Spudlets
August 29, 2003
Take Two
Today's double shot of funnies from the comedian Argus Hamilton:
The Ten Commandments display was removed Wednesday from the Alabama Supreme Court building. There was a good reason for the move. You can't post Thou Shalt Not Steal in a building full of lawyers without creating a hostile work environment.
Texas Democrats who fled to New Mexico threatened Monday to stay there. They need to return home to head off a drilling controversy. Two more weeks away and their wives will be boring through the wall safe searching for the OU-Texas tickets.
Posted by MarcV, 3:40 PM link
Personal Junk
The Friday Five was just about school stuff, so forget that.
What is going on in the TaterBed? It has been awhile since touching upon any personal matters. I have found out that just the mention of Booger Kennedy has doubled the typical number of hits I get. It can be a strange 'Net sometimes. Otherwise I'm struggling with a sonical decision.
Lady Spud and I took the plunge and got one of those fancy six speaker sound systems for the TV room. You don't have to get a "killer" system to notice the difference when you are watching a DVD, and it makes movie watching quite enjoyable. We had set aside money for refinancing our mortgage, but circumstances got in the way of us securing the low-low rates. By the time we sat down with the loan officer, the rates were too high to justify a refinance, so we bought a toy instead. Mr. Mastercard made some mean faces, but he's been making those for so long that we are getting (unfortunately) numb to them.
With the new sound system, the stereo had to go. For nearly 30 years I have always had a decent stereo system for playing music. Some years were better than others for cobbling together the various pieces. While the new sound system sounds OK and can play CD's and tapes, it is not high-fidelity at high decibels, and I am not able to connect my LP player (yet). For some reason this conversion has caused me more anguish than I anticipated.
It was reassuring to know that I could come home and listen to Clifford Brown's jazz genius, or a Buddy Guy/Jr. Wells blues wail, or Close to the Edge (Yes), whatever I was in the mood to hear. Maybe that's part of what made it "home" for me. With a youngster in the house my choice in music listening has inevitably been put to the side (that's OK by me), and my commute to/from work is about 8 minutes, not long enough time to hear more than the news and a song.
Time to 'fess up - the real reason for all this melancholy horse-hockey is my recent birthday. I can usually shake them off and just say I'm getting another day older, but this one feels different. I was treated quite well by the folks at work as well as my family. The highlight was having my youngster stand next to me, with my arm around him as the family sang the HB song.
I wonder if what I'm going through is the classic male mid-life crisis. Do I get the sportscar and the blonde (just kidding if you're reading this Lady Spud!)? The closest I'll get to that is a Matchbox car and a yellow lab dog. I just found out that I'll be receiving a decent raise this year, but I still worry that I'm not where I need to be with respect to providing for my family as well as my retirement.
It's a test of faith when you don't feel that you measure up, wondering if some things should be left in God's hands or that He has given you the skills to take care of things. The Lord has seen me through this far, and He has not failed me but blessed me beyond what I deserve. Trust and obey. Trust and obey. Seems simple, but difficult to actually do each day.
More mid-life crisis to come (maybe)...
Posted by MarcV, 3:39 PM link
August 28, 2003
Take Two
Today's double shot of funnies from the comedian Argus Hamilton:
Senator Joe Biden urged President Bush Tuesday to ask the United Nations for military help in Iraq and share reconstruction contracts with French companies. Is he insane? Bill O'Reilly and Al Franken will elope to Canada before that happens.
The Texas legislature adjourned Tuesday under a boycott by Democrats. No one rioted. How angry can Texans be when a Texan is in the White House, gas is two dollars a gallon and Davy Crockett's about to be played by an actor named Billy Bob? [Gosh, it almost seems like things are playing right into the President's hand. Next thing you know the economy will turn around!]
Posted by MarcV, 9:42 AM link
Referral Log Fun
It's a Booger Kennedy fiesta!! The last fifteen searches to land upon this humble blog have been looking for Booger Kennedy. I'm #10 at Google, #7 at Yahoo and #5 at MSN. Thanks to all who have been kind enough to stop by, but go to the University of North Texas site for all the latest Booger Kennedy news. I'm just a new fan (see 8/21 post) in the BK world.
Posted by MarcV, 9:38 AM link
August 27, 2003
The 2 1/2 ton slab-o-granite has been moved to a private place in the building according to Yahoo! News - Workers Remove Ten Commandments Monument. While the demonstrators did not rush the area, they still want to fight the removal.
Demonstrators promised to keep up their protests of the removal.
"They can move it out of view but they can't move it out of our hearts," said Rick Moser, 47, of Woodstock, Ga., a demonstrator outside the building.
This is starting to cross the border to the silly side. Let's just let it go, end this battle and focus on more substantial stuff. Jesus is the rock that we should be standing on, not some carved hunk of granite. He can make the rocks cry out if necessary, and we can anticipate that by faith. If so many people are offended by decoration in a public place, then we should just let them have their way and leave it plain.
Posted by MarcV, 1:28 PM link
Take Two
Today's double shot of funnies from the comedian Argus Hamilton:
The Boston Red Sox game on Friday was delayed by lightning strikes at Fenway Park. The message was very clear. They had better get Teddy Ballgame out of that freezer in Scottsdale or it's the Curse of the Headless Splinter for the next century.
Jamaica declared Friday it may stop appealing court cases to the London High Court and use a Caribbean nations consortium court. It's more culturally attuned. In a recent criminal case in Kingston, the jury found itself hopelessly dreadlocked.
This one deserves special consideration:
American Idol spin-off Arab Idol is a ratings hit in the Middle East. It's no snap to produce. The easy part is finding talented young performers from all over the Arab world but the hard part is teaching Saudi Arabian viewers how to vote. [I thought they all had cell phones? This also begs the questions of whether there is an Arab Top 40 or Arab oldies, would the females be allowed to show more than just their eyes, and would Simon Cowell still be the villian.]
Oooh ooh, possible song titles:
- You Light Up My Oilwells
- Shake Your Burkha
- Somewhere Over the Sand Dune
- Me and You and a Camel Named Hakki
- Play That Funky Music Olive-complexioned Boy
- Rockin' the Casbah
(Better stop before I get carried away ...)
Posted by MarcV, 10:05 AM link
Tech Tues Addendum
- First, that link below to the article on the benefits of certification was provided by Mr. Bowen at No Watermelons Allowed. He's had a recent change in jobs, yet is still blogging away.
- A tip of the blogging hat to a fellow "techie" and IT Specialist, Mike McBride, who was kind enough to post on one of my brain squeezins from a few days ago. He is responsible for all the computer "stuff" at his employer, while I can fall back on corporate resources when I'm in over my head. That rarely happens (harumph), except when it comes to programming databases. If I was anywhere decent at programming databases, I would probably be somewhere else, and making the big bucks! Anyhow, he has some good posts and links to computer-related items, if you are so interested.
Posted by MarcV, 10:02 AM link
August 26, 2003
Tech Tuesday
I'll sneak this in before midnight. This website may have a slanted view towards the benefits of certification on particular computer systems, but they offer a good deal of data to digest. If this is something you're contemplating for the future, check out the CertMag.com Feature: What Are You Worth? CertMag’s 2002 Salary Survey. They claim that for every $ invested in certification, that you can expect an average return of $2.30 in the first year. All you have to do is pass the test.
That's where I hit the "brick wall" a few years back when I tried to get a VB certification. I understand programming, but not well enough to come up with a decent program from scratch. My brain may be too old to absorb enough information to pass a test. I would probably not have any problem with my company springing for study materials as well as the test fee. I just have to decide if I want to go through with the extra work, as well as determine what specific certification would help me in the future. You'd think I would be old enough to know what I want...
Posted by MarcV, 10:00 PM link
Take Two
Today's double shot of funnies from the comedian Argus Hamilton:
Kato Kaelin wrote an open letter to Kobe Bryant in Philadelphia Magazine. He offered cheerful advice on how to stay popular during a rape trial. Kato Kaelin is living proof that at some time back in the 1960s, Gilligan and Ginger had a child.
Las Vegas was hit by a rainstorm Wednesday causing flash flooding that buried cars in ten feet of surging water. The rescues were spectacular. One motorist pulled on his door handle and won fifty thousand dollars when three catfish came up.
Posted by MarcV, 11:41 AM link
August 25, 2003
Good but long article from John Derbyshire on Christianity in America on National Review Online. The article starts out about the flap over the granite block in Alabama, and how the Constitution does not appear to rule out placing the Ten Commandments on display in the courthouse. He seems to tap into a sentiment that you feel but can't quite put your finger on:
What is really going on down in Montgomery is, of course, another battle in the bitter, hate-filled (never thought I'd find use for a lefty phrase like that — watch out for "mean-spirited") war against Christianity. One of the principal features of American life, which jumped out at me at once when I came to live here, and which I have observed with fascination ever since, is the seething, foam-flecked detestation that large sections of U.S. society feel towards Christians and their faith.
