Musings in Search of a Muse

Look for new posts by December 13th unless I can figure out the Blogger for Mobile thing.

My employer thought it would be a good idea to promote some self-education among the employees by giving away some 40,000 tracks from iTunes -- four each to the first 10,000 employees to complete the training. Well, you can bet that I leaped on that right away. Here's what I got:

"Goodbye, Goodnight"
Jars of Clay
iTunes Originals - Jars of Clay
If you close your eyes while listening to this track you would almost swear that the Beatles were performing. This is so reminiscent of the Eleanor Rigby era from the orchestration, to the melody, and the little "mistake" at the end. I'd almost say that someone was channeling John Lennon when writing the lyrics, but this is a Christian band. The overall sentiment is non-secular, but then again so were many works by Lennon, et al, without being primarily a praise-and-worship song. Out of the box this tune got 4-stars but was quickly promoted to 5-stars.

"This Man"
Jeremy Camp
Restored
Based on the chorus of this song and some of my purchases in the last couple months one might get the opinion that I have a preoccupation with the Crucifixion.

Would you take the place of this man
Would you take the nails from his hands
Would you take the place of this man
Would you take nails from his hands

Well, maybe I do. Along with the Resurection, there aren't many events in the last few thousand years that have had such an impact as the death of Christ. Musically speaking, other than love there can't be a more powerful theme in music today. And really, the Crucifixion is about love anyway. Would you have died in his place? As devout as I am I have to admit that even I would hesitate. But then again, perhaps only Christ could demonstrate that much love.

"Big Mama's Blues (My Love)"
Big Mama Thornton, Francis Clay, James Cotton, Luther Johnson, Muddy Waters, Otis Spann & Samuel Lawhorn
Big Mama Thornton With the Muddy Waters Blues Band - 1966
The first few bars quickly establish this as one of those gritty Blues pieces that will always form the backbone of the genre. Miss Thornton easily adds subtlety to delicate passages and smoothly transitions into powerful peaks fully drenched in emotion. She is backed by superlative harmonica work and a great rhythm section. The requisite piano work shows some uncommon depth, as well. Would you expect anything else from Muddy Waters? This is the Blues as it was meant to be. Not that I'm any expert, mind you, but this track is something that even non-devotees can respect.

"I Get a Kick Out of You"
Frank Sinatra
Songs for Young Lovers
Ah! Ol' Blue Eyes strikes again. I really should have more Sinatra tracks than just this one, "Fly Me to the Moon," and "I'll Be Home for Christmas," the latter also recently acquired. It is a bit of a wonder that iTunes doesn't have "My Way." That's a favorite with my mom. I'm partial to picking up "Come Fly With Me" next, but none of the samples on iTunes strike me as being that good. The orchestration and arrangement both are classic Sinatra and I'd recommend this to anyone interested in picking up some light Swing music.

One of my colleagues gave the redemption code for her four tracks to me. I gifted a song to another colleague and then picked up these tracks:

"Redemption, Passion, Glory"
Dizmas
On a Search In America
Anyone who has read this blog knows that I like Christian music, but not the breathy, plaintive sort that is the staple of my local Christian radio stations. Okay, it isn't their fault. Most of the work available follows that style. That can't be said of Dizmas. Much of their work has rather heavy flavor. This track is very much like you might expect from Foo Fighters or Alien Ant Farm when they are in a commercial mood. There is no doubt that his is Christian through and through, however. The chorus lyric "What Love is this that You Would Die for Me" undeniably sets the tone and challenges the listener to think about how their redemption was bought. Very powerful.

"Set Me Free"
Myron Butler & Levi
Set Me Free - Single
For some reason it usually takes me some time to get in the mood for traditional Gospel. Not with this track. Whether it is the superior arrangement, fine vocals, or the infectious rhythm, there is something here that gets me stoked right away and rather sad that it is over after just under five minutes. Speaking of sad, I was a bit disappointed that the other tracks available on iTunes didn't have the same effect. One day I'll get around to building a Gospel collection, but for now I'll just enjoy this piece again and again.

