Friday, March 31, 2006

Thank You Paul

Read this first.
And then...

Paul over at Powerline has this to say about a post that was written earlier by John on that same blog, and I couldn't have said it better myself.

Condi Speaks To Thousands Of Mistakes

While in Blackburn...
Or is that while in Rome?
Whatever.
One should apparently give a speech acknowledging that along with warfare, comes mistakes.
Really?
I imagine that there have been many more thousands of mistakes in all of the previous wars, and honestly I am kind of globally offended that she needed to say this.
And I don't doubt that she did.
As a staunch fan of the S.O.S I respect the decisions she makes, but I can already see lots of people turning this into some sort of tactical defeat for the administration.
Which is simply not what is being said.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Some Of The Best News

If you haven't already heard, which by now you damn well should have, Jill Carroll has been freed. After 82 days of POWness, of course that's not a word, but you get the point, she has been released.

This is beautiful. I am ecstatic, overjoyed.
I seriously am having a hard time writing this post right now because so many had given up on the idea of Jill ever returning.
But she's back folks.
And if you want a story of a true hero, read up on Jill Carroll.
She's safe.

Dr. Helen... I agree

If you click on this you will be sent to Dr. Helen's blog.
Dr Helen is the wife of Glenn Reynolds and is no intellectual slouch herself.
In this post she links to a geekiness test that you all should take cause it's fun and atimeconsuming.
I like Dr. Helen, ranked "Heading Towards Geekdom," and I am proud of it. Damnit.

Anyway, she also talks about how she just bought a nano and how much she loves it.
While I don't have the nano, I do have the 30 gig, and I must say, I absolutely adore it. Seriously, one of the best purchases I have ever made. If you are in that weird limbo stage of do I want it, do I not want it... Just get it.
Trust me, you will thank me.

So far the greatest thing about itunes is their free podcasts. I subscribe to more than I can count and I feel like I am in touch with every genre of anything going right now. And it's free.

But that's just so far.
I mean I have the piddly thirty gig, I have 3196 songs and 19 videos on it and I am just over half the storage space available. When I got home with it, I was feeling a little uncomfortable with the fact that I had just spent $385 for everything (case and charger included).
Then my roomate and I figured out that with the amount of gigs on the ipod, it could hold roughly $28000 worth of songs (at an average price of $14 an album).
$28000. Holy Schnike, that's a lot of money.
So yeah, I felt better after that and my ipod and I have been smooth sailing since then and have never looked back.
Seriously, I wear it as though it were a piece of clothing at this point. I put it on before I leave the house and I don't take it off until I come home at night.
I am probably going deaf, but oh well. What?

Anyhow, get one and read Dr. Helen's post cause she is a smart woman and an enjoyable read.

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

My Fill Of The Daily Kos

I watched this video earlier.
And while nothing really struck me as particularly poignant initially, I did see what is usually always to be seen with partisanship.
In a subtle fashion, the radical liberal left is no different than the radical conservative right.
And though I believe (however optimistically) that I was coming to an opinion worth writing on this issue, I fear Justin Gardner, whom I have vast amounts of respect for at this point, has beaten me to the punch (in this post on Donklephant).

I would just like to add for the record that I knew there was something that didn't sit well with me as far as Kos is concerned the moment I read his profile on his site.
Much like Hugh Hewitt, he just kinda creeps me out.

The Soldiers Say That Time Is Drawing Nigh

At least according to the Christian Science Monitor.
They report that "of 944 military respondents throughout Iraq," that "72 percent of US troops favor withdrawal within the next year."

If this is true then they will be hard pressed to sway a hard-nosed President who has said that it will be up to future Presidents in both countries to complete that task.

I hope the numbers aren't completely true, for the soldiers sake.

The Letter To Frist

Raul Grijalva, Congressman for Tucson Az (Yay) and thirty one other senators sent this letter to Bill Frist, House Majority leader, pleaing on their part for a just and comprehensive approach to immigration reform; bulletpointing some potential options and suggestions for how to go about the business.

I don't know...
Should we take a improvised and merciful approach to the whole immigration thing? Or should we just build the Great Wall of America?
Nothing in between? No?
We'll see.

P.S. To The "Let's Paint The State Red" Post

If you read a little farther down you will come across a review by this person, in which the opening sentence states:

First, I am pleased to point out that this book was reportedly edited by the great Ben Domenech, whose work at the Washington Post has brought so much glory to the conservative movement.

Is this the same Ben Domenech who was under so much fire for plagiarism that he had to resign his post?

Just curious.

Let's Paint The State Red?