You see this all the time. You saw it in the John Ashcroft nomination hearings, when an op-ed piece in USA Today — written by the paper's former Supreme Court reporter — asked incredulously: "Can a deeply religious person be attorney general?" (A mere 40 years ago the sub-editor would have inserted an "ir-" in front of "religious," for fear that otherwise the question would make no sense to readers.) You see it in the endless stalling of approval for Christian nominees by Democratic senators. (If I were George W. Bush, my next nominee for a federal judgeship would be the most passionately devout Hindu, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, or Muslim I could find. Then I'd sit back in front of the TV and watch Chuck Schumer's head cave in.) And you see it in the horizon-to-horizon buffalo stampede beneath which is trampled to death any elementary-school teacher temerarious enough to ask her pupils to say a prayer for the country in time of crisis.
This is one of the best posts that I have seen from the Derb. He is usually excoriated whenever he brings up something related to Christianity and faith. This time he hits the nail on the head. It's difficult to understand the hatred that some people have towards Christians. Did they have someone try to evangelize them a little too zealously? The Bible admonishes us not to cause our brother to stumble, yet we must also preach the Good News. It can be a narrow road, and some are better than others at telling people about Jesus.
Posted by MarcV, 3:31 PM link
Dean's Dreams
In this frenzy of the "I Have A Dream" anniversary, Dr. Dean from Vermont published a campaign pledge in the WSJ OpinionJournal. This came out Friday, so I'm a little late. His platform should not be surprising, since it is more of the same "spend/create new programs and give more money to the working man" drivel that liberals espouse, yet this may give folks an idea of what they may get from a Dean administration. If you don't want to read it all, here are some of the lowlights:
We can do better. As president, my economic policies will be focused and clear. I will begin by repealing the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, and using the revenues that result from the repeal to address the needs of the average American, invest in the nation's infrastructure and, through tax reform, put money in the hands of those most likely to spend it. [Robin Hood is alive and well in Vermont. The best investment the federal government can make in the "nation's infrastructure" is to get out of the way of market forces. He then follows up his call for investment with giving money to people to spend. Federal spending and handouts/giveaways - yet he expects to balance the budget by "tax reform". Watch your pay stub!]
The task of meeting the needs of American families begins with health care. My plan will not only insure millions of Americans who are without adequate care today, it will reduce costs for small business, states and communities--freeing up funds that can be used to grow businesses and meet other national and local priorities. [He does not use the word "national" in front of health care, but that is what he is talking about. I suppose it would "free up funds" from those poor small businesses, states and communities. It just places the burden of 12% of the economy back on the taxpayers. If he wants socialized medicine, he should just travel a few miles north up to Canada and experience it for himself. Just be careful of all the Canadiens heading the other way for medical services.]
An important part of my program for a full-employment recovery will be extending a helping hand to states and communities. My policies as governor kept Vermont strong fiscally; but all over America, the financial resources of other states and cities are strained to the limit. Teachers are being laid off, highways lack repairs, firehouses are closed. [Helping hand = payouts. Could it be that the strained financial resources are due to overspending? Wonder how he'll attack the problem ...]
Instead of tax cuts that have not created jobs, we need to make investments in America. [More spending!]
I will increase federal aid for special education, and provide more temporary help to the states--for homeland security and school construction and infrastructure modernization. And I will increase the availability of capital for small businesses, so that they can invest in new technology and create more jobs. [Spend, spend spend spend. Besides homeland security, the rest of his proposed spending is not related to federal responsibilities as spelled out in the Constitution. Is it just me or does "infrastructure modernization" sound like a great big black hole swallowing huge chunks of taxpayer money?]
No program for economic recovery and growth can ignore the tax system, particularly the bizarre collection of tax expenditures, preferences, credits and deductions which has directed revenues away from the federal treasury and into uneconomic tax avoidance schemes. Average Americans pay their taxes through withholding or quarterly estimates. [Is he setting us up for a flat tax - hope so!]
Meanwhile, corporations and multinational enterprises take advantage of elaborate tax shelters, and billions go uncollected. The need for reform is obvious and compelling, and I will give tax reform a top priority in my administration. But unlike the tax initiatives of the current president, my program of tax reform and relief will be targeted to the average Americans who are struggling to make ends meet--not those whose needs are well provided for. [Nope, more regressive taxes on those "high income" taxpayers. Oh those big bad corporations! Such an easy target, but it's not government spending and programs that keep the economy afloat.]
I'd like to see a federal sales tax, maybe 2%, on all corporate sales and eliminate corporate income tax. No more tricks on accounting, just what was your sales, then give 2% to Uncle Sammy. That would put a few corporate tax accountants/attorneys out of business, but maybe they could be re-trained. States and communities could also decide whether or not to follow the federal lead and simplify their systems. This could be considered a Value Added Tax, and it would hopefully bring some fairness to how we tax businesses.
Finally, it's revolting to see the class-warfare monster rear its ugly head when Dr. Dean refers to "those whose needs are well provided for." Everyone has their own idea of the difference between wants and needs, and we should not have the government classifying needs and penalize people who happen to be productive enough to make more income beyond their needs. I should not be surprised that this junk is coming from someone who governed the socialist haven of the Green Mountains. Some parting thoughts from Dr. Dean:
They need the security of health insurance--no matter how old or young they may be, and without regard to their economic status. They have the right to educate their children to the limits of their abilities, not the limit of their pocketbooks, and to look forward to a secure retirement.
Is it any wonder people do not trust politicians when they come up with pie-in-the-sky stuff like this?
Posted by MarcV, 11:38 AM link
August 24, 2003
Hey what's that ... two Sunday morning posts when that Spud should be in church!? Yes, got called in, and had to build a computer for one of the manufacturing stations, so during the loading and restarting, there's always time for blogging. I'd rather be in church but it was not meant to be today, so two rare Sunday taters squeezed out of the Taterbed.
Posted by MarcV, 11:47 AM link
Helpful Geek
As an MIS Specialist, I get to wait for people to call me about their computer problems, and then I (hopefully) come up with a magical answer and solve their crisis. It's also referred to as a pull system, and sometimes I feel like a puppet being jerked around, but you probably aren't interested in hearing my whining. Anyhow, there are times when I'm knee-deep in solving problems, and there are slower times, which can at least be made useful by blogging.
Often, when a poor client in distress calls, they will typically start with, "I know you're real busy, but ..." As a service for helpdesk geeks like me, I have listed the snappy comebacks you wish you could give but don't for fear of job loss:
1. If I was that busy I would not have answered the phone!
2. I was breathlessly waiting, hoping that the phone would ring and someone would have a problem that I could solve and help make me look like a genius.
3. At the sound of the beep, please explain your problem in detail, then press the # button. A representative will assist you as soon as digitally possible. BEEP...
4. Before you go any further, have you tried rebooting. [A classic]
Golly, I love being helpful! The best part of this job is that I have not had any formal training in computers, just seat-of-the-pants, learn-as-you-go and fake-it-when-you-can't-shake-it savvy. It's a mixed blessing when things related to computers change so much and so rapidly. It can be a good excuse when you don't have the answer but a pain in the keister to keep up with the changes.
Posted by MarcV, 11:42 AM link
When We Say Go
you say fight! That's what I learned Friday night. If you had asked me a few years ago if I would ever go to a high school football game and sit on a metal bench for over two hours in front of the cheerleaders, I probably would have at least give you a funny look. My niece (brother-in-law's daughter) is a varsity cheerleader for the Clayton Comets, and she tried to cheer them on to victory over Garner, but the Comets fell a little short.
She's a real good kid, oops young lady, and it would be nice to see her more than once a year. As it was, we got a quick hug from her at halftime (since we got there a few minutes before kickoff) and visited for a few minutes after the game. Josh (my 5 year old) enjoyed the trip and was fairly well behaved. Even though we didn't get home 'til midnight and considering the money spent, it was still worth the trip. I hope we can enjoy more time with her in the future.
A sure but slightly sad sign that you're getting old is when you see the babies that you once held grow up to be men and women that you're glad to call family. That will probably be even more keenly felt when Josh leaves the nest, but I expect by that time (another 13 years) I'll be "keenly" feeling all kinds of physical pain. Like just getting up out of the LazyBoy!
Posted by MarcV, 11:40 AM link
August 22, 2003
Lotto Love Lost
For those of you who want a lottery for the Tarheel State or just want to win a jackpot, let this story of a lotto loser be a lesson to you. Funny how money can make people act all funny. Funny story, heh heh.
Posted by MarcV, 4:11 PM link
Wow, two of my favorite writers posted some of their best articles on the same day! You really should read the Victor Davis Hanson and/or Michael Novak articles first. Then come on back to Spudlets if you want to see my remarks, and maybe even leave a comment (whoa - yes, I think they still work).
Posted by MarcV, 11:56 AM link
Phase Three
Victor Davis Hanson posts them, and I link them. Today he has an "extry" good one on the effects of the bombings Wednesday and what we should do about those messy situations.
Indeed, the abhorrent assault on a U.N. complex in Baghdad — taken together with the near-simultaneous murdering of innocents in Jerusalem, the recent attack on the Jordanian embassy, and the bombing of Iraqi oil and water pipelines — may suggest to critics of the Americans that the enemy is recouping and gaining the upper hand.
