An American Perspective

What's With Advertisers in the "Comments?"

2005-11-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

I've been on a six-month break from blogging until recently and I notice a change in the culture. Comments to my blogs tend to come from advertisers! If this trend is as it seems and continues, it signals decay. I enjoyed the back-and-forth with those who agreed and disagreed much more than getting notes from people trying to sell me shit.

I've also dropped comments just to take a poke at others with whom I've disagreed. Some responded irately. I'll bet those now receiving ads pine for the days of dissenters.

My Top Ten Movies of All Time

2005-10-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty good exercise: choose your top ten movies of all time. Not eleven or fifteen, but ten. If you've really enjoyed movies in your life, this will be difficult. The movies you choose will also reveal something about you ("You haven't mentioned your mother"). Good luck. Here's mine.

My top 10 Movies (alphabetical order)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Dead Man Walking (1995)
Forrest Gump (1994)
On The Waterfront (1954)
The Last Picture Show (1971)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988)
The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
Vertigo (1958)

They Like Me; They Really, Really Like Me (at least a little bit)

2005-10-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

I've been away from blogging for six months- I'm an athletic coach and Spring, Summer and Fall make for a pretty continuous grind. I just checked my blog and found I had a lot of mail and some have been reading my page. Thanks to those who have. I intend to start up again within the week.

Pope Benedict XVI, "The Grand Inquisitor"

2005-04-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

I'm strictly on the sidelines with this issue. I was once an altar boy and the priests I knew were honorable, nice people. Others I knew at my Catholic church were generally good and decent, too. I've got no personal axe to grind. I guess, like many, I came to doubt Christian myths in the comical, adolescent perspective of George Carlin's question: "Hey faddah– if God is all powerful, can He make a rock so big that He Himself can’t lift it?” Today, as a scientifically oriented adult, I am content as a skeptic, but I do follow the goings-on in World religion and subscribe to the little prayer: "God, protect me from your followers." Throughout the World, followers of fundamentalist religion are a threat to freedom and life itself. In the face of radical Islam, American evangelism and other oppressive movements, it appears as though the Vatican has decided to go medieval, too, with the elevation of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to Pope.

Much has been made of Ratzinger's membership in the Hitler Youth and his service with a German anti-aircraft unit. I do not think criticism of his youthful desire to survive is fair. By all accounts, he was an unenthusiastic member and he did reportedly risk his life deserting towards the end of the war. It is Ratzinger's explanation that he could not have avoided participation that falls short. A more honorable, candid response might might credit those who did resist, like the brave members of the "White Rose" (http://www.jlrweb.com/whiterose/articles_inspires.html .

The real problem with Pope Benedict is that he represents the core inflexibility, arrogance and unresponsiveness or the Roman Catholic hierarchy. This is the system that recently allowed Cardinal Law, the disgraced protector and enabler of pedophile priests, vaunted status in the days following John Paul II's death. Not coincidentally, Ratzinger, too, has been accused of shielding a pedophile priest.

Ratzinger ruled the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (the Vatican office once known as the Holy Inquisition). From The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/pope/story/0,12272,1463902,00.html), the following represent some of his judgements:

1. "In Latin America, he disciplined the advocates of 'liberation theology' and cracked down on Asian priests who saw non-Christian religions as part of God's plan for humanity"
2. In the document "Dominus Jesus issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith..." Ratzinger's office "...described other Christian faiths and world religions as 'deficient or not quite real churches'. When the Lutherans complained, the future Benedict XVI dismissed their objections as 'absurd'. "
3. "...under his guidance, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has issued a stream of hardline instructions and rebukes..." including "...denouncing homosexuality as intrinsically evil, to suggesting that parishes should limit the use of female altar servers and choristers. "

The Catholic Church actively battles against birth control, even in Africa, where AIDs is rampant and until recently, literally enslaved Irish women in Magdalene Laundries(http://www.netreach.net/~steed/magdalen.html).

What governments or religions do not have sordid aspects to their pasts? In Catholic terms, what puts blacker moments behind is redemption. The election of Pope Benedict XVI reminds one that in the Catholic Church, ugly vestiges of the past remain.

Goodbye GEICO

2005-03-30T14:28:00.000-08:00

I love the commercials- the guy dancing "the robot" is funny and my favorite is the one with the death row inmate hoping for a stay of execution and watching his attorney get a phone call and celebrate, only to discover that the good news concerns a savings with GEICO insurance.

My actual experience with the company, unfortunately, is a little darker. After 20 years with the GEICO, a switchboard operator figured a way to "rate-jack" me (like "carjack," only from someone you thought you knew). It's only a few hundred dollars a year, but what I experienced was pure manipulation of the facts and disrespect. In the abstraction of GEICO WORLD, I'll bet the operator even earned some kind of commision for losing a good, long-term customer. I argued my case by email with the customer relations people and in a four-letter back-and-forth, I think each response I received was from a different person. They were all polite and professional...and unyielding. I know that actuaries determine the rates and rules and other bean-counters determine policies, but it's hard to believe that losing a 20-year customer and his two kids forever for a small rip-off is in GEICO's best interest. I have paid and paid and paid, while GEICO has only had to give back a small amount to me. I have three cars and a motorcycle that I'm taking elsewhere.

GEICO claims that they have something like a 96% customer retention rate. I'm thinking that some of that is just inertia. It's a hassle finding a new company and getting your insurance changed over, but Auto Insurance In Depth ( http://www.autoinsuranceindepth.com/getting-a-quote.html ) will give you quotes from up to five different companies from a short, quick online application. I'm negotiating with an agent who will be the one person I deal with. I'm tired of the GEICO pass-around. I once even inquired about getting GEICO homeowner's insurance, but talked with an operator who could not let go of the fact that I do not have a fire hydrant in front of my house- even though the fire house and it's hydrant and trucks are directly across the street-less than 50 yards away! He never even called me back with a quote.

I realize that my business doesn't even pay for airing 10 seconds of one of GEICO's commercials and GEICO won't suffer any loss. That's fine- I don't care about that. My thinking is that I don't even care if I pay more somewhere else, although I think I'm actually going to save a few dollars by changing. I'm just tired of the officiousness and disrespect. I've been GEICO'd for the last time!