I was on Instapundit earlier, just catching up and I followed a link to Amazon to check out the goings on of Hugh Hewitt's new book "Painting the Map Red: The Fight to Create a Permanent Republican Majority."
I will probably get it, though I usually don't agree with Hewitt's conservative zeal. It kinda creeps me out.
Anyhow, what disturbed me about what I saw was the first customer review you come across. I would link to it but it is the same link I used for Hewitt's book.
You can read it there, but I will also lay it out here.

Bourne in the USA "Bourne Again" writes:
"A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question about it." George Bush told Business Week, July 30th, 2001. This book brilliantly lays out the plan for how we can help achieve the President's vision. A one-party state would bring all three branches of Government into harmonious alignment. Checks and balances may have been ok for an isolated collection of 13 colonies in the 18th century, but they are a luxury that the 21st century's only super power can ill afford. Following the road map Hewitt perceptively lays out here will ultimately consolidate the Bush legacy in a strong executive in charge of a streamlined State. Without opposition from within, the State can move forthrightly forward in matters of national security (wire tapping, for instance) and implement a domestic agenda that reflects majoritorian Will (making the 10 Commandments the laws of the land!) A State that does not have to bow to dissent, diversity or demonic Democrat interest groups will govern more efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, the coming Republican hegemony will not only put an end to the bitter partisanship that has threatened to tear our country apart but will also lower the cost of elections as fewer and fewer races become contestable, fewer people have reason to vote, and fewer ballots need to be printed. Three big cheers for Hugh for helping to drive the blue out of the red, white and blue."


Excuse me?
Whether Bush actually said the dictatorship thing to Business weekly or not (as no proof is herein provided and I don't wish to do the research as it is here unnecessary ), I'm sure that Mr. "Bourne Again" is taking it out of context. I am no fervent Bush supporter, but I don't think it is his vision to see this country turn to dictatorship, at least I hope not.
Now if you wish to see a STATE, in which streamlined leadership reigns supremely with effective and efficient executive power, that's fine. That is a political view, and people are entitled to those as I am mine, but to say that we would be free from the fetters of diversity, that seems a little red to me, and not the same red the Republicans tote.
To wish to see fewer and fewer people vote, and to praise it as a cost efficient practice, that also seems a little red.
Ultimately this whole piece makes me feel kind of like I did while reading Mein Kampf, even if it is in a much more insipid fashion.
I am not implying anything other than the fact that this is one man's opinion, and he is entitled just the same as Pat Robertson, but my opinion is that Mr. "Bourne Again" is not alone.
And that is a scary, scary thought.
What I hope he can someday realize is that it is that precise mixture of Red, White and Blue that affords him such opinions without fear, or pain of death.
It is that same diversity that has produced that technology, which developed that very computer on which he paints his red.
Which, as a moderate I may venture to say is probably not the same red that even Hugh Hewitt dons. Again, I at least hope not.

And if this is the reward that being born again brings, then I am fine with the life that all of my diverse fellow Americans, both past and present, bled and sweat to build for me.
I am an American, and that means this America, not the Isolated Dictatorship of America.
I'm not red and I'm not blue.
I'm all three.

Monday, March 27, 2006

Pro Hart Dies

A sad day for the international art community.
Read hear for some silver lining to this cloud.

Pro, you will be missed

An Unintended German Theme

Apparently in Germany, because of a new law, a music pirate is pretty much viewed as a pirate of old where you will have to walk the plank if you can't remember how to say parlay.

Not really, but up to five years in prison? That seems a bit harsh to me.

And I hate the idea of music theft.
Really, I have bought every bit of music I own.
I can't stand the idea of robbing a musician of his dinner.
And I'm not real sure why, as I continually grow a gradual apathy, which turns into mistrust, which turns into general distaste, towards art.

Oh well, perhaps over time I will grow to not care at all, but as of now I do.

Ah To Be German

Apparently the Deutschlanders are uber intelligent.
At least according to Prof. Richard Lynn, who by frolicking around in the world of human intelligence is not surprisingly under some scrutiny.

The Brits aren't at the point I would have judged them to be. Tsk Tsk.
Perhaps Blair should try splicing some different genes:>

Anywho, this is a fun little article.

I'm Moving To Macedonia

Not really. I would love to visit,
but not as much as I would love to see this happen here.

HAHAHA, right?

One can dream.

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Evidence Everywhere

Again, and again and again, this is yet another of the reasons I am going into genetics.
Genetics will have one purpose and one purpose only riding into the future:
to make things better.
All things.

I can't wait.