Far from it. We are indeed entering a third phase. But it is not quite what most people think, since it has brought a brutal clarity to the conflict that the terrorists may not have intended. For those who were still unsure of the affinities between the West Bank killers once subsidized by Saddam, Baathist fedeyeen, the Taliban, and al Qaedist terrorists, the similarity in method, the identical blood-curling rhetoric, and the eerie timing of slaughtering during peace negotiations and efforts at civil reconstruction should establish the existence of a common enemy. It has been fighting us all along — a general fascism, now theocratic, now autocratic, that seeks to divert the Middle East from the forces of modernization and liberalization.
That is a right-on amen brother! Desperate people do desperate things, and the recent terrorist actions seem desperate to me. I hope that Iraqis realize who is trying to hurt them and who is trying to help them. Like Mr. Hanson said, we need to press on.
Posted by MarcV, 11:52 AM link
Even More Passion
Yes, it's another post about Mel Gibson's movie The Passion, even though it is months away from being released. Michael Novak has posted an article over at Weekly Standard on his impressions after viewing a rough cut of the film last month. I think he is one of the best Christian writer/journalists today, knowing that he is also Catholic. That may sound arrogant, but there are some things with the Catholic church that I don't agree with, yet Mr. Novak seems to go beyond the Catholic milieu and touch on the heart of Christian thought. The article is long but very good.
"It is the most powerful movie I have ever seen. In the days since watching that rough cut, I have not been able to get the film out of my mind." He mentioned that the film is slated for release on Ash Wednesday, February 25, 178 days from now. Part of me can't wait a half year, while the other questions the obsession with a movie. I'll try to comment about this towards the end of the post. He does an excellent job of looking at this from a Jewish perspective and explaining how Jews could be upset with this film. The following is great ammunition for any argument that Christians should hold a "historical" grudge against the Jews:
AT THE TIME of Christ's death, Christianity was still internal to Judaism. The Christian Church itself began not at the Passion, but fifty-three days later on Pentecost, when the apostles left an "upper room" in Jerusalem speaking in tongues. [HALLELUJAH, Praise God and Amen! Emphasis added by Spud] With his preaching Jesus had clearly put a challenge to Judaism, expressly announcing a "new" covenant, whose mandate was to "complete" and "fulfill" the "old" covenant. And there is no doubt that Jesus' death meant a parting of the ways between Christians and Jews. Nonetheless, from a Christian point of view, the life and teachings of Jesus and his new covenant do not remove or destroy the old covenant. God cannot be unfaithful to his promises. Besides, if the Creator is not faithful to his first covenant with the Jews, how can Christians expect Him to be faithful to His new covenant with them?
That was outstanding! How any Christian can deny the old covenants, deny that Jews are still considered God's chosen is beyond me. I can understand the frustration of some people not being able to convince Jews that Jesus is the Christ, the fulfillment of prophesy and the Prince of Peace.
Thus, Christians hold that Christianity fulfills the hopes launched into the world by Judaism. They also hold that those Jews who reject Christianity remain vessels of God's first love. In God's mysterious plan, the continuation of Judaism in time is a grace to be respected, on the same principle on which the faith of Christians rests--the fidelity of God to his everlasting promises.
Amen. He has more to say about the Jewish point of view, and we need to be sensitive to Jews who may feel threatened by zealous Christians. One final paragraph from Mr. Novak:
The Passion of Jesus Christ is not a drama about ethnicity. It is about our humanity. The hero of this movie is Jewish, his mother is Jewish, his apostles and followers are Jewish. But one misses the whole point of the Passion of Jesus unless one sees that he submitted to his suffering for all of us. From the first, Christ's teaching in life had been, "Take up your cross and follow me." The meaning of that teaching could not have been plainly understood before his death. This movie suggests to viewers that in witnessing Christ's suffering, our own suffering has a forerunner and teacher. Suffering like Christ's may be redemptive. That depends on how we shape our heart to it.
What kind of shape is your heart in? I'm concerned for my eagerness at seeing this film, that my heart should already be at the place that acknowledges my Lord's suffering and the sacrifice He made for me. Am I a doubting Thomas, who has to see the holes in the hands and side, who has to see the story in widescreen and Dolby sound in a darkened room? I pray that God will forgive my lack of faith. I also pray that this movie can be an extraordinary vehicle to lift Jesus name higher, and that we will see a renewal of hearts dedicated to the Lord. Did I say final paragraph previously?
The mood "The Passion" generates is meditative and contemplative. The tone is awe. One finds one's emotions hushed. For minutes after the film ended, the audience at the showing I attended did not speak or move. We felt part of an indescribably important human moment. We had been drawn into an axial point of silence and wonder.
Such is the power of a genuine work of art--and in its artistic integrity, "The Passion" dwarfs any previous biblical film.
Posted by MarcV, 11:52 AM link
August 21, 2003
Hey Stumpy
ESPN listed the top 100 college football players, and while glancing through the list this name "stuck" out:
22. Booger Kennedy, North Texas, NG: The 5-9, 315-pounder former standout point guard is virtually unblockable. Despite doubles and triples, he still had 25 TFLs[tackles for losses].
Brandon (real first name) is a pre-season All-American candidate for the Mean Green. When I try to picture someone this size, all I can see is someone who should be an easy target for a block. Booger must be tremendously strong to not only shed blockers, yet also advance upfield, stop a running back and bring him down. There's alot to be said for a low center of gravity. I doubt any offensive lineman can position himself low enough and consistently get under Booger's chinstrap to block him. That leaves either pushing him out of the way or falling on him.
I'm also trying to picture him as a point guard. How would you like to be playing against him when he decides to crash the lane for a rebound, or take a charging foul from him. OUCH! I doubt that he could dunk, but I would not want to be underneath the basket if he ever attempted it.
I'll try this season to keep a "Booger Watch" and see how his season goes. Hopefully he can come out strong after rehabilitating a knee injury this spring, since the North Texas Mean Green get Oklahoma (ranked #1) to start their season. He sounds like the kind of guy the Bears could really use, particularly since they traded Ted Washington to the Patriots. I'm still trying to figure out that deal (they only got a 4th round pick for him), since they are thin on the defensive line and need big boys to help keep blockers off of Urlacher. If Traylor goes down (again) it could be another long season for Chicago's team.
Posted by MarcV, 11:46 AM link
August 20, 2003
The Demand Side
Interesting how over all of this wailing and gnashing of teeth from the great blackout, very little has been said about the demand portion of the energy equation. The focus has been on the supply side and problems with the grid. Typically when energy policy is debated, you will hear the strident call for conservation. I guess the conservationists have been stuck behind some SUV's.
Energy conservation will not happen based on an appeal to people's "civilized" nature. Incentives are necessary to change behavior. A significant number of electicity consumers would change their usage if they are given information on when and how much electricity they use and electricity rates are pegged to time of day. If I can save $5/month by running my clothes dryer and dishwasher at night, as well as using less A/C at peak periods, then I'll make the necessary adjustments.
Smart (advanced) meters have been used for some time now, and are being installed in increasing numbers. Lynne Kiesling over at the Knowledge Problem posted today on it (she got this info from someone else):
Regarding metering, advanced metering (time-based recording with communications) is actually cheaper than adding a second meter. The meter costs more ($50 vs. $25), but, again, the installation is vastly simpler. Installing a second meter requires installing a second circuit breaker box and rerouting of whatever circuit you are monitoring; this approach is cost prohibitive. Moreover, advanced metering provides significant utility operating savings - namely reduced meter reading costs and improved outage management via automatic detection and restoration verification - which further reduces the net cost. In fact, many utilities are implementing advanced metering for these operating cost savings alone (over 10 million units around the U.S.).
By reducing the demand and leveling the load, utilities will not need to build new power plants right away, and should hopefully reduce the number of blackouts. This should also give us some time to build better transmission systems and figure out the best way to distribute and use the electrical resources that we do have.
Posted by MarcV, 2:57 PM link
From Mark Byron's site (this one deserves to be repeated):
Baghdad didn't have the only autoboomer today; Jerusalam had yet another one. I loved the WaPo sub-head that ranks a couple of Claudes-"Palestinian militants claim responsibility for suicide attack in Jerusalem that jeopardizes peace." If peace were in jeopardy any more often, Alex Trebek would be on the Hamas payroll.
Could the Palestinians be flirting with Final Jeopardy? How many more babies will they kill before they lose the last bit of support they have now? My head has been tilted towards driving them into the sea, but my heart, in the past, has gone out to the innocent Palestinians who have been stuck with murderous scum like Hamas. Now I just don't know. I do know that Pres. Bush has been bending over backwards to accomodate some kind of peace in the Mideast, but he must also have some type of breaking point. Oh Lord, this situation desperately needs direction from You. I pray that The Lord will guide President Bush to make decisions that honor Him and are not just politically expedient.
Posted by MarcV, 2:55 PM link
Take Two
Today's double shot of funnies from the comedian Argus Hamilton:
Cybill Shepherd said Sunday she made out with Gray Davis on a family vacation in Hawaii thirty-six years ago. He was twenty-four and she was sixteen. So now the race for California governor is between a Kindergarten Cop and a child molester. [Oh, I don't think kissing a sixteen year old is the same as molesting, but it is a step away. He also could have mentioned Gary Coleman, child-sized former child actor.]
