Month: June 2007

WIll Algore rise to the occasion and embrace the standard he claims to champion in his book, titled with unintentional hilarity, The Assault on Reason? You know what I mean. When he declared,

“We must stop tolerating the rejection and distortion of science. We must insist on an end to the cynical use of pseudo-studies known to be false for the purpose of intentionally clouding the public’s ability to discern the truth.”

…he either meant it honestly… or he was using typical political doublespeak. Now is his opportunity to make an honest man out of himself in the face of mountains of evidence that contradict almost all of his sensationalist claims both in that book and in his disingenuous, “An Inconvenient Truth” (more properly titled, “Gore’s Convenient Lies”).

One of the best short outlines of a few of the, urm distortions of fact (speaking generously: a more accurate word might be “lies”) in Gore’s book/movie is found in the recent SunTimes article, “Alarmist global warming claims melt under scientific scrutiny”.

Sample:

…Gore claims that Himalayan glaciers are shrinking and global warming is to blame. Yet the September 2006 issue of the American Meteorological Society’s Journal of Climate reported, “Glaciers are growing in the Himalayan Mountains, confounding global warming alarmists who recently claimed the glaciers were shrinking and that global warming was to blame.”

The article lists several more examples of false claims made by Algore and his anthropogenic global warming alarmist cronies, along with verifiable facts refuting the false claims.

Will Algore come clean? Will he “…stop tolerating the rejection and distortion of science. We must insist on an end to the cynical use of pseudo-studies known to be false for the purpose of intentionally clouding the public’s ability to discern the truth.”?

Not a snowball’s chance in hell, my friends. Facts mean nothing to slime like Algore, as his record amply demonstrates over and over and over again. No lie is too convenient to foist on a gullible public, no deception too blatant to be used to advance his convenient lies. After all, he had the best training possible for this sort of thing: a political father and his own political life. Lies are mother’s milk to this guy.

The only real question is not whether Algore and his cronies will own up to their deceptions and lies and distortions of fact and embrace their opportunity to “stop tolerating the rejection and distortion of science. We must insist on an end to the cynical use of pseudo-studies known to be false for the purpose of intentionally clouding the public’s ability to discern the truth.” No, the real question is how many sheeple will continue to eagerly swallow their poisonous spew?

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Trackposted to Nuke’s news and views, The Virtuous Republic, , Dumb Ox Daily News, and CatSynth.com “catback” weekend, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

So, here I am milking an Orson Scott Card article for another post. OK, so the riff yesterday on F4² was just a bit of (well-earned) dissing, not such a much. But further on in the same article Card notes a couple more things that are more than worth commenting on. The first is something I’d heard about but not seen/heard. View the clips below, then my comments.

And…

The show’s the British talent show that American Idol is based on, but it’s apparently quite different to American Idol in that all sorts of talent, not simply pop singing, is welcome. Read Card’s comments on that aspect. As far as Potts’ talent, well, Card’s exactly spot on there as well. Yeh, it’s been about 40 years since my bachelor’s degree in voice, but I agree that while Potts’ singing quite likely was a “breath of fresh air,” as was said, that was probably due more to the quality of the music itself and the lack of quality in other performers’ offerings than to Potts’ presentation, which was good, but not as good as described by Simon Cowell and the other judges.

But please do not mistake me: I think the guy has a very, very good raw talent. I do believe the defects Card and some YouTube commenters note are more defects of training and experience than fault with Potts’ talent. I’d seriously like to see/hear what he could do with good training. I’ve listened to old recordings of Enrico Caruso and John McCormack that were of comparable recording quality to the streamed YouTube recordings, and Potts’ showed nearly as much voice as those two greats could in the low-quality recordings made of them, so I’m not too quick to write Potts off as not having the instrument required to make it in his chosen music venue. I sincerely hope he gets some good training to go with a very nice instrument.

But on another subject. I have been completely turned off by American Idol and other so-called “talent” shows because of the crappy performances overall, along with the crap “music” often featured. So I was, very much like Card, completely surprised when I absently CLICKED through “So You Think You Can Dance?” and… CLICED back to see what the heck was going on… and was HOOKED.

Everything Card says about the show is true in spades. I have NO formal dance training, NO real experience, and yet I’ve been called on to do simple (very, very simple) choreography of a few shows (yeh, and some of them were with grade school kids) and teach what little of “interpretive movement” *heh* I’ve picked up over the years.

