January 2008 Archives

After watching the media over the past few weeks covering the candidates' campaigns, I think I've found "A" Daily Show to be the most informative.  Watching CNN and MSNBC seem rather pointless and often so hyped up I don't know whether the stories are real or made up.  Take for instance the thing where the media said that Romney "blew up" at some folks, when in fact I thought he was pretty rational.

So I thought, wouldn't it be interesting to have another media choice?  (Geez, I miss having access to the CBC...)  Maybe it could be a news channel that reports on the rest of the media.  Their tagline could be something like, "the alarm system for the watchdog," or "fair and balanced."  Oh wait....  never mind.

So apparently we all will be getting checks for up to $600 as a tax rebate as a "economic stimulus package" to help boost up the US economy.  Would it be wrong if I took that money and went to Canada to get married?

(source: Bush, Congress strike deal on economic plan)

I will just say that it took courage to play the part he did in Brokeback Mountain, and I respected him for that.  So sad....  
Heath Ledger 1979-2008

(source: Heath Ledger found dead in New York)

What is with the preoccupation to color code various days of the year?  I don't think I like any of them - black Friday, now blue Monday?  I'd not heard of this until this morning on the radio, and quite honestly I felt quite fine up until then. In case you missed the memo, Blue Monday is supposedly calculated to be the most depressing day of the year.  The reasons for this are few, but you can look into that on your own if you really want to know why you should be depressed.

So to celebrate, tonight I watched the wholly depressing show on The History Channel called "Life After People."  I found it not only depressing, but somewhat dramatic in tone (as if we would be there to care after we were all gone), and again repetitive graphics.  (How many times do I need to see the Empire State Building falling over?)  It basically showed what would happen decade by decade to everything that humans have built and manufactured.  They didn't mention the landfills though - haven't we all heard about how that stuff will be around for thousands of years?  And they never did say why we all evacuated the Earth, but they did seem rather certain that we would at some point. 

Maybe depressed aliens will come take us all away on Blue Monday...


(source: Blue Monday - Wikipedia)

This is truly refreshing.  David Miller wrote a book called Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality,  wanting to change the image of Christianity from the televangelists to something more real.  The article I read says that he felt that Christianity was too tied to conservative politics, and was being used for hateful purposes.  Just reading the responses of his detractors says it all: that Jesus is "...a judge and avenger who 'wants to save you from his just wrath.'"  That sounds loving doesn't it?

More power to him, and I hope that his message will be heard.  There are many Christians out there who would agree with him, and find love and peace in religion, not a cause.

(source: Best-seller puts tolerant face on Christianity)

So the pollsters were all off with the New Hampshire primary.  Blah blah blah.  So you'd think they might be more cautious with the next one.  The other night I was listening to CNN on XM while driving, and what I heard about made me go off the road.  They were talking about the characteristics of the voters who voted for each candidate and they went a bit off course.  They started talking about the percentages of people who have sex X number of times per week as related to who they voted for.  WTF?  Well, geez, who knows if those numbers are right!  Did they factor in those who were ambivalent about sex, or the quality of the sex?  What about the independents or bisexuals?

You know, I read on a neighborhood blog that I read frequently something about our society becoming absurd.  I normally agree with Mr. D., but I have to say I think after hearing this that we've passed that point awhile ago.

(source: I heard it on CNN, and I can't find the source online...)

The headline on one of Gizmodo's entries is "DRM Officially, Officially Dead..."  Three cheers for that one!  When I got my first iPod (shuffle) I found iTunes to be a great music store, library, etc.  And when I got my Nano it still worked wonderfully.  That was until my Nano died.  When I got a new music player, I ended up with a Zune which I am quite happy with - but now I'm having to move all my purchased music from iTunes into a format that I can use.

You know, it's not like I stole the music.  I bought it, and I want to listen to it when and where I want.  Is that so much to ask?  It's a pain in the butt to have to remake all those legally purchased files into something usable.  Amazon has got this whole music thing right - DRM-free MP3s that I can do what with I please.

In the meantime, I'm spending hours fixing my little music library.  Using Apple products is easy - migrating away from them, not so much.

(source: DRM Officially, Officially Dead: Sony Selling DRM-Free MP3s On Amazon)

I was watching some of the candidates' speeches tonight, and when watching Clinton's speech I had to momentarily wonder, where the hell is she?  A high school?   There are these kids behind her, some of which are obviously paying very little attention to her speech, but are cheering wildly about whatever it is that she's saying.  Like when she's talking about kids who can't pay for college, they cheer.  Yay for the uneducated!  In the meantime, did you see what that girl over there is wearing?

I love when rhetoric is the complete opposite of reality - kinda like an Orwellian slip of sorts.  I was amused to read that President Bush won't sign any bill that reduces the "effectiveness" of the No Child Left Behind Act because it would "weaken.. the accountability."  Accountability?  There's something this administration is known for.  Well, I suppose who we're talking accountability to...    How many days until the election?

(source: Bush Vows to Veto Any Bill That Weakens 'No Child' Act)

I just love NE Ohio in January!  I'm sure it'll snow by the end of the week.

Holy cat hair Batman!  We picked up this lovely Dyson thing the other day after our vacuum cleaner left plastic pieces down the hallway.  I'm rather disgusted at what it picked up, but even happier that it's gone from the carpet.  Now if only these cyclones could suck up other stuff.  Maybe they could use one in Iowa...

  There's a message in this movie - if you watch it patiently and keeping an open mind to what metaphors exist within the sometimes awkward script.  The movie is somewhat slow moving (lots of crashing waves) but has several interesting messages.  The relationships could have been better developed and with more depth to the characters, but the meaning of the relationships is enough to deliver a story that is heartfelt and real.  It has been said in reviews that the concept of the movie (Christian vs. Gay) is old and done, and that the story glosses over the nuance of the issue.  Both may be true, but there is still room for more stories about the personal and public struggle that being a gay Christian entails as each one is different.

One poignant moment is about the idea of forgiveness, even when one doesn't want to forgive.  Although some parts portray Christianity in a one-dimensional manner, there are some nuances that are brought out that add depth to the story and issues within.  The main relationship between Brady and Clifford started out making me wonder where it was going or why, but by the time it counts there was enough depth to bring you into the story. 

I know the ending will leave some people wanting for more closure, but I think it ends appropriately with Brady coming to terms with ...  something.  If only he had made that decision a few minutes before...

So the Iowa primary is over and Obama took the cake.  Good for him.  I found it very interesting that Clinton came in third, and almost even more so that Edwards came in second.  I really wouldn't be dissatisfied with any of the democratic candidates being in the White House - but then again after the current administration Brittney Spears could win and I'd breathe a sigh of relief.

Edwards - I've gotten several emails from friends about how they're supporting Edwards.  You know, I've heard some of the things he's had to say, and I like most of it.  I like that he seems a bit different and plays above the fray.  But try as I may, I can't bring myself to like him.  It's because of his rhetoric.  He said once that his religious beliefs are what leads him to want to deny the right of marriage to LGBT people.  Even though he later retracted that by saying that "it was wrong for him to invoke his religious views on the subject," I can't let that go.  It says something about how one decides to force beliefs on other people.  And it's like if your cat pooped on your kitchen table - even if you cleaned it off it would be difficult to eat there again.

(source: John Edwards on gay civil rights)

Overheard from the next aisle - woman with friend is looking at some large Christmas Ball ornaments, the kind you put on trees outside or something:  "Will you just look at the size of those balls?"