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It's a short work day, so it's a short day in the, well, no, that's not true. The news keeps happening regardless of me. They're threatening more winter-style weather out here, with high winds, snowfalls, and the ever-present threat of power outages. In fact, that's what's making this day shorter than usual. Also, I need to check and see whether my apartment heat actually will heat or not, I think. Otherwise, this upcoming week is going to be rather cold. But there will be prezzies, at least, as I have received at least some gift offerings from family. I'm putting off my purchasing, excepting for certain immediate situations, until after the major VEWPRF - one, so that I can get something that people actually want, and two, because I probably won't be able to do the shopping until afterward because the weather turns some drivers here into totally panicked people. Although, this weather is wreaking havoc with my timesheet - and because of the way the contracts are worded, not all time off is paid time, unless I have time banked to use.
Dalek Repair Manual. For those times when grabbing a DNA sample of a blonde won't do. Oh, and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tw_babiez updated, for those of you that love the mixing of Torchwood/Doctor Who and the Muppet Babies. High cute factor.
At the international desk, the profit motive continues on apace, with the hotels hit in the recent terror attack in Mumbai scheduled to re-open. Plus, I'm sure a lot of people will be happy that they can return to their jobs, even if they are significantly more paranoid now than they were before.
Officers arrested on the suspicion that they were Baathists will be released without charge. Phew. Catatsrophe avoided.
Here's a good VEWPRF message, from the General's - the end of the second spirit's visit, right before the third arrives to show the businessman that he will die alone, unloved, and with his possessions pawned. Strangely enough, it's that message that finally convinces him to be charitable - so he's being charitable out of self-interest. Not very charitable of all, but we're not supposed to notice because of the warm and fuzzies and "God Bless Us, Every One". (Thanks, Weirdo. Now you've made me think about it.) Kind of like putting the image of Santa Claus on a dreidel, in some respects.
A very different message, one without charity at all, is now on the way from the vocal opponents of homosexual marriage - because they passed Proposition 8, they now want to make its coverage retroactive, which would mean all the marriages that were legally performed in California up to the point of Prop 8 would be annulled. While that doesn't fit the bill of an ex post facto law, considering that they're not asking to criminalize homosexual marriage, it still makes for a very interesting consequence. As The Weirdo points out, if you give the government the power to nullify marriages, then there are a lot of marriages that could be nullified, including yours, depending on the passage of later laws. The example he gives is excellent, too: If it's suddenly illegal to marry a citizen to achieve citizenship yourself, does that mean every marriage where an immigrant married a citizen and then obtained citizenship themselves is annulled retroactively? Including the one that's been going on for thirty years and has four children who will have to watch as Dad or Mom either manages to find a new way of getting or retaining citizenship or end up being deported? That's a lot of questions to have to answer, and most of those answers will not be good. the Law is a club that swings indiscriminately and in broad strokes. It is not a scalpel. And, taking away marriage from people to satisfy your perverse need to keep them second-class? So not Christian in any way.
Also, we note, in a diversion, but somewhat relevant, that an atheist wanted to officiate over marriages and was denied because he had no affiliation with a church, something Nevada state law requires. And thus, a whole different marriage fight begins. Now, back to the narrative at large...
The Weirdo also has a suggestion for the LGBT community on how to get some respect in these parts - showing a vocal, potentially violent, devil-may-care minority that doesn't really give a rat's ass about the law. Not that they would be out in force all the time, but the threat that the whole movement could turn their way if people kept stomping on their rights would probably be enough to keep people in check and not to bully, because they don't know whether the person their messing with will bite back, or find someone who will. The Attorney General of California is working to reverse the amendment, so, as with all things, the final answer is not yet known. Until then,krinndnz has a sneaking suspicion that we've been over this ground before, but with a different minority...
