Something From Nothing!

EDIT - due to contractual restrictions from certain corporate entities we are unable to actually speak our minds and expect to get paid.

I understand the stance of the company in question, with all the click fraud nonsense. However, I think that a company with a market cap of $115 billion can figure out a way to solve this problem without muzzling the little guy making a request for his readers to help support his humble labor of love.

Asking your viewers to help out on a free site is not exactly a revolutionary idea. PBS and NPR regularly ask their audiences to help out. All sorts of websites ask for donations. There is an entire school of software distribution, called shareware, which is based on this concept of asking people for their support.

So, in conclusion. I was in violation of an agreement. However, I can't help but think that there is a better, more content creator friendly, method of solving this problem.

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Currently I'm listening to Clean Money from the album "Armed Forces" by Elvis Costello & The Attractions

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DeLay Tactics

In case you haven't heard Terri Schiavo is being murdered and ethically challenged GOP bigwig Tom DeLay is fighting mad. Too bad he didn't feel the same way about his own Father. What a frickin' hypocrite.

The LA Times uncovered the story. In 1988, after a freak accident, DeLay's father went into a coma and never recovered. Left in a vegetative state, unable to feed himself, he had no hope for recovery.

DeLay, the same guy who denounced Schiavo's husband and Federal judges for committing what he calls "an act of barbarism" in removing the tube, didn't make a peep when he let his Father die.

The Times got a hold of Maxine DeLay, the congressman's 81-year-old widowed mother, "There was no point to even really talking about it. There was no way [Charles] wanted to live like that. Tom knew — we all knew — his father wouldn't have wanted to live that way."

Wow, such refreshing honesty from Tom DeLay's Mother. He must have been raised by a relative.

Now, I have come to expect this non-sense from Republicans-in-charge. But I never thought we would catch them in this kind of blatant hypocrisy and vote pandering.

Better be careful Tommy boy...much more of this crap and Rove will pull your feeding tube.

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Currently I'm listening to Organ Grinder's Swing from the album "The Smithsonian Collection of" by Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra

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De & Re Construction

In case you haven't heard I have been working on our house. The whole experience has been enlightening in unexpected ways.

I embarked on this adventure partially to fix all kinds of weather-tight problems but also because the house needed the work. We also had a new addition that needed to be incorporated. There is nothing like an old house, in need of some serious TLC, to put your mind a'spinnin'.

I could have covered it up like an old lady with great big glasses

But that wouldn't have solved the deep down problems. The fundamental, structural, traumas the house has suffered over the years. It's amazing at how much abuse a house can withstand and still stand.

After living in the house for several years it was just time to examine the problems and work on the solutions. Some were easy to correct and others were more troubling. Some may never be corrected, the damage too severe. But we moved on and learned to live with the trouble spots.

As we tore everything apart we discovered all kinds of hidden stuff. Bad repair jobs, fire damage, leaking pipes etc. There were some structural issues. Sagging, buckling floors. Wavy, water stained walls. Electrical connections that didn't spark.

But one by one we worked through the problems. After lots of discussion we decided to mechanically jack up the floors and then put in some serious time girding the joists. We tore down all the walls inside and out, except for one symbolic one, in order to get a fresh, smooth surface on which we could start fresh with art and light. We completely re-wired the house and now the electricity is crackling. We still have some plumbing issues to work out but the water is flowing and the plumbers are still on the job.

As I walk through the almost finished house I am amazed at how beautiful it has become. What used to be an eyesore is now my pride and joy. It used to feel confined and cramped. Now it's roomy and airy. All the inoperative doors and windows are now wide open. The buttons and switches work as planned. No more walking into a dark room and stubbing my toe on some unseen, for the darkness, object.

The key was to talk about the problems. Really communicate the fears and worries about the house. How it needed to change for continued habitation by both of us. It took a while but we got through. I think back at how the house used to be and I wonder how either of us could stand living there. When we bought the house we knew that it needed some work but I don't think either of us realized the level of disrepair. But now many of the problems are behind us and we can look forward to many wonderful years in our fabulous expanded home.

Now if I could just do something about my landscaping.

