MOD-BLOG Review: WALL-E

Movie: WALL-E

MPAA Rating: [G]

Mod-Blog Rating: 5 out of 5

The Short Version:

Pixar's newest film stars the last robot on an abandoned Earth, who is given the chance to find love, friendship, and the path to save the very human race. The film is well-made with amazing visuals and a strong story. But it is really the characters which make this film work, especially WALL-E himself. The film is strongly reminiscent of Forrest Gump in its central theme that if you put love, loyalty, and sweetness first, you don't need great intelligence to do the right thing and make a big difference. The only downside of this film for some may be its implied environmental and poiltical messages, which I did not find problematic at all. Highly recommended and safe for children of all ages.

The Long Version.

Pixar took a BIG chance with their newest movie WALL-E, by creating a film where the first 1/2 hour to 45 minutes has almost no dialogue in any normal sense of the word. WALL-E is the last robot of a fleet of them designed to clean up a garbage-strewn Earth, in order to prepare it for the return of the human race. Having been alone for eons, the little robot has exceeded his original programming and grown a personality... a personality which is desperately lonely. The long stretches without music or words could have been grating in a lesser film - I am reminded of some of the Benji films from my childhood - but works well because of strong character work on the part of WALL-E. The trailers and teasers you have probably seen are excellent but still don't really scratch the surface of how adorable and captivating this little droid is.

The first act ends when WALL-E is visited by a probe from long-lost humanity out in space. The probe itself - a far more advanced droid named EVE - shows a little personality of her own, and soon WALL-E is following her all over trying to establish a connection... a friendship. Strong emotions on the part of both are shown clearly without words, mouths, or even human eyes to work with, showing the depth of Pixar's animation skill. And when EVE leaves the planet to race back to humanity with important news, WALL-E tags along on a voyage of exploration, danger, and discovery where he eventually saves the human race.

I was most stricken by the fact that WALL-E's closest cousin movie-wise has to be Forrest Gump, which is the story of a man of severely low intelligence who manages to make himself great thru upholding simple values. One of WALL-E's messages is clearly the same. WALL-E is not a profound thinker - he barely understands the larger world around him. But he has a fundamental core of love, loyalty, and sweetness which carries him thru the plot in a logical way. Even his final act of heroism is done not out of a sense of dedication to a higher ideal, but for the love of EVE.

This is a film that I think everyone in the family can enjoy. It has a sweet innocence for the kids and higher concepts for the adults. In fact, an underlying political message about the environment and our couch potato culture are the only things which some may find grating. But the story is not preachy and thoroughly enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Gas prices

Gas prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Deep Thought of the Day: Human Idols and Heroes

Recently, a man in our church has been in the papers and charged with acts that shed serious doubt on his good standing. This man was an Elder of the church, a former pastor, and currently the head of a major charitable organization. The papers have certainly exaggerated the charges, bringing out rumors as well as facts, but it appears at least some of the charges are true.

It has reminded me of the importance of NOT trusting in human idols or heroes.

As children - and even as adults - we are all tempted to pick heroes whom we attempt to model our lives after. For some, it is a great historical figure like George Washington or Teddy Roosevelt. For some, it is a family member - Mom or Dad or a grandparent. For others, it is a mentor - a pastor, a teacher, a counsellor. We look up to these people, and pattern ourselves after them.

But the reality is that very few humans can stand up to the pressure of this kind of idealization. Historians have an obsession with taking heroes off of their pedestals - as seen more recently in the obsession with Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. And even the best men have feet of clay and weak moments. Martin Luther - who stood strong against the Catholic Church under the threat of execution - was an ardent anti-semite. We now know that Mother Theresa often had deep doubts about the existence of God.

Remember, only God can stand up to the intensity of human expectations. One of the reasons He gave us Jesus was so that we could see one perfect human. For all the others, be kind when judging their frailties. Be just, but also be kind.

Some unforgettable advertisements

I create ads everyday, but nothing like this.  I suspect most of these ads were not in the US, which makes me wonder why that is.  Nonetheless, enjoy the ads.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Colbert on High Gas Prices

Solar Freeze is the worst idea this year

I usually try to keep weekends light, but I am still furious about the announcement yesterday to suspend all solar power building for two years on Federal Lands. Some have said to me "Well, that does not affect private land, so it is no big deal." Here is an article showing exactly how much land is tied up in the Bureau of Land Management which would be PRIME for Solar Power building.

Let me say it again. If the Bush administration or Congress does not reverse this decision by July 4, they ALL deserve to be thrown out of office. I include in that evaluation Barack Obama and John McCain. Supporting or ignoring this move displays complete incompetence at best, or simple corruption at worst.

Bicycling Update - June 28, 2008

I am constantly amazed how every bike ride brings me to something new, even when I am going to the same old place. But it is less fun to see "new things" while revisiting the same old places on the weight graph. This week my weight started out great with the loss of several pounds, and then suddenly jumped up. I believe it was due to taking some allergy meds, as when I stopped taking them my weight went back down quickly. But I pretty much ended off the week where I started it. Which is still down about 5 pounds than before the last post.

The big "milestone" for this week biking-wise was our first trip to Captains Pizza for Guys Night Out as a group. I have been looking forward to this trip for a while, but it is uphill the whole way on a major street (Bridgeport Avenue) so we wanted to wait until I had built myself up cardiovascular-wise. The ride is about a mile, and we made it in only 15 minutes with only one stop to catch my breath. Not bad! And essentially the reason we first decided to buy the bikes.

Our big ride last weekend was almost two hours of riding by the Long Island Sound in Stratford with Mr. and Mrs. Bowhunter. It was a beautiful ride along the water and up along a number of streets in Stratford that I really had no idea existed before. We found a picturesque lighthouse run by the coastguard, saw a motorcycle driving school, and discovered a number of little communities built around the beaches. We'll definitely be back for that ride again.

Stay tuned for more updates, as we exploring biking, scenic Connecticut, and weight loss.

Feds freeze solar power building

So, you're facing an mounting energy crisis with oil at $4+/gallon and looking to reach $5/gallon by summer's end. Everyone and their brother are crying out for alternative energy sources, and the solar power community is rolling out breakthrough after breakthrough to make solar energy production cheaper and easier. So what do you do? Well, if you are the Federal Government, you announce a 2-year freeze on building new solar power plants.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/us/27solar.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1214584113-v3z1P+TfnrPGbc97b/n4hw

That's right. At the HEIGHT of an energy crisis, we are cutting off the cleanest form of energy available "for environmental concerns." If Congress or the Bush Administration does not reverse this order by July 4, they all DESERVE to be thrown out of office in November. This is not just the usual government foolishness, this is downright criminal.

