Love thy Neighbor....

With "fists, brooms and iron rods as weapons."

Merry Christmas all.

Leopard sucks.

I was stupid. I'd read that it was unstable, prone to crashes, and buggy. I was seduced by features I don't even use. I have to plug my laptop into a USB drive to use Time Machine...are you kidding me? Spaces? Reflective Docs? Like some half-wit Apple fanboy I upgraded thinking it wouldn't happen to me.

It has.

I've lost my entire morning to a series of crashes. Every time I try to use the "Disk Utility" to verify my drive the machine soft-locks.
Often when I launch the screensaver it won't come back. I have to hibernate the machine and then wake it up to get my login prompt.
It's pathetic, I haven't seen something this sorry since MacOS 9.0.

Steve Jobs, if you're reading this, I want my money back.

SantaCon 2007

On the other foot...

This is shameful. It appears that a few top Democrats are guilty of war crimes as well. Does this mean I'm going to start seeing impeachment signs for Pelosi on free-way over passes? Somehow I think not....

Bush Announces Mortgage Agreement

This is Great!! Now those of us who have two brain cells to rub together and didn't buy a house we couldn't afford get to baill out the ones that did! Yay for the federal government!

Update: I spoke too soon I guess. Here's the real reason Bush is talking about it: he wants to scuttle a House bankruptcy bill that would give borrowers real power over their mortgages....

Three reasons to go home for Thanksgiving

The Count.

Got this from a co-worker. AMAZING.

Bush is no longer useful...

I'm noticing a strange trend.... People who are VERY close to the President are now starting to turn on him.
His former press secretary, Scott McClellan, charges that Bush was involved in giving him mis-information which he was required to give to the Press. Worse than saying Bush lied about it, McClellan simply claims that he was in the dark. Link Here

Combine that with Rove's recent claim that Republican's should distance themselves from Bush if they want to get elected...

Here's what I think is going on.
Stupid, Big-Government Neocons get Bush elected. Use him to push their whack-ass agenda... Then at the end of his 8 years they lay the responsibility at his feet and move on to the next sucker-for-President.

It seems the rats are already leaving the sinking ship. At the end we'll have just one sad recovering alcoholic who doesn't understand why everyone hates him who should probably be tried as a war criminal.

Pandora on AT&T

So uh yea...that was us :-)

We wrote the Sprint version too. I wish I could take credit for the application, but mostly I just helped out my extremely talented co-workers.

Work chugs along...

They did it...

The Senate confirmed Mukasey. The man who couldn't say water-boarding was torture. I no longer have any faith in the Democrats. He couldn't say that strapping someone to a slab of plywood and drowning them in a controlled fashion is "of such a character as to cause physical suffering or extermination." (as defined in the Geneva convention) They've sold us out for a pat on the head from the country's most pathetic President.

I can't begin to explain how much contempt I feel for the Democrats. Never have I been so happy that I'm not one.

Our new place

It's pretty stunning...Although, now it's filled with boxes...and as always...I'm amazed by how much crap we have.

House of Reps declares Jefferson a "Homegrown Terrorist"

HR 1955 titled the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007

Section 3:
(3) HOMEGROWN TERRORISM- The term
`homegrown terrorism' means the use, planned use, or threatened use, of
force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and
operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the
United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the
civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in
furtherance of political or social objectives.

Thomas Jefferson writes to William Smith in 1787:
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. It is it's natural manure."

There it is. The Congress has lost it's goddamn mind. By advocating violence against US governments that become tyranical...Jefferson has run afoul (granted, 200 years later) of the "Homegrown Terrorism Act"

Our Congress has turned it's back on our founders. Perhaps it's time we turned our backs to them and voted their useless asses out of office.

Thinking about software...

This one has me thinking about the software industy. More thoughts later as I mull it over. For now, read this article that was published between the world wars.

Why I Never Hire Brilliant Men

Welcome to the Monarchy...

In his senate conformation hearing, Michael B. Mukasey, was asked if the President is required to follow federal statutes (or, in common terms the LAW)
His answer?