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Currently I'm listening to Caledonia from the album "Troubadours Of British Folk, Volume 3" by Dougie MacLean

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OCD SOTD - This Site Has It All Wrapped Up

Looking for OCD sites sometimes leaves me fit to be tied. Is the site bound by the OCD SOTD guidelines? Does the subject matter make me want to gag? Well, these questions and more are locked down by today's offering

Bondage In Everyday Life is all about non-erotic, right, bondage. Most scenes are in public and there is no nudity. Interesting and amusing. This site takes everything I'm looking for in an OCD SOTD and wraps it up in a pretty bow.

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Currently I'm listening to Danger Zone from the album "Billboard Top 100 of 1986" by Kenny Loggins

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And I'm not alone...

Following up on a piece I read on BuzzMachine it is clear to me that I am not alone in my opinion regarding the GOP and the religious schism created by the Terri Schiavo case. And it's more than one pundit. You might think that it's some 'treasonous' leftie liberals like Michael Moore, but you would be dead wrong. My peers are none other than so-called conservative commentators.

Here is a smattering of blurbs that the oft-brilliant Jeff Jarvis culled from the right-wing blogosphere.

Andrew Sullivan:

"It's been clear now for a while that the religious right controls the base of the Republican party, and that fiscal left-liberals control its spending policy. That's how you develop a platform that supports massive increases in debt and amending the Constitution for religious right social policy objectives. But the Schiavo case is breaking new ground ... the demands of the religious right pre-empt constitutionalism, federalism, and even the integrity of the family. When conservatism means breaking up the civil bond between a man and his wife, you know it has ceased to be conservative. But we have known that for a long time now. Conservatism is a philosophy without a party in America any more. It has been hijacked by zealots and statists."

Mark Daniels:

"In taking jurisdiction over Terri Schiavo's case from the state courts, where conservative Republicans would have previously said it belonged, and handing it to federal judges, the Republican Party arrogated to the federal government breathtaking new powers that would have made Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan wince."

Glenn Reynolds:

"National security is the glue that has held Bush's coalition together. The war isn't over, and we haven't won yet, but it's going well, and [the Schiavo case] is allowing the divisions to show. All of the people I've quoted are on the right, and they're all unhappy."

Joe Gandelman:

"The genie is now out of the bottle: this wing of the GOP is at variance with process conservatives and many libertarians -- and is defining the party as the party of theocracy."

Neal Boortz:

"I want Terri Schiavo to die because I believe she's earned it...Across America there are thousands of families who have faced similar situations and made their difficult decisions without political interference. There are tens of millions more who have expressed their wishes, both in writing and in words, that they never be kept alive in this manner. Now these people are watching this hideous spectacle of politicians plotting the literal kidnapping of Terri Schiavo ... to please a powerful political constituency, the antiabortion lobby. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think that there are many people out there who, when faced with medical disaster, want to be turned over to politicians to be used as political pawns. I'm wondering if these people will be anxious to keep Republicans in power."

As the right-wingers are beginning to realize the neo-conservative made the fundamental mistake of embracing complete whack jobs in order to get power. They were willing to stop at nothing to achieve their goals. The question is how does the GOP divorce itself from the religious right without losing their stranglehold on the government?

Let's hope that Howard Dean has the answer to that question.

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Currently I'm listening to Dead Man Walking (A Dream Like This) from the album "Dead Man Walking" by Mary Chapin Carpenter

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They finally get it right!

I woke to great news this morning. Terri Schiavo will finally get her right to die.

This is a great day in Bush's America.

**UPDATED 12:46PM**
Since there is some misunderstanding let me clarify. I think that starving to death is not a pleasant way to die. There is no dignity in starvation unless you are Mahatma Ghandi or Reverend Al Sharpton.

However, these same knuckleheads that are refusing to let Terri Schiavo die have already stopped all other methods of suicide. They don't believe that you have a right to die. They are for death if you are convicted of a capital crime or perform abortions but not if you have an incurable fatal disease or trauma.

That's G*d's way. According to the knucklefritz's. And you better step to or they will be hell to pay.

I wish there were a peaceful way for her. She has suffered enough at the hands of idiots like Jeb Bush, Tom DeLay and serial cat killer Bill Frist.

As far as my politicizing the issue...tough. Somebody, somewhere, has to take a stand. No one in this country seems willing to call the religious nuts on their bullshit. The mantra of politicians everywhere seems to be 'Oooo, I can't tell them they're wrong, they're Christians who vote for G*d's sake.'