I Got A Car

2005-03-19T17:39:00.000-08:00

First of all, thanks to Chris at http://www.chrisdoelle.com/ , Sixlegged at http://culturezap.blogspot.com/ and Dee at http://tidalripper.blogspot.com/ for their comments and advice about buying a decent car, cheap car. Let me digress and say that this is what I love about blogging- these guys are really unique and have cool pages. In my daily life, I'm not exposed to the variety of people I encounter in blogworld.

I searched used cars through http://www.carsdirect.com/home and http://used-cars.autos.yahoo.com/usedcars/find.html . I decided upon searching for a 2002 Chevy Prizm, which is a Toyota Corolla, but sells for less money under that name. Chevy cancelled Prizms after 2002, so that's the newest Prizm you can buy. My teenage son still drives a 1993 Prizm with 150,000 miles and it rides really well. I searched a 300 mile radius and found one that was a really good deal.

I drove 3 1/2 hours to but it, but saved a few thousand dollars over typical prices. I paid $7900 for a mint Prizm with 22,000 miles. Also, the previous owner put in an Alpine stereo with cd player, power sunroof and custom leather seats. I'm not happy about the seats, as I don't even wear leather (and I certainly don't need anything dying for my ass to sit), but I'm going to figure out what to do with them. According to the literature, I'm suposed to get 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. So the final deal? I threw a thousand down and will pay less than $200 per month and when it's paid for, I should get some years without car payments while sending my kids through college. That's the plan, anyway.

If you have a little more cash on hand than I, there are some great deals on new cars, too. I was struck with Hyundai's great prices and dramatically improved cars. Recent customer satisfaction surveys put some Hyundais at the top of their classes and they have great warranties and, again, unbelievable prices.

My next post will have to do with saying goodbye to my auto insurance company, which after more than 20 years of my business, thousands in premiums and very little in payouts, is trying to gouge me. I won't stand for it and I'm changing companies.

Reefer Madness

2005-03-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

Full Disclosure: I don't use marijuana, alcohol or any other recreational drug.

I was driving through Massachusetts recently and saw a roadside billboard that pictured a prison wall, barbed wire fence and guard tower. The sign read: "5.2 million marijuana arrests cost you 5.4 billion. Is it really worth it? www.changetheclimate.org " I checked the site and found that the person who runs it isn't a doper, either. He's just a guy who sees indefensible expense, irrationality and unfairness in laws surrounding marijuana use.

I just read that high schools in my area are using drug-sniffing dogs to find illegal drugs in school. Police and high school administrators were surveyed and the only thing dogs had found were a few pills prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a girl's locker. The same kind that dozens of other kids report to the nurse to take. No self-respecting school administrators would want to appear "soft on drugs," so they tolerate cultivation of a police state climate of fear and intimidation in their schools, even though there seems to be little justification for this degree of heavy-handedness.

So I don't work knee-jerk Bushies into a defensive lather on this issue, keep in mind that Bill Clinton has an administrative record at least equally shameful to Bush's on this issue. In 1997, the Libertarian Party wrote: " 641,642 people were arrested on marijuana charges in 1996 -- of which 85.2% were for mere possession." This more than doubled the number of arrests per year under Bush I. Additionally, over 50,000 people go to jail each year over marijuana offenses. Here's the link: http://www.lp.org/press/archive.php?function=view&record=308

Partisan experts can forever debate pharmacological dangers or lack thereof in marijuana. And for my two cents, I'll add that I don't think adolescence, a time when young people begin learning to cope with the vicissitudes of life, is a good time for using any substance that short-circuits this process. Adult use may continue to pose problems for many. Having said this, I am certain of one thing: whatever deleterious effects marijuana use may pose, the response by the criminal justice system to users is far more harmful, dangerous and expensive than the drug itself. Arresting, jailing, fining, proclaiming users in the news media (the modern stocks) to be criminals has not reduced marijuana use and is certainly not therapeutic.

Americans tend to look upon Saudi Arabia's prohibition of alcohol with dread and incredulity. We would be better served by soul searching and facing our own draconian treatment of marijuana users.

Yikes! This is Bizarre and Dangerous! Who Thinks of These Things?

2005-03-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

One of my oldest friends, a great father, hoopster, attorney and screenwriter sent me this. I have spent a great deal of my life on basketball courts and just when I think I've seen about everything...something like this comes along. As my friend points out: check out the men congratulating each other as though they are the stars of this act! While the men celebrate, it appears as though the real talent in this short vid is hurting from a conk on the head! This event seems to capture something about the essence of men and women. As always: Don't even think about trying this! http://abfhm.free.fr/basket.htm

Car Buying- There's No Cheap Lunch

2005-02-20T14:15:00.000-08:00

I'm in the market for a new car. My 13 year old Toyota 4Runner has three idiot lights glowing on the dashboard and there's a rubbing-squeeling sound emanating from the vicinity of the front, driver's side axle that sounds as though the wheel may fall off (my local service station reports that they don't know what is causing this). I've also used Bondo and spray paint on rust holes over the wheel wells. I've loved this car, but it will cost much more to fix than it's worth. The Grim Car Reaper has appeared and announced: "It's time."

I've been researching an inexpensive way to drive and have found that the only great deals are expensive. I'm looking for a cheap payment and reliability.

Leasing The once-good lease deals are pretty much dried up. Apparently the lease companies took a hit in the 90s and have gotten much tougher with offers. Those $20,000 cars for $199 per month for 48 payment deals? Forget it. They want huge down payments (e.g. $3500) and you will have spent over $13,000 in two years and will have nothing to show for it.

Used cars are intriguing, because they seem affordable and they definitely do cost less. But dealers seem to prey upon customers with shallow pockets. It's hard to get a lot of car with the slight reduction in the monthly payment. You can often see some overlapping in prices between year-old cars with 16,000 miles and their brand new counterparts. I did find a really good site that can provide a listing of offers for the model you're looking for in a radius up to 200 miles.
http://www.carsdirect.com/home Good luck with this. I think some dealers may be making offers for cars that don't even exist, as a few have not returned my emails over specific requests.