"That would have to depend on whether what goes outside the statute nonetheless lies within the authority of the president to defend the country." -source

WHAT?!? The man who wants to be the Highest lawyer in the county thinks the president doesn't have to follow the law if he believes he's defending the country?!? Who determines if his actions are in our defense? The President does, obviously, he's the decider. Would it make the country safer to detain all people who might commit a crime? Maybe it would....but according to Mukasey, the President can take whatever action he feels would protect the country.
Oh, and by the way, the Constitution is a series of federal statutes. So, if we extend the argument of the soon-to-be fucking Attorney General, the constitution does not apply to the president if he's acting in a way he feels defends the country.

This is a violation of the President's oath to defend the constitution. I'm struggling to see it any other way. Can any of you help?

My Weekend...

Mmmmmm gettin' Ranchy! More pictures here

We've been Betrayed.

...By the very people who we've elected to protect our Constitution.

House Democrats have Caved on the Warentless spying bill.

That's right, the US government, with an occasional nod from a secret court, can listen to your phone calls, read your email, and capture your internet traffic. Ever emailed your doctor? Looked at a web page about a medical disorder? Been to a website or sent mail you wouldn't want several thousand people at the NSA to know about? Sucks to be you. So much for the constitutional ban on unreasonable searches.

To top it off, Congress gave retroactive immunity to all the major telecoms for illegally handing all your records over to the NSA some 63,000 times.

Is this about 9/11? Nope, the NSA has been receiving your information from AT&T and Verizon since 2000 days after President Bush was elected.

What the fuck.

I've said before that I'd be the first to scream about bullshit from the Democratic majority. So here it is. The Democratic party cannot be trusted to tie it's own shoelaces as they seem to be unable to read their own goddamn founding document!

Just in case there was any confusion. Here are the words themselves:

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Update: Chris Dodd is my hero!

Warning...

My Political brain is revving up. Expect more posts soon.

Just thought I'd warn you all.

Our Secret Government

I think what scares me most about this video is how little we've learned from the past. Similarities in Executive office bullshit between old and new are striking. Watching some of the questions fired by various congressmen/senators provides quite a contrast between the congress of old and the pathetic, knee-jerk wimps we have representing us now.

Knowing what we've done in the name of "Democracy" makes me terribly sad. Know that we're doing far worse now makes me really angry.

Not so Orange...

Just thought you'd all want an update on my hair ;-) It's not so much orange now as it is really really bright yellow.....At least it's not green.

This is me all raver'd out for Love-Fest. More pictures: here

In Soviet San Francisco.....

...The Child Accompanies you!

Iraq Speach Panned....

Bush's speech apparently convinced no-one. At times he's reported to have contradicted himself...

President Bush's TV Address tonight was the worst speech he's ever given on the war in Iraq, and that's saying a lot. Every premise, every proposal, nearly every substantive point was sheer fiction. The only question is whether he was being deceptive or delusional.

ouch.

I have orange hair...

Just thought you'd all want to know.

Back from the Man!

I'm home safe and sane from Burning Man.

Highlights:
15 story fireball.....
3d LED light arrays...
New friends......

Pictures to come, it's late and time for sleep.

Off to Burning Man!

That's right guys, I'm off to burn the man next week. Assuming I'm not attacked by an angry mob for doing so, I will post pictures of the event to my flickr page when I get back.

Yay for camping in the desert....

Oh Snap!

Link

My best photo so far...

This is the best picture I've ever taken....

Terrorism?

President Bush on the Patriot Act:

"The legislation strengthens the Justice Department so it can better detect and disrupt terrorist threats."
- President George W. Bush
March 9, 2006

Apparently, the term terrorists now applies to ....Cock-Fighters.... as the FBI is now using "Sneak-and-Peak" warrants (we can search your property in secret without serving you warrant) to investigate people who kill Chickens for fun and profit.

Acting under the authority of the Patriot Act, the agents had obtained
a search warrant that allowed them to clandestinely enter the property,
search for evidence and not tell anyone about it until the government
or a judge was ready to let the owners know they’d been there.
Link

As if we needed another reminder that the Federal government cannot be trusted to protect our civil liberties.
Restraint is not a concept the FBI, CIA, NSA, or any alphabet group seems to understand.

