Another Portable Media Player

Okay, one more portable media player for our readers. (I know, I know, I am enjoying this DiVX stuff, *WAAAAAY* too much.) This one is the MediaGate MG-25. This time, instead of being a DVD player that can read DVD-ROMs with DiVX files on it, it is a portable hard drive which you can load with DiVX, DVD files, MPEG2, MPEG1, or MP3 music files and then you can hook directly to a PC monitor or a regular television and it will play like a DVD player with a huge capacity! This is very cool. In the space of about 2 iPods, you can have 40 to 80 movies from your collection along for any and all of your trips away. Plus, this lets you have a standard bevy of movies available to you on your own TV, without having to get up and change DVDs.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for REAL!!!

If you saw the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy movie this summer, you saw the plot device of all plot devices invented by Douglas Adams: a little talking book with useful (and otherwise) information about everywhere in the galaxy. Well, DNA himself tried to make something like this with his H2G2 website, but now a British Company has gone a step further. Their new technology - currently aimed squarely at the tourist market - gives you location-specific information for any point in its database, based on the position it senses via GPS.

This has a lot of potential. I have friend who is quite into geo-caching - the practice of leaving noteworthy items at specified GPS locations, for other hikers and geocachers to find - and he loves the treasure-hunt nature of the thing. This has the potential to do the same for data, and even more to allow cities to increase tourism (and advertising revenue) by steering visitors to the hot spots.

A MAJOR Data Security DON'T

Wondering why Austalia is awash in counterfeit drivers licenses, all of a sudden? (They aren't, but it is not a bad opening line.) Well, it might have something to do with this story from a penny-wise hardware hacker who bought some ultra-cheap hardware at a govenment auction, and found that the Motor Vehicles division hadn't bothered to wipe any of their data or software. Among the other stuff he found were records of tickets issued to motorists with lots of those little bits of information which would make identity theft so easy.

Remember friends, be sure to WIPE your hard drives before selling them... or at least sell to someone you know or trust lacks the technical softistication to steal your data!

Yet Another Serenity Trailer

I know, I know. Those of you who don't care about Firefly are probably getting sick of my posting links to Serenity trailers. But there are a lot of us who do, and who are therefore quite excited about this new one which shows off more of the humor and more of the plot of the movie. Why do we have to wait another 2 or 3 months?!

Worst... Writing... Ever... for 2005

Check out this years Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest 2005 Results. This is an annual contest to come up with the worst possible opening to a novel, which shows obvious writing skill. My favorite must be...

"The night resembled nothing so much as the nose of a giant Labrador in excellent health: cold, black, and wet."

Now, no comments, please, about how often you have thought Mod-Blog should win a lifetime achievement award in such a competition!

Mmmm.... Free MPEG4 Encoder...

Okay, so now you have bought that cool Portable Video device we mentioned yesterday, but have realized that lugging your entire DVD collection around is not your idea of fun. You don't like DIVX for the bad rap it gets, because of its use among pirates, but you want a chance to fit many movies onto a single disk to bring along with you when travelling. What is an enterprising geek to do?! Check out HandBrake! Originally made for the long-expired BeOS, it is a DVD-to-MPEG4 encoder that is fast, efficient, and FREE for your Mac. How good is this thing? How about fitting the entire original Star Wars Trilogy onto a single DVD-ROM? Very cool! And it will help keep that travelling bag a little bit lighter.

And if you are NOT ready to invest a portable video device, don't forget that you can use QuickTime or VLC to play those same movies from that same DVD-ROM on any laptop, for free! (This all assumes you OWN the DVDs you are ripping for that DVD-ROM.)

UPDATE 7/30: If you do use HandBrake, be sure to use the AVI option. The MP4 encoding that works much better on QuickTime is not compatible with the Portable Video player below. I learned this the hard way.

Ward and Metty In 30 Years...

...Okay, in Ward's case, maybe 10 years. ;-)

You gotta love the falling prices of electronics!

If you have been wondering just what economies of scale are doing for consumer electronics, check out these auctions on eBay! This is just amazing! Not only a DVD player for under $200. (My first console DVD player was $399 on an open box buy as the cheapest unit around.) Not only a PORTABLE DVD player for under $200. (Last year a 6 inch portable player cost $350.) Not only a large screen portable DVD player. Not only a large screen portable DVD player with a built-in TV tuner. Okay, that's enough of the "not only"s. It is an 8.5 inch portable DVD player with a built in TV tuner for PAL, NTSC, or SECAM television types (that is Europe, American, or Korean types) which also plays Nintendo Games on CD, plays DIVX moves (you can fit 7 DIVX movies on a single DVD-ROM), plays MPEG4 movies (higher quality than DIVX), and has a battery and digital audio out. All for UNDER $200. You have got to love the free market!

London Bombers Had Bigger Nightmares Planned?

ABC News is reporting that the 7/7 bombers may have actually been underachievers. Interpol has apparently found a rented car from one of the bombers with 12 more bombs in the trunk!

Sources familiar with the investigation tell ABC News an additional 12 bombs and four improvised detonators were found in the trunk of a car believed to be rented by suicide bomber Shehzad Tanweer. Police believe the bombers drove the car to Luton, where they boarded trains to London..."I believe that the explosives left in that car were left there for a second strike," said Bob Ayers, a London-based terrorism consultant with expertise in demolition. "But the metropolitan police responded so quickly, they were able to get to the car and take control of the car before the second team could get the explosives and leave."

Thank God for a quick response from the London police and the international intelligence communities.

SmartPhone Love: Motorola Q

Engadget has up side-by-side pictures of the new Windows PocketPC SmartPhone - the Motorola Q - and the Palm Treo 650 - ruling king of the SmartPhones. You can see that Motorola borrowed heavily from the Treo in designing this phone... but then again, the Treo borrowed heavily from the Blackberry PDAs... but then they borrowed heavily from the original Treos. I guess it is what you might call an inventive cycle.

The Biggest of the Giant Robots Is Going BIG SCREEN

When Transformers and Mask vehicles were all over Saturday morning cartoons, and Robotech and Go-Bots were all over store shelves, there was one giant robot that beat them all: VOLTRON. There were three interations of the multiple vehicles becoming one giant robot - one made up of robots, one of lions, and one of vehicles. Well, now, the lion version is headed coming to the big screen! Imagine the space opera of Star Wars combined with the flash and fun of Star Trek. This could be a very fun experience for the whole family.

NYC Goes Big Brother on Diabetics

As an overweight man with a family history of diabetes, I am worried to learn that New York City is planning to become the first major U.S. city to track the health of all diabetics.

By pinpointing problem patients, then intervening ever so slightly in their care, Frieden said the city can improve thousands of lives. "I don't think we can afford not to do anything," he said.
The Board of Health vote on the proposal isn't likely until at least September, but it has already attracted attention from other public health experts and privacy advocates...Diabetes is different, threatening no one but the people who have it.
"This isn't smallpox," said James Pyles, an attorney who represents health care groups concerned with medical privacy. "The state, or the city in this case, does not have a compelling interest in the health of an individual that overrides that individual's right to privacy."
Pyles praised the intent of the program, but said unless diabetics are asked for their consent, it would be "an outright violation of the constitutional right to privacy" for the government to obtain their identities.