"God Help Me"
Rebecca St. James
If I Had One Chance to Tell You Something
My first impression or three of Miss St. James' work was ... well, let's just say I was less than impressed. Most of it was typical of what is usually heard on Christian radio. This track, however, rocks. Now I'm up to five tracks from this artist and I'm pleased to say they are a staple of my faith-based collection. "Let My Words Be Few" and "God" are still my two favorites, but this one will likely remain in the Top-5 when I acquire more from Miss St. James.

And I let loose a few shekels and bought some tracks, too:

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" Carmen McRae & Sammy Davis, Jr. Boy Meets Girl: Sammy Davis Jr. & Carmen McRae On Decca
Who would have thought that this would be the only track I have from the incomparable Sammy Davis, Jr. in my library? The Rat Pack really gets short shrift in my collection and I can't explain why. I don't even have any Dean Martin. But I couldn't resist this acquisition because it shows all of Mr. Davis' talents except the fabulous footwork. Other renditions -- some with just one vocalist, strangely -- downplay the inherent humor of the lyrics, but Mr. Davis gives it just a few nudges at the right times to make this a truly wonderful piece. I don't mean to discount Miss McRae's talents here. She's a fine vocalist, but she's merely a convenient foil to the gentleman's efforts at seduction and a straight man to the humor. Of all the renditions on iTunes, though, this one has the most heart. Both artists give the impression that they enjoy each other and the song they are performing.

"Merry Christmas Baby"
Etta Jones Christmas
With Etta Jones
Another powerful vocalist, Miss Jones adds a bit of the Blues to Christmas. Not sure why exactly it's in this genre, though, as despite the orchestration and arrangement, the lyrics really don't reflect what one might expect from the Blues. Nonetheless, this is a great track and I can hardly wait to share it with others. There are more than enough Christmas tunes on the ol' iPod to provide very pleasant background music while opening presents or sharing a meal.

"O Holy Night - Album Version"
Point Of Grace
O Holy Night (Studio Series Performance Track) - EP
Yeah, yeah. It's that time of year. The vocals on this track are very, very good though a bit sappy. I've kind of grown tired of it already. Good thing Christmas is but once a year (on the calendar -- it's daily in my heart). And it's a good thing I have renditions of this from Tracy Chapman and Trans-Siberian Orchestra for variety.

Now if anyone is wondering where the album art for this track and the one from Sinatra disappeared to, don't wonder. I just didn't like them. Besides, I don't have the newest generation iPod (yet) so if it weren't for trying to make this blog pretty I likely wouldn't worry about it myself. Its the music that counts anyway. Go out there and hit the samples and then download a few. You'll be pleased, I'm sure.

That's kinda cool. The McDonalds advert on the Weather.com page read my computer's system clock to customize the content.

Or did it? Maybe it worked off the IP address. Having it read my system clock is a bit of a scary idea. That leads to just too many security questions. And looking back at the un-refreshed page over 10 minutes later the time remained the same. I guess I shouldn't worry too much about security.

Anyway, this is just another example of where advertising is going. More and more it will become integrated with daily activities. I'm not sure if this is a good idea. Or even a new one.

C'mon ... you remember singing the Oscar Mayer song over and over as a kid, don't you? Or the Slinky song. And you probably added the "Where's the Beef?" (thanks, Clara) and "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!" catch phrases to your patter.

I'm not super thrilled with all of Venus Hum's work, but I bought their infectious "Soul Sloshing" video and "The Christmas Song" track from iTunes just for Annette Strean's vocals. She has a voice that easily handles delicate moments and can still belt out a powerful lyric with equal aplomb. It doesn't hurt that she's exceptionally attractive and puts all her energy and personality into a performance. Her smile is devastating, too.