I'm speachless....

wow...just...wow.

This is the VP....in 1994

HDR for the day.

Found on Flickr:
klareralt

Powered by ScribeFire.

I've had it.

When the Democratic congress was elected I had some hope that they would restore sanity to the police state this country is becoming. I was wrong. Those bunch of worthless assholes have just signed away the 4th amendment to the constitution. The Bush administration can now, with the blessing of the congress, wiretap American communications into and out of the country without a warrant.
From the ACLU:

“That a Democratically-controlled Senate would be strong-armed by the Bush administration is astonishing. This Congress may prove to be as spineless in standing up to the Bush Administration as the one that enacted the Patriot Act or the Military Commissions Act.”

Every Senator from California, if they voted for it, just lost my support. In fact, I'll donate money to whoever runs against them next time they're up for election. Of course.....it would help if they would tell us who the hell voted for it.

While the House of Representatives' website gives details of how each member voted, the Senate website just displays the message "Results of roll call votes are published here approximately an hour after they have been announced." even though the vote took place more than two days ago.

This is un-fucking-believable. Write your senators and representatives. Ask them why the Constitution isn't important anymore.....

What kind of country is ours?

What kind of country do we live in where these things are written?

In case my assets, which are few, get seized and my hard drive gets
robbed under Bush's new executive order of July 17, 2007, I want you to
know my name so that I am not disappeared. I have a 6-year-old son to
raise, and, like so many intelligent, passionate peace activists, the
world needs me to be a leader in ending my country's imperial addiction
to warfare

My latest endevor

Here's my latest creative endeavor/waste of time:

Mr. 800
(You may have to scroll a little to find the right video, Visa's website sucks)

My friend Pinkus is Mr. 800 and my friend Sparks and I wrote/recorded the music.

Please, Please help us win the contest! Register, Log in, and give us 5 stars! Vote all the other ones down! We must be the champions!

-Haseman

HDR for the day

Not taken by me, but stunning none-the-less.

Powered by ScribeFire.

The French...

Several thousand French men and woman spelled out this message on the 4th of July, 2007
The French will never forget...

Flip-Flopper in chief

Bush opposes a 3.5% pay raise for our troops.

*sigh*

I guess that's justice?

This is what Justice in America has come to....

Bush commutes Libby's prison sentence.

Said the president:
"I respect the jury's verdict, But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive. Therefore, I am commuting the portion of Mr. Libby's sentence that required him to spend thirty months in prison."

Said the Vice president's office:
A spokeswoman for Cheney said simply, "The vice president wrote supports the president's decision."

I guess that's the end of that then....

Wait, hang on, I call bullshit on this. I thought we, as Americans, were entitled to equal protection under the law? Bush allowed 152 Texans to be executed ...but 30 months in prison for his friend for obstruction of justice is excessive?!? How many drugs do I have to take so that this makes sense?

iPhone

So I got one. Because I know all of you have read more about the iPhone than you could possible care, I won't bore you much with the device. I will say though, that it is, in fact, all that and a bag of hammers. It actually lives up to the hype. Here's how I managed to get one:

Tom and I went to StonesTown mall which is about 30 min south of my house in traffic. When we arrived we saw a fairly small line outside the store..."could this be it?" we asked ourselves? "Nope!", said the Rent-a-cop, "the line is outside" Outside the line stretched for about 100 yards down the sidewalk...Despite the huge line and our hand-wringing about not getting a phone...we made it. We waited in line for about 45 minutes total....which must have made the people who camped out for days in order to get one feel pretty stupid.

Activating the thing, once I got home, was MUCH easier than I anticipated. I put in all my info to iTunes and it both switched my number from T-Mobile and activated my AT&T account in a matter of 3 minutes. I was blown away.

I called T-Mobile today to make sure the account was canceled and get a confermation...and the rep I talked to was helpful and polite. Blew me away. It almost makes me sad to leave T-Mobile.....

Almost....

Real Journalism...at last

The wonder drug!

Squirrel Catapult

I do not condone hurting cute fuzzy animals....I do however condone hilarious videos of them being fired off someone's deck.

Opera guy again...