The PGA Championship was won by Shaun Micheel on the last hole Sunday at Oak Hill Country Club in New York. He has a smile that could light up any room. The crowd followed him all the way to the airport in case the electricity went out again. [I'd be smiling too!]
Posted by MarcV, 2:54 PM link
August 19, 2003
Tech Tues
- Want to take satellite TV with you, but that small dish on top of the roof looks funny, costs you gas mileage, and is a bear to constantly adjust? The friendly folks at KVH have just come out with the Tracvision A5 flat antenna, where you can watch 300+ TV stations in the comfort of your own vehicle (except for the driver!?!). They are supposedly working on using this antenna for Internet connections. I can't see spending +$3000 for this and having to worry about someone stealing it, when thieves break into cars for $200 car stereos as it is.
- A few days ago I left a comment over at Antioch Road that I may rely on Google too much for searches on the Web. Jason wondered if such a thing was possible (I think he was teasing me). I have looked at other search engines, and will occasionally use Kartoo for a change of pace. This search site, Teoma, was featured in an article in the Wall Street Journal yesterday. It is cleanly designed and formats results similar to Google, but gave some different results for one of my test searches. At least with Teoma I did not get the banner ads to the right side, although the ones in Google are not all that obtrusive. Somebody has to pay for the site! AskJeeves just bought out Teoma and is using it for their search results.
- Wired magazine had some fortunate timing when the recent edition (out for about a week) contains a story about the proposal for a world-wide electrical grid: "Twenty years from now, the whole world will be sharing electricity through one grid." Sheesh, we can't even get a region to behave, and now they want to connect the whole world. Talk about your "load leveling"!
... the electricity grids of all the nations of North and South America should be interconnected within the next 10 years. The Eastern Hemisphere could follow a decade later, as companies like Eskom, the largest energy firm in South Africa, plow ahead with plans to install high-capacity transmission lines across Africa and into Europe.Hmmm, might this be a tempting target for terrorists? I have a hunch those semi-polite people who protest against globalization (you know, the ones dressed in black who wear masks and riot at World Bank meetings) might not like this idea too much. This tension between "economies of scale"(big government/projects) vs. small-scale, decentralized systems will come into play more frequently in the political world. People from either side will try to push their side if market forces are pushing the other way.
Once the grid is fully functional, the only excuse for power shortages will be greed. When demand is high in one region, it's almost certain to be low in another. By making electric power as easily transferrable as data, analysts expect a global grid to smooth the market spikes out of the world's most useful commodity.
[NOTE: I know that last sentence is a tough one to swallow, let alone read, but I couldn't think of a better way to say it. Did I get the point across or just contribute to more confusion?]
Posted by MarcV, 4:23 PM link
August 18, 2003
Faith Stuff
Over at the Sister's Weblog, Susan posted about Jeremiah and how he asked God to strike his enemies down. She then related that to some of the struggles she has gone through. She concluded that "He promises that all wrongs will be made right. I have to trust in that. I have to see all of this through eyes that look to eternity...WHICH TAKES THE PATIENCE OF GOD!" Part of my comment is below:
It's one of the great tests of Christianity to see the "heathen" prosper and good people suffer, and then wonder why God does not "take care" of things better. I sometimes fail this test myself. I just found out that a friend at work has a 16 month old granddaughter who just suffered a heart attack. They are deciding today on whether or not to take her off of life support. My friend told me that she has given it to God and has peace about it. May God grant the rest of her family peace as they sort through this difficult time.
I have found it hard to breath after hearing this news. It breaks my heart to hear about this, yet I must trust Him in all things. Yesterday the "youth" band provided the praise music for morning service, and it was great to sing a Third Day song. They performed "Your Love, Oh Lord":
Your Love, oh Lord
Reaches to the heavens
Your faithfulness stretches to the sky
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains
Your justice flows like the ocean's tide
I will lift my voice
To worship You, my King
I will find my strength
In the shadow of Your wings
Posted by MarcV, 2:34 PM link
Gem of a Story
If you have seen the cover of the recent Wired magazine, you may have noticed an attractive blonde woman wearing a diamond shirt. This fashion choice may become more popular as the price and availability of diamonds head in opposite directions (price down and plentiful supply). This article, The New Diamond Age, highlights two different synthesis techniques for producing diamonds. Whether you call them cultured or artificial diamonds, they are just like the natural stones that DeBeers currently controls.
If you happen to have puchased diamonds as a "hard" investment, to balance some paper investments, you may want to consider changing over to precious metals, such as platinum. To keep up with higher power requirements for computer circuitry, diamonds are being looked at as a replacement for silicon as chip substrates. With some recent technological breakthroughs to form n-p junctions in the diamond structure, the main thing holding back computer circuits on diamond is price. That may be changing in the next few years.
Even if you don't invest in diamonds or care about future electronic materials, the article is still a good read. It gives an interesting view of the international market for diamonds, and how some entrepeneurs have run with some novel manufacturing processes.
Posted by MarcV, 10:16 AM link
August 15, 2003
4D Pinch Point
As if President Bush didn't have enough trouble already, the great blackout just added another dimension. Let's review how our current Executive in charge of our country is being squeezed:
1. Unemployment is above 6%, and has been on an upward trend since the beginning of the year.
2. Paying for the war and rebuilding of Iraq (+$100B).
3. Short term effect of tax cuts adds $100B or more to deficit.
4. Get ready for push on rebuilding the US electrical grid.
The loss of tax receipts (unemployment) combined with #2&3 makes #4 a hard pill to swallow. Speaking of pills, how much more fiscal trouble would we be in with a Medicare prescription giveaway? It may be too early to say, but so far nobody has even hazarded a guess on the cost to modernize our electrical distribution grid. I have heard that some of the switches are vintage 1950's. Lynne Kiesling over at the Knowledge Problem has plenty of good links on the situation. She points to a study on the National Transmission Grid completed about 2 years ago (here is the main recommendations page) that brought up the need for an Office of Electric Transmission and Distribution. I looked at the DoE site and could not find that particular "office". I googled it and could not find anything connected to the US government.
The DoE did have this "Strategic Plan":
The Department of Energy’s draft Strategic Plan states the Department is “Protecting National, Energy, and Economic Security with Advanced Science and Technology and Ensuring Environmental Cleanup."
This report gives an overview of the US energy infrastructure. From one graph in the report, it appears that we had been spending about $1B/yr on new electric power transmission, but that the amount spent in constant dollars declined from 1995 to 1998.
The main problems with the national electric distribution grid are lack of incentives and NIMBY. The power generators have no desire to pony up money on transmission lines that they have to share with their competition. The money is made on the generation side, and not the transmission side. Unlike other energy sources, electricity is a power source that has to be provided instantly and can not be stored (easily in mass quantities). The transmission system has evolved to help different regions level the load and share resources, rather than each region building redundant power plants to cover peak periods. Unfortunately, the system "over"-peaked at 4:15 pm EST yesterday.
The other problem is NIMBY. Nobody wants power generation plants or power transmission lines in their backyard, yet they want the electricity. Manhattan does not have the space to build another power plant economically, so they have to ask for other state's help in positioning power transmission lines to bring in more electricity. Guess what the environmentalist's answer is?
Like many of the faithful reader(s) here in the Taterbed, I had high hopes that Pres. Bush would champion the cause of reducing the scope and size of the federal government, having less slop that makes it to the pork (barrel) feeding troughs, and giving us some tax breaks. Well, at least we got a tax break!?!
As distasteful as this sounds, we need a big federal program to regulate and rejuvenate the North American electric power grid. This is clearly a federal problem since we rely on interstate power transmission. By improving the distribution of electrical power, we can hopefully improve the efficiency of the resources that we do have and avoid a massive power generator station building program. Prepare yourselves for higher power bills and individual states fighting federal mandates.
Posted by MarcV, 3:33 PM link
Take Two
Today's double shot of funnies from the comedian Argus Hamilton:
The PGA Championship began at Oak Hill in Rochester Thursday. The tournament always allows corporate tents to line the fairways. One of the blimps will be advertising Planters Mixed Nuts, official sponsor of the California recall election.
McDonald's is testing new equipment that grills and flips hamburgers and cooks and bags french fries automatically. This is ominous. It means there are an awful lot of people working on their Master's degrees with no jobs waiting for them. (Yes, I have a Master's degree myself.)
...WEEKEND BONUS!
John Kerry insulted Philadelphians Monday when he ordered a Philly cheesesteak with Swiss cheese and not Cheez Whiz. He's trying be a regular guy. Last week he lowered the glass partition between himself and his driver when he went motorcycling.
Ralph Nader was hit in the face with a cream pie Tuesday while introducing a Green Party candidate for governor. The assailant got away. He escaped through the hole in the ozone that was blown open by the aerosol in the can of whipped cream. (That nitrous oxide is murder on ozone!)
Posted by MarcV, 8:17 AM link
Friday Five
Here we go again with Friday's five.
1. How much time do you spend online each day?
About 4 hours
2. What is your browser homepage set to?
Spudlets, of course
3. Do you use any instant messaging programs? If so, which one(s)?
No, IM gives me the creeps
4. Where was your first webpage located?
Blogspot, like alot of other newbies. Maybe I can afford my own site next year.