Today is Bill Gate's last day at Microsoft

Apparently, today is "Gold Watch Day" for the King of Windows. After this, he moves onto full-time work at his charitable foundation, and the sidelines to watch and see how Microsoft survives without his guiding hand. Windows Vista does not bode well for a Steve Balmer-directed MS, but then again a power vacuum at the top gives new geniuses a chance to jump in and get their ideas heard.

Between this and the recent speculation over Steve Jobs's health, it is time to start wondering what the "Next Generation" of technology CEOs will look like. Will they be in new companies like Facebook and Digg, or will be see second-generation "princes and princesses" stepping into the shoes of these giants? It is due to be a bumpy ride on Wall Street as we jump into this unknown territory.

CRChair *NEEDS* to play this level of Quake III

And My Political Leaning Would Be????

I find this funny. I am most likely the furthest right-leaning poster here on Mod-Blog and yet of the three quizzes I range from close to right all the way to just left of center. And yes, I did take/retake these three quizzes around the same time so it's not just that my views are getting more and more one way.

For those who understand SQL...

Originally found here

Supremes approve Individual Gun Rights

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has formally endorsed the right of individuals to own guns.

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSWBT00928420080626?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true

This is the first time that the Court has formally recognized the right outside of a "well-formed militia." It has the potential to significantly change the debate over local gun laws in America.

OpenPhone Finally Ships

Okay, enough theopolitics. How about some tech news?

The OpenMoko phone is finally shipping, although only in Europe and Asia at the moment. Mod-Bog readers may remember the OpenMoko platform as an attempt at an "free" (as in freedom) iPhone competitor. It has a touchscreen with Wifi, cell voice and data coverage, a powerful processor, and is built on the free Linux operating system. While the iPhone is a "walled garden" where you are not allowed to modify the underlying OS and you can only install apps that Apple approves, OpenMoko is hackable on all levels, from hardware to software.

Don't think this kind of thing has a hope of penetrating the market in light of Apple's iPhone, Microsoft's WindowsMobile, and Google's Android? You may be surprised, as the two-GPS system "Dash Express" is built on the designs originally published for OpenMoko.

Deep Thought of the Day: Who Would Jesus Bomb?

Well, I started off my day reading Ward's critique of James Dobson, so why not fan the flames of theology a little more? While driving home from work the other day, I came across an interesting bumper sticker. (Photo is not mine, but looks similar.)



Clever, right? Turns the "What Would Jesus Do?" thing on its head, and makes you consider the apparent irony of a "Christian" nation attacking another country. I respect a good slogan.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it really misses something else about Jesus. Yes, He is the "Prince of Peace" and he raised a hand against no one at his trial. But this is the same Jesus who overturned the moneychangers tables and whipped them out of the Temple. It is the same Jesus who said...

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10:34

This Jesus is no pacifist. And in the imagery we see of Him in Revelation, it is even more stark.

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
Revelation 19:11-15

Now, I am not saying diplomacy is not generally preferable to combat, or that war is not something to be avoided, when it can. But I am saying that we need to always be careful of our stereotyped, narrow views of Jesus as either the perfect pacifist, the glowering judge, the liberal activist, the conservative avenger, or anything else. He is bigger than our prejudices, and bigger than our assumptions.

So, let the warmongers fear calling for blood in His name, and let the peaceniks fear calling for retreat in His name.

James Dobson Continues Into Irrelevance

Now I know that many people still look to him for political input, but there can be no doubt that his power has seen it's height. And it's in no small part because of displays like this about Barrack Obama. I really love this quote from Dobson,

"I think he's deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology," Dobson said.

Wow, Obama must have said something shocking, right? Well, maybe not.

In his program, Dobson focused on examples Obama cited in asking which Biblical passages should guide public policy. For instance, Obama said Leviticus suggests slavery is OK and eating shellfish is an abomination. Obama also cited Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, "a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application."

"Folks haven't been reading their Bibles," Obama said in the speech.

Hmmm...I'm not seeing where Obama is "distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible." I think what Dobson really meant to say was something like, "I don't agree with the points Barrack Obama is making, but beings that he is clearly using scripture, I can't accuse him of lying. So I'll have to argue that he is just twisting the text." For a "Biblical scholar" (Yes, I almost typed that without laughing) Dobson clearly seems to have a terribly small view of interpretation.

And the end result? More of this:

The Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, a Methodist pastor from Texas and longtime supporter of President Bush who has endorsed Obama, said Tuesday he belongs to a group of religious leaders who, working independently of Obama's campaign, launched a Web site to counter Dobson at http://www.jamesdobsondoesntspeakforme.com. The site highlights statements from Obama and Dobson and asks visitors to compare them.

What Dobson seems unable to comprehend at this point is that there is a growing body of religious moderates who look at Obama and McCain and see little reason to vote with the Right this cycle. Is Obama a flaming liberal? Yes, most certainly. And I would have a hard time supporting him because of the extreme views he has on some issues and his lack of experience. But as a Christian, it's not hard to imagine Obama being a much better option than McCain. If Dobson and company don't realize that this shift has happened by now, then they are surely only digging their own graves with their shortsightedness.

Massachusetts School Pregnancy Not a Reason to Give Out Contraceptives.

Well we now are being told that there was no pact between the girls in a Gloucester Massachusetts school which had 4 times as many pregnancies this year as last. This story is being used by those who advocate contraception to be given out in schools as a prime example of what happens if the schools don't step in to give these girls (or guys) a means to prevent pregnancy. One of the girls who is pregnant appeared on Good Morning America this morning and said

"Well, I think that they sit there and they say that they want to make a difference and it's awful that all these kids are getting pregnant, but they don't want to do anything to help them. They won't put contraceptives in the nurse's office or anything and no kid wants to go into the store and buy them, or like, ask them mom to help them get birth control. Like, it's embarrassing. So, instead of, like, making them make the decision not to use any of them, they should be giving them out in the nurse's office so you can get it anonymously,"

This quote makes it seem like this girl had that problem doesn't it? Well earlier in the article she & her boyfriend admitted that she was on birth control and still got pregnant. "Lindsey was on birth control. She was very careful with it, you know, because, obviously, we, at 17 and 20, we're not ready for a kid."

