third world county

When Apple chose (or was compelled by fabbers and market forces, take your choice) to begin producing a “Mac” using an Intel chipset, the handwriting was on the wall. Sure, Apple chose to use an “elilo” (Intel compatible extensible linux bootloader) instead of the usual BIOS routine, in order to attempt to lock other OSes out of installation and use on the Intel-based “Mac,” but who really expected that to be a barrier for long?

The Apple “Mactel” barrier has fallen. According to this article on Linux Watch, Edgar ‘Gimli’ Hucek has the title of being the first to boot Linux on a “Mactel” computer. Can there be any doubt that running Windows apps via WINE can be far behind?

The only fly in the ointment this observer can see is this: why spend extra to get a “Mactel” in order to ditch the expensive Apple OS for a better or more familiar platform, when purchasing (or building) a computer with similar (or better) hardware and installing the OS of one’s choice can be done for less to begin with?

Linked at Adam’s Blog, Freedom Watch

Crossposted at Balanced News Blog

Any shocker here for anyone who’s visited this blog more than twice?

You scored as Serenity (Firefly). You like to live your own way and don’t enjoy when anyone but a friend tries to tell you should do different. Now if only the Reavers (“scum-sucking, cannibalistic feeb busybodies” would serve) would quit trying to skin you. Babylon 5 (Babylon 5) 94% Serenity (Firefly) 94% Moya (Farscape) 88% SG-1 (Stargate) 81% Deep Space Nine (Star Trek) 75% Galactica (Battlestar: Galactica) 69% Millennium Falcon (Star Wars) 69% Nebuchadnezzar (The Matrix) 69% Bebop (Cowboy Bebop) 56% Enterprise D (Star Trek) 50% Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda) 50% FBI’s X-Files Division (The X-Files) 38% Your Ultimate Sci-Fi Profile II: which sci-fi crew would you best fit in? (pics) created with QuizFarm.com

The only surprise is that I scored identically for Firefly and Babylon 5, needing a tiebreaker to render an accurate assessment. *heh*

Yes, “Sometimes someone needs to be killed to protect you and your crew.” Yep. I’d pull the trigger. Or swing the axe. Or whatever was necessary. The lives and wellbeing of MY “crew” (call it “friends and family”) are more important (and more worthwhile) than whomever might threaten them. Period.

Take it up with the Framers and their darned Second Amendment.

Seen at Eric’s Grumbles Before the Grave

Opening a communications channel to Moon of Conservative Cats and Space Station Picnic, Basil.

I have been remiss in my reading. While I’ve been boning up on our society’s Founding Fathers with The Founders Constitution and other works, I’ve still missed a lot in my catch-as-catch-can autodidacticism over the years. Jerry Pournelle points to Jose Ortega y Gasset’s 1930, The Revolt of the Masses and includes this among the material he excerpts:

It is illusory to imagine that the mass-man of to-day will be able to control, by himself, the process of civilization. I say process, and not progress. The simple process of preserving our present civilization is supremely complex, and demands incalculably subtle powers. Ill-fitted to direct it is this average man who has learned to use much of the machinery of civilization, but who is characterized by root-ignorance of the very principles of that civilization.

The command over the public life exercised today by the intellectually vulgar is perhaps the factor of the present situation which is most novel, least assimilable to anything in the past. At least in European history up to the present, the vulgar had never believed itself to have “ideas” on things. It had beliefs, traditions, experiences, proverbs, mental habits, but it never imagine itself in possession of theoretical opinions on what things are or ought to be. To-day, on the other hand, the average man has the most mathematical “ideas” on all that happens or ought to happen in the universe. Hence he has lost the use of his hearing. Why should he listen if he has within him all that is necessary? There is no reason now for listening, but rather for judging, pronouncing, deciding. There is no question concerning public life, in which he does not intervene, blind and deaf as he is, imposing his “opinions.”

Well… yes. Of course. And is it not even more true today than in 1930?

Gotta get it!

The Revolt of the Masses

This week’s Guard the Borders Blogburst is from MinutemanHQ:

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MINUTEMAN CIVIL DEFENSE CORPS
ANNOUNCES NATIONWIDE ‘SECURE OUR BORDERS’ OPERATION FOR APRIL 2006

(PHOENIX, AZ) February 16, 2006 – Chris Simcox, President of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (“MCDC”), today announced plans for the group’s nationwide “Secure Our Borders” campaign in April 2006. Simcox also announced a new operational structure for the original Minuteman Border Project to meet the growing needs of the continued expansion of Minuteman border security operations.