It is depressing to see NYC taking this step. It is sure to be the first of the "fat diseases" that cities and states will look to monitor, control, and eventually use as an excuse to deny care regarding. Trust me, health care is one of the big up and coming costs of govenrment for the 21st century. And the only ways to control costs for health care are (1) to reduce illness and (2) to reduce or eliminate care.

At Least One Muslim Group Looks to Prevent Terrorism

Finally, it is nice to hear about one Islamic organization which is not only willing to condemn bombings like those in NYC, London, Egypt, etc., but is also taking steps to keep young disaffected Muslims from embracing terrrism as a way of life. If only there were more!

The president of the Muslim American Society, Esam Omeish, told reporters at a news conference that his group rejects attacks such as those recently in Britain and Egypt, and will "deny terrorists any religious, ideological or political legitimacy."
...The Muslim groups said they would intensify an effort among community groups such as religious schools, youth centers and Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America programs.

Here's hoping similar organizations can find a foothold elsewhere in the world.

Wondering Why FM Radio Stinks?

One of the things that I was sticken by when I got XM Radio was how much less repetitive it was than FM radio... even less repetitive than AM radio. Sure, they still sometimes played the same song once an hour, but it was not the same-song-over-and-over problem that plagues the non-digital dial. Well, now we know why certain "hit" songs were played over and over... even when no one was actually buying it. Sony was paying radio jockeys to play their chosen songs, offering cash, laptops, Playstation 2s, and even plasma-screen TVs. This is predictable, but sad. I guess the record labels are unwilling to let the market decide. Then again, if they were, maybe they'd be more open to electronic distribution, eh?

Microsoft: Apple Computer Does Not Exist

Thanks to the Register on this one. Apparently, the new Microsoft Maps has removed the Apple Computer Campus from their satellite photos.

Not one but two Register readers emailed us to tell us that MSN's Virtual Earth is promoting a world free of the menace of Apple Computers.
If you've got time on your hands - stand up Jens and Stefan - have a look at Apple's Cupertino headquarters from Google and MSN's rival map sites. Both sites offer aerial photos alongside maps. MSN's version is here and Google's is here.
See the difference? Google shows the Apple Cupertino HQ - a lovely, shiny building probably full of iPods. MSN on the other hand shows an apparently empty field. Not as much as a black turtle-necked jumper remains of Apple's headquarters. This could be no more than an old picture taken before Cupertino was built or a glimpse of an imagined future.

I can't help wondering if this is some lower-level manager's idea of a joke, or an Easter Egg that missed the final cut. Still, it feeds the megolomania theory of Bill Gates!

Cats Lack a Sweet Fang?

My brother has been taking care of the neighbor's cat this week. Cats have been somewhat of a mystery to me over the years, mostly because I have been allergic to them - and thus can not spend much time observing or interacting with them. One of the main areas of confusion to me have been the finicky nature of cats - how they sometimes refuse to eat even when they need to in order to survive. Well, CNN has up an article that may have the answer: cat's lack the ability to taste "sweetness."

"Because cats can't taste sweets, they're cranky," joked Joseph Brand, Monell's associate director and an author of the paper being published Sunday in the inaugural issue of the Public Library of Science's journal Genetics...Brand said the "pseudogene" in cats is probably a big reason why they are carnivores that get by on a high-protein, "Atkin's-like" diet.
"Its sense of taste has driven it to become a meat eater," Brand said. "Losing their sweet receptor has probably changed their dietary habits."

Strangely, this makes sense to me. It especially explains why dogs love people-food, and cats generally only care about milk or fish.

AFL-CIO Fractures

I am a Business Analysis - no union - and the son of a lawyer - no union - who was the son of a contractor - no union. So, maybe I am missing the requisite compassion. But I still find it interesting that the AFL-CIO has lost their largest member union as they find themselves losing power on a daily basis. Is this the end of the Union (with a capital U) or just what the old Labor movement needs to jump-start the idea of collective bargaining?

All I know is that it is a BAD THING that the most public example of a union out there right now is the baseball or hockey unions, which accept lockouts rather than take care of the fan.

Yahoo Buys Konfabulator

Before MacOS X 10.4, before Dashboard, there was Konfabulator. It began as an independent Mac ShareWare app with a simple vision - allow programmers to create mini-programs in Java which pulls info from the web for a simple interface. Then Apple realized the power of the idea and incorporated it into the next version of MacOS X. Well, the Konfabulator developers faught back by creating a Windows version of their app, and expanding their universe quickly. But why pay for something you can get for free?

Yahoo! thinks they have the answer. They have bought Konfabulator and are planning to make it a next-generation interface to the content that Yahoo! owns. That means, it is now 100% free for Windows and Mac. Which means, in the end, it has the potential to become a standard and overwhelm Dashboard as the major Widget provider.

Awwwwwwwwwwwww.....

Originally uploaded by mylakent.

Can you imagine a cuter picture than this? I miss my old dog, Honey Bun. May she rest in peace.

Armstrong Wins 7... And Calls it Quits

I am no fan of racing in general or bicycle racing in particular. But it seems fitting to note Lance Armstrong's history 7th win in the Tour de France and perhaps more importantly, his retirement from professional cycling. Armstrong is hardly perfect - some have tried to portray him as a Christian or as model for the children of the world, but he has had his share of "I am not a role model" moments. But he is a great athlete, and has accomplished feats that no one has done before. And for that, he deserves measure of respect. And a place in the history books.

Ah... The Simple Pleasures...

...gotta love the simple humor of the Sunday Comics.

London Subway Shooting - *NOT* Connected to Bombing

I reported this on Friday as "a shooting of a suicide bomber", so I feel compelled to report today that the London police are now calling the Friday shooting "a tragedy." Apparently, at the time the victim was suspected of a connection, but was shot when he refused to obey police and became beligerent and threatening. The Brazillian was simply in a "wrong place, wrong time" situation. My prayers are with his friends and family at this time.

At the same time, from what I know now I do not blame the police. They were in the thick of the unknown facing a threatening man after two terrrorist attacks. Not to say this was right. Not at all, but it was understandable. And perhaps inevitable.

Changing Your iBook's Apple

I know we have at least 4 or 5 readers here who view our site on the Apple iBooks. So I thought they might be interested in this article which lays out the steps to change the Apple logo on the back of your iBook to virtually ANY color. This mod has actually been known on the Web for quite a while. But this is the first tutorial I have seen which lays it out, step-by-step.

Microsoft Tries To Patent Smileys

I can't believe this is a real story, but apparently Microsoft has filed a patent with the United States Patent Office on Emoticons (also known as Smileys) If awarded, this could mean that any program, website, or e-mail that wants to say :-) or ;-) or :-o might have to pay Bill Gates money. In opinion, this is like trying to patent Spanish or Swahili. But then, the USPO has never been known for respecting logic over large gobs of money.

A *Real* Free iBook Deal?

A friend of Mod-Blog - Partial Recall - claims to have found a real free iBook deal. He has recieved the free iBook, and unlike the other "freebie" deals you see all over the place, you do not have to sign up 6 friends in an ever-increasing pyramid scheme. You just have to buy some other stuff, though you have to be careful not to wind up spending more on the "stuff" than you would have on an iBook.

Daylight Savings Time Getting Longer by Congressional Fiat

Daylight Savings Time is one of those strange American traditions started back during World War II... well, actually, it appears to have first been around in Europe as a way to conserve materials during wars. But only the USA really keeps it up these days It is enacted differently around the country, which I learned to my chagrin when I had to put together a program to help schedule telephone nurse interviews with people in all 50 states. Some states follow it, some don't, and some do it their own way by schedule or by amount.

