What the Heck is a "Pre-Buttal"?

Am I the only one who is getting sick of made-up words, used to make the user seem clever? "Three-peat, Four-peat, etc." was bad enough, but now we have "Pre-Buttal" to deal with. Essentially, it is intended to be a political preemptive strike against George W. Bush's State of the Union address. A chance to steal his thunder by... well... thundering first.

The two top Democrats in the U.S. Congress challenged President Bush on Monday to draft an "exit strategy" in Iraq and work with them in his drive to revamp the Social Security retirement program...With Bush set to deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, the Democratic pair made a political preemptive strike or, as they put it, a "pre-buttal," in a joint appearance of their own at the National Press Club..."But on Wednesday night," Reid said, "the president needs to spell out a real and understandable plan for the unfinished work ahead: defeat the growing insurgency, rebuild Iraq, increase political participation by all parties ... and increase international involvement."

So, in a brilliant move, the Democrats have given the Republicans 2 days to prepare a State of the Union which completely sidesteps their criticisms and sideswipe them from an unexpected direction. Mark my words, this is yet another sign that the Dems are desperate for real leadership. Even Deaniac leadership, perhaps.

USA and UK Set Timetable for Troop Withdrawal from Iraq

According to the World Tribune, America and Great Britain has officially set a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq. The first troops would leave in late 2005 and by the end of 2006 all troops may have been replaced with "civilian advisors."

The sources said London and Washington have approved a plan that would replace military troops with civilian advisers to the Iraqi military, police and security forces. The sources said these advisers would train and mentor Iraqi forces in such operations as counter-insurgency and border security, Middle East Newsline reported. "The agreement is that the first troops would leave in late 2005," a source said. "The number of troops and withdrawal timetable would depend on operational considerations." The agreement was reached during talks between U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon on Jan. 24. The London-based Guardian daily reported Hoon agreed to recommendations by a retired U.S. general, Gary Luck, on the use of Western advisers to help accelerate Iraqi military and police training....The sources said the first milestone to the effectiveness of Iraqi troops was the national elections on Jan. 30.

My first reaction to this news was to chalk it up to conrtrarian sources looking to act as "spoilers" on the currently upbeat mood after the successful national elections. But the more I think about it, the more it really looks like a move to encourage Iraqis, by essentially saying, "You did your part of the bargain and began taking control of your own affairs. Now, we will fulfill our side of the deal and let you know that there WILL be an end to our 'occupation'. Within 2 years, Iraq will stand strong and independent again." Of course, 2 years is still a long way away.

The Many Lies of Abortion

There's a piece up at World Net Daily describing just how abortion became legal from the mouth of one of one of its most prominent advocates. The article is almost dumbfounding to read. It's long but worth the time spent just to fully understand the lengths of which abortion advocates will go to ensure that their will is done.

More From Coulter

Nomad stole some of my thunder by posting part of Ann's newest column. But that's okay, I'll forgive him for that. Especially since he left plenty of other good nuggets to post.



For those who know me, or have read the blog for a while, it will not come as a surprise when I mention that abortion is the ONE issue that I am absolutely to the right of the spectrum on. It would be difficult to be more anti-abortion than I am. So, I enjoyed reading her thoughts about President Bush's "changing hearts" quote (which I agree with as well).

Only when at least five members of the Supreme Court stop pretending to see a secret, hidden clause in the Constitution, discernible only to members of the ACLU, and repeal Roe can Americans finally vote on abortion. This is a right we have been denied for 32 years. In effect, a 32-year gag rule has been imposed on those of us who respect every stage of life.



The National Abortion Rights League (NARAL) claims that if Roe were overturned, 19 states would immediately outlaw abortion, and 19 more would soon follow suit. This is the one issue on which NARAL and I agree: Pro-lifers already have changed the hearts of Americans about abortion!



Abortion was not terribly popular when Roe v. Wade was first concocted in 1973 –- by seven male justices and their mostly male law clerks. Abortion — like other liberal priorities over the years including forced busing, gay marriage and removing "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance — is an issue liberals believe is best voted on by groups of nine or fewer.



We know it wasn't popular with actual Americans back then because 46 states had outlawed it in a once-common procedure known as "representative democracy." Reflect on the fact that among the things more popular than abortion even back in 1973 were white-guy afros, lime-green leisure suits and earth shoes.

This is the hypocrisy of the left but it's the field we must do battle on concerning this issue. Yes, hearts must be changed. And that is the primary job for Christians. But, laws must also be changed. As Coulter points out, we are forced with abortion without representation. The Supreme Court should never have stepped in. If 40+ states would outlaw abortion, then it is clearly not nearly as popular as pro-choice advocates would lead us to believe. And if it's not the will of the people, then it should not be the law of the land.

The Best They Could Do

Bill Roggio reminds us of how the terrorists failed yesterday. We should mourn for all those who did suffer due to the acts of terrorists in Iraq during the election. But the level of violence was virtually nothing compared to what we were told to expect. This is partly due to increasing Iraqi forces and growing willingness on the part of the populace to turn against the terrorists. But let's not forget that it is primarily due to the hard work of our incredible troops who deserve the praise for their sacrifices.

Sour Grapes

Iraqis have voted for the first time in a free democratic election, resulting in high voter turn-out (higher than US turnout) despite violence and threats. They have defeated the odds and chosen democracy. This should be a moment of celebration for all of the civilized world. Western society should have been dancing with those Iraqis in the street. But the liberals have other ideas.



The election was barely over before John Kerry called them "illegitimate." Notice a trend? Ted Kennedy used the opportunity to again speak of how ineffective our policy has been, and how much we need to pull troops out immediately. Democrats who just a month ago claimed that the elections would never work out, are already now claiming that the election was "the easy part." What a bunch of losers. What a disgrace to the name of America. I've hardly ever agreed with much over at DU, but today I want to echo a thought heard often over there. These people make me feel embarrassed to be an American. We have helped to free two nations, taking on the most liberal idea of what America should be, and they can't get past their blind bitterness. These people are truly embarrassing to our country.

A Report from the Ground of the Iraqi Election

Healing Iraq has up a personal report from the Iraqi Elections. It appears this Blogger's family were shedding tears of joy seeing Iraqi's voting for peace and a future.

The turnout in Iraq was really like nothing that I had expected. I was glued in front of tv for most of the day. My mother was in tears watching the scenes from all over the country. Iraqis had voted for peace and for a better future, despite the surrounding madness. I sincerely hope this small step would be the start of much bolder ones, and that the minority which insists on enslaving the majority of Iraqis would soon realise that all that they have accomplished till now is in vain...Another surprise was to see some Iraqis who had fled the country in fear of reprisals, such as the families of ex-regime figures and ex-Ba'athists, actually voting and encouraging others to vote! I know some of those from school and college and I imagined they would be bitter about the whole process, but many were not.

There you have it folks. It is not just the so-called FoxNews "reality distortion field." The Iraqi elections actual appear to have been a real success. Praise God!

Germany Forces Women into the Sex Industry

If you are wondering how quickly a moral permissiveness becomes legalized amorality, check out modern Germany. After Germany legalized prostitution last year, they combined it with their social welfare system in an interesting way. Now, a woman on unemployment benefits must take any job offered to them. Many women - highly skilled professionals - are being told unless they take jobs as prostitutes or phone sex operators, they will lose their benefits.

Under Germany's welfare reforms, any woman under 55 who has been out of work for more than a year can be forced to take an available job – including in the sex industry – or lose her unemployment benefit. Last month German unemployment rose for the 11th consecutive month to 4.5 million, taking the number out of work to its highest since reunification in 1990...The government had considered making brothels an exception on moral grounds, but decided that it would be too difficult to distinguish them from bars. As a result, job centres must treat employers looking for a prostitute in the same way as those looking for a dental nurse..."There is now nothing in the law to stop women from being sent into the sex industry," said Merchthild Garweg, a lawyer from Hamburg who specialises in such cases. "The new regulations say that working in the sex industry is not immoral any more, and so jobs cannot be turned down without a risk to benefits."

This is unacceptable. If this is the country that wants to lead the European Union into the 21st century, I fear greatly for Europe.

Computerized Car Keys Cracked

You know those special keys being sold with high-end cars that are "theft-deterrent"? The ones with a microchip in the key to ensure that even a correct duplicate will not work, unless it is built by the car company? (Which, in some ways, I think was really just a way for the car companies to cut Home Depot out of the key-making loop.) Well, they have been cracked by researchers.

The research team at Johns Hopkins University said Saturday it discovered that the "immobilizer" security system developed by Texas Instruments could be cracked using a "relatively inexpensive electronic device" that acquires information hidden in the microchips that make the system work...The radio-frequency security system being used in more than 150 million new Fords, Toyotas and Nissans involves a transponder chip embedded in the key and a reader inside the car. If the reader does not recognize the transponder, the car will not start, even if the key inserted in the ignition is the correct one...It's similar to the new gasoline purchase system in which a reader inside the gas pump is able to recognize a small key-chain tag when the tag is waved in front of it. The transaction is then charged to the tag owner's credit card...Researchers said they were able to crack that code, too.

