Jan
29
2007
Another spin of the wheel
Filed Under Internet and Blogging | 1 Comment
Another spin of the wheel
Filed Under Internet and Blogging | 1 Comment
The definition of a “blog” has been a somewhat evolving concept. Even before I started, there were some bloggers giving up on the medium because it was no longer the realm of the simple diarist and was becoming more of commentator’s pulpit. In a schoolyard pique, they took their keyboards and went somewhere else. But as The New York Times points out, newspapers have started trying to get in on the act, and their websites are now prolific with entries from their professional journos writing blog-style.
I dunno. Unlike my predecessors, I’m not going to quit just because the pros are working their way into our turf. But it almost seems to me that it requires a different name when the creator of the thing is a corporation and they’re hiring someone to push commentary from a particular perspective. To me, “blogging” can be diary or commentary – I prefer the latter, and think the former is pabulum, but they’re both blogging. Even a moblog-type effort I can appreciate from professional commentators – like NRO’s The Corner – isn’t close enough for me to think of it as a “blog”. For it to be a blog, it’s got to be personal, and come from the gut. Make all the money you want from your site, but it doesn’t mean so much when the money somehow influences how it gets said.
Unfortunately, what else could we call them – and would they accept the label if we did?
Jan
23
2007
Good Question
Filed Under Politics, Race and Prejudice, Religion | 6 Comments
Good Question
Filed Under Politics, Race and Prejudice, Religion | 6 Comments
This morning, I simply posted a ‘recommended reading’ about how the Black Congressional Caucus wouldn’t allow a white member despite his representation of a predominantly black district. This afternoon, I read how CNN was defending Barack Hussein Obama against the ’smear’ leveled against him by “Insight” magazine (sorry about using Google’s cache; the original link was throwing errors). These two stories are actually related by a comment put forth by a NewsBusters user: “Why is Hussein Obama in the black congressional caucus if he has a white mother?” Well?
Jan
23
2007
No Rush To Judgement
Filed Under Race and Prejudice | 3 Comments
No Rush To Judgement
Filed Under Race and Prejudice | 3 Comments
I heard something on FOX News Sunday which reminded me of the old controversy over Rush Limbaugh’s comment that there was sentiment for Donovan McNabb to succeed because he is black. I am unable to locate a transcript of the panel discussion of January 21, 2007, but the gist of the conversation went something like this:
Chris Wallace: What part does Obama’s race play in his prospects to become President?
Juan Williams: Well, he is a black man, so he has such an incredibly high burden to bear, the world is against him for being dark-skinned; it hurts his chances.
Brit Hume: Juan is exactly wrong. The very fact that Obama is dark-skinned, though not black, since his Mother was white, while his Father was black, serves him well. The great majority of the people in America want him to succeed precisely because he is black. The real sentiment in this country is support and good wishes for people of color. America wants them to succeed. Barak Obama is a well spoken man, and intelligent and handsome, traits that Americans admire, but he is without a record of accomplishment equal to the Office he seeks. If he were white, he wouldn’t even be in the race.
Those are not exact quotes, but I do not believe that I have not taken any liberty with their expressed views either. Basically that is what they said.
Now, if Mr. Hume is attacked for his position, I will deeply regret having made this post. He should not be attacked; just Mr. Limbaugh should not have been attacked. Both have said what the majority of the American people feel, we want all of our people to succeed, and we especially want blacks to succeed. There is nothing wrong with that.
Mr. Limbaugh also said that McNabb was over-rated, and while that is debatable, it isn’t racist, nor was it an unfair. His statement was based on McNabb’s performance , or more precisely, McNabb non-performance, in comparison with the image many were promoting for him. McNabb had not lived up to the hype.
At this point, the same question trails Mr. Obama, is he over-rated? We wish him well, in part because of his blackness, but mostly because we want leaders who do good work on our behalf. In his chosen profession the benchmark for success is how much he promotes our success. To date he has not demonstrated that he has the vision to lead. But, we feel better about ourselves just knowing that he has the opportunity to succeed; now it is up to him to prove that he is not over-rated. That is a demand which we should all make upon everyone who impacts our lives. Some will succeed, some will fail, and that is how life works. And there is nothing wrong with that either.