Dan the man.

Unreal!

Another amazing HDR found on flickr.  Sorry it's been mostly pictures these days.. haven't had much time to blog.

Dam wall, Alps on Flickr

HDR for today.

Another great one from Flickr

This guy's in love with you on Flickr

HDR for the day

Next to the Sun on Flickr

HDR for today....

The Breakers on Flickr

Your HDR for the day

Space Cannon on Flickr

There's been a lot of politicts here recently, it's good to get back to looking at amazing photographs. :-)

Ouch...

Haven't had time to fully fact check it, but I gotta hand it to Ron Paul again for this little number

Ball's in your court Mr. X-Mayor.

This guy has my vote.

Hey may not be a super smooth operator...but he's smart, he's articulate, he's not afraid to speak the truth...and I'm afraid all this will be his downfall.

Decide for yourself, but I'm seriously impressed.

HDR for the day

Another amazing one from Flicker

Gotham by Night on Flickr

Your HDR for the day

Nash Point Lighthouse on Flickr

Mothers Day

Be sure to call your mothers!

I guess I'm a terrorist in Alabama?

It's not like I needed another reason _not_ to go to Alabama....but on their official State of Alabama website, listed under "Domestic Terrorists" Sub-Header: "Anti-Government Groups?" I found this little gem:

Anti-government groups usually believe:

• Gun Control = Enslavement

• Constitution has been subverted

• The U.S. has lost its sovereignty

........

In general, these terrorists claim that the U.S. government is infringing on their individual rights, and/or that the government's policies are criminal and immoral. Such groups may hold that the current government is violating the basic principles laid out by the U.S. Constitution and that a new world order is attempting to enslave humanity.

Sure, that makes sense! Those who think the fedral government is out of control....those who think we as citizens have a responsibilty to check those who would abuse their power...must very well be terrorists. Watch out for those folks, they're scary.... This might be funny or amuzing if the President didn't believe he could detain any US citizen without due-process just by declaring him/her an "enemy combatant"

"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined." Patrick Henry, Anti-Federalist and now, apparently, a terrorist (1788)

AL Homeland Security TAP Course via ChrisBrunner.com

technorati tags:politics, alabama, liberty, rights, billofrights, sanity

HDR for the day

Frankfurt/ Main HDR on Flickr

Photo for the day

Up high on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

HDR for the day

Another find on Flickr.

20070506_IMG_0574_2_3 on Flickr

Nintendo sixty FOOOOOOOOUR!

This is a level of excitement that I'm convinced is simply inhuman.

Children of men

I have to say, it's one of the best movies I've seen since Lord of the Rings. It was gritty, real, nasty, and flawless. Its backdrops are awe inspiring and in your face. If you haven't seen it, go.

Best review of 300 EVAR

Great review of the movie 300.  Snippit:

My final analysis is 300 the most ass-ruling movie I’ve seen this year, and will probably be the King of 2007 unless someone makes a movie where a pair of sentient boobs fights a werewolf.

It's amazing.  Check it out.

Link.

The Mobile trap

11 reasons why your startup shouldn't get into mobile

Sadly, this guy doesn't really know the half of it.  His 11 reasons do hold some weight (despite being written in a somewhat bitter tone) but he forgets the magic of the carriers.  Carriers (Verizon, Sprint ATT) in the mobile world control everything.  They're the FCC on PCP.  I also think he may understate just how hard it is to get things working on all phone platforms.  They have different screen sizes, and different button configurations.  Each one has their own quirks that must be accounted for.  It's a complicated business....and it's one that, despite all the troubling qualities about it, I love.

HDR for the day

Wisconsin Field on Flickr

Your HDR for today

Another good one found on Flickr.

Torres UAB on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Checks?

Since September of 2001 the secret "FISA" courts have rejected a total of 4 warrants.  This court is set up for the special purpose of issuing warrants for top secret searches and covert, in country, recon.  So, one has to ask, is this a rubber stamp court?  Do they simply accept everything that comes through the door?  Or have they made it know to those asking that bad warrants will not be accepted?  Seeing that this is a "Secret" court....(the thought of which makes my inner patriot shiver) we'll probably never know.  But if we look at the behavior of the security branches of the Government we _do_ know about...things to NOT look good.