I am sad to say that New cars cost the most, but seem to be the best deals. If I wanted to spend $18,000 (that's $400 per month for 5 years!) I could get something I'd be really happy with, but I don't. I could get a reliable sedan for a little less than $14, 000 (Honda Civic), but that would be closing in on the price of something I'd really like. You can also get a great new car price offer here: http://www.carsdirect.com/home

So I'm slogging through this process until I can convince myself to either spend more or find the good deal on the used car of my dreams. I may soon be driving on three wheels.

The Ten Best Rock Bands Ever

2005-02-13T09:23:00.000-08:00

I just came upon this article and top ten list, by MSNBC Contributor, Eric Olsen from last March. Below I list his choices, followed by a bit of my commentary.

1. The Beatles
2. The Rolling Stones
3. U2
4. The Greatful Dead
5. Velvet Underground
6. Led Zeppelin
7. Ramones
8. Pink Floyd
9. Bob Marley and the Wailers
10. Sly and the Family Stone

First, it's agreat list, but how can any all-time top ten list of rock bands exclude The Who? Olsen has been legitimately swayed by "cool" over "big;" still...Lou Reed (Velvet Underground) may have been a Punk innovator, but he is nearly unknown to the masses (quick: name three of his songs) and Jerry Garcia (Greatful Dead) once graced Haight Ashbury when it was really happening, but his following was greater in the years before his death, when the Dead was a "continue to celebrate the 60s on weekends band." If the Ramones are included, why not The Clash?

A lot of great acts one might consider are known more for their lead performers (e.g. Springsteen, Bowie).

If readers Comment in any significant number below, by naming their top ten all-time favorite bands, I'll dedicate a future post to blog readers' choices.

Here's the link to Olsen's article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4595384/

This Scares Me

2005-02-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

I do not purport to be an economist, but from my observation and reading, I think that Social Security is a good thing for the masses, including most of those who voted for Bush. Whether you agree with me on this or not, whether you're a Bush supporter or not, you should be alarmed at Bush's plan as he explains it, below.

"Because the—all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those—changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be—or closer delivered to what has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled. Look, there's a series of things that cause the—like, for example, benefits are calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to the increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate—the benefits will rise based upon inflation, as opposed to wage increases. There is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if those—if that growth is affected, it will help on the red."—Explaining his plan to save Social Security, Tampa, Fla., Feb. 4, 2005

From Bushism of the Day, by Jacob Weisberg, Posted Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2005, at 9:14 AM PT http://www.slate.com/id/2113276/
From the online magazine "Slate" http://www.slate.com/

Super Bowl Ads- See Them Here, Vote For Your Favorite

2005-02-07T15:18:00.000-08:00

The Super Bowl was well-played, but as is often the case, it was missing real end-of- game drama. There is still some excitement with the multi-million dollar commercials. Below are my brief comments and the link to view them yourself and vote.

McDonalds- Disclosure: I don't like McDonalds. This french fry commercial seems to spoof the (Latin?) phenomenon of claims of religious icon manifestation in the most mundane places. And of course, at the commercial's conclusion, a woman takes a big, long, fat fry in her mouth. Charming.

Diet Pepsi- I think this is pretty funny. A real hunk walks down the street (drinking DP) and is so appealing that women, a man and even a small dog gawk and follow him.

GoDaddy.com- This ad seems to have been created for the sole purpose of once again raising Donald Wildmon's blood pressure. It isn't particularly clever or funny, but for the aforementioned intention, it has some merit.

Bud Light- I guess some find the idea of a pilot abandoning his plane in mid-flight, sans a parachute, to pursue Bud Light a hilarious notion. Maybe it's just me, but since 9/11/01 I no longer find even the movie "Airplane" funny.

Anheuser-Busch- This is simply the best. I'm one of those people who didn't choose this war, but I feel for the troops. This ad is excellent for its subdued, almost bittersweet tone of support for returning American soldiers. It seems to be offered as an antidote to the near-mythical hostility Viet Nam vets were said to have experienced upon their return.

Ameriquest- Apparently many viewers find the mistaken perception of a murdered cat funnier than I do.

Degree- WTF?

Olympus- I'm in a minority here, but I dig this ad. I wish I could dance like these characters and I want one of these Olympus toys.

FedEx Kinkos- This is the most clever of the bunch. It exposes the "formula" for a successful commercial. It may be too "film school" for the masses.

Emerald Nuts- It's hard to identify and laugh with a character who denies nuts to his daughter and misrepresents loveable American folklore characters.

Careerbuilder.com- Not bad. The chimps are corporate suits (not that much of a stretch). One is even seen literally kissing ass.

Here's the link to see and vote for yourself :
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6916226/?GT1=6190

Boycott KFC !

2005-02-04T13:08:00.000-08:00

This post will piss a lot of people off, so character assassination of the Reverend Al Sharpton is expected. Many hate PETA, too, because this group challenges us to elevate our humanity and many tend to resist change and respond by dismissing and insulting the messengers and message. Some will cite other causes that they believe are more important and there are thousands of other worthwhile concerns; but, joining this one does not detract from others. Whether you like PETA and Reverend Al or not: they're right on this one. Sometimes it takes so little to do right: boycott KFC!

Article: http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/wabc_020205_sharpton.html

Video
Quicktime: http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/video.asp?video=sharpton_long&Player=qt&speed=_med

Real Player: http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/video.asp?video=sharpton_long&Player=rp&speed=_med

Windows Media: http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/video.asp?video=sharpton_long&Player=wm&speed=_med

Really Support The Troops

2005-02-01T14:54:00.000-08:00

Many purport to "Support The Troops" by displaying those magnetic yellow ribbons on their cars and claiming that one must support this war and President Bush to support of the soldiers.

Others say that the only way to support the soldiers is to lobby to end this crazy war and bring them home.