So let's not jump to the conclusion that obviously these girls would have not gotten pregnant if free/anonymous birth control was available.

Local Superheroes?

As I have been getting into biking, I have been exploring the blogsphere for sites that strike that balance between "fun" and "useful info". One of the more interesting ones I have discovered is The Beat Bike Blog which is run by a bicycle enthusiast who lives in Hartford, CT (about 1/2 hour from where I work).

Currently, they are having a fun discussion that Mod-Bloggers may want to check out on the lack of small-city superheroes. The author notes that the vast majority of heroes work in New York City, Los Angeles, or a similar large city. This leaves out smaller cities like Hartford or Dover, Delaware, and leaves the suburbs almost entirely unprotected unless Peter Parker is invited over to Jonah Jameson's barbecue in White Plains. They also note, however, that more super-villains appear to accommodate this policy by locating themselves also in big cities.

If your small town or small city needed a superhero, what kind would it have?

Oh, the irony!!

Oh, the irony!!
Originally uploaded by Veronica BelmontNever personally seen this, but it's funny in its own way.

Teen Pregnancy and Abortion

An article about the upswing of student pregnancies at Gloucester (Massachusetts) High School has me thinking about pop culture and the current impact on abortion. Since Roe v. Wade, pop culture has been pushing the mantra, "pregnant and don't want to be, get rid of it". With the rise in celebrity pregnancies and movies about less than ideal pregnancy situations, could the upswing be that abortion becomes less tolerated by our nation? Or are we moving towards an era where teens get pregnant and have babies because they're "fun" and college+ adults get abortions because they're "convenient".

Gas Prices at Mobil

Gas Prices at Mobil
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Creative Solution to Rising Gas Prices

Deep Thought of the Day: Abortion and Gay Marriage

I may have posted this before, but the situation in California has brought it back to mind. In American history there have been a series of great compromises: the Connecticut compromise which created a proportionally-chosen House and a 2-per-state Senate, the compromise that cut off slavery at the Mason-Dixon line, etc. I am wondering if one more could be possible:

What if we were offered a compromise which would allow individual states to ban abortion, in return for allowing individual states to allow gay marriage?

Could it ever have a chance? Could a "new face" like Obama or a "maverick" like McCain propose such a compromise? Or would this simply radicalize both the Right and Left to make later compromise harder?

Okay, now it your turn to tell me how naive I am.

R.I.P. George Carlin

I was never a big fan, but understand the importance of his work. And learning of him later in life thru younger comedians, I have been amazed at his kind and generous spirit. The world will miss George Carlin. And I suspect several generations of comedy will mourn a mentor and a role model.

Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, went into St. John's Medical Center in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon complaining of chest pain and died later that evening, said his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He had performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.

Carlin constantly pushed the envelope with his jokes, particularly with the "Seven Words" routine. When he uttered all seven at a show in Milwaukee in 1972, he was arrested for disturbing the peace.

Airline "Extras"

We have been planning a flight in late July to attend a friend's wedding and have been amazed by what the airlines now consider "extra" in order to squeeze a few more dollars out of every consumer.

How many Simpsons do you know?

This is a fun game to test how many Simpsons characters you can identify. I got them all with 1:39 left to go. I suspect CRChair will do far, far better... if the spelling does not defeat him.

Bicycling Update - June 21, 2008

A couple of weeks back, I posted a picture of myself on a new bike. I proclaimed that I planned to use it to increase fitness and "reduce the visible gut". I am figuring it will be good for me to post my experiences here, both to update our faithful readers and to keep me honest. It is hard to "cheat" on a weight reduction program if you have to admit it to all of your friends.

First, the "program" I am using is not any of the formal systems, other than the one most recommended "Eat less, exercise more." While I have done well with Atkins in the past, right now my life does not lend itself to the complicated work required to ensure I keep carbs out of my diet. So instead, I am trying to reduce portions, reduce overall carbs and sugar, and exercise every day. And I am weighing in every morning, and tracking my weight and meals in an Excel Spreadsheet. That is it.

How am I doing? Well, it is only 2 weeks in, but I have lost a little over 10 lbs. I have been exercising every day. On rainy days, I have been riding on a stationary bike in the attic (I am up to 27 minutes per session). On clear days, I have been riding on the "real" bike with CRChair at local parks (between 30 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the day). I am posting below the graph of my weight so far, with numbers removed to protect the embarrassed.

Please keep up your prayers. Weight loss is never easy, since it requires changing ones long-ingrained habits that got you overweight and out of shape in the first place. I am sure I have some hard times to come. But I am hoping that these small changes will add up to a lifestyle I can maintain in the long-term. Cuz, that is the healthy way to go, and the way people see real success.

I want to also thank Bowhunter for inspiring me to try out biking, and Nick and CRChair for encouraging me to keep it up. It has been much more fun than I expected, and I am still amazed how every time we go out, I see something new and unexpected. Who knew Shelton had a pair of guys training for the Olympic hammer throw? (No, I did not get a picture. I have since picked up a tough, waterproof camera to bring along on the rides. These photos were taken on my iPhone.)

Sports sweep Top 6 Highest Primetime Rated TV Shows for June

The 6 games of the NBA Finals were 5 of the six highest rated TV shows for the month of June. I guess this means that when we have compelling match-ups sports can still draw in big viewership. I too watched more of the NBA finals since the Celtics and Lakers were playing as opposed to if the Spurs and Pistons had played. The highest rated show was the Belmont Stakes horse race.

Starbucks suffering from $4+ Gas

I do not drink coffee, as I really dislike hot drinks. So, I have never gotten the appeal of Starbucks. But it has been an enduring part of most of my coworker's commute for the last 10 years. But now, it appears Starbucks is facing a foe it can't defeat - $4+/gallon gasoline!

What was once a frequent occurrence such as the morning trip to Starbucks or taking the family to a ballgame just isn’t as financially feasible when $4-per-gallon gas must also share a place in the budget,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com.

I must admit this makes a lot of sense. The mid-day run to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts for coffee used to be a tradition around my office. But when driving to the store costs more than the item itself, the free coffee machine provided by the boss must be much more attractive.

Mac vs PC Newswire

NERF War

Sometimes I feel like this is happening in my office. Unfortunately without the NERF guns.

