture was an effective means of getting information (surprising news to the experts in interrogation tactics). To Cheney, Rumsfeld was the "finest secretary of defense", despite the mess he made in Iraq and general ineptness. I could go on and on, but I suspect that those who agree with my opinions will only nod while those who don't agree won't be turned. However, these lines from the article, in particular, displays the mercurial philosophy found within Cheney, the fact that "firm" opinions he has held for many years...may not be as firm as you might think: Some old associates see Cheney's newfound openness (including the fact that he's writing a memoir ) as a breach of
principle. For decades, he expressed contempt for departing officials
who wrote insider accounts, arguing that candid internal debate was
impossible if the president and his advisers could not count on secrecy. As far back as 1979, one
of the heroes in Lynne Cheney's novel "Executive Privilege" resolved
never to write a memoir because "a president deserved at least one
person around him whose silence he could depend on." Cheney lived that
vow for the next 30 years.
You know, I had to read the headline twice before it made any sense to me. Yes indeed, a man who has no children has been "released" from child support debt. The guy is clearly a victim of a system gone haywire and has lived a rough life (whether because of this is an open question). At least it appeared he tried to make payments during the time he thought the child was his, but after DNA tests proved he wasn't the father to begin with, he had to deal with the debt of "unpaid" previous child support. Until now... http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/08/11/georgia.child.support/index.html
Two interesting articles, one (IMO) more fact based and neutral, another far more hostile regarding not only Woodstock, but the 60's generation in general. First, the more even handed fact-based one by Tony Sclafani, for MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32322892/ns/entertainment-music/What sets this article apart is that you have several first hand recollections of the event, and it explores both the "good" and "bad" rumor/speculation/actual facts involved with Woodstock. On the other hand, here's "What's not being celebrated", by Miami Herald writer Glenn Garvin... http://www.miamiherald.com/columnists/garvin/story/1180403.htmlFirst, a couple of words about Mr. Garvin: I first became aware of him with his reviews of television shows. His comments were often hilarious, and I was eager to read his articles. At some point, however, he was promoted to editorial/opinion author, and he became, like Michael Medved (who was himself hilarious as a co-author of the "Golden Turkey Award" books, which focused on truly terrible movies), another generally humorless conservative. Based on this article and Mr. Garvin's "take" on not only Woodstock but Altamont and the 1960's in general show that he is no fan of the times or the movement. Contrast the first article and its take on what happened (both good and bad) with Mr. Garvin's take on the subject: The three-day rock festival at Woodstock was, by any reasonable
measure, a disaster: Hundreds of thousands of narcotized kids wallowing
around in the mud, leaving behind so much sodden debris that more than
one festival organizer compared the place to a Civil War battlefield.
Their idea of preparation for a three-day campout was to load up on
drugs rather than food, water or medical supplies, and if military
choppers hadn't bailed them out, Woodstock might have ended in the
hippie apocalypse that a lot of people feared. The festival's real
lesson was one already well known to America's parents: Kids, left
without adult supervision, will make a mess. But the crux of Mr. Garvin's article is that while everyone is celebrating the anniversary of Woodstock, the far darker Rolling Stones concert at Altamont is a "forgotten" event and that it (an arbitrary choice on his part) is a better example of what the 1960's were truly about. Unfortunately, instead of offering a clear review of events, he instead displays plenty of biases: Altamont is the rock festival that self-congratulatory children of the
1960s don't want to remember, the one where Jagger and the rest of the
Rolling Stones watched the Hell's Angels they'd hired as security
guards beat, stab and kill audience members (emphasis mine ) right in front of the stage."Self-congratulatory children"? An event where security guards "beat, stab, and kill audience members"? I can only take that to mean that the Hell's Angels security beat, stabbed, and killed several people during the course of the concert, right? Well...not really. At the end of the article Mr. Garvin clarifies the "members" line:
Jagger just went on with his set, and as he broke into Under My Thumb , the Angels stabbed and clubbed a teenager named Meredith Hunter to death.So, one person (not audience members) was "stabbed and clubbed" to death. Granted, one person killed in the course of a concert is way, way too many, but in reading up on the event on Wikipedia, I found that Mr. Hunter was attacked after he drew a revolver (his girlfriend noted he was agitated and high before the fatality occurred), and that the Hell's Angels members who killed him were ultimately acquitted of their actions by reason of self-defense. The video footage showed Mr. Hunter carrying the weapon. Now, I'm not trying to soft-peddle this. I've always read that the Altamont experience was bad, the polar opposite of what happened at Woodstock. However, one must question how Mr. Garvin can view the events at one venue as an "aberration" while perceiving the events at another as being more representative of the truth. Ultimately, both events happened. One was "good" and one was "bad". I think it stretches thing to either beautify or condemn a generation solely on that basis.
Fascinating article regarding something that might be coming to a supermarket near you: In-vitro meats. The pros? According to the article, you could control the amount of fat, essentially creating what Jason Matheny, of the research group New Harvest, states is a hamburger that prevents heart attacks instead of causing them. There are plenty of other advantages, as expressed in the article, from the fact that we'll have meat made "humanely", ie without raising and slaughtering animals, as well as controlling potential diseases, etc. The negative: How will people react to the idea they're eating something "created" in-vitro? Are there possible side effects? As I said before, a truly fascinating article: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/08/07/eco.invitro.meat/index.html
My family loves the guy. Short tempered, foul mouthed, a restaurant kitchen fascist (but in a nice way ) if there ever was one. I can't deny the entertainment value of watching him, although I think the shows presented here in America show a more extreme version of the actual man (in the British shows he seems more "real", although his temper can erupt just as quickly). However, economic woes are hurting the high end restaurant businesses, including his: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124967205185415131.html
While humans going to space seems stuck (if not having taken a step back since we've stopped going to the Moon), we're gaining insight into the universe around us by various other means. The Kepler telescope which according to this article hasn't even begun official operations yet, has already made at least one fascinating discovery: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/08/08/space.kepler.discovery/index.htmlI'm eager to hear what other interesting planets lie out there and if, finally, we can discover a planet that fits our criteria for habitation (it would help, obviously, if it were at least reasonably close by, too! Ah the potential discoveries to come!).
Ben Lyons and Ben Mankiewicz, the latest hosts of the very long running At The Movies, have apparently been sacked. What originally began with Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel, became Ebert and a rotating co-host after Mr. Siskel died, and changed once again after Roger Ebert could no longer host the show due to his illness, are now gone, according to this article: http://my.att.net/s/editorial.dll?pnum=1&bfromind=7404&eeid=6733840&_sitecat=1479&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=2&ck=&ch=en&rg=blsadstrgt&_lid=332&_lnm=tg+en+topnews&ck=&l=hmI didn't mind Mr. Lyons and Mankiewicz, although I'd be the first to say their reviews were rather lightweight. Since (and during) the original Siskel and Ebert years there have been other attempts to emulate their program, but nothing has come close, at least in my opinion. Siskel and Ebert, together, were witty, sharp, and at times offered surprisingly deep opinions. When Mr. Siskel passed away, it was still fun watching Roger Ebert, but the magic never quite returned. I can't help but wonder if At The Movies may be on its last legs.
A fascinating article by Juliet Lapidos in Slate magazine explores the fact that only one person was listed as missing in action from the first Gulf War ( U.S. Navy Capt. Michael Scott Speicher's remains were just found). Considering the larger number of "missing in action" soldiers from previous conflicts from WWII to Vietnam, why the big decline? Some explanations follow: http://www.slate.com/id/2224255/
Fascinating article by James Poniewozik regarding the gray area between linking to other articles (as I feel I do), and stealing original material. The articles I point out are stories/opinion pieces/news that interest me to one degree or another and I link to them for those who may be similarly interested in reading them. I sometimes take quotes from the articles but make sure they are presented as such. I hope what I'm doing falls far from what any article writer may consider theft! http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2009/08/03/the-post-vs-gawker-when-does-linking-become-larceny/
Seems the article regarding Ryan O'Neal has cracked open the floodgates. Griffin O'Neal was on Larry King, and the interview clearly shows a man and his very negative take on his immediate family, particularly his father: http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/04/lkl.griffin.oneal/index.htmlNormally, I don't care that much about this type of gossip, but this one is so filled with excess that, as I stated before, it's difficult to look away.
Talk about striking while the iron is hot!