Well, it appears that Congress is not satisfied to leave well enough alone. There is a new bill in the Senate (a different one was already passed in the House) to extend DST by several weeks - starting earlier and ending later. The reason given? Energy savings.

I guess it is good to take steps to reduce our need for energy. But to me, DST seems like something that just makes life more complicated, with very little to show for it.

File This Under "Dark And Sinister"

I was reading Tom Friedman's article in todays NYTimes (No link in protest of their new "pay for read" policy) and he mentioned a company that makes a link of Islamic video games, which foresees a post-apocalyptic world where only Islam rules. I found the description hard to believe, so I googled their site and it is true.

It's the year 2114 and the Earth is finally united under the Banner of Islam. As a member of the Intergalactic Muslim Council (IGMC), your job is to help coordinate Dawa efforts on other planets. You couldn't be happier with your work, until the Flying Evil Robot Armada (FERM) attacks your home planet of Earth. It seems there was one disbeliever, known as Abu Lahab XVIII, left on Earth, and in his desperate attempt to deny the truth of Islam, he has constructed a whole army of robots to destroy the Earth and all of its Muslims.

Wha??? Now, as a fan of Christian music, I do remember how weird some of my friends in high school found it that I listened to rock that talked about Jesus and God. But this seems to go beyond that into something else, something dark. It looks like the game - absent this introduction - is essentially a clone of Space Invaders. But then you really can not remove the propoganda when that is the selling point of the game now can you?

Someone, please tell me if I am overreacting.

London Cops Shoot Suspected Suicide Bomber

Reports are still sketchy at this time but it appears that London police have shot a suicide bomber in the Underground today. After 7/7 and the failed attempts to kill more people in yesterday's botched sequel, it should come as no surprise that the Brits are taking no chances.

One witness, Mark Whitby told the BBC on Friday the man appeared not to be carrying anything but was wearing a thick coat that looked padded.
In east London witnesses also said Friday that police had cordoned off a mosque in east London.
Whitby said an Asian man was shot five times at close range after he had jumped on a train "They pushed him onto the floor and unloaded five shots into him. He's dead," witness Mark Whitby told the BBC. "He looked like a cornered fox. He looked petrified."

FoxNews is reporting the story as a heroic action of the police. CNN is reporting it as a tragic overreaction of hyperstressed authorities. If anyone ever wondered if the WAY a story is reported changes the story itself, they should check out these two examples. Amazing how it may be impossible to report the news, without essentially investing it with a viewpoint.

In the midst of the fear...

...there is still a chance to laugh at some of the images from the bombing today. This story is coming out in various forms and somehow I find it hilarious.

"It was difficult to get the story from any of them what had happened but when I got to ground level there was an Italian young man comforting an Italian girl who told me he had seen what had happened.
"He said that a man was carrying a rucksack and the rucksack suddenly exploded. It was a minor explosion but enough to blow open the rucksack.
"The man then made an exclamation as if something had gone wrong. At that point everyone rushed from the carriage."

I read this somewhere else somewhat expanded. The Italian tourist noticed the guy looking nervous when suddenly "BOOM!" the top flap of the backpack is blown open. The would-be terrorist looked rapidly from the backpack to the tourist, to the backpack. Then he sheepishly grabbed the bag and said, "Gotta go!"

The Power of the Obvious

Can't say I have not had thoughts like this at work this week.

London Bombers Make a Sequel?

CNN is reporting that more bombs have gone off in the London transportation system.

Four small explosions have hit three London Underground stations and a bus two weeks after the July 7 terror attacks, the city's police chief has said.
Thursday's lunch-hour attacks in the UK capital came two weeks to the day after morning rush-hour bombs on three Tube trains and a bus killed 52 people and the four bombers.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair later told said the situation was "absolutely under control." He told reporters there had been "one confirmed casualty and that is not a fatality."
"We know that we've had four explosions or attempts at explosions. It is still pretty unclear as to what's happened.

I think now we see what is happening. The terrorists think that Tony Blair is vulnerable politically, but are resigned to the fact that GWB is essentially untouchable for several years. So, they are starting a campaign to weaken Blair. Fortunately for the West, the terrorists do not understand Britain. A nation that survived and thrived after the Blitz, and who has stared down the IRA, is not likely to be cowed by these things. On the contrary, they probably just made us an even stronger ally across the pond.

If you liked the first SERENITY trailer...

...you'd love the new international trailer that is out. This one shows much more of the humor of the show, and how the characters play off of each other. It shows much more that this new movie really is kin to the cancelled TV show. If you haven't picked up the series yet on DVD, do so now! You can still get it cheap, but once the movie comes out there is a good chance it may go up in price.

Is that a XXX-Box?

Apparently, it has been all over the Warez sites but now it is out in the open. Rock Star Games video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" not only includes the trademark R-rated sex and violence of its predecessors, but also hidden X-rated content which hackers have unlocked. Parents are outraged, Rock Star Games is officially apologetic, and the ESRB has officially revoked the "Mature" rating.

"There is sex content in the disc," Take-Two spokesman Jim Ankner told The Associated Press. "The editing and finalization of any game is a complicated task and it's not uncommon for unused and unfinished content to remain on the disc."
The sex scenes had prompted outrage from parent's groups and politicians, who are demanding federal oversight of video game ratings.
In a statement, the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board said the sex scenes were programmed by Rockstar "to be inaccessible to the player."
But ESRB chief Patricia Vance also acknowledged that the "credibility and utility" of the industry-run board's initial "M" rating had been "seriously undermined."
Many retailers sell "M" rated games, which "may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older," according to the Entertainment Software Rating Board, but won't sell "AO"-labeled games at all.

Let's all be honest here. Parents, if you allowed your child to buy a Grand Theft Auto - any version - you were not really doing your job of being aware. The GTA series would be a hard "R" if it were a movie. Even without this content. But it is still nice to see that this violation is being taken seriously. Rock Star knew that hackers would unlock ANY content on their disks, and were obviously treating this as an easter egg to encourage more sales. Hopefully, this will hit their bottom line hard.

A Bit of Friendly Advice...

If you have a close friend or relative suffering from symptoms including nasty headache, nausea, stomach ache, and dizzyness...

RUN! RUN AWAY AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!!

...the Nomad is suffering from this particular malady and it is not fun. What is worse, it not only makes me feel bad, but makes me whine incessantly to those around me. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Or at least very ready to listen to friends and family whine about their summer flu.

Scotty of Star Trek Passes On

Rest in peace, James Doohan. The burly actor, who played Scotty on the original series (and movies, and a guest spot on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and who knows how many Conventions), passed away this morning at 5:30 AM of Alzeimers and pnuemonia. I guess the torch truly has been passed, as now there is no one to "beam up" Kirk if Shatner attempts some kind of come-back special.

Supremes Newbie To Be: John Roberts Jr.

The word leaked out early, but the President just confirmed it.

President Bush on Tuesday selected U.S. Circuit Judge John Roberts Jr. as his nominee to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court...The move sets the stage for a possible battle with advocacy groups who have criticized Roberts in the past...Roberts, 50, who serves on U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, considered the most influential federal panel outside of the Supreme Court, took the bench in 2003 after his confirmation was held up two years by Senate Democrats...During the dispute over the 2000 presidential election, Roberts was part of a team of Republican lawyers and former Supreme Court law clerks who assisted the Bush-Cheney campaign. Moments after news of his nomination emerged, reaction indicated that a fight was expected.