The RIAA has decided that instead of suing people in a court of law, it will demand ISPs cut off the Internet access of suspected infringers. Which, in some ways, is good, but in other ways, is bad. More information about the planned tactical switch at CNet. In any real case, now I have to worry that my ISP will suddenly decide to shut me off, because someone thinks I'm a file-sharer, whether I am or not. I'm waiting for the first time they try to shut down a public library or an internet cafe.
Further domestic issues - Californian Good Samaritans may find that the law does not protect them if they choose to give aid to someone, based on a ruling from the State Supreme Court allowing a trial to proceed where a rescuer is being sued for their help, alleging that injuries that left the rescued a paraplegic were caused by the rescuer's attempts. The rescuer alleges the car was smoking and looked like it might explode. Only in America, right?
And continuing in the California theme, the state has declared a fiscal emergency. And that was before we found out Paris Hilton's house was burglarized.
To the caller in this transcript - I hope he complains to appropriate authorities about your organization's tactics. Telling someone that their thank-you packet is already in the mail when they haven't contributed is like the scam that tells people they've won the lottery and need to make a down payment to ensure their winnings are safe. It's deceptive and it annoys people.
We have a full deck. With announcements today, the President-elect finished his Cabinet selections, so peruse, comment, and wonder how it's all going to work together to your heart's content. Or suggest that an incoming Secretary do what you want them to, whatever.
In Minnesota, Franken leads by a nose, but it's still anyone's call on who will win the recount. Mr. Franken's opponent called the lead "temporary".
Last out of this section, the weekly radio address of the outgoing administrator and the radio address of President-elect Obama.
In the opinions, a pictorial representation of the last eight years, and the legacy left behind by the outgoing administrator, whose lame duckness has many asking whether we should shorten the transition period. Kathryn Jean Lopez paints a far rosier picture of the outgoing administrator, comparing him to the adoptive father of Jesus.
In songs of the VEWPRF, leading the chorus is Bill'O, on why Christmas as a Christian celebration matters, taking a shot at Governor Gregoire's law-mandated display and the response piece posted next to it, along with the still fairly fictional War on Christmas. Principal tenor in this choir is Nathan Tabor, who focuses on the "pagan" Christmas culture that emphasises consumerism over Christ, as well as the atheists and ACLU working tirelessly to ban Christ from the public sphere (thus managing to offend two groups in one shot), pointing out smugly that most of the people in the country are Christian, and that faith-based charities do the heavy lifting for services to the poor and needy, so of course everyone acknowledges and should worship Christ at Christmas, rather than entertaining fantasies about a secular holiday. Moving to the baritones, Marvin Olasky compares the Bible and its stories to the narratives of our current times, complete with stock market crashes and the promises of redemption that don't requrie balance sheets, but only if you are a Jesus-follower. Down in the bass section, Andrew Tallman takes the story of Mary's visit to Elizabeth as the Biblical position on abortion, concluding that if six-month John the Baptist kicked at the presence of his miraculous brother at a mere four weeks old (at maximum), then obviously life begins at conception and all those people defending it can use the Bible as their backup. I'm thinking he has a future as a commentary writer in the Talmudic tradition if he can get that conclusion out of the story. Either that, or Benedict should tap him to lead the Catholic Church's defense of life at conception. Rounding out the section, and singing for both the altos and the sopranos, Mona Charen uses the season to decry how much Americans use, rent, and watch pornography, and all the deletirious effects that it has on the populace, including the tolerance that porn builds, developing into full-blown addictions where it takes hardcore sadism and degradation of women before a guy can get off on it. *beat* Riiiight.
bradhicks expresses his reasons why the selection of Rick Warren is a cause for severe rage - not because of the CW that spins it as an admission by the President-elect that he's not going to be as hardcore a crusader for LGBT and queer rights as people were hoping, but because Rick Warren funds a "sex-addiction recovery ministry", which uses all the very worst cult tactics to make normal people feel miserable and to isolate them from society, along with his "ex-gay" ministry, which are reputed to do much the same, trying to convince people that misery is happiness and the only way to be safe from their depraved sexual selves is to only associate with the cult, hang on every word and do whatever the cult leader says to do, and pray feverently to the God of choice to somehow reverse or dissipate the perverseness away from them... to let them repress it. Hey, Mona, is this what you want all those "addicted" men and boys, and women too, to do? Repress themselves and banish the thought of anything that might make them the least bit happy? Oh, and of course, Pastor Warren, you're on notice - we expect to see you in a nice men's restroom scandal soon.