Jan
19
2007
S.1
Filed Under Internet and Blogging | 1 Comment
S.1
Filed Under Internet and Blogging | 1 Comment
Leave it to Fark to lead me to stuff I didn’t hear about any where else first. The short of it: S.1, section 220 will require “…bloggers, who communicate to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, to register and report quarterly to Congress.” This site has NOTHING to worry about. 
Jan
18
2007
The Bet
Filed Under Entertainment and Sports | Leave a Comment
The Bet
Filed Under Entertainment and Sports | Leave a Comment
This weekend brings the NFL Conference Championship games, wherein the winner of each conference is promoted to the Superbowl. One of those matches pits the Chicago Bears against the New Orleans Saints. Yesterday Laura mentioned that Illinois Senator Barack Obama and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin would be sharing a booth at the game. So I imagined a wager between the two politicians, Chicago is known for its deep dish pizza, thus Obama bets a (flash-in-the) pan pizza, and Nagin bets a box of chocolates.
Jan
15
2007
I’m a daily reader of NewsBusters.org. Today’s content includes a link to a video of Dennis Miller. Please check it out. Favorite quotes:
“14:57, 14:58, 14:59.”
“When Saddam Hussein arrived in hell last week…”
“…death must look like a promotion to him as he fires up his yak-powered dialysis machine…”
“Let’s give that money and our support to the best troops on the planet so they can go and flatten the enemy.”
Amen, brother.
Jan
12
2007
Well, isn’t this interesting. It seems that Mama Nancy’s San Francisco is not the progressive, tolerant, peace-loving town everyone claims.
As Rapagnani tells it, his 19-year-old daughter was hosting a New Year’s Eve party at the family’s Richmond District home for the Baker’s Dozen, who were in town as part of a West Coast tour.Someone should clue these San Franciscans into the fact that Yale is an Ivy League pillar of east coast liberalism (That means they’re on your side!) and you really shouldn’t be beating up on your allies!The 16 singers showed up late to the party wearing preppy sport jackets and ties, and launched into “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
A couple of uninvited guests started mocking them, and allegedly the words “faggot” and “homo” were tossed — and so were a couple of punches.
I’m kinda surprised that I even found out about this incident. Usually stories like this only make it into the Lame-stream Media if there is some cause or link that can be made to Bush or the republicans. Maybe the person who booked the tour for the group had a friend who knew someone who once dated a republican. Yea… that’s enough! IT’S BUSH’ FAULT!!!
Update: SFPD Under Fire Over Yale Choir Assault
Jan
11
2007
Jan
11
2007
Godspeed Yvonne DeCarlo
Filed Under Entertainment and Sports | Leave a Comment
Godspeed Yvonne DeCarlo
Filed Under Entertainment and Sports | Leave a Comment
Lily Munster died this week. Of course I mean the actress, Yvonne De Carlo who played that role died. Though, for my generation, the distinction is a mute point, she will always be Herman Munster’s wife, Lily, to us. I respectfully hope that she doesn’t mind the association. And, my sympathies to her family and friends.
I normally wouldn’t make mention of her passing here, but, the circumstances of my hearing that she died seem too funny not to share. And, given that she must have had a sense of humor, I hope she gets the internet up there and gets a chuckle too.
So here goes. It was a regular enough radio news cast; Bush to speak, Democrats to denounce Bush, Democrats not waiting until the speech to denounce Bush, rinse and repeat. And then, just before the weather guy’s turn, the man reading the wire gives us the story that De Carlo has died. He finished the story by saying, “Miss De Carlo was 84 degrees”. He did not acknowledge his oops, and I got a big laugh. He obviously had the weather in his mind and switched ‘years old’ to “degrees”.But, then I started thinking, what if he wasn’t wrong. If she was 84º three strong possibilites came to mind:
1) Given that the human body is normally maintaining a temperature near 98.6º, a temperature of 84º would explain her demise.