More On Global Warming

Here
It seems as though we have a lot on the plates of our near future.
H5N1 first and then the global warming thing.
How are we going to make time?

Thursday, March 23, 2006

A Great Post

I heartily agree with Atrios, who runs Eschaton where I pulled this post from, that Digby is quite the blogger.
As can be seen by reading this, a phenomenal post on the state of the mainstream media.

But what really caught me was about halfway through and it was a quote.
Something Rush Limbaugh said.
Oh alright, I'll paste it...

Limbaugh: "We just had Stephen Breyer saying, oh, yeah, totally appropriate, we must import what they're doing around the world in other democracies, it will help buttress their attempt to establish the rule of law, and we might learn something, too. Well, here's something I'd like to import. I'd like to import the ability that the Brits are doing to export and deport a bunch of hate-rhetoric filled mullahs and imams that are stoking anti-American sentiment. Wouldn't it be great if anyone who speaks out against this country, to kick them out of the country? Anybody that threatens this country, kick 'em out. We'd get rid of Michael Moore, we'd get rid of half the Democratic Party if we would just import that law. That would be fabulous. The Supreme Court ought to look into this. Absolutely brilliant idea out there."

Excuse me?
Is this not one of the major social figures representing the GOP?
Does he understand that we have a Constitution?
Has he ever heard of said Constitution, which protects HIM from all of the things that he just advocated for?
Seems like a 101 question but after hearing the voice of the Gop in all of its magnificent glory, I wonder.
Perhaps the Michael Moores and Harry Reids of the country are not the only ones who can be deemed anti-American.
After all Mr. Limbaugh, those others at least left me feeling like we had such a thing as fore-fathers and that they toiled and sweat and bled to write the Constitution for me.
You seem to be alright with spitting on that notion and throwing away all that makes us a Democracy.
Good Luck and Good Night.
I wish you a fond farewell.

Distrust In The Making

See, it's everyday.
Everyday wonderful things like this come up and one begins to realize that the blogger's distrust and distaste of mainstream media really is grounded in something.

These big papers have the time and the resources, much more so than bloggers anyway, to do the research to ensure that they are telling the truth.
Why wouldn't you tell it?

The only plausible answer I can think of to that question is that they are pushing an agenda.
Which is all fine and good (except for not because there are rules and codes of conduct against that sort of thing) but isn't that the same thing they accuse bloggers of?

Being too one sided and not having all of the facts. We may not have all the facts, but it must be pretty embarrassing for these big papers to have to say; yeah, we are best equipped to acquire the facts, but print falsely anyway.
Just tell the truth, even if it is good news (heaven forbid) I know you have it in you.

Where To Start

This article is ripe with controversy, self-contradiction, terror and disgust.
And if the statistics are correct, then something damn well should be done and soon.

Someone's Miffed

Here is what Senator Bill Frist has to say about Senator Reid's spew in his interview with Wolf Blitzer yesterday.

Along with a host of other critiques of the House Minority Leader and his party.
(Pulled from Instapundit.)

Entertainment Central

I just read this over at donklephant.
The post itself is eh, whatever.
But the ensuing debate via the comments between Michael (not so middle) Reynolds and Tall (Paul Bunyan) John, is pretty classic.

Had me enthralled. Enjoy.

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

A Persons Personal

This is for anonymous commenter who apparently wishes to hear of the daily happenings of the inherently boring.

I just re-strung my guitar.
It has been so long since I have played that I fear I have forgotten.
I will soon attempt to recall the few songs that I have written, and with any luck I will realize that I am still a guitar player.

Outside of that I am still just a dork sitting at his computer posting on things that should be left alone.

Cheerio.

I Don't Know

Isn't the future promised to the conservatives?
Because of their patrilineage and family values.

Michael Stickings at the Moderate Voice seems to have found evidence otherwise.

Read all about it here.

It's Getting Hot In Here

Here is a little something on the state of global warming;
and apparently Jesus has decided that this is a relevant issue.
Usher in the redemption.
Let's watch the Co2 emissions melt away.
More seriously though, this is a good article and it should open some eyes among the non-believers in the global warming debate.

At least I hope.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

I Know I Know I Know

I recently got a comment telling me that I needed to quit all of this political bs, as she put it, and start posting more on the St Patty's Day experiences of my life.

Let me just say that I couldn't agree more.
And if interesting things actually happened to me I would be glad to post them.

Fact of the matter is I lead a pretty boring life.
I had the one interesting post from spring break, and that was cool, but I spent the rest of the time reading.
I mean literally the REST OF THE TIME.
I read two books completely and read two others enough of the way through to call completely by contemporary standards.