That's right. Speedpass has been cracked too. Is everyone feeling as safe and secure as I am? Good. Let's all crawl back under the covers now and wait for the monsters to go away.

Iraqi Elections Are Done: High Voter Turnout, ~40 Deaths

Iraq's first election day since the rise of Saddam Hussein is over, and President Bush is hailing it as a "resounding success." While we should expect no lesser rhetoric from an administraion that has staked so much on this one day, but still you must admit that things are looking far better expected by most experts.

For the first time in more than 50 years, Iraqis cast ballots in democratic elections Sunday and took the first steps to declaring how they wanted Iraq to be governed...As estimated 8 million people — 60 percent of eligible voters — braved violence and calls for a boycott to vote in Iraq. A string of homicide bombings and mortar volleys killed at least 44 people, including nine attackers...Women in black abayas whispered prayers at the sound of a nearby explosion as they waited to vote at one Baghdad polling station. But the mood for many was upbeat: Civilians and policemen danced with joy at one of the five polling stations where photographers were allowed, and some streets were packed with voters walking shoulder-to-shoulder to vote. The elderly made their way, hobbling on canes or riding wheelchairs; one elderly woman was pushed along on a wooden cart, another man carried a disabled 80-year-old on his back.

It appears that the Iraqi populace has done their part and braced suiciders and mortars to exercise their rights. Here is hoping America specifically, and the world in general, now do their part in sticking around until the job is done.

Intuit Deactivates Older Versions of Quicken

The bank I work for signed up with Intuit this year to enable downloads using the new OFX-compliant format that they have created for Quicken. The new format comes with some nice features for users, including automatic duplicate resolution. The older QIF format forced the user to find and eliminate dupes. I also noticed that this new OFX-complaint format sent version information to Quicken each time a download was initiated, and wondered why. Well, now we all know.

Norvy sez, "I bought Quicken 2002 when it was the current version. I received a letter in the mail this week telling me that Intuit will be disabling the online bill pay feature for my version because it's too old! I'm really dissapointed because these transactions pass through my bank, not Intuit, so they shouldn't have any real interest in terminating my service, other than to sell more software. When I bought this software I didn't expect a product whose license would expire and force me to buy a new one three years later. Intuit has lost a customer on this one."

To be fair, here is Intuit's official notice from their website.



Personally, this leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Unless they can show that the older versions are a "clear and present danger" through inadequate security, there is no excuse for deactivating a contract between a user and their bank. But it is what you get when you sign up with Intuit. Now we know. And between this and last year's TurboTax activation debacle, I think this shows that there is plenty of room for a competent competitor to beat Intuit at their own game.

Iraqi Voting In Progress

Despite a string of suicide and mortar attacks, Iraqis are braving the worst to get to the polls. In Kurdish areas, no real problems. In Shiite areas, generally quiet. In Sunni areas, lots of security and lots of violence as well. But in all areas, Iraqis are taking control of their own destiny and getting out to vote. It is still a sad commentary that many who vote are wearing masks or burkahs, so that insurgents and anti-democracy forces can not target them. But it appears that more Iraqis will be wearing the blue-ink-stained fingers showing that they have voted than will not. And that is a better turnout than most Western countries have on their best days.

Shroud of Turin Continues to Confound

The authenticity - or lack thereof - of the Shrouf of Turin has no bearing on my faith whatsoever. Whether the Shroud is indeed the cloth that Jesus Christ's body was wrapped in, or it is the Shroud for an unrelated anonymous corpse, or it is a complete forgery has no bearing on whether Jesus of Nazareth lived, died, and rose again. But it certainly this little piece of archeological evidence certainly has an interesting history in the scientific world, and continues to generate controversy wherever it goes.

A chemist who worked on testing of the Shroud of Turin says new analysis of the fiber indicates the cloth that some say was the burial linen of Jesus could be up to 3,000 years old... "I cannot disprove that this cloth was the burial shroud that was used on Jesus," Raymond N. Rogers, a retired chemist from the University of California-operated Los Alamos National Laboratory (search) in New Mexico, said in a telephone interview Friday from his home. "The chemistry says it was a real shroud, the blood spots on it are real blood, and the technology that was used to make that piece of cloth was exactly what Pliny the Elder reported fort his time," about 70 A.D., Rogers said, referring to the naturalist of ancient Roman times.

Who knows? Maybe this is true. Or maybe it is the greatest work of forgery in religious history. Either way, it is a story worth following, if only for the continued drama.

Another Argument Against Prohibition

It has never come up on Mod-Blog before (I think) but I am a teetotaller. Never had a drink and the only alcohol that has entered my body has been in the form of Nyquil. In some ways, I'd be just as happy in a world without beer. But every once in a while a story comes along that forces one to rethink one's positions.

A Slovak man trapped in his car under an avalanche freed himself by drinking 60 bottles of beer and urinating on the snow to melt it. Rescue teams found Richard Kral drunk and staggering along a mountain path four days after his Audi car was buried in the Slovak Tatra mountains. He told them that after the avalanche, he had opened his car window and tried to dig his way out. But as he dug with his hands, he realised the snow would fill his car before he managed to break through. He had 60 half-litre bottles of beer in his car as he was going on holiday, and after cracking one open to think about the problem he realised he could urinate on the snow to melt it, local media reported.

He said: "I was scooping the snow from above me and packing it down below the window, and then I peed on it to melt it. It was hard and now my kidneys and liver hurt. But I'm glad the beer I took on holiday turned out to be useful and I managed to get out of there."

Admit it. If this appeared in a movie, you'd all hate it because it was too unbelieveable. Sigh. Reality can be very annoying to a fiction writer on occasion. But I still think I'll stick to bottled water.

Electronic Voice Phenomena Blog

Ever since seeing the lame and cringe-inducing trailers for the movie White Noise, I have been hearing "people" saying that the weirdness that the film is based on "Electronic Voice Phenomenon" was real. Radio hosts and television interviewers claim that information on this thing is "all over the internet." Well, I was interested but skeptical and decided to check it out for myself. What did I find? Well, every site I found on EVP was actually a site on the movie itself. It appeared that this was a manufactured "phenomenon" invented precisely to sell the movie.



Well, now there is a blog up to report on EVP. I went in and listened to a few of the MP3s posted there. As of now, I can admit there are sounds in the static. But it sounds like sounds to me that are like the old joke about putting an infinite number of moneys at an infinite number of typewriters and eventually writing Shakespeare.

Election Day Dawns in Iraq

That's right, it is already January 31 in Iraq and the first Election Day since the rise of Saddam Hussein is here. I don't know whether it will be a day of blood or a day of rejoicing or both. But I know what each side wants and we all know the stakes. Let's all be praying that:

1. God provides protection for innocent Iraqis and American servicemen.
2. The true will of the Iraqi people is expressed, even in the "Sunni Triangle."
3. The choices of Iraqis will bring more peace and stability in the world, whether in the short or long term.
4. Americans will be wise enough to realize that the "best" for Iraqis may not look like the best for America right away.
5. God will raise of the right leaders and tear down the wrong ones.
6. God will raise of an Iraqi George Washington to hold the nation together, and an Iraqi Thomas Jefferson to write an enduring Constitution.

Let us pray. A-men.

Searching Google on your Cell Phone!

Am I the only one who did not hear about this? Turns out you can now do Google searches on your cell phone, using SMS text messaging! You simply send a text message to 46645 (GOOGL) with the contents of your inquiry, and you'll recieve a message back within a few minutes with the results. And it is the USEFUL results, not links to Web Pages. I sent "pizza 06484" and got the addresses and phone numbers of all of my local pizza restaurants. Nice! The service is free from Google, though if your cellular carrier charges by the text message then they'll charge the same for these.



CRChair took some of the wind out of my sails when he reminded me that my Sidekick II can search thru the normal Google. But this is still a cool application of SMS, and better for others without such an internet-enabled device.

Dilbert on Software Vendors

Wow, this so nails the vendors I have been working with the last few months. Day 1: We can do it all. Day 50: We can do half of what you need, and you never told us about the other half. Day 100: All you really need is our base product.



We are on about Day 150 and now the "official line" from the Vendor is, "We can't do half of what you wanted even with our base product, and we can deliver only the base product 100 days later than we originally promised."

"Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" Reviews!

Yes, that is right! The first screenings of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy movie are up at AICN. This is a film I can barely wait for. The reviews are mixed thus far. But mostly mixed in the way that early screenings of LOTR: FOTR was "mixed." True fans furious that the exact tone, order, and sequence of the book(s) were not maintained. Of course, these same fans may have forgotten that Douglas Adams himself once claimed he would NEVER do a H2G2 version the same way twice.