Talk is so cheap. Let's stop all of the blah, blah, blah for a minute and REALLY support the soldiers by donating to the USO. The #1 request of soldiers in Iraq is phone cards they can use to call loved ones. Soldiers are not given free long distance calling. The USO has several programs to support soldiers, including Operation Phone Home. Check it out here: http://www.uso.org/pubs/8_13_18.cfm

NBA- A Simple Strategy

2005-01-29T07:26:00.000-08:00

Don't turn away if you're not a basketball fan: just read me out for 30 seconds. You've got to wait that long for the next blog exchange anyway, and I think this observation has ramifications for decision making in other areas of life.

Last night, the Houston Rockets held a 103-100 lead with 4.7 seconds left in the game and Sacramento inbounding the ball at mid-court. Defensively, the Rockets had two choices: play hard defense and try to prevent Sacramento from hitting a 3-point shot ...OR... commit a foul. The former choice is the psychologically safe one for Jeff Van Gundy, the Houston coach. If Sacramento ties the game with a 3-pointer, he can shrug and claim that it was a great shot. This is also the losing strategy. The right thing to do would have been to commit a foul immediately, rather than allow Sacramento to shoot a 3-pointer, which is a fairly routine shot in the NBA. To tie the game from the foul line, Sacramento would have had to 1.) make the first free throw; 2.) miss the second; 3.) rebound the miss and 4.) score on a put-back. As should be obvious to even the casual fan, never mind a professional basketball coach, the game-tying scenario from the free throw line is much more unlikely to occur than an opponent merely hitting a 3-point shot in the closing seconds.

So why didn't Van Gundy direct Rocket players to foul? Why do coaches at all levels routinely compromise their chances for winning by allowing opponents to attempt game-evening 3-point shots? I believe it has to do not with winning strategy, but accountability strategy. If an opponent makes a 3-pointer, a coach can blame his team's defense or write it off to a "lucky shot." If a coach pursues the winning strategy and the opponent actually completes the above-mentioned four steps to a tie game, then the responsibility for losing the game falls squarely upon the coach, who will be questioned by all for deciding to commit the foul.

I think this says something about human nature. It is generally safer to essentially make no decision than to make a good decision that could turn out badly. In education, for instance, teachers who arrive on time, teach routinely and go home when the final bell rings have virtually no problems. For the teacher who goes out of his or her way to make a "good" decision, like advising a club, coaching a team, taking a group on a field trip: watch out. You have gone out of your way and you are out on a limb. Anything negative that transpires or that is even alleged to transpire puts the teacher in the hot seat.

Is it the same in your field? Is it safer to keep your good ideas, sound strategies or extra contributions to a minimum?

Oh: Chris Webber of the Sacramento Kings hit a 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds left to tie the game and the Kings beat Van Gundy's Rockets in overtime. Van Gundy employed the safe, do-nothing strategy and lost, but few are questioning him. After all: "It was a lucky shot!"

One Million Dollar Reward - Really!

2005-01-25T13:40:00.000-08:00

OK- I'm not kidding. Sure, you can make $25 million finding Osama Bin Laden, but let's face it: he's pretty well hidden and even if you did find him, exposing him for the reward might be a little...risky. And after taxes...

Now here's a way to make a cool million, with no risks greater than the charity telemarketers getting ahold of your phone number.

All you need is a little talent. Can you move objects with your thoughts (telekinesis), remote view, read minds, predict the future, talk to the dead? If you can do anything like this and prove it, then accept the James Randi Educational Foundation One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge (http://www.randi.org/research/index.html). It's fun to believe and a true scientist is willing to study a phenomenon to see if it can stand up to objective scrutiny; yet, to date, despite all of the claims out there, no one has won the money. If you can demonstrate some kind of supernatural ability and you win the million dollars, how about throwing 10% my way as a finder's fee. Wait...I'm having a premonition: I don't think that I will ever see that fee!

It Happens Here

2005-01-22T14:41:00.000-08:00

Cabrini College is a small, Catholic school in the Suburban Philadelphia area. According to it’s mission statement (http://www.cabrini.edu/default.aspx?pageid=145 ) "… the College believes in an educational philosophy that not only prepares students for careers, but enables them to live lives of dignity and purpose." If only this sensitivity had been extended to longtime Cabrini Men's Basketball Coach John Dzik.

After twenty-five seasons, 476 wins and a winning percentage of .697, Coach Dzik has been shown the door, effective at the end of the 2005 season. This seems to be an instance in which a man has spent his entire working life contributing mightily to an institution, only to be dismissed by bureaucrats whose own accomplishments consist of traveling and rising through the college administrative circuit.

As is often the case, Dzik’s problems apparently began when he tried to accommodate the college and help a colleague. Dzik claims that he resigned as Athletic Director and created a new job title for himself at the request of the College President, so as to give a promising colleague a chance to become Athletic Director. Dzik felt that he had an agreement that he would keep his administrative and coaching positions at least until he had won 500 games (a probable outcome of the 2006 season). Before long, the “nickel and diming” began and an incredulous Dzik was told that he would have to use vacation time from his administrative job to coach the team on road trips. This had never been the case in any of his prior positions at the school. Dzik resigned his administrative post to coach in peace and was then dismissed as coach.

It is telling that Dzik has two twenty-five year assistant coaches and a third who has been with him for eleven. That says a lot about a man’s ability to work with others, foster loyalty and build tradition. The three top coaches total 75 years at Cabrini, while the administrator who contacted Dzik (by letter) over his dismissal has been with the school for less than two. It is unlikely that this could have occured in the absence of direction from the President, who has been on the scene since 1992.

Naturally school administration has offered “no comment” to the press, while Dzik defends his contributions. At 54 years of age, Dzik may just now be learning the American corporate ethic, which has become so popular in education as well: “No good deed goes unpunished.” Those that “do” are resented by the mediocre characters who “can’t.” The Cabrini College web page slogan is: “It Happens Here.” It sure does.