That is my life. If you would like to hear of the wonderful adventures of the man who seems to have lost his adventure drive, then I will be happy to recount those.

But be careful what you wish for.

And On The Lighter Side

Ben Harper's new album "Both Sides of the Gun" came out today.
And if you know anything about selfregeneration, you will buy this album.

Harper is the songwriter that songwriters listen to.
I know, because I listen to him.

Trust me, get this album.

Wachowski From A to V

I just saw V for Vendetta, and while I had no idea that the Wachowski brothers were in any way involved with the film until the end; I think I subconsciously knew it from the start.

It is not The Matrix reincarnate. And though I am a vehement Matrix fan (yes all three, color me underground mainstream) this was a very good thing.

I also must confess that I know virtually nothing of the comic either. Only the basic time period, which I believe was the mid to late eighties.

The timing of release for such a storyline was poignant, casting the United States as these war mongers bent on ridding the world of tyranny, while subtly ensuing their own demise only to have an uber British dictatorship rise to the occasion and ruefully save the day.

Then enters V.
Hugo Weavings voice and what you hope to be his body. Clever is the idea of the perfect hero villain, the perfect benevolent mastermind, bent on healing the woes of the world through ideological chaos. Ironic never looked so sexy.

Speaking of sexy, Natalie Portman, despite her failed English accent was quite stunning in a performance that after having seen, I couldn't imagine another woman, or man coming close to filling the "Oh look at me" damsel in distress turned Milla Jovovich.
Still on the sexy thing, the Brits (the real ones I mean, Weaving included) made for some of the overall tantalizing and titillating lineup any crude American accented person could hope for. Sexy

Overall the film receives thumbs.
Well worth what the theater is overcharging you for. Promise.

Monday, March 20, 2006

I Feel All Too Human

I am becoming more and more, if not there already, a transhumanist.
And like Glenn Reynolds I hold a very optimistic point of view towards the human race.
We are transcending biology in an exponential way, and the technology of it all is phenomenal.

However, it is not all smooth sailing as I come across institutions like this, who use videos like this to propagate their values.

I have witnessed something tonight that I would like to never have witnessed. I would like to have remained among the millions to never have to realize life in such terms.
That was stripped from me tonight and now I have to deal with humanity.
As a reporter of the truth of the matter, obligated to show what I have seen, I strongly urge you to not watch the videos that I am sure by now you have already seen, and I am sorry.

I am sorry that as humans we are capable of such humanity.
I truly am sorry, in the dictionary sense of the word.

Sunday, March 19, 2006

A Little Difference In Opinion

Current Vice President Dick Cheney says no.
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi says yes.

Who to believe?
Allawi points out that "We are losing each day as an average 50 to 60 people throughout the country, if not more. If that is not civil war, then God knows what civil war is."
But Cheney says, "What we have seen is a serious effort by them to foment civil war, but I don't think they have succeeded."

It is difficult to distinguish which argument is closer to reality while not being present in the situation.
And I in no way have an agenda to push on this issue for that reason.

But the reality is, the majority of us (Americans) have to deal with the war, in all of its political glory from afar. And thus are given the choice to either rely on the opinions of top officials, or not. So, who to believe?

We do have blogs like Iraq the Model, and the slew of Iraq blogs bookmarked on that page. And while these are great wells of information, they are still only surrogates of that information which cast certain experienced bias upon the reporting they do. They can't help it, it's natural.

Then,who to believe?
I suppose I'll just continue on for a while without fully developing an opinion on the matter. Listening to the lobbying on all sides and trying to grasp the angles.
That's not such a bad position I guess.
Pardon these musings of a centrist detached.

Evidence For Cosmic Inflation

This is a great article on the discoveries being made on the behavior of the universe after the initial bang.

The scientists say that if research can be kept alive for the next few years they may gain the "'smoking gun' confirmation of the concept, known as inflation."

Let's hope they get the funding.

Not What You Normally Hear

Here is an article from the Washington Post, which gives the accounts of some of the veterans of the Iraq war and their memories of the last 3 years of combat.

I am glad this reporting is being done in the Washington Post.
Because it is not the kind of reporting we are used to in regards to the War.

A Bit Of History

Justin Gardner over at The Moderate Voice found this lost, ancient interview with Bruce Lee back in 1971.

And I am very happy that he did.
It's an incredible interview.

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Aren't These People Reporters

I was over at the Mudville Gazette reading a little Greyhawk news, and had to ask myself, with these papers and their journalists, doing this "reporting," can these people really be trained to do this for a living?

I read and hear more everyday that the MSM sucks and that blogs should be your main source of information; and it does and they are, I don't disagree.