Twenty years ago we laughed at them as they preached at us on the TV. Twenty years ago we laughed at the Taliban too. They laughed at the Nazis in 1920.

The religious kooks have to stopped now. Before they do any further damage to this country and our G*d given rights. If I, and the Supreme Court, have to use Terri Schiavo to make a point...so be it. I know that she would support me if she could.

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Survivor Sucks

During my hiatus I didn't get a chance to comment on the 3/17/2005 edition of Survivor. But suffice it to say I'm still pissed.

SPOILER ALERT - For those of you that haven't watched this particular episode stop reading now.

Even Jeff thinks this is ridiculous.

What is this non-sense that both teams have to evict a member regardless of winning the immunity challenge? This is a cardinal violation of the rules of Survivor. I can't believe that this passed the lawyers.

I watched this episode two weeks ago and it still chaps my hide. I have worked on game shows in the past. Game shows skirt gambling legislation by being games of skill rather than luck. That's why even the easiest game shows must feature some form of skill. Traditionally this is handled in the form inane questions but eating pig rectums also meets the 'skill' criteria.

Where game shows can get into trouble is by tweaking the rules to favor a contestant. Producer interference is a strict no-no. All players must be on a level playing field and be held to the same established rules.

I don't see how Burnett is getting away with his obvious attempt to even the teams. He needs the teams to remain relatively even otherwise the drama starts to lag. But he has many other tools to even out the teams. How about a merge? How about a teammate switch? How about breaking up both teams and making two new teams?

All of those would be kosher because the playing field would be level. But by evicting two members it could be argued that Burnett was pulling strings to tweak the game in favor of a particular contestant.

Someone should check into this but I'm bound by some restrictions of my own. Namely, my wife works at CBS and I really don't want to get her fired.

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Currently I'm listening to Motorcycle Ride from the album "Let's Go" by Rancid

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Schiavo Politicians

The GOP is all about hypocrisy. And it's coming to light with this whole Terri Schiavo fiasco.

When Bush was Governor of Texas he signed into law a bill that allows a hospital to make the decision on pulling the plug BASED ON THE ABILITY OF THE COMA VICTIM TO PAY. At a minimum Bush took the choice out of the hands of parents and husbands and let a cost-cutting administrator make life and death decisions. At worst he put dollars before lives.

The GOP claims to be the fiscal conscience of America. Well Terri Schiavo's medical care is on the state dole. Taxpayers are paying the bill. Yet Congress thinks that this brain-dead woman who has absolutely no chance of recovery is worth keeping alive at tens of thousands of dollars a month.

Keep government out of your life is the mantra of the Republicans. Yet they are making decisions for people against their will. Terri Schiavo did not want to spend the rest of her life as a vegetable. Now Serial Cat Killer Bill Frist (R - Tenn) is adamant about supporting a 'culture of life.' I'm sure that Terri Schiavo is having the time of her life.

We are at war on two different fronts with an elusive enemy. All this congress is interested in is steroids and a brain-dead woman. We can't get them to act on investigating Halliburton but they can subpoena Mark McGuire. These idiots are running this country to the ground.

My only hope is that the Supremes can pull their collective heads out of Bush's ass long enough to realize that she deserves to die in peace.

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Currently I'm listening to Encore from the album "The Grey Album" by Jay-Z + Beatles + DJ Danger Mouse

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OCD SOTD - HA!

I'm torn by today's OCD SOTD. On one hand the site is clearly eligible. On the other hand it's about a topic near and dear to my heart.

I love TV. I especially love a sitcom from the 80's starring a lovable, furry, little guy from the planet Melmac. Yes, I am proud to admit I love Alf. And apparently so does Stephan Ramdohr. He loves Alf so much that he has built the bestest Alf site on the whole wide world web.

So please join Stephan and me in our love of the funniest space alien since Mork from Ork.

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Currently I'm listening to Moment of Clarity from the album "The Grey Album" by Jay-Z + Beatles + DJ Danger Mouse

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Try Try Again

Let's try this once again. I'm backed up for over a month and I'm about to burst. Maybe I should try some Colon Blow.

