March 28, 2003
I have compiled a list of pros and cons to the war. I have ordered them from most factual to least factual. I would like to keep it simple, if possible. Please provide additions/corrections. Here it is.
article on atheistweb
Check out this article on AtheistWeb - that's scary. My ass it's not a holy war...
March 26, 2003
arguments, in a nutshell.
This is just about every discussion I've had with people who agree with military action in Iraq (frightenly close, in some regards) - I'm glad to see I'm not alone (Thanks Wil for the link).
March 25, 2003
kudos
Kudos to Jessy for making the most of an interesting situation. Last week she discovered she was coming up 7th for a google search of "Iraqi Freedom", and 1st for "Iraqi freedom pictures". This radically drove up traffic to her site. Instead of just posting her standard stuff, she's been posting many times daily on issues dealing with the war from her point of view, as well as allowing people with different views the ability to post also. There's a lot of interesting stuff there...check it out.
March 24, 2003
gary and emily
Many congratulations to Gary and Emily, who have finally set down plans to tie the knot. I like a party, and this is gonna be a great one. Good work you crazy kids!
Evanescence
I love it when I like a group, download some of their music, like them even better, then find a Meat Loaf mention on their website. Holy shit, damn damn woo!
And now, the lyrics to Evanescence's "October", a song I randomly found online (I'm glad I did!), but had a hell of a time locating lyrics for. They're hand transcribed, but pretty close. I'm sure others will come here looking. It's the Michael Doss Amazing Song Of The Week!
Remind me to tell you a story about this girl named Carrie I knew one time. This song kinda reminds me of her.
October
I can’t run anymore
I fall before you
Here I am
I have nothing left
Though I’ve tried to forget
You’re all that I am
Take me home
I’m through fighting the earth
Open my *flowers?*
I give up
You’re my only strength
Without you I can’t go on
Anymore ever again
[Chorus]
my only hope
my only peace
my only joy
my only strength
[bg]
all the times ive tried
to walk away from you
i fall into your abounding grace
and love is where i am
I can’t run anymore
I give myself to you
I’m sorry
I’m sorry
In all my bitterness
I ignored all that’s real and true
All I need is you
When night falls on me
I’ll not close my eyes
*Until the light?*
And you’re too strong
I can’t lie anymore
I fall down before you
I’m sorry
I’m sorry
[Chorus]
my only hope
my only peace
my only joy
my only strength
[bg]
all the times ive tried
to walk away from you
i fall into your abounding grace
and love is where i am
Constantly ignoring
Pain consuming me
But this time it’s not a duty
I’ll never stray again
[Chorus]
my only hope
my only peace
my only joy
my only strength
[bg]
all the times ive tried
to walk away from you
i fall into your abounding grace
and love is where i am
I’ve loved my only *now?*
[Chorus]
my only hope
my only peace
my only joy
my only strength
[bg]
all the times ive tried
to walk away from you
i fall into your abounding grace
and love is where i am
Transcribed by Rick Baxter.
March 22, 2003
shantar!
A very happy 72nd birthday to Bill Shatner - still going strong after all these years.
March 20, 2003
again, why the liberals?
Alright folks, I'm sick and tired of all the shit celebrities are getting for being anti-war. They, like you and me, are US citizens. They have a right for free speech, and as far as I'm concerned, have a responsibility as Americans to participate/be aware of their government.
There is an amazing amount of hate mail, conservative whining, and nay saying going around about these Americans expressing their opinions. Why? Because they're Hollywood celebrities, and the conservative camp seems to think that means they're not entitled to either expressing anti-war sentiment, or using their celebrity to do so and further the cause. Just like being an American comes with responsibilities (like voting, watching your government, and speaking up), being well known also implies some duty. One of these duties is using your celebrity to help the world. Many don't do this, and there's no crime in that (just as there's no crime in not voting). But when Charlton Heston feels strongly about gun rights, or Richard Gere has an interest in a free Tibet, they use their fame to further their cause. This isn't just because they have a relationship with the causes they're fighting for, but because their fight will get media attention long before mine will, simply because they're well known.
Does this qualify anyone who's appeared in an Episode of "Law and Order" to run for president? No it doesn't. It does, however, allow for the furthering of popular causes. As Americans, we're all uniquely qualified to speak on American politics - we're part of the system. Celebrities on both side of the spectrum have been doing this as long as there have been celebrities. It's their right as people in the public eye, and as Americans.
So why all the harsh words against Hollywood liberals? As stated, there's the perception that they're "just" actors. However, many have been fighting for social causes longer than the conservative voices putting them down have been doing what they do. To lambaste Martin Sheen as just a "dumb celebrity who really thinks he is the president" is to be woefully ignorant of the both the man and his history with social causes. The same goes for Richard Gere, Mike Farrell, Wil Wheaton and Susan Sarandon. All of them, and many others, are socially aware Americans, not just actors "using their fame" to express what many consider to be an ignorant opinion.
Further, are the opinions of Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh any more valid than those of liberals speaking out against war? All three are journalists and/or talk show hosts - they have no foreign policy experience or time served in government. They also all claim to be impartial reporters of "facts" - 10 minutes of exposure to their respective shows will dispel this myth. Sheen, Dustin Hoffman and Robin Williams don't fool listeners into believing they provide media balance, they're Americans speaking about something close to their hearts. Conservative broadcasters are no more qualified than actors; they're all equally entitled to their opinions and to use their fame as any Americans.