Stories like these make me wonder what's happened to the concept of personal responsibility. Have a problem? It's someone else's fault. Solution? Lawsuit! The beauty of this article lies in the following line (and the part I emphasized): In her complaint, Thompson (the woman who initiated the lawsuit) says she seeks $70,000 in reimbursement for
her tuition and $2,000 to compensate for the stress of her three-month
job search.Three months? She's frustrated because she hasn't found a job after three months? In this economy? I can see someone having an issue with going through a college curriculum and finding that, once they graduate, many, if not most, of the courses they took had little or no bearing on the field they were interested in. Hell, it happened to me. However, Ms. Thompson's problem with the college is summed up in this line: As Thompson sees it, any reasonable employer would pounce on an
applicant with her academic credentials, which include a 2.7
grade-point average and a solid attendance record. But Monroe's
career-services department has put forth insufficient effort to help
her secure employment, she claims.I feel for her...not finding employment is incredibly frustrating (not to mention a heavy burden on your personal finances!). However, I think her subsequent actions are misplaced. Ironically, I think they'll make her even less desirable to future employers. As a potential employer, I certainly would think twice before hiring someone who appears willing to jump at the chance of suing whenever they encounter a difficult situation. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/08/03/new.york.jobless.graduate/index.html
This article nails something I've thought about regarding President Obama's first six months in office. That is, that Obama seems intent on learning from his predecessor's mistakes and doing all they can to avoid them. The article, though, goes one step further and made me realize this was nothing new. For example, George W. Bush was not only running away from Clinton, but, if you think about it, he also seemed to be trying (way too hard) to avoid the errors of his father. Clinton, for that matter, presented himself as the "anti" George H. W. Bush, whose focus was on domestic issues (which the elder Bush didn't seem to care about) than foreign issues. Of course, Reagan presented himself as a ray of American-do optimism to Carter's "malaise". Anyway, the article follows: http://www.slate.com/id/2224026/
It's always intriguing to hear about the discovery of "lost" works by famous names, in this case Mozart. Based on the article, it appears these compositions were transcribed by Mozart's father as he was playing the works (he was too young at the time to know how to transcribe himself). One of the more fascinating lines in the article is this one: "When parents go to a piano recital of an early student, a young
student, who's playing for the first time, they get a video tape, they
get a DVD, that's a way of recording it," Kimpton said. "I think what's
exciting is that Mozart's father wanted to preserve this incredible
genius. The young boy at this time didn't know how to write music, but
he sure could play it. It's like a family photo or video album."Despite the technological changes over time, people remain remarkably similar over time. http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/08/02/new.mozart/index.html
Around the time Myst first appeared, it occurred to me that the technology was finally arriving wherein we could recreate different historical places and immerse viewers in an interactive view of past landmarks. I could see people walking the streets of a digitized ancient Rome or Athens, walking the decks of the Titanic or stepping into the Hindenberg. Perhaps one day I can finally "walk" through the 1939-40 New York World's Fair and even enjoy some of the rides. Afterwards, I might just take a stroll through the streets of 1939 New York... I mention this because a company is laser mapping Mount Rushmore (they have laser mapped other historical areas, and interesting video of their previous work is included in this link) I find the whole thing absolutely fascinating. Granted, the folks involved in this are mapping current conditions, but maybe one day... http://news.aol.com/article/cyark-laser-mapping-of-mount-rushmore/598753?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fcyark-laser-mapping-of-mount-rushmore%2F598753
First, its good to be back to a much better, much more reliable internet signal. If I don't post anything (or very little) in the next while, it'll be because there simply wasn't much out there that interested me! But getting back to the topic above: I first encountered this while I was away and, even as I type this, its on one of the news networks in the background. The fight to reform the health care system is leading to some...curious...arguments. The latest involves the provisions for end of life counseling, which those against the health care reforms are labeling as, I suppose, some kind of stealth euthanasia procedures. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32247482/ns/politics/
You're in the police department and decide, what the hell, let's run a computer background check on Obama and see what we get. How about a suspension? http://www.wsbtv.com/news/20218458/detail.htmlSeriously, I can't see what they hoped to gain by doing this. If there was something "bad" in Obama's background they hoped to find, don't you think the Republicans (or rival Democratic candidates, for that matter) wouldn't have made an issue of it in the election? If they did it "for the hell of it", didn't they consider the very real possibility that this would raise some flags? Guess not. A side topic: For those out there (and I mean out there) who subscribe to the "birther" movement and openly wonder if Obama is a "legitimate" U.S. born citizen, the same goes for you guys. If this were a genuine issue, don't you think others would have exploited it BEFORE Obama was elected? Btw, you "birthers" do know that Republican presidential candidate John McCain was born in Panama, right? From Wikipedia: John McCain was born on August 29, 1936 at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone, Panama, to naval officer John S. McCain, Jr.Roberta (Wright) McCain (b. 1912).[2] At that time, the Panama Canal was under U.S. control.[3]
William Shatner does Sarah Palin's "farewell" speech. Hilarity ensues:
According to this article, 2009 was bad for states and municipalities, but 2010 is shaping up to being even worse. So, what do cash strapped cities and counties do to fill the rather large deficits? Some creative ideas are included in this article, from legalizing and taxing marijuana to taxing strip clubs to... Well, see for yourself: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/28/states.budget.crunch/index.htmlWhen I was younger, I lived in a conservative Republican's idea of a wet dream: A country where there were basically no taxes and government services were pretty much non-existent. Corruption, alas, was high (and why not? There were no governmental watchdog groups), and you haven't wouldn't believe the shape of the public roads. There were also all those pesky panhandlers, sometimes kids not much older than I was at the time, to deal with, as well as military checkpoints (without any great police force, you had some scary looking fellows with machine guns manning posts here and there). Also to be feared were the packs of wild dogs (and, no, I'm not kidding about this). The fact is that no one (me included) likes to pay taxes, and we all bitch about them. However, I'd rather live here paying taxes for the various services we enjoy than not pay any taxes and face the situation I saw when I was younger. Nowadays it's political suicide to propose raising everyone's taxes, so we're left with the (ahem) creative attempts to make up for the tax shortfalls.
I picked up the paper today and, like other days, noted its getting awfully thin. It started, of course, when the local papers which were beefed up with Real Estate advertisements (among many others) suddenly had almost no advertisements for property sales. Both local and national papers, I'm noting, are getting awfully smaller. And here's another sign of the changing economy: Harvey Schwartz, owner of 20th Century Props, has run out of money and is forced to auction off his collection of movie props. Seems Hollywood is losing out on film work (other states are offering tax incentives to bring productions there, and you must have read by now the economic problems within California) and Mr. Schwartz is another example of the weakened economy: http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/07/28/hollywood.prop.sale/index.html
Absolutely fascinating article regarding Amelia Earhart. Appears that there may be a way to recover DNA from objects that these searchers hope to find on Nikumaroro Island (they previously found objects which suggested there may have been someone stranded on the island, but these objects were "contaminated"). Anyway, if they find what they hope to find, the very, very old mystery could finally be solved: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=8160365&page=1
Yesterday was the first day in quite some time I posted absolutely nothing...and not for lack of trying. The fact is that, for the next while, I'll be in a very limited internet connectivity area and, because of this, I may not be able to connect to the internet at all. Meanwhile, I'll try to post as often as possible (like today), but I appreciate your patience.
If my postings in the next few days is a little patchy, blame it on the internet connection I currently have. Wasn't able to get online for most of the day (the horror!). Meanwhile, another fascinating article concerning a very, very old gentleman who just passed away. He happened to be the last British Army Veteran of WWI and he died just a few days after another WWI vet (and, up to that point the oldest man in the world) also passed away. I wonder if any German, American, French, or other veterans of WWI still live. I suspect if they do, there are not very many... http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/07/25/uk.last.veteran.obit/index.html
As great as the internet is, it most certainly has its dark side: Internet piracy. We're talking, of course, about music and, lately becoming more prominent ( Wolverine being a fine example), movies. However, books and (yes) even comic books are popping up in illegal downloadable form. There are those who are very open about their support of internet "piracy". They hold to some strange (in my opinion) idea that information should be free, not realizing that their view of what is "free" is another person's hard work given away to anyone who wants it without the artist(s) receiving a penny for said hard work. No one wants to work for "free". Everyone wants to -hopes to- make something off whatever they do, be it selling shoes or songs or movies. If all their hard work and monetary investment made to produce a product subsequently results in that product being distributed for free on the internet, then what is the incentive to continue pursuing their work? At some point in the future, I fear we will stifle an emerging act that could rival the Beatles or a director who might become the next Steven Spielberg because those individuals found their hard work illegally spread across the internet and, because they couldn't make a decent profit from their works, they were forced to pursue a more stable job to pay the bills. So, what's the solution? Illegal downloading is a fact at this point, and I suspect creative individuals will have to find a way to work around it, although I freely admit not being smart enough to offer any worthwhile solution. Anyway, the article about pro-internet piracy parties gaining a foothold across Europe follows: http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/22/pirate.party.christian.engstrom/index.html
I first saw one of these gizmos (I suppose that's the best way to describe them) a few months ago and thought: what the hell? Seriously, an electronic cigarette? The person using it stated that it didn't smell as bad as a real cigarette and was a healthy alternative to those terrible "cancer" sticks. He was, of course, a seller of the product, though didn't press me on purchasing it. We were, at best, casual acquaintances and, if he knew anything about me at all, it was that I didn't smoke nor had any interest in doing so. However, now it looks like maybe the e-cigarette isn't quite as innocent a product as he made it out to be: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/22/ecigarettes.fda/index.html
I've written about this twice before ( here and here): You want marijuana legalized? Forget all that crap about it not being nearly as bad as alcohol or how it can help people suffering from debilitating diseases, etc. etc. In these tough economic times, stress the fact that if you tax it, you can make plenty of revenue, something California especially could use much more of: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/22/california.pot.tax/index.html
This is an interesting article (even if it is from *shudder* Oprah.com, via CNN) (sorry, my male hormones are kicking in!) about the differences between men and women. A curious question they ask early on: Why do some men have no problem living in a filthy house yet keep their car squeaky clean? Why do some women do the exact opposite, ie keep their homes squeaky clean while not worrying about how filthy their cars become? Just one of the interesting questions posed in this article: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/07/21/o.the.male.brain/index.html
There is a great cheese factor to such films as Meteor or Armageddon or Deep Impact, etc. etc. And then the sudden realization that something like that could happen, and we could never see it coming: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/07/21/jupiter.nasa.meteor.scar/index.htmlIt's downright frightening that an object of considerable size slammed into Jupiter, and we didn't see it, we don't know what exactly it was (meteor, comet, asteroid, etc.), and are only now able to note an earth-size impact mark. And it was fortunate we did! I suspect we're also fortunate to have such enormous planets as Jupiter and Saturn at our planet's "rear". Over the many, many years, these two massive planets have probably "collected" plenty of floating debris that might have eventually come our way.
I noted in the obituary to Mr. Henry Allingham that he was probably one of the last of the WWI veterans (which he was) and maybe one of the last people alive (to that point) who could claim he was born in the 19th century. Well, meet Walter Breuning, now the world's oldest living man. He was born in 1896, and is surely among a very rare group that, until a few days ago, included Mr. Allingham: Alive and born in the 19th century... The most fascinating sentence from the rather short article I'm linking to has to be the following: (Mr. Breuning) learned to read by kerosene lantern, remembers his grandfather
telling him about fighting in the Civil War, and cast his first
presidential ballot for Woodrow Wilson.Wow. A man still alive who recalls hearing first hand testimonials from a relative about what he did during the Civil War is mindboggling enough, but then reading that he cast his first presidential ballot for...Woodrow Wilson? Simply amazing. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/20/walter-breuning-montana-r_n_241062.html
Interesting interview with the hosts of Discovery's Mythbusters (the show started contesting urban myths but has moved on to other things) on their attempts to prove that we did indeed go to the Moon...
I suppose with the anniversary of Apollo 11's landing on the Moon today, it stands to reason I'd find plenty of interesting articles regarding that event and the future of NASA. I posted one such article a couple of days ago. This one has even more details on possibilities NASA might explore in the near future: http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/07/17/2000359.aspx
Interesting list of items regarding the Apollo 11, the mission that delivered the first people to the Moon: http://news.aol.com/moon-landing?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Fmoon-landingWhile some of the items are, at least to me, pretty irrelevant, I was amused by the very first entry...that the Moon had a smell. How did they determine this exactly? I don't think at any point they lifted their helmets off and took a wiff of the area around them. I'm guessing they must have smelled some of the rock/soil samples they brought into their lander. However, one of the other items presented states that the capsule developed quite an odor (2 passengers in cramped quarters for several days=foul smell) so I can't help but wonder if they were smelling something else... Still, fascinating stuff on the anniversary of their arrival to the Moon!
Fascinating video from CNN about Yellowstone Park, a truly beautiful place that, quite literally just below its surface, is very, very dangerous.
It happens to everyone eventually. Probably the most eye opening line in the story was this: Allingham's wife, Dorothy, died in 1970. Their two daughters both died in their 80s.Imagine outliving your offspring, who die in their 80's!! But getting back to Mr. Allingham, the subject of the article: He lived to be 113 years old and, as noted in the article, was a veteran of WWI. I suspect he was the last living veteran of that war. He was probably the last person alive to be born in the 19th century (He was born in 1896). Some other notable dates: When WWI began in 1914, Mr. Allingham was 18. When it ended in 1918, he was 22. When WWII began in 1939, he was 43. When it ended in 1945, he was 49. When we reached the moon in 1969, he was 73. At the turn of the century, he was 104. Rest in peace, Mr. Allingham. The article follows: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/07/18/oldest.vet.dead/index.htmlIt won't be too long before the WWII generation leaves us, as well. Most of them are now
in their 80's or older (2009-1945=64 years since the year that conflict ended.