Don't allow the uneven acting and minor inconsistencies to detract from your anticipation of this movie. The Heart of Gold was great. Arthur's tour of Earth v2.0 with Slartibartfast was great. The Vogons (and their planet) were great. Deep Thought was great. The sperm whale's existential crisis via free-fall was great. To paraphrase The Guide itself, this film was Mostly Terrific.

DON'T PANIC! This one looks to be a fun rehash of DNA's comic greatness. And the beauty of the H2G2 series is that if another director has to come in and do it all over again in a different way, that is completely consistent with the tone of the series. Oh, and if you have never read the books, DO IT NOW!!! Otherwise, you are missing out on one of the great comic gems of our age.

Exit Poll Problems May Be Older Than We Think

Readers may recall all of the hullaballo after the election, when Exit Polls had shown a clean win for John Kerry but actual returns showed a clear win for Bush. This followed the 2000 elections where Exit Polls had predicted a Gore win but then the projections showed a Bush win, and then Florida showed that no one knew what they were talking about in either direction. Since then, the providers of these Exit Poll results have been under CONSIDERABLY srcutiny and pressure to improve their processes. So far, to no avail. Well, one intrepid blogger notes that the problems may not have begun in 2000, but only showed themselves because of a very close election.

Mystery Pollster notes that in The War Room, a documentary that followed James Carville and George Stephanopoulos during Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign, "one of the final scenes shows Clinton's operatives reacting to the first leaked exit poll results." ...By pausing the DVD, we can see the handwritten leaked numbers and "it is obvious that these mid-day reports in 1992 were off by nearly as much as the leaked numbers everyone saw on the Internet in the middle of the Election Day, 2004."

This appears to be proof of that which has become obvious to everyone but the Media. It is time to find a better way to guage public reaction and voting activity. Exit Polls are simply too flawed to be useful in close elections. But then, maybe it is up to Bloggers to find a better way by bypassing the professionals altogether. Free-lance Exit Polling, anyone?

Is the iPod the Razor or the Blade?

There is a new article up that asks the very pertinent question of whether Apple's new business model with the iPod makes it the equivilent to "the razor" or "the blade" that business school types talk about when analyzing the ideal marketing strategy.

More than a century ago, King Gillette invented both the safety razor and a new way of marketing consumer goods. Before Gillette, men shaved with straight razors, which required skill to both make and use, and lasted almost forever. Gillette's safety razor was mass-produced and required little skill to make OR use, but couldn't be re-sharpened, so the removable blades had to be discarded when they became dull. His marketing breakthrough was selling the razor handles at little or no profit while making huge profits on the consumable -- the blades. This same technique is used today to promote mobile phones and inkjet printers. And it is supposedly behind Apple's success with the iPod music player.

The article goes onto suggest that perhaps Apple has found an even better business model, where they are able to sell both the iPod AND iTunes music at a profit! It certainly matches my experience with the iPod and the iTunes Music Store.



But fear not. If you are worried about Apple's increasing dominance in the MP3 music space, there is also a new article up about JHymn, an app that lets you strip off Apple's Digital Rights Management and bring the music along anywhere, on any machine.

571 Channels and Nothing On

So way up in the cabins of the Smoky Mountains, you don't expect lots of technology or anything. But we were pleasantly surprised that the cabin did have Direct TV. However, any coolness gained by it was quickly squashed as it become clear that despite having many more channels, there was just as little on as with our cable service here at home. We watched the same few channels that we would have at home anyway. The only exception was the presence of the National Geographic Channel, which was cool.



Now, to be fair, it's not like we spent that much time watching TV anyway. There were lots of things to see and do. BUT, what good is all the high tech crap in the world if you're not going to bother having anything good on? I couldn't even watch the Steelers play miserably against the Patriots on Sunday because we didn't get local channels!

Hey Hey

Well, it was a very quick, but great, week away for the two of us. But all good things must come to an end, so here we are. I learned how people in ancient days (like the 80's) survived even without the internet. And mad props to Nomad for taking care of the blog in our absence. We now resume normal blogging.

AT&T About to be Bought by SBC?!

Who could have imagined it? AT&T, the company which once held a monopoly on telecommunications in the USA, is in talks to be bought out. SBC - the upstart that has bought up a myriad of local landline and cellular phone companies - is now ready to eat up "Ma Bell." Perhaps this is another warning sign for Microsoft. A monopoly is a powerful thing. But lose that monopoly - through the courts or through the natural processes of business - and suddenly the giant can become the roach underfoot.

Suicide Becomes Murder

By now, you have probably all heard the horrible story. A suicidal man parks his truck in the path of an oncoming trail. He means to end his life. At the last second, he jumps off the truck and saves his own life. But, he leaves the truck on the rails. The train hits the truck, causing a derailment, and killing 11 people. Now, the suicidal man is on trial for capital murder. And now the man who wishes to end his life "for free" will be locked up in decades of legal maneuvers while the state waits for its chance to execute him.



Some days irony is painful. Some days it is sick. Today it is nearly impossible to endure. And knowing Californians, it is only a matter of time until someone introduces a law to put up a sign at every railway crossing, "If committing suicide, remember to park truck off the tracks." Sigh.

Random Morning Thoughts: What Is "Acting"?

Yes, I am sure I can find a lot on this by doing a Google seach on Philosophy of Acting or Philosophy of Theater. But I am not really interested in learned thought, as much as I am in the thoughts of our BLog readers. What do you think "Acting" really is? It is easy to think we instinctively know it, when we see stars on the big screen. But if you really think about it, it is not so simple a thing. I once heard Ben Affleck give the definition that acting is "Living believably in a made-up world" but that seems a bit... vapid. (Perhaps appropriate for the male ex-half of Bennifer.)



It seems to me that "acting" is one of two things. Either:



1. Portraying emotions: Seen in actors like Ben Kingsley who can literally metamorphose himself into a million roles and peoples, to the point that without credits you might not guess the same actor who played Gandhi also played Dr. John Watson in Without a Clue.



2. Projecting emotions: Seen in the more classic "movie star." People like Peter O'Toole who always play exactly the same character, but have the ability to draw you in and make you feel EXACTLY what that character is feeling.



What is your thought? Which of these is the "real" actor?

Star Wars 3 Spoiler Crawl

Argh! Spoiler alert! Spoiler alert! AICN has up the crawl that will be premiering in front of STAR WARS III: Revenge of the Sith. Do not click through unless you are ready to be a little bit spoiled for the movie. Less than the first real trailer will spoil it for you, but still... Me? I'm waiting until they post the whole script online.

Palestian Authority Finally Disarms Civilians

Believe it or not, the administrator of new Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas has finally announced the disarming of Palestinian citizens. This is the first requirement for peace with Israel and the possibility of a sovereign state. While I am not quick to assign any unselfish motives to Abbas, this at least poses a chance of making a difference. I am under no illusions that Hamas will disarm, but then the IRA once pledged it would never disarm. And now it is isolated and discredited among its own people. Who knows?

Abortion: Changing Hearts or Changing Minds?

I know if Ward were not... uh... otherwise occupied, he would be posting this little gem from Ann Coulter.

President Bush told a pro-life rally in Washington that a "culture of life cannot be sustained solely by changing laws. We need, most of all, to change hearts." Actually, what we need least of all is to "change hearts." Maybe it's my law background, but I think it's time we changed a few judges...The "changing hearts" portion of the abortion debate is over. ATTENTION, PASSENGERS: We're now entering the "minds" portion of the "hearts and minds" journey on abortion. We've been talking about abortion for 32 years. All the hearts that can be changed have been changed. By some estimates, 35 million human hearts (and counting) have been "changed" by abortion.

As always, she is WAY over the top, but makes an excellent point. Changing hearts is all well and good, but you will note that Lincoln did not wait for changed hearts before announcing the Emancipation Proclamation.

Roosters with Tiny Boxing Gloves???

If you ever wondered whether membership in a legislature requires a grasp of reality, check out this little gem from CNN.

An Oklahoma senator hopes to revive cockfighting in the state by putting tiny boxing gloves on the roosters instead of razors...The Oklahoma legislature outlawed the blood sport in 2002 because of its cruelty to the roosters, which are slashed and pecked to death while human spectators bet on the outcome...But State Sen. Frank Shurden, a Democrat from Henryetta and a long-time defender of cockfighting, said the ban had wiped out a $100-million business...To try to revive it, he has proposed that roosters wear little boxing gloves attached to their spurs, as well as lightweight, chicken-sized vests configured with electronic sensors to record hits and help keep score.

Oh, my. While I suspect lots of people would pay good money to see roosters dressed up like Mike Tyson, I am not sure there is any crossover with those who would rather see them sporting razor blades. If this were my senator, I think I'd have a hard time every taking him seriously again in the voting booth.

Christians & Atheists, How Should They Relate

Mike S. Adams has up an interesting column on how Christians often do react to Atheists, and how they really should. Mr. Adams himself is a former atheist, so he has an interesting perspective on things.

