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Thursday, 31 August 2006
... Dragon*Con: starts NOW ...
____________________________________________________________
Listening to:
- Round and Round - Ratt
Random Bit:
- There's a badly translated English sign in a Nairobi restaurant:
"Customers who find our waitresses rude ought to see the manager."
===
(7:45am) - *Aaaaaaaaaaaah!* :: long, happy, contented sigh ::
Dragon*Con has come at last ... My car's loaded, I'm at work right now, and all set to check in at either noon (lunchtime - if they can) or 4pm (after work). Here's my plan:
- Leave work for lunch, go straight to the Marriott.
- Check in ... without luggage.
- Take room key and walk a block to the garage where I parked.
- Unload my luggage, cart it all up to the room:
Suitcase on wheels;
Cooler on wheels (90 can capacity; only $23 at Wal-Mart)
Contains 1 30-pk of Miller Lite and 2 bottles rum :);
My CPAP machine;
3 collared shirts I'm carrying loose/unpacked;
box containing:
2 Star Wars comics & 2 items from my collection for panels;
Star Wars kid's tent (present for Sara Z.). - Call Mearl - I'm going to show him how not to spend $12/night garaging his car at his hotel.
- Drive to MARTA with Mearl following; take MARTA back downtown.
- *ahem*
- PARTY !!!!!
- :)
I think it's a helluva plan myself....
===
(7:55am) - Matt (our manager) brought in some sugar cookies and banana bars his "wife" (er, significant other!) baked for him. She's an awesome cook, and she does this for Matt and for us every couple of weeks.
===
Preliminary REVIEW:
Six Months That Changed the World, by Margaret MacMillan.
(8:00am) - So on my mp3 player I'm listening to this audiobook. There's obviously a lot there I didn't know. That said, I'm only about one-third the way through, and I've got a much better understanding of Europe and the entire world *today*.
So much of our world today - the countries of the world, their borders, the politicking that goes on every day - can be traced back to that conference. It lasted from December 1918 to May 1919 and basically created (and/or simply recognized as already existing) most of the new European countries that had not existed prior to that conference.
Most surprising to me, Professor MacMillan lays out strong and convincing reasoning why Germany was *not* overly burdened with war reparations following the Great War, and rather exaggerated or even fabricated hurts and insults to justify going to war again in 1939.
If you can read it, or even subscribe to Audible.com and listen to it like I am, I highly recommend it!
===
(9:00am) - My co-worker Chris and his wife are having a baby - a little girl. Her due date was last week, and they had a false alarm this morning. All is OK, but he's coming in to work in a few. He's always here before I come in at 7am. When he wasn't here this morning, I really hoped today was the day.
===
(1:30pm) - All checked in! Rarin' to go! Whooooopeee!
Of course, no trip of mine would be complete without a Forgotten Little Something, and this time it's the most important thing: the little blue postcard which proves I prepaid.
Right - the one that will keep me out of the entire con if I don't go back home to get it. Thank GOD above I only live 20 minutes away.
(I hear you laughing. No really. I do) ...
:)
8/31 Thursday -
- 7:30pm - Dolphins Pre-season game #4: home v. St. Louis
- Checking in to the Marriott for ... DRAGON*CON!
9/2 Saturday -
- 6:00pm - Gators game #1: home v. Southern Miss
- 3rd day of ... DRAGON*CON!
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Wednesday, 30 August 2006
... Dragon*Con: tomorrow! ...
____________________________________________________________
Listening to:
- The Who - I Can See for Miles
Random Bit:
- Today in 1862, the Second Battle of Bull Run took place during the Civil War.
===
Check out my new SPORTS page :) I moved NASCAR and all sports-related links there. Might feel the need to pontificate on the Gators or Dolphins there at some point!
It's permanently linked in the left-hand column...
===
(7:30am) - Ah! The song I'm listening to *now* is The Warrior by Scandal. Man that song reminds me of good times. Throughout high school and college, I had a huge crush on Patty Smyth. It got started when I saw Goodbye to You on MTV (yes, during 1981 - when it was new and still showed videos ... lol) - then one night a few years later, I saw David Letterman and she was his guest. She'd struck out on her own evidently, and she didn't look or sound good. She hadn't taken care of herself, and appeared to be under the influence of ... something.
I don't know what - but it put a definite chill on the hots I felt for her. Wonder what she's doing now? I hope she's OK.
