I've never been a big fan of Apple. That really had nothing to do with Steve Jobs personally. I'm not really a fan of the Apple business model either. But, that doesn't mean I can't respect the contributions of Jobs to fields of personal computing and personal electronics.
I often tease friends about turning to the dark side as the seem to slowly covet a new Mac laptop or the iPhone. While I don't see myself ever getting one of those devices, I have owned a couple of iPods. I have thoroughly enjoyed the musical freedom that those devices have given me.
Without question, Jobs was an innovator, and his contributions will be sorely missed.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Arkansas Atheist Ad Campaign
An atheist bus ad campaign rolled out in Arkansas today. The background story is of interest here because the ad, which says, "Are you good without God? Millions are" was considered too controversial by the bus company and demanded a $36,000 security deposit to protect the bus company against vandalism.
So, let's think about that for a second, the bus company was worried that people would be so enraged by that little sentence up there, that they wanted a special consideration made to run the ads (after a court ruled they had to because it was discriminatory not to). The court ruled that $15,000 was fair (it isn't) and the Central Arkansas Coalition of Reason paid.
So, let's think about this, part two. Who do you think the bus company was worried about vandalizing the ads? Who else? Christians. What does it say about Christians that the bus company would be worried about them vandalizing their buses? Hmm.
Would the bus company have been concerned about vandalism had the ad been a Christian message? Probably not. What does that say about the non-theists? Hmm.
So, let's think about that for a second, the bus company was worried that people would be so enraged by that little sentence up there, that they wanted a special consideration made to run the ads (after a court ruled they had to because it was discriminatory not to). The court ruled that $15,000 was fair (it isn't) and the Central Arkansas Coalition of Reason paid.
So, let's think about this, part two. Who do you think the bus company was worried about vandalizing the ads? Who else? Christians. What does it say about Christians that the bus company would be worried about them vandalizing their buses? Hmm.
Would the bus company have been concerned about vandalism had the ad been a Christian message? Probably not. What does that say about the non-theists? Hmm.
The Killing of Al-Awlaki
About a week ago, a US drone killed Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen. He was purportedly a high ranking member of Al-Qaida and actively involved in plots against American interests. The interesting point of all this is that he was American born, and therefore an American citizen. So, the question becomes, was it legal to kill him without any legal due process?
I will say that my first reaction was good riddance, but at the time, I didn't know he was an American citizen. Is it hypocritical to believe that Guantanamo Bay should be shut down all of its prisoners tried in a US Court of Law allowing due process of all, regardless of their citizenship, and then turn right around and not bat an eyelash at the killing of al-Awlaki? How do the rules of engagement with respect to a war play out when the entity you are at war with is not a nation-state? As an apparent "officer" of such a military entity, or as an acknowledged leader of such an entity a valid target in war?
While it is apparent that no US court will be willing to rule on such an issue since War Powers tend to be left to the discretion of Congress and the office of the President. The one entity missing in all of this is Congress. Congress should pass laws with respect to this type of action so that the guidance for the President is clear. To avoid doing so is skipping out on its responsibility to enact such laws and therefore, they should not be so willing to criticize the President for this action.
I also can't help but think that if Bush had done this, there would be no end to the praise coming from the right as opposed to the guarded questioning of the legality we see today. Also, to be fair, there are plenty on the right who applauded this action as well. Again, whether I am bothered by that, I don't really now.
If I had to choose a side on this fight, I would say that I would be supportive of the action since he, by all appearances, was an active leader in a sworn enemy of the United States who willing left US soil to engage in activities against his country. On the other hand, I can think of other situations where somebody has committed treason and left the country. Under those circumstances, I'm sure the US would attempt to capture and extradite them to face trial. The question then becomes, was he acting in the interest of a sworn and active enemy of the United States.
Lots of food for thought.
I will say that my first reaction was good riddance, but at the time, I didn't know he was an American citizen. Is it hypocritical to believe that Guantanamo Bay should be shut down all of its prisoners tried in a US Court of Law allowing due process of all, regardless of their citizenship, and then turn right around and not bat an eyelash at the killing of al-Awlaki? How do the rules of engagement with respect to a war play out when the entity you are at war with is not a nation-state? As an apparent "officer" of such a military entity, or as an acknowledged leader of such an entity a valid target in war?
While it is apparent that no US court will be willing to rule on such an issue since War Powers tend to be left to the discretion of Congress and the office of the President. The one entity missing in all of this is Congress. Congress should pass laws with respect to this type of action so that the guidance for the President is clear. To avoid doing so is skipping out on its responsibility to enact such laws and therefore, they should not be so willing to criticize the President for this action.
I also can't help but think that if Bush had done this, there would be no end to the praise coming from the right as opposed to the guarded questioning of the legality we see today. Also, to be fair, there are plenty on the right who applauded this action as well. Again, whether I am bothered by that, I don't really now.
If I had to choose a side on this fight, I would say that I would be supportive of the action since he, by all appearances, was an active leader in a sworn enemy of the United States who willing left US soil to engage in activities against his country. On the other hand, I can think of other situations where somebody has committed treason and left the country. Under those circumstances, I'm sure the US would attempt to capture and extradite them to face trial. The question then becomes, was he acting in the interest of a sworn and active enemy of the United States.