There also appears to be a good deal of bitterness and sour grapes about the issue, and this goes beyond war debates to something much more simple - liberals vs. conservatives. In this country, the fight to free slaves, the fight for equal rights, the fight for suffrage, the fight for gay rights - these have always been liberal causes. While conservatives have come around in time (witness the republican response to Trent Lott, for example), it has always been the liberals of the time fighting these battles. So when a new fight comes to the forefront, and liberals, again, rally against a viewed injustice, conservatives fight it. Perhaps it's reactionary, or perhaps it's jealousy of having no new world-changing things to fight for themselves. Whatever the cause, conservatives defend their position against the liberal cause, often by bashing those fighting it. The anti-war effort is just the latest case.
Finally, the backlash may simply be an attempt to feel better about themselves, as such high numbers of Americans (and non-Americans) are against the war. When you're trying to champion a violent cause for a perceived "greater good", you need to defend yourself against dissenting voices. I've heard arguments of "only" one million people protesting, and that being a low percentage of Americans, so only 1 in 300 people must be against the war. But in any protest, most supporters don't actively participate, and most don't march. This is true for all causes. Having over a million people on one weekend is immense - London saw their largest protest ever, as did many other cities, both here and abroad.
The liberal voices in Hollywood are loud because they can be - any group looking to further a cause is going to find the best way to get their message across, whether that's letting the guy with the bullhorn speak, or putting a celebrity on the stage to express why she feels the way she does. Both liberals and conservatives have done this in the past, and continue to do this today. Why only liberal celebrities are getting bashed is open for debate, but usually personal and non-issue attacks are centered more around a weak argument than anything else.
(This is a repost of an earlier entry. I thought it was again relevant. Thanks Jessy for the wealth of traffic.)
agree with wil
I agree with Wil.
In other words, War Sucks.
According to news agencies, stocks have been falling due to "war fears." To what should we attribute future stock drops now that we are at war? Reuters is reporting Stocks Fall on Worries Over Length of War. I didn't read the article, but I assume that a lengthy war is what investors do not want. And for some reason they think this war will be lengthy. Hence falling stocks.
If you have inside knowledge that the war will be quick, now's your chance to make a killing on the stock market.
March 17, 2003
webcams
Made some changes to the page in regards to the cams. The Livecam! is the only one left on the main page, and you'll notice the link to the the new cams page, which also include a link to view all 4 (yes, I added a forth, the "lampcam!", taped on the torch lamp in the corner of my room) in one pretty view. Enjoy!
Oh, and war sucks.
Breaking News: United States to strike Iraq. UN withdraws inspectors. Supranos's James Gandolfini strikes a deal with HBO.
March 15, 2003
the past
Today, I fell into the past. I started listening to KZSC again, looking up old radio station buddies, finding this, wondering why I can remember some things from college as clearly as I remember 2 hours ago, while whole chunks of my expirience I don't remember unless reminded. Weird thing, the mind.
March 14, 2003
A member of the House of Representatives was fired/resigned because he said:
If it were not for the strong support of the Jewish community for this war with Iraq, we would not be doing this."
I'm glad I don't get fired for saying stupid things. I'd have to find a new job every year or so, not to mention the loss of productivity from devoting 25% of my brain power to "PC patrol".
it's pi day!
It's pi day! (March 14th = 3 14). Take a minute and think about your favorite math teacher at 1:59 today (3 14 159). You can also send a pi day card, sing pi day songs, teach pi day to your students, see a web page dedicated to pi, see millions of digits of pi, and last but not least, check out "Another Slice Of Pi".
If you'd like to join me for pie tonight, email me!
March 13, 2003
Aside from seeing a post on this site every once in a while, I do not know who Itzmejessy is. As a matter of fact, I not 100% sure if Itzmejessy is male or female. So you can imagine my suprise when Itzmejessy appeared on amazon.com as my "favorite person." [I didn't even know about "favorite people" until I spotted Itzmejessy today hanging out near my gold box.] Who are you, Itzmejessy and how did you become my "favorite person"?
March 12, 2003
Elizabeth Smart was found alive today and her kidnapper was arrested. Here are some CNN quotes about Richard Ricci, a man who did not kidnap Elizabeth:
"Richard has not been forthcoming in answering where the car was, what the car was doing away from the shop," Smart said.
Police say Ricci, 48, a handyman who once worked in the Smart home, is a focus of their investigation
Ricci, whose criminal record goes back 30 years, ...
The FBI confiscated a tan golf-style hat that appears to match the description of one worn by the man who abducted...
Ricci died from a brain hemorrhage two months after the abduction:
Police Chief Rick Dinse said Wednesday that if Ricci dies, it could have a "big impact" on the Smart investigation.
I have to give CNN credit for not putting the word "hurt" in quotation marks for this headline:
Utah handyman: I would not hurt a child
woohoo
Woohoo! I'm famous!
Well, not really, but I'm in the paper.
March 11, 2003
pi day!
Friday is Pi day (March (3) 14th). Join us for the festivities! We'll be eating pie and geeking out.
March 10, 2003
been a while...
Howdy folks. As the stories started to disappear from my front page, I realized I've been slow on my posting lately. This tends to happen until I redistribute my time, especially since I just got a new job. Some quickies:
When I read the headline Al Qaeda chiefs 'met in December', I couldn't help but use my index and middle fingers to make the quotation mark gesture.
March 04, 2003
new job
It only took 3 months off, but I got a new job today - I'll be working with content research with the OC Register. This is very exciting, as I've wanted to work in media again since I left radio, and I loved doing research with my past employers. The job also pays well, too. If the job's fun/exciting/interesting (it certainly looks as if it will be), then I've hit gold.
In other news, it's Fat Tuesday. Go out, eat, drink and be merry. Also, if any ladies would like to send a picture of their breasts, I'll mail you some beads. Thanks!
In still other news, did you know that some people pierce their third nipples? Amazing!
March 02, 2003
quotes
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." - Teddy Roosevelt
"It’s a terrible thing to say and it’s unfortunate. There are reminders to all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do, and this is not the time for remarks like that; there never is." - Ari Fleischer