===
(4:00pm) - Jenn, my co-worker, sent me these links today:
- http://www.antiwar.com/roberts/?articleid=9616
Eloquent ... justifications for bringing Bush up on trial for war crimes. - http://www.darwinawards.com/slush/200606/pending20060604-231511.html
Not yet read... - http://www.darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1993-06.html
Not yet read...
===
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Tuesday, 29 August 2006
... Have License, Will Drive ...
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Listening to:
- Nuthin - Nobody ... (short day, no headphones)
Random Bit:
- The average printer ink cartridge costs $1.50 to produce.
===
(12:21pm) - Got to work today at 11:09am .... had to take some unpaid time off in order to renew my driver's license, get an emissions test, and renew the car tag. Got it all done.
Then I came to work, and I flew through stuff so fast, I could take this little break, check some email, and update this page :)
8/28 Monday -
- 8:00pm - Team Trivia at Crown & Anchor Pub
- Won 1st place ... I knew that Dakar was capital of *Senegal* to get us in 1st place, then the rest of the group knew the final question: Frasier won the most Emmys (37!) of any sitcom ever nominated...!
- Won 1st place ... I knew that Dakar was capital of *Senegal* to get us in 1st place, then the rest of the group knew the final question: Frasier won the most Emmys (37!) of any sitcom ever nominated...!
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Monday, 28 August 2006
... I wonder who's watching me now? (who?) The IRS ...?
____________________________________________________________
Listening to:
- Nobody Told Me - John Lennon
Random Bit:
- Last night, Conan O'Brien started out hosting the Emmys the same way Billy Crystal did about 10 years ago: with a series of cameos in clips from the year's nominee shows.
===
(8:30am) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is looking at the Netherland's style of levee construction, because their geography is so similar to that of New Orleans. The Dutch levees have not broken, despite severe battering from North Sea storms, since they were built back in the 1950's after a catastrophic flooding.
My only question upon reading this article ... what took you so long???
===
(8:33am) - The NASCAR standings haven't been updated yet to reflect Bristol's results from Saturday. Therefore, I'll just repost the pre-Bristol standings here ... and will update after NASCAR puts up official results...
NASCAR standings:
(next race - Sony HD 500, Fontana, CA: Sun 9/3 8pm)
- Jimmie Johnson - LEADER, 3499 points ...
(earned 134 yesterday) - Kevin Harvick - 3rd place, 321 points behind
(lost 4 points / no spots); - Mark Martin - 4th place, 450 points behind
(lost 55 points / down 6 spots...ouch!).
===
(3:55pm) - The NASCAR standings are updated (above)!
8/24 Thursday -
- 8:00pm (FOX) - Dolphins Pre-season game #3: at Carolina
- Dolphins lost; didn't look very good in the rushing dept ...
but the defense and Daunte passing looked very good!
- Dolphins lost; didn't look very good in the rushing dept ...
8/25 Friday -
- All Weekend - Going to "Summerfest" up in York (SC - visiting sister / parents)
- Saturday: fun in the sun!
- Sunday: swam in Lake Wylie off my folks' dock for the 1st time.
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Thursday, 24 August 2006
9:30am ... A weem-a-weh, A weem-a-weh ... !!
____________________________________________________________
Listening to:
- The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens
Random Bit:
- 81 percent of American households currently have at least one can of chicken noodle soup.
NASCAR standings:
(next race - Sharpie 500, Bristol: Sat 8/26 7pm)
- Jimmie Johnson - LEADER, 3365 points ...
(earned 125 yesterday) - Kevin Harvick - 3rd place, 317 points behind
(gained 6 points / no spots); - Mark Martin - 4th place, 395 points behind
(gained 31 points / up 2 spots).
===
Good morning!
Hope you don't mind my getting a little serious today. Nothing bad, just something I've been thinking a lot about. Here lately I've been feeling an underlying, very faint, and tiny twinge of guilt. It's generalized, not due to any one specific thing, and only noticeable in the barest, slightest fashion.
It has a lot to do with my general spiritual outlook on life. Now I'm 40 (no, no midlife crisis or anything even remotely so inane), and feel like it's time to admit the serious introspection I've been going through this past year.
A lot of my troubles in my life have been my own doing, or other's doing as a response to some action I have taken. Now, most of these troubles are tied to my work. Not necessarily my place of employment, nor any of my specific job tasks, but my philosophy and outlook, in general, toward employment as a whole and my feelings about having "a job." To be most specific, the concept of "a calling" to work. It's a religious term, but is used a lot in secular settings as well.