Lots of food for thought.
The Amanda Knox Tragedy
I have read only bits of pieces of the Amanda Knox story. Certainly, there is something to be said of a trial by the press. But the real tragedy is that a young woman was murdered four years ago and her killer is free, whether it was Knox, or her boyfriend, or somebody else out there. Even if Italian prosecutors can successfully appeal an acquittal (that sounds so weird), I doubt the US would extradite at this point. It would make for some interesting international relations. But, at this point, even if the Italian police were to reopen the investigation without Knox and/or her boyfriend as suspects, it sounds like all the evidence is so tainted at this point that it may not be worth bothering. The same thing can be said about the Casey Anthony trial, or the Troy Davis trial, or the Memphis 3. When prosecutors are so focused on getting somebody, anybody, found guilty of a high profile crime, then there become two tragedies, the trials of the innocent and what they must endure, and the trials of a grieving family who must watch their killed loved one as nothing more than a footnote to a circus.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Picture Sharing
Just a few pictures/cartoons that have recently been shared to me. They should all be self explanatory.
Lot's of Sports Fun!
It's been a good weekend for Valley sports. The Dbacks beat the Giants Friday night to clinch the NL West, then followed that up with a shellacking of the Giants on Saturday night to eliminate them from the wild card. Then, the ASU Sun Devils took it to the USC Trojans, or as one fried called them, the University of Spoiled Children. But wait, it gets better? How? The Oregon Ducks beat the crap out of the UofA Mildcats.
As for lesser items, Liberty University lost. Yeah! Notre Dame won. Damn them! And, I mean that in the most biblical way possible. I certainly didn't mind seeing Florida State or Miami lose. Never cared much for the big three Florida schools.
Even though am I'm pretty much indifferent about the Arizona Cardinals, let's hope they put up a decent showing against Seattle. They should win, but then again, this is the Cardinals.
As for lesser items, Liberty University lost. Yeah! Notre Dame won. Damn them! And, I mean that in the most biblical way possible. I certainly didn't mind seeing Florida State or Miami lose. Never cared much for the big three Florida schools.
Even though am I'm pretty much indifferent about the Arizona Cardinals, let's hope they put up a decent showing against Seattle. They should win, but then again, this is the Cardinals.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Wait, What? Government isn't Supposed to Create Jobs
This is classic.
Michelle Bachmann visited a small business in Iowa called OMJC Signal Inc. I will let you guess at what OMJC stands for. Anyway, the owner, a very conservative Republican, runs a company that specializes in temporary signalling equipment most often used for road construction. She cited the struggles of this company as an example of Obama's failed policies. Um, OK. They specialize in signalling equipment used in road construction. You know, like infrastructure, like, things government spends money on. The same government that isn't supposed to create jobs. This guy WANTS Obama's new jobs bill to pass. It increases investment in infrastructure, for companies like OMJC to grow and hire people, and yet, it is her party that is standing tall and proud in the way of companies like OMJC to grow.
By the way, OMJC stands for Our Majesty Jesus Christ.
Another prime example. There is a bridge that connects Cincinnati with Covington, Kentucky. The bridge has been declared deficient and obsolete. The bridge connects the state of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to the state of House Speaker John Boehner. Both are rather infamous in their lack of interest in infrastructure spending, because, you know, government doesn't create jobs. Only the private sector can create jobs.
It is so incredibly simple to point out the complete idiocy of the Republican position on these policies as to not even be funny anymore. There are only two explanations. One, the Republicans have their heads so far up their ass, they can only see their own radical ideology. Two, they intentionally are trying to sabotage the economy in the hopes of electing their candidate. Personally, my money is on both.
Michelle Bachmann visited a small business in Iowa called OMJC Signal Inc. I will let you guess at what OMJC stands for. Anyway, the owner, a very conservative Republican, runs a company that specializes in temporary signalling equipment most often used for road construction. She cited the struggles of this company as an example of Obama's failed policies. Um, OK. They specialize in signalling equipment used in road construction. You know, like infrastructure, like, things government spends money on. The same government that isn't supposed to create jobs. This guy WANTS Obama's new jobs bill to pass. It increases investment in infrastructure, for companies like OMJC to grow and hire people, and yet, it is her party that is standing tall and proud in the way of companies like OMJC to grow.
By the way, OMJC stands for Our Majesty Jesus Christ.
Another prime example. There is a bridge that connects Cincinnati with Covington, Kentucky. The bridge has been declared deficient and obsolete. The bridge connects the state of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to the state of House Speaker John Boehner. Both are rather infamous in their lack of interest in infrastructure spending, because, you know, government doesn't create jobs. Only the private sector can create jobs.
It is so incredibly simple to point out the complete idiocy of the Republican position on these policies as to not even be funny anymore. There are only two explanations. One, the Republicans have their heads so far up their ass, they can only see their own radical ideology. Two, they intentionally are trying to sabotage the economy in the hopes of electing their candidate. Personally, my money is on both.
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