Now it is time to see if "civility" is possible. Color me doubtful, at best.

Supreme Nomination at 9 PM EST

Yes, I apparently have been under a rock today, to have missed this earlier. But in case you also have been under a rock today, President George W. Bush will announce today at 9 PM EST his nominee to replace Sandra Day O'Connon on the Supreme Court.

Noah Caught in Red Tape

I am afraid I do not have an attibution for this (if anyone has time to google it and post it here, PLEASE DO), but this came from a coworker. I thought our readers in the field of construction might enjoy this.

In the year 2005, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in the United States, and said, "Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated and I see the end of all flesh before me.

Build another Ark and save two of every living thing along with a few good humans."

He gave Noah the blueprints, saying, "You have six months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights".

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard....
but no ark.

"Noah", He roared, "I'm about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?"

"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah. "But things have changed.
I needed a building permit. I've been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler system.

My neighbors claim that I've violated the neighborhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard and exceeding the height limitations.

We had to go to the Development Appeal Board for a decision.

Then the Department of Transportation demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the Ark's move to the sea. I argued that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.

Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban on cutting local trees in order to save the spotted owl.
I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls. But no go!

When I started gathering the animals, I got sued by an animal rights group.
They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. As well, they argued the accommodation was too restrictive and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.

Then the EPA ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they'd conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood.

I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on how many minorities I'm supposed to hire for my building crew.

Also, the trades unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only Union workers with Ark building experience.

To make matters worse, the IRS seized all my assets, claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.

So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least ten years for me to finish this Ark."

Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky.

Noah looked up in wonder and asked, "You mean, You're not going to destroy the world?".

"No," said the Lord. "The government beat me to it."

Abortion Clinic Bomber Gets Life

I am home sick today, so I actually have a little time today to read articles as they come out. (Well, as they come out in my brief periods of consciousness between passing out in bed.) So, let me be the first to say of the news of Eric Rudolph's life sentence for bombing an abortion clinic in Alabama - justice has been done.

Those of you who have been reading Mod-Blog for a while know that I am unapologetically Pro-Life. Not just that, I have no problem embracing the term Anti-Abortion as well. There are very few cases where Abortion is not outright murder in my opinion, though legislatively I am willing to accept less than my ideal in order to save the vast majority. But there is no excuse for taking life, in the cause of preserving life. This is not a war, this is not self-defense, this is not any of those rare cases where morally one is justified in taking a life to save a life. This is a political battle. This is a spiritual battle. This is not a battle of the shotgun or the explosive. Every doctor or nurse or security guard or innocent who dies in such an attack not only is a moral violation, but it hurts the Pro-life cause horribly.

Yes, God will deal with those who perform abortions in their own time. But have no doubt, He will be dealing with Eric Rudolph as well, when the time comes.

I miss the Far Side

Mmmm..... More Narnia News...

AICN has the scoop this time from Comic-Con. Sounds like it still looks good, though there is still some fear that the movie may wind up looking like a LOTR-clone. Still, I can think of worse movies to be a little brother to, and Lewis and Tolkien were close friends and writiing buddies. So maybe it would be fitting.

Scammer/Spammers Finally Getting Caught and Punished

It is my LEAST favorite form of spam - well, aside from the horrible, horrible X-rated junk (thank God for Apple's auto Junk Mail detection!) - those e-mails from someone overseas claiming to be an heir to a fabulous fortune in a closed-off country. "Just let me use your bank account to funnel the money into the USA," they say, "And I will give you 10% of my $20 grajillion dollars." Of course, anyone foolish enough to give into the scam winds up having THEIR FUNDS taken out of the bank account and usually wired somewhere that it is impossible to recover money from. This is known on the Net as "the Nigerian scam" because most of the first e-mails of this type used Nigeria as the closed-off country in question.

Well, finally, some Nigerian scammer/spammers are being punished! It is not a lot, but it is a start!

Looking to the Past?

A coworker pointed out this site which is an interesting one if your family came to America through Ellis Island. Frankly, I had not thought either side came through the famous New York gateway to the New World. But when I put in both sides names, there were names that looked awfully familiar. It might be worth a look for any of you.

Cutest Dog on the Planet

Calvary 2 vs Custom Air Systems
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Sorry, folks, but I think the race is over. We have officially found the cutest dog on the planet, right here and right now. We thank every other canine for playing.

And if you disagree, I challenge you to post your own amazing cute pictures here or in the comments below.

Wondering What Evil Looks Like?

How about four strangers in backpacks? That is what London security cameras caught. New York has many security cameras, but is nothing compared to London where the Brits lack the American distrust of "Big Brother". Thus, all four bombers were caught on tape and we can see the very face of evil... or at least the pawns in the game played by Evil.

I Just Have to Ask...

...am I the only person on the planet who doesn't care the least about today being the release of the new Harry Potter book? The week after the London bombings, the day after a suicide bomber in Turkey, the day of Hurricane Emily hitting Jamaica, all that CNN, FoxNews, and others can apparently talk about is the new little-boy-wizard book. Now, I will admit that I have not read the book, and I got plenty excited about Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. But... well... I didn't confuse my own excitement with real news!!!

Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to go off and try to get the latest dirt on the next obscure Star Trek spinoff.

The Old Man of Mod-Blog Shudders

Well, now that I am a ripe old 31 (that is three decades and one year for those unable to count that high) comics like this are starting to speak to me. I'd better get my cane and put on the linament. Eh? Speak up, there, sonny! Ah can't hears you when you speaks so quietly!

Hydrogen vs. Hybrid - GM's Bet

Wired has up an interview with Larry Burns, GM's vice president of R&D and strategic planning - where they talk about GM's work with Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology. It's interesting to see GM's perspective on why they are going where no other automaker seems to be going.

What long-term problem have we fixed with the miracle of a hybrid? If you woke up tomorrow and all 220 million cars and trucks in the United States had been hybridized to the degree that the Prius has - all getting 25 percent better fuel economy - in six years we would be consuming the same amount of petroleum that we are right now.

I have no doubt that they will be able to produce a HFC vehicle - in fact they have - my only questions are how will GM make it so that people want to buy these vehicles and how are they going to proliferate hydrogen filling stations? If they could answer those questions satisfactorily I just might jump on their bandwagon.

NHL Season No Longer on Ice

It seems that the NHL players and owners have finally reached a deal that would end the lock-out. As a fan of hockey, it was an almost excruciating winter without hockey (if it weren't for the Portland Pirates I don't know what I would have done) and I am happy to see that the game will resume this year. As a fan of capitalism and common sense, I think the owners were right in trying to get a better deal - but their way of trying to get that deal didn't help them in any way shape or form.

I understand that the market sets the value for products and thus sports players "deserve" the salary that they are getting. Nonetheless, I'm still upset that something like the hockey lock-out was caused over money. It's an industry and I know that money is what makes it work, but as far as I can tell the lock-out cost lots of money for everyone involved - except the fans who got to skip the exorbitant ticket and concession prices for a year. Now that NHL has lost almost its entire audience, it seems the deal worked out has lost its market and thus value which means everybody involved is getting too much out of the deal - except the fans who actually get to watch big league hockey again. I hope some changes are made, but I doubt they will be - this is the NHL after all and its composed of almost as many dunces as the NFL.