For source news articles on the subject, click the links below.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=13730369&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id=18170&rfi=6

Scroll to the middle of this page
http://www.d3hoops.com/news.php?date=2005-01-12

The Most Frightening Movie Ever: Because It's True

2005-01-16T19:53:00.000-08:00

Most thinking people now know that the Iraq invasion had nothing to do with WMDs- but what was it about? I found and watched this video on the 'Net. It's deeper and darker than Fahrenheit 9/11 and it's so damned scary you'll be looking over your shoulder afterwards. The movie is 1:10:38 long, but I dare you to watch even the first 1:59 for the thesis.

The video is "Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear and the Selling of American Empire," from Sut Jhally and Jeremy Earp. New York Times reviewer Anita Gates writes that the various forms of evidence presented "make a convincing case for the filmmaker's point of view."

Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski (Air Force, retired), former staff officer at the Pentagon appears in the documentary and comments on it here: http://www.lewrockwell.com/kwiatkowski/kwiatkowski89.html

Here is the link to the actual video. I don't know how long it will be up. Watch it while you can.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article6895.htm

American Dichotomies

2005-01-14T21:59:00.000-08:00

Direction- Right vs. Left
Color- Red vs. Blue
Flick- The Passion vs. Fahrenheit 9/11
Humorhead- Dennis Miller vs. Bill Maher
Land- Breadbasket vs. Coasts
Sex Fiend- Bill O' Reilly vs. Bill Clinton
XY-Rocker- Ted Nugent vs. Bruce Springsteen
XX-Rockers- Britney Spears vs. Dixie Chicks
Club- Federalist Society vs. People for the American Way
College- Washington and Lee vs. Vassar
Thing- Straight, Closet vs. Straight, Out
Bane- Homosexuals vs. Homophobes
Radioass- Rush Limbaugh vs. Howard Stern
NBA Team- Utah Jazz vs. New York Knicks
Rag- NY Post vs. NY Times
Queen- Condoleeza Rice vs. Hillary Clinton
Foreign Bud- Saudi Arabia vs. France
Books- Bible, My Pet Goat vs. A Theory of Justice, America (The Book)
Acid Pen Fun- Ann Coulter vs. Maureen Dowd
Rat- James Jeffords vs. Zell Miller
Scary- Bernard Kerik vs. Howard Dean
Blah, Blah- Fox vs. CNN
Concept- God Did It vs. Evolution
Black Sheep In Family- Liberal vs. Fundamentalist
Position- Missionary vs. Whatever

Urban Gymnastics- Unbelievably Extreme Stuff

2005-01-11T16:11:00.000-08:00

This video highlights a craze, sometimes known as parkour. It's the most outrageous series of stunts I have ever seen. It's so insane I don't even know if all of the moves are real. Enjoy the the video, but don't even think of trying this dangerous stuff ! I mean it!

http://www.abum.com/?show_media=1551&file_type=Movies

Tsunami: Before and after Clickable Satellite Photos

2005-01-09T19:49:00.000-08:00

To better comprehend the devestation and the need for assistance, click this link.
The pics show several before and after scenes.

http://homepage.mac.com/demark/tsunami/

Sirhan Sirhan: Christian

2005-01-09T18:28:00.000-08:00

In Internet discussions of the recent history of Islamic Terrorism, the name of Sirhan Sirhan, convicted assassin of Robert Kennedy, has come up. According to a straightforward and comprehensive article titled "Sirhan Sirhan: Assassin of Modern U.S. History," by Denise Noe, writing for Crime Magazine (http://crimemagazine.com/04/bobbykennedy,0527.htm), Sirhan Sirhan is described thusly:

"As an Arab Christian, he was attracted to the pan-Arabism (rather than Islamic militancy) preached by Egypt's Gamal Abdal Nasser. Thus, he had a special reason to be emotionally devastated when Nasser's forces and those of his Arab allies were so easily vanquished by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War that started June 5, 1967 and was over by June 10."

Given the facts of the story, Sirhan Sirhan was likely motivated by personal and political hatred of Israel rather than religious fervor. Kennedy was supportive of Israel's right to exist and defend itself, while Sirhan Sirhan was a Palestinian refugee who had personally experienced atrocities as a child in mid-1940s to mid-1950s Jerusalem. His family fled to America when he was twelve years old.

American History changed on June 5, 1968, when Robert Kennedy was assassinated. Kennedy was a favorite to win the 1968 Democratic Nomination for President and the Presidency itself. In a swirl of events including the assassination, President Lyndon Baines Johnson's decision to drop out of the race and likely Republican favorite George Romney's decision not to run, Richard Nixon defeated Vice President Hubert Humphrey to become the thirty-seventh President of the United States. How differently the sixties and the Viet Nam War might have unraveled were it not for the assassination of Robert Francis Kennedy.

The Right and Left Are Wrong

2005-01-06T13:37:00.000-08:00

Bush intentionally deceived the American public about Iraq WMDs and ties to Al Qaeda to justify the invasion. It is revealing that when these claims were eventually debunked, the majority of Americans (52%) did not care. It seems as though this slightly prevailing attitude amounts to this: even if starting this war was not justified, we are in it, we need to accomplish something and we are far more noble than our enemies.

Many on the Left were correct in predicting the mess that now exists in Iraq. After all, what would one expect to happen if the World's biggest bees' nest is whacked with a big stick?

Where many on the Left are very wrong is in "sympathizing" with terrorists. There are valid criticisms of America and Israel in the present, extended Middle East conflict; however, it is absurd to think that these democracies are evil imperialists disrupting the "harmony" of the Region. Although it was not the stated reason for going to war and it does not justify the invasion, the face of the enemy has certainly been revealed. Islamicist violence towards the West is not new, it only seemed to "hit home" on 9/11/01. It may be folly to believe that America can impose democracy on Iraq, but one thing is clear: Sadaam's minions and the facist regimes throughout the Region are very threatened by it.

Bizarrely, due to the "incorrectness" of the war, some of the Left has come to sympathize with the governments who oppress, torture and kill their own and sponsor terrorism throughout the world. It is only through incredible spin that Israel is portrayed as the bully. It is a tiny nation on a dot of sand so small that the Country's name cannot fit within its boundaries on a World map. It is surrounded by countries and an extended culture that is avowed in its mission to push the Nation "...into the Sea." And Israel has repeatedly attempted to allow for a Palestinian Nation.

