Saturday, September 18, 2004
Friday, September 17, 2004
100 Coolest Cars
Automobile Magazine ranks the coolest cars "the kings of cool", and though the 300CE didn't make it, it's close cousin the 500E came in #90. I still think the CE is "cooler" but more horses were important to this ranking.
'President Bush You Killed My Son'
Woman wearing 'President Bush You Killed My Son' T-Shirt disrupts first lady's rally
He was trying to disarm a bomb.
He was trying to disarm a bomb.
Thursday, September 16, 2004
By Any Means
Pop Goes Politics - Is the new protest music any good? By Jody Rosen
Nathan's band is making some waves on Slate today!
Trans Am
Liberation, Thrill Jockey
Click here to listen to "Total Information Awareness," here to listen to "Spike in the Chatter," and here to listen to "Uninvited Guest."
War on Terror catchphrases like "Total Information Awareness" and "Spike in the Chatter" sound like song titles in search of creepy music, and Washington, D.C.,-based Trans Am delivers just that on this suitably dystopian soundtrack. But there's only so much a mostly instrumental neo-prog rock band can say. Whether droning "Security … Technology" over power chords in a vocoder robot voice, or layering samples of Arab journalists describing bombing runs on Baghdad atop clattering canned beats, Trans Am's message is the same: That George Bush sure is a scary warmonger. Liberation's most satisfying variation on this banal theme is "Uninvited Guest." The song stitches together bits of Bush's speeches ("Our commitment to weapons of mass destruction is America's tradition," says the president to roaring applause) and plays them over an eerie Afrika Bambaataa-style synthesizer riff.
Nathan's band is making some waves on Slate today!
Trans Am
Liberation, Thrill Jockey
Click here to listen to "Total Information Awareness," here to listen to "Spike in the Chatter," and here to listen to "Uninvited Guest."
War on Terror catchphrases like "Total Information Awareness" and "Spike in the Chatter" sound like song titles in search of creepy music, and Washington, D.C.,-based Trans Am delivers just that on this suitably dystopian soundtrack. But there's only so much a mostly instrumental neo-prog rock band can say. Whether droning "Security … Technology" over power chords in a vocoder robot voice, or layering samples of Arab journalists describing bombing runs on Baghdad atop clattering canned beats, Trans Am's message is the same: That George Bush sure is a scary warmonger. Liberation's most satisfying variation on this banal theme is "Uninvited Guest." The song stitches together bits of Bush's speeches ("Our commitment to weapons of mass destruction is America's tradition," says the president to roaring applause) and plays them over an eerie Afrika Bambaataa-style synthesizer riff.
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Whose side is God on?
Heaven Sent - Does God endorse George Bush? By Steven Waldman
Now that Dad has spoken, what does God have to say about the election?
The whole article is worth a read, here's the conclusion:
"...it's hard to recall another instance of a presidential campaign so confidently promulgating the idea that its candidate had divine endorsement. The potentially dangerous implication is that since God put George W. Bush in the White House, opposing him is opposing Him. A person could get smited for that.
Of course, it's always possible God did put George W. Bush in the White House. But if He did, it doesn't theologically follow that He wants him to have a second term. Even those who believe that God controls world events usually concede it is hard for humans to divine the intent of the Divine.
After all, in the Bible, God is described as doing things for all sorts of inexplicable reasons—sometimes as a reward to the people, and sometimes as a punishment."
Now that Dad has spoken, what does God have to say about the election?
The whole article is worth a read, here's the conclusion:
"...it's hard to recall another instance of a presidential campaign so confidently promulgating the idea that its candidate had divine endorsement. The potentially dangerous implication is that since God put George W. Bush in the White House, opposing him is opposing Him. A person could get smited for that.
Of course, it's always possible God did put George W. Bush in the White House. But if He did, it doesn't theologically follow that He wants him to have a second term. Even those who believe that God controls world events usually concede it is hard for humans to divine the intent of the Divine.