If you don't normally listen to Electronica you might want to rent the Blue Man Group Complex Rock Tour DVD to see a performance before exploring more. The "I Feel Love" segment featuring an assist from Venus Hum is a highlight of the concert. (Photo Source)

Sorry, Boston. For a city that prides itself on its role in American history you seem to have a convenient memory for other historical events. The holiday commonly known as Christmas focuses on the celebration of the birth of one of history's most important figures, Jesus of Nazareth. Labeling your annual Christmas tree a "holiday tree" is an insult not only to Jesus but to thinking people everywhere ("Boston 'holiday tree' stirs controversy").

Not that the Commonwealth can make up its mind on religious freedom anyway. The story of Roger Williams illustrates a long-standing religious intolerance despite that the Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded by men and women fleeing religious intolerance. Before you try to be politically correct, Boston, perhaps you should get your own house in order. In the meantime, bring back Christmas.

While you are at it, apologize Donnie Hatt, the kind gentleman who donated the tree (pictured at left with daughter Michelle). He said that "if he'd known the tree he donated to Boston would be called a holiday tree, 'I'd have cut it down and put it through the chipper.' Boston should 'just put Return to Sender on it because we sent it as a Christmas tree, not a holiday tree,' the Chester Basin man said Wednesday after a barrage of phone calls from U.S. television and radio stations and newspapers" (source).

When I came across Google Video and the (unauthorized) Google Video of the Day blog I swore I wouldn't just post a "go there" piece. But here it is. The "Baby Got Book" parody of Sir Mixalot's hit is fabulous.

One-hundred forty-six years ago today, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life by Charles Darwin was published. Read more about it here.

Regardless of your feelings on the subject, this monumental work has shaped Western culture to a greater extent than most any book other than the Bible.

"Catholic school fires pregnant, unwed teacher" An unmarried teacher says she was discriminated against and fired from her job at a Roman Catholic school in New York for being pregnant and has filed a federal complaint.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn said on Tuesday that Michelle McCusker's situation was difficult, but the Saint Rose of Lima School had had no choice but to follow the principles contained in its teachers' handbook dictating that "a teacher can not violate the tenets of Catholic morality."

McCusker, 26, was dismissed from the school after telling school administrators she was pregnant and did not plan to marry (Yahoo! News).

Elsewhere in the article is the mention of the inevitable lawsuit. My question is: Didn't the plaintiff read the condition of employment that mentioned the morality clause? You would think that someone who has had even the minimum education to be a teacher would be familiar with the idea of a contract. And even those with less than that level of education can easily understand that a Catholic school would be concerned with morals.

The public schools I taught in had morals clauses in contracts and the idea was always in teacher's minds when curriculum and extra-curricular activities were planned. Moral issues were frequently discussed at official meetings and the administration would focus on morals issues in interviews. While it was illegal to teach specific morals, this concentration at the staff level helped ensure that we would be good models of community-approved morals.

I'm not really surprised that the New York Civil Liberties Union is helping McCusker with the suit. But if they do win I hope they use some of the money to get her some reading lessons.

... and I have to say "Potter Stinks!"

We're talking about the movie, now, not the book which I felt was rather good in many respects. Maybe that's why I didn't enjoy the movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - I was comparing it to the book. Don't get me wrong. There were some rather good bits (and I'll get to them), but all-in-all, I was rather disappointed.

First off, trying to cram 734 pages of cellulose into 157 minutes of celluloid was a mistake. There were too many sub-plots that were mismanaged. For example, Ron's jealousy of Harry's wealth, fame, and favor couldn't have been clear to someone who hadn't read the book. While this had very little to do with the primary plot of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, it greatly explained the social and emotional development that is crucial to the next installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Likewise the sub-plot with Cho Chang. We get the idea that Harry is uncomfortable around girls, but why this one? And lastly, there were so many changes to the story behind Barty Crouch, Jr. that it almost bore no resemblance to the one in the book. I can see cutting out Durselys entirely (sorry for the spoiler), but this movie could have easily been given the Peter Jackson treatment - make it as long as necessary to tell the story right. Hopefully the producers will take another trick of Jackson's and add considerably to the body of the film for release on DVD. Even if that were to happen, don't expect to understand the next book if you have only seen Goblet and not read it. And that's the second major gripe.