Charles Krauthammer decried the ease by which rich families obtain political power, because of their ability to campaign and outspend their opponents relying on donations and public money.
Davaid Harsanyi waves impolite digits at liberal causes, declaring that the American people in bad economics and cheap gas do what makes capitalistic sense - go to the cheapest bargain they can find, so they stop buying hybrids and organic food in favor of Wal-Mart gifts, McDonald, and all those things that the perceived liberal hates and wants to see destroyed. After all, it's that greed that drives the economy.
Oliver North feels there are two under-reported stories so far this week - the passing of Paul Weyrich, whose columns have often made this roundup in one form or another, and the summit of Latin American countries that North feels is a big middle finger to the United States and an indication that we'll soon be having problems with that region.
Last out, Michael Barone on the passing of generations and the implicit expectation that simply ousting the current administrator will not be enough for the President-elect, while suggesting that while what is old is new again, it may not work out all that well. John Hawkins goes for stronger language, declaing that the people need to wean themselves away from Mama Government and become more self-reliant, like out forefathers, not letting the government regulate our lives so much. David Limbaugh suggests that conservatism get back on the true supply-side wagon, lest they help the incoming President implement disastrous policies like stimulus and spending plans, because of how well the last ones worked.
In technology, science fiction elements in architectural design, with several buildings that resemble some of the most iconic star ships and fortresses, an application for a wingless electromagnetic air vehicle that will generate lift without moving parts engines (it's tiny at the moment, though), plotting out a spot where a Mars colony could exist solely on power generated by Sol, even through dust storms and other weather interference, Warner pulling their videos from YouTube, NASA selling or donating the Space Shuttle fleet after their retirement, the new ISS toilet is missing a front door, discussion on why nobody is bringing M-rated titles to the Wii (because they think they won't sell), and The NASA 2008 pictorial retrospective.
Last for tonight, a happy photo in a funeral home, because for many people, the end of life is cause for celebration, rather than despair.
Dalek Repair Manual. For those times when grabbing a DNA sample of a blonde won't do. Oh, and
tw_babiez updated, for those of you that love the mixing of Torchwood/Doctor Who and the Muppet Babies. High cute factor.At the international desk, the profit motive continues on apace, with the hotels hit in the recent terror attack in Mumbai scheduled to re-open. Plus, I'm sure a lot of people will be happy that they can return to their jobs, even if they are significantly more paranoid now than they were before.
Officers arrested on the suspicion that they were Baathists will be released without charge. Phew. Catatsrophe avoided.
Here's a good VEWPRF message, from the General's - the end of the second spirit's visit, right before the third arrives to show the businessman that he will die alone, unloved, and with his possessions pawned. Strangely enough, it's that message that finally convinces him to be charitable - so he's being charitable out of self-interest. Not very charitable of all, but we're not supposed to notice because of the warm and fuzzies and "God Bless Us, Every One". (Thanks, Weirdo. Now you've made me think about it.) Kind of like putting the image of Santa Claus on a dreidel, in some respects.