If you entered the military during the last year of WWII and were 18
years old at that time, today you would be around 82 years old).
In this provocative article, Traci Watson looks back at the Apollo mission and wonders just what NASA is up to, if anything, now. Her answers are uncomfortable and, sadly, the truth: NASA scored incredible triumphs during its "golden age", urged on by a sense of nationalism (fighting to prove the US was superior, technologically, over the USSR) and a president's promise and support (most famous being John F. Kennedy's speech promising we would reach the moon). The problem came after the success. Nixon, a rival of Kennedy's, didn't appear to have much interest in the space program, even though the moon shot occurred under his watch (his hands were full with other issues, from Vietnam to China to, eventually, Watergate). Subsequent presidents didn't seem particularly interested, either. The arrival of the shuttle, startling though it was, in reality was a cost cutting measure: It was a cheap way to get up into orbit, but (of course) couldn't take us as far as the Apollo missions did. Robotic missions have proven successful: We've landed on Venus and Mars, we've closely explored almost all the planets in the solar system. But, unlike the Apollo missions, we've done these without human eyes looking on at those wonders. So, here we are today, with a NASA that has had some astonishing successes, but appears to be an agency adrift and without a very clear goal. What's our next step? http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2009-07-16-nasamoon_N.htm
The 24 hour television news media is like a giant, overloaded bus. It lurches from one story to the next, spending way too much time, at times, focused on one story until you've had just about enough of it. If you haven't been watching the confirmation hearing of Judge Sonia Sotomayor and want a good, brief primer, the following is very illuminating, at least in my opinion: http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1910842,00.html
Another fascinating article, this one regarding Bill Gates (yes, that Bill Gates) seeking patents for hurricane stopping/weakening technology. His idea? Pump the deeper, colder water to the surface in front of/in the path of a hurricane. For those unfamiliar with hurricanes, they feed off warm water, thus the reason that hurricane season falls in the summer months, when the Atlantic and Pacific waters are their warmest. I suspect this idea, while possible, would entail a large fleet of barges to pump the cooler water up. We're talking about a very broad area whenever any hurricane pops up. Still, as someone living in a hurricane prone area, any ideas to stop those things are welcome... http://www.usatoday.com/weather/research/2009-07-15-gates-hurricanes_N.htm
A humorous (and, for those unfamiliar with The Onion, not real at all!) "news in photos", regarding the Mona Lisa and a curious way to thwart its theft... http://www.theonion.com/content/from_print/dye_pack_foils_art_thiefBy the way, I also enjoyed the joke regarding the Seattle Space Needle. I'm certain the joke plays off the David Bowie film The Man Who Fell To Earth. A brief digression: The other day, while watching one of the Starz! channels, I spotted the tail end of the TV movie remake of The Man Who Fell To Earth (1987). Pretty bland stuff, although it did appear to take the general premise of the book/movie and (par for the course with some made for TV movies of the time) weaken it to the point of pointlessness. The ending of the movie suggested it was a pilot for a potential series that never got made, a sort of Fugitive meets the alien type thing, where our hero, while not necessarily on the run, goes from place to place meeting up new people while trying to get together a space craft to deliver water to his parched world. A brief digression (part 2): It appears a new version of this film is in the works. Wonder if it'll show up on video one day, like the It's Alive remake I mentioned the other day...
In the art world, as in the real estate market, it truly is about buying low, holding on, and selling high. When I was very young, I was impressed with certain comic book artists. In the comic books, at times I spotted listings for original artwork, all selling for almost nothing. Given what these same pages are worth today, it's too bad I didn't have the money to invest in it! Mr. Charles Martignette, the subject of the story below, was an art collector who bought many, many pieces during his lifetime, the most interesting of which were illustrations that eventually found their way into magazines. Like comic book art, not much was thought about those illustrations or paintings...at least for a time. Things are different now. Alas, Mr. Martignette passed away last year, and only now is his collection coming to light and will eventually be auctioned. To say it's an impressive collection doesn't feel like it does it proper justice. As the article estimates it may be worth twenty million. Not bad. Not bad at all. http://www.gnn.com/article/quirky-collectors-stash-may-draw-20m/570107?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnn.com%2Farticle%2Fquirky-collectors-stash-may-draw-20m%2F570107
An interesting article from Time.com regarding bloggers who post positive comments about products...and are being paid for this:
http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2009/07/13/the-positive-enthusiastic-subsidized-critics-of-the-future/#more-5476Alas, I'm too small time to merit corporate rewards, but the whole thing is bothersome. If you come to enjoy a blogger's postings, as the author of the piece states, and develop a level of trust in their statements, and then come to find out that they may post something positive about some product because they make a profit out of doing so...well...it makes you wonder just how "real" their feelings are. I've run into this here and there, primarily with reviewers of either film or TV shows where the wording seems a little too enthusiastic for the product, including a few too many kind words for people in front of or behind the cameras...as if the reviewer might have personally known the people, but didn't want to come right out and say so. Regardless, I suppose one should take reviews, like many other things, with a grain of salt. If you're undecided about a product, common sense dictates you should sample many reviews before committing!
A few days ago I pointed out this story featuring the mysterious disappearance of a cleaning woman in a NY building that featured good security. She punched in to work but never punched out, nor was seen on the video cameras leaving the building (the full notation and article link can be found here) A body has been found in that building. According to this article, it was found stuffed in an Air Conditioning duct in a utility room of the 12th floor (the missing cleaning woman's cleaning car was found abandoned on the 8th floor). Looks like pretty grim news for the family. The only potentially comforting thought is that the suspects are likely very limited, and it goes without saying one hopes that whoever did this is caught shortly. http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/102119/body-found-in-building-where-cleaning-woman-disappeared/Default.aspx
An interesting article from msnbc.com, listing ten cars that, as the headline notes, may have contributed to the U.S. auto industry's woes... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31688479/ns/business-autosOf those listed, I've had experience with three of them: The Cadillac Cimmaron, the Ford Fairmont, and the Ford Taurus (although the model I knew was the one before the one listed). I think Detroit's problems were mostly self inflicted, and someone much smarter than me noted that the auto makers were so removed from their competition (and, essentially, isolated in their own world) that they didn't weren't quick enough to react to challenges from abroad. To this day, my wife refuses to even consider a Ford. Back when she was in high school, the family had a Taurus. The car was bought new and was a lemon almost from the get go. One day, her brother drove the car to the mall, parked, shut the car off, and went shopping. When he got back, there were firefighters surrounding the car and dousing it with water. Somehow, the car's engine caught fire after he parked and shut it off! As for me, I've had both foreign (mainly Japanese) and American cars, and its been my experience, sadly, that the Japanese vehicles are more durable, less prone to problems, and last longer than their American counterparts. I'm certain this is not the case with all cars, but if the American auto industry wants to get competitive again, they should focus on innovation as well as making their cars as trouble free as possible. Just my own humble opinion.
As an author, articles like these are all I need to imagine possible stories: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/07/10/mind.hacking/index.htmlIn this article, there is concern that, as computer/brain interactivity emerges, so too does the risk that, eventually, hackers may be able to hack a person's brain. Or, as the article states:
In the past year, researchers have developed technology that makes it
possible to use thoughts to operate a computer, maneuver a wheelchair
or even use Twitter -- all without lifting a finger. But as neural
devices become more complicated, and go wireless, some scientists say
the risks of "brain hacking" should be taken seriously.I suppose, to some degree, Walter Gibson has already explored similar topics. Still, its intriguing that such concerns may be reality in the future.
It reads like a mystery novel, but unfortunately, we're dealing with the disappearance, under strange circumstances, of a very real person: A cleaning woman working at a NYC skyscraper, one that has considerable security, vanished halfway through her shift tuesday night. Regarding the security at the building: Security in the building is typical for the financial district.
Employees need identification cards to enter. Security cameras cover
every entrance and many public areas. Every visitor is photographed
before they are allowed up from the lobby.Video cameras last spotted her, according to the article, around 7 PM, two hours after she punched in for work. She never punched out, her clothing was still in her locker, and security cameras did not film her leaving the building. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31835568/ns/us_news-life/
...but he was clever enough to create his own electric car. What can I say? Most impressive. He might just have a future somewhere.
Absolutely fascinating article about how history can be twisted for various reasons: http://www.salon.com/books/review/2009/07/09/macmillan/A very long time ago I used to live in Venezuela. The hero of the country, a man they viewed as their George Washington, was Simon Bolivar. Bolivar was quite extraordinary. Born in 1783 in Caracas, Venezuela, he was actually inspired by George Washington and the American Revolution and over the course of time, lead efforts to liberate most of Latin America from Spanish rule. To this day, he is revered not only in Venezuela, but in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and, of course, Bolivia (which was named after him). One day back then, while in school, a friend and I were talking and, somehow, our conversation turned to Bolivar. My friend, a Venezuelan, viewed the man through the eyes of many young Venezuelans: To him Simon Bolivar was not only a liberator but also a saint, the man who could do no wrong. I was perplexed by this, and pointed out that toward the end of his life, Bolivar was far from a revered figure. In fact, it was my understanding that many people at that time (ie 1830 or so) viewed him very negatively. In the end, Bolivar resigned his presidency and left public office. He also planned to leave his beloved South America and go to exile in Europe, away from the very lands he helped liberate. However, before he could, he died of tuberculosis in Columbia. He died in Columbia, I told my friend, because Venezuela, the country Simon Bolivar was born in, had by that point actually banished him. My friend couldn't believe what I was saying and became quite furious. Simon Bolivar, banished from Venezuela!? No way! People viewed him negatively toward the end of his life?! Come on!Everyone loved Bolivar...then and now. I suppose I had the invective hurled my way coming. I was young and naive, not aware of the mythology that was built around the figure of Simon Bolivar. As with Michael Jackson, death has a way of making people forget the bad about someone, and focus on the good. But it taught me, at that young age, that things aren't always what they seem. There is no doubt Simon Bolivar deserves the reverence directed toward him. His accomplishments were indeed great. But I felt it was a shame that parts of his history were swept under the carpet. Regardless, the article I link to above, made me think about this, and what people and cultures take out of (and add into) their view of history.
Yes, I mentioned this before: The old arguments about legalizing marijuana (it's not as bad as alcohol! It can be used medically!) seem pretty quaint. In an old entry (see it here), I noted that in these tough economic times, perhaps the best hope for those who want to legalize the drug (and, for purely selfish reasons let me again state that I have never used any illegal drugs nor intend to) is pitch it as a source of tax revenue. Looks like that's exactly what this group is doing: http://www.kcra.com/politics/19989755/detail.html
Scientists create human sperm from stem cells: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1909164,00.htmlThe time is coming, my fellow man. The time is coming... Seriously, though, a fascinating article. If they can create sperm, they most certainly can create other cells in the body, which makes one optimistic regarding future treatments of injuries or disease.