And now for something completely different

Celtics: 2008 NBA Champs

I thought CRChair would post this, but since Nick already scooped us I wanted to get something up. The Celtics are the 2008 NBA Champs. It feels like the 80s again.

Flickr Co-Founders are leaving Yahoo

I have never been in favor of the Microsoft buyout of Yahoo, primarily for the likely impact on my favorite photo site: Flickr. However, it appears that the slow disintegration of Yahoo in the face of the stockholder rebellion has impacted me anyway. The two people who founded Flickr have left Yahoo and in fact have done so without any job to jump to. They apparently simply wanted to get out while the getting was good.

This is a VERY bad sign. Here is hoping the once-giant of Web 1.0 can staunch the bleeding before they completely disintegrate.

Firefox 3 Download Day

I am surprised I am the first Mod-Blogger to post this, since I seem to use Firefox the least (I prefer Safari overall). But today is Firefox 3 Download Day, when the Firefox team is hoping to have a record number of downloads of their newly-released Version 3.0.

http://www.spreadfirefox.com/en-US/worldrecord/

The downloads should be available starting at 1:00 PM EST. If you are a Firefox user, please consider downloading as a statement on the free nature of the internet. But be aware, Firefox 3 has some significant changes from 2, interface-wise.

MOD-BLOG REVIEW: Prince Caspian

Movie: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

MPAA Rating: [PG]

Mod-Blog Rating: 4 out of 5

The Short Version:

This big screen adaptation of the second book in C.S. Lewis's Narnia books departs from the original far more than the earlier effort. But it is a fun movie with good characterization and a strong plot. This movie is much darker than the predecessor, as well, so parents of small children may wish to be especially careful of bringing them along. Christian themes remain, but as with the books are not overt and the general moral should be enjoyable to peoples of all faiths (and no faith).

The Long Version:

Of all of the Narnia books, Prince Caspian is generally regarded as the weakest. When C.S. Lewis wrote "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe", he did not intend it as a series of children's books. And he resisted calls from his editors for years to write one for the profit of it. But one day, the muse took him and he quickly wrote this sequel. The unplanned nature of the story is fairly evident in the book in weaker characters, a plot which is pretty much a long walk followed by a short battle (a criticism often made of Tolkien as well), and a sense that Aslan's appearance is almost an afterthought.

When the filmmakers set out to adapt the book, they sought to correct many of these weaknesses and bring out some of the thoughts Lewis mentioned after the fact. This has lead to a significant departure from the original plot including a new (bad) attitude in Peter, a raid on a castle that never existed in the original, and brings together the main characters and the eponymous Prince Caspian much earlier. It also, strangely, gives Aslan even less screen-time than in the book. This has lead to some outrage on the part of Lewis purists.

But, the changes work and each provides a specific piece of the puzzle missing from the book. (Peter's attitude finally lets us think about what it was like to go from being adults in Narnia to children in England, the raid on the castle explains why the bad guys act as they do in the final battle, etc.) The whole is stronger than the original in many ways. The themes of perseverance in the face of evil, courage, and following your heart (God) even if no one else believes remain clear. And the additions also allow for highlights of the depth of Lewis's imagination (and WETA's workshop) by showing some things only implied in the original (for example, heroic creatures which were shown as evil in the original).

However, the movie is not perfect and the changes make the tone far darker than the first movie. Some parents who were happy to bring their young children to "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" may want to keep them at home and bring them back in a few years. Real deaths are shown (without gore), good characters are lost in apparently unjust ways, and some of the visuals certainly lend themselves to nightmares (the images of the walking, warring trees, which are far less anthropormophic than Peter Jackson's Ents seem designed to terrify toddlers). This should not be taken as a criticism, per se. These images and choices are essential to the drama.

Overall, "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" is an excellent movie worthy of your time.

Deep Thought of the Day: What happens when a Democray is "Wrong?"

If there is anything that has amazed me in the debate over the Iraq War, it is has been how many people are ready to declare our government "lost and broken" if they do not get their way. The Antiwar Faction of the Democratic Party has been howling for months that we are in a dictatorship, because the war goes on despite the election of a Democratic congress in 2006. And the Prowar Faction of the Republican Party has now begun howling that if Obama is elected and he pulls us out of the war, that our government will be "irretrievably damaged and perhaps lost." Both sides seem convinced that if a Democratic Republic like our own makes a decision OTHER than what they consider "correct", that it is by definition "broken" and the implication is that it is illegitimate.

Can we PLEASE get a grip? Can we PLEASE examine our rhetoric?

Democracy is not about a government which is never wrong. It is about a government which reflects the Will of the People at any moment in time. And the People have been "wrong" a whole lot. The "People" of our nation embraced slavery, and half of them tried to break away over the issue. The "People" denied the vote to women and to non-whites, until forced to face the error of their ways. The "People" of Germany elected Hitler. The "People" of ancient Greece voted to kill Socrates for the crime of asking questions. Democracy is wrong a lot.

The virtue of Democracy, and especially our Republican form of it, is that unlike other forms of government democracy tends to be self-correcting. The "People" eventually did the right thing on slavery, on secession, on equal rights, etc. The only cases where there are no chances for self-correction are where democracies become dictatorships or where "final" moves are made (like killing Socrates, no way to repeal that).

Please, both sides, calm down and accept that democracy is not "broken". Give it time to self-correct, whether you think "correction" is to get out of Iraq or to stop the current rush to get OUT of Iraq. Calling our government "broken" only encourages those who are ready to dissolve it in favor of something far worse.

Apple's answer to Flash and Flex

As a web developer, one of my major weaknesses is that I don't do Flash. I understand the basic concepts, but that's about it. I'm not a huge fan of it either since it's kind of a bandwidth hog. So imagine my surprise when I read that Apple is preparing a so-called Flash Killer and it's not a proprietary format - it's JavaScript. It's a MVC framework called SproutCore labeled as Cocoa for the Web. It's what Apple is using for the new MobileMe web interface. From all accounts - so far only from Apple and Apple fanboys (e.g. grain of salt is necessary) - this is going to be a great way to develop applications for the web. The bonus is that special plugins will not be necessary (because it's JavaScript) - one of the major downfalls of Flash and it's big brother Flex, which is used for developing online applications. I'm a little bit excited about this, but we'll have to wait and see what actually comes of this. Now Apple only has to make sure that Safari can handle the JavaScript and we'll be all set.