Thousands of MCDC volunteers, augmented by the new national support team, will hold border watch patrols in northern and southern states along an estimated 800 miles of international borders during the month of April. The Minutemen will observe and report suspected illegal border crossings to the proper authorities. As always, they will maintain a “no contact” policy with the exception of providing emergency water to those illegal aliens found in distress in the wilderness.

Last year, MCDC revolutionized the national debate about border security and illegal immigration by focusing the nation’s attention on the dangers of America’s wide-open borders in a post 9/11 world. The Minutemen have demonstrated that the borders can be secured with sufficient political will and dedication.

Since the MCDC 23-mile border watch in April, 2005, interest in joining and supporting the Minutemen has exploded nationwide. MCDC chapters have been formed in southern and northern border states, as well as interior states. To date, 6,500 men and women have passed the required background check and interviews to qualify to become official Minuteman Border Project volunteers – with more waiting in the queue for approval. Over 120,000 people have become friends of the Minutemen through their support and volunteer work.

Given the success of the Minuteman Border Project efforts, and two successful month long 24/7 operations conducted in April and October of 2005, a new national volunteer operational structure has been launched to support the Minutemen. The new structure is necessary to respond to these thousands of volunteers and supporters asking what they can do to help.

MCDC has asked for and accepted the help of experienced border volunteers who have been on the front lines, some for as long as four years. With this expansion we will be ready for the thousands of volunteers who will participate in the “Secure Our Borders” operation in April 2006. This expansion further solidifies MCDC’s ability to continue the largest neighborhood watch effort in American history. The Minutemen will continue their civil defense operations assisting authorities in securing the U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada until properly relieved.

Contact MCDC at (520)829-3112 or info@minutemanhq.com

For more information about MCDC: www.minutemanhq.com

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This has been a production of the Guard the Borders Blogburst. It was started by Euphoric Reality, and serves to keep immigration issues in the forefront of our minds as we’re going about our daily lives and continuing to fight the war on terrorism. If you are concerned with the trend of illegal immigration facing our country, join our blogburst! Just send an email with your blog name and url to euphoricrealitynet at gmail dot com.

Blogs already on board:

Euphoric Reality	Curley’s Corner	TMH’s Bacon Bits
Part-Time Pundit	The Right Track	Cao’s Blog
Mover Mike	In The Bullpen	Stuck on Stupid
NIF	Kender’s Musings	Freedom Folks
Parrot Check	Gribbit’s Word	Right on the Right
Team Swap	Gina’s Rantings	The Irate Nation
Publius Rendezvous	Watchman’s Words	Bear Creek Ledger
Something and Half of Something	Ogre’s Politics and Views	Independent Conservative
The Neo-Con Blogger	Ravings of a Mad Tech	Third World County
A Lady’s Ruminations	Mensa Barbie Welcomes You	Intergalactic Source of Truth
Woman Honor Thyself	Adam’s Thoughts	Amboy Times
Gun Toting Liberal	Right on! Blog	American Daughter
Right Truth	Universe and Other Things	A Tic In The Mind’s Eye
Jarhead’s Firing Range	Nova Townhall Blog

I may well be preoccupied all day today, so link here and track back. I’ll need links to some good reads this evening, ‘K?

If you really need a laugh, CLICK on over and read

Dogs in Elk

It’s an oldie but goodie, and it never fails to crack me up.

🙂

Also note the other fine blogs featuring linkfests at

Linkfest Haven.

Ancient Recording?

“Belgian researchers have been able to use computer scans of the grooves in 6,500-year-old pottery to extract sounds made by the vibrations of the tools used to make the pottery.”

?!?!?

Maybe… This is about the time of year for another French prank. My French is really rusty, and I would have had a little difficulty following well even when I was relatively fresh in the language (reading other languages has always been a bit easier for me), but I have read an English translation of the interview here. As followed up at that link… Maybe not…

The video comes from the web site of Zalea TV (“Le Vase” http://www.zalea.org/article.php3?id_article=496). This is a TV dediated to humor and spoofing, and it has been around since at leat December 2005.

Oh. Well. It would have been nice. Maybe is is real. But it’s not looking espeically promising.

h.t. The English Guy, where I first saw this.

OK, I admit it. In spite of the ton of silly anachronisms, I rather enjoyed The Mask of Zorro. I mean, Anthony Hopkins, right? And the “new” Zorro role suited Antonio Banderas to a T. Catherine Zeta-Jones was eye candy enough (even with her atrocious accent), and the swordplay/fight scenes were pretty good.

