1/26/2005
To be Weird or Not to be Weird...
You know, many of us like to believe we stand out from the crowd somehow. That we're weird or unusual to a certain degree because of this or that (and maybe we are). Of course, you have to be part geek to suffer from this view. That's why I assume everyone here can relate. You have to be someone who embraced things throughout your life that would generally make one as popular as a shark in a swimming pool.
Isn't that odd in and of itself? There might only be two kinds of people in the world now that I think about it. Those that instinctively shy away from things that would tend to alienate them from the crowd and those that do the exact opposite.
Anyway, like I was saying, I realize I'm a pretty normal guy. Married suburban office worker, pretty standard values, watch lots of TV and all that jazz. Yet today as I was listening to the same William Shatner song on repeat for probably the 50th time in two days here at work, I realized, "This is so not normal."
I will probably listen to this song a hundred times this week at work. Is that a cry for help of some kind?
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You know, many of us like to believe we stand out from the crowd somehow. That we're weird or unusual to a certain degree because of this or that (and maybe we are). Of course, you have to be part geek to suffer from this view. That's why I assume everyone here can relate. You have to be someone who embraced things throughout your life that would generally make one as popular as a shark in a swimming pool.
Isn't that odd in and of itself? There might only be two kinds of people in the world now that I think about it. Those that instinctively shy away from things that would tend to alienate them from the crowd and those that do the exact opposite.
Anyway, like I was saying, I realize I'm a pretty normal guy. Married suburban office worker, pretty standard values, watch lots of TV and all that jazz. Yet today as I was listening to the same William Shatner song on repeat for probably the 50th time in two days here at work, I realized, "This is so not normal."
I will probably listen to this song a hundred times this week at work. Is that a cry for help of some kind?
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1/24/2005
Observation on the State of the Union...
It up and hit me at some point that no one's talking about our lack of military volunteers.
After 9-11, we understandably had a wave of recruits. That has dried up like a bleached bone in the sun. Our military is stretched very thin. We're calling up disabled veterans with grey hair. So where's the influx to get us out of this jam? I don' t see it. Since I completely disagree with the war, I feel no compulsion.
Still, tens of millions of people fervently support it. So, to resurrect a classic, where's the beef? If the war is such a great idea, and we need help (and we do), then where are the lines at the recruiter's office? I AM NOT saying you can't support the war without volunteering (I'm really, really not- I swear to you), but isn't it interesting that we don't see a corollary... somewhere?
And before you tell me that's all wars, let's look at WWII. Americans put their lives on hold to go fight. They sacrificed at home and abroad. Women (who can now volunteer) worked in factories. We bought bonds and drank crappy coffee. What sacrifice are we making this time? At least paying higher taxes... uh, no.
My point: Great, successful nations (including ours) have always had a link between citizenship and war(of at least some kind). Once they become disconnected, aren't leaders free to pursue military adventures that reward themselves and their friends under whatever guise they like (good and evil)? The politician gets glory, the businessman that contributed to his campaign gets lucrative contracts. The people, meanwhile, debate as if they actually matter.
Oh well, that's just more of my fanciful ramblings.
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It up and hit me at some point that no one's talking about our lack of military volunteers.
After 9-11, we understandably had a wave of recruits. That has dried up like a bleached bone in the sun. Our military is stretched very thin. We're calling up disabled veterans with grey hair. So where's the influx to get us out of this jam? I don' t see it. Since I completely disagree with the war, I feel no compulsion.
Still, tens of millions of people fervently support it. So, to resurrect a classic, where's the beef? If the war is such a great idea, and we need help (and we do), then where are the lines at the recruiter's office? I AM NOT saying you can't support the war without volunteering (I'm really, really not- I swear to you), but isn't it interesting that we don't see a corollary... somewhere?
And before you tell me that's all wars, let's look at WWII. Americans put their lives on hold to go fight. They sacrificed at home and abroad. Women (who can now volunteer) worked in factories. We bought bonds and drank crappy coffee. What sacrifice are we making this time? At least paying higher taxes... uh, no.
My point: Great, successful nations (including ours) have always had a link between citizenship and war(of at least some kind). Once they become disconnected, aren't leaders free to pursue military adventures that reward themselves and their friends under whatever guise they like (good and evil)? The politician gets glory, the businessman that contributed to his campaign gets lucrative contracts. The people, meanwhile, debate as if they actually matter.
Oh well, that's just more of my fanciful ramblings.
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1/19/2005
1/14/2005
Great Year End Article...
I'm a sucker for year wrap-up type stories and specials. Here's a funny one with many a fascinating tidbit in it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4134329.stm
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I'm a sucker for year wrap-up type stories and specials. Here's a funny one with many a fascinating tidbit in it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4134329.stm
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1/11/2005
Food for Thought...