America continues to slog through this quagmire of a war, started with fraudulent pretexts and prosecuted with hazy goals and no clear exit strategy or end in sight, against a genuinely evil enemy.

Japan, America Raise Aid to Tsunami Victims

2005-01-01T17:23:00.000-08:00

Japan has upped its Tsunami Aid pledge to $500 Million and the United States has raised its pledge to $350 Million. Individual help is still needed. For a listing of agencies accepting donations and providing relief, see the post below: "Tsunami Death Toll Nearing 150,000 and Climbing: You Can Help."

Tsunami Death Toll Nearing 150,000 and Climbing: You Can Help

2004-12-30T20:37:00.000-08:00

Millions throughout Southern Asia and East Africa are without shelter, clean water, proper food or medical supplies. According to the Center for American Progress (http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=171440), the U.S. is spending $7.4 million per hour on the Iraq war. To date, president Bush has offered $35 million for Tsunami relief aid or about five hours of war costs. From another perspective, the U.S. offer appears to be the largest of any country in the world. Add to this the offer of ships and soldiers for supplies distribution and the offer is substantial, however inadequate.

Although America is the most affluent country in the World, relief is not solely the responsibility of American and other governments. This is a time for individual people accross the Globe to collectively demonstrate generosity and humanity. The needs of victims transcend politics, country, ethnicity and religion. Giving is simply the right thing to do.

According to CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/28/tsunami.aidsites/), the following agencies are providing relief and are accepting donations.

AmeriCares (http://www.americares.org/)
Action Against Hunger (http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/)
ADRA International (http://www.adra.org/)
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Inc. (http://www.jdc.org/)
American Jewish World Service (http://ajws.org/)
American Red Cross (http://redcross.org/)
Association for India's Development (http://www.aidindia.org/)
CARE (http://www.careusa.org/)
Catholic Relief Services (http://www.catholicrelief.org/)
Christian Children's Fund (http://www.christianchildrensfund.org/)
Church World Service (http://www.churchworldservice.org/)
Concern Worldwide (http://www.concern.ie/)
Direct Relief International (http://www.directrelief.org/index.html)
Doctors Without Borders (http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/)
Food for the Hungry, Inc. (http://www.fh.org/)
International Aid (http://www.gospelcom.net/ia/)
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (http://www.donate.ifrc.org/
International Medical Corps (http://www.imcworldwide.org/index.shtml)
International Rescue Committee (http://www.theirc.org/)
Islamic Relief Worldwide (http://www.islamic-relief.com/)
Lutheran World Relief (http://www.lwr.org/)
MAP International (http://www.map.org/)
Mercy Corps (http://www.mercycorps.org/)
Network for Good (http://www.networkforgood.org/topics/international/earthquake/tsunami122604.aspx?source=CNN&cmpgn=EATSU
Operation Blessing International (http://www.ob.org/about/index.asp)
Operation USA (http://www.opusa.org/)
Oxfam America (http://www.oxfamamerica.org/)
Plan USA (http://www.planusa.org/index.php)
Project Concern International (http://www.projectconcern.org/)
Salvation Army (http://www.1800salarmy.org/)
Save the Children USA (http://www.savethechildren.org/)
UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/index.html)
U.N. World Food Programme (http://www.wfp.org/)
USAID (http://www.usaid.gov/)
World Concern (http://www.worldconcern.org/)
World Relief (http://www.wr.org/)
World Vision (http://www.worldvision.org/)

Shaq vs. Kobe Christmas Duel Decided

2004-12-26T19:20:00.000-08:00

If the events were fiction, the story would be criticized for being entirely predictable and even cliche': the team beat the individual. The backdrop materialized as anticipated and
Sylvester Stallone, Nicole Kidman, Dustin Hoffman, Dyan Cannon, Penny Marshall, Henry Winkler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Renee Zellweger, Samuel L. Jackson, Lionel Richie and Courtney Cox were there (source: USA Today). Of course, there was a rousing, pre game video tribute to Shaq (Hollywood disingenuity- you get a kiss when...). In the 104-102 overtime victory for the Heat, Kobe shot 12-30, scored 42 points, committed 9 turnovers and passed for 6 assists, while Shaq netted 24 points and commanded 11 boards. Kobe's 50 minutes and worn-out right elbow probably contributed to his disappearance over the last 2:15 of regulation and the entire overtime. His potentially game-tying shot at the end of overtime typified the game: it was a long, forced three-pointer taken with two defenders draping him. The shot clanged harmlessly off of the rim. Shaq said he "knew" the shot would miss (he must have been remembering last season's NBA finals). At the game's end, Kobe retreated wordlesslessly to the Laker locker room while several other Lakers and Heaters exchanged congratulations for a hard fight. The Heat won its 11th straight and improved to 22-7, while the Lakers fell to 14-12. What a difference a year has made in Miami and Los Angeles. In addition to winning, Shaq landed the best zingers. In the post-game interview, he cited "team" effort and "character" as reasons for winning. The absence of these qualities is precisely the criticism that has recently stuck to Kobe. Ouch.

Christmas Day Showdown

2004-12-18T10:42:00.000-08:00

Agents' cells are ringing, buzzing and playing their clients' hit songs: everyone who is anyone in the Biz wants to join Jack Nicholson and Dyan Cannon on the sidelines at the Forum for the Lakers-Heat showdown. Never mind Christmas, the Diesel is returning and when he last departed Los Angeles he wasn't happy.

Shaquille O'Neal, the force behind three Laker Championships (2000, 2001,2002) will return to Inglewood with his new team, the white-hot Miami Heat. Lending credance to the right-wing rant that Southern Californians are blue-state kooks, owner Jerry Buss and General Manager Mitch Kupchak accommodated Kobe Bryant's wish for his own team and forced Shaq's hand to leave after the Lakers' loss to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals. Howard Beck wrote a sharp piece: "The Collapse of Kobe" in the December 17th edition of the NY Times (I won't link it because you have to register and Times articles are archived and must later be purchased). The gist is that in Kobe's Ahabian pursuit of the White Whale - to become greater than Mike (my metaphor, not Beck's)- he has become estranged from every influence that might have helped steer him well (e.g. his parents, first agent, Phil Jackson, Shaq, Karl Malone, etc.). In addition to the personal problems he seems to create, there are rumors that his teammates don't like him and top free agents don't want to join him either.