But I guess somewhere in the conclaves of my melon I still harbor the idea that big media is, and should be good at what they're doing.
And they should be able to give me a reason to trust what they say.
But, as can be seen in Greyhawk's post, they consistently prove me wrong.
Oh well.

The Day After

And I am singing the hangover blues.
And why is it that whenever you live in a complex of any sort (I live in a townhouse type thing with parallel buildings and a courtyard in between), the maintenance men feel it necessary to do their yardwork at 7 in the morning, right outside your window, THE DAY AFTER ST PATRICK'S DAY.
Son of a B.

Anyway, I awoke this morning with Instapundit and thought this was cool.
This type of thing is the major theme in Glenn's book, An Army Of Davids; and shows evidence of some hope that maybe our government is catching on.
Maybe they're realizing that the real power lies in the hands of the Davids.

Happy St Patrick's Day All

I just returned from a night of painting the town green.
I have never officially celebrated St Patty's day in the adult bars, and I gotta say, it was great.

I met the most intriguing woman tonight.
Her name is Margot.
She is originally from Chicago and is now studying photography.
We danced for hours to the crappiest funk cover band in the universe.
It's been a long time since I have had a girl hold on to me like that; like there was nothing else to hang onto. I was it.
It felt like I took the house with 21; impossible, but perfect.

We are going out to dinner tomorrow night. I can't wait.

Sorry guys, this will officially be, I think, the first post on the Positivity without a link.
Making it the very first strict opinion piece.
I will do all in my power to make it the last, for it is a difficult task to prove that this kind of reporting stands up to my mission statement.

But I had a great night, and I hope you can all share a wonderful St Patrick's day with me.

UPDATE:
As the new day matures I begin to hope that she really is an intriguing girl, and that I wasn't just too drunk to notice otherwise.
When you think with your, we'll say emotion, as I was last night, you tend to add the word intriguing to things that would not otherwise merit such descriptors.
But when you wake up the next day and the headache starts to fade, you begin thinking with your brain again; and have to question your motives of the previous evening.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

A Good Read

I am reading like 13 books at the same time (ok so it's more like 3), and I try and make it a point not to do that;
and I feel like given the things I typically read, I should devote the time and energy that such great works deserve.

But I am on spring break and I am trying to fit in all of the fun side reading possible.
Anyway, I am a little more than halfway through An Army Of Davids, by Glenn Reynolds.
I have to say, it is quite inspiring.

Glenn consistently gives detailed and proven examples throughout the text that really make you sit back and say, yeah; this technological revolution that I more often than not take for granted really does give me the power to rebel. And to rebel in the most sophisticated manner.

I have not completed it yet, so a full review is still to come. But unless Glenn really screws up in the second half of the book, I think it will be thumbs all around.

This Is Hysterical

I read this over at The Agonist and laughed.
But when I stopped laughing I asked myself if Mrs., or Ms., or whatever the hell she is Simpson, turns down an invitation to meet the President, is that really an indication of the majority's attitude toward the state of the union.

Reality TV is big and all, and so are her assets, but I doubt that this is any indication that the overall American public is ready to lynch the finch, as Mr. Kelly implies in his post.

At least I hope not, I would be sad.
I would probably want a divorce!

It's A Good Change

You would think that with the evolution of Christianity, this kind of thing would have stopped at oh I don't know...Leprosy.

But hey, God has to expel his wrath on someone right?
Who better suited than the terminally ill.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Novel? Perhaps

Take a look at this.
I like to think I am a centered libertarian, who leans a little to the right.
See my nation, which I govern to the best of my ability according to my respective virtues.

So this centrist forum seems like a good idea to me.
What do you think?

A Little Anti Anti War

Callimachus brings us this at donklephant.
I have heard these same arguments from anti war people; claiming to have known some three and a half years ago where we would be post Saddam Iraq.

That they always said there were no weapons, that there never really was any threat, and that we were only blackening our reputation by being there in the first place.

Yet, as Mr. Cal points out, they never really have any proof of this.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

I'm Telling You

I'm in love with this woman.
And given this, who could not be.

Update: P.S. Happy Pi day

Alright

This is all fine and good and disturbing, potentially;
if it's true.

The problem lies in the "source familiar with the White House."
I understand that in journalism there are anonymous sources that speak out all of the time, and their voices are published. That's fine.

But as a blogger reading a blog, I say that this article holds no credibility until I know who the source is.

If I knew that, and knew that all of what is being said is true, I could begin to fight the good fight along side those who know that there is mischief afoot.
Until then I remain the lonely skeptic.

