God in his eternal wisdom continues to punish the people of Massachusetts by unleashing floods and blizzards upon the people of North Dakota. Cynics may point out that North Dakota is almost 2,000 miles away, but hey, the Lord works in mysterious ways.
The people of Fargo, well known for their love of wood chippers, have been battling the Red River for the past week. It had become swollen by recent rains and melting snow, but then the temperature plummeted again. Consequently the people were reduced to hauling frozen sandbags to hold the waters at bay. The river crested at record levels over the weekend, and it finally looked like the worst had passed. The people of the city even spent yesterday thanking God for sparing their community.
To prove that He has a sense of humor, God has now unleashed a blizzard upon the area. With the River still well above flood stages, the winds are whipping up waves that are threatening the city's levees and sandbags.
No word on whether the people of Fargo are still thanking God.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat
This cute little guy is one of two cloud leopards born yesterday at a National Zoo facility in Virginia. Cloud leopards are extremely endangered and are normally found in southeast Asia. Moments after this picture was taken, the adorable little tyke unexpectedly opened its eyes and mauled three zookeepers to death.What makes their birth even more significant is that their genes came from outside the captive population. Until now, the limited number of cloud leopards in zoos meant that they were in danger of inbreeding, which could have resulted in a feline population equivalent of West Virginia.
Another past problem with breeding programs has been that the mothers have had a tendency to kill their newborns, either deliberately or accidentally. That's why the young pair were quickly separated from their mom and are being hand fed by humans.
Oh, and I was just kidding about the mauled zookeepers.... Though if true, it would have made for a hilarious YouTube video.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Out with a Fizzle
Yesterday I wrote that I was bracing myself for what I feared would be a disappointing finale to Battlestar Galactica.
So how did it turn out? Well, let's just say that the show fulfilled my expectations.
So how did it turn out? Well, let's just say that the show fulfilled my expectations.
Friday, March 20, 2009
BSG: The Final Frak
For anyone who has followed the updated version of Battlestar Galactica for the last several years, tonight is the night. The show wraps up its five year run on the Sci-Fi channel. If you avoided watching the show simply because you hated the cheesy series that aired some 30 years ago, shame on you.
The updated version has been nothing if not dark and depressing with allegories to our post 9/11 society. Episodes have explored prisoner torture, terrorism, civil liberties, kangaroo courts, and the conflicts that can arise between a civilian government and its military leaders. One early episode dealt with a life and death decision over whether to destroy a civilian liner that may have been hijacked by Cylons and sent on a suicide run against the human fleet. Ultimately, the ship was attacked and blown up, with a lot of second guessing afterwards.
Another story arc had the humans settling on a planet only to be occupied by the Cylons. The human resistance grew even as other humans cooperated with their Cylon occupiers. Once freed, the resistance leaders took it upon themselves to exact justice against those they viewed as collaborators. In many ways, that storyline was ripped from the real world headlines about Iraq.
There was also a big shocker in last week's episode: One character is seen using a cordless phone (if you've been watching, you'd appreciate the joke).
And if you're thinking that tonight is the night they find Earth, boy, are you out of the loop. That ship sailed at the end of last year. Not only did they find Earth, they discovered it to be a lifeless cinder destroyed by nuclear war some 2000 years earlier.
This final batch of episodes (technically the second half of season four) has only become more intricate and confusing. Turns out that not only had the Earth been nuked, it happened during an earlier Cylon war. That raised the strong possibility that the existing human race were actually Cylons themselves. That issue remains unresolved at this point.
And in another major plot twist, fighter pilot Kara "Starbuck" Thrace finds her own remains on that scorched Earth. That little discovery completely freaked out even the normally unflappable Cylon that was with her at the time. Again, no real explanation has been offered so far.
So tonight's two hour finale has a lot of loose ends to tie up. The writers have clearly set themselves a high bar. Whether they can live up to expectations and wrap everything up in a satisfying manner remains to be seen.
Personally I'm bracing myself for a major disappointment. That way, if tonight's episode does turn out to be a dud, at least I won't feel let down. On the other hand, if it turns out to be the best two hours ever written for television, I'll be pleasantly surprised. Either way, I win.
Going Batty
NASA officials now say there was a stowaway on last week's space shuttle launch: A small bat was seen clinging to the side of the external fuel tank. One wildlife expert who examined the photo said the bat appeared to be injured and probably unable to fly to safety. It could still be seen clinging to the tank as the spacecraft cleared the tower.