This show has been a complete joy to watch, except for the fact that some completely brilliant, wonderful dancers/entertainers must be cut each week for the show to progress. This may be the ONE show I buy DVDs of. Seriously. (OK, I’d buy DVDs of the OLD Dr. Who episodes or the Jeremy Brett “Sherlock Holmes” but that’s about it). This is one of the very few shows I have seen that is really worth my time to SCHEDULE to see it. Of course, a couple of my very fav dancers were cut this week, but those who are left are (mostly) brilliant talents. (OK, one dancer I just do not understand. “Weird” is the word I think of when I see him move. Don’t get me wrong, though: I do like his dancing; I just don’t “get” it. And that is very weird. :-))

Check the show out, if you have not already. Sure, it’s in the final few weeks, now, but that means you’ll see only the good stuff (though, after the initial tryouts, pretty much all of it has been “the good stuff”–so very, very different to American Idol, et al.)

[Oh, and I simply forgot to add earlier… ]

Card ends the “Uncle Orson Reviews Everything” article with a change of pace: some wonderfully snarky observations about my two “favorite” *cough* OSes:

Running a machine that runs Windows is like buying a car – only it comes with a chauffeur, and he’s the only one allowed to drive your car, and he will only take you places he thinks you ought to go, and you have to sit in the seat he tells you to sit in, and he takes days off without any advance notice to you.

The only difference between Windows and Apple, by the way, is that Apple’s chauffeur takes fewer days off, but goes to even fewer destinations, and only one of the doors has a button. So don’t tell me how I should switch to Apple and all my problems will be solved.

*heh*

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Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, The Magical Rose Garden, The Random Yak, Blue Star Chronicles, The Pink Flamingo, The Amboy Times, Cao’s Blog, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

I had already decided that I’d skip on the latest Fantastic Four movie. I saw the first one (as a video rental) and it stank up the room, so I figured this one would have small chance for improvement. The only “series” movies in recent memory that have improved as they segued to the next were… LOTR and the Die HArd franchise (although #3 in that franchise stank pretty badly). Orson Scott Card reviews the latest abortion of comics-to-movie here. A sample:

“…as Reed Richards (Gruffudd) and Sue Storm (Alba) are preparing to get married, we want to scream at the screen: No, don’t let them get married! They might have children! It would be a tragedy!”

and

There’s nothing wrong with the Fantastic Four movie series that could not be fixed by destroying every copy of the film.

*heh*

Maybe I’ll watch the thing–a few years from now, when my eyesight and hearing are further deteriorated–when I can get it from the local rental place on a “7 movies for a buck” deal. Maybe not even then. I’d almost rather watch the latest Spiderman flic. *shudder*

Just following yet another example of typical slander “reporting” by Mass Media Podpeople…

A huge tip o’ the tam to Washington Post columnists Roxanne Roberts and Amy Argetsinger for underlining the lies, damned lies and deliberately twisted quotes that are the staple of Mass Media Podpeople “reporting”–in their column this week that “reported”

“The conservative shock-pundit, who sniped on ‘Good Morning America’ Monday that she hoped the Democratic candidate would be ‘killed in a terrorist assassination plot,’ was a guest on MSNBC’s ‘Hardball’ Tuesday night, prompting a live call-in by Elizabeth, who demanded that Coulter ‘stop the personal attacks.’”

Note: the so-called “reporters” said specifically that Coulter hoped the Democratic candidate would be ‘killed in a terrorist assassination plot.’ An outright, bald-faced lie made with obvious malicious intent. Slander, in the ordinary (and legal) understanding of the term. What Coulter actually said was,

“…Bill Maher was not joking and saying he wished Dick Cheney had been killed in a terrorist attack. So I’ve learned my lesson. If I’m going to say anything about John Edwards in the future, I’ll just wish he had been killed in a terrorist assassination plot.”

This just unserscores the fact that Mass Media Podpeople will let no lie go untold in order to slander those whose views they disagree with, and they will let any tasteless remark (ex: the Bill Maher comment) slide if made by someone like Maher about those they dislike, while prominently “reporting” any lie that falsely portrays a simliar “attack” by someone like Coulter about someone on “their side” of trhe Great Divide.

Lies, damned lies and Mass Media Podpeople “reporting”.

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Trackposted to Blog @ MoreWhat.com, Woman Honor Thyself, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, Pirate’s Cove, Webloggin, Stuck On Stupid, The Pink Flamingo, and Leaning Straight Up, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

It takes a brick bat squarely between the eyes just to get their attention. Examples: swamped senatorial phone/fax lines on the shamnesty fraud juuuuuust managed to avert railroading the bill through the senate; bunker buster bombs on Saddam’s head finally got Qadaffi’s attention a few years ago.

But has the American public learned its lesson about politicians *spit*? We’ll just have to see. American politicians *spit* haven’t managed to learn the lesson about how to handle a Muslim. (Hint repeated: it’s quite a bit a different technique to the one advocated in “How to Handle a Woman”–Camelot, 1967)

(Do note: there was a core–a very small core–of Senators who were right on the shamnesty issue all along. On this issue. There is no small core of Muslims who are not terrorists or terrorist supporters, no matter what some may claim. ALL Muslims revere the FIRST Muslim terrorist, the Butcher of Medina.)

