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July 1, 2005
July 2, 2005
Rights & Commandments
Since this blog is fueled primarily by jealous emulation of the master bloggers, I figured it's time to launch my first posting series.
The recent Supreme Court term has been inspiring: an eminent domain decision, two Ten Commandments cases, file sharing, and others. I'm not interested in commenting on the cases per se, but I started thinking about the Ten Commandments, what responsibilities they spell out, and how they get interpreted in a complex world several thousand years later.
But let's play an idle intellectual game at the same time. The justices, frequently concerned with interpreting the ten articles in the Bill of Rights, have just determined whether a display of the Ten Commandments was effectively advocating a state religion. (Antonin Scalia essentially said "Yeah, and so what if they are? Most of us believe in God anyhow.")
So for the hell of it, I'd like to try to match each Commandment to an article in the Bill of Rights, to see which comes closest in terms of subject and spirit.
Honestly, I have no idea where this is going, I haven't thought it through past the first post. So if you're of a pyrotechnic bent, a fantastic crash & burn could be waiting down the road.
Coming up: "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me."
July 4, 2005
Fireworks
We went to our favorite fireworks spot at Sonoma State University. But it was louder than we remembered, and there was quite a concussion along with the sound.
We fled indoors to watch it through a tall window. Gen enjoyed the show a lot more from there (and she didn't have to wear these Princess Leia earmuffs).
July 5, 2005
The Return of the Bling
Nestle has put the Bling back into play. This should lend a real boost to their street cred.
RetroGen: January 17, 2005
"I Still Think it's a Fish"
That's a quote from Mark Twain's "Excerpts from Adam's Diary", which is a fairly short and very fun read. Adam roams off to explore and comes back to find Eve with a new creature she calls "Cain".
The difference in size warrants the conclusion that it is a different and new kind of animal -- a fish, perhaps, though when I put it in the water to see, it sank, and she plunged in and snatched it out before there was opportunity for the experiment to determine the matter. I still think it is a fish, but she is indifferent about what it is, and will not let me have it to try.
As Cain grows, Adam changes his mind and figures it's a kangaroo, then a bear. Genevieve is currently entering kangaroo stage, but you can see ursine tendencies on the rise.
July 13, 2005
Spotlight on Orcinus
I've altered my Blogroll a bit, removing Pandagon (which is still a good read, but somewhat redundant to the others) and adding Orcinus. Orcinus is David Neiwart, a Seattle writer who focuses on far right groups and their activities. He's well situated for it, since there's a nexus of militia and neo-nazi activity in eastern Washington, as well as Montana, Idaho, and parts of Oregon.
He tends to act as an early warning system, taking note of any far right activity (especially hate crimes) that he thinks could signal a trend, especially if he finds talk radio types fanning the flames. He's a researcher and journalist, not just a smart guy shooting his mouth off (aka typical blogger), so his posts are less frequent and more serious, and you can be drawn into a pretty paranoid state of mind if you spend too long there.
He also wrote one of the more heartbreaking essays I've ever read on a political blog. Recommended reading for someone of any political stripe.
July 18, 2005
Pod is my Co-pilot
I discovered podcasting about 5 months ago (no iPod, I just stream it off the computer). I have a large list of feeds that I pull down, collecting something for every mood. It's my constant companion at work.
Oddly enough, after years of championing do-it-yourself, low-tech radio, especially during my KPFA years, I naturally gravitate toward well-prepared and cleanly produced podcasts. But I do appreciate anyone who tries in earnest to get on a mic and talk about what interests them.
One of the great side-effects of podcasting is that it brings talk radio to the fore, since music licensing issues make (legal) music shows so tough to assemble. Eventually the music companies will wise up and figure out how to get a piece of the action, but for now most of the available music shows feature independents willing to grant download rights.
There's a new "podroll" on the link bar, along with the "blogroll". Here are some favorites:
- Evil Genius Chronicles - Just a decent guy with a sense of humor, an insight or two he wants to share, a little independent music and interviews with the musicians. A mellow podcast with a good sense of pacing. My favorite tune so far is Jonathan Coulton's Skullcrusher Mountain: "I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please youuu."
- On the Media - My favorite NPR show! Maybe a little smug for it's own good, but a great range of subjects and interviews about all things media.
- The Catholic Insider - Father Roderick from the Netherlands is a talented webmaster and an upbeat young priest with a lot to say. He had a series of shows from St. Peter's Basilica after Pope John Paul II died, and a new series about the symbolism in Harry Potter. Probably the best introduction to his style is the Star Wars: Episode 3 show, which starts with him on a bike, excitedly narrating his trip to the theater.
- Reel Reviews - Michael Geoghegan knows how to prepare a well-paced, compact podcast. Each show features one enthusiastic analysis of a favored film of his, usually a few years old (American Psycho, The Big Red One, Swimming with Sharks, etc.) One of the best shows out there.
- Left, Right, and Center - It's hard to find two politically opposed people on one show that aren't yelling at eachother. The regulars on LRC are smart and passionate, but the show is about discussion, not crosstalk. Entirely refreshing. [Note: The link here is to the KCRW podcast page, which features this show and lots of others worth checking out.]
- Le Show - Harry Shearer's weekly show of social and political commentary. Not hilarious, but sometimes damned clever.
If you're entirely new to podcasting, there's a nice intro on the WNYC page here (scroll down to "Podcasting Help"), and an "extra help" page here.
July 23, 2005
Belle of the Ball
July 24, 2005
Revenge of the Sith, 2nd Viewing
Watched Episode III again today, and updated my review with more observations.