5. How long have you had your current website?
About a year and a half
Posted by MarcV, 8:16 AM link
Took a half-day yesterday, since I have racked up the overtime over the Exchange migration. We did our consumer thing to help the economy, but with my paycheck it was a very small dent, like when a flea hits an auto traveling at 25 mph. Stayed offline the whole time during the great blackout. I'm curious to see stories about it on the blogosphere, once folks start getting power back up in Yankeeland.
Posted by MarcV, 8:15 AM link
August 14, 2003
Back to Iraq
You can find some chucklers here in Bruce Stockler on Saddam Hussein on National Review Online. He thinks that if we just cut out of Iraq and give it back to Saddam, all of our troubles will be over:
America's nitpicking naysayers finally will be silenced. All those elitist, hypocritical, and self-hating critics will see their charges of U.S. military and cultural imperialism evaporate. I suggest we send a Lincoln Brigade of 250,000 Columbia University grad students, alt-newspaper editors, and grassroots peace activists to Iraq to help coordinate the transition back to the Baathist lifestyle whose sovereignty they so passionately defended.
...
Won't Saddam return to his old tricks — murder, repression, terrorism, bilking Iraq's economy? Doubtful. Saddam knows we're not kidding around anymore. Just because he's not dead under 50,000 pounds of high explosives doesn't mean we didn't come this close to killing him. (We did.) When the most awesome superpower in world history wants you dead, you're dead, buddy, and if, for some reason, you are not, well, that's really just a statistical anomaly.
Yes, Saddam will be scared straight, and run the country the way he ought to, not the way he had wanted to in the past. The "beauty" part of returning him to power:
What message will Saddam's return send to Iran, Syria, North Korea, and the other axles of evil? This is the brilliant part. Returning Saddam to power is such an unpredictable, confusing, and outside-the-box piece of political strategy that our enemies will spend years trying to divine our motives. No country could draw any rational foreign policy conclusion. Arab nations may question if Saddam is working for the CIA or if he is, in fact, a body double.
Posted by MarcV, 10:23 AM link
August 13, 2003
Blaster is no blast! Light posting today as I scramble around here installing patches. For those who may not know what to do about this Blaster worm thing, this - How to Kill The Blaster Virus--PC Magazine - is a pretty good start. If you're running Windows NT4, 2000 or XP, you could be attacked. How do you know if you've got "it"?
But what if your system is one of tens of thousands already compromised by Blaster? You may not be able to install the patch, or to do much of anything. On most machines Blaster triggers a Windows shut down sequence with a 60-second warning, leaving no time for downloading. Your first step is to abort the shutdown by entering the command "shutdown /a" (no quotes) in the Start menu's Run dialog. With the countdown halted, you can try the free removal tool from Symantec or do the job by hand.
Posted by MarcV, 2:20 PM link
If you're looking for some encouraging stories on courage, check out David Frum's Diary on National Review Online. You will be blessed with some inspiring stories from everyday people, besides the update on the appointment of Daniel Pipes to the US Institute for Peace.
Posted by MarcV, 11:12 AM link
August 12, 2003
A little preseason buzz for the NC State Wolfpack, as they make the drive for an ACC football crown (story at ESPN.com). You Buckeye fans who may be visiting, basking in your championship glow, watch out. OSU will be tested in their third game. Folks in Columbus may come to regret scheduling this non-conference game.
Posted by MarcV, 2:23 PM link
Rough weekend - I'm finally starting to climb out of it. I have been anticipating a move to a new Exchange server (for e-mail) for most of this year, and it finally happened. We have been getting our e-mail from a server in another state (in the company), and I've had to weather the complaints about slow e-mail.
Now with an Exchange server on-site, on my network, e-mails run much faster. Moving to a different server has caused problems with people still using the old e-mail addresses. I've sent out messages warning about it and giving instructions on how to handle the situation, but I still get the calls. Oh well, 20 hours of OT last week will hopefully mean a few extra goodies coming from the next paycheck. Maybe even new underwear! (Isn't it funny-strange how as you get older you appreciate new underwear? Guess it's because you keep wearing the old ones until they disintegrate ...)
Posted by MarcV, 10:25 AM link
Take One
Believe it or not, most of the funnies over at Argus Hamilton's sight were good enough to post, so just go there and read them all. I will give the last one:
President Bush, Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney and Condi Rice came striding toward the TV cameras at the Texas ranch Friday. The message was unmistakable. If any of the networks were thinking of doing a reality show version of Bonanza, it's too late.
Cue up the Bonanza theme song in your mind, picture a map of Iraq burning away followed by a scene of Rumsfeld, Cheney then Rice riding up on horseback, decked out in cowboy outfits. Pres. Bush rides up last, and as his horse rears up, he waves his hat in a circle, yells "YEE HAA!", then leads the group as they gallop off into the distance. I like that. Rest of the world thinks we're cowboys, so we might as well have fun with it.
They can easily get a season's worth of skits on "Saturday Night Live" based on this setup. Don't know how (or if) they'd work in Powell.
Posted by MarcV, 9:19 AM link
More Jewish Junk
Recent news release from Reuters (via Yahoo News):
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Anti-Defamation League said on Mondayan upcoming religious film from actor and director Mel GibsonThe Holy Bible would lead to hatred of Jews if it isreleasedread in its current form.
Jewish leaders have raised concerns it might portray Jews as collectively guilty for Christ's crucifixion, while Catholics have expressed worries thatGibson might use the film tothe Bible may challenge church teachings. "ThefilmBible unambiguously portrays Jewish authorities and the Jewish mob as the ones responsible for the decision to crucify Jesus," Abraham Foxman, the league's national director, said in a statement.
How did the ADL get to this momentous decision, issuing a statement that supposedly reflects the views of the thousands of its members? The movie was previewed by Rabbi Eugene Korn, who is the group's director of Interfaith Affairs. So based on one man with an axe to grind, the ADL leadership is risking the potential goodwill of Christians.
Korn said "The Passion" contains "many dangerous teachings" that Christians and Jews had worked to counter, and he added that the group hopes Gibson and his film production company will "consider modifying" the movie.
No specifics on the "dangerous teachings", they just want a hand in the "modifying" in order to give their seal of approval. I can not recall any film drawing this much controversy before it has even been released. The anti-Semitic arguments against it have been repudiated by well-respected critics (both Jewish and non-Jewish) who have seen the film. The only reason for this outcry that comes to mind is fear. Will Jews be so swept up by this movie that they will come forward to convert and recognize Jesus as their Messiah and Savior? Will "casual" Christians have to face that small voice inside their head that has been questioning their lack of faith? That Jesus/God is someone more than just a name that they shout in anger?
I'm trying not to get too swept up over this pre-release "buzz", and I should keep it in perspective that this film is primarily an attempt at historical accuracy, rather than an evangelical tool. I will continue to be optimistic that The Passion will advance the kingdom of God, and that the lost will be reunited with the One who loves them and yearns to hold them in His arms. Jesus went willingly to the cross to die for us as a final sacrifice for our sins, an atonement that will last for all time, because He loves us. Is that a dangerous teaching?
Posted by MarcV, 9:17 AM link
August 11, 2003
My Sunday school teacher had a good line yesterday. He was talking about driving down the highway, and how he sets the cruise control to 7 mph over the speed limit. Upon seeing the astonished looks on some faces, as well as gasps of (mock) horror, he simply credited it to grace.
You can probably think of many areas where the law says one thing but the actual practice turns out to be something different. The best we can do is ask the Lord for help whenever one of these grey areas comes across our path. We rely on grace when we slip, or when we happen to be on the wrong side of a ragged edge.
Posted by MarcV, 9:27 AM link
Saw that they announced the death of Gregory Hines from cancer this weekend. He was a talented entertainer. I regret that he did not get a chance to portray Duke Ellington in a major movie about the jazz legend. He seemed to be made for the role, but nobody did anything about it. Don't know if the Ellington family is keeping close wraps on his story/legacy. Done right, it would be a blockbuster film, showing a music genius who bridged the gap between the Depression to the Rock&Roll eras.
I've said this before: long after we are gone, his music will live on for hundreds of years (like a Bach or Beethoven). To compose the musical masterpieces and then integrate the orchestration to the strength's of each individual band member is astounding.
But I digress - we should be thinking about Mr. Hines. He did have a prolific career and helped many young male entertainers with his example of hard work, "cool" and dignity.
Posted by MarcV, 9:08 AM link
August 08, 2003
Stupid Crook News
This story at FoxNews caught my interest. A stripclub manager in West Virginia and one his "lovelies" drugged a patron, then stole his money while his car was idling. The patron happened to be a lottery winner (Jack Whittaker), and he had $545,000 on him in a briefcase. Why anyone would be carrying that much cash on him is beyond me. Maybe this should be stupid victim news!
The manager ditched the emptied briefcase behind some dumpsters, then broke the window out of his own car and took some CD's to make it look like he was a victim.