Deathsquads- Okay, so it is only a report (in Newsweek) that says the Pentagon is considering The Salvador Option in Iraq. Of course, the report is very likely true. Very likely as in bet whatever you want on it. Well, for those of you who might not be well acquainted with the grand things done at our prodding in Central America by the death squads we now want to emulate, let's review some highlights:
-mutilating the genitals of Catholic nuns
-murdering Catholic bishops
-raping women before torturing and killing them
-raping small girls while their fathers were forced to watch
-burning entire villages to the ground
-throwing childeren up in the air and catching them with the points of bayonets
-killing and torturing tens of thousands of non-combatants
Well, if that's the price of spreading freedom, so be it I guess. No hypocrisy here, no sir. Thank God that when we do it (or, in the case above... encourage, aid and whitewash), it isn't terrorism.
If it was, a moral person might have to ask themselves if we're any better than the people who flew planes into the World Trade Center. They, just maybe, would have to ask who's worse, the monster who thinks what he's doing is sanctioned by God, or the one who knows that what he's doing isn't.
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Deathsquads- Okay, so it is only a report (in Newsweek) that says the Pentagon is considering The Salvador Option in Iraq. Of course, the report is very likely true. Very likely as in bet whatever you want on it. Well, for those of you who might not be well acquainted with the grand things done at our prodding in Central America by the death squads we now want to emulate, let's review some highlights:
-mutilating the genitals of Catholic nuns
-murdering Catholic bishops
-raping women before torturing and killing them
-raping small girls while their fathers were forced to watch
-burning entire villages to the ground
-throwing childeren up in the air and catching them with the points of bayonets
-killing and torturing tens of thousands of non-combatants
Well, if that's the price of spreading freedom, so be it I guess. No hypocrisy here, no sir. Thank God that when we do it (or, in the case above... encourage, aid and whitewash), it isn't terrorism.
If it was, a moral person might have to ask themselves if we're any better than the people who flew planes into the World Trade Center. They, just maybe, would have to ask who's worse, the monster who thinks what he's doing is sanctioned by God, or the one who knows that what he's doing isn't.
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1/10/2005
Napoleon Dynamite...
Has anyone else seen this? If so, I'd love to get your thoughts. It is one of those very rare movies (or books, albums etc.) that leaves you knowing two things:
a) You liked it.
b) You don't know why.
I mean, this is a comedy that made Lauki (both of us) laugh about two or three times total. Still, it was funny in a simmering beneath the surface sort of way. I would really like to know if you can make a movie like that on purpose or if it just happens. The movie also ridicules the geek protagonist while asking you to root for him. This very delicate balance actually works out and, once again, I'd like to know if that was by accident or on purpose.
Anyway, this addition to the I Was a Teenage Outcast mythology is the current cult phenom and worth checking out. Uh, I think.
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Has anyone else seen this? If so, I'd love to get your thoughts. It is one of those very rare movies (or books, albums etc.) that leaves you knowing two things:
a) You liked it.
b) You don't know why.
I mean, this is a comedy that made Lauki (both of us) laugh about two or three times total. Still, it was funny in a simmering beneath the surface sort of way. I would really like to know if you can make a movie like that on purpose or if it just happens. The movie also ridicules the geek protagonist while asking you to root for him. This very delicate balance actually works out and, once again, I'd like to know if that was by accident or on purpose.
Anyway, this addition to the I Was a Teenage Outcast mythology is the current cult phenom and worth checking out. Uh, I think.
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1/03/2005
Getting Too Old for Three Party Weekends...
New Year's Eve:
Start in Justin, TX at a Fidelity related party. Justin, as in just in the middle of nowhere. That would be the p.m. party. From there, trek across the metroplex to Carrolton for the traditional celebration. That would be the a.m. party, as in back to our house at 6 a.m.
Sure it's hard to stay up that late nowadays but at least we had the customary spectacle of a plastered Cob to entertain us. One highlight would be the way he took out Brad and Karina's entire set up of patio furniture in one, not so smooth, move. You wouldn't think he could get the table and chairs all at once but he proved otherwise. Believe in yourself and you can accomplish anything.
My random act of kindness for the night? Removing the duct tape from the passed out so they wouldn't have to do it themselves later.
Then after an all too brief nap, it was off to a lunch date in McKinney, TX. As you can imagine, not much was accomplished yesterday.
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New Year's Eve:
Start in Justin, TX at a Fidelity related party. Justin, as in just in the middle of nowhere. That would be the p.m. party. From there, trek across the metroplex to Carrolton for the traditional celebration. That would be the a.m. party, as in back to our house at 6 a.m.
Sure it's hard to stay up that late nowadays but at least we had the customary spectacle of a plastered Cob to entertain us. One highlight would be the way he took out Brad and Karina's entire set up of patio furniture in one, not so smooth, move. You wouldn't think he could get the table and chairs all at once but he proved otherwise. Believe in yourself and you can accomplish anything.
My random act of kindness for the night? Removing the duct tape from the passed out so they wouldn't have to do it themselves later.
Then after an all too brief nap, it was off to a lunch date in McKinney, TX. As you can imagine, not much was accomplished yesterday.
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