Obama: Auto 401(k) enrollment

One of Obama's plans to "help" the middle and lower classes is to force employers to automatically enroll their employees into 401(k) plans. The government would then match up to $500 of the money deposited for each employee. Before I state my issues with this plan, let me say that I am all for retirement savings. It's a good thing, everybody should do it if they can. With that said here are my issues. First, the reason most lower class people don't enroll in any retirement program is because they can't afford it. When you're stretching to make ends meet, you don't have an extra $80 a month to spend on retirement. I know it seems like a small amount of money, but when every month you have to pick which bill you're NOT going to pay it's a huge number. So, even with the $500 tax credit it's going to hurt. My other issue is this tax credit. Isn't the government already taking money out of my check for my retirement - yes, I seem to remember this thing called Social Security. I'm not a dunce so I realize that there is a greater chance of pigs growing wings and flying than my retirement being funded entirely (or at all) by Social Security. Yet every pay period more money comes out of my check. So, rather than having the government spend another $18.8 billion trying to force convince us that saving is a good idea, why don't they give me that money they're already taking out of my check to invest in my 401(k). Oh, wait...that would be 'privitization' and we don't want that now do we.

One of the mantras of the pro-gun lobby is that if we enforced the laws on the books we wouldn't need new laws. I think that this is a very similar issue. If we allowed people to safely invest the money already being taken out of their checks we wouldn't have an issue with retirement savings. And we wouldn't need a new tax credit - that's going to cost us more in the end by way of higher taxes to pay for it - to convince us that we should save.

Obama's Father's Day Speech

In yet another example of how I want to like Obama, he gave a Father's Day message speaking out to men to take more responsibility and be fathers, not just men who have fathered children. I wish his views, especially on abortion, weren't so liberal. It has been said that the problem with the inner city is not poverty, but fatherlessness. If he could bring about a revolution of men taking responsibility and being fathers to their children, that would, in my opinion, do more for our country and our economy than any stimulus plan ever could.

People vote with their feet

Rhetorical Question: What do you do?

So, you're greatest political fumble of all time is a little thing called "Katrina." In this debacle, your chosen man failed to get aid to people in a time of emergency and left them hungry and living in squalor. (Say what you will about local authorities dropping the ball, the public perception is the failure was all FEMA's.) This event was a flood, due to a failed levee. And this one event can easily be seen as the turning point when you lost the faith of the American people.

Now, a levee has failed in Iowa and the city is flooded. Nearly an identical situation, from a high-level. So, what do you do?

Apparently, you go for photo ops at tea parties in Europe.

Sigh. Can someone please call up the President and tell him unless he comes home immediately to tour the area, he has extinguished ANY hope for the Republican party to even maintain its numbers in the fall?

Happy Fathers Day

A very warm "Happy Fathers Day" too all of our readers and posters who are fathers, or who will be shortly. May you be shown the appreciation you deserve, today, and may you have many, many more happy father's days to come.

To own father, "I love you and we'll join you there in Heaven when the time comes, God willing." Of course, I don't know if they have internet access in the afterlife, but you never know.

Tim Russert is Dead

NBC newsman and Meet the Press host Tim Russert has died of a heart attack at the age of 58. Russert was by far my favorite political host/commentator. I always found him tough, but fair. WE used to joke that they should change the name of Meet the Press to "Hammer Time" because he was able to and would ask the tough questions to politicians of both parties. He was always well prepared and ready to challenge the usual answers of politicians that sound good, but mean nothing. I am very sad that we won't have him around for the rest of this election cycle to ask the right questions at the right time.

Mac OS 10.6 "Snow Leopard" Details

Slashdot has up details on Mac OS 10.6, code named "Snow Leopard". Includes is iCal, Address Book and Mail Exchange support. The one thing that people are complaining about is that there is no NTFS support... something I hadn't thought about in my thoughts on using an Intel Mac for my Windows work. Supposedly there are third party drivers that you can buy though.

A better ATM experience

I'm assuming that pretty much everyone in our audience uses an ATM on a fairly regular basis, so that means you're familiar with the way ATMs work. One of my pet peeves is figuring out which button I'm supposed to push for each option. When I heard that Wells Fargo was going to touch screen ATMs I thought that sounded cool. It turns out that they did more than just make the screens responsive to touch, they hired a user interface team that made the whole system more logical. It almost makes me wish I had an account at Wells Fargo.

The article is on the technical side, but the pictures prove the point if you don't want to read the whole thing.

Give me a POSITIVE REASON to vote for you

It is no secret that I am not a fan of John McCain. I have posted several of the articles that make me wonder about the man. But there is something else that destroys any attempt I make to get interested in the election for his sake. He has never given me a positive reason to vote for him. Consider the last 5 e-mails I got about this election which tried to motivate me to vote for John McCain:

1. Vote McCain or else Iraq will fail.
2. Vote McCain or Iran will get a nuke.
3. Vote McCaon or taxes will go up.
4. Vote McCain or the economy will stagnate.
5. Vote McCain or abortion will never be overturned.

Not one which says "Vote McCain because he has this GREAT idea to change the world."

Let's face the facts that every reasonable American knows. If Barack Obama (or Hillary Clinton, if Obama stumbles) wins the presidency, America will survive. It will even improve in some ways, because America always advances - sometimes because of politicians, sometimes in spite of them. It is no horror to have a Democrat in the White House. And there are positive effects to showing that the reins of power do not last long in one set of hands in our nation. The peaceful transfer of power may be expected in this age, but it was not long ago that it was nearly unheard-of.

Obama brings many positive reasons to vote for him: a new approach to foreign policy, a focus on economic issues, a chance for the next step in racial reconciliation. If John McCain wants to win, he needs to start bringing out the positive reasons to vote for him, as well. Otherwise, he may have convinced me NOT to vote for Obama, but he sure won't have motivated me to get out of my chair in November to bother to cast a vote for him.

Ron Paul drops out?

One wonders how this news squares with the announcement of a counter-convention to be staged by Ron Paul supporters, but apparently Dr. Paul has elected to drop out of the race officially. The move frees up campaign money to be funneled into a fund to elect Libertarian Republicans in local elections nationwide. Apparently, it will also be used to launch Ron Paul's new book "The Revolution: A Manifesto".