Quite frankly, it is inhumane to have allowed the launch to proceed at the expense of this tiny little creature. That bat has never hurt anyone and is actually quite beneficial to mankind. Bats eat tremendous amounts of mosquitoes, including some that carry diseases harmful to us. Allowing such innocent creatures to needlessly perish is a terrible waste. As humans who presumably know the difference between right and wrong, do we not bear some responsibility for the well being of Earth's more vulnerable inhabitants?
On the other hand, I would have absolutely no objection whatsoever to strapping AIG executives to the outside of the next shuttle flight.
Quite frankly, it is inhumane to have allowed the launch to proceed at the expense of this tiny little creature. That bat has never hurt anyone and is actually quite beneficial to mankind. Bats eat tremendous amounts of mosquitoes, including some that carry diseases harmful to us. Allowing such innocent creatures to needlessly perish is a terrible waste. As humans who presumably know the difference between right and wrong, do we not bear some responsibility for the well being of Earth's more vulnerable inhabitants?
On the other hand, I would have absolutely no objection whatsoever to strapping AIG executives to the outside of the next shuttle flight.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Mistakes Were Made
Catholics have long been taught that the Pope is infallible. It thus comes as something of a surprise that Benedict XVIQVC has now admitted to having made "mistakes" in readmitting a previously excommunicated Bishop who has questioned whether the Holocaust ever happened.
This becomes even more confusing when you consider that by readmitting the guy to the fold, Benedict was essentially saying that John Paul II had made a mistake in 1988 when he excommunicated Bishop Richard Williamson in the first place. So either way you look at it, one of the two Popes failed.
Benedict now says that he was unaware of Williamson's background. Critics, on the other hand, point out that all kinds of information about the Bishop and his views on The Holocaust have been long available on the internet. Of course, checking that out would have required going online.
Perhaps the Vatican should finally get a phone line so it sign up for a really cheap dial-up service. An additional benefit would be that priests would find it easier to locate kiddy porn.
But enough with the cheap shots. What makes this story even more hilarious is that Richardson has been living in Argentina, a nation long rumored to be a haven for for ex-NAZI war criminals. But when word of the Bishop's anti-Semitic views got out, the Argentinian government kicked him out of the country.
Out of fairness, it's unclear if Williamson is really a Jew hating NAZI sympathizer. Technically, all he did was question the "historical accuracy" of the Holocaust. Apparently eyewitness accounts, photographs, concentration camps, tattooed arms, mass graves, and industrial size gas chambers aren't sufficient evidence in his mind.
Still, for someone who's so big on historical evidence, it's somewhat surprising that Williamson has no problem believing that that some guy once walked on water, turned water into wine, and rose from the dead.
This becomes even more confusing when you consider that by readmitting the guy to the fold, Benedict was essentially saying that John Paul II had made a mistake in 1988 when he excommunicated Bishop Richard Williamson in the first place. So either way you look at it, one of the two Popes failed.
Benedict now says that he was unaware of Williamson's background. Critics, on the other hand, point out that all kinds of information about the Bishop and his views on The Holocaust have been long available on the internet. Of course, checking that out would have required going online.
Perhaps the Vatican should finally get a phone line so it sign up for a really cheap dial-up service. An additional benefit would be that priests would find it easier to locate kiddy porn.
But enough with the cheap shots. What makes this story even more hilarious is that Richardson has been living in Argentina, a nation long rumored to be a haven for for ex-NAZI war criminals. But when word of the Bishop's anti-Semitic views got out, the Argentinian government kicked him out of the country.
Out of fairness, it's unclear if Williamson is really a Jew hating NAZI sympathizer. Technically, all he did was question the "historical accuracy" of the Holocaust. Apparently eyewitness accounts, photographs, concentration camps, tattooed arms, mass graves, and industrial size gas chambers aren't sufficient evidence in his mind.
Still, for someone who's so big on historical evidence, it's somewhat surprising that Williamson has no problem believing that that some guy once walked on water, turned water into wine, and rose from the dead.
Monday, March 16, 2009
WTF Are They Thinking?
Insurance giant AIG--which has received $170 billion in bailout money from American taxpayers--is about to pay out $165 million in bonuses to its executives.