New Poll

Well, a new poll is finally up. "The Empire Strikes Back" destoryed the competition in the last pole. But then, that's hardly a surprise now, is it? Now we move on to scandal! So take your pick as to which controversy will rock the Bush White House if the Democrats have their way.

All That Was Wrong with O'Conner

Edward Lazarus breaks the love-fest and lays out exactly what was wrong with O'Conner on the bench. In short? It's the same thing that liberals are now praising her for. Her "unpredictable nature." That someone can find a judge with so much potential for swaying one way or the other to be a good judge just reflects how desperate the left is to avoid having a conservative put in her place. They'd rather take someone they can't count on all the time over someone they know will never agree with their interpretation.

But her style was not good. As Lazarus points out, it was subjectivism run amok and it's not what the SCOTUS is supposed to be about. Her decisions were so random, not as part of some grand design to be moderate, but because she was an awful judge who couldn't swallow the fact that the Constitution did not work as she thought it should. And that is why the left loves O'Conner, because they likewise love to praise the Constitution...until they disagree with it. In which case, it clearly needs to be "re-interpreted." President Bush should certainly entertain the Democrats here. But the decision should be his and he should boldly nominate someone who will actually work to uphold the Constitution, even when they disagree with it. If he gives in, and does what the Democrats ask, do you really believe that they would do the same when they hold the Presidency? Neither do I.

What They Think

Remember this the next time you hear the left screaming about what a bunch of radicals all the right-wing nutjobs are.

1/3 of All Studies Are Bunk

CNN Is reporting that a new review of studies published since 1990 shows over 1/3 of all of them were flat wrong. This, of course, jives with the experience of the common reader who is perplexed by being told Monday that fiber is good for you, Wednesday that it causes cancer and horrible body odor, and Friday that it cures AIDS and makes one irresistable to the opposite sex.

Experts say the report is a reminder to doctors and patients that they should not put too much stock in a single study and understand that treatments often become obsolete with medical advances.
"The crazy part about science and yet the exciting part about science is you almost never have something that's black and white," said Dr. Catherine DeAngelis, JAMA's editor-in-chief.
...
The refuted studies dealt with a wide range of drugs and treatments. Hormone pills were once thought to protect menopausal women from heart disease but later were shown to do the opposite, and Vitamin E pills have not been shown to prevent heart attacks, contrary to initial results.

Of course, this very article is based on a study. So it raises the natural question of whether it is one of the 1/3 which is typically wrong... course, if that is the case would that make the 1/3 right? I feel a riddle coming on.

Some Would Say *MY* Dog Needs This

My dog Biscuit is hardly a giant, so this comic definitely speaks to me.

The Finest in DE-Motivational Comics

I know it is just a bad week, but the punchline on this particular comic pretty much reflects my employers apparent attitude right now.

On Aslan's Voice, a Friend of Mod-Blog Claims to Know it First

Yesterday, AICN reported that the new voice of Aslan is Liam Neeson, after earlier reporting that Brian Cox had lost the job to some lost weight and thus a higher-pitched voice. They refused to stand behoind a "very anonymous" source. Well, a Mod-Blog Friend Blog, Thems-Me-Thoughts is reporting that they knew it all along.

Liam Neeson has recorded the voice for Aslan. I know this because my dad's agent brokered the deal (He is Liam's voice over agent). I also know because it was me that told him that the part was open, and then told him again that it was open because they fired Brian Cox. He said if I hadn't suggested it, he wouldn't have been able to track down the casting agent and get a deal:)

I am still somewhat skeptical, but I will admit that Neeson is better than many other choices I could think of. At least he may manage not to embarrass the estate of C. S. Lewis, as many of the other speculations would likely have done in their "real life."

Wondering Why Your Company Cut Off Internet Access?

Salary.Com just released a new study which shows that the most popular form of wasting time at work is... drum roll, please... surfing the internet! The average worker allegedly spends as much as 2.09 hours a day surfing the net. Not including time spent online during lunch or before starting official hours. This is NOT good. It is likely to cause many employers to cut access to the internet altogether, which would mean no access to online references, no ability to e-mail family when you are working late, and no ability to really fritter away useless time at work when working weekends or holidays, and waiting for the next thing to happen in a long series of steps.

If you do surf from work, you may wish to explore a device like the Stealthsurfer which is a USB drive that redirects all internet-related files onto the drive itself and encrypts communications. This way private communication remains private. Please note, this should in no way be used to access inappropriate sites, as your boss still has two eyes in his/her head and it is likely to appear at the worst possible times.

Quickies

I'm hoping that posting might return to normal sometime in the near future. We're talking with a church right now, so we might end up settled somewhere within the next month. Until then, I recommend several pieces, the first from Althouse today. The piece is about science and homosexualitiy. And the second is from Stephen Bainbridge dealing with growing speculation about a third SCOTUS vacancy. And John Hawkins has the story on the dumbest quota system ever.

NYC Cell Coverage in Tunnels Switched Off

There appears to be some confusion over who told who to do what, but the MTA of NYC has shut off cell phone service in the major tunnels leading into Manhattan. Our readers may remember that cell phones have been used in Iraq to set off IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) and were used to set off the bombs in the Madrid attack. So, at first glance, it appears to be a great idea to prevent possible attacks in New York. But Mayor Bloomberg is loudly questioning the decision for a very simple reason - with cell service off, how will riders and drivers call 911 if there is an emergency?!

(Personally, I'd just be happy to have it off the WHOLE ride. The last time I rode Metro North, there was a guy sitting in the back of the car SHOUTING into his cell phone the whole ride. He was spoken to by several riders, but each time he just shouted back "I'll just be another minute!" This episode is one of the reasons I have not ridden the train since then.)

Mmmm... Ice Age 2 Trailer....

Actually, there is nothing much to go on for plot, characters, etc. from this trailer. But it makes for a fun cartoon short, all by itself. Quicktime required.

FREE MacOSX Antivirus

I stumbled across this website yesterday while reading one of the stories of an Apple switcher. ClamXAV claims to be a 100% free virus checker for MacOS X, based on the known and tested ClamAV back-end developed as an open source project. Ever since .Mac stopped giving out Virex for free (and since the newest Virex is not MacOS X 10.4 compatible) I have been looking for a low-cost replacement. Have any of our Mod-Blog readers used this software? I'd be interested in any personal reviews or impressions.

Another Theory on the Apple Switch to Intel

Ars Technica has up a different interpretation for why Apple is switching from IBM PowerPC CPUs in their Macs over to Intel CPUs. The reason? Apple wants Intel's powerful XScale processors used in high-end PocketPCs for a future video iPod, and by switching over the whole factory to Intel, they will gain MASSIVE price cuts and thus provide larger margins and more competitive pricing.

My take? It may have been *A* factor, but I doubt it was *THE* factor in the switch. There is too much past history of animosity between Intel and Apple. More likely, this is another step on the road to gain Windows Switchers. After all, this reduces the risk for switchers because they can always load their new Mac with Windows, if they wish. And yet, Apple still makes out on selling the computer in the first place.

Cell Lines Surpass Landlines!

If you are one of those who has been hoping that the woman on the train screaming into her cell phone would one day go away, abandon all hope. Because for the first time, there are now more cellular phone numbers in the country than there are landline phones. Between cellular and VOIP, the erosion of "normal" phones has been known about for some time. But this is the first time that the landline phone has officially lost its crown.