Too many liberties were taken with the story. Sure, this sounds like a reiteration of the first gripe, but there's a fine point here. Thus far the films have had a bit of fame for being as faithful to the books as possible. That is rare with such adaptations, particularly children's stories. But the fourth Potter was not for children. Removing elements such as the dangers faced in the maze as written in the book and replacing them with simply malicious bushes was just poor manipulation in the cause of cutting the film's length. And don't ask about Harry's fight with the horntail dragon. I'm trying to forget it so I re-read that section of the book.

And so was the bad acting. The third gripe I have is that almost without exception, the acting was appalling. It reminded me of the later seasons of the television M*A*S*H where the characters had two moods: Angry and hurt. Hermione, for example, seem to have knit her eyebrows together with a painful look in her first scene and then was unable to undo them until the end credits. All the actors seem to be hurrying through their lines, particularly Michael Gambon as Dumbledore. Perhaps I'm showing a bit of bias because I feel that Richard Harris was so much better in the role, but Gambon has more talent than he displayed here.

All was not lost, however. The character of Alistor "Madeye" Moody was excellent. At first I thought it was a bit overplayed, but in retrospect it might have been because of the nature of the character in this installment. I'm sure the ex-auror Moody in the next installment will be a better portrayal. Or I hope. And I rather liked the development of Neville Longbottom's character. The transliteration from book to film actually expanded the lad's part while completely changing the original story line. It worked out for the best, oddly.

This film also secures Lord Voldemort's place in film villain history. Thus far he has been a pretty good character in his various incarnations, but Ralph Fiennes put such an edge to his performance that you could almost feel the evil. The make up was superb as were the digital effects that helped bring the character to life.

That's also one of several minor gripes, however. As a whole the effects were sub-par compared to the previous films and to the industry standard. You don't even need a careful eye to catch the botched job in most every stadium crowd shot, particularly at the final challenge. Other minor gripes include the monochromatic color palette, the dismissed sub-plot of Rita Skeeter (rather important in the next installment), and the poor casting of nearly all the new characters.

Maybe it will be better in IMAX. The local venue has finally started showing commercial films and seeing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a much better experience on the big screen than it was the small screen. Of course, the screen I saw Potter on was the biggest indoor screen I've ever seen. It rivals drive-in theater screens in size, though IMAX has an impact all its own.

As media evolves (or is redesigned, depending on your point of view) product placement will, too, evolve. For example, the advert pictured at left just happens to be pitching the product described in the article. This must have been an automated process like the Google targeted adverts on my blog because I'm sure the advertiser likely wouldn't have deliberately picked to sponsor a article that pans its product as this one does.

Well, product placement is evolving, too. But it does show up in the funniest places -- like the funnies:

Andy Capp is clearly reading The Mirror, an actual newspaper. This has been going on for a while, however, and it may be intended to clue slower readers into realizing that the strip is set in the United Kingdom. They have yet to mention Guinness beer, Rolls Royce, or Harrod's department store as far as I know of to date, but think of the possibilities.

Get Fuzzy has been featuring Tivo of late, going beyond using the logo ala Andy Capp as in the strip to the left to using the features as a springboard for the humor as in today's edition. The strip promotes a college, too - Lowe Tech. That's a fictional place, however, so I suppose it doesn't count.

"iPod porn pains parents, employers" - Adult-oriented content historically has been at the leading edge of various types of technological development, from the early days of photography, to home video players, to content available on the Internet (CNET News.com).

Of course, porn is everywhere. I was just browsing for pics to wallpaper my new phone and a surprising number of porn pics popped up in even seemingly innocuous categories. Or there were pics that had content of a offensive nature (Pimps, hoes, etc.).