I'm a moderate fan of sports, with my favorite being professional football. I've heard comments regarding the "unfairness" of the BCS, of dubious decisions regarding the bowls and the need to have some kind of playoff system. I can't say it works me up very much, as I'm not a terribly big fan of college sports. However, despite my own tepid feelings regarding college sports, there is very big money involved in them, which is why the following article both amuses and horrifies me: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/31786504/ns/sports-college_football/Amuses me because one can't help but think: "Doesn't congress have more important things to do?" Horrifies me because with the economy hobbled, with the problems faced in Afghanistan and Iraq (and Iran and Korea), this is what one very prominent congressman feels is an important issue to tackle? Then again, I shouldn't be too surprised. A quote from the article: (Utah Senator Orrin) Hatch’s comments followed up on testimony by a lawyer for the Mountain
West Conference, which does not get an automatic bid (for the Bowl Championship) and has pressed
for changes to the BCS. Utah, which is in the Mountain West, was
bypassed for last year’s national championship despite going undefeated
in the regular season.It seems local interest spurred Senator Hatch's onto this particular issue.
I'm all for competition among companies to deliver product. The more intense the competition, usually the better for consumers as a) there is diverse product out there, and b) companies try to "one up" each other and release a better product. A win-win situation. But taking on a company as big as Microsoft, whatever you may think of the various Windows platforms, is a daunting task, something only another very big company can do. It appears Google is that big... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31791017/ns/technology_and_science-the_new_york_times/A note: It appears that the operating system Google is devising may be something targeted to the "netbooks" rather than the household PCs. Still, I'm curious to see what they'll come up with.
Absolutely fascinating article regarding what is probably one of the most visited websites of them all: YouTube. As popular as it is, however, the site is apparently losing huge amounts of cash each year, and the article goes into details regarding the site's creation and business model and how, in turn, that affects other web sites and their business model. One of the more interesting passages from the article: But while Google's (the company that owns YouTube) pockets may be deep enough to operate a phenomenally
popular online service at no cost to its users, what about the countless
other internet startups whose operations scarcely extend across a dingy
office, let alone several continents? With the free model slowly
establishing itself, how can businesses sustain their activities? Sadly, the
most common answer is: they can't.As I said, absolutely fascinating stuff: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/how-can-youtube-survive-1734267.html
With the issue of health care becoming hot within the United States, eyes have turned to the north, to Canada, to check on their health care system. What follows is what I feel is a very balanced article that illuminates both the good and bad regarding this system. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/06/canadian.health.care.system/index.htmlAs with many issues, one side or the other seizes examples of either the good or bad of a system for their own ends. If you're at all curious, you may find the entire article illuminating.
History fascinates me, and the online release of the oldest known Bible, is a definite draw. What I find most curious is what is there as well as what isn't, versus the "modern" Bible. From the article: And some familiar -- very important -- passages are missing, including verses dealing with the resurrection of JesusI find that particularly curious. You see, I'm an atheist who is absolutely fascinated with old cultures and human nature. The fact that ( updated correction! I'm truly embarrassed to have misread the quote I actually posted! I can't say anything except...I must have been really tired) passages regarding the resurrection are not found in this older Bible suggests something I've suspected: That the more "otherworldly" things attributed to Jesus may be a result of subsequent retellings of the initial legend. Or, to put it another way, its like that old gag regarding how an innocuous bit of gossip becomes more and more outrageous as it is passed along from one telephone caller to the next. Anyway, enough of that. The link to the article follows: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/07/06/ancient.bible.online/index.html
The story made it to CNN, which had the video below (and, for those perverts out there, no blurred footage of the six seconds of sex!...I know, I know...I was disappointed too... ). As for the parent who wants his kids to have "counseling" or something from this obvious mistake on the teachers part...I don't know. Smells like someone hoping to score on a lawsuit.
In the "This has got to be really embarrassing" department, we have this story from California regarding a teacher of an elementary school giving the students in her class a DVD of "class memories". Only problem: Six seconds of footage of her having sex on a couch were included (unknowingly, one fervently hopes). I can't help but chuckle, though I feel bad for the lady involved. Just goes to show: Don't tape yourself having sex. It may be fun, it may be exciting, but you just never know where it'll pop up (and the footage, too). http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31717690/ns/us_news-weird_news/
Now this is the type of poisonous (though perhaps not as malicious as it could be) article that makes me chuckle: http://www.slate.com/id/2221976/Author Jack Shafer notes the large number of articles from the press regarding their individual encounters with (yes) Michael Jackson. And how some of those encounters were far less that newsworthy. Far, far less.
..but preaching isn't. The above is probably the best summation of the whole Governor Sanford (ahem) affair you could write. After all, I'll admit that while I thought President Clinton's affair was sleazy, I also felt the whole hubbub that followed (including Ken Starr's involvement and the eventual impeachment) were WAY out of line. Whatever President Clinton did was ultimately between Hillary and him, and if they could resolve it, then so be it. Governor Sanford, alas, felt the opposite. At the time of the Clinton scandal, he was one of the many moralist Republicans eager to (metaphorically) take the President out. He preached like a clergyman, and years later, when his affair(s) were revealed, and if he had any dignity left, his old words should have come back and hit him right in the face. Yet, not so remarkably, when the cliched shoe was on the other foot, suddenly his immediate opinion was that he most certainly could and should remain in office, something he felt Clinton could not/should not do. There's no doubt what Clinton (and Sanford, and Edwards, and Spitzer) did was sleazy. But, again, Clinton didn't preach. He didn't tell the world to be as pure as he was until it was revealed he wasn't. The articles most lucid and revelatory line, however, follows: Theologically speaking, the two parties have divided the Seven Deadly
Sins as follows: Republicans oppose lust, sloth and envy; Democrats
scorn gluttony, greed, wrath and pride. Little progress is reported.The rest of the article can be found here: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/07/02/lyons/
This article focuses on the deplorable state of finances in California. The state's budget is a complete mess and it appears no quick fix is coming. The article is fascinating in that it encapsulates what has been happening, and how California got to where it is. Frightening stuff. California is one of the nation's greatest financial engines, and its problems should concern everyone. http://www.salon.com/opinion/kamiya/2009/07/02/california/
An interesting article regarding Al Franken's imminent arrival to the Senate, and the impact of his being there... http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1907937,00.htmlI'll be curious to see how the new Democratic lead senate acts, but, as the article quotes Trent Lott, dealing with the senate is like "herding cats". In the end, just about everyone has their constituents and philosophies to deal with.
An interesting article from msnbc.com regarding foreclosure problems...for celebrities. Maybe I'm a cold, cold, cold hearted bastard, but as I said with regard to the financial problems of Ed McMahon before he died, I can't help but shake my head in wonder at the financial problems of people who, had they been just a little more careful with their money, shouldn't have them to begin with. McMahon is but one of the people I frankly can't understand at all. Michael Jackson is another. Here you had someone who should have squirreled away MILLIONS of dollars, and instead he's in the hole for something like a half a billion. Human nature, alas, being human nature, I can certainly understand the causes of the problems: While the money was flowing in, some celebrities had no problem turning around and using it and buying whatever they wanted. The ride, unfortunately for them, doesn't last forever, and when the money dries up... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31393081/ns/business-real_estate/
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-07-01-karl-mulden_N.htmI've always enjoyed Karl Malden's work. He was one of those actors that appeared, seemingly, just about everywhere. But like many my age, I first became familiar with him in The Streets of San Francisco (featuring newcomer Michael Douglas (!) way back when). Over time, I spotted him here and there, making strong and varied appearances in a number of films. He was a great contrast as General Bradley to George C. Scott's Patton in that film. While One the Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire featured incredible performances by Marlon Brando, Karl Malden could be found in both of them as well. He also played opposite Steve McQueen in both The Cincinatti Kid and Nevada Smith (in the later he was a pretty fearsome bad guy). And who can forget those American Express card commercials? Mr. Malden passed away at 97.
This came as something new to me, although I have to admit I heard about at least one of those false rumors (Jeff Goldblum, for whatever reason). One reason for doing so is rather repugnant: Creating and using false rumors of celebrity deaths to bulk up the number of "hits" you get to your website. Then again, I'm sure there are those who do this as an elaborate prank. Also is unseemly. Regardless, here's the article: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/07/01/celebrity.death.pranks/index.html
There are those on the right who can't stomach Alec Baldwin, using him as a target for their wrath of "liberals" and, at times, he has made himself a convenient enough target at that (could he and his ex-wife have possibly handled their bitter divorce and child custody just a little better?). However, in this brief opinion piece, he offers some very good, IMHO, thoughts on Madoff's sentence, and the fact that maybe a better alternative would be to cut down on the jail time in exchange for his providing DETAILED TESTIMONY and advice on how regulators can, in the future, cut off any potential Bernie Madoff wannabes. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alec-baldwin/150-years-for-madoff_b_223505.html
I mentioned yesterday that I'm not a giant baseball fan but watch it now and again. Not to get sports intensive (2 days in a row is more than enough!), but this is a fascinating story: Somehow, the Boston Red Sox, perhaps THE best team out there this year, botched a 10-1 lead in the 7th inning against the Orioles, a team that is pretty bad this year, and wound up somehow losing 11-10. The odds against that are staggering, which alone makes this story fascinating: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/31673955/ns/sports-baseball/
You know, each time the man goes out there and talks, he doesn't just dig a deeper hole for himself, he seems to be BULLDOZING a deeper hole for himself. One of those political journalists on TV likened him to a "perpetual motion machine", that each time he apologizes he has to come back and apologize for what he just said in the previous apology! The story intrigues me for various reasons: Here we had someone who was considered one of the up and comers in the Republican party, a man who made a very big deal by attempting to reject the stimulus money headed to his state (and being forced to accept it after the state's supreme court forced him to take it). Then, after that bruising battle, the first bizarro thing emerged: He disappears and no one, not even his wife, knows where he's gone. Of course, what followed was the infamous "he's hiking the Appalachian trail" (a lie I'm sure he told one of his subordinates who then told the media), followed by the revelation he was in Buenos Aires with his mistress, followed by the press conference where he tearfully admitted the affair (I suppose by that time he had no choice but to do so, given the release of those very embarrassing emails) but wasn't completely honest about how long it had been going on, followed by his admitting he had "crossed the line" with at least five other women (but not actually had sex with them)... Wow. Just, wow. And, of course, the cherry on this particular cake is the fact that in Governor Sanford you have yet another of these very moralistic people who, again, want you to do as they say, not as they do. Turnaround, as they say... http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/30/sanford/index.html
Much as I don't want to dwell on this (I think the media has done quite enough regarding the death of Michael Jackson, thank you very much), there have been those who wondered why its taking so long to determine the cause of the pop star's death. The article below details one of the main reasons: It simply takes a while to determine which drugs are within a deceased person's body. http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/29/jackson.toxicology.test/index.html
Mr. Madoff, financial swindler extraordinaire, was sentenced to "150
years" in jail today. Given his crimes and the lives he's ruined, he
most certainly deserves to spend the rest of his life in jail. However,
I am curious about one thing: Why sentence him to "150 years"? Even a
newborn couldn't serve such a sentence, much less a man of 71 years of
age. I wonder if handing down such an extreme sentence
is more of an attempt to placate the victims (which I certainly don't begrudge
them!) than anything else. After all, couldn't the judge sentence him
to "Life without the possibility of parole" rather than that particular
numerical sentence? Please don't misunderstand me: The man
DESERVES to spend the rest of his life in jail. Perhaps I'm just not
as familiar with the process of sentencing people to jail as I should
be. Regardless, the article follows: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1907677,00.html
It's becoming an epidemic, I tell you: What drives (I'm assuming) reasonably normal people to call 911 when they feel they're screwed at a drive thru? Here's yet another example of someone reaching out in all the wrong ways for all the wrong reasons...