I know you will agree with me: lots of people talk about "enjoying their work," or "having a fulfilling job," or even the spiritual "I felt called to do ..." thing. One of my earliest memories of my grandparents is of my grandmother Marggie (with grandfather Bill in support) telling me, "I can't imagine working 8 hrs a day, all year, for a job you hate going in to every day!" Those seemed like the wise words of a sage old wizard, perhaps.
But here I am now, full-time, working at the 15th place of employment I've had in the last 12 years. I never get *settled* at a job. There's a good Dilbert comic strip about a job-hopper (see it here ... dated 8/1/06) which I identified with a bit too closely.
I just can't find employment I like. And I'm not the only one - there's a lot of gen-X'ers like me doing a lot of job changing. I don't have any exact statistics or links to them - it's common knowledge that the days of 30+ yrs employment with the same company and a gold watch upon retirement are history. But I feel this vague sense that there's something wrong with me: there has to be some place I can stick around at for a long long time.
I feel like that place is likely the next one I'll work at - with luck, it'll be my sister's company and within the next few months :)
But again, just so there's no confusion - this is something minor. I'm only mentioning it because I thought it necessary to help me sort it all out. It's been hovering at the edge of my consciousness for a little while.
Peace :)
===
____________________________________________________________
Tuesday, 22 August 2006
7:20am ... Nose to the Grindstone
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Listening to:
- Desire - U2
Random Bit:
- In 1776, kids ate popcorn served with sugar and cream for breakfast.
NASCAR standings:
(next race - Sharpie 500, Bristol: Sat 8/26 7pm)
- Jimmie Johnson - LEADER, 3365 points ...
(earned 125 yesterday) - Kevin Harvick - 3rd place, 317 points behind
(gained 6 points / no spots); - Mark Martin - 4th place, 395 points behind
(gained 31 points / up 2 spots).
****
UPDATE (2:59pm):
Awesome! VH1's "I Love the 80's" music channel just played the most perfect two-fer : Valley Girl by Frank Zappa, followed by Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles ... really takes me back! *sigh* :)
****
===
An early, slow morning at work. It's very peaceful and quiet. They don't turn on the overhead lights until around 8am, so it's still dark and people who are here are whispering :) I drove downtown again this morning; parked in the parking garage two blocks down the street.
===
Been an interesting week. I was busy every night last week. Played team trivia with the Church group Monday, played Buzztime Trivia Tuesday, had a St. Vincent de Paul meeting Wednesday, and played more Buzztime Thursday night. Actually Friday was a quiet night - I stayed home.
Saturday I had to get up early. Had a different St. Vincent de Paul meeting from 9 to 11am, then was going to the Star Wars fan club meeting at noon until 12:30pm, at which time I was going to head to the church. Of course I had to miss the Star Wars meeting because the SVdP meeting got out late.
I had time to just duck inside home real fast and then get to the church. We took a tour of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, GA. It was about a 45 minute drive away, a bit south of Stone Mountain. It's on beautiful land ... It's really too bad: I searched all over the web for some photos but couldn't find any really decent ones. I'll have to take some myself -- after I get a good camera.
===
Netflix DVDs I have at home currently:
- The Manchurian Candidate
- The Forgotten
- Alexander: Director's Cut
- Hidalgo
===
OK - back to work. Peace!
8/18 Friday -
- 1:30pm - Dr's appointment - working 1/2 day
(making up 4 hrs by working until 5pm Mon-Thu the following week
8/19 Saturday -
- 9:00am - 11:00 am = SVdP District Meeting at All Saints Church in Dunwoody
- 12:00pm - 12:30pm = Star Wars Fan Club Meeting at Fuddrucker's (Windy Hill Rd in Marietta)
- 1:00pm - 7:00pm = Meeting at Holy Spirit to Car Pool to Holy Spirit Monastery in Conyers, GA.
** The tour will be from 2:30pm to 4:30pm.
** We will learn more about the Order of Cistercians of the
Strict Observance (commonly known as Trappists),
tour the monastery, and through all that explore our
faith. - 7:30pm - Dolphins Pre-season game #2: at Tampa Bay
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Wednesday, 16 August 2006
1:20pm ... Gimme All Your Lovin' - all your hugs and kisses too
____________________________________________________________
Hooray ... Turned 40 yesterday :) !!!
Listening to:
- I Eat Cannibals - Total Coelo (1983)
Random Bit:
NASCAR standings:
(next race - GFS Marketplace 400, Michigan: Sun 8/20)
- Jimmie Johnson - LEADER, 3241 points ...