In fact, just the other day, I heard a Christian refer to Michael Newdow as an “attention-craving SOB.” It reminded me of the time I heard someone refer to Annie Laurie Gaylor as a “b**ch.” I don’t have the same reaction towards atheists, even when I see them attacking my basic religious freedoms. When I look into their eyes I see an emptiness that evokes pity. Maybe that’s because I was once one of them.

He makes some excellent points. In reviewing the Inauguration pictures on Flickr, I have been amazed how many protesters were able to catch normally staid and quiet Bush supporters expressing anger and rage. While the anger was certainly provoked - that is what protesters do best - it is hardly returning good for evil. How much more should this apply to Christians?

More on the iTunes Phone

Buyer have been wowed by the recently-announced iPod Shuffle - the flash-based MP3 player with no screen and only 512 MB of RAM. (I feel so old. I remember when 1 MB seemed like an incredible amount of space.) But he folks are Engadget are warning us that the real market mover is going to the the Motorola phone with the iTunes interface that was announced.

Think of iTunes-capable cell phones as “clones” of the iPod shuffle. Like PC clones in the early days, they will offer true differentiation, in this case, wireless connections. And they will be offered in channels where Apple has no presence today, such as the storefronts of Verizon Wireless, Cingular, and other carriers, which could expand the market. Over time, however, like PC clones in a mature market, they have the potential to cannibalize the originator’s product...Most of the discussion around cell phone cannibalization focuses on PDAs or digital cameras, but flash-based MP3 players are lower-hanging fruit. In contrast to the challenges of competing with a PDA, there’s no input bugaboo to address; a nine-button keypad is more than accommodating for music playback. And unlike competing with digital cameras, creating an MP3 player is relatively simple and cheap. There’s no need to worry about lenses, sensors, flashes, and other extras far removed from a phone’s core functionality that make a significant difference in picture quality beyond the megapixel count.

Methinks that they have an excellent point here. However, I think it may be only a matter of time until a Symbian-based cell phone is released which is branded as an Apple iPhone. Talk about low-hanging fruit. I can think of 20 people off the top of my head who would buy one, even if it meant a new contract with a new carrier, especially if it acted like an iPod and sported a MacOS X-style interface.

Sirius and XM Radio in Merger Talks

This is bad. The young satellite radio market only has two players, thus far: XM Radio (the choice of Nomad) and Sirius Radio (with the commercials with the CGI dog). This duo has been highly competitive and produced some excellent content and interesting pricing strategies. Neither is the clear winner at this point, and the two networks are fighting tooth and nail to be the biggest and the best. But now, apparently, they are in merger talks. This would leave a single provider - the Microsoft of digital radio - and remove any incentive for innovation for satellite radio. And let's be honest. Satellite radio is about new and exciting ways to get content to the customers. Take out the innovation, and all you have is radio a little clearer than FM, which cuts out when you lose a clear view of the sky.

Condi Confirmed for SecState

Not without many bruises and a whole lotta posturing by Democratic opponents, Condoleeze Rice has been confirmed for Secretary of State in the 2nd term Bush administration. The depth of the opposition can be best dramatized by this quote from the linked article:

The tally, though one-sided at 85-13, was still the largest "no" vote against any secretary of state nominee since 1825.

Now, anyone who thinks the criticism and attacks were about the SecState position is just fooling themselves. Democrats will be spending the next 4 years attacking Condi the way that Republicans will be attacking Hillary. They are (at the moment) the presumptive front-runners for the Presidential primaries in '08. So any attack now is an attack they won't need to use 4 years from now.

Who's Your Daddy?

It seems that China is finding the problem of easy and inexpensive DNA testing: Paranoid Fathers. With a moving away from traditional values China has started having greater problems with pre-marital and extra-marital sex. Fathers are starting to worry when their child doesn't look enough like them causing either anger because there was cheating or distrust in the family. If you feel like you need DNA testing to feel secure about your relationship, your relationship is probably on the rocks already.

Man Takes Out $17K Ad to Win Back Wife

Watch out, Ward. One guy has found that flowers and chocolates are not enough to make it up to his wife. But maybe a full-page newspaper ad will do it.

When five dozen roses didn't work, an estranged husband took out a full-page newspaper ad to ask his wife for forgiveness... "Please believe the words in my letter, they are true and from my heart," read the ad in Tuesday's edition of The Florida Times-Union. "I can only hope you will give me the chance to prove my unending love for you. Life without you is empty and meaningless." Larry, who declined to give his last name, sent the $17,000 apology to Marianne, his wife of 17 years. She left him almost two weeks ago, he said.

Wow. For those who doubt marriage is hard work and expensive, take this to heart. And remember, it is usually cheaper to cherish your wife every day than to try and convince her of the fact after years of neglect.



Or so it seems to this simple single man.

Sega Drops Sports Line in Face of EA/TakeTwo Monopolies

You knew it was coming, but now it is here. Sega has formally exitted the sports games arena, and sold off their assets to TakeTwo - the company that signed exclusive rights with Major League Baseball. This is only the first shoe to drop, there will be many others coming. But it is certainly a significant turn of events. And a significant loss for fans of sports games on the console platforms.

Another point worth noting here is that, in baseball, the MLBPA controls only the names and images of the players themselves, while the owners' association (MLB) controls the rights to the teams' names and indicia. Thus it would still be possible for other companies to do baseball games under a license from the MLB, but would have to use generic players in such a game (which is, of course, far from ideal). With EA "owning" football and Take Two baseball, that leaves a handful of important sports; FIFA soccer (in non-US markets, vastly more important than either of the US sports), basketball, college football, NASCAR, and Formula One. I wouldn't be surprised to see deals made for some of these in the next year.

This is a major loss to gamers everywhere. Personally, I won't be impacted. The last system I bought was the Nintendo DS, and the last game was ZELDA: The Minish Cap (great fun, by the way). I don't foresee buying any sports games. But if this business model works, it will be extended. How long until Nintendo is suing the makers of Final Fantasy for impinging upon their "exclusive rights" to RPGs?

Employer Fires Smokers... Even If They Only Smoke at Home

I find this turn of events very disturbing. A Lansing, Michigan company has decided to fire all of its employees who smoke, even if the smoking is done on personal time or personal places. The rationale is that smokers drive up health costs for the rest of the company.

The company enacted a new policy this month, allowing workers to be fired if they smoke, even if the smoking takes place after-hours, or at home. The founder of Weyco Inc. said the company doesn't want to pay the higher health care costs associated with smoking. An official of the company -- which administers health benefits -- estimated that 18 to 20 of its 200 employees were smokers when the policy was first announced in 2003. As many as 14 of them quit smoking before the policy went into effect.

Now, you won't find many folks out there who hate smoking more than I do. I support smoking bans in restaurants, bars, and public places. I am glad that smoking has been banned on airplane flights. But this is something far different. It is not that it is illegal - it is a private company which can make its own rules. But how moral is it to penalize people for taking part in an entirely legal act in the privacy of their own homes? How long until an environmentally-conscious company starts firing employees for owning SUVs or even for not driving electric cars?

Terri's Last Hope Is... Divorce?

FoxNews is reporting that after the Supreme Court's ruling against hearing their appeal, Terri Schiavo's parents only have one remaining hope for their daughter's life: a divorce from her husband.

"If there is any way for Michael to walk away... just please, please, please let them keep their daughter and just walk away," said David Gibbs, the Schindlers' attorney...Michael Schiavo intends to withdraw the tubes that feed and hydrate his 41-year-old wife as soon as legally possible, maybe as early as next month. Terri Schiavo's parents have vowed to keep her alive. The Schindlers have three legal avenues still open to them: an appeal to a state appeals court in a request for a new trial based on recent comments by Pope John Paul II; a request that Michael Schiavo be removed as his wife's guardian; and a motion to set aside the original decision that Terri Schiavo did not want to be kept alive artificially.

I doubt that Michael Schiavo will take this course of action. Things has already gone too far, whether you believe his actions to be honorable or selfish. But where there is life, there is hope. And for the moment, Terri Schiavo lives.

Turning a Mac Mini into a Home Media Center

Engadget has up a fascinating article on turning the Mac Mini into a Home Media Center. Proving yet again that this may be Apple's long-term plan yet again. Of course, one essential piece of this setup is the El Gato EyeHome, which we have recently tried in my house. The results are... decidedly mixed.

Foxtrot on Spyware

You gotta love it. Of course, as a proud Mac user, I should note Apple is pretty much free of Spyware on its systems.



And if you are wondering if any of your software on your Mac is "phoning home", check out Little Snitch. It more than meets my needs.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY QUIZWEDGE!

Today is Quizwedge's birthday. Yes, that's right. Everyone's favorite overworked californian geek is one year older as of today. I remember when I first met this guy when he was... well... little. And believe it ot not, our first real conversation was on the morality of the first Gulf War. He was a tiny political analyst then. Now, still a political analyst, but a whole lot taller.



Please leave your best wishes for Quizwedge in the comments below this post.