"Checks, here's 20$, the big kids need to talk, why don't you and balances go see wild hogs" -John Oliver, The Dail show.

Link

*sigh*

Link

HDR for the day

WWII memorial puerto rico on Flickr

HDR for the day

Sunset in Manhattan on Flickr

On a lighter note..

One of my co-workers sent this to me. It's super nerdy, but amazingly funny.

for all you star wars geeks:

**The Inbox Of Nardo Pace, The Empire's Worst Engineer*


Subject: Trash Compactor
From: Death Star Detention Level Janitor
Date: A Long Time Ago 7:46 PM
To: Nardo Pace

Hey, kid. That trash compactor you designed is up and running and I've got to say it looks great. Lots of grime, a magnetically sealed hatch that can't be opened from the inside, a tentacled garbage creature that practically serves no purpose at all. It's got everything a salty old janitor could ever want.
One thing, though. It takes an awful long time to flatten garbage. I'm talking a minute or more, depending on how many flimsy poles I toss in there. If our capital ships can boogie at faster than light speeds, why can't we make a few walls slide toward one another at a speed that
outpaces a Hutt's leisurely stroll?


Subject: breathing device too farkin LOUD
From: Lord Vader
Date: A Long Time Ago 12:20 AM
To: Nardo Pace

yo hey i still dont understand whats going on with this thing can u put a knob on my breather apperatis so i can turn down the volume when im in the library or sneakin up on maintenence droids? why did u put a speaker on this thing in the first place lol



Subject: E-11 Blaster Rifle Calibration Still Off
From: Stormtrooper Commander 09731
Date: A Long Time Ago 3:51 PM
To: Nardo Pace

As you know, the E-11 has come a long way since its initial prototype. Thanks to your hard work over the past three years the rifle no longer fires completely sideways, and with your latest revision, the number of casualties resulting from blaster fire being directed completely
backwards has been drastically reduced.

That said, the E-11 still has some accuracy issues. We recently bolted one of the rifles to a testing mechanism so that it couldn't move even a millimeter, then set up a human-sized target six feet in front of the blaster's barrel. Shooting in two second intervals, we let the E-11 fire
at the target continuously for three days.

The result? Not one shot hit the target. I realize you're busy, but perhaps we can go over the design one more time and iron this out.


Subject: Death Star :(
From: Foreman Galhi
Date: A Long Time Ago 8:13 PM
To: Nardo Pace

Keep your chin up, ok? Don't let the whole "Death Star getting blown up" thing get you down.

It's really my fault just as much as it is yours. Your original plan called for three weak spots, and I asked you to cut it down to one. If I had suggested we get rid of the weak spots altogether none of this would have happened.

What do we do now? Mope? No. We learn from our mistakes and make an adjustment to the blueprint for the new Death Star I'm working on.

Construction is going great, by the way. As you suggested, instead of constructing a defensive shell around the framework then working my way inward, I'm just building all the cool stuff in the middle first. I think you're right, it's the best way to go.



Subject: AT-ATs... hell yeah!
From: Maximilian Veers
Date: A Long Time Ago 10:09 AM
To: Nardo Pace

WOOO! Are you kidding me? Are you freaking kidding me!? These AT-ATs rule!

I cannot believe how awesome they are. I'm personally piloting one on our upcoming operation on Hoth and I can't wait to stomp on those rebel scum. There's like, no way to stop these things. I'm a big fan of yours, man. Big fan.



Subject: carbonite transport device
From: Boba Fett
Date: A Long Time Ago 3:17 PM
To: Nardo Pace

I am currently transporting a bounty that has been frozen in carbonite with a device you created. I have been told to direct any questions or comments I might have your way.

This is obviously a new technology, but might I suggest adding a few security measures to the transport device's control panel? Right now anyone can walk up to this thing and flip a few switches to release the frozen prisoner. I'm thinking a number pad with a secret code would be
great, or heck, even a plain old key.

Just a friendly suggestion. Oh, and thanks for the modifications you made to my rocket pack. That "ignition" button square on the back of the pack where I can't reach it is great.