A local TV station down here made an interesting (if premature) speculation: Perhaps Billy Mays died as a result of the head trauma he received in the airline flight listed in the article below. What he might have had, effectively, is the same type of injury that eventually killed Natasha Richardson. While the article below, from CNN, doesn't quite lay that out, it is interesting that they mention the flight and the fact that an object hit him in the head. I guess IF it turns out his death was not unlike Mrs. Richardson's, the lesson to be learned is to be safe and go to a doctor if you receive some kind of head trauma. Even if you're feeling fine, you might not be. http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/29/mays.death/index.htmlUPDATE: Looks like he suffered from heart disease and wasn't a victim of a head trauma. http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/29/mays.death/index.html
I've always found it intriguing how strongly some people feel about gun ownership here in the U.S. I've been around, as they say, and I've never seen such a fervent love of guns as I see here. Now, I could make smart and refer to the full text of the 2nd amendment (interesting how many gun proponents ignore the first few words of this, to them, much beloved amendment while focusing almost entirely on the later part), or note that when it was written the guns available at that time didn't have the power of modern weapons, or... ...seriously, why bother? The gun culture here is strong, and insecurities regarding the same seem just as strong. So anyway, a church in the deep south decided it was a good idea to have a "gun" day. Strange days, indeed. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1907575,00.html
At first, the stories were skewed toward the tragic death of Farrah Fawcett. But those stories virtually vanished with the wall to wall coverage of the equally tragic (anyone who dies at the age of 50, in my mind, dies way too young) death of Michael Jackson. The consensus seems to be: He was an unqualified superstar, an incredibly gifted performer, who ultimately fell due to his (for those being polite) eccentricities. There is no doubt that Michael Jackson's life was one where he had no childhood, instead being thrust on the stage and becoming the lead in the Jackson 5. The weight on his young shoulders was probably very, very heavy, and I've read here and there that he ultimately broke away from members of his family. His adult success, of course, is what most people view as his ultimate triumph. Thriller was a huge, monstrous success, and I have little doubt that the CD or the legal downloads of the album are going to surge tremendously today and for the next week or two. But the reality is that as great as he was, for the past decade or two Michael Jackson was a shadow of his former self, more in the news for those "eccentricities" or, for those who don't feel the need to be polite, his possible pedophilia. He was taken to court and acquitted on those charges, but his strange behavior was exposed for all to see in that court case, and I can't help but wonder if, had he lived, he might have risen again. For that's what Michael Jackson, some in the media have said, was obsessed with. He wanted to recapture the success of his Thriller days, and was about to embark on a concert tour that, it was hoped, would reignite the good old days. Some said he worked out 6 hours each day rehearsing, and I can't help but think that the strain of such intense physical labor and exercise might have contributed to his ultimate collapse. Regardless, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, there were two Michael Jacksons: The superstar whose music gave many great pleasure, and the troubled man/child whose bizarre behavior and alleged criminal sexual desires ultimately undercut his talent.
An interesting, brief article from Newsweek regarding energy reform. I've noted in the comments regarding the loan Tesla received to develop and electric car that this would be only the first step in moving into an alternative energy world, one where we are no longer as dependent on fossil fuels. But it will take a while, and the hard work is yet to come... http://www.newsweek.com/id/203473
First Farrah Fawcett, and then the shocking news of Michael Jackson. I was never a terribly big fan of his music (it just wasn't my cup of tea), but you'd have to be pretty out of it to not have heard something -good or bad- about him. In the end, Michael Jackson was a gifted and successful child star who in turn made it very big as an adult pop star...only to wither away, a victim of his own eccentricities (or, based on his trail for child molestation, his darker desires) after reaching the highest of highs.
One cannot talk about Farrah Fawcett without mentioning her stunning beauty. She achieved her first big fame with Charlie's Angels, although my earliest memories of her are probably from her appearances with then husband Lee Major in The Six Million Dollar Man. After Charlie's Angels, she tried to move on to feature films, but critical acclaim eluded her, and many of the films she appeared in were not terribly memorable (however, to this day Saturn 3 remains a guilty pleasure). Perhaps her greatest acclaim was evenutally found in the movie The Burning Bed. I recall she appeared on Howard Stern's radio show several years ago and, in the course of the conversation, talked about dates she had back before she became famous and how (if memory serves) the men she went out with would, in very short order, inevitably start talking to her about marriage. It was interesting to note this innocence in Ms. Fawcett: She thought it was a common occurence for men to bring up the subject of marriage so soon after first meeting their date. Stern's sidekick, Robin Quivers, gently laughed this away, stating that not every woman can enchant men so quickly. Then again, not every woman is a Farrah Fawcett. Rest In Peace.
A brief, cool news segment from NBC showing what it looks like to see a volcano erupt...from space. The shock wave, as Brian Williams states, punches a hole in the clouds above! Cool stuff...
Technology fascinates me, especially when used to uncover information about people who lived thousands of years ago. While the techniques here are not new (scanning mummies has been going on for a while) this fascinating article offers some new information about what has been learned regarding mummies thanks to CT scans: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/06/25/mummy.scans/index.html
I kinda figured, after hearing the first bits of news, that this was the bottom line about the story: The man was off to see a mistress. I didn't write this down below, of course, because at that time it was pure speculation and, let's face it, ugly speculation at that. Alas, ugly or not, my (unspoken) speculation was on target. Putting myself in his shoes, if I were to leave my wife for a whole week and not tell her where I was going, the following would surely happen: a) she would kill me the moment I returned, b) she would revive my corpse and demand to know where I was and who I was with, and then c) she'd kill my reanimated corpse. It's a loving relationship we have, trust me! http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/24/south.carolina.governor/index.html
When I was in high school, back in the stone age, I bought an Atari
800. It was my first personal computer. It was pretty cool for the
time, although it was blown away by an IBM computer I bought a few
years later. It had a powerful 8086 chip. Then came the 286
machines. Blew the 8086 away. Then came the 386 machines. Made the
286 look like it was in the stone age. Not long afterwards came the Pentiums, then the Pentium 2's. Today,
we seem to have arrived at something of a plateau for computer
processors. Sure, they can be made faster, but the programs you're
using at this point run fairly comfortably on most of the technology
out there. Which is my very long winded way of getting to the
topic above: We're still driving cars that use technology originally
developed at the dawn of the automotive revolution. Sure, gas powered
engines have seen their share of improvements, but we're still using them. To me, this is like deciding to get a new computer and purchasing the Atari 800. Which is why I'm glad there finally, finally seems to be a more concrete move by various companies to look for genuine alternatives to the standard gas powered automobile. Of course, to provide such a product, they will need money... http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/06/23/tesla.electric.cars/index.html
I was intrigued by the "missing governor" of South Carolina, how his staff and even his wife had no idea where he was. And then word got out that he was "hiking the Appalachian Trail". ...Okay... But then came word that his car is parked in the Atlanta airport and that people saw him there. ...Okay... Today, he arrived in the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and, according to the article linked to below: Sanford said he had considered hiking on the Appalachian Trail, an
activity he said he has enjoyed since he was a high school student. Instead, the governor decided to go to Buenos Aires, Argentina. He stated:
"But I said 'no' I wanted to do something exotic," Sanford said "... It's a great city." I can understand deciding to leave, to take a vacation, and I can even understand making the not particularly wise decision (especially given you're a governor of a state) to not tell your staff, but to leave the country and take a seven day vacation....AND NOT TELL YOUR WIFE? This is almost beyond bizarre. Makes the Jon and Kate situation (they state in divorce papers they were not living together for two years?!) seem almost tame. Anyway, the link follows: http://www.thestate.com/local/story/838823.html
Sad news. It amazes me that a generation of people are likely unfamiliar with the Johnny Carson version of The Tonight Show, where Ed McMahon sat opposite Carson. He was an enjoyable right hand man, and it was somewhat sad to read about his recent financial troubles (I say somewhat because the man must have made a tremendous amount of money for The Tonight Show and the other shows he appeared in...I couldn't help but wonder how he squandered all his cash). The article is here: http://wbztv.com/national/ed.mcmahon.dead.2.1055850.html
I've noted before that, while I have never used an illegal drug (nor have any real intention of doing so at this later stage in my life), I feel that drugs should be legalized, taxed, and the tax money should be used for treatment/prevention programs. There was an interesting article I linked to before regarding the tax issue and how many cash strapped localities might benefit from such (ahem) revenue streams. Anyway, Congressman Barney Frank has once again filed a bill seeking to decriminalize pot (well, if you're caught with less than 100 grams of it): http://wbztv.com/local/marijuana.federal.penalty.2.1052437.htmlPerhaps that's the way these things will play out in the long run. Incremental decriminalization leading to eventual legalization and taxation. Perhaps.
I know this is a very local type story, but bear with me. For many years I've enjoyed the Neil Rogers show, and yesterday it was announced that he was retiring. On the air, the man could be merciless. He was usually very sarcastic, often very curt, but always hilarious. For the last few years, the management he was under at WQAM stripped him of many of his funnier bits, and that in itself became a source for more humor. However, when his producer was removed against his wishes, I suspect, things really soured. This past week he was on vacation and, during that time, it appears he decided it was time to go. Neil Rogers was not one to dwell on emotional things and it doesn't surprise me at all we will not get a "goodbye" show. I'll miss him. I'll miss his twisted humor. I really will. http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/tv/story/1109371.htmlFor those interested, his website is listed below: http://www.neilrogers.com/
An interesting article about surrealist artist Salvador Dali. It seems he paid off his dermatology bill with sketches: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31468610/ns/entertainment-arts_books_more/Reminds me of a hilarious SNL skit from many years ago. In it Jon Lovitz (unless my memory is playing tricks on me, he was the star) played Pablo Picasso. Picasso (Lovitz) eats at a cafe and, when presented with the bill, draws a doodle in under two seconds on the paper and hands it back to the waiter. The befuddled waiter looks at the scrawl and Picasso thrusts his hands up and says something to the effect of: "It's a Picasso!" The joke, of course, is that this is how Picasso goes through the day: He gets all kinds of goodies/services and doesn't pay anything for them, instead investing a whole second or two to draw a crappy sketch, proclaim it to be a genuine "Picasso" piece of art, and move on. The people he gives the quick sketches to, of course, are so in awe of possessing a genuine Picasso piece that they don't complain!