Personally, I can't help wondering if McCain called up Dr. Paul and had a frank talk about the problems with a counter-convention. It never made sense, other than to stoke Paul's ego. This way, John McCain can say some nice words about Paul at the convention, and maybe even let the guy give a speech outside of Prime Time. This move certainly is more in line with Paul's intention to be the Barry Goldwater of a new Conservative/Libertaian movement.

Gas prices

Gas prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Does anyone know what this Red Star Means?

I've seen these Red stars popping up on houses lately. Does anyone know what they mean? I've seen them in Pennsylvania and Connecticut so far.

Kucinich attempts to impeach GWB

I have been trying to ignore this, but the blogsphere is full of it. Dennis Kucinich, despite the counsel of even his own party, has introduced Articles of Impeachment against George W. Bush over the Iraq War.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/11/kucinich.impeach.vote/index.html

The attempt is even less likely to succeed today than it would have a year ago, before there was a front-runner for the Democratic nomination (who appears likely to win). Now, enthusiasm barely exists, except amongst the most militant of the bloggers who are desperate to see GWB face the same fate as Bill Clinton. The irony is, even if the articles were debated and passed, it is unlikely a trial and final vote would be complete before the election. And the eventual dream to ALSO impeach Dick Cheney would not be doable until AFTER Obama or McCain were sworn in.

John McCain: I never learned how to double-click!

I have been discussing with some Mod-Bloggers offline how dissatisfied I am with John McCain as a candidate. There are lots of little reasons, but still I have to admit he represents my views better than any of the alternatives.

But I am really scared to be considering voting for a man in the 21st century who admits he is a "computer illiterate." Especially as a techie who is afraid of the loss of freedom on the internet.

Virtualization on the cheap

As a Mac user something that really irritates me is when I go to a website and the service it provides is only for Internet Explorer on Windows. Or when a piece of software is Windows only. Fortunately when Apple went to using Intel processors for the Mac a new line of virtualization programs came along. The two best in this field are Parallels and VMWare Fusion. Both of these programs are excellent, but they cost $60-$100 depending on when and where you buy them. If you are like me and need to use Windows on a daily basis for something (in my case I have to check to make sure pages render correctly in 3 [yes 3] versions of IE), then it makes sense to dole out the cash for one of these programs. I use VMWare Fusion and I'm very happy with it. But if it's just an occasional thing where you want to try something then putting out the cash might not be worth it. Enter Virtual Box (vbox). Vbox works much like the other pieces of software mentioned here with one difference, it's open source and as such it's free. From the review it sounds like it works well or at least well enough for the casual user. If you're looking for a virtualization program, this may be the ticket for you.

Note: You probably have to own a copy of Windows to install it on vbox, so that would be a cost for you to consider.

New Star Wars: Clone Wars Trailer

I think this one really *IS* new. I know I haven't seen these shots: http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809991325/video/8273357

Ron Paul: "I'll throw my own convention... with blackjack... and delegates..."

Several election cycles back, I was quite enamored of Steve Forbes as a Presidential Candidate. Forbes ran to give visibility to the Flat Tax - an idea whose time has come in my opinion - and ran a tough campaign, picking up two states and a significant percentage of votes. But when Bob Dole was chosen as the nominee, he had the good grace to step back and realize that his time on the stage was done. His ideas continued to be talked about - even in the general election - but he himself knew when to bow out.

Not so Ron Paul. Dr. Paul has decided it is not enough to be given respect by the candidate - despite not having won a single state in the primary - but that he is important enough to warrant his own Convention, which will be held in the same city at the same time as the Republican Convention. He claims to not want to hurt the party, but is eager to keep his face on the evening news.

I respect Dr. Paul's tenacity, but question his methods. If the Republican Party is so antithetical to his ideals, why remain part of it? And if it is truly a party he wishes to remain a part of, why all this grandstanding? Parties exist to form power coalitions. If you're unwilling to join any coalition, do you really want to call yourself part of it?

Another view of the Energy Crisis

Graduation: Your First Step Into Adulthood

17 Sacramento students were not able to attend their graduation ceremony after putting dye in the pool and cutting bird netting around the school. The students were warned, but now are trying to use the defense, "but it's tradition to do a senior prank." Welcome to adulthood where you have to take responsibility for your actions. Vandalism is vandalism and you were warned of the rules beforehand. There are many non-destructive pranks that can be done if you wish to participate in senior prank.

WWDC in 60 Seconds

A fun recap of yesterday's WWDC SteveNote.

Deep Thought of the Day

How, when Congress's approval rating is at the lowest ebb in recorded history, did we wind up with both of the major Presidential Candidates coming out of Congress?

It seems like the fat man who says "Wow, fast food is making me fat. I'd better order another few Big Macs to get me on a diet."

How hot was it in CT today?

How hot was it in CT today?
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Or maybe someone needs to change the battery in the wireless thermometer and get it our of the direct sun. :-)

Apple WWDC Skinny

The short version of the WWDC keynote:
- 3G iPhone with GPS comes July 11. $199 for 8 GB, $299 for 16 GB
- iPhone 2.0 Firware & App Store come out "Early July" (presumably concurrent with 3G iPhones), Free for iPhone, $1.99 for iPod Touch
- Lots of good apps already out there for the App Store, including games and productivity
- .Mac is now MobileMe and brings AJAX versions of Mail, Contacts, iCal, etc. to the web, including "Push"
- "Push" functionality coming for all App Store apps in September

Which rumors turned out to be false?
- Video iChat on the iPhone 3G
- Mac Nano rumors
- 32 and 64 GB iPhone Rumors
- Project (RED) iPhones

Big Oil doesn't get it

It amazes me to see how disconnected Oil Execs are from their customers in the current debate over the price of oil. For evidence, consider this article on statements by the CEO of BP...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/06/09/bcnbp109.xml

...to summarize, he states that the reason for high oil prices is... previously low oil prices. That's right. His claim is that oil's price was kept artificially low by maqgnanimous oil companies who then did not have money to invest in increased production. Therefore, he implies, oil's price should be kept high so as to keep oil company profits at record levels, so that they can build more capacity.

This article flabbergasted me. It is like saying the reason Jack the Ripper killed so many women in so short a time, is because he had not killed any for a long time before that. Oil companies need to grow up and realize that the world is the way it is because they made it that way. If they charged too little in the past, then start channeling some of those record profits into building. If they are unhappy with their business model, it is THEIR responsibility to change it. Most other branches of industry do this all the time.