Subject: This darn bottomless shaft in my room
From: Emperor Palpatine
Date: A Long Time Ago 1:42 AM
To: Nardo Pace

You are responsible for designing my Throne Room, yes? Do not doubt it. I can see the truth inside you. It burns with a twisted blackness that cannot be denied.

I ask you this: Why is there a chasm in my room? Was it really necessary? What purpose does it serve? Nothing useful has ever come of it. In fact, sometimes when I awake in the middle of the night and stumble in the darkness while making my way to the Imperial Restroom, I
mistakenly wobble along the shaft's edge. I also bump my knee on the Imperial Coffee Table, but that is another matter.

I'm expecting very important company today, but I fully expect that you will draw up plans for a grate to cover this errant hole and have someone build it tomorrow. It is your destiny.

Help save internet radio!

Internet radio is about to die.  A copy write board recently upped the royalties due from Internet radio stations to ASCAP by 300-1200% this will absolutely kill Internet radio as we know it.  There seems, however, to be a silver lining. 

Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL) have headed the "Internet Radio Equality Act," which aims to stop the controversial March 2 decision which puts royalty of a .08 cent per song per listener, retroactively from 2006 to 2010 on internet radio.

Write, call, chat, or smoke-signal your congress man/woman.  Let them know that you support internet radio and that you would appreciate it if they did as well.  We might live through this after all.

Link

VT and gun Control

I have tried to stay quiet on gun control and the VT tragedy. Instead of posting my own rants on the subject I've tried to post rants from people smarter than myself. Here's a quickie from Dr. Ron Paul (R-Texas)
Snippit:

The Virginia Tech tragedy may not lead directly to more gun control, but I fear it will lead to more people control. Thanks to our media and many government officials, Americans have become conditioned to view the state as our protector and the solution to every problem. Whenever something terrible happens, especially when it becomes a national news story, people reflexively demand that government do something. This impulse almost always leads to bad laws and the loss of liberty. It is completely at odds with the best American traditions of self-reliance and rugged individualism.

Yes, yes, I just agreed with a Republican from Texas. Those of you who know me are probably more than a little aghast right now. However, those of you who have read my writing for a while also know that I don't like the idea of large government.

Link

HDR for the day

Amazing photo from Flickr.

A Cloudy Day at Colmar Tropicale on Flickr

Zelda on the theremin!!

Amazing!
Thanks to Ray for the tip.

HDR for the day

Here's your HDR for the day. Is anyone getting tired of these?

Modern country :-) on Flickr

10 steps to take away freedom

While this article is a little alarmist, it's worth reading.

The author sets out the methods used in fascist states of the past. He then compares them to what we have now. While they don't compare on an even level in the slightest, it's clear that if we don't get things in hand we might be headed in that direction sooner than we want.

Snippit:

If you look at history, you can see that there is essentially a blueprint for turning an open society into a dictatorship. That blueprint has been used again and again in more and less bloody, more and less terrifying ways. But it is always effective. It is very difficult and arduous to create and sustain a democracy - but history shows that closing one down is much simpler. You simply have to be willing to take the 10 steps.

Link

....

This is my better half who is, for lack of a better term, a super hottie.  She looks even better in person.

Link to Flickr

HDR of the day...

This one is pretty amazing. Again, not my stuff, just pictures from Flickr.

upper kananaskis lake in the early morning on Flickr

HDR for the day

Here it is!

Longtitude on Flickr

Only in America?

After the VT shootings plenty of foreign press let loose a torrent of American-gun-culture bashing.  This particular gem from France is my favorite:

"In France, we say everything ends in song. In the land of John Wayne, Charlton Heston and George Bush, a great partisan of the NRA, everything, individual anger, heartbreak, neighborhood disputes, quarrels between dealers or depression, ends in shootouts. That is why students die on campuses, without anyone, starting with Hillary Clinton, thinking to do anything much about it."
—Laurent Offspring, writing in the French newspaper Libération LINK

I'm amazed... this guy makes Fox News look fair and balanced.  Because, you know, every time I get depressed or disagree with someone...I shoot them....and then myself.