Yesterday I watched, thanks to the DVR (I taped it off of TCM), The Carey Treatment, and all but forgotten film from 1972 based on a novel by Michael Chricton and featuring James Coburn and Jennifer O'Neil. The plot of the film: A young, 15 year old woman dies due to a botched abortion. James Coburn plays doctor Peter Carey, free agent, who comes to the defense of a fellow doctor and friend who is accused of performing the procedure and tries to solve the murder mystery. While the movie wasn't all that great (nor was it all that bad), what was most interesting about it was the fact that this was a film made pre- Roe v. Wade. In other words, abortion was illegal, and yet we have at least two doctors presented in the film (including the one Dr. Carey is trying to prove is innocent) who perform abortions. There is a bit of dialogue here and there about this, about how abortions are performed regardless of the legality, but the film is a curious capsule of a time before abortion was legalized. I mention this only because today I stumbled upon this fascinating article regarding the high level of interest the FBI had in the film Deep Throat upon its initial release. Once again, its interesting to step back in time and see where we were, as a culture and a nation, at one time. In these days, you only have to go so far as turning on your computer to find pornography, but back then... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/20/deep-throat-fbi-tried-to-_n_218509.html
"The lesson in this is what we do with out time" says the subject of this piece. On the one hand, you have to admire his artistry, his patience, and his persistence. He created something truly beautiful with something so very mundane. On the other hand...its a city...built out of... toothpicks?!?!
What is it with fast food drive through services? First, we get the lady who called 911 because McD's didn't have Chicken McNuggets (read about that here). Then there was the guy who called 911 because he wasn't given juice with his order (read about, and hear the actual audio of the call, here). I suppose I can understand their frustration, if not their subsequent actions. However, how to explain this: POLICE OFFICERS arrive at a drive through, feel that the people within are either ignoring them or taking too long with their service, AND ONE OF THEM PULLS THEIR GUN OUT AND AIMS IT AT THE DRIVE THRU WINDOW! The world is going mad, I tell you... http://cbs4denver.com/investigates/denver.police.suspension.2.1049330.html
Just found this on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/18/ny.missing.boy.mystery/index.htmlIt was a fascinating story, the possibility that a missing baby case that occurred fifty four years ago may have been solved. However, DNA tests conducted by the FBI have proven the man who thought he was the missing child isn't. I feel for the family of that, sadly, still missing child. To re-open this tragic event and build up the hope for a positive resolution, only to have the whole thing crumble, must be unimaginably painful. As for the gentleman who thought he was the missing child, I genuinely hope that he came forward with the best of intentions.
When poking around the various news websites, I'm sometimes surprised to find articles like the following: http://www.slate.com/id/2220533/There are people out there who are eager to get their hands on the latest gadgets (say, a new IPhone) and, once they have them, they dismantle them and post pictures of the dismantled item on the web, so others with an interest about what lies inside the gadget can see for themselves. I can see the curiosity factor, and for the individual described in the article it seems to be part of his work (he goes to other countries to get his hands on the latest gadgets and then takes them apart. His work is shown on a website linked within). A comment below the article notes that people have been doing this for years with automobiles, so in retrospect I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised people would do this with other gadgets.
While the FBI (understandably) is not divulging much information, I found this article today on CNN and it states a little more information regarding this odd case, particularly that the man who claims to have been the boy missing since 1955 contacted the woman who could be his sister (I'm assuming she's the one who was later found on that day in 1955) and that they did their own DNA testing. It indicated a probability that they were related. http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/17/ny.missing.boy.mystery/index.htmlIt remains a fascinating, and very sad, story. If indeed this gentleman turns out to be who he says he could be, I'd be really curious to hear about his life and, especially, the people that raised him.
And take a guess what word was hidden in that cover! Sounds like something we would have tried back in the day...
This is the type of story that really fascinates me: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/16/ny.missing.boy.mystery/index.htmlSeems a man has come forward claiming to be the boy that mysteriously vanished (likely was kidnapped) way back in 1955. According to the article, he has produced "credible evidence" backing up his claim and is now in the process of having his DNA tested. For the sake of the family, I hope the man turns out to be who he says he is, although the next step would be to hear exactly what happened to him, who he lived with as a child and were those people/this person involved in his being kidnapped? The story is, I must say, frustrating in that those are the questions I most want answered, the story from the Michigan man's point of view, but, understandably, until his identity is verified and we discover he is indeed telling the truth, we'll have to wait.
I'll grant you the lady who filmed this is...well... Anyway, the footage is interesting, particularly given that a similar UFO was photographed many years before. However, having said that, I still go with Steven Spielberg, who noted that he didn't believe there were UFOs out there because, in this age where almost everyone has access to something that can take pictures or film (from cell phones to video cameras), we should have far more concrete proof of UFOs.
Fascinating article regarding wind power...at very high altitudes. The most interesting paragraph comes early in the article: The first rigorous, worldwide study of high-altitude wind power
estimates that there is enough wind energy at altitudes of about 1,600
to 40,000 feet to meet global electricity demand a hundred times over.That's the sort of news that makes me stop and think. "A hundred times over"? Wow. Of course, the big issue is tapping into this source, which, as also noted in the above paragraph, can be found at a very high altitude. The rest of the article can be found here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/06/16/high-altitude.wind.power/index.html
I've mentioned before the unease I've had with some of the more extreme talk coming from the right. I understand their predicament, I really do. For a generation they were pretty much in charge (Bill Clinton being the only exception, for a little while anyway), and now, perhaps mostly due to the ineptitude of George W. Bush, they're not only out of power, they're in the political wilderness. So what can they do? They can criticize, of course, but when does criticism cross the line? And when does this criticism possibly, possibly, lead others to act? Frank Rich offers a sobering, well thought out editorial on this matter. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/opinion/14rich.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
History is, to me, fascinating. When you dig into the details, it becomes even more fascinating. Here are seven curious Civil War stories. I think #1 is probably the most incredible, although I had heard about it before...
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/06/12/mf.civil.war/index.htmlOf the rest, I was most surprised by the origins of the song "Dixie", and the author's (if indeed he was the author) reaction to it becoming a Confederate song..
While there has been talk that the economy seems to have "stabilized" (or at least found its bottom), I continue to be intrigued with the prospect of known companies that may be on their way out. In this article, the focus is on TGI Fridays, a restaurant I enjoyed for many years back in the 1990's, but found increasingly less desirable in recent years (part of the problem, though, was the fact that the restaurant closest to us had terrible service). I was intrigued by some of the sales pitches the restaurant chain was using to try to get customers, as well as a behind the scenes look at their cooking practices. Honestly, I wish no ill to any company. On the contrary, I hope that businesses have improved revenues for the second half of this year. That being said, it appears we're still in the process of a shake down of sorts, and we'll just have to wait and see who survives... http://www.salon.com/news/brand_graveyard/feature/2009/06/12/tgif/
Love this article from Slate magazine. With all the financial problems states are facing, suddenly the prospect of drawing revenue from taxing marijuana sales (I'm assuming that they'll, you know, legalize it first) is of great interest. Particularly in California, where the state faces a massive budget deficit. I have never in my life used marijuana or any other illegal drugs (never had much of a desire to experiment), yet for many years I've felt that criminalizing them was an exercise in futility. Drug use, like prostitution, has been around since the start of civilization and I doubt anyone will ever find a way to eradicate it. So, instead of criminalizing it and spending tons of money on law enforcement, why not take the path of least resistance and legalize and tax it? Then, the money made could be used in education and prevention. Anyway, the thing I find most humorous about this article is that it shows those who advocated legalization of marijuana (most of their arguments in favor of this seem to start with a statement along the lines of: "hey, it isn't a strong drug...it's not even as bad as alcohol") should have been using an entirely different argument: "Hey, look at how much more revenue we can make off of taxing it!" http://www.slate.com/id/2220221/In these harsh economic times, it just might be the argument that gets the most traction.
Two tragic events in a matter of one week. First the killing of a Doctor who performed abortions, yesterday a disturbed individual opening fire, and killing a security officer, in the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. There have always been disturbed individuals, both on the left and right of the political spectrum. What is a concern, of course, is when these individuals act out. Have they had some tacit (at the very least) push to perform their actions? First up, we have an article from The Huffington Post. Shepard Smith, news anchor for the Fox News, notes that he's been receiving some scary emails... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/10/shepard-smith-says-his-em_n_214013.htmlNext, an article from Salon.com by Joan Walsh, who presents a clip from her appearance on Hardball where she notes some of the scary hate talk...
http://www.salon.com/opinion/walsh/politics/2009/06/10/von_brunn/I've long felt its time for more civility in our conversations.
Because you just had to know: http://www.slate.com/id/2219784/This article pretty much gives you everything you wanted (or didn't want) to know about this... curious... manner of sexually stimulating oneself.
The moment they first announced they found trash in the ocean from the airliner bound from Brazil to France, then turned around and stated this was "other" trash not related to the plane crash, I couldn't help but wonder: Just how much trash is out there in the ocean? Apparently, quite a bit: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/06/05/marine.debris.crash/index.html
A fascinating clip from CNN regarding new color photographs surfacing of Adolf Hitler:
Yesterday was a historic day for President Obama, as he entered into the thorny field of mideast politics. There was, however, this moment of levity which occurred while visiting the Egyptian pyramids...
When the news first broke that Mr. Carradine was dead, I thought his death was a suicide. After all, he was found in the closet of his hotel room, with a rope around his neck. Follow up news, however, have noted that the rope wasn't only around his neck, and suddenly it appeared we might have situation not unlike that of original INXS frontman Michael Hutchence. He was found dead back in 1997 nude with a belt around his neck. It was thought his death was the result of erotic asphyxiation. Could Mr. Carradine be the victim of the same act? I guess we'll find out in time. However, adding to the mix is the fact that Mr. Carradine's manager suspects foul play: http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/06/05/carradine.death/index.htmlRegardless of all this, the bottom line is that a quirky, fascinating actor (IMHO) is gone, and his legacy will likely be tied to his death.