How long until shareholders come to their senses and throw out the management of some of these companies?!

The right argument would be that States (I mean U.S. states and countries at large) have hampered efforts to expand oil production/refinement for environmental reasons. Those are beyond their control. But blaming the market for their woes is simply disingenuous.

Livefeed for the WWDC

If you're as excited about the 3G iPhone as I am, you can get live updates from MacRumors at the link below...

http://www.macrumorslive.com/

...it is starting at 10 AM PST which is 1 PM EST. Here's hoping if you are somewhere in between you can do the time conversion in your head from one of those. :-)

John McCain's First Wife

A lot of people in John McCain's life like to point to his "impaccable character" as the strength that will take him thru to the White House. But his supporters need to be ready to speak to the fact that he divirced his first wife when he got back from Vietnam in order to marry a rich beauty queen. Divorce is common these days, so why is this one problematic? Because he was walking away from the woman who stood by him while he was a POW, when she had a car accident which robbed her of her looks.

I am not saying this should disqualify the man for the presidency. The ex-wife says she is not bitter, and that he has promised to pay her medical bills for life. But I think it shows a side of his character that we need to consider before he takes on the nuclear suitcase.

The Nomad Will Wander

The Nomad Will Wander
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Purchased a Trek Navigator 3.0 at Rad Robs in Shelton, CT today. I am hoping to use the bike to (1) reduce that visible paunch and (2) save some cash on gas since prices are thru the roof.

Prayers from Mod-Bloggers will be welcome, so that the Nomad does not break his neck before he gets back into some semblance of "shape".

Kobe Bryant is no Michael Jordan

With the Lakers ascendance to the top of the NBA this season has come the question “Is Kobe Bryant as good as Michael Jordan?”. Commentators on ABC, ESPN and TNT have all weighed in and pretty much unanimously agree that Kobe is now equal to Michael. Having seen both player in their prime, I simply can not agree. I’m not sure Kobe is the best Laker I have ever seen. The most basic sports question for these arguments is “who would you pick to start your team with?” I might start my team with Magic Johnson before Kobe Bryant…But back to the main point here. Michael Jordan won 5 MVP Awards and 6 NBA Championships. Kobe has 1 MVP award (this year) and 3 championships. These accomplishments mark Kobe as an all time great player, but not as the best player to ever play the game.

Alleged photos of the 3G IPhone online

CrunchGear is at it again. They were amng the first to leak the iPod Nano "Fatty" pictures, and now they are leaking what appears to be the new 3G iPhone in picture form. It looks surprisingly good, but that is never an assurance it is not Photoshopped. The big news on this one is black and project (red) versions, and a front-facing camera for video phone calls via iChat!

It is going to be a long weekend, waiting for the Monday keynote.

People Ignore Hit and Run Victim

Some Mod-Bloggers know that my wife was the victim of a hit-and-run accident when a pickup truck rear ended her car. Thankfully, there was a concerned citizen who followed the pickup truck and contacted the police. Since then, I have found that hit-and-runs are on the rise in the U.S. In an age where we teach our children that it's "me first" and no one is responsible for their actions, this is the logical conclusion. Well, even more disturbing is this recent hit and run in Hartford, CT. An elderly man walking across the street is hit by a car and not only does the car keep driving, but NINE other cars passed right by him. Bystanders on the sidewalk waited over 40 seconds before even getting close enough to stop traffic. When asked why no one would help, one person responded "This area here is hot, a lot of bad stuff." When asked why people wouldn't call for help (though four people did call 911) he responded, "If you want to, but you're involved then." While I understand people fearing for their life in a high crime area by being labeled a snitch, it appears it's more than that... people value their time as too important to "waste" it on getting involved. Chief Daryl Roberts summed it up best by saying, "We no longer have a moral compass."

Warning: The link is to the story. On the story is a video that contains the actual surveillance tapes of the hit-and-run. The video is disturbing, but in my opinion, worth watching to see what a heinous act this was.

All of eBay and PayPal's contact info

If you've ever had a problem with eBay or Paypal, you know how hard they can be to reach and especially to get ahold of a real live human being. At least of one that is not in the call center in India. Well, now The Consumerist and ScrewPaypal.Com have put together a page of all the contact info you could possibly want for these two companies. Call, fax, e-mail, or carrier pigeon. This link will tell you how.

Mac v. PC which is the better deal?

I like Macs, it's no secret. In fact by telling you that I'm a graphic designer and web developer you'd probably guess that I like Macs. The stereotype plays out quite well - arty guy = likes Macs. Truth is, I like them not because they run my Adobe programs better (CS3 runs really well in Vista) or because the UI inspires my creativity - I like them because I'm comfortable with them. Sure I think that IE is the worst piece of software ever thrust upon anyone and that the UI of Windows - especially Vista - is somewhat confounding. But still, I buy Macs because I just like them. So, I'm used to paying a bit more for my computers (though I actually paid less than nothing on my most recent Mac - yeah it's oldish). Imagine my surprise when Popular Mechanics did a comparison of Macs and PCs and found that Macs are a better deal (the verdict for those not wanting to read the entire article). To quote the article:

Our biggest surprise, however, was that PCs were not the relative bargains we expected them to be. The Asus M51sr costs the same as a MacBook, while the Gateway One actually costs $300 more than an iMac. That means for the price of the Gateway you could buy an iMac, boost its hard drive to match the Gateway’s, purchase a copy of Vista to boot—and still save $100.

It's great to see that the Mac beat the PC on all the important categories - performance and price. Granted both of the PCs tested were not the budget PCs most people buy, so while the Mac will presumably still win on performance - also by a presumably larger margin - the budget PC will win on price.

Notes: The PM website was kind of sluggish when I used it this morning. Give it a minute, it'll come through.
Hat tip to MacsAndStuff for pointing me to the article.

Oil bubble will bust

Being that most of us on this blog happen to be capitalists, this article should bring some comfort to us.Why the oil boom will eventually bust. It's a terrific explanation of why in a supply side economy oil prices will definitely come down. I think that he may have missed one critical point, in that while the cost of crude may come down we still have a shortage of refineries in this country so while there may be excess crude in the market it's still going to take a long time to convert it into gasoline. But then again, maybe because of all the crude the refineries will simply be able to work 24/7 and the gas supplies will go up as well. I'm not an economist, so I'll let the expert do the talking - read the article.