(earned 117 yesterday) - Kevin Harvick - 3rd place, 323 points behind
(gained 68 / 1 spot); - Mark Martin - 6th place, 426 points behind
(lost 44).
===
Check out the joke link up there under "Random Bit." It's a long list of "You might be a redneck if..." stuff. Funny. The site is "Jumbo Joke: Humor the Way You Like It" and very bookmark-worthy.
===
So I never updated the blog with a real post yesterday. Sorry X-( ...
Today is kinda wiggy, like yesterday, only today I'm committing my lunch hour to letting YOU know how I am doing!
My stress level is ratcheting up some. I've got some medical bills that for some reason my insurance company, Humana, did not pay, so I have to call them. Additionally I've got to pay my car registration fees. I'm doing it by mail and hoping it all comes back by the end of the month, so I don't get a ticket. The St. Vincent de Paul Society has had some record-keeping problems, and I have committed to getting that information together, but haven't been able to do it yet. I also still have to call the Roswell Bowl place to start the ball rolling (hah, literally!) on organizing the Atlanta Catholic Sports bowling league.
If I look at everything logically, it's all OK and I can resolve it all. Individually, no one thing is all that much to handle, but taken all together it's quite a bit. I'll be rather busy tonight :)
===
Netflix DVDs I have at home currently:
- The Manchurian Candidate
- The Forgotten
- Alexander: Director's Cut
- Hidalgo
===
Peace, everybody. Out ... :)
8/14 Monday -
- 7:30pm - Team Trivia at Crown & Anchor Pub
(WON first place again. Next play: Monday 8/28.)
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Monday, 14 August 2006
8:21am ...
____________________________________________________________
Hooray ... Turned 40 yesterday :) !!!
Listening to:
- Whip It - Devo
Random Fact:
- "Lonely man makes 30,000 directory calls" ... click here
NASCAR standings:
(next race - GFS Marketplace 400, Michigan: Sun 8/20)
- Jimmie Johnson - LEADER, 3241 points ...
(earned 117 yesterday) - Kevin Harvick - 3rd place, 323 points behind
(gained 68 / 1 spot); - Mark Martin - 6th place, 426 points behind
(lost 44).
===
Post coming later today ... stay tuned :)
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Friday, 11 August 2006
7:40am ...
____________________________________________________________
Birthday countdown: 2 days until ... August 13 (Sunday)
Listening to:
- (nothing)
Random Fact:
- Bluesman Bo Diddley's real name is "Ellas Otha Bates McDaniel."
NASCAR standings: (next race - AMD at The Glen: Sun 8/13)
- Jimmie Johnson - LEADER, 3124 points ... (earned 185 yesterday)
- Kevin Harvick - 4th place, 391 points behind (lost 15);
- Mark Martin - 6th place, 382 points behind (lost 30).
*** ALERT *** (10:30am)
New Marvel comic-book movies update: click here !
Also - I've been following the "Abe" saga for a long time - it's an Abraham Lincoln biopic from Steven Spielberg. I just heard that Spielberg will begin production in Sept. or Oct. of 2007. Huzzah!
************
===
Got finished with my Friday morning weekly reports early, so thought I'd jump on here and say again I'm going to Belmont, NC to visit my parents and my sister this weekend.I upset myself because last night I forgot to recharge my mp3 player, so I can't use it to listen to audible.com audiobooks this time X-( ... I have too many "oops, I forgot" moments in my life. That's most likely why I'm stuck where I am: I have trouble getting the most basic things done.
===
Well, it's a quiet morning, as usual, and I've found that I like that. It's extremely peaceful and allows me to drink coffee quietly and ramp up the day at my own speed. I have conquered my demon called 'OverSleep' and banished him - no more getting to work late! I awake every morning at 5am and don't have as much trouble as I used to have.
OK - back to the grind. That's it for this week! See you after I turn 40 :) ...
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Wednesday, 9 August 2006
9:00am ...
____________________________________________________________
Birthday countdown: 4 days until ... August 13 (Sunday)
Listening to:
- Funky Town - Lipps, Inc.
Random Fact:
- One of the most aggressive drivers on the stock car circuit turns to her fluffy pink pillow for good luck. She is 13-year-old Tayla Orleans.
NASCAR standings: (next race - AMD at The Glen: Sun 8/13)
- Jimmie Johnson - LEADER, 3124 points ... (earned 185 yesterday)
- Kevin Harvick - 4th place, 391 points behind (lost 15);
- Mark Martin - 6th place, 382 points behind (lost 30).