Star Trek, Here We Come!

For decades, it has been a staple of science fiction starship shows, and now NASA is trying to bring it down to earth: an antimatter-based space engine! Okay, it not quite "back to earth" since an antimatter engine would put out far more radiation (i.e. too much) than a nuclear engine. Still, it is exciting to see this kind of research in process, because it is the way that we might actually see the way to the stars opened up.

Now, if only we could find a way to exceed the speed of light! Well, we'll leave that for next year.

A Few More Smiles

I don't know why I have been in a comic-posting mood of late, but I definitely have. Here is a comic I have not seen much of in the past, but this one is funny enough!

A Different Perspective on the Battle of the Sexes

I found this and am not sure if it is really funny or just really weird. Either way, I figured it was worth sharing.

Cellular Phones Make More Citizen Journalists

CNN has up an article that notes that most of the first iconic photographs of the London bombing were not taken with traditional cameras, or even digital cameras. They were taken by the cell phones of the average Londoner on the scene. As 9/11 became the most photographed event in history because of the rise of the digital camera, 7/7 is quickly becoming the most quickly shared event in history as still and video cell phones took in the scene and immediately transmitted it to professional journalists and blogs.

I have been skeptical of the idea that the Blog was a "movement of citizen journalists." They have been useful in getting certain stories out, but it seems more like a digital town hall or corner barbershop than a news source. But this event has shown that there really is something in the air and about to change. How long until someone comes up with a news service which is made up ENTIRELY of picture, video, and text sent in from people on the scene? There is Wiki News now but it doesn't quite hit the nail on the head. Someone out there soon will have a much more dynamic and quick way of doing this. Then again, I'd guess Blogger would say they are already that news source.

Apple going Cellular?

Forbes is claiming that Apple Computer may be looking beyond the MP3 player and computer market to become a cellular phone provider. Why? Because it would allow them to leverage their iTunes Music Store to sell content directly to customers. I am skeptical as this would start moving the computer OUT of being the network hub. That being said, I am not sure I could resist switching from T-Mobile if Apple were to finally roll out an iPhone!

After 9/11 There Was Silence, After 7/7 The World is Roaring

CNN has up an article examining the Arab/Muslim world's reaction to the London bombing. It is not what the terrorists must have expected.

Writers punched back, saying there was no excuse for such attacks. Responses included:
# "Those terrorists have ruined the reputation of Arabs in Europe" and have hurt the religion.
# "Arabs will be facing more harassment now. That's why Arabs should stand together against these terrorist groups which has only one goal of killing innocent women, elderly and children."
# "We are entering a difficult times in Europe, especially difficult for our brothers who live in dignity and prosperity in Europe while they enjoy the vastness of the continent after they escaped their governments' dictatorships."
# "One of the targeted areas today is Edgware road, which is entirely accommodated by Muslims and Arabs. Do you know that no politicians, army troops, or any important governmental employees use the underground or buses, because simply they have no much more money to use a private car.
# "This is not Islam. Aldgate station is a two-minute walk from the largest Muslim community in London. So please don't be happy."
One writer said "innocent people have been attacked while going about their daily routine... Londoners are the most hard working and efficient city folk I have ever seen, and they shall overcome these awful events and prevail. Blair has a lot of explanation to be done. I am an Arab, and rest assured that we are all shocked and angry.

We Americans remember the ominous silence from the Islamic community after 9/11. They did not endorse that event, but they felt they could not condemn it. Not so for 7/7. What a difference a few years and a few wars can make.

Deer me!

Calvary 2 vs. Tech Depot
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

I realize this is not exactly big news, but it was something fun. Last night, while I was photographing my brother's softball game, a deer wandered out of the nearby woods and across the field. Apparently, game turf is quite tasty and softball players are no threat.

Another view of the disaster

From behind
Originally uploaded by Nicholas Shanks.

Seeing this, it is amazing the death toll is as low as it is, so far. Despite the horror, God's hand can be seen in how many were saved.

A friend's brother and his family were in London at the time, but they chose to wait until fares dropped at 9:30 AM. Thus, they were waiting at a station when the tube was closed. If they had felt a little more eager this morning, who knows what would have happened.

Fun With DU!

I owe this one completely to John Hawkins. The DU response to the British bombings. You can find gems like this one,

Is what we are doing terrorism? I reject any assertion that we have the moral high ground here. We might have held that position on 9/12/2001 but we have long since demonstrated that we are just as depraved as the jihadist suicide bombers, just as willing to kill civilians, just as willing to cause wanton destruction to advance our cause, and to do so all the while claiming that God is on our side. I see no major differences.

And let's not forget who it is that we really need to be afraid off...

That was not meant to be insensitive. This is something you would not wish on anybody. My point is I hope this is not the start of something bigger. Give Bush an excuse to turn America into a full-on dictatorship. Bush, Cheney, and Rove know they are in deep trouble. What better way to stay in power than create chaos. I don't like the feel of this one bit!

Yes, terrorists kill scores of innocent bystandarders and the DU crowd still can't get its ire up as much at OBL as they can at President Bush.

The British Response

Sullivan has up quite a few bits from the average Brit after today's attacks. It's worth scrolling through and seeing what they're thinking. Also of note is piece on Galloway further down the page where the left, surprise surprise, blames the attacks on America.

More Pictures of the Attack

1
Originally uploaded by —Jacob.

What more can be said?

London Explosion Photos

Kingscross2
Originally uploaded by Antarctic Lemur.

This is one of many photos available on Flickr right now of the London Rush Hour Bomb Blasts and their aftermath. Nothing sensitive, so far, but it gives us a window on how our friends "across the pond" are doing.

NEWS ALERT! Rush Hour Bombings in London

Not much information here yet, but this already appears to have the potential to be a 9/11-type blow to the British psyche. No word yet whether this is Al Qaeda, some militant offshoot of the IRA, or someone or something else. But a lot of people are hurt, and a lot are scared. Please be praying for England and the British people today.

Near simultaneous explosions rocked the London Underground network and three buses at the morning rush hour, police said, causing fatalities and prompting officials to shut down the entire underground transport network.
In the first report of casualties, City of London police told CNN there had been two fatalities at Aldgate east station.
The explosions came a day after London was awarded the 2012 Olympics and as the G8 summit was getting underway in Scotland. Initial reports blamed a power surge, but officials were not ruling out a terrorist attack.

And let us pray, if this is terrorism, that the British respond in a way different from the Spanish.

File This Under "You Can't Win"

So, you go out and decide to make a difference. You buy into a wind farm to supply the cleanest power source on the planet - wind. (Well, okay, solar is cleaner. But it is not as efficient.) You supply power to a society that would otherwise be burning fossil fuels. What is your reward? You are sued for killing birds, of course!

Wind farm operators in the Altamont Pass are offering to shut down half of their electricity-producing windmills during the winter to reduce bird deaths and to replace them all with more modern machines within 13 years. But the proposal, which Alameda County officials will consider Thursday, comes with strings attached. The offer is good only if an environmental group drops its lawsuit over the deaths of thousands of birds. The Center for Biological Diversity says it won't drop the suit it filed against wind farm operators in November because their plan to reduce bird deaths doesn't go far enough...A California Energy Commission study estimated wind turbines in the Altamont kill 881 to 1,300 birds of prey a year, including as many as 116 federally protected golden eagles.