It also behooves me to point out that we aren't the only one with mass shootings as the following article points out.  Tidbit:

Last November in Emsdetten, Germany, a teenager shot and wounded more than a dozen persons before killing himself. In 2002 in a school in Erfurt, Germany, a gunman killed 17 people and himself.

Link.

via: InstaPundit

A thoughtful article...

On culture, responsibility and ethnic groups.
Interesting bit

So what happens when a member of your "group" commits an abominable, unspeakable crime? It's hard to say. Do you shudder more than you would if the perpetrator were a member of some other group? I remember thinking about how frightened I was for my country after the Twin Towers -- where I spent the Fourth of July as a kid -- were attacked, and also about how worried I was that the relaxed cultural climate of my youth might become a thing of the past.

Link

For my own part, I have to wonder how responsible I would feel if an American student commited a shooting spree of this kind. It seems to me that a big part of the guilt and responsibility arises because the perpetrator was a student. We, as Americans, tend not to take responsibility for our fellow citizen-contractors that commit violent meaningless acts in other places. (If we do feel it, it's not very public). I've been told that the South Korean government has apologized to the US on 3 separate occasions since the VT spree. Does this strike anyone else as somewhat strange? Do you think our government would apologize for a shooting spree on forign soil? I would like to think so, and I'm honored that the South Korean's have taken responsibility for their own...even if that responisbility doesn't make sense to us.

HDR for today

Sunset on a golf-course.  Again, these are someone-elses photos

golf sunset on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Space....sorta

Technology

Someone had to say it.

Credit: Gizmodo

Save internet radio!

A letter from Tim of Pandora:

I'm writing today to ask for your help. The survival of Pandora and all of Internet radio is in jeopardy because of a recent decision by the Copyright Royalty Board in Washington, DC to almost triple the licensing fees for Internet radio sites like Pandora. The new royalty rates are irrationally high, more than four times what satellite radio pays and broadcast radio doesn't pay these at all. Left unchanged, these new royalties will kill every Internet radio site, including Pandora.

...including my station, XTC Radio.
Link

Your HDR for today

I should note that these HDR's are not mine, they're the best of the best that I pull out of Flickr.

Tree-lined sunset on Flickr

Bolton....

Interesting..... Sadly, it's the best defense I've seen so far.
YouTube - John Bolton

technorati tags:bolton, BBC, interview, politics

The Landlord...

Here's the link. The stupid thing kept auto-playing.

Dear god....

-Haseman

This is good.....

It seems there's a huge protest going on in Pakistan against an extremest Mosque.  Why am I reading about it on BBC and not CNN?

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Karachi protest at Sharia mosque

   

Sky high

Link

technorati tags:HDR, photo, photoblog

I'm here to end the debate

There seems to be a raging debate over the firing of several federal prosecutors. Democrats charge that they were fired for political reasons. The White House can't seem to figure out why they were fired. First it was for performance problems, next it was the lunar phase, finally, it was because "They server at the pleasure of the president."
I'm happy to say that I can end the debate. Right now. I'll use real simple logic because the news media seems not to understand anything larger than a 10 word sound-bite.

1) Democrats want emails from the White-House about the firing.
2) White-House says it cannot produce them. The emails were deleted from a Republican party server.
3) Why, you might ask, are white house staff using non-secure republican party email servers instead of the White-House's system? Why might they be violating "The Presidential Records Act of 1978"?
4) Obviously, says the White-House, we want to avoid violating the "Hatch Act". This act requires that political campaigning not be done with tax-payer funded services.

What happens when we add this up? White-House uses RNC email servers because, from their own mouths, they can't use tax-payer systems for political purposes. Apparently, some emails cannot be produced because they were sent through the RNC system. Therefore, the firings of the prosecutors was political.
QED.

I'm glad I could clear that up.

-Haseman

technorati tags:AttorneyFiring, political, EmailGate, JusticeDepartment, politics

Coastline HDR

Another amazing HDR

Daily HDR

Sweet Pitcture  

Photo of the day

Single shot HDR.

/Link\

Check it out!

Just messing around with Blogger. Maybe I'll keep using this, maybe not.