A very different message, one without charity at all, is now on the way from the vocal opponents of homosexual marriage - because they passed Proposition 8, they now want to make its coverage retroactive, which would mean all the marriages that were legally performed in California up to the point of Prop 8 would be annulled. While that doesn't fit the bill of an ex post facto law, considering that they're not asking to criminalize homosexual marriage, it still makes for a very interesting consequence. As The Weirdo points out, if you give the government the power to nullify marriages, then there are a lot of marriages that could be nullified, including yours, depending on the passage of later laws. The example he gives is excellent, too: If it's suddenly illegal to marry a citizen to achieve citizenship yourself, does that mean every marriage where an immigrant married a citizen and then obtained citizenship themselves is annulled retroactively? Including the one that's been going on for thirty years and has four children who will have to watch as Dad or Mom either manages to find a new way of getting or retaining citizenship or end up being deported? That's a lot of questions to have to answer, and most of those answers will not be good. the Law is a club that swings indiscriminately and in broad strokes. It is not a scalpel. And, taking away marriage from people to satisfy your perverse need to keep them second-class? So not Christian in any way.
Also, we note, in a diversion, but somewhat relevant, that an atheist wanted to officiate over marriages and was denied because he had no affiliation with a church, something Nevada state law requires. And thus, a whole different marriage fight begins. Now, back to the narrative at large...
The Weirdo also has a suggestion for the LGBT community on how to get some respect in these parts - showing a vocal, potentially violent, devil-may-care minority that doesn't really give a rat's ass about the law. Not that they would be out in force all the time, but the threat that the whole movement could turn their way if people kept stomping on their rights would probably be enough to keep people in check and not to bully, because they don't know whether the person their messing with will bite back, or find someone who will. The Attorney General of California is working to reverse the amendment, so, as with all things, the final answer is not yet known. Until then,
krinndnz has a sneaking suspicion that we've been over this ground before, but with a different minority...The RIAA has decided that instead of suing people in a court of law, it will demand ISPs cut off the Internet access of suspected infringers. Which, in some ways, is good, but in other ways, is bad. More information about the planned tactical switch at CNet. In any real case, now I have to worry that my ISP will suddenly decide to shut me off, because someone thinks I'm a file-sharer, whether I am or not. I'm waiting for the first time they try to shut down a public library or an internet cafe.
Further domestic issues - Californian Good Samaritans may find that the law does not protect them if they choose to give aid to someone, based on a ruling from the State Supreme Court allowing a trial to proceed where a rescuer is being sued for their help, alleging that injuries that left the rescued a paraplegic were caused by the rescuer's attempts. The rescuer alleges the car was smoking and looked like it might explode. Only in America, right?
And continuing in the California theme, the state has declared a fiscal emergency. And that was before we found out Paris Hilton's house was burglarized.
To the caller in this transcript - I hope he complains to appropriate authorities about your organization's tactics. Telling someone that their thank-you packet is already in the mail when they haven't contributed is like the scam that tells people they've won the lottery and need to make a down payment to ensure their winnings are safe. It's deceptive and it annoys people.
We have a full deck. With announcements today, the President-elect finished his Cabinet selections, so peruse, comment, and wonder how it's all going to work together to your heart's content. Or suggest that an incoming Secretary do what you want them to, whatever.
In Minnesota, Franken leads by a nose, but it's still anyone's call on who will win the recount. Mr. Franken's opponent called the lead "temporary".
Last out of this section, the weekly radio address of the outgoing administrator and the radio address of President-elect Obama.
In the opinions, a pictorial representation of the last eight years, and the legacy left behind by the outgoing administrator, whose lame duckness has many asking whether we should shorten the transition period. Kathryn Jean Lopez paints a far rosier picture of the outgoing administrator, comparing him to the adoptive father of Jesus.