2) If her temperature was 84º, then she was cooling off rapidly. Though I am at a loss to understand why anyone was keeping track of such a thing.
3) And, lastly, it occurred to me, that if she was 84º, and if that was not an aberation; then her role of Lily the Vampiress may have been a case of type casting.
Godspeed, with a smile, Miss De Carlo.
Jan
9
2007
LUI: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Filed Under Law and Ethics | Leave a Comment
LUI: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Filed Under Law and Ethics | Leave a Comment
We are all familiar with the phrase, “driving under the influence“, though in some areas it may be worded differently. Well, today, after hearing several audio clips of Ted Kennedy, I was inspired to conceive a new protection for the public; it is time for a new law making it illegal to legislate while under the influence. I hereby propose that all legislators be required to pass a breathalyzer test to assure that their deliberations are truly sober.
And, I wouldn’t object if this began a trend which lead to toxicology tests for banned substances in these same law-making individuals. It seems to be okay to test ball players, and their jobs are not all that important compared to the tasks we expect our leaders to fulfill on our behalf. So, why not know if they are doping? Sure, many ball players have better years than do our politicians, but isn’t that all the more reason to be certain that we are getting the most wholesome of effort from the underachieving pols? And, not an excuse to deem them unworthy of meeting standards.
Further, would we not benefit from hooking them all up to polygraghs (the politicians)? Sure, we know already know when they are lying, their lips move, but isn’t it sometimes necessary to have the proof in order to obtain a conviction?
And don’t we wish we had tests which could accurately predict which ones are crooks, or pedophiles, or traitors?
And then there is the written exam, if they can’t pass a combined history, American government, economics, mathematics, ethics, law, logic, and current events exam, they must go home; no passing GO, no collecting pensions or earmarks.
Sure, if I get my way, Washington will be a lonely place, but it will populated by an informed, conscientious, purpose driven and sober body. And I’ll drink to that. Now, how do we our legislators to make a law which will cause so many of them to lose their jobs?
Update: January 20, 2007
The Oregon Legislature has a bill before them which, ” Requires that certain public officials submit to drug test two times every calendar year. Specifies consequences of refusing or failing test.” In PDF file form here
Also, noted here, and earlier here.
The Portland Mercury takes the high road on the subject.
Jan
9
2007
Flaming Yon
Filed Under Education | 10 Comments
Flaming Yon
Filed Under Education | 10 Comments
Sound it out. And if you still don’t get it, consider that it had an “$18.95″ price listed just before it on the local English pub’s daily specials board. Got it now?
That’s right; a young high-school drop out turned waitress was told to write “Filet Mignon” and came up with the phonetically similar, Flaming Yon. She is English born, but failed to finish her free public education here in America. All the while, all of my illusions of Europeans as being innately familiar with the languages and cultures of their European neighbors are forever shattered. How can I ever again believe that myth when one of them demonstrates that she does not recognize a French term for a select, and well-known, cut of beef? Sacrebleu!
The fellow who discovered the error, and had the staff correct the misspelling, attempted to give the girl cover by relating a story of how his then seven year old nephew had once marched in a parade for charity. When Jim asked the boy what he was marching for, the lad said, “sixty roses”. Naturally we can understand how a youngster could hear “Cystic Fibrosis” and corrupt that into words that were familiar to him, sixty roses. But how does that explain Emma’s mistake? After all, while “flaming” is a common enough word, what is a “Yon“?
Did she believe this special to be a spicy preparation of the loin of the Wild Blue Yon Deer?
We wracked our brains to understand.
Perhaps she intended to write “Flaming Jan”, believing that they were serving up a gay Swede? More likely yet, she recognized the chef’s words as a name he was giving to a boring dish of hot peppers, the “Flaming Yawn”, and then she simplified the spelling of the last word for artistic effect. Ah, a clever girl, that must be it.
Or, no bull here, maybe she is just a stupid girl. And maybe she had all the advantages of wealth and access to knowledge and maybe she failed to take advantage? But that would be stupid, and now I am repeating myself. Yes, that is the answer, it is eloquent in it’s simplicity, it must bee write.