What makes all of this intriguing is that NBA fans recognize that Kobe is a hard- working, competitive, über talent- potentially an all-time, top tier star. But in the absence of winning big without Shaq, he is flirting with a Dominique Wilkins career: highlights, stats, no (new) rings. As a result of last night's home, overtime loss to the Washington Wizards, the Lakers fell to 13-10 and are tied for seventh in the Western Conference Playoff scramble. Shaq, on the other hand, has elevated his teammates and Miami has been transformed from an average team to having the fourth best record in the thirty-team NBA. Shaq looked like a Princeton post man, dishing seven assists in a win against the Nuggets last night and the Heat rose to 18-7 and sit atop of the Eastern Conference.

For reasons that are well documented, there is no love lost between Shaq and Kobe. Kobe says that he will speak to Shaq. Shaq has indicated that Miami's performance will do his talking. Tune in on Christmas.

There Are No Great Races, Just Great Jumpers

2004-12-13T20:52:00.000-08:00

Great jumpers are a rarity among any ethnic group. I have grown weary of hearing the rap that blacks can jump higher. This argument demeans the hard work black leapers have done to get altitude and provides a ready excuse for soft, white kids not to work ("Why practice? White players can't jump."). Leaping can even be seen as a metaphor for having a game at all. Incredibly, many Americans expressed hostility towards our black, NBA Olympians who lost in Athens last summer. There were all kinds of accusations and criticisms leveled (e.g. "too much street," they're rich and spoiled," "rap culture," blah, blah, blah). European and South American Olympic mens' basketball teams have reminded us that whites can play, too. So my question is this: In a country of 300 million people, with a black population of only 15%, why aren't there more great white American players? And why are white fans criticizing black players for their efforts?

Most of the better players and leapers in the NBA are black, but you find much more ethnic variety in the high jump, where there are great leapers of many ethnicities. It is certainly possible that there are physical talents and propensities more common to some racial groups than others. If you have ever watched "The World's Strongest Man" competitions that play almost endlessly on cable TV, you may have noticed the disproportionate number of huge Scandinavians lifting boulders and pulling trucks with ropes. But I'm guessing that successful competitors of other ethnic backgrounds haven't gotten to the finals by whining and making excuses that "Scandinavians are naturally stronger."

There are many great black and white American kids playing hoops, giving it their best in high school, college and the various professional levels. Good for them! And for those of you who make excuses or criticize the hardest working... why don't you head to your nearest sporting goods store and pick up a croquet set. I am almost certain that you will not be held back by racial limitations.

If you're not buying my point, check out this eighteen year-old kid, Henry Bekkering. He's Canadian, 6'5" tall, 210 lbs., with a 40" verticle jump and plays for Eastern Washington. I'm guessing that he doesn't believe he's limited by his ethnicity either. Check out this video: http://hooplife.ca/viewclip.asp?clipid=9

NBA: Pacers Charged, Kobe the Star Repeller, T-Mac and the Jets

2004-12-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

Kudos to Gorcyca It is hard to know for sure if Oakland County Prosecutor David G. Gorcyca simply could not figure out a way to overcharge several Pacer players involved in the November 19th melee' at the Palace of Auburn Hills, but by initial appearances, it seems as though he is simply doing his job fairly and justly. Public statements from the Prosecutor's Office indicate that no Pacer will likely serve jail time. It is refreshing when a prosecutor treats minority athletes like anyone else and makes no apparent attempt to milk a headline case for political advantage ( D.A. s do not often lose popularity "throwing the book" at black athletes). Of course, the reaction of the white, middle-aged, male sportswriter set is ranging from apoplectic to sad, pious waxing. Here's an example: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6679701/ Society cannot reasonably operate without rules of order, but it seems pretty clear to me that the few fans who were really whacked by Pacers got exactly what they deserved. As Jim Croce sang:

"You don't tug on Superman's cape

You don't spit into the wind

You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger

And you don't mess around with Jim"

Or anyone else who can kick your ass.

(Lyrics from "You Don't Mess Around With Jim," from the Album of the same name. written and performed by Jim Croce)

Kobe Bryant has once again demonstrated his desire for a sole spotlight. His recent comments about Karl Malone's possible return to the Lakers so miffed Malone that he has responded, through his agent, that he will never play for the Lakers again. Apparently realizing the transparency of wish fulfillment in his "intuition" that Malone would not return, Kobe has tried to backpeddle, saying that he would "love" to have Malone back. Of course, Kobe does not want anyone to really believe this, so he again made clear his plan: "It is what it is, and I want to move on with the team we have here." http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3227756

T-Mac and the Jets (Rockets)

*"Hey kids, shake it loose together

The spotlight's hitting something

That's been known to change the weather"

If Houston's season turns around and the Rockets mount a challenge for the NBA title this year, then the dramatic December 9th victory over Tim Duncan's San Antonio Spurs will be seen as the turning point of the season. Tracy McGrady almost single-handedly mounted perhaps the greatest last-minute comeback in NBA history. The Rockets trailed by 10 points with 1:04 to play and most in the Toyota Center had left or were leaving when T-Mac drilled four 3-pointers and a free throw in the last 35 seconds to raise Houston from the dead.

http://www.nba.com/games/20041209/SASHOU/recap.html

The center-court eruption of celebration by the Rockets seemed to represent the first melding of spirits with the new team assemblage. Fans glued to television screens throughout socially conservative China must have been amazed to see 7' 6", 310 lb. Yao Ming reveling in the middle of the Rocket hogpile

*From "Benny and the Jets" Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Bernie Taupin

Available on the album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Kobe the Aggrieved, Kobe the King