===
Today I'll turn to a lighter side of life than the church presentation I went to Friday night and described here Monday :)
Going back to my folks this weekend in Belmont, NC - two weeks ago I left a bunch of stuff there, and heck it's my 40th birthday so ... what better way to celebrate "Life Begins at 40!" than with my closest sister and my mother. Heck without her cooperation I wouldn't even be here (heh).
Today is a slow day at work, so I'm taking advantage of it to do more training with my good buddy, bestest sidekick ever, and most capable co-worker, Jennifer. Yay. She's a very interesting sort, by the way, and we get along very well.
Which brings up a similar point: it was quite sad that I couldn't ever develop any kind of really good working relationship with Chay, whom Jennifer replaced. He really thought of himself as a good person, he was (is?) just a little hard to work with, and seemed to be wrapped up in himself such that I didn't get to communicating well enough with him.
That's not to say it's his *fault* ... no, I should have had the leet interpersonal skilz which would've made us not just good co-workers but maybe even friends. Because it didn't happen, I can only blame myself for a failure in leadership. I have always provided the typical "can get along with anyone" answer in job interviews, and up until now, I always have (not everyone, but at least everyone on my team I had to interact with mulitple times and/or constantly on a daily basis).
So I guess Chay gets the award for being the first co-worker I couldn't get along with whom I had to work closely with anyway. As I say though, it's alright. It's a learning experience, and I harbor no bad feelings or ill-will of any sort toward the fellow :)
____________________________________________________________
Monday, 7 August 2006
3:00pm ...
____________________________________________________________
Birthday countdown: 9 days until ... August 13 (Sunday)
Listening to:
- Another Brick in the Wall (Orchestral) - Pink Floyd
Random Fact:
- The Dolphins are playing the very first game of the 2006 NFL season. They play Thursday, September 7th at 8:30pm.
NASCAR standings: (next race - Indianapolis Sun 8/6)
- Jimmie Johnson - LEADER, 3124 points ... (earned 185 yesterday)
- Kevin Harvick - 4th place, 391 points behind (lost 15);
- Mark Martin - 6th place, 382 points behind (lost 30).
===
Saturday: Didn't do a durn thing Saturday. Laid around the house, slept a lot, and generally made like I was one of my cats ... :)
===
Friday night's "Reason to Believe": wow. I was party to a presentation by Fr. Jack Durbin entitled, "The Glamour of Evil." It was part 2 of a series on Catholic Apologetics.
This was very, very powerful stuff. I was disturbed by some of what I heard. Amazingly, I was then amazed by some simple theology that answered a few deeper questions that have been bothering me for a long, long time.
What disturbed me? Hearing an energetic, comedic, and otherwise grounded and sane-appearing catholic priest tell us in a no-nonsense fashion that the Evil One is for real, and there are truly demons that possess people ... :: shiver :: Now, I'll be the first to agree with Shakespeare that there are more things on heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But that's a far cry from believing that demons of various kinds are regularly pulling the strings in someone else's body.
(Sounded like just another way to skirt personal responsibility for one's actions, but that's a whole 'nother debate...)
So disturbing as that was - what was amazing? The ease with which Fr. Durbin explained how evil is allowed to co-exist with goodness in this world. It boiled down to our free will, God's love, and our *choice* to either follow Him or travel a dark path.
Also, attempts to bypass God when we make plans for the future is not, generally, a good idea. Fr. Durbin touched on the issues of the occult, including seances, divination, tarot, astrology, and other methods people sometimes use to attempt to get *control* over the future (theirs or that of other people).
The glamour of evil is appearance over substance, whereas God is all about substance over appearance. A demon or agent of darkness would appear to be slick, clean, powerful, and would claim to have the key to 'an easy path' to happiness and fulfillment. An angel or other messenger of the Truth would appear more down-to-earth, wholistic, and would be unafraid to tell you true happiness is hard to attain. Sound familiar?
Well this is too long already - and like I said, some of what I heard was kind of disturbing. But the down-and-dirty pithiness of Fr. Durbin's advice to us, and his zeal in presenting it in clear, unconfusing color, made the overall effect of the thing rather positive as I look back on it now.
===
TODAY: A great, great Monday today! I'm finding some peace at unexpected times, and in unexpected places. For example, I had no trouble waking up at 5am this morning. The weekend went by so fast, I thought I would not want to get out of bed. But my cats needed breakfast and clean litter boxes, and I needed time for a good shower and a good CPAP machine scrubbing. I was able to get all that done, as well as do my meditative readings, and I still get on MARTA and thence to work with 15 minutes or so to spare.