Whittaker's private investigator later found the briefcase and other items behind the trash bin. Jeffrey Caplinger, 23, and Misty Arnold, 24, were charged with robbery and face five to 18 years in prison if convicted. They were freed on $10,000 bail and placed on home confinement, said Tom Smith, Caplinger's lawyer. A phone listing for Arnold's lawyer, Rico Moore, could not be found Thursday night.
I'm picturing Mr. Moore in a pinstripe suit, toothpick twirling around his mouth, hair slicked back and frequently saying "yo!". I could be wrong, though. The victim was in the news at the end of last year:
A spokesman for Whittaker said he was out of state but planned to issue a statement Monday. Whittaker claimed a $113 million cash option after winning a record $314.9 million jackpot on Christmas Day. The day he collected his lump sum payment, he said he would tithe 10 percent of his winnings to charity, and he has donated at least $3 million to various churches.
Remember the big "hoo-hah" over this guy winning a huge Powerball payout, and whether or not churches should accept the money knowing that it came from gambling winnings? Sounds like the money is going to people either baring their soul or baring their body. Yeah, that was a cheap shot, but it is sad that this guy has nothing better to do with his money than hang out at cheap stripclubs and (I assume) act like a high-roller. Not having experienced it myself, I've heard that people who come into sudden wealth like that have a hard time maintaining friendships, because they don't know if people like them just for their money. Be careful what you wish for!
Posted by MarcV, 10:54 AM link
Friday Five
It's been awhile, but what the hey, here we go again with Friday's five.
1. What's the last place you traveled to, outside your own home state/country?
Chicago last March, Toronto in '98.
2. What's the most bizarre/unusual thing that's ever happened to you while traveling?
Giving a speech (in broken Spanish) to a church group in Guatemala. The village was tucked away in jungle/farm. You had to walk over a mile after parking your car and then go over a river, walking on a bridge composed of 3 large bamboo poles (held together by barbed wire). Good faith test. Did I pass? Hope so.
3. If you could take off to anywhere, money and time being no object, where would you go?
Jerusalem, to walk where my Lord walked, to eat fish cooked over coals on the side of a lake, to tell Him that I love Him and that I will feed His sheep. Maybe visit the Azores on the way back.
4. Do you prefer traveling by plane, train or car?
Plane, although Lady Spud avoids them if at all possible.
5. What's the next place on your list to visit?
Chicago next summer, and I'm sure there'll be trips to Disneyworld and Yellowstone as Li'l Tater gets older.
Posted by MarcV, 10:51 AM link
Take Two
Today's double shot of funnies from the comedian Argus Hamilton:
Arnold Schwarzenegger told reporters Wednesday he expects attacks from Gray Davis. He has posed nude, he's been accused of womanizing and his father fought for Hitler. He's the perfect candidate for a state where the paper of record is Zig Zag.
The AFL-CIO convention in Chicago heard from all nine Democratic candidates Tuesday. The union bosses were tough on Howard Dean. They demanded to know who is the shop steward of all these civil unions he created while governor of Vermont.
Posted by MarcV, 10:49 AM link
August 07, 2003
Yes, I have two posts in a row with Cal Thomas extensively quoted. It has been awhile since I've reproduced any of his stuff here in the TaterBed, but today he said it much better that I could on two important subjects. Thank God he is given print space in the secular/liberal newspaper space that is labeled "Opinion".
Posted by MarcV, 8:52 AM link
More Passion
I'm ready to see Mel Gibson's move The Passion, and would rather not wait +6 months. Cal Thomas has already seen it, and can now comment on it. His impression:
As one who has seen virtually every modern biblical epic — from Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" to the two-part "Jesus" miniseries on CBS three years ago — I can say "The Passion" is the most beautiful, profound, accurate, disturbing, realistic and bloody depiction of this well-known story that has ever been filmed.
The version he saw had subtitles (hope they make it in the final version) and ended with a unique depiction of the Resurrection. Mr. Thomas also gives his view on the potential for anti-Semitism:
A Christian friend whispered to me during the scene in which the mob demands that the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, order Jesus (who, after all, was Jewish) to be crucified: "What disturbs me is that I might have been part of that crowd."
Exactly. Guilt is universal, not particular to the Jews.
There is an important theological point to be made, especially for any Christian who might wish to blame the Jews as a people for Christ's death. According to the biblical record, Jesus said He came into the world for the purpose of sacrificing Himself on behalf of all humanity and that no one had the power to take His life from Him. He said He had the power to lay His life down, and the power to take it up again. That does not sound like a murder victim to me.
I'm tempted to reprint the last part of his column, but will instead let you click on over if you so desire. The whole column is excellent.
Over at TCS, Sidney Goldberg posted his view on the movie, and adds more weight to the argument that the movie is not anti-Semitic. I wrote a response earlier this week, reprinted below:
Message: There are two perspectives to this. Either you believe that Jesus is/was he who said he was, or you do not. If you do not believe Him, then Jesus was just another prophet killed by his own people.
If you do believe that He is the Messiah, then you also must accept that He had the power to overcome any feeble attempts to have Him arrested and crucified. He went willingly as a final sacrifice for mankind. It was our sins that nailed Him to the cross, not some political maneuver by the Sanhedrin. Every Christian must take the responsibility that He took the pain of our sins for our gain of eternal life. What is our response?
It saddens me to see anti-Semitism rear its ugly head. Mel Gibson's movie has no intent to castigate Jews, but to tell part of the story of the greatest sacrifice.
Posted by MarcV, 8:47 AM link
Tragedy
I saw that Episcopalian Robinson person on TV last night give his "excuses" on a press conference broadcast by the PBS news department. It sickens me to the point that I don't want to repeat his blasphemy. PBS then got the usual academic "theologians" from the Ivy League schools for commentary. They did not seem to openly embrace him, but they did not go anywhere near to condemning him either. You could sense that they were trying to justify/allow the world into the church (let's embrace everyone and all opinions).
Cal Thomas also weighed in on the Episcopalian tragedy:
An Episcopalian friend of mine, reacting to the elevation of an openly homosexual priest to the office of bishop, said to me, "If you're a heterosexual clergyman and you're having sex outside marriage, you can be expelled. But if you're a homosexual clergyman having sex outside marriage, they rejoice."
...
In what is regarded by most Christians as the job description for high church office, Paul the Apostle wrote to his young protege Timothy that an "overseer" (or minister) must be "above reproach, the husband of one wife," and "must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect." Paul then asks an important question: "If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?" (1 Timothy 3:2-5)
...
People who regard Scripture as having passed from God to man without error have warned for years what happens when these texts are treated as something less than accurate. Once compromises are made (and I'm not talking about stoning adulterers, though such a practice might be one way to implement term limits in Washington), all things become not only possible, but probable.
If God is not God and if man says God didn't say what He has said, then what standard is to be used to judge anything? It is more than a slippery slope. It is slippery theology with potential consequences that are eternal. Who gets to decide, God or man? If man, then man becomes God and God is diminished, at least in man's eyes.
If a practicing homosexual priest who divorced his wife and walked out on his children is deemed a fit leader for the Episcopal Church, members are going to have to ask themselves a serious question: Does their denomination represent the will of their God and, if not, why don't they abandon a church that has clearly abandoned Him?
'Nuff said.
Posted by MarcV, 8:45 AM link
Take Two
Today's double shot of funnies from the comedian Argus Hamilton:
New Jersey passed a law against sleep-deprived driving on Monday. Anyone who crashes their car while asleep at the wheel goes to prison. This disqualifies Joe Lieberman from ever giving the response to the president's weekly radio address.
The Pentagon issued new photos of Saddam Hussein to assist the manhunt. It's getting exciting. Saddam Hussein is desperately trying to work his way to where he would be safe from U.S. justice, but crossing into Saudi Arabia is tough in August.
Posted by MarcV, 8:44 AM link
August 06, 2003
Take Two
Today's double shot of funnies from the comedian Argus Hamilton:
Saddam Hussein's voice was identified by the CIA as authentic on the dictator's latest audiotape message Monday. He's releasing these tapes more frequently now. It's getting to where Saddam Hussein follows Paul Harvey every day at twelve-fifteen. (and now for the rest of story ...)
Howard Dean told Larry King Monday he is opposed to the war in Iraq but he's glad Saddam Hussein is gone. He's nothing if not consistent. When Howard Dean was a doctor he wouldn't even remove an appendix unless France and Germany were onboard.
Posted by MarcV, 5:02 PM link
$$ for Iraq
Not much going on politically in Washington, what with everyone besides the Pentagon (always on call) on vacation this month. Iraq's US Administrator, Paul Bremer, commented at the end of last week (on a CNBC show) that to get Iraq back up and running would need "... probably well above $50 billion, $60 billion, maybe $100 billion. It's a lot of money." Yeah, that's more than chump change, and some folks are getting worked up about it.
Critics of the President have been outspoken on the lack of information coming from the White House on the tab that Iraq will run up. In the "Political Capital" section of the Wall St. Journal 8/5/03 (not available online for free), Alan Murray insists that the Bush administration should come clean on the costs.
But I do think members of the administration have willfully deceived the public and Congress about the costs of the Iraqi war and its aftermath ... (and not) forthcoming with Congress in private. "They haven't given us any indication of how much it will be," says Rep. Jim Kolbe(R) of Arizona, who heads the Appropriations subcommittee that will have to approve any request for more reconstruction aid. "They are clearly lowballing it."