We've all been there!

I love Rainy Days

Deep Question of the Day

This one is not about philosophy, but annoyance. Why is it every time I finally pay off a credit card, I immediately get an e-mail telling me about "more ways to use your credit card" or have my credit limit automatically raised? The credit companies more and more these days act like drug dealers. "Oh, you're trying to get clean? How about one more free sample?"

And I say that as a bank employee. When I pay down my car loan, the bank doesn't try to get me to buy a boat on loan!

Want to Learn About Redistricting?

I just found a game that allows you to practice redistricting and learn about the process. The goal is to teach about redistricting and specifically its abuses. It's an interesting game and fun to play if you like puzzles.

Letterman: Top 10 Messages Left on Barack Obama's Answering Machine

Number 2 was my favorite. I still don't watch this on TV, but enjoy catching up on the Net now and again.

The more things change, the more they remain the same

Gas Prices at Citgo

Gas Prices at Citgo
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Deep Question of the Day

What is the relationship between God and Good? Does God's character define "goodness" (and thus, by definition everything He does is "good") or does Good exist separate from God and thus He can be measured against it?

I have been thinking about this for a long time, and am interested in Mod-Blogger's opinions. Yes, you can tell I was a Philosophy Major in college. This may seem like splitting hairs, but it has real impact on how we judge our own morals and those of others.

It's almost official: Obama is the nominee

So says the Associated Press, among others. Now the race changes in two respects. First, we see how Obama runs against John McCain. Second, we see how Hillary Clinton works to keep herself in the spotlight and keep ahold of power, without the delegate count. Will she find a way to wheedle her way into an Obama cabinet? Will she follow her husband's example of refusing to leave the spotlight? Or will she step back, and become the "loyal opposition" within her own party?

Somehow, I suspect the press will be complicit in any attempt to keep the Clintons front and center. Otherwise, they won't have much to talk about in July.

Carbon Belch Day

In response to green earth alarmists, GrassFire.org has created "Carbon Belch Day". You can even calculate your carbon belch. While I am not a fan of forcing green actions on people, I don't see there being much good in purposefully emitting more carbon into the air. Even if it doesn't do anything harmful, it is a waste.

Senator Clinton set to admit Obama is the nominee tonight

The Hillary Clinton campaign is letting it be known that she plans to use tonight's speech in New York to effectively end her campaign for president, and declare Obama the nominee...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/clinton&printer=1;_ylt=ArXMSwZE._BhlEYO.2mVDEdh24cA

...what is interesting is that she is specifically avoiding using the word "concede", and her aides indicate that she will NOT "suspend" the campaign or declare it actually "over". She appears to be positioning herself for the strongest bargaining position possible for a cabinet position in an Obama administration (maybe VP) or to jump back in if some scandal breaks which derails the Illinois Senator before the Convention.

I think I speak for most Americans - Democratic, Republican, or Other - when I say "Finally." I am ready for a few weeks without political news to catch my breath before the run-up to the Fall Conventions. But I do expect CNN, FoxNews, and others to try to keep their ratings up with speculation about Hillary supporters sabotaging Obama in the election (even though I suspect most will either hold their nose and vote for the big O, or will simply stay home).

Bob Barr's Libertarian Party Acceptance Speech

I am thinking perhaps today is "third party options day" here at Mod-Blog. After finding the Constitution Party nomination speech, I thought I should go out and pull in a few others. Here is Bob Barr from the Libertarian Party. He has better rhetorical skills than McCain, but seems a bit light on content here. Again, I doubt that either Obama or McCain will be watching their backs on this one.

Constitution Party picks a nominee

The Constitution Party, a third party espousing Conservative ideas which is far more isolationist than either of the two majors, has chosen their nominee: Pastor Charles "Chick" Baldwin. While I am supportive of third parties and expanding the choice of the American political system, from the acceptance speech I do not think John McCain has too much to worry about from this particular competitor.

Hillary Supporters Key to a McCain Victory?

Most of us have seen the video of "screaming woman" at the RBC meeting saying that if Obama is the nominee, all of Hillary's supporters will go over to McCain. I have been reading several left-wing bloggers and they seem equally split between those who decry the sentiment because McCain is Pro-life and those who support the sentiment because... well... their priority is getting a woman - any woman - elected.

This makes me wonder if it is possible to find a GOP woman to serve as McCain's VP who can both be enough of a feminist to please Hillary Clinton supporters, and Pro-Life enough to satisfy (please note I did not say "please") Conservatives. I could not think of anyone offhand - most of the likely suspects are too tightly linked to GWB - but if so, this could be the key to a McCain win.

Introverts vindicated! It is okay NOT to express your emotions

After many of the major horrors of the last decade (Columbine, 9/11, Virginia Tech), the talking heads all over television were of one mind. "It is important to express your emotions over these events," they said in one voice. "If you are not speaking to someone about how you are feeling, you are hurting yourself and those around you." Well, it may be that this conventional wisdom is incomplete. Sometimes keeping it to yourself can be the best policy.

Using a large national sample, Seery and co-researchers tested people's responses to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, beginning immediately after the event and continuing for the following two years. In an online survey, respondents were given the chance to express their thoughts and feelings on the day of 9/11 and a few days afterward.

The researchers then compared people who chose to express their thoughts and feelings versus those who chose not to express.

If the assumption about the necessity of expression is correct -- that failing to express one's feelings indicates some harmful repression or other pathology -- then people who chose not to express should have been more likely to experience negative mental and physical health symptoms over time, the researchers point out.

"However, we found exactly the opposite: people who chose not to express were better off than people who did choose to express," Seery says.

Moreover, when the researchers looked only at people who chose to express their thoughts and feelings, and tested the length of their responses, they found a similar pattern. People who expressed more were worse off than people who expressed less.

It should be noted that this does not mean that everyone should be closing themselves down. The study authors themselves note that this really only shows that different people deal with trauma in different ways. An introvert should not be angry at an extrovert for needing to vent, and an extrovert should not be angry at an introvert for working thru their issues internally. Turns out, people really are built differently. Who knew?

The best sight we saw on vacation

I post this both as an example of Flickr Video's new features and because it is too cute. Ward and Muse have much to be proud of in their Wardling... or is she a Museling? Or do we just call her the Cuteling?

Is it bad that I have actually done this to my dogs?