Supreme Confusion Over Pro-Life License Plates

This has not been a great week for the Supreme Court. First, it refuses to save Terri Schiavo... or even give the case a hearing. Now, it has let stand a confusing and conflicting mish-mash of lower court rulings on Pro-Life license plates. The "Choose Life" plates were sold in a number of states. Some states courts ruled them unconstituional because dissenting views were not given similar plates. Others ruled them okay, because dissent was in no way stifled by the plates.



This is bad. I can see the sides of both arguments. But either way, at least there would be a standard. Then again, I can't help wondering if they are just trying to put these off until a new Chief Justice can be sworn in.

Apple Pages gets its first review

Pages is the newest software program from Apple, pitched as a powerful word processor to compete with Microsoft Word. I ordered this thing mostly out of a sense of obligation as a writer who is hoping to produce his first novel without use of a Microsoft product. I have been playing with the app, but this review from MacTeens does a great job of laying out the pros and cons I am still figuring out for myself. The biggest surprise? Pages is not so much a replacement for Microsoft Word as a replacement for an older app that made the Mac big: PageMaker.

Jury Duty Thoughts

I was scheduled to go for Jury Duty tomorrow, but got the word tonight that I am "not required to appear." Why is it that one of the key aspects of our democratic government, something that men and women died for, something that makes all of us proud... is also something that makes us SOOOOO happy when we get out of it?



Trial by jury is a cornerstone of justice. But I am still glad to leave it to others.

Countdown to Ecological Armageddon???

Okay, I have put it off all day, but I guess I can't not blog this one. An "enterprising" group of scientists in England are warning that we are literally on a countdown to a Global Warming Disaster. Some say we have already passed the point of no return, others say it will be within 10 years. Apparently, a mean increase of two degrees centigrade (celsius, if you were in my chem class) will initiate a chain of events which will irreversibly change life on earth.



Does this remind anyone else of the Doomsday clock used to dramatize how close we all were to a Nuclear Armageddon? Last time I checked, that clock was actually moving backwards. But then, President Bush has not signed the Kyoto Protocol yet (over several parts that would penalize the USA economically, while exempting nations like China) and it is more important to get that treaty passed than to actually do good science, right? Right?!

Supreme Court Refuses to Save Terri Shiavo

There is an old saying, "Hard cases make bad law." But it is hard not to weep openly considering the case of Terri Schiavo - a woman whose brain was damaged when her heart stopped temporarily and whose parents and husband are now in a legal tug of war over whether to keep her alive or to pull out her feeding tube and let her die. The husband claims his wife never wanted to live this way. The parents claim she is alive, alert, and not a vegetable. Lots of legal briefs have been filed over this. The last two moves in the chess game were Florida Governor Jeb Bush's law that forced the feeding tube to remain, and the Florida Supreme Court's decision to rule the law unconstitutional. Now, the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear the appeal of that ruling.

The Supreme Court refused Monday to reinstate a Florida law passed to keep a severely brain-damaged woman hooked to a feeding tube, clearing the way for it to be removed. How soon that would happen, however, was unclear...The Florida Supreme Court had struck down the law last fall, and the justices were the last hope for state leaders who defended the law in a bitter long running dispute over the fate of Terri Schiavo...The case goes back to state Judge George Greer, who already has ruled that the brain-damaged woman's husband could withdraw her feeding tube. Although several legal challenges are pending, the Supreme Court was considered the best hope to stop the removal of the tubes.

It appears that time is running out for Terri Schiavo. I'll be praying for her. I don't know which outcome is most consistent with the law, but I have a feeling I know which is most consistent with justice. Here's hoping the two coincide.

Worst Day for NYFD Since 9/11

Today, three New York Firefighters died fighting a blaze in the Bronx. It was the worst one-day death toll since 9/11 when 343 firefighters died when the Towers collapsed.

Three city firefighters were killed while responding to two separate apartment blazes -- the deadliest day for New York firefighters since the 2001 terror attacks...Two of the victims -- Lt. Curtis Meyran and John Bellew -- were forced to jump from a fourth-floor window of a Bronx apartment building early Sunday as flames trapped them and four other crew members. The four other men were severely injured..."When the fire from the third floor broke through to the fourth, they were faced with a horrifying choice," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "They jumped out a fourth-floor window, knowing that they would be critically injured."

Mixed emotions on this one. On the one hand, THANK GOD that 3 is now considered to be a bad day and that there have been no comparable days since 9/11/01. On the other hand, it is a sad, sad day for these men and their families. Our prayers are with them.

Church Holds Services for Remains of Aborted Fetuses

This is triggering a good deal of angst and anger on the Pro-Abortion side of the fence, but it seems absolutely appropriate to me. Especially since this has been going on for a long time without any publicity.

A Catholic church plans to bury the ashes of as many as 1,000 aborted fetuses Sunday, raising a storm of protest from those who accuse it of exploiting the pain and grief of women for political purposes. The Sacred Heart of Mary Church obtained the ashes from a mortuary that had a contract to cremate remains from the Boulder Abortion Clinic. But the clinic said it didn't know the ashes were being given to the church. "They have taken it upon themselves to make a macabre ritual out of this, inflicting pain on everyone," said clinic director Dr. Warren Hern. "I have women calling me who are very upset over this. These fanatics simply cannot leave other people alone with their most intimate sorrow."

And we should consider that these are human remains, and thus should be treated with some level of dignity... or at least health consideration.

Blizzard Over, Travel Snafus Not Over

Well, I am feeling so much better than last week, and the blizzard has ended in the Northeast, so I am looking forward to returning to work. (Well, "looking forward" may be a bit of an exaggeration.) However, even tomorrow I will not be returning to a full office. The blizzard has stranded many air travellers including several of the folks I work with.

Travellers were stranded across the north-east of the United States on Sunday as a fierce blizzard ranked among the five worst in a century closed airports and made roads treacherous. "Any travel in strongly discouraged," the National Weather Service warned Massachusetts residents. "If you leave the safety of being indoors, you are putting your life at risk."

Between the Christmas computer crash and this blizzard, business can NOT be going well for the big airlines. Here is hoping they can recover and there is not a third strike to seal the fate of some of the biggest and worst-run carriers.

Go Philly!

Well, the question has finally been answered. It's the New England Patriots vs. the Philadelphia. I'll be rooting for Philadelphia for two reasons. I like Donovan McNabb and I've not been a fan of the Pats since they played Connecticut to get a new stadium in Massachussets. I was excited about the possibility of a professional football team in the state I lived in, only to be crushed. Of course, now I'm closer to my favorite team, the 49ers. The only thing I get to rejoice about is first round draft pick due to having the worst record in the league.

Google to enter Telephone Market???

According to this highly speculative article from The Times Online, Google is preparing to offer telephone service. Their logic? Google has bought up tons of unused fiber optics around the country (built during the internet boom) which would easily take care of the main problem that VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) has now - too much dependence on local bandwidth for sound quality. Combine that with their powerful search feature, and how long until we will simply do a Google search for a person's name and click "Call Now" for instant connection?

Movie Review: ELEKTRA

MPAA Rating: PG-13

CRChair and I went to see ELEKTRA this weekend, a film I have really been looking forward to and which stars the comely Jennifer Garner in her first starring role in a major action picture. Coming on the heels of the "Marvel Revolution" of comic book movies and a spinoff of the semi-successful Ben Affleck DAREDEVIL, there were high hopes for this one. But it seems like everyone has the sense that the studios are not sure what to make of this one, and so every friend asked me to let them know what I thought of this one.



First, for those with ADD the quickie review: Better than the theatrical Daredevil but worse than the directors cut which came out on DVD recently. If you like comic book movies in general, you'll like this one. If you are seeking a great drama or great martial arts film, seek out one of the recent Chinese imports instead.



Second, for the longer review. The back-story to Elektra is that she has been raised all of her life by a demanding father whose training was so intense, it drove her to occasional bouts of Monk-like OCD. The death of her mother at a young age made things worse. And the violent death of her father and her own death is alluded to, but never seen in this film - it occurred in DAREDEVIL. A strict mystical-martial arts master known as Stick somehow brings her back from the death and teaches her a mystical fighting skill which actually lets her see the future in a jedi-like manner. Since then, she has applied her skills as the worlds best assassin. Until she is sent on a mission which she can not fulfill, due to a mix of morality and a replay of personal nightmares. Her employer sends others, and she decides to act as a protector instead of assassin. And much Wire-Fu ensues.



This is a very weird film. There is GREAT characterization. Good acting by Garner. Good dialogue which mimics comic books without being that kind of weird self-conscious camp which doomed the later BATMAN films. EXCELLENT special effects. Interesting super powers. And an array of bad guys which are among the best I have seen. And yet, the film fails to really succeed. Why? Two big reasons. One, the editor and director never really bring it all together. They have all the pieces but simply can not put the puzzle together effectively. Consider, the most interesting baddie in the film is a lady named TYPHOID MARY who strongly alludes to a back-story eerily similar to Elektra's own. And yet, it is just mentioned once and then dropped. Two, the writer chose to leave the LEAST interesting bad guy for the climactic battle. You have a guy who is invulnerable, a guy who can sprout snakes from his chest, and a girl who kills everything she touches. And who do you have as the final battle? A guy with no powers who is good with knives. Sigh.