Suddenly my previous suggestion about cutting off the balls of those responsible for getting us into this mess doesn't seem that outrageous, does it?
I understand the argument that we can't afford to let AIG fail and that its collapse would drag down not only our own banking system, but those of other nations as well. But paying out over a hundred million dollars in bonuses is just plain inexcusable. That's like giving the crew of the Titanic a bonus for at least getting partway across the Atlantic.
The Obama administration says that there is nothing it can legally do to block this particular payout. AIG is contractually obligated to issue these payments and would otherwise face lawsuits.
That may well be the case, but it goes to the very heart of what got us into this mess in the first place: The attitude among business leaders that its okay to get rich yourself while telling everyone else to go fuck themselves.
Regardless of what the letter of the law may say, this is wrong on so many different levels that it defies any possible rational justification.
The truly laughable part is that the chairman of AIG is trying to justify the payouts. His argument? It's the only way the company can retain talented staff. Is this guy on drugs, or what? What "talented staff?" These incompetent idiots have led the world to the brink of economic ruin. In what possible sense are they talented? Calling them talented is like calling Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man talented because he could count the number of matchsticks on the floor.
Actually, that comparison may be an insult to Raymond. He probably would have done a better job than the people running AIG now.
So fine. Issue the payouts. But let's post the name of every single recipient of these bonuses, as well as their home addresses and phone numbers, on a website for everyone to see. We can even call it OffWithTheirBalls.com. If they're being funded by the rest of us, then it's only fair that we should be able to see where our tax dollars are going.
I just purchased that web address. Anyone in a position to follow through with my suggestion should contact me. You can have the address for $15.
Suddenly my previous suggestion about cutting off the balls of those responsible for getting us into this mess doesn't seem that outrageous, does it?
I understand the argument that we can't afford to let AIG fail and that its collapse would drag down not only our own banking system, but those of other nations as well. But paying out over a hundred million dollars in bonuses is just plain inexcusable. That's like giving the crew of the Titanic a bonus for at least getting partway across the Atlantic.
The Obama administration says that there is nothing it can legally do to block this particular payout. AIG is contractually obligated to issue these payments and would otherwise face lawsuits.
That may well be the case, but it goes to the very heart of what got us into this mess in the first place: The attitude among business leaders that its okay to get rich yourself while telling everyone else to go fuck themselves.
Regardless of what the letter of the law may say, this is wrong on so many different levels that it defies any possible rational justification.
The truly laughable part is that the chairman of AIG is trying to justify the payouts. His argument? It's the only way the company can retain talented staff. Is this guy on drugs, or what? What "talented staff?" These incompetent idiots have led the world to the brink of economic ruin. In what possible sense are they talented? Calling them talented is like calling Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man talented because he could count the number of matchsticks on the floor.
Actually, that comparison may be an insult to Raymond. He probably would have done a better job than the people running AIG now.
So fine. Issue the payouts. But let's post the name of every single recipient of these bonuses, as well as their home addresses and phone numbers, on a website for everyone to see. We can even call it OffWithTheirBalls.com. If they're being funded by the rest of us, then it's only fair that we should be able to see where our tax dollars are going.
I just purchased that web address. Anyone in a position to follow through with my suggestion should contact me. You can have the address for $15.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
What's Next? Someone Proving the Earth Is NOT Flat?
President Obama yesterday lifted restrictions on stem cell research. He then took additional steps to insure that science will remain insulated from politics, saying that "promoting science isn't just about providing resources — it is also about protecting free and open inquiry,"
This is outrageous. Obama is going to throw all those former oil company scientists who set national policy on global warming during the Bush administration out of work. Isn't the nation's unemployment rate bad enough already?
Science is Satan's tool. We must continue to abide by the teachings of the Bible. Otherwise some blasphemer named Galileo might come along, invent the telescope, and prove that it is the Earth that orbits the sun rather than the other way around.
This is outrageous. Obama is going to throw all those former oil company scientists who set national policy on global warming during the Bush administration out of work. Isn't the nation's unemployment rate bad enough already?
Science is Satan's tool. We must continue to abide by the teachings of the Bible. Otherwise some blasphemer named Galileo might come along, invent the telescope, and prove that it is the Earth that orbits the sun rather than the other way around.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Helpful DTV Tips
Granted, the digital TV conversion deadline has been extended to June. The following video is still applicable to anyone who is yet to make the transition to digital television.
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