Writing From The Hip

Scott Burgess at the Daily Ablution, picks apart an article written in the independent Today, which tries to generalize, and then sully the name of the better blogosphere.

And Mr. Burgess, I agree.

Monday, March 13, 2006

Thank You Glenn....

For very nearly scaring the @#$% out of me at 3 in the morning when I first read this.

It is a little disturbing, but I don't know that I fully care.
What is more, I am not convinced that I should.

More H5N1 News

Instapundit has this latest on the Avian Flu.
It is beginning to become frightening as it begins to become more and more realistic.

I hope everyone can see that.

The Goings On

I am currently enjoying a week and a half off for spring break.
How nice.

I thought I would take the extra time to research a side project.
So I decided to look into day trading.
I found this book, among many others of course that are currently guiding me through the beginner's obstacles, and with any luck I should be doing this part time within a month or so.
I also have a friend who has been doing it part time for a while and doesn't do too shabby for himself. So my interest is not completely random.

It's pretty intense, from what I have read thus far. Certainly not for the weak of heart.
More for those with and iron fortitude, an entrepreneurial drive, and a complete lack of interest with being in debt and/or failing at anything.

I think I am all of these things, but time will tell I suppose.

But that is what I am wasting my spring break on.
Could be worse, could be in Mexico.

I didn't see that

Political Wire has this to say on the recent republican rally in Memphis.

I didn't realize, to this extent, that the Hillary Clinton candidacy was such a threat to everyone.
Give the article a read and see where you stand, no matter what side you stand on.

Interesting Economics

Read this over at Donklephant.
There will need to much more study and evidence before I begin to think in a changing of the tides mindset, but it's an interesting theory none the less.

Good News

Gateway Pundit points out the fatality rate in Iraq for the month of march so far, and how it is considerably lower than normal. (Pulled from Instapundit)

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Yeah!

Though I don't have the snow hiding my Times problem that Ann has, being from Tucson and all, where the last time it snowed was on Easter in I think...
2000.

I could be wrong on the year, I hope Tucsonans will either have my back on the chronology or correct me.

But I understand what she means with the Times.
The most appalling reporting I have ever come across, has been the Tucson local news.
We have two main publications;
The Tucson Citizen and the Arizona Daily Star, both written in the same building.

However, the NYT, because of where I work and live seems to be the most prevalent, so it is my paper, and I like it.

Sorry if that angers the gods of blogging.
But I am a dedicated blogger and I feel I have earned the right to say that I enjoy reading the Times, just run through the archives in the Positivity, you'll see.

It doesn't mean I rely on the NYT, I don't "rely" on any one source,
I just enjoy sitting down with my cup of coffee and reading the Times.
It's refreshing.

Althouse Strikes Again

I accidentally ran into this at Althouse, and I am a little disheartened.

Scientifically I am disappointed in England.
Geographically:
1. Perhaps now I will plan the trip to Germany.
2. Maybe London doesn't seem like such a good place to study.

I don't feel as though I need to go on yet another tirade just yet, as you can find them on this issue in many different posts on this blog.

I'm just a little upset with England right now that's all.

Disgusting

Just read this over At The Volokh Conspiracy.
Pakistan is apparently offering bounties for anyone who can off any of the 12 cartoonist who drew the infamous Muhammad cartoons.

What kills me is that there are people out there taking this seriously, and that those people seriously think that Pakistan will make good on their word.

Right, you'll get your money... Tomorrow.

This is Awesome


Check this thing out.
Now read this and marvel.

I want one.

Ah Google, Such An Upstartle

Well here you go, Google has finally purchased a software writing company they may do something with.

It's gonna be interesting to see what changes may be in store for the Positivity.

Saturday, March 11, 2006

History Criticizes Rice, And Essentially The Entire Administration

Read here, and you will find quite an interesting spin on Condoleezza Rice's speech at Georgetown University.

Does history repeat itself?
The better question is:

Can you give me an instance when it hasn't?

Eat At Joe's

I pulled this from Gandelman at the Moderate Voice,
and I have to ask;
are you kidding me?
You must be kidding me.

The Difference Between Blogging, And Booking

Glenn Reynolds is on tour promoting his new book, An Army Of Davids.
In this article he expounds on the difference between keeping up a blog, and writing a book.

Friday, March 10, 2006

To The Polls

Check this out.
Though I would never recommend forming an argument on an opinion poll,
and I definitely think that it's hard to get a clear picture of the state of Iraq from mainstream media (which is where most Americans get their news);
it is interesting to see where Americans are.