Mr. Murray speculates that this may be a calculated tactic, since the American public supposedly has a low tolerance for foreign aid, and that talking about the cost now will cause other countries to decline helping out. A "donors' conference" is planned to take place in New York City in October. Just don't expect oil revenue to help much with the rebuilding costs.
According to a report from the Council on Foreign Relations, current Iraqi oil output is 600,000 barrels/day (b/d) if sufficient power is supplied to the refineries, and is hoped to be stepped up to 1.5 M b/d by the end of the year. That output will result in $5B/year revenue. That's helpful but well short of their needs. So much for America grabbing all of the oil profits.
This report from about two weeks ago at BBC News paints the cost at "... up to $90bn (£57bn) in investment to restore its economy to health, according to the latest assessment by experts. The investment, which would focus on re-building infrastructure, will take a decade, said Achmed al-Shahrabani, who is leading a special Iraq initiative by management consultants McKinsey." Over half of that would be dedicated to getting Iraqi oil capacity back up to +6M b/d output, and the rebuilding of the health-care system was set at $10-20B.
"Iraq has a seriously dysfunctional economy but with enormous economic opportunities," Guy Gantley, an economic adviser at the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office, told the conference. He added that the country should use its oil revenues to help diversify the economy away from dependence on oil. Failure to do this would likely result in sharp swings in government income from year to year in line with international oil prices, making long-term economic planning all but impossible.
Iraq's estimated investment needs |
Utilities | Reconstruction of basic infrastructure such as transport facilities, telecommunications and utilities (power capacity currently at 1,800 MW compared with 9,500 MW pre-1990) | $10bn-15bn just for electricity and telecoms |
Oil & gas | Re-establishing and increasing oil production capacity to 6 million-7 million barrels a day by 2010 | $35bn-40bn |
Healthcare | Re-establishing pre-1980 health care facilities and standards | $10bn-20bn |
Education | Rebuilding and upgrading of primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions | $6bn-12bn |
Transport infrastructure | Rebuilding 40,000 km of paved roads, three main railway lines, three main airports, two ports | Several billions |
Source: McKinsey
Three decades of neglect and plundering by the Saddamites makes rebuilding very expensive for the 25 million Iraqis. There are also military costs to consider. From a report in Reuters - Rebuilding Iraq:
In testimony to Congress, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and White House Budget Director Joshua Bolten said they could not estimate costs because they said the situation in Iraq was too fluid. Bolten did say "for the next couple of months" he predicted costs of maintaining U.S. troops there at about $4 billion per month.
The cost was estimated by the Center for Strategic & Budgetary Assessments. "A reasonable estimate, however, might be that the United States will need to maintain an average of some 40,000 troops in Iraq over the FY 2004-08 period. This would require total funding of around $48 billion." Not to mention the loss of an American GI per day. It's alot to invest, but we need to be optimistic that the cure will take hold. If we just cut out the disease and then leave, the cancer will come back and all that has been accomplished this year will have been for naught.
In a land that has never really known democracy, this will be a long and difficult task. These costs could be considered part of the cost for the war on terrorism. If Iraq could be made an example of a country that can rule itself democratically, as well as expand its economy outside of the oil pit, then we may be able to help the rest of the Arabs to pull themselves out of their medieval morass and join the 21st century.
Posted by MarcV, 4:59 PM link
August 05, 2003
Dogmatic Conclusion-Mongering
Over at NRO's Corner, someone mentioned an article from the New Yorker magazine that tended to paint an unflattering picture of talk radio.
But these NPR programs are news-feature broadcasts; they adhere to the practices of journalistic professionalism, including the aspirational ideal of objectivity. Their sensibility may fairly be said to be “liberal” in the sense that liberal education is liberal—that is, open-minded and urbane, with a preference for empirical inquiry over dogmatic conclusion-mongering—but what little overt political commentary they offer hovers around the moderate middle. NPR’s local talk-show hosts tend to be more overtly liberal, but they are always polite about it. In contrast, Limbaugh and his scores of national and local imitators aggressively propagandize on behalf of the conservative wing ...
Although this yo-ho is all over the board (and flat-out wrong in his propaganda), I love that phrase "dogmatic conclusion-mongering". You picture a big dog with a bone in his mouth, and he ain't giving it up for nobody. NPR = ideal of objectivity (ha ha ha ha ha ha snort). Whew, that was a whopper! Empirical enquiry - hoo hoo!
That part of the article was reprinted at NRO. Apparently there is a concerted effort at getting a 14 hr/day liberal radio content on the air, but they're afraid that it won't be sufficiently entertaining, since liberals would never stoop to the "hate-mongerers" tactics:
Well, right-wing radio is niche entertainment for the spiritually unattractive. It succeeds because a substantial segment of the right-wing rank and file enjoys listening, hour after hour, as smug, angry, disdainful middle-aged men spew raw contempt at reified enemies, named and unnamed. The radiocons seldom offer analysis or argument. To the chronically resentful, they offer the sadistic consolation of an endless sneer—at weaklings, victim-group whiners, cultural snobs, Hollywood hypocrites whose hearts bleed for the downtrodden though they themselves are rich and privileged, feminists, environmentalists, and, of course, “liberals,” defined as the Clintons, other members of the “Democrat Party,” and persons suspected of thinking that the state ought to help correct for various kinds of unfairnesses or calamities (economic, racial, climatic, medical) or of attaching themselves to some identity other than or in addition to “American” (black, gay, foreign, all humanity).
All humanity? Word for the day: reified - to regard (something abstract) as a material or concrete thing. That's a new one for me. "Sadistic consolation of an endless sneer..." Wow - I get the impression that they are not too enamored of Rush and his dittoheads. So now one must be wondering, "What can be done to counter this grave injustice to humanity and civility?" [Warning: "liberals" is now replaced by the word "noncons" so that they can include the squishy middle.]
By contrast, most noncons—most people, for that matter—do not regard politics as entertainment. They regard it as politics. They wouldn’t think it was fun to listen to expressions of raw contempt for conservatives—oh, maybe for a little while now and then, just as some occasionally tune in Limbaugh to give themselves a masochistic thrill or to raise their blood pressure, but not long and often enough to sustain an industry. When they want to be entertained, they watch comedy or drama. For the radiocon audience, political hate talk is comedy and drama. To their ears, it’s music.
I had heard rumors that they were trying to get Al Franken on as a "counter" to Rush Limbaugh. Al is real civilized himself ... what was that book he wrote awhile back? Oh yeah, that work of "political science", Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot. I can hear those radio dials turning now. Reading trash like this New Yorker article can help you understand why there are some people with a visceral hatred of Pres. Bush and all that he is trying to accomplish. It can give you a sick feeling in your stomach, though.
Posted by MarcV, 4:25 PM link
Coach Doh
Nice little write-up over at ESPN on
Matt Doherty's next destination still unknown. He seems to be taking his departure from UNC with grace and aplomb. He's still chomping at the bit for basketball, and it looks like he'll be doing color commentary for some games. The release was not easy for him, though:
"It's like getting burned by a girlfriend. It hurts, and there's certainly some pain there, but it's not the end of the world," Doherty said. "I wasn't the first coach, and I won't be the last coach that is asked to resign from his position. It's almost like a badge of honor these days."
Posted by MarcV, 1:38 PM link
Generational Sins
Pretty good post over at TCS: Tech - Passionate Intensity. The author makes some good arguments on the silliness of persecuting people based on the sins of their fathers. He also has some good points on how Mel Gibson's The Passion should not be viewed as anti-Semitic.
Posted by MarcV, 11:09 AM link
Ralph Peters gives some good reasons to keep the UN out of the Iraq rebuilding effort over at the New York Post. We need to stick to the plan and make sure the investment made will yield benefits in the future. Handing over Iraq to the UN would be a huge mistake.
America must demonstrate its strength of resolve and depth of resources. The Arab world - and the rest of the globe - watches to see if our military triumph will be followed by administrative failure. And we must have no illusions: Turning Iraq over to the United Nations would be seen as an American failure by our friends and enemies alike.
Posted by MarcV, 10:07 AM link
Take Two
Today's double shot of funnies from the comedian Argus Hamilton:
The Pentagon released photos of what Saddam Hussein probably looks like after four months on the run. His hair is much grayer. One look at the photos and it's apparent that he has been touching up his hair with Just for Brutal Men. (Wonder how long until he gets red streaks? If he's taken alive, I hope they send him to Gitmo and treat him as a war criminal. Let the terrorists know that Gitmo is the end of the line.)
The Washington Post reported Colin Powell told the White House he would not serve a second term as Secretary of State. It's at the insistence of his wife. That guy coming home in the cowboy hat every night is not the Anglican she married. (Will he ride off into the sunset?)
Posted by MarcV, 9:01 AM link
Forgiveness
Hey Cub fans, if you've been badmouthing Sammy Sosa this year, thinking that he's on the downside of his career, Rick Morissey has been feeling a little guilty about it and has just the cure (link requires registration).