Interesting news comes in bunches. First I mentioned the sad news regarding Peter Falk, now this interesting article regarding Alison Silva, an artist with a potentially life threatening brain lesion who, nonetheless, doesn't want it operated on as she fears it will alter her artistic creativity. However, by not being operated on, she risks death. http://news.aol.com/health/article/brain-lesion-sparks-painters-creativity/507311?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl3|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Fhealth%2Farticle%2Fbrain-lesion-sparks-painters-creativity%2F507311Back when I was a student in college, I recall an Abnormal Psychology textbook that featured a drawing by a young boy (I believe, this was a few years ago) of a horse galloping toward the viewer. The drawing was quite good, and showed the artist had a good eye. Below it was another drawing, this one very crude, the work of someone who obviously didn't have much experience drawing. And yet, the drawings were made by the same person. Why the difference? The first, very good drawing was made by the boy while he was not medicated for his condition (he was either schizophrenic or autistic, I no longer recall). While he exhibited outstanding artistic talent without medicines, he could not function in, or be released to, the outside world. The second, crude drawing was made after he was medicated and able to go into society. In the boy's case, he lost his artistic ability while under a medical regime but gained the ability to interact with society. I feel for Ms. Silva. I value my own humble artistic talents and would be very frustrated if I could no longer write my novels and stories or do my drawings. I hope, in the end, she can make the right choice regarding her condition.
Just ran into this article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/02/columbo-actor-peter-falk-_n_210120.htmlIt's a sad reality of living today: We can make it to a very advanced age, and the effects of doing become all too obvious in some. Perhaps one of the worst things you can face when you age is the loss of your memory and/or cognitive functioning. Whether this be through disease, stroke, or head trauma, the end result is difficult. I feel for Mr. Falk as well as his family. Just yesterday I watched Machine Gun McCain, a 1968 "spaghetti" mob movie. The star of the film was John Cassavetes, but Peter Falk gave a great, atypical performance (that is, if you're mostly familiar with him as the seemingly absent minded, shlubby detective Columbo) as a vicious mobster hungry to expand his power. While the film pettered out, storywise, at the end, its worth seeing, if only to see the range Mr. Falk could exhibit in his field.
Frankly, I've found many of the louder elements on the right going way, WAY overboard in their statements regarding Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's qualifications (and, naturally, what they view as disqualifications) for being confirmed to that prestigious job. Their statements have bordered on ridiculous race baiting, the cry of the once powerful, now rendered almost powerless. But this article by Emily Bazelon does raise some concerns regarding Ms. Sotomayor, at least with regard to this one particular case. Granted, we are talking about one case, and it is difficult to get into the mind of the judge at that time (without, of course, all the evidence she was presented with). http://www.slate.com/id/2219251/
The post Memorial Days have been every bit as tough! For those following these ramblings, I should be getting more on schedule now.
The economy...up or down...or is it all in our mind? A curious question and a curious article that explores the fact that the stock market is way, WAY up today, due to a rise in consumer confidence, this despite the fact that home values dropped an astonishing 19.1% in the first quarter of 2009. So the author wonders...are we feeling better because we don't want to feel bad anymore? Something not added to the mix: Our feeling about our leaders. I always felt that Jimmy Carter hurt himself by talking "realistically" about the economic malaise (I believe he came up with the term himself). This opened the door for someone who showed more confidence and had an upbeat personality, Ronald Reagan. This worked even better for Reagan in his re-election against Walter Mondale. Mondale looked so very glum and sounded so very pessimistic (If I'm not incorrect, in his acceptance to the nomination speech, he even stated glumly he was honest because he admitted he would raise taxes). So here we are a generation later and the Bush administration left office with the public at large thinking they were inept (something that probably began with their response to Katrina and was exacerbated
by the situation in Iraq). We felt like our government, impotent and confused, unable to do anything right. Now we have a new group in office, and whether you like them or not, they are young, energetic, and at the very least seem sharp and confident. And the stock market, despite several very bad bits of news, rises with the consumer confidence sentiment. Wouldn't be the first time image triumphs over reality. http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2009/05/26/confidence_boom/
First off, hope everyone out there has a good Memorial Day. Myself? It can't end fast enough. Suffice it to say, the past three or four days have been some heavy duty work days, and I'm happy the end is near. Last night I caught most of the last half of the Cleveland/Magic basketball game, and I gotta tell you...if there's one thing about playoffs in any sports, it distinguishes the real deal from the also-rans. For most of the year, Cleveland was considered a lock for the finals. The NBA was openly salivating at the prospect of a Cleveland-Lakers matchup. And Cleveland came into the finals on fire, sweeping their first two opponents. And then came the Magic. The Magic was down the first game, came back and won. They were down the second game, came back and seemingly had the game won until LeBron James hit that fantastic 3 pointer at quite literally the very last second of the game. However, game three was essentially over by the fourth quarter, and Cleveland, now down 2-1, could in retrospect have easily been down 3-0 if not for LeBron's already mentioned three pointer. What happened? Was Cleveland overhyped? Were the Magic a better team than anyone thought? Did the Magic benefit from the grueling series against Boston while Cleveland didn't toughen their skin enough with their far less grueling series? Now, just to be clear: I'm a fan of neither team. I only point out that in sports, hype and reputation don't matter. What matters is plainly obvious and something that is horribly cliched. What matters is who plays the game best. A few years ago, I recall ESPN ran some computer simulation of all the great NFL teams of yesteryear in a theoretical face to face match up. In the end (and if my memory isn't off) I think they awarded a Montana led San Fransisco 49ers the title of greatest team of all time. When asked about this, Don Shula, whose 1972 Dolphins were the only undefeated team in the history of the NFL (and who didn't, obviously, get awarded the title of greatest team of all time), replied that his 1972 Dolphin team was the best. Why? Because no one else has that record. I think he might be right.
There have been several articles from several sources that have noted President Barack Obama is "Spock". I recall one article, I believe in Newsweek, that went so far as to say the Obama administration is like Star Trek (they included a complete pictogram showing who was who) and the Bush administration was Star Wars (just guess who they labeled as Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine). Anyway, I spotted this article that views those particular ideas as nonsense, for very interesting reasons: http://www.theroot.com/views/barack-not-spock
The headline says it all: Would-be-suicide jumper pushed off bridge - http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/05/23/china.suicide/index.htmlSort of reminds me of a Judge Dredd comic, If memory serves (and the way I'm thinking today...) there was a sequence in one of the Dredd stories where someone tries to commit suicide by jumping from a building. Dredd saves the guy before he falls to the pavement below, but then arrests him for littering! In real life, the results here are not all that humorous. The man who pushed the would be jumper has some serious lack of compassion.
Ran into this interesting article regarding the fact that Mayor Bloomberg financed the new New York Yankees stadium with taxpayer monies... http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/05/23/sirota/I don't know whether to laugh or cry (probably both) given our harsh economic realities and the way that those in power coddle those who don't deserve it. The New York Yankees are probably THE biggest sports franchise there is, and they needed taxpayer monies to fund their stadium?! Down in these parts, the Florida Marlins have just managed, after several years, to get a similar sweetheart deal for their stadium, and that franchise draws flies. With examples like these, it's a wonder the current economic downturn didn't happen years before.
You know, I'm usually not all that interested in celebrity gossip. However, this one has me...I don't know. Shaking my head, at the very least. It seems Hayden Panettiere, from the TV show Heroes, got herself a very noticeable (and fairly long) tattoo. Not an illustration, but cursive writing which reads, in Italian: "To live without regrets". Unfortunately, the statement was spelled out incorrectly. Ho boy. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/21/hayden-panettieres-misspe_n_206263.html
In the "it could only happen in real life" department, a long ago left for adoption brother found by family, and he was living across the street from their home! (A quick sidenote, completely unrelated to the story below: Most people are familiar with the works of the Zucker brothers and Abrahams, mostly for either Airplane! or Police Squad/ Naked Gun. In 1987 they produced a one hour/one shot comedy show that made fun of the 20/20 type newshows. It was called "Our Planet Tonight" and, if memory serves, one of the funnier segments involved a pair of twin brothers who weren't aware they had a twin, despite the fact that they lived in the same city, worked in the same place (a fire department) and drove the same model car. The joke, of course, was that there was no "twin" brother, rather the man (singular, as it turned out) being profiled in the segment was a bigamist. The humor was in seeing him run from one home to the other to tape his interview and the bogus excuses he made as to why he didn't want to meet his twin brother).
Steven Spielberg, successful director extraordinaire, commented on the likelihood of aliens visiting earth. The man behind Close Encounters of the Third Kind, a film regarding that very subject, was pessimistic. Given the proliferation of video equipment worldwide (even in cellphones), he mused that if there were aliens visiting us, more solid evidence of said visitation would have appeared by now. Which, in a roundabout way, brings us to this brief article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090519/ap_on_fe_st/us_odd_mysterious_sightings
Some scary, scary news regarding the availability of jobs, even for those who have graduated College. These economic times are, no surprise here, very tough. The video clip is from CNN and you may have to put up with a fifteen second commercial at the very start. Anyway, very eye opening stuff.
This list is from Time Magazine. Curiously, I only counted 9 items, but maybe I double clicked at some point. Regardless, I concur with many of their choices. YouTube is a wildly successful website service that is making its owners no money. Sirius XM (I have XM) is a joy to have, but its also a premium service that one could do without, especially given all the alternatives available today (particularly the IPod). And we know what happened with HD DVDs. The link: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,1898610,00.html
So screams the headline of this creepy article. Seems the folks in Texas, looking for ways to contain fire ants (they are a danger to young calves and electrical equipment) are looking for natural ways to contain them. Nature can be wicked. Wicked indeed. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6420449.html
A pair of fascinating articles I happened upon today. The first points out something that I've found rather scary, and that is the glib statements some make in the media. For quite a few years it seems to have come prominently from the right, from the sexual innuendo regarding John Edwards (this was before the affair) to the blustering of Rush Limbaugh. Lately, I too have noticed the tone getting much, much darker, and the examples presented in this article are, at the very least, alarming: http://www.salon.com/opinion/paglia/2009/05/13/7_days_in_may/This next opinion piece is from Leonard Pitts, a man one can count on to present clear, focused, and very intelligent columns. In this one, he focuses on Farrah Fawcett and the media's intrusion into what may well be her final days. It's a heartbreaking piece, up to and including the very last line. http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/leonard-pitts/story/1045357.html
Back in the mid 1980's, my father and I went to a car dealership. The dealership was an oddball place, featuring all types of cars from economical compacts to very expensive sports cars. I noticed two Lotus Turbo Esprits, both white if memory serves, toward the front of the lot. If you're unfamiliar with the brand, they were the type of cars James Bond drove in both The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only (the later film featured the beautiful car having a very unique anti-theft device). Anyway, I asked a sales rep about the cars and he told me they were sold the day before, that a man came in with a suitcase literally filled with cash ($100,000 to be exact, each Esprit was worth $50,000) and was due to pick them up later that day. It didn't take a rocket scientist to guess where the buyers money likely came from. We are talking about the city of Miami in those wild west days of Scarface and Miami Vice, when banks looked the other way with very large cash deposits and where, apparently, so too did auto dealerships...at least this particular one (A little side note: The auto dealership is no more. It's been gone for at least ten to twenty years.) Anyway, I point this story out as a way of introducing another story, this one in today's Miami Herald. The city of North Miami is reconstructing the face of a murder victim who was shot twice in the back of the head and whose body was dumped in a shallow grave and not found until at least two years later (ie, 1984). This is the only unidentified homicide victim in the city's police department, and by reconstructing his face, they're hoping to finally, nearly three decades later, identify who he was. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1042079.html
We're in fascinating times regarding the search for alternative energy sources. Whether you believe in global warming or not, I think almost everyone can agree that the era of dependence on foreign oils should be coming to an end, and as a nation we should be able to develop alternative energy sources. The latest possibility is biochar...