Birthday Wishes

As I was sitting at the doctor's office today, filling out an endless barrage of forms, I realized that that today that two people of varying importance to history were born. The first being our president George W. Bush (he turns 59 for those of you that care) and his importance in history is....well....questionable. The other and far more important is Mod-Blog's own Nomad, whose age I will not reveal other than to say he is not 11. His importance in history is sure to be legendary with many a book (ebook?) written about him. So happy birthday Nomad!

So What is George Lucas's View of "Fate" Anyway?

In the great mythologies of the past, there are two view of fate. One – epitomized by the Greeks – is that fate is an irresistible force which can not be messed with. This is generally dramatized by such tales as that of Oedipus: king is told that it is fate of his son to kill him, so he sends the son off to a far-off land, son grows up ignorant of his father, happens to cross the king’s path during a random journey, and kills him in self defense. i.e. Even though the king did everything possible to avoid fate, it appears that his own actions actually CAUSED fate to happen. The other view – seen more often in Hebrew literature – is that fate is a powerful tendency that can be overcome, but only concerted effort and/or prayer. For this, consider the tale of the Hebrew king (whose name evades me for the moment) who was told he would die within the year. He fasted and prayed and pleaded with God for more time. Finally, God relented and granted him a much longer life. But as a cost, he gave birth to among the worst kings of Israel in that time period.

(And yes, Seminarians, I know I am oversimplifying to the extreme in characterizing one side as "Greek" and the other as "Hebrew." Please let it go for the sake of discussion.)

So, with those two options in mind, I have to ask, "What is George Lucas's view of fate?"

Let’s start by examining Fate as seen in the Prequel Trilogy (episodes 1, 2, and 3). Anakin is found on the planet of Tatooine by two jedi. It is immediately pronounced by one of them that the boy is touched by Fate the one who is destined "to bring balance to the Force" despite sensing "much fear in him." (Cue ominous music, please!) Anakin is trained as a Jedi, and comes to have precognizant dreams about the death of his mother. He decides NOT to attempt to change anything. Finally, he arrives on Tatooine at the urging of Padme, and arrives to find his mother already dead. Rage, rage, rage. (More ominous music, please.) He marries Padme. Now he starts to have dreams about the death of Padme. He decides to do EVERYTHING in his power to avert fate. He embraces the darkside which leads to a confrontation, which finally causes the death of Padme. Case 1 shows that Fate will happen if you do nothing. Case 2 shows Fate will happen even if you do everything possible to avert it, and will even use your attempts to subvert it as a means to its own ends. Greek view.

What about the Original Trilogy (episodes 4, 5, and 6)? Luke is found on the planet of Tatooine by two droids, who bring him to "Old Ben" Kenobi. Bum-te-bum-te-bum. Death Star run where it is pronounced "The Force is strong with this one." (Cue ominous music, again.) Boom! Luke goes to Yoda for training, who warns him seriously about the Dark Side. He goes into the Dark Side cave, headstrong and defiantly bringing his weapons along, and comes across his first vision. He kills a phantasmal Darth Vader, who then is revealed to be himself. Now the "Fate" talk goes into high gear. He has visions of the suffering of Leia and Han, and he leaves Yoda to chase after them. But they do suffer. And Luke faces Vader who proclaims over and over again that it is Luke's "destiny" to fall. Fast-forward to the final film where Luke is now dressed in black (like Anakin was in 3 – dum-dum-duuuuuuuum). After a brief stint on Endor facing down well-armed teddy bears, he face Vader who talks more "destiny" and then the Emperor who notes that "everything has gone as I have foreseen." i.e. Luke is now deep into the pit of Fate and has no escape. And yet, he DOES escape. He makes a final choice and chooses to defy fate. He refuses to turn to the Dark Side. "So be it. Jedi." Hebrew view.

But that is NOT where it ends. Now the Emperor attacks Luke and almost kills him. Now Vader remembers the prophecy and kills the Emperor. Bringing "balance to the Force." If "balance" means only one living Jedi. Despite all of this, Vader/Anakin can not escape his ultimate fate. Greek view.

So what are we to make of this? Ultimately, is Star Wars a tale of irresistible Fate or the ability of the human spirit to overcome Fate? Or is it a story that shows Fate only applies to a few of us, but those to whom it does are doomed? What do you think?

Tool Award

It's been a while, but tool-dumb has come calling again, this time thanks to a certain Amazon reviewer. I won't post his name and it doesn't really matter what he was reviewing so much as what he says. It's long, rambling, pretensious, and idiotic and totally worthy of toolness.

that music this bad can possibly sell at all. I give this album a half-star because the CD cover makes a nice beer coaster. I got this CD from my library to hear what it's all about (the same way I spent tortuous hours listening to Gretchen Wilson and Britney Spears, to see what all the raves were about).
It is obvious that technically-adept musicians gravitate toward rock and metal, and poor or merely-adequate musicians lean toward the simplicity of country-pop and rap. Compare the drumming of Swedish bands Arch Enemy, In Flames, and Dark Tranquility, to the simplistic metronomic time-keeping of B&R; compare the technical difficulty of the guitar and bass playing of the Norwegian black metal bands Immortal and Behemoth to the juvenile picking on this album; compare the impassioned emotion and vocal pyrotechnics of the Crown, King Diamond, or Shadows Fall, to the thin, reedy, "American Idol" over-emoting of B&R (note to y'all: referring to American Idol was an insult, not a compliment --"but ah LIKES American Idul!!"...oh, shut up). Compare the complexity of the song-writing and ensemble playing of Overkill, Slayer, and Soilwork -- hours and hours of practicing to be able to play melodically and fast and keep it together--compared to the by-the-numbers, paint-within-the-lines child-like simplicity of the song-writing ability and band performance of B&R. Let's take some random examples (I didn't get them all because I truly was laughing so hard listening to this garbage that I couldn't take notes): a) lyrics to Holy Water: "she says...surround me now and hold, hold, hold me like holy water"...what a terrible metaphor, how do you "hold water" (unless they mean that she has to pee really bad...or she wants you told HOLD her like you have to pee real bad..not sure about that one); 2) I appreciate that the band has managed to take two of the most non-talented musical genres and duct-tape them together with the rap breaks in the songs...the song's (already poor) momentum comes screeching to a halt whenever Cowboy Troy comes in..rap is a style for people that cannot sing or write, and country/pop is a style for people that cannot play or write...put the two genres together and you cannot help but stop and stare...like looking at a car crash, and that's what this album is. c) random notes: Love Train...trying to mash 70's feel-good lovefest in with a pop-country twang; the "la-la-la's" in the beginning of Big Time made me spit up my Jack-n-coke..and coupled with the whiny over-wrought twanging of the steel guitar...it's so bad it's a classic; Real World...this is the one that left me open-mouthed in wonder -- it made me think that maybe, just maybe, this album was a big practical joke, that B&R were actually good musicians but went out of their way to purposely make a truly awful album just to see who would by this stuff. I cannot believe that they sat around at the mixing board, listening to the final take of this song, and saying "yeah, boys, we really nailed it that time, that's a keeper!" Let's not forget the pandering to you religious folk with the maudlin Holy Water and Live This Life, the studious avoiding of any type of near-obscenity ("I'm a crazy son of a (bad word)" from the first cut, subbing "this stuff" instead of a stronger, more real word), and the general dumbing down of lyrics and topics of the songs so that all you psuedo-trailerpark trash in your $150 Gap Jeans wannabees can do your "hell yeahs!" without resorting to cue cards...not that you could read them, anyway, or understand time signatures and beats and such to be able to sing along in time or in tune.
In summation..all of you who gave this album five stars and raved about how good it is: get out of the house, walk in the park, breath some fresh air..GET A LIFE...talk to professional musicians who might know something about quality music and take their suggestions and expose yourself to some "music"...real music, not pop/country pap played by under-talented video-over-exposed all-hat no-cattle poseurs; how about, instead of listening to "easy-listening" music, that you try some "difficult-listening" music, songs that challenge you and teach you and extend your musical knowledge and appreciation..instead of resigning yourselves to listening to the musical equivalent of America's Most Wanted. In short, I don't despise you people for your musical tastes..I pity you, that you are so narrow-minded, so ignorant, and so closed-off to true talent that you fall over yourselves praising such an awful band as Big and Rich.