After all, in the Bible, God is described as doing things for all sorts of inexplicable reasons—sometimes as a reward to the people, and sometimes as a punishment."
Dub Endorses Kerry
I'm proud to present my Dad's e-mail to the larger viewing public.
People , Kerry came home after his tour in Viet Nam and testified before Congress that the war in Viet Nam was wrong . He's saying it again about Iraq . I'd say listen carefully to this man .
I did not serve in Viet Nam but spent thirteen months on Okinawa , as a Marine officer prepared to go to Nam , and sat on about a dozen court martials of Marines accused of committing atrocities in Viet Nam , so Kerry is not wrong on that account . It was a minority but it happened , and broadly . And I had $.15 martinis at Happy Hour at the Officers' Club with career Majors and Lt. Colonels who said the war was wrong , we were not fighting to win , that the " Domino theory " was not valid , that we should find a way out of the morass .
So , Kerry was not wrong in his protests as he blamed the politicians , the strategists , a minority of the troops , and tried to reason with an administration that was ultimately to come to agree with this bold dissenter . This man showed leadership , commitment , valor and real manhood while his opponent was still wrestling with his demons .
I believe that Kerry can give the USA a new start on the world scene and that the USA needs to do all we can to re-create strong allied relationships to oppose the worsening terrorist threats . Just don't dismiss Kerry as a " war protestor " . He showed uncanny awareness and resolve to take the position he did . He also might be our best approach to handling the Iraq situation that everyone is having to accept because " we are where we are " ( and not discussing whether we ought to have done what we did ) , and the terrorists' attitudes toward the USA .
Then there's the economy , jobs , health care , fair taxes , global warming , energy policy , and other issues not on this administration's radar screen . I'm only suggesting that all of us step back a bit and think about the realities , letting our brains " do the walking " , not letting our gut instincts pull the lever or point that electronic pencil !! I have voted nine times for Republican presidential nominees , including Goldwater , but I suggest , in the interest of our children and grand-children , a nod to Zell , that you consider Kerry as a viable best-case for the USA and our world .
Watts Carr III
People , Kerry came home after his tour in Viet Nam and testified before Congress that the war in Viet Nam was wrong . He's saying it again about Iraq . I'd say listen carefully to this man .
I did not serve in Viet Nam but spent thirteen months on Okinawa , as a Marine officer prepared to go to Nam , and sat on about a dozen court martials of Marines accused of committing atrocities in Viet Nam , so Kerry is not wrong on that account . It was a minority but it happened , and broadly . And I had $.15 martinis at Happy Hour at the Officers' Club with career Majors and Lt. Colonels who said the war was wrong , we were not fighting to win , that the " Domino theory " was not valid , that we should find a way out of the morass .
So , Kerry was not wrong in his protests as he blamed the politicians , the strategists , a minority of the troops , and tried to reason with an administration that was ultimately to come to agree with this bold dissenter . This man showed leadership , commitment , valor and real manhood while his opponent was still wrestling with his demons .
I believe that Kerry can give the USA a new start on the world scene and that the USA needs to do all we can to re-create strong allied relationships to oppose the worsening terrorist threats . Just don't dismiss Kerry as a " war protestor " . He showed uncanny awareness and resolve to take the position he did . He also might be our best approach to handling the Iraq situation that everyone is having to accept because " we are where we are " ( and not discussing whether we ought to have done what we did ) , and the terrorists' attitudes toward the USA .
Then there's the economy , jobs , health care , fair taxes , global warming , energy policy , and other issues not on this administration's radar screen . I'm only suggesting that all of us step back a bit and think about the realities , letting our brains " do the walking " , not letting our gut instincts pull the lever or point that electronic pencil !! I have voted nine times for Republican presidential nominees , including Goldwater , but I suggest , in the interest of our children and grand-children , a nod to Zell , that you consider Kerry as a viable best-case for the USA and our world .
Watts Carr III
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