In the end, I really did enjoy the film. It hit the spot and I was in the right mood. But I doubt this one will see wide success. There is not enough here to let in those uninitiated to comics, as SPIDER-MAN and X-MEN did. But there is enough to allow those with a comic background to smile.

Johnny Carson Takes a Final Bow

Yes, that's right. The original (at least in my lifetime) king of late night has passed away.

Johnny Carson, the "Tonight Show" TV host who served America a smooth nightcap of celebrity banter, droll comedy and heartland charm for 30 years, has died. He was 79. "Mr. Carson passed away peacefully early Sunday morning," his nephew, Jeff Sotzing, told The Associated Press. "He was surrounded by his family, whose loss will be immeasurable. There will be no memorial service." Sotzing would not give further details, including the time of death or the location.

Rest in Peace, Johnny.

No Need to Dust for This Print

I had to share this one. I was out taking some pictures this morning in the blizzard and I scared a squirrel off of our birdfeeder. (Didn't mean to, but he was not in a sociable mood.) He ran over our roof and jumped onto a tree. I followed timidly but when he caught sight of me, he did a VERY cartoonish "Eep!" and fell off the tree. Ploop! He left this obviously squirrel-shaped hole in the snow.



I tried to capture a shot of the squirrel in the snow, but I just was not fast enough. Still, it was incredibly funny to me. If you are so inclined, you can click on the picture to see a higher-quality version.

Of Iraqi Beginnings and Endings...

How can you not read an article that begins this way?

There's only one thing you can say about the elections in Iraq: They are either going to be the end of the beginning there or the beginning of the end. Either Iraqis turn out in large numbers to take control of their own future and write their own constitution - and I think they will - or the fascist insurgents there prevent them from doing so, in which case the Bush team will have to move to Plan B. What's sad is that right when we have reached crunch time in Iraq, the West is totally divided. All that the Europeans care about is being able to say to George Bush, "We told you so." What happens the morning after "We told you so" ? Well, the Europeans don't have a Plan B either.

I think perhaps the world is finally coming to realize that the failure of Iraq would be equivilent of the failure of Western ideals. I was watching a piece on The History Channel last night on the French Revolution. Isn't it amazing that the very ideals that the Revolutionaries fought for - equality of all men, freedom, self-rule - are exactly the ideals that the modern French Republic would claim Iraqis can not have?

Still Blizzarding

Buried backyard
Originally uploaded by SuzyQ64.

This photo accurately reflects what I am seeing out my bedroom window this morning. (Except of course that I live in a third-floor apartment with no deck or barbecue on the back of it. Okay, so it looks nothing like my back yard except for the depth and pervasiveness of the snow.) Even most churches in our area (though not my church) have cancelled services. Personally, I plan to pretty much stay inside today and do NOTHING. With my illness last week, I'd prefer NOT to stress out my immune system. And with my back surgery last year, CRChair won't let me do ANY shovelling. So... Maybe much blogging today.

Bush Signal: Hail Texas or Hail... Someone Else?

Fidler on the Roof - whose Blogmaster occasionally posts comments here - had this first, but now the story is starting to spring a life of its own. Norwegians and heavy metal rockers alike saw a signal given by George W. Bush at the inauguration as a Satanic gesture.



However, calm-minded folks who remember that Bush was also governor of Texas note that this is simply the "Hook 'em horns" symbol of the University of Texas. Still, in the current hyperpartisan climate, ultra-leftists will look for any sign or signal that verifies their conviction that W is the Devil... or the Anti-Christ. And to be honest, ultra-rightists are still looking for signs that the Clintons are allied with the devil, as well. I wonder if the next President will be able to drink a glass of water without it appearing to be an ultra-something political statement.

Firefox Continues To Gain

FireFox, a web browser competing with Internet Explorer continues to rise in marketshare while Internet Explorer falls. Especially for our readers on Windows machines, I highly recommend checking FireFox out. It's more secure than Internet Explorer and has some nice features.

Yup, the Blizzard is Here

I know that this week has kind of been "photography week" here at Mod-Blog. Since I have been trapped inside by the flu, my window on the world has been the internet and other people's pics. Still, there are some very interesting pics out there being produced by the first Blizzard of 2005 here in the Northeastern USA.



Click on the attached picture to see some images from Nomad's neck of the woods. Ward and Muse are clear of this storm, so they can enjoy their honeymoon however they may please.

This is TOO cute

awww 5
Originally uploaded by h.

Sometimes you find a picture too cute not to share. No, I did not shoot this one. But I did have a dog that could have EASILY fit this description.

Honeymoon Time!

Well, it's time for Muse and myself to get away for a while. We wish everyone a great week, we'll be back next weekend for lots more posting. Nomad has authority to kick anyone out of the sandbox who isn't playing nice, so we expect good behavior.

Volkswagen Commercial a Hoax

The VW commercial circling the web for the past couple of days has been found to be a hoax. That's a good thing. It would be in poor taste for a commercial, but as parody, it's pretty funny. Rambling's Journal has the story.

Dirty War

Oxblog has posted some thoughts on the upcoming BBC produced movie to run on HBO. His thoughts? A hachet job on Blair but very well made just the same.

What it comes down to, I suppose, is the degree to which a film such as Dirty War represents a constructive response to the dangers that Britain (and America) faces. The film certainly has such pretensions; before the film starts, white letters on a black screen inform the audience that the film is based on extensive factual research.



Another good indication of the film's seriousness its American premiere was sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations. Thus, along with dinner, the guests at the premiere were treated to a discussion of terrorism and homeland security led by Stephen Flynn of CFR and Michael Wermuth of the Rand Corporation, both experts in the field.



So, does the film blend drama and realism in a manner worthy of its creators highest hopes? Frankly, I have no idea. If the film taught me one thing, it is how little I know about homeland security. Perhaps because I have spent the last four and a half years studying foreign policy, I never devoted enough attention to the homeland side of the equation.

It'll be interesting to catch it on PBS (since we don't have HBO.) And it will be very interesting to see how politicians choose to use the movie for their own agendas.

Marge Lets Her Hair Down

Does Marge Simpson need a makeover?



Look for new television ads starting next month in which a few of our favorite animated ladies get "beautiful styles that move naturally" moreso than their original 'dos.



Maybe my animated self needs a makeover too...

Mac Mini = Video iPod???

Michael Cringely has up an interesting take on the Mac Mini. Can't say I was not having similar thoughts, to the point of wondering if an EyeTV + MacMini would be the ultimate Apple Tivo device.

Here's my thinking, and it is just thinking -- I have no insider knowledge of Apple's plans, I haven't been diving in any Cupertino dumpsters, and nobody who knows the truth has told me a darned thing. I think the Mac Mini is a fixed component in a system that will extend iTunes to selling and distributing movies...The Mac Mini would look fine on, under, near, or generally around your TV. It has a DVI connector and so do many HDTVs, including those from Sony. Sony in its HDTV manuals says the DVI connector is "not intended" for connecting a computer, but it seems to work. That brings us back to Mr. Ando and my guess about the next Year of HD announcement or two. When OS X 10.4 ships, the Mini will suddenly become Apple's version of a media PC. Like the iPod, it will be a simple device that serves proprietary content, in this case HD video. Just like Gateway, HP, and Dell before it, Apple will start selling in its stores HDTVs, only they'll carry the Sony brand. Do you want to buy a Gateway TV or a Sony TV?

With a friend of mine playing around with an EyeHome device, this is looking more and more attractive. Not sure it is worth the price to really get a 80 GB Mac Mini + EyeTV + Airport Extreme card yet, when I can buy a Tivo on eBay for about $300. But give it a little time...

Elementary School Kids Try to Hijack Bus

Sigh. Kids grow up so fast these days.

Three 11-year-old boys and a 10-year-old girl tried to hijack their school bus near Punxsutawney this morning. State police said the four hatched the plot yesterday. Just after 8 a.m. today, one of the boys pulled a knife from a book bag and held it near another student. He demanded driver Janet McQuown, 52, stop and get off the bus. A police new release says she pulled over along Pine Tree Church Road in Oliver Township and "the knife was removed from the juvenile's possession."

I joke about "these days," but I could have actually seen this happening on my school bus when I was little. I was on a bus full of idiots whom the bus driver refused to control. And my class was known for boneheaded stunts like this with little to no point. I am just glad it never did happen in my days. But then, my generation did not have OBL around as an example.

A Few More Inaugural Pics

A friend with his own Blog has put up a few pictures from his time at the Inaugural which you probably won't see anywhere else, including a picture of Peggy Noonan shooting her appearance on FoxNews's Hannity and Combes.