More On The Online Freedom Of Speech Act

Senator Bill Frist is on our side.
I don't really understand how any American could be against the right to free speech in the virtual world. It's not like we put on capes before we sit down at our blog, lean back in our chairs and plug in, and suddenly become:

Maxavius- Winston Churchill reincarnate. Sent to destroy the winged platypus like creatures of Sention 5.

We're still us. This is still only a log; a journal, a diary. We still have real thoughts and real ideas that we must bring to life, because we are curious Americans, and we can.
Free speech is free speech, regardless of the realm of communication.
But that is a different debate altogether.
The fact of the matter is that if they deny us the virtual freedom of speech, that will set a precedent for denying many other forums of first amendment rights in the future.
That is what we are fighting, that is what we must protect.

This is Funny

I got this at instapundit.
Enjoy.

A Powerful Piece

This is a pretty potent article written by Michael Reynolds at Donklephant,
about the right side of abortion and the wrong question they ask.

A must read.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

This Is An Interesting Read For Bloggers

So Hugo Chavez doesn't like you, if you don't like him; hmm.
I don't think Hugo Chavez likes you anyway.
In fact, I don't think Hugo Chavez likes anything but more power.
But at least you now belong to a "group."
Which is always a nice feeling of acceptance.

Iran Threatens The United States

This kind of makes sense since we just got more aggressive only a few days ago.
But come on, we didn't threaten them.
And we certainly didn't say that Iran is susceptible to "harm and pain."

I would say that if Ahmadinejad wishes to keep diplomacy alive, he should think twice about using immature threats against the worlds dominant military power, but I don't think he cares.

Oh well, too bad for him.

Follow Up On The Bennish Story

Here is the latest on the issue of the Denver highschool teacher (I had originally posted that he was a government teacher; I was wrong, he is actually a world geography teacher) who in a long political lecture softly compared Bush to Hitler.

Sean Allen, the student who taped the recording, maintains that he still feels "it was the right thing to do," but adamantly believes that Bennish should not be fired for the lecture.

Pretty interesting stuff.

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

This Is Rather Significant

I pulled this from Roger Simon at Pajamas Media.
It is a very interesting, and somewhat alarming article.

We know the freedom of speech infringements that are occurring in China right now via Google (though they are not really first amendment issues because the Chinese Government does not have a first amendment) but we may not realize that the same issue is potentially threatening our online first amendment rights, here on our own soil (and as I am sure you are aware, we do have the first amendment).

This is a big deal if you... You know, use the internet.
Give it a read.

More On California's Stem Cell Research Institute

This is so frustrating.
To be stuck in court when we could be making vital progress in a promising new field.

Defendants told the judge last week that the measure does meet state law about oversight, and they hold that the plaintiffs' motivation is not legal, but moral. "If you look at who is behind the suits, you will find they are fundamentally opposed to the research and are doing anything they can to stop it," says CIRM counsel James Harrison.

And we will likely be stuck their for an extended period of time.
I don't understand fundamentalists, acting without understanding the research.
Don't they understand that geneticists are just trying to save lives.

House Appropriations Committee Votes On Dubai

Glenn Reynolds has this coverage at Instapundit.

Be interesting to see how Mr. Bush reacts.

Well Here It Is

The first, and probably the last bit of sports news ever to hit the Positivity.

I'm sure the Bonds steroid thing is plastered all over every news paper in the country,
but this is the first I've seen,
And it was actually kind of interesting.

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Today, As Of A Hundred Years Ago

This seems all fine and good;
And it seems like some 14th amendment issues,
all rolled into one.

Gay; Given To Social Pleasures

Ann Althouse who, though she does not yet know, is my future wife, speaks on gay marriage and it's existence on the Wisconsin ballot in the fall of this year.

Seriously though, a woman this smart, who blogs all day;
as the bloodhound gang puts it:
Gee, you know what I really want in a girl...? Me.

Ah The Technicality Of It All

Get a load of this.
I think the laws are a little twisted on this issue.

Read and both laugh, and see what you think.

U.S. Begins To Take Aggressive Stance

Cheney speaks out.

It will be interesting to see how this all unfolds when the issue is finally sent to the security council, as it will be.

A Little Solar News

I found this article a few moments ago.
I wasn't going to post anything, but I am waiting for my ipod to charge.

That is my only issue with the ipod; it's battery life.
I have a new generation 30 gig and I love it. I just wish the battery lasted longer.

Honestly and objectively though, I really sound like a greedy American right now, because the battery lasts around eight hours or so, which is a long time. It's just that I will sit in one spot and do homework for up to 10 or 12 hours sometimes, and I don't yet have a laptop.