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N.B., Is it possible that, for whatever reasons (because this involves politicians *spit* I naturally ascribe any apparently good act to base motives) somehow the idea that rewarding outlaws and punishing citizens just might not fly in the Senate this term? Maybe…we’ll see, won’t we?

“The bosom of America is open to receive not only the Opulent and respectable Stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all Nations and Religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges, if by decency and propriety of conduct they appear to merit the enjoyment.” — George Washington (Address to the Members of the Volunteer Association of Ireland, 2 December 1783) [emphasis added]

Today’s cloture vote (to cut off debate on the thing) on President Fifi Bush’s (Mexican President Felipe Calderon’s lapdog) shamnesty bill falied… by a vote of 53 against the Bill from Hell–13 more than needed. Eighteen senators who voted for cloture the other day… switched.

Now? Keep the pressure on, folks. Let your Representative know as well that you oppose amnesty when current law is not being enforced (because of the law enFARCEment policies of Fifi Bush–Felipe Calderon’s lapdog–and his treasonous desire to surrender our borders). Let them know that enforcement comes before ANY consideration of visas for illegals.

Push this button long, hard and often. Use the resources available at NumbersUSA–phone numbers, addresses, email addreses and FREE FAXING. And let them know you are firmly behind making English the one and only official language of the U.S.

“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But. this is predicated upon the man’s becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language. And we have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is a loyalty to the American people.” –Teddy Roosevelt, 1907

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Trackposted to Webloggin, DeMediacratic Nation, Wake Up America, and Pursuing Holiness, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Almost time for a review of third world county tightwaddery, but this’ll have to do for now: Thirteen Car Maintenance Tips (from a third world county tightwad). Note: some tips assume either basic mechanical knowledge of some sort or the ability to read a simple instruction manual–like a Haynes *ha!* or Chilton–and decipher the cryptic comments contained therein; that is, functional literacy–a rarer and rarer capability nowadays.

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1. The cheapest oil and filter are NOT the cheapest oil and filter. Unless your car leaks like a sieve or burns oil as if it were gasoline, cheap oil is a waste of money. If your car’s in good mechanical shape now, switch to an all-synthetic. At $4-$5/quart, it only seems expensive. The longer oil drain interval, engine protection and perhaps even slightly better fuel economy will more than pay for itself. And use a good filter, since you’ll only change it every six months or so with a good synthetiic. Money in the bank.

2. Cold weather–buy “gasohol”. The ethyl alcohol in a typical “gasohol” mix will absorb fuel line moisture, averting frozen fuel lines. Besides, the way the feddle gummint’s subsidizing fuel alcohol production, “gasohol” can often be less expensive (at the pump–the social costs have yet to be adequately computed) than regular unleaded.

3. Consider the new “extended life” so-called “universal” (they almost are) antifreezes, next time you do a complete drain-flush-fill of your car’s coolant system. Sure, the new “extended life” antifreezes can cost upward of 30% more per gallon, but since they are recommended for drain/replacement at three times the drain interval, if your coolant system’s in good shape, go for it!

4. NEVER buy the “50/50” jugs of antifreeze. That’s some of the most expensive water you can buy. Mix your own, but do use distilled water to mix with the new extended life antifreezes. At under $0.70/gallon all over the place, it’s worth using.

5. WHAT?!?!? You don’t check your tire pressure and fluid levels weekly?!?!? What ever are you thinking of??? Just do it. A $1.00 cheapo tire pressure gauge is money in your pocket, IF you use it regularly. (CHeck your owner’s manual and your tires for pressure recommendations.) And do at least check your oil and antifreeze levels weekly. Power steering and brake fluids are another good thing to check. Transmission fluid, as well (automatic for sure, and manual if there’s a handy dipstick). Early notice of dropping fluid levels or anomalous changes in the fluids can save you bucks, and maybe save your ride. For example, when auto transmission fluid is no longer pink but brown, get the thing seen by a competent mechanic FAST, before you are forced to replace the tranny… or the car.

6. Rain-X. Seriously. Very seriously. You’ll be much safer in any kind of precip if you’ve Rain-X-ed at least your windshield. About once a month in normal driving does it for me.

7. And while you’re at it, when you Rain-X the windshield, check those wiper blades. Heavy rains, wipers on, shredded blade. Bare metal scratching (and it will scratch) your windshield. Oh so much fun…

8. When changing brake pads (and easy, oh, maybe “two-wrench” rated job), never disassemble both brakes on an “axle” at once. Remove both wheels on an “axle” and do one brake assembly at a time. Use one as a reference for the other. Easy-peasy. Heck, brake pads aren’t the only home mechanic job; it can be less expensive to buy NEW rotors for disk brakes than having some hack mechanic do the job while hungover. Feels good knowing you saved money and KNOW the quality of the work.