My main thought? This friend should have shot a LOT MORE pictures at this once-in-a-lifetime event!

Cancer "Master Switch" Found?

An international team of scientists believes it has found cancer's master switch with the discovery of a gene they dubbed "Pokemon."..."This is the master switch that interacts with other genes," Cardon-Cardo said. "It acts differently than other oncogenes. Others regulate cell growth, but Pokemon impacts on critical properties of cancer cells."...Among those key properties, Pokemon enhances a cancer cell's ability to resist aging and death. This immortalizing factor essentially endows cancer cells with a Peter Pan-like quality that renders them robust indefinitely, the very trait that makes tumors difficult to treat.

If this is true, this could be the biggest news in cancer treatment since... well... since modern medicine came to be. My father died of cancer. My grandmother died of cancer. My grandfather died of cancer. And many, many more in my family. My family history is troubling at best. If this would allow for a single medicine to treat all cancers, it may give hope for me yet.

A Blizzard Looms O'er the Northeast

Yes, I admit it. I just wanted an excuse to use o'er in a sentence. (O'er is "over" abbreviated, for those who may not be aware.)



But despite my linguistic gymnastics, it appears that the Northeast is due for some of the white stuff. Currently, I am in the "so long as there's no place to go" mindset, enjoying the fact that for once we will be seeing some snow on the weekend when there is no driving need to go out in the car. (Pun intended.) However, my local forecast shows that our house may be in the 12+ inches band, which might mean problems for getting to work on Monday as well. Here is hoping that the CT DOT guys are warming up the trucks now and are ready to battle with granulated ice.



And if not, it probably just means a whole lot more BLogging from Nomad this weekend.

Best and Worst Protest Signs of the Inauguration

Well, I am feeling much better, but am still housebound by the flu I caught this past week. So I have been living through the inauguration vicariously. After spending a little more time on Flickr I have some notable nominations for protest signage.



Funniest Sign



Also nominated for "Most likely to make John Kerry blow a gasket."

(Apologies for this one being larger than the others. If I made it the same size, you couldn't read the writing.)



Most Thought Provoking Sign



Also nominated for "Most likely to fall under relevant child labor laws."



Most Pointless Sign



Also nominated for "Couldn't you have found a warmer spot to be completely irrelevant?"

SpongeBob Gaypants?

Dobson's really a smart man when he sticks to what he earned his degree in. But, as Lee points out, he's in way over his head with SpongeBob.



Don't we have more important things to worry about? I'll go out on a limb here and suggest that perhaps, just maybe, Christians need to worry a little less about adjusting their gaydar every ten minutes and at get back to the work of the gospel. There are A LOT of other problems that need fixing in this world. But, it could just be me.

New E-mail Worm Spoofs CNN

If you have not come to your senses and bought a Mac or Mac Mini, you will want to be aware of a new e-mail work that is out there. This clever new viral spreader disguises itself as a CNN Headlines Alert to get hapless users to click on it and start the filthy cycle all over again.

Windows users induced into clicking on the infected attachment surrender control of their PCs to crackers. Crowt-A installs a keylogger which captures sensitive data, such as online banking login details, and forwards it to attackers. Infected machines are also turned into relay stations for the worm, spewing copies of it to email addresses harvested from infected PCs. Few instances of the worm have been spotted thus far. Crowt-A is noteworthy in marking an evolution of social engineering tricks, rather than for the relatively low risk it poses.

Be on the lookout. It has not gotten far as of now. But even the computer-phobic surf CNN for news, so it has the potential to get a lot bigger over the weekend. Sigh. As though we didn't have enough REAL virii going around this flu season!

Inaugural Protests Pics

green
Originally uploaded by joshc.

Flickr is awash right now in photos like this of the Inaugural protests. Probably 10 protest pictures to every 1 picture of the ceremonies or balls themselves. Of course, the one thing I can't get over is that the protests seem more like parties than the parties do. Now, all of this observation is from these pictures, but it does make you wonder.

Extinction caused by "Global Warming"

So, you have a perfectly logical theory for a mass extinction. Lots of evidence to support that theory (a meteor crashing to earth) and recent new findings that make it more and more likely. And in addition, the same theory can explain subsequent extinctions like that of the dinosaurs. But another theory is out there which has political aspirations. For the sake of argument, we'll call this theory "global warming." The theory is having problems (for instance, a recent piece by respected author Michael Crichton assaulting the science behind it) and its political support is waning. So what is the logical way to go? You conclude that "global warming" must be the right theory for both the past and the future, of course!



C'mon, people. Science is science, and politics is politics. Let the scientists decide on the science, and let the politicians argue out the rest.

Tsunami Kids Game?!

What does a world disaster which has (so far) killed over 200,000 people make you think of? Well, if you are FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) it apparently makes you think of video games. This is not an entirely bad idea, but it is certainly bad timing. Kids do need some non-threatening way to start talking about the disaster, but maybe this could have been held for the next one that killed less than 100,000.

Some Nice Inauguration Pics

Presidential Inauguration 2005
Originally uploaded by Jay Tamboli.

I found a nice set of pictures from the Inauguration on Flickr. This one seemed like posting to give a decent view of what the people on-the-scene may have been seeing. (One friend of mine was there today, so I am hoping he will be posting some pics on his blog soon.

Roe asks Supremes to overturn "Roe v. Wade"

Posted without further comment.

The woman once known as "Jane Roe" has asked the Supreme Court to overturn its landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion 32 years ago...Norma McCorvey, whose protest of Texas' abortion ban led to the 1973 ruling, contends in a petition received at the court Tuesday that the case should be heard again in light of evidence that the procedure may harm women...Two lower courts last year threw out McCorvey's request to have the ruling reconsidered.

I think you know my opinion.

Night Owl: I Was Born This Way

Yep, in our current trend in science, there is yet another thing you can blame on your parents and ancestors. I'm not lazy, I was born a night owl. I am a night owl. Most nights I'm going to bed around 1 AM (sometimes earlier; sometimes later). Even if I were to go to bed "early", I normally lay there for a while and still wake up tired the next morning, even though I got more sleep. On the other hand, I'm not a huge fan of the growing trend to blame everything on genetics and get rid of personal responsability. I also have mixed feelings about resetting my body's clock.

Bush's Inaugural Speech: Freedom is Job 1

I am not one who believes in coincidences. In the sad time after my father's death from brain cancer, I learned that "coincidence" is merely a word for God's perfect timing in his working out of history. And it is a sign of His sense of humor. Therefore, I believe it is no coincidence that the same day that devout Muslim's "stone the devil" on the Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca) is the day George W. Bush is sworn in as President for a second time with a single and strong message for his second term.

There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred and resentment and expose the pretensions of tyrants and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant. And that is the force of human freedom. We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world....So it is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.

Of course, I am sure that others will iterpret this "coincidence" differently. They will say the "devil" being stoned is the USA. But I think it is the case that it is tyranny and oppression which are being stoned. And while I do not know if this goal is truly achieveable - after all tyranny has been around far longer than democracy, and appears to be the natural state of Man - it is a goal worth striving for, worth sacrificing for, and even worth dying for.

JibJab on Bush 2, Part 2

JibJab has up their typically skewed view on the inauguration of President Bush to a second term. Very, very funny. And it turns out somehow I missed their Christmas piece, Grumpy Santa which is also due for a place on the shelf with the other Christmas classics. (Again, these are musical Flash animations. So, if you are viewing these from work, you may wish to put on earphones or turn down the volume. You know who I'm talking to. )



I'll tell you. If laughter is the best medicine, between that "Uncut Council of Elrond" and these two, I might just be overmedicated!

Condi in '08?

RWN has up the results of a survey conducted by fifty right-of-center bloggers about their choice for President in 2008. Number one? Condi, with a bullet.



There's still a lot of time between now and then, but there's already a growing consensus that she's the candidate if she wants it. Personally, I think she would be a good choice if she's interested. Of course, she has never run for office, and that's a negative. But, she's almost certain to be the most intelligent candidate running and she'll have had eight years of experience in this administration. And it would be a real hoot to see Democrats' racist policies in full effect. A black candidate from the Republicans will be met with such hate and smear that even liberals will have to admit that they're a bunch of racists.



Of course, this is all dependent on her wanting the job. That's hardly a certainty. She might well want to get back to teaching, or some other venture that makes her a lot of money. But, consider this. IF she does run, and wins the Republican ticket, then we are virtually assured a female President in 2008, since the Democrats are most likely going with Hillary. It seems to me that even ten years ago, that discussion was not even possible.

The Un-Cut Council of Elrond

The joys of modern technology. This is the Council as you never saw it before.

Al Qaeda Going Down For the Count?

Are the terrorists really on the run? Apparently, one counter-terrorism expert thinks so. Let's hope they start to make some major mistakes too. Perhaps letting OBL be caught on satellite image long enough to have a missile get him, or something like that.