Life is going well ... but I really am beginning to wonder if the position with my sister's company is going to work out. It's been so long since I've heard anything, and it's gotten to the point where she has stopped saying anything about it to me :)
It's too bad, really, because I feel like I'm just acting the part here. It's too stressful, and not as fulfilling as it used to be. Yeah, yeah, I know: if it was that bad I'd be gone already. So sue me :)
===
NASCAR: I truly am surprised at the fine run of good finishes Harvick has had. He's had 4 top 5 finishes in a row. The last time he did this well was pre-Chase ... when, like this year, he ran the full NASCAR and BUSCH series schedules. That was back in 2001. Maybe there's something he should learn there....
===
Holy Spirit: Interesting Sunday night last night. The "New Member Sangria" function had a really good turnout, but unfortunately there wasn't enough Sangria to fully satisfy everyone.
Worked out OK though - just encouraged us all to clean up and get out of there quite a bit early.
8/4 Friday -
- 6:15pm - Mass at Christ the King Church
- 7:00pm - Session 2 of "Reason to Believe" series at Christ the King"
"The Glamour of Evil" - Fr. Jack Durbin
8/6 Sunday -
- (missed) Coca-Cola Summer Film Series - Pride and Prejudice 7:00pm, Fox Theatre
- 6:30pm - "New Member Sangria" at Holy Spirit Church
____________________________________________________________
Friday, 4 August 2006
9:00am ...
____________________________________________________________
Random Fact:
Hot water weighs more than cold water.
NASCAR standings: (next race - Indianapolis Sun 8/6)
- Jimmie Johnson - LEADER, 2939 points ...
- Kevin Harvick - 5th place, 376 points behind;
- Mark Martin - 6th place, 382 points behind.
===
Wednesday night I went to Jade Palace for dinner. Ran into two acquaintances from the days I worked at Earthlink. Sat and had a long, heavily political discussion while we ate. Turns out we're all Libertarian at heart, and have a great skepticism about everything heard and seen via mass media. Things are worse in Iraq and Afghanistan than Bush wants us to believe, Israel is getting much more bad press than it deserves (Hezbollah is using human shields! How is it Israel's fault?!?), and the Radical Republican Right is going to be the downfall of our country.
On a similar topic, It's not *news* that the *news is heavily filtered and doctored,* especially in war zones, but it's reaching a real crisis point, I think. People as a whole don't think for themselves anymore - or at least, the mass media tries to package news & opinion together as if people don't think ... saying, in effect, here's what happened, and here's why it happened, is happening, and what conclusions you should think about.
Hannity & Colmes ... Glenn Beck ... Tucker Carlson ... Neal Boortz ... Lou Dobbs ... they all try to tell us what to think, in addition to telling us what happened. Even your local daily news puts a *spin* on every story. In short, straight news reporting for viewers & readers so that we can make our own informed opinions is almost totally gone.
I think I would much prefer a computer voice simply reading a stream of news alerts ...
Before this devolves into an opinionated rant, I'm going to stop :) ... Make up your own mind about these things !
Until next post ...
8/3 Thursday -
- (missed) Coca-Cola Summer Film Series - Maltese Falcon/Key Largo 8:00pm, Fox Theatre
____________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 2 August 2006
9:15am ...
____________________________________________________________
Random Fact:
The last TV cigarette ad appeared on The Tonight Show, 12/29/70.
NASCAR standings:
- Jimmie Johnson - LEADER, 2939 points ...
- Kevin Harvick - 5th place, 376 points behind;
- Mark Martin - 6th place, 382 points behind.
===
Had a blast in Alexandria! What a fantastic weekend. The food & drink was all I thought it would be ... and re-meeting so many friends ... wow ... it was impressive and very fulfilling. I felt more grounded and happy than I have in a while.
We were awake until 4:00am Saturday night ... not too bad if you're part of a college crowd, but at a 40th anniversary party (older folks!) - man I was impressed at all the party-hardiness on display :)
Cliff evidently is a VERY fine wine expert ... he brought out some really, really excellent bottles. Now I really feel like I know the difference between a good, expensive wine and one you get at the supermarket.
Thanks Cliff! Thanks Betsy! Here's to 40 more years for you !!
And thanks to Heather, too, their daughter - she did a great job organizing everything. Very very impressive.
OK - that's all for now ... more later.