Anyways, sorry to bore you with that pastime.
It's an interesting article, give it a read.

Monday, March 06, 2006

A Sad Story

I plucked this from Joe Gandelman over at The Moderate Voice.

More proof that no matter how much you read;
no matter how much information you absorb about the holocaust and WWII in general, you can never really know what it felt like.

Not like this photographer knows what it felt, and feels like.

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Bound To Happen?

Glenn Reynolds speaks on the latest explosion of anti-abortion legislation.

I agree with the fact that we are pretty much definitively beyond any concept of complete illegal abortion nationally.
Lest we become more creative with our coat hangers again.
Though there are those new plastic, or even wooden hangers that would probably prove more comfortable.

It will be interesting to see, however, just how far some of these conservative states are willing to push the issue.

Finally

And I hope that Powerline and I aren't the only ones thinking about it.

We are in a real pickle with Iran.
And I think the best we can hope for is two out with a runner on second.
What to do?

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Faith Of The Faithless

I lost my faith today.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I never really had any true faith to lose, but of the false faith that I constructed for myself in my brain, I watched it all come crashing down today.

Have you ever been cheated on?
I have.
It feels a lot like having a dream about your brother or sister in perilous danger, and though the dream is so vivid, and you are in complete control, you simply can't do anything to save them. You have to watch them slowly die, with no control at all.

That is what it feels like to be cheated on.
And though you are standing at the most prestigious table in Vegas, and you are sure that the next roll is yours, you never see the victory. You never see the success.

It hurts so bad.
it hurts so bad.

A Different Kind Of Coverage

Here is some reporting on Katrina you don't see everyday.

Friday, March 03, 2006

You Have Got To Check This Out

This is like the coolest thing ever.
I was actually searching for a different site, but stumbled across this one.

You can build your own nation.
From the ground up.

I'm never going to get any homework done.

Thursday, March 02, 2006

Read At Your Own Risk

This just depresses me.

The state of the education in this "great union," is appalling.

A Little Different

I retrieved this from Michelle Malkin, and you must listen.

It's an audio tape, provided by a student in which his Government teacher is on this 25 minute rant about a few things.

Whether you agree with what he is saying or not is a topic for another debate altogether; I just think that as a classroom facilitator and essential role model for these sophomores, one should show a little more restraint when it comes to ones political biases.

But give a listen, see if you agree.

Just Found This

For anyone living in Arizona, like myself, or many other states as you will see; this, the new Stand Your Ground legislation is potentially a pretty big deal.

Basically, until now American citizens have lived under a duty to retreat policy when their lives are physically threatened, but with this new legislation, you could be given the right to defend yourself, up to and including taking the life of the person doing the threatening; and you would be in no judicial trouble if it could be determined that you were actually acting in self defense.

There are quite a few arguments in the debate on whether this should be nationalized or not.
Think about it.

A Non-intervention?

This article in the New Republic is a little puzzling, and quite disturbing.

Puzzling in as much as the administrations soft stance on intervening in Darfur, even when I don't think there is anyone who doesn't know of their little genocide issue.

Disturbing, because as you read you begin to see what China is doing.
And how they have no qualms going over there and offering their billions of dollars of support for a little oil and ultimately what is sure to become the securing of Africa.

That's a lot of people.

Latest In The Hussein Trial

For those following, Wednesday was quite the day for solid evidence against Hussein.

The Belmont Club has covered this well and has a picture of the death warrant list for the 148 prisoners in Dujail.

The article also links to Iraq The Model, which is another good post.

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Thus Ends The Month Of Love

Yet another February gone,
doomed to be filed away with all the rest of the broken Valentine's days and Black History month's that we have all forgotten.
This is the way of things I suppose.
After all, if we didn't forget, then how would we be able to enjoy the current moment that we are soon to file away with all of the other forgotten memories.
I read this earlier, and I am darkened to say that I was in no way moved or inspired by it.
There was one thing said however, that made that apathetic ring in between my ears that we sometimes hear when something quite obvious was said, but somehow we had previously missed it.
And it was this:

When Ryan was injured, he was in the 3rd grade. I wanted time to stop in some sort of magic fashion, so that he could get better and return to the 3rd grade. But his classmates moved on to the 4th, and 5th, and 6th, and 7th, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I mention this because nobody really talks about it.

You never really want it to.
Time to march on I mean.
You drink and you cry and you shop, but tomorrow comes regardless.
Painfully,
without regard or remorse.
When is my next math test? When is the deadline for the letter I must write to my senator?
When will life stop?
And what... If anything, will I do when it does?

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