Pro-Abortion Myths

Chuck Colson has up an article on Townhall.Com on some of the common myths that surround the Pro-Abortion movement. He even cites some former Abortion Advocates who now admit their arguments were based on falsehood.

Myth number one: Abortion is first and foremost a woman’s issue. Again and again, the writers in this book make the case that abortion is an issue that hurts all of us, not least by pitting men, women, and children against each other. We’ve reached a point, the writers explain, where instead of providing support and solutions to women in crisis pregnancies, society often turns against them. The book is full of quotes and stories from women who aborted against their will because other people expected them to do so....myth number two. Foster adds, “Dr. Nathanson, who later became a pro-life activist, said that he and Lader were able to persuade Friedan that abortion was a civil rights issue, basing much of their argument on the claim that tens of thousands of women died from illegal abortions each year. Nathanson later admitted that they had simply made up the numbers.”

Of course, this is from a prominent anti-abortion activist so it is hardly a disinterested analysis. But then, I am not sure disinterested analyses are possible in American when dealing with the issue of abortion. After all, neither viewing abortion as murder, nor veiwing it as a fundament rights issue is likely to take emotion out of it.

Spam Buster busted by Spammers

Proving that Spammers truly have no shame, a group of spammers are suing Jay Stuler for having reported them to ISPs and getting their accounts shut down.

A man who claims he has been receiving unsolicited emails from a US company for two years is now being sued by them, for branding them spammers and reporting their actions to ISPs. Jay Stuler is now on the receiving end of a lawsuit from New Hampshire firm Atriks, which alleges Stuler caused financial harm to the firm and caused it to lose contracts. The suit also states that Stuler had been making defamatory statements, including calling CEO Brian Haberstroh a "criminal" and the company "a notorious spam gang", which the suit denies. Stuler, however, says on his website the case is a "frivolous lawsuit designed to harass and intimidate" and claims the reason he's been sued by Atriks is because, after complaining to his ISP about the alleged spam, the company saw its accounts closed down by the service providers.

This is just silly. But it is certainly in the RIAA philosophy - even when you are in the wrong, sue everyone in sight on the chance they can't fight back. Hopefully, Mr. Stuler will keep up the good fight, so that the Can-SPAM act will survive.

ThinkSecret Update: A Lawyer Steps Forward

CNET is reporting that the Harvard Student who runs ThinkSecret has a lawyer. The same lawyer that has previously defended the Electronic Frontier Foundation has volunteered to help out the Mac rumor site owner pro bono.

Harvard undergraduate student Nicholas Ciarelli, who goes by the pseudonym Nick dePlume, said in an article on the site that he is being represented free of charge by Terry Gross..."Think Secret's reporting is protected by the First Amendment," said Gross, a former IBM systems programmer who also was part of the defense team of Leona Helmsley. "The Supreme Court has said that a journalist cannot be held liable for publishing information that the journalist obtained lawfully. Think Secret has not used any improper newsgathering techniques."

Here's hoping Apple comes to its senses sooner rather than later. Rumor sites provide more free press to the minority computer company than almost any other venue on the web. The symbiotic relationship is beneficial to both sides. Killing off rumor sites would also likely kill off Apple.

EA Monopoly Update: Monkey See, Take Two Do

Well, EA has sewn up the video game industry for the NFL and ESPN. Now, game publisher Take Two has struck back by monopolizing Major League Baseball.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that the company is in talks with Major League Baseball for exclusive rights to the brand, in a deal which would act as a counter-move to EA's exclusive signing with the NFL...According to the report, the negotiations have been made possible by the huge sales of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, with the game's performance exceeding expectations and leaving Take Two with the cash to sign up some exclusives of its own in response to EA's deals.

Sigh. How long until competition disappears from the sports games arena? Or will this just mean that other kinds of games will thrive as competition drives them, and sports franchises exhaust themselves without inspiration?

Enterprise Lives, and Battlestar Galactica Soars

Sci Fi TV fanatics like myself have two reasons to smile today.

1. Insiders have confirmed that recent rumors of the cancellation of Star Trek: Enterprise are false. Though no one will confirm if it will be renewed for next season.



2. Battlestar Galactica (the new series) has premiered with excellent ratings which just about guarantee its survival on Sci Fi channel.

Ward was not taken with the revival of the old science fiction show when it was a miniseries, but luckily for the regulars it did pretty well. Personally, I have been enjoying it though I admit it is not the perfect series. However, it has learned to borrow from the best. And while Enterprise is not as great as some of the other spin-offs, it is a solid series with some great potential.

Tsunami Deaths Top 226,000

Sigh. It was inevitaable I guess, but today the count of tsunami deaths not only passed 200K but reached 226K. Why? Tens of thousands previously on the list as "missing" have been moved to "missing and presumed dead."

The global death toll from the Asian tsunami shot above 226,000 Wednesday after Indonesia's Health Ministry confirmed the deaths of tens of thousands of people previously listed as missing. The ministry raised the country's death toll to 166,320. It had previously given a figure of 95,450 while Indonesia's Ministry of Social Affairs had put the death toll at around 115,000 before it stopped counting. Dodi Indrasanto, a director at the health ministry's department of health affairs, said the new death total reflected the latest reports from the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, which were directly in the path of the killer tsunami spawned by a magnitude 9 earthquake the day after Christmas. The new figure lifted the total global death toll from the tsunami disaster to 226,566, although the number continues to rise as more deaths are reported around the region.

And in a show of solidarity and amazing sensitivity [insert sarcasm here] the EU has warned tsunami-devasated Thailand that they must buy at least 6 European Superjumbo jets or face tariffs against their fishing industries. C'Mon, European Union. Let's gain back some perspective. And at least let the Thais finish burying their dead before hitting them up for pretection money.

Condi is IN

According to reports Condoleeza Rice has been confirmed by the Senate Committee. She still has the full Senate to go thru, but she appears to be on-course for confirmation as Secretary of State.

The Second Term: Reign or Ruin?

How will the President's second term go? It's always hard to say, but Bush has a few advantages that could greatly affect how his second term plays out. Of course, as the Times points out, scandal is the one weakness of second term politics. And the President's opponents would like nothing more than to smear his reputation. A casual stroll through DU reveals any number of conspiracy theories that people are just hoping to hatch.

Amiga Rises from the Dead

Arstechnica has up has up a review of something that has been promised for a long time but never before really delivered - an updated, modern version of the former Commodore Amiga!!! I owned a Commodore Amiga 500 for the first part of college, and loved that old machine. Unfortunately, shortly after that Commodore died a messy and highly bankrupt death. It was a great computer and served my early needs well. But for the lastter half of college, I became an Apple convert which served my needs even better.



Still, it is nice to see a blast from the past making a comeback.

Somewhere in California, A Village is Missing Its Idiot

It's been quite a year for Senator Boxer already. First, taking part in the petty attempt to stop the will of the people on January 6th and now openly twisting the truth on live TV. Her comments toward Rice yesterday were barely out of her mouth before the blogsphere had jumped all over her lies. Ankle Biting Pundits is all over the story with a detailed fisking of the Senator's attempt to re-write history.

Axis of Evil Out, Outposts of Tyranny In

During Condoleeza Rice's testimony before Congress, she appears to have validated Bush's infamous Axis of Evil and extended it to a new classification of renegade nation, "Outposts of Tyranny."

"To be sure, in our world there remain outposts of tyranny and America stands with oppressed people on every continent ... in Cuba, and Burma (Myanmar), and North Korea, and Iran, and Belarus, and Zimbabwe," Rice told a Senate committee considering her nomination to succeed Colin Powell...as secretary of state.

Each nation is run by a tyrant who systematically stifles dissent and free expression in general. Is this a sign of a major new shift in U.S. policy? Or is this a natural extension of the alleged neoconservative plot to export freedom by taking down dictators?

Man Tries To Defend Himself... With a Poodle

These are the types of stories Nomad hates because if he ever tried to write this everyone would tell him it'd never happen. All I can say is, of COURSE the guy is mentally ill. Also, shoutout to my girlfriend for passing along this tidbit.

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) - Prosecutors are seeking a new psychiatric exam for a man accused of swinging a poodle to fend off a sheriff's deputy during a traffic stop.

Girlamo Marinello, 37, of Macomb County's Shelby Township was charged last year with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, resisting and obstructing police and animal cruelty. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. On Feb. 26, 2004, a deputy tried to stop Marinello for running a stop sign in Oakland Township. Marinello rammed the deputy's car and then got out of his vehicle, swinging the two-kilogram [less than 5 pounds!] poodle on her leash, police said.

Marinello was scheduled to stand trial this month. But defence lawyer Judith Gracey told a judge Wednesday that her client was too mentally ill to understand his actions and should be acquitted by reason of insanity, the Detroit Free Press reported.

The suspect is at the state forensic psychiatry centre.

Assistant prosecutor Rob Novy agreed that Marinello is mentally ill, but asked for an independent mental examination before agreeing to an insanity plea.

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Information from: Detroit Free Press, freep.com