So much has happened in my personal life. And if you know me personally than you know of what I speak (HINT - I might have to rethink my position on education vouchers). It's been a whirlwind of excitement and activity.

But it dawned on me that massive life changes don't necessarily mean that my personal goals have to be forgotten. Maybe modified or scaled back but definitely not forgotten. Except maybe for photographing sharks in South Africa. And my motorcycle racing career. And my Base Jumping hobby.

So with this new found understanding I bring unto you, my faithful readers, some more crap that's been floating around my brain.

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First off, I think that the Bush foreign policy is Hypocrisy on the March. A few weeks back Condi Rice went on the Sunday morning yakkers and said, in reference to the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, "How can you expect a country to have democratic elections when an occupying force is in your country?"

Hello? Iraq anyone?

Maybe it's irony on the March...Paul Wolfowitz for the head of the World Bank? Can you tell me one foreign policy this guy has gotten right in the last 30 years? He has no clue what's involved in building nations.

Ummm? Iraq anyone?

Perhaps it's Stupidity of the American Voters on the March...Bush, and all Republicans, run on the platform of a strong military. Yet Bush's latest budget proposal cuts nearly $300 million in veterans benefits. We have lost over 1,500 brave men and women in a war that is without basis or merits. And Bush continues to spread lies saying as recently as yesterday on his weekly radio address

"Because coalition troops acted against Saddam Hussein two years ago, Iraq is no longer a threat to the world or its own people. We knew of Saddam Hussein's record of aggression and support for terror," he said. "We knew of his long history of pursuing, even using, weapons of mass destruction, and we know that September the 11th requires our country to think differently. We must, and we will, confront threats to America before they fully materialize."

Saddam Hussein has no record of using weapons of mass destruction. In the history of the planet only one country has used a weapon of mass destruction against another country...that would be us. Hussein used nerve gas, which was supplied by the CIA under the reign of George H.W. Bush, on his fellow Iraqis and Iranians. There is no indication he was ever capable of attacking the United States.

Further, the concept of pre-emptive strikes as a 'defense' strategy was not bolstered by our invasion and occupation of Iraq. The complete and total failure of the Bushies to prove a single allegation should lead to an understanding that pre-emptive strikes are a bad idea.

Hmmm, Iraq.

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I'm having many problems with our Justice system.

a) The whole Terri Schiavo thing is just bizarre. The woman said she wanted to die. Why are they torturing her? Why is Congress involved? Bad precedent for checks and balance.

b) Scott Peterson probably did it but there was no evidence. None. Not even good circumstantial evidence. I don't care if he dyed his hair and had $10k in cash there is nothing to tie him to the crime.

c) Robert Blake probably did it and got off. There was pretty good evidence, including gunshot residue, but no witnesses. If he had killed Kelly Ripa instead of the detestable Bonnie Lee he would already be on death row.

d) Michael Jackson is a freak but I don't think he did anything with this kid. The accuser's family has a track record of going after celebs and the kid's story has changed too many times.

e) Martha Stewart should have never been charged let alone gone to prison. Not while Ken Lay is still walking free. Although I am happy about Bernie Ebbers.

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The re-model is going exceptionally well. The fixes and changes we have made our getting unanimous approval from firends and family. We are still living in the apartment but we are getting close. Probably about a month out from moving in.

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This year's Academy Awards was probably the most boring show ever. The Grammy's on the other hand were the best ever...until Bono jinxed it by proclaiming it the best ever 3/4 of the way through.

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I'm very sad about Bobby Short passing. I have listened to him since I was a kid. I feel fortunate to have seen him perform at the Carlyle a few years back.

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As of post time I'm listening to See No Evil from the album "No Thanks! The 70's Punk Rebellion" by Television

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OCD SOTD - Ikea for Adults

In the pantheon of Obsessive Compulsive sites there are those that address useless topics like lint. There are sites that will chronicle every aspect of a useful topic but the comprehensive aspect is maniacally obsessive like a 2 million strong collection of Computer Science Bibliographies.

The every once in a while you get a site that is actually useless but references something incredibly useful...like an exhaustive collection of pornographic scenes acted out with pieces of furniture.

It is that in between world where we find Furniture Porn, our OCD SOTD.

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As of post time I'm listening to By The Light Of The Silvery Moon from the album "A Day At The Movies" by Doris Day

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