Usually by this time in the morning, I'm sorting through all kinds of stuff to figure out what to post here. Not today. Seems like a slow kinda morning. At Ain't It Cool News they're starting to flood the site with reviews of the new Star Trek movie. Seems rather redundant by this point as the early word on the film is good and I think everyone interested in seeing it will go see it. The other major movie news, of course, is the successful launch of Wolverine, despite some very negative reviews. Over on the news sites, there seems to be a post-pandemic lull. The swine flu is still a concern, although there seems to be some thought that the whole thing might have been overhyped. For the victims of the virus, I doubt that's the case. In politics, the GOP is searching for itself. Seems like only yesterday they had an iron grip on all of politics. So I'm at the 100th posting today, and there's truly not all that much to talk about. Instead, I'll offer the following: The first 10 people who email me at atrocket@aol.com with their address will receive a free copy of The Dark Fringe graphic novel. Consider it my way of thanking you for sticking around for the first 100 posts.
A fascinating article. It seems that Google Earth, by adding historical maps, has ignited some controversy in Japan. For during the feudal times, the lowest caste were the "burakumin", people who dealt with dead things (ie, gravediggers, animal butchers, leather workers). They were historically shunned, to the point where the people and their properties were lower than other segments of society. By presenting these old maps, Google is making modern Japanese aware of sections of their society that once had these shunned individuals, and there is fear that old prejudices might be reignited. As I said, fascinating stuff: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/02/old-japanese-maps-on-goog_n_195277.html
We'll start with the Galaxy's oldest object first. Fascinating stuff for those interested in what we're finding about the universe: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/04/29/gamma.ray.burst.space/index.htmlAnd now that Barack Obama has finished his first 100 days in office, why not look in on some other presidents...those with the worst first 100 days in office. I suspect nothing will top what happened to the last President presented in this clip...
Laura Moser at Slate.com reviews a few ergonomic keyboards for your computer. The last one (the Kinesis Advantage Ergonomic Keyboard) looks really weird...but I'm intrigued. I use a Microsoft wireless ergonomic keyboard. It isn't as good (IMHO) as the one reviewed in the article (that one has a raised middle, mine is flat). But given the amount of typing I do each day, I'm fine with what I have. For those who do any amount of serious typing, I highly recommend looking into ergonomic keyboards. http://www.slate.com/id/2216706/
An interesting article from Time magazine. Perhaps an asteroid impact didn't wipe the dinosaurs out... http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1894225,00.htmlYesterday I posted a great clip about what it might look like to enter a black hole. But have you ever heard of a white hole? Until today, I didn't! http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/27/the-strange-concept-of-white-holes/And finally, The Foreign Policy Film Festival, a neat little list of films that, according to Stephen M. Walt, are among the best movies related to foreign policy. http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/04/27/foreign_policy_film_festivalI might have put Dr. Strangelove and The Great Dictator higher up on the list. And though he mentions several movies that just didn't make the cut, I probably would have dumped Independence Day and included Duck Soup on the top ten. Hmmmm....all the films I just mentioned are comedies (including Independence Day?!). By the way, #5 on the list, Fail Safe, is one of those films whose ending just never worked for me. At all. I don't want to give away the details to those who may be interested in renting/buying it, but suffice it to say that I just couldn't swallow what the President did at the end to...uh... resolve the situation.
...to enter a black hole. Fascinating, fascinating stuff, taken from CNN.
First up, it appears that author Ayn Rand is having a resurgence of sales of her books, particularly Atlas Shrugged. This is likely due to the fact elements of our current economic reality are foretold in the novel, which deals (negatively) with the idea of government intrusions into the business world. Ayn Rand was a self described objectivist, which is perhaps closest to being a libertarian. But like many philosophers, I believe she was clouded by an overly optimistic view of her fellow man. Her world view would certainly work, as would Karl Marx's communist philosophy, if all people worked for good. Sadly, we live in a world where people can -and often do- take advantage of others. I suspect part of the reason we're in this economic meltdown is because some of our more prominent economists (like Ayn Rand fan Alan Greenspan) were a little too enamored of the author's philosophy. Anyway, the article is worth a look... http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/books/04/27/ayn.rand.atlas.shrugged/index.htmlThe second article is something a little more...bizarre. I won't spoil it, just click the link and see for yourself. However, be warned...the images may be a little unsettling... http://www.slate.com/id/2216761/
I find this segment from Keith Olbermann's nightly show amusing, never more so than yesterday's episode, wherein #2's entry, Congresswoman Michelle Bachman, delivers another...um...peculiar speech. Remember folks, carbon dioxide is not harmful. It's a byproduct of nature, after all. (For those uninterested in sitting through the whole thing, the part involving Michelle Bachman begins at the 1:37 mark and ends by the 2:58 mark)
Once in a while these fascinating articles show up. This one is from CNN, a postcard that made its way to a P.O. Box nearly fifty years after being sent...or was it? Evidence also suggests the postcard was sold, at some point, at an antique shop! So, did the letter make its original destination, then was sold at an antique shop, only to be accidentally sent out again? We may never know. Regardless, an interesting article. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/22/old.postcard/index.html
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is a nasty piece of work. Still, this article is stunning. I've always felt the U.S. was the "good guy", that we don't torture people because we're above it. I knew Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded, but to find out he was waterboarded as many as 183 times in one month almost goes beyond the bounds of any decency and borders on outright sadism. It means he was waterboarded on average 6 times each day. I truly hope this isn't true. http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/18/khalid-sheikh-mohammed-was-waterboarded-183-times-in-one-month/
On a far lighter note, I've heard about the "controversy" regarding the "true" authorship of the plays of Shakespeare, and have heard that of late the leading candidate is De Vere. Apparently, Supreme Court Justice Stevens feels the same... http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123998633934729551.html
From the Wall Street Journal. The opening paragraph, in particular regarding Gateway Computers, hit me hard (here I am working on one!). But there are other brands that are in trouble and, of the twelve listed, the one that really hurts to see listed, to me, is Borders. I truly like the store, but some of the latest fire-sales they've been having (and the fact that they seem to be, at least in these parts, liquidating their CD department, which made up half their floor space) has gotten my notice. The bottom line is that we live in a time of economic reshuffling/suffering and many big stores we've come to know (even if we do not love!) may be gone soon. http://247wallst.com/2009/04/15/twelve-major-brands-that-will-disappear/#more-30817
Absolutely fascinating article, this time from Slate.com and written by Jacob Weisberg, about things that many feel are obvious, but may not be. For instance, is Global Warming catastrophic? Is Nuclear Proliferation bad? If I have one complaint it is that the article isn't long enough. For years I felt uncomfortable with the whole "let businesses self regulate" ideal, a mantra held by many free market capitalists. Today, we see the result of this: Greed and chicanery have lead to what could be a far reaching, long lasting economic meltdown. Granted, a few criminals who used and abused this economic freedom have been caught but, let's face it, there are many out there who got out with millions and millions of dollars that they may not have deserved. Ok, you can come out now. My personal rant is over. Click on the link for the article! What Else Are We Wrong About? - http://www.slate.com/id/2215339/
This is why I like websites like Salon and Slate. The link below leads to an interview with PBS traveller/showhost Rick Steves, who offers some interesting comments on the world, terrorism, and marijuana!
Fascinating stuff, whether you agree or disagree with his views (and interesting to note that such an apparently laid back and pleasant host could have such strong views on a host of issues!). The interview appears in Salon.com and was conducted by Kevin Berger.
http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2009/03/20/rick_steves/
Truly, this isn't a fair fight. Jon Stewart, thought The Daily Show, has perfected the art of humorous observation. His targets are hung by their own words, and Stewart infuses his comedic skills to tell a sometimes very sober truth.
I've seen Cramer and the CNBC shows here and there, and it always stuck me that they were playing with fire. It's one thing to report on stocks from a neutral vantage point, its quite another to jump around and pump what you think is a good investment. We're talking about other people's money here, and the pragmatist in me felt that, should everything go south, these folks were going to be in a lot of trouble.
Well, the bad times have certainly come and Stewart and company have plenty of video to sort to find all the bad advice offered by the financial wonderkins at CNBC. His ire appears to be focused, of late, on Cramer in particular, but I feel all those in the network contributed in their own way.
Of course, Cramer is scheduled to appear on The Daily Show on thursday, and this makes me wonder just how much of the war between the two is real and how much is show. Regardless, an interesting article about the whole thing by Gabriel Winant at Salon.com:
Why is Jim Cramer Shouting at me? http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/03/11/cnbc/
Count me in as one of the people who are devoted to the political sports shows. You know what I mean, where one side cheers for their political philosophy (and denigrates their rival) while the other does the same for their side. But I wonder if maybe things have finally, finally gotten a little too carried away. Granted, I'm not unfamiliar with US history and some of the hurtful, possibly slanderous statements from previous campaigns up to and including some of the first ever held. Politics is, after all, a game of climbing the mountain and, as Truman said, if you want a friend, you should get a dog. For several years the conservatives held the edge in the talking department. They were coordinated in their attacks while liberals were mushy, they were confident of their positions while the liberals were not. And in the end, they held most of the power in this country for the past two decades, with some obvious exceptions. How the worm has turned. I was listening in to a liberal talk show and it occurs to me the liberals have emulated the conservative talking points all too well. Before it was "crazy" liberal ideas under fire. Now its the "wacky" conservative ideas under similar fire (and, given the state of the nation after nearly eight years of "conservative" oversight, it shouldn't be all that surprising that the Republican party is in such a weakened state). I offer no other observation, other than the fact that the proverbial shoe is on the other foot and that, liberals should be very careful. They've been down before and they most certainly, if the nation does not rise in the next year or two from its economic doldrums, be back down again. As for conservative, they're getting a taste of what the liberals had to endure for many long years. Perhaps they too can learn from the experience and offer more constructive politics in the future. That is, until elections inevitably come around.
Sometimes, a headline is enough to get a good laugh, even if the subject matter is cringe-inducing. From Slate.com: Unlimited Sexting: Are teenagers who send naked pictures to one another morons or sex offenders?The complete article, by Dahlia Lithwick, can be found here: Textual Misconduct http://www.slate.com/id/2211169/
An absolutely fascinating interview with Alexandra Pelosi (the daughter of a very well known other Pelosi) on her new documentary "Right America: Feeling Wronged".
Her first hand experiences are enlightening, as are the comments from readers. I have almost nothing good to say about the presidency of George W. Bush, but neither do I feel the need to stigmatize people for their beliefs.
The article, Watching Republicans Grieve by Mark Shone, can be found at Salon.com or by clicking this link:
http://www.salon.com/ent/tv/int/2009/02/16/alexandra_pelosi/
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