But he's right, you know, and it's time to ask forgiveness for ever doubting the guy. Sammy ripped a two-run homer Sunday to lead the Cubs to a 2-1 victory over Arizona, leaving many of us in dire need of absolution.What caused this wave of contrition? Here's a quote from Sosa:
I want to apologize for anything I might have written since the beginning of the time that questioned whether Sosa was on the downside of his career. And I'd like to apologize for his 95 strikeouts in 322 at-bats this season. I don't know why, I just feel responsible.
I'd also like to apologize for that corking incident because if we can be honest with ourselves, we were all culpable. You, me and the cork tree that created the cork. In our desperation to build a homer-hitting hero, we turned Sosa into what he is. I'd like to think we all drilled the hole in Sammy's corked bat.
"I have to prove to so many people that they were wrong when they had a chance to talk bad about me," Sosa said. "It's not how you start, it's how you finish. I never give up, and now those guys who were talking bad about me at the beginning [of the year], they have to come to me and apologize. I've always been at the top of my game. I never let myself down. The day that I do, I'm going to retire, but I never get down."Is it any wonder that baseball continues to lose fans, when the "stars" of the game have such big heads that they have trouble putting their caps on? He's making millions, has poor leadership skills, will probably make the top ten all-time homer list, yet we're the ones who have to apologize to him because of questions raised at the beginning of the season. "It's how you finish", "I never let myself down" ... no mention of team there.
Perhaps he's still a little sore over the treatment he gets for the cork incident, and wonders where the love is since he has been on a tear lately. Unfortunately, the Cubs need his bat so much that they have to put up with the prima dona act. He will never reach the beloved Cub status like an Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Ryne Sandberg or Mark Grace, to name a few. He has the talent, but his ego keeps getting in the way.
Posted by MarcV, 9:00 AM link
August 04, 2003
I know that people will advise you not to randomly choose Bible verses since they can be taken out of context. It can be interesting to find some gems, and I found this in Ecclesiastes 8:8
No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death.Interesting how Scripture will use something common in everyone's lives to explain a difficult concept. We all like to think we control how long we live, but it's like trying to catch the wind. Once we let wickedness and unrighteousness into our lives, we have a difficult time of getting out of it. We need the release that the Lord can give us. He has our victory over the war we are in, you just have to ask Him.
As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.
Posted by MarcV, 2:17 PM link
Arab Dune
Whilst perusing the cinema choices at the library (can't beat 5 days of borrowing for free), they had the
Dune (2000 miniseries) that was broadcast on the Sci-Fi channel. This one ran about 4 1/2 hours, and had William Hurt giving his usual impression of William Hurt wearing different clothes. His William Hurt impression worked very well in The Accidental Tourist, but gets old after a few films. I can't watch that movie now as a parent, although it's a good one, because of the pain they go through.
This particular adaptation of Dune is OK. Not having read the book, I couldn't tell you how true they stayed to it, and the reviews on IMDB were mixed with regards to that. The special effects were acceptable, given that this was a TV miniseries. They did spend an extraordinary long time on the main character's (Paul Aristede) dreams, rather than space travel. I'll get to my other gripe in a moment.
I'm posting on this because of the story's parallels with the current Arab situation. In Dune you have the spice that everyone wants, and in the Mideast it's the oil. The natives are backwards technologically but are very spirtual and in tune with nature and the desert. The foreigners just want to steal their spice and waste water, and they treat the natives like slaves.
I kept thinking that this would be a Muslim fantasy come true, where the natives overcome the foreign oppressors, and wondered why more Muslims don't value this book. The biggest setback to acceptance of the book would be that the main character, Paul, is not a native, yet becomes their prophet and savior/messiah. He also "intermarries" with the good-looking native woman.
My main beef with the film was the lack of technology in the weapons and aircraft. They rode around in these combo helicopter/planes that used fans on a pivoting board, and the main weapon for the foreigners was a six barrel shotgun. This from a civilization that could travel faster than light (with the help of spice) and employed force fields around buildings. When the natives attacked the occupied palace their crowd control consisted of a couple of guys standing outside the palace entrance with these ridiculous shotguns. Needless to say, they were deservedly overrun.
It has been so long since I have viewed the Dune movie from 1984 (wow, nearly twenty years ago!) that I can't say how they compare. If you have the time, ride your sandworm to the neighborhood video rental shoppe and see if they have a copy of either the original movie or the miniseries. I saw where they have a Children of Dune miniseries that came out this year, but I don't think I'm enough of a fan to check that out.
Posted by MarcV, 2:11 PM link
Doing the Lawn
Lynne Kiesling is back over at the Knowledge Problem, and she's trying to make up for lost time. Apparently she was just up the road from me in Chapel Hill last week, teaching at an Institute for Humane Studies. Don't know what that is all about, but it does pose the question of an institute for inhumane studies. Ooops, that one just closed shop in Baghdad a few months ago! And two of it's teachers were recently denied tenure on this planet.
Anyhow, she linked to a post from another economist commenting on opportunity costs. He takes apart an MSNBC analysis of placing value on your time, trying to generalize something that has specific considerations for each person.
The idea of such household cost-benefit analyses is to get rough estimates--or so we say. But I think that these estimates are both 1) wrong, and 2) give a poor impression of economic thinking. Choice theory, as developed by economists and others, should reflect more of the inherent difficulties in making choices, instead of whitewashing them with simplistic estimates of value.
Moral: Don't let economists tell you who should mow your lawn, or when to mow it--your wife should tell you that. If your wife is an economist, I empathize.
He doesn't give advice for wives who have economist husbands (at least in this post).
Posted by MarcV, 2:10 PM link
August 01, 2003
Beached Whales
Dave Shifflet went to the beach and experienced America in its "full" glory:
We began our investigation on the Virginia Beach fishing pier, where the pleasing aroma of a brutally overworked deep-fat fryer drew midday diners like bees to honey. Fried clams, fried fish, fried potatoes — they could fry up billiard balls and have plenty of takers. Beer sales were likewise brisk, and because Parson Bloomberg has yet to buy the local mayorship, tobacco use was widespread, including cigars. At one time, this was normal behavior. These days, as we know, all are targeted activities.
It is true that some fellow citizens have taken the Super Size craze a bit too seriously, growing to the size of fully adult manatees, to the point of having difficulty staying above ground in areas where the sand is not thoroughly packed. The larger point, however is that chunking up must now be considered an act of civil disobedience. In the current context, eating that extra éclair is a heroic act.
Say it long, say it loud, I'm big and I'm proud. Take arms, fellow citizens, the fat police are trying to take your yummy stuff away, oh no!
How pleasing that even the most humble stores offer a banquet of food, drink, and desert (sic) from all parts of the earth, at low prices. If this is a problem, it's a problem mankind has prayed for since the first of us turned over that first stone and ate that first grub worm. Let the death-phobic health nuts munch their beans and curds. They'll die anyway — and if cheeseburgers aren't served at their wakes, we ain't coming!
It has been said that God provides for our needs, and somes seem to be needing a whole lots. I've wondered if you brought somebody from the past, say from about 200 years ago, what they would be most impressed with. I would guess it would be the abundance and convenience/availability of food. It's no wonder that the "overweight disease" is pressing down on so many people, and shows no sign of letting up.
His article is a short but good one. He ends it on commenting about the potty-mouths of our youths. That is a national tragedy.
Posted by MarcV, 4:21 PM link
Light posting today, due to work thingies. Do check out the miracle dog - it's a hoot!
Posted by MarcV, 2:06 PM link
No Paws
I meant to post on this yesterday, but it's still good today. And tomorrow too.
Oh, if only I could post pictures - maybe someday when I get my own domain name. For now you will have to click on the link for the miracle dog. It's my vote for cutest/heartwarming story of the day, maybe even week. When life gives you lemons, stand up and have Faith!
Posted by MarcV, 1:45 PM link
Da Coach
Coach Ditka (I would be surprised that anyone from Chicago or in any way associated with football would call him Mr. Ditka) gets the "10 Burning Questions" treatment from ESPN. For a brief time in the 80's he brought back Bear's pride, and he will always be loved for that. Some may remember the Superfans:
4. In the ultimate modern-day tribute, "Saturday Night Live" made a skit of Bears fans hopelessly devoted to you and the team. Do Bears fans really talk -- and act -- like that?
Not quite that bad. But they got pretty carried away with how good the Bears were. That was a spoof. But the people here in Chicago really went off the deep end at times, you know, because they did put the Bears and myself on a pedestal. Whether that's right or wrong ... I kind of laughed at it. I never took it too seriously. I got to know a lot of the guys in the cast and I thought it was funny.
My favorite skit was the one where Michael Jordan was on the show, so they had him sit in the (Bear) Superfans. They were nice to him and asked him questions about the Bulls. The camera would focus on one guy, and he would start saying in his head, "Da Bulls, Da Bulls ...", but then would change to "Da ... Bears, Da Bears". That's how it is with Bear's fans. You may know other rabid fans in other towns (like Detroit Redwing fans, or Crimson Tide fans, for example), and it may seem silly, but it's part of sports. I hope they put out a DVD of all the SNL skits involving the Superfans, and maybe put in a bonus skit of Stuart Smalley with Michael Jordan.
Posted by MarcV, 1:44 PM link