In songs of the VEWPRF, leading the chorus is Bill'O, on why Christmas as a Christian celebration matters, taking a shot at Governor Gregoire's law-mandated display and the response piece posted next to it, along with the still fairly fictional War on Christmas. Principal tenor in this choir is Nathan Tabor, who focuses on the "pagan" Christmas culture that emphasises consumerism over Christ, as well as the atheists and ACLU working tirelessly to ban Christ from the public sphere (thus managing to offend two groups in one shot), pointing out smugly that most of the people in the country are Christian, and that faith-based charities do the heavy lifting for services to the poor and needy, so of course everyone acknowledges and should worship Christ at Christmas, rather than entertaining fantasies about a secular holiday. Moving to the baritones, Marvin Olasky compares the Bible and its stories to the narratives of our current times, complete with stock market crashes and the promises of redemption that don't requrie balance sheets, but only if you are a Jesus-follower. Down in the bass section, Andrew Tallman takes the story of Mary's visit to Elizabeth as the Biblical position on abortion, concluding that if six-month John the Baptist kicked at the presence of his miraculous brother at a mere four weeks old (at maximum), then obviously life begins at conception and all those people defending it can use the Bible as their backup. I'm thinking he has a future as a commentary writer in the Talmudic tradition if he can get that conclusion out of the story. Either that, or Benedict should tap him to lead the Catholic Church's defense of life at conception. Rounding out the section, and singing for both the altos and the sopranos, Mona Charen uses the season to decry how much Americans use, rent, and watch pornography, and all the deletirious effects that it has on the populace, including the tolerance that porn builds, developing into full-blown addictions where it takes hardcore sadism and degradation of women before a guy can get off on it. *beat* Riiiight.
bradhicks expresses his reasons why the selection of Rick Warren is a cause for severe rage - not because of the CW that spins it as an admission by the President-elect that he's not going to be as hardcore a crusader for LGBT and queer rights as people were hoping, but because Rick Warren funds a "sex-addiction recovery ministry", which uses all the very worst cult tactics to make normal people feel miserable and to isolate them from society, along with his "ex-gay" ministry, which are reputed to do much the same, trying to convince people that misery is happiness and the only way to be safe from their depraved sexual selves is to only associate with the cult, hang on every word and do whatever the cult leader says to do, and pray feverently to the God of choice to somehow reverse or dissipate the perverseness away from them... to let them repress it. Hey, Mona, is this what you want all those "addicted" men and boys, and women too, to do? Repress themselves and banish the thought of anything that might make them the least bit happy? Oh, and of course, Pastor Warren, you're on notice - we expect to see you in a nice men's restroom scandal soon.Charles Krauthammer decried the ease by which rich families obtain political power, because of their ability to campaign and outspend their opponents relying on donations and public money.
Davaid Harsanyi waves impolite digits at liberal causes, declaring that the American people in bad economics and cheap gas do what makes capitalistic sense - go to the cheapest bargain they can find, so they stop buying hybrids and organic food in favor of Wal-Mart gifts, McDonald, and all those things that the perceived liberal hates and wants to see destroyed. After all, it's that greed that drives the economy.
Oliver North feels there are two under-reported stories so far this week - the passing of Paul Weyrich, whose columns have often made this roundup in one form or another, and the summit of Latin American countries that North feels is a big middle finger to the United States and an indication that we'll soon be having problems with that region.
Last out, Michael Barone on the passing of generations and the implicit expectation that simply ousting the current administrator will not be enough for the President-elect, while suggesting that while what is old is new again, it may not work out all that well. John Hawkins goes for stronger language, declaing that the people need to wean themselves away from Mama Government and become more self-reliant, like out forefathers, not letting the government regulate our lives so much. David Limbaugh suggests that conservatism get back on the true supply-side wagon, lest they help the incoming President implement disastrous policies like stimulus and spending plans, because of how well the last ones worked.
In technology, science fiction elements in architectural design, with several buildings that resemble some of the most iconic star ships and fortresses, an application for a wingless electromagnetic air vehicle that will generate lift without moving parts engines (it's tiny at the moment, though), plotting out a spot where a Mars colony could exist solely on power generated by Sol, even through dust storms and other weather interference, Warner pulling their videos from YouTube, NASA selling or donating the Space Shuttle fleet after their retirement, the new ISS toilet is missing a front door, discussion on why nobody is bringing M-rated titles to the Wii (because they think they won't sell), and The NASA 2008 pictorial retrospective.
Last for tonight, a happy photo in a funeral home, because for many people, the end of life is cause for celebration, rather than despair.
