No, You're Not at the Wrong Blog

I know the changes might be shocking, but take them in. I still have everything securly backed up and if this design turns out to not be working, I can always change back. But we're almost a year old and I wanted to try some new things out. I learned A LOT by doing this and it will help me to run the site better in the future, whether I keep this new look or not.

With that said, I'm open to comments. Keep in mind that I put a lot of time into this so be gentle but honest. I still have some other things that I need to work on, like text coloring for various staff members and so on. But hopefully I'll figure that part out sooner rather than later.

The Media and the Pope

The recent flare-up over Bill Clinton's comments concerning the Pope highlight a real issue for me. Clinton, when asked about the Pope's legacy, replied that the Pope would have a "mixed legacy" because he had been a brave reformer but had made mistakes. I agree with his statement.

But the press got a hold of the quote and suddenly Clinton was colored as having been negative about John Paul II. A brief but intense firestorm came up and Clinton eventually recanted, claiming that he meant only that the Pope had done both conservative and liberal things during his reign. In other words, he changed his words to back off.

Why? Why is it wrong to dare suggest that someone, even the Pope, has made mistakes? Now that the Pope has died, it is no longer "fair" to critize him. The only way that we can hope to do better in the future is by remembering the past appropriately. If we whitewash the record, then we will not learn. Even more annoying, the conservatives in the blogsphere have been leading the call for groupthink here. Across the web, conservatives have labled anyone who dares to speak one word against the Pope as a bigot. This Pope has made mistakes and achieved great victories, there is no reason to not acknowledge the truth of this Pope's legacy. I will say it: this Pope's legacy will be mixed. I will not recant and that's the way it is.

TSA Going the Way of All Flesh?

My first flight on an airplane was a few weeks after 9/11, so I watched with interest as Congress quickly threw together the Transportation Safety Authority to centralize the security functions surrounding airports. I remember the brouhaha when people began actually scrutinizing the backgrounds of airport screeners and found many were ex-cons or known drug dealers. I remember clearly the efforts to ensure every suitcase and carryon for airplanes were scanned, and searched as needeed. All of these went a long way toward reassuring the nation that air travel could be safe again. Well, now it appears the TSA is being phased out altogether!

Most of the important functions are being taken over by the Department of Homeland Security, so the travelers experience should not change all that much. The real concern now is that it appears airport screeners will soon again be hired by private comanies instead of the Feds. In theory, there is nothing wrong with this. But the last time around, the private sector did a singularly poor job of this, hiring unqualified or even illegal workers. After all, who really wants a low-paying job where you have to put up with customer complaints ALL DAY LONG, if you don't have the pensions and job security of the Federal system?

Low-Carb Monster?

I never thought I'd get a chance to use that Cookie Monster smilie. Apparently, the Nomad is not the only one looking to eat differently. It seems that the big blue thing is eating healthy now, and reterming cookies as "sometimes foods."

My beloved blue, furry monster -- who sang "C is for cookie, that's good enough for me" -- is now advocating eating healthy. There's even a new song -- "A Cookie Is a Sometimes Food," where Cookie Monster learns there are "anytime" foods and "sometimes" foods.
"Sacrilege!" I cried. "That's akin to Oscar the Grouch being nice and clean." (Co-workers gave me strange looks. But I didn't care.)
Truglio said "Sesame Street" also will introduce new characters, such as talking eggplants and carrots, and offer parodies, such as "American Fruit Stand." Even guest stars will address healthy activities, such as Alicia Keys talking and singing about the importance of physical activity.

I guess it is no weirder than watching Oscar's worm do push-ups. Then again, one has to wonder if it is preferable to reduce the time spent teaching about letters and numbers for the sake of vegetables. Oh, well. It is still more educational than the average American public school.

PSP Update - EB Comes Thru!!!

After telling me that I would not be seeing a new PSP for a month or two, EB surprised me with a phone call today - MY REPLACEMENT PSP WAS IN! After only a few days! So I picked it up (they even let me keep the bonus Spider-Man 2 movie which did NOT come with the replacement) and it is charging now. Well, done Electonics Boutique.

Oh, and and Dell is selling 1 GB Memory Stick Duos for uner $100. That is a GREAT deal and a good way to ensure you can fit an entire multi-hour TV show onto your PSP.

Prophecy Mania

Whenever something as grand as a Pope dying happens, it's bound to bring up all manner of prophetic and eschatological concern out of the wood. Consider these two stories here and here. It's not unusual for this to happen. And they do make for some interesting reading, to say the least.

Frog Watch

Apparently, the French are finding themselves crushed under someone's boots yet again. Will they even bother with a resistance this time?