Contton candy, but not so bad the tons of anachronisms couldn’t be ignored in some plea by my suspension of disbelief assuming some sort of alternate reality or something.

But not even Banderas’ suitability to tghe role, Zeta-Jones’ still screenworthy eye candy or even young Adrian Alonso’s delightful portrayal of Joachim, son of Alejandro and Elena, and some really great choreography (fight scenes)—heck, not even a gorgeous, well-trained horse—could overcome the weight of anachronisms.

*sigh*

This was a movie written by, produced by, directed by and for subliterates.

The movie is (amorphously–there are continuity problems between this movie and The Mask of Zorro, many of them) placed in 1850, and the setting of California gaining statehood is established.

But… the first action sequence in the film involves a Henry lever action rifle—prominently placed in the villain’s hands. Let’s see… Henry got the patent for that rifle design in… 1860, as I recall.

Not an auspicious beginning.

An important plot device in the movie is nitroglycerin, presented as a brand new, “secret weapon” developed by a secret cabal to be used in the destruction of the United States. Works fine, except that nitro was invented in Italy in 1846 and was widely known by 1850.

Then there’s the plot to use the railroad to distribute nitro throughout the U.S. for use in destroying… what? Silly plot device compounded by the railroad scheme. Where was this non-existant railroad distribution system for the California Gold Rush, 1849~1854? Uhm, nowhere. That’s because the distribution system wasn’t even in existance in its most basic form until 1869 with the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Shall I go on to speak of a modern California-style “quickie divorce”—by a wife shedding a husband, no less!—in 1850 California? Or the simple fact that the Pinkerton Detective Agency was barely getting started and we’re to expect it was involved in skullduggery (and profound ineptitude) in the California statehood question? Silly. Should I speak of Southerners in mock Confederate uniforms? Or Abraham Lincoln in full “presidential garb” as background fluff?

Aw, gee… Is there nothing to save this flick?

Well, surely not a plot that makes any sense (FULL of holes) or witty dialogue or credible character development (apart from young Joachim, to the degree the plot allows).

All it has going for it are the aforementioned action sequences, competent (though pedestrian) performances by the leads, a really fun child actor (who, frankly, filled Anthony Hopkins shoes as the real actor in the show) and a horse.

Not enough to outweigh an assinine plot and a p-potful of anachronisms (I only scratched the surface there).

*sigh*

And I had so hoped for something inoffensive with anough romance for Wonder Woman, enough swordplay for me and enough credibility to at least allow for suspension of disbelief.

Nope. Not in The Legend of Zorro

Oh. Well. Written by and directed by subliterates for subliterates, I suppose.

Just the way it goes…

Submitted to The Critics’ Corners at Is It Just Me?, NIF.

An email exchange with The English Guy riffing off the “Seven Songs” meme pool game led me to recall one of my very favorite voices—not that it took much. heh. Anyway, Rich, The English Guy, reminded me of his preference for Mozart over Beethoven, which popped this into my mind’s ear:

Mozart: Die Zauberflöte [The Magic Flute]

Now, I’m not a huge opera fan, although arias and chorus pieces and instrumental preludes, interludes & etc., all find their way to my listening from various operas pretty regularly. But of all the operas I’ve been exposed to or associated with in the past, Die Zauberflöte is one I could sit through very gladly. Mozart at his light-hearted best, IMO. And listening to a recording directed by Karl Böhm with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau singing the Papageno role? Ah, I could listen to that for hours. Just the single finest lyric baritone voice ever recorded, IMO. Even in the very brief excerpt linked (no, not posted here) below, the wonderful quality of his voice shines. *sigh*

And when Fischer-Dieskau sings lieder, ya get a chance to hear what Schubert or Schumann must really have been hearing in their own minds’ ears.

Just awesomely good stuff.

And reading Romeocat’s songlist (see below), reminded me of this, which, although it’s at too slow a tempo for regular use and I dislike some of the vowell choices, is nevertheless a beautiful and moving performance of “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” (NETTLETON)… and reminds me yet again what a culturally subliterate society we’ve become.

What? Yep. The second verse of the song starts, “Here I raise mine Ebenezer/Hither by Thy help I’m come… ” which many churches are removing or modifying because… well, almost nobody has the foggiest idea what that means.

*sigh* For the darker side, Continue reading “I just love this stuff”