9. When you need to raise your car to work on it, use a hydraulic jack that’s over-rated for your vehicle’s weight. $50 or less will buy a decent one for home use and save you tons of headaches!

10. Working under your raised car? WHERE are your jackstands??? Gotta have ’em. Stupid to learn how to maintain your car and actually do some work on it but play “Sword of Damocles” with thousands of pounds of car hanging above your head. JUst dumb.

11. Consider an inexpensive set of ramps. Neat time and energy saver.

12. Get some strong permanent magnets (those found in an old, discarded hard drive will do) and attach one to the lowest part of your oil filter and right by the drain plug on your oil pan. Think about it.

13. Keep your ears open for changes in the way your car sounds; your nose tweaked to sniff out weird smells; feel the way your car drives and note any changes; any one can avert problems. For example, the other day I felt some vibrations as I reached 60mph that grew more pronounced as I approached 70mph. Knew what it was from previous experience, so spent $10 having two tires rebalanced. Vibration gone, along with the extra stress it was causing the drivetrain, suspension and steering, as well as the extra wear on the tires it would have caused had I let it continue.

I’m sure readers will have their own tips. Heck, I guess I could have listed a few more, but then it would no longer be a Thursday Thirteen, would it? 🙂

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Linked to the Thursday Thirteen Hub and Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, The Virtuous Republic, Perri Nelson’s Website, AZAMATTEROFACT, Right Truth, Webloggin, Stuck On Stupid, Leaning Straight Up, Conservative Cat, Pursuing Holiness, Right Celebrity, stikNstein… has no mercy, Pirate’s Cove, The Pink Flamingo, High Desert Wanderer, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

para el español, vaya vivo en México.

Kat has posted a Lou Dobbs clip that’s an interesting look at just a few (of the very, very many) problems with the Senate’s shamnesty bill. One standout quote:

“If you follow the law, you’re punished under this bill; if you don’t, you’re rewarded.”

The very definition of anarcho-tyranny.

Visit NumbersUSA for information on immigration, congresscritters’ voting records, the shamnesty bill and several ways to contact your congresscritters, including sending relevant faxes (for free), and phones and email contacts.

Stop President Fifi Bush’s shamnesty bill.

While “big bidness,” elite political hacks, Mass MEdia Podpeople and the Mexican government (with the eager aid of Fifi Bush, Felipe Calderon’s lapdog) are hard at work deconstructing the rule of law in order to maintain a ricos lifestyle-enhancing labor pool of low-skill illegal aliens to drive down American wages, Japan has solved the problem with high technology:

Japanese firm exhibits droid construction worker

In a press event yesterday, the new HRP-3 Promet Mk II from Kawada Industries walked on a slippery floor, shrugged off a drenching under a shower and “used a screwdriver just as a human would.”

Clever people. No strain on social services, no housing problems, no crime boom from an illegal alien “workforce” just… work. And at about $120,000, a darned quick ROI could easily be the icing on the cake.

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Trackposted to Perri Nelson’s Website, DeMediacratic Nation, Right Truth, Big Dog’s Weblog, The Pet Haven Blog, Stuck On Stupid, Leaning Straight Up, Cao’s Blog, The Amboy Times, The Bullwinkle Blog, Conservative Cat, Pursuing Holiness, The Pink Flamingo, Planck’s Constant, Right Voices, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Yeh, another one of those posts about Puppy Linux. Version 2.16 is just almost too nice.

Just download the ISO and burn it to CD* (or follow directions to “burn” it to a USB drive). Pop the thing in your computer and boot. Everything runs in memory.

I’ve not yyet had an Intel hardware compatible computer that’s able to boot from CD or from USB stick that has failed to run Puppy.

Super neat? You don’t even have to touch or in any way alter the installation of any other OS you may have installed. Oh, to access data files generated under the other OS, you’ll have to Mount the drive they’re on, but big woo-hoopsie-doo. Simple as pie. Networking? Internet? Even wireless access points, etc.? Notaproblem, and muuuuch easier than configuring most Windoze comps.

Give it a shot, just for fun. Plenty of apps for the normal user are a part of the default install, and installing other apps (first thing I always do with a new Puppy is install Opera browser) is super easy. (Neat thing: although Puppy’s all on the CD or USB stick, you can save all changes you make to a special file on an available hard drive, CDRW or USB stick.)

Take Puppy for a walk. You’ll have fun.

*Burning an ISO is a different ball of wax to burning music or data CDs. If you’ve not burned an ISO before or don’t even know what an ISO file is, no sweat. Cool lil tutorials abound. Here’s a page that walks folks through getting Puppy running. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeasy.

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