Now look, you can like whatever music you choose to. But do you have to be such a snob about it? The arrogance simply drips off this guy's review. Let's see, you like Swedish rock? Great! Go listen to it. Stop bothering people on Amazon if you don't even like the genre. What's the point? "I think people that do music in X style are lazy and lacking of any skill. I can't stand them." Fine, then why bother reviewing the music? Ignore it. And stop rambling on about chord progressions and melody. It makes you sound like some music major with too much time on your hands. And believe me, we all know how deadly boring a music major with too much time on his hands can be like...

As if that's not bad enough, then he decides to post ANOTHER review.

I reviewed this earlier with a different name. Someone reviewed my review and handed me a lesson in country music history. I done my review because it was my opinion. I don't need some ego-starved idiot to tell me about country music. Let me explain something to you and everyone else including parents who are reading this review and are considering buying this for someone under 18. This cd needs a parental advisory label on it. No, they do not cuss in it but the topics are sad. Ride a cowboy, yeah I want my 14 year old daughter listening to that. I reviewed it because I couldn't believe all of the 5 star reviews. What does that prove to me? That this group has been played enough to make people like it. There is not one good thing about this cd. It was said this an evolution in country music just like when Alan Jackson and George Strait came out. I honestly don't remember people having a problem with those guys not sounding like Charlie Pride or George Jones. From what I remember those guys do sound like George Jones and Charlie Pride. They also have some decency about themselves. Don't think I'm one of those Bible thumpers either. I am a fan of all music including some of the most violent, obscene, hardcore punk that is out there. My problem is this and everything else that is country these days is pushed as pop music which would make it safe for kids to listen to. What many people do not get when they say the lyrics in country these days have not really changed, they are right to a point. There is still talk of alcohol just like old country music. The difference being that new country glorifies it. You think old country did? I think I remember a song by Johnny Cash about waking up Sunday and drinking a beer, then another, before finding his cleanest, dirty shirt to wear to church. That is called irony. He spent all night drinking, got up to go to church but couldn't help but drinking two more and disgraced himself by putting on a dirty shirt for church. There was never talk of sex in country music, until these days that is. Am I being unfair? Not at all, you are the same people that slam rappers and heavy metal for degrading women then you listen to this music about riding a cowboy. I guess it's ok for a country band to degrade women? Especially since it's your preferred genre of music. I also reviewed this because there are a lot of people that want to get into country music and I am trying to tell them this is not the place to start. I am also trying to get the point across to parents that this is not a cd for the kids. To the parents, buy a cd called, "Complete Discography" by Minor Threat for your kids. Sure it has loud music, it has a violent sound and many four letter words but the message is no drugs, no premarital sex, no alcohol and no tobacco. I would let my kids listen to it many times over before letting them listen to this cd. If you can get something out of listening to this cd then so be it but don't get the need to correct me on my country music knowledge.

Now don't misunderstand, I don't think country music should get a pass on ethical investigation. Parents should be discerning. But this guy would rather let his children listen to foul-mouthed and (self-admitted) violent content than he would let them listen to a singer talk about drinking? What a total tool. So to you, nameless Amazon guy, I give this Tool award because you appraoch your crusade against closed-minded music with such close-mindedness, arrogance, and an inability to be succinct. Congratulations, you are a Tool!

Okay, Now Even *I* Am Sick of Star Wars Parodies

Wow. This is horrible. Just horrible. I thought there was no way for me to get enough weird Star Wars references and witty parodies of Sir George's great Space Opera. But I think this proves that after Hardware Wars, Thumb Wars, Lego Star Wars, Spaceballs, etc. were not flukes. Then again, maybe it is just that they weren't blatant propoganda. Or maybe I just don't think the world needed a live action Veggie Tales movie.

Live 8 on MTV/VH1

I agree with Will. What a total waste of air time. Is the younger generation so void of imagination that they needed Sway, Rachel Perry, or John Norris rambling on about how great the event was supposed to be? Even more sad was the fact that unless you happened upon one of those channels during the program, you would have never known that it was even going on. Such a wasted opportunity.

The Role of the Rinos

John Hawkins considers the role that the Rinos are to play in the SCOTUS nomination battle with the Democrats. I think he's right on and the piece is worth consideration. Of course, it will all depend on what President Bush is willing to do. I suspect that he will pick this fight, finally.

Happy Independence Day-After!

Sorry for no posts on the 4th. While the rest of the staff was enjoying "Independence" from the Internet, I was working all weekend and the boss requested that everyone stay OFF of the web (we were doing some MONSTROUS file transfers over the network). So, it may be a day late, but I wanted to wish America a *VERY* happy birthday and say that I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th.

Stanley Hauerwas Interviewed

I was made aware of this interview with Stanley Hauerwas. Dr. Hauerwas is one of the premier Christian ethicists in the country if not the world. He is a constant challenge to me and my Christianity. I had the priveledge of hearing him speak at this years Wesleyan Theological Society meeting where he spoke about "Sanctification as a Corporate Event of the Church" among other things. Nonetheless this is an interesting article focusing on his new book on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, but also covers many other things that Stanley believes.

How Do You Make Sean Into Boba Fett?

I don't know if this works in any way, shape, or form. But it surely looks cool!

Aren't You Thankful *YOUR* Work Has Spell Checkers?

I know I definitely am, after reading about this poor person whose typo left Merill Lynch with a $12 million dollar loss.

The trader with Fubon Securities miskeyed in a small order from Merrill Lynch on Monday, creating confusion when many small companies inexplicably surged past the 7 percent trading limit.
"Something like this is difficult to explain to superiors," a Fubon executive said Tuesday.

This is why I am thankful I have a job where the worst that can happen from one of my mistakes is a big error in some code. Which still has to pass through several layers of QA testing before it ever sees the light of day. Then again, at least this was not a mistake which cost anyone their life or their health!

Hungry for Seafood?

Fishermen in Thailand have caught a catfish the size of a grizzly bear. To me it appears to be the size of my brother's Chevy Impala! It may be the largest freshwater fish ever caught. I can only imagine who... uh, I mean WHAT... they used for bait.

Supremes Minus One

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has announced her resignation as a member of the Supreme Court. President Bush has promised to bring out his replacement in a timely manner. Here is hoping that (1) this is not another Justice Souter-type nominee and (b) it is a nomination that stays out of the worst parts of the political wars.