2004-12-04T19:32:00.000-08:00

The Kobe Bryant story has so many angles, but whatever happened that night between Kobe and Kate Faber, one thing seems clear to this admitted layman: there was never, remotely a case against him. According to Laie Wetherwax, Faber's close college friend, Faber had schemed on an earlier occasion to bed Eminem. Combine this with dozens of other credible accusations about Faber's behavior and character and there never was any real chance for a finding of "guilt beyond a reasonable doubt." Some have pointed out that prosecutor Mark Hurlbert was heading for certain Marcia Clarkdom until Faber withdrew her cooperation from the criminal case and the charges were dropped; but, it's much worse than that: Clark had a strong case against O.J. Simpson and simply lost, while Hurlbert had only a celebrity by his privates, but no case. Perhaps the biggest loss in this circus has been the cause of legitimate victims. If you have the stomach for it, here are some sites detailing allegations against Faber, who is now being sued by Weatherwax! http://www.fratpack.com/article-main.php?id=12
Scroll down the page past the Scott Peterson articles to the Bryant articles at: http://www.fratpack.com/article-archive.php Here's an index of articles on the subject:http://www.tabloidcolumn.com/kobe-bryant.html

In the midst of this turmoil, Kobe reportedly staged a coup d' etat of the Lakers. He is said to have influenced the departures of guru serial winning coach Phil Jackson and the most forceful presence in the game today: Shaquille O' Neal. It seems that Kobe wanted rule of the Laker Kingdom and to step out from the great shadows cast by Jackson and O'Neal. Michael Jordan is the modern standard of Hoops greatness: he inspired teammates, performed consistently, heroically and won. And indisputably it was his team. Since I am a skeptic by nature and training, I doubt Kobe's ability to duplicate Michael's unique feats, particularly since it was Kobe's selfishness (bad shots, refusal to play with Shaq or follow Phil's game plans) that cost L.A. another NBA championship in the loss to the Pistons last spring.

It's much too early to gather long term proof for my suspiscions, but here is an early analysis of Kobe's Lakers through December 5, 2004. The 10-7 record is a little better than I would have guessed, but the Lakers are not demonstrating potential for playoff success. Significantly, in the 10 victories, Kobe is averaging 23.1 ppg, while in the losses he has averaged 32 ppg. In a miserable December 1 loss to the 1-10 Bulls, Kobe made 9 of 21 shots and committed 6 turnovers, while Lamar Odom managed only 6 shots. Odom is shooting .480 from two point land, while Bryant is shooting .403. If Kobe wants to win, he will need to either more fully engage teammates in the offense or play more effectively himself. Or both. Here's the Lakers web page http://www.nba.com/lakers/index.html?nav=page

Rolling Stone Magazine Not So Cool?

2004-12-01T14:27:00.000-08:00

I smell a (creepy, corporate censor in a) suit. In my last post, I credited Rolling Stone Magazine for its "500 Greatest Songs Of All Time" issue (December 9, 2004). It seems as though the folks at TSHIRTHELL.com are much less impressed. They claim that the hipster mag that features gangsta rappas, scantily clad, teenage pop divas, liquor and cigarette ads insisted that three words be removed from their advertisement submission. The words? "offensive," "sick" and "THEY." TSH adamantly refused. RS can certainly reserve the right to censor or refuse ads, and TSHIRTHELL.com ware is designed to shake-up sensibilities, but RS can't legitimately play Michael K. Powell and Eminem at the same time. Here's the story: http://www.tshirthell.com/miscpages/rollingstone.htm

Curiously, another company, t-shirtsthatsuck.com (http://www.t-shirtsthatsuck.com/) got away with using the word "offensive" in its ad. Must be the context.

Best Songs, NBA, Sportswriters, Movie Reviewers

2004-11-28T17:57:00.000-08:00

If you're a Baby Boomer looking to travel down memory lane or you're younger and want to learn about the recent American cultural and political past, check out Rolling Stone Magazine's "500 Greatest Songs Of All Time." Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" is number one. Take a look at the next four hundred and ninety-nine. There is a description of each song's place on the list and links to listen to or purchase the songs online. Most songs can be bought for about $0.79.
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/6596661/sort/rank/pagenum/1?rnd=1101693525031&has-player=true&version=6.0.12.1040

NBA commish David Stern did what he thought he had to concerning the melee at the Pistons-Pacers game at The Palace of Auburn Hills on November 19th: he issued multiple suspensions to Pacers players ( http://www.nba.com/news/pacers_pistons_041121.html). He spoke about the thugs in the stands only abstractly, calling for a closer look at "...the adequacy of our current security procedures in Detroit and our other 28 arenas." Fueled by a critical (and hypocritical) media, the largely white NBA fan base is growing increasingly hostile to highly paid, black players, especially those who don't seem "grateful" enough. There are certainly slackers and difficult personalities among NBA players (like in all fields!), but what, exactly, has the money got to do with it? Here's what: the mostly white, middle-aged, college educated sportswriters making five or six digit salaries resent like hell the young, typically less educationally advantaged black athletes making seven figures. The envy erupts like steam from a broken pipe every time a pretext surfaces (e.g. a drug arrest, an offbeat quote, a fight, etc.). Oh, and the hypocrisy? Sports publications, even well-written ones like Sports Illustrated have a long, sordid history of hawking alcohol, cigarettes and guns to its readers. But let an athlete, especially a black athlete, get caught with marijuana, cocaine or steroids and the sanctimonious articles will soon follow. Over the years, who has been a bigger threat to your children- a troubled athlete or SI?

Unlike sportswriters, movie reviewers rarely connect reviews with actors' salaries. Why is this? Could it be due to a greater appreciation by reviewers of their subjects? Is it connected with the overall "whiteness" of actors? One thing is for sure: Robert Downey Jr. and Hugh Grant have rightly been portrayed as a troubled soul and a guy who made a big mistake, respectively. In the event that you want to see what financial life is like for big money actors, check out this site:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/calc/moviestar/movieS_salary.asp

That's all for today.

First Post

2004-11-27T21:29:00.000-08:00

In honor of my first blog post, I will be brief, pleasant and uncontroversial, perhaps for the last time. Greetings to all!