All in all I'd be happy with a simple, fun game for my phone that costs less than three bucks. Figures, I can get all the porn I want for free but I have to pay to be good.

What's this world coming to? Oh, yeah! That's right! Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ. Whew! If porn for phones and iPods is an indicate, then The End truly is nigh (click here to read about one of the predicted precursors).

Laser-etched Powerbook - Yahoo! News: "Only those crazy fellas over at MAKE would think of something like this. They took the O'Reilly Tarsius from the book 'Learning the vi Editor' and had it laser-etched into a 17' Powerbook. The result is amazingly detailed and beautiful. When the Powerbook is turned on the creature glows like Galadriel's underpants. The laser-etching machine they used from Epilog uses Corel Draw to trace the image out and gives you a true one-of-a-kind creation. Personally, I'd get a wicked engraving of all the members of Foreigner on there. Sweet"

Yeah, this will catch on. If I had a Powerbook I'd do it. I wonder what it does for rigidity, though, and light distribution.

Despite some really sucky news today I'm relatively stoked. My new phone, an LG C2000, was activated today. I've been wanting a new phone and I was blessed enough to win this one just for dressing a certain way during Customer Appreciation Week at work. It wasn't my first choice but then again I had no choice. It was just handed to me.

It's nicer than the old LG L1150 that I picked up for ten bucks and managed to break after a few months. Of course, this means I already had a couple headsets, a car charger, and wall charger so I didn't have to buy new ones. Yea, I was tempted to get the Moto ROKR phone and sell my prize phone to cover most of the costs, but I still would have been about 50 bucks out of pocket.

So, thanks, Lord, for treating me to a new toy!

The other dayI came across a nifty tune from Will Smith's Lost and Found album - "Ms. Holy Roller" - and like any time I come across what appears to be a Christian song from an artist that doesn't normally publish in that genre I check out the lyrics.

"Ms. Holy Roller"

[INTRO]
Mic check 1, 2.. this is dedicated to an old friend of mine, Michelle...

[CHORUS]
Ms. Holy Roller, new angel, got ya Bible out shoutin' and you're ringing a bell
mid-life, reborn, can't wait to tell, if I don't believe what you believe,
I'm going to hell...
I've been down with Jesus since Sunday school & Easter speeches
The Bible was survival, that's what my grandma would teach us
Since I was 5, I've been dying and trying to read it When I did I did, it redefined it
Now you was 34 when you found Jesus after your life fell to pieces
Wife two times, with two guys, now enlightened in speeches
Seemed to flow out your mouth with the hype of a preacher
Took your whole life to reach you, now I'm a trifling creature

[CHORUS]

Come on, if I die right this second, I reckon that God would simply check
into my life & times, dissecting my rhymes, he'll see how I've been leading his troops
You can't do dirt your whole life then say "oops'!

[BRIDGE]
Now where was Jesus, when you life then you was cheatin', when you was deceiving me?
Where was Jesus when you greedy, your lawyers was bleeding me?
Where was Jesus when every weekend, a new man living with you?
Oh, wait he was with me, trying to keep me from killing you?
Now, where was Jesus when you was lying & you was betraying me?
When I was trying to make it, you was hatin' delayin' me, huh?
Where was Jesus when the ice was thrilling you,
Oh, he was he with me trying to keep me from killing you!
If I ain't know Jesus, ain't no telling where I would be
It's been nights I felt like feces; I needed to fight to release it
I'm in the limelight, it's hot & the heat is ceaseless,
Holding my tongue while little bums cut me to pieces
The only reason's cause I studied the life of Jesus &
Venting with my pen, intending to write & release it
But when an ex-friend would slight me or slam me with venom
I hate it, I can't stand it, damnit, I really resent it
I always strive to be righteous, my version of God
The reason why I never write verses with curses inside
The reason I never purposely hurt persons,
I've applied many teaching of God,
Searching the reaches of God
Pondered the mysteries of why you be dissing me,
I adore you all I hope for you is freedom from misery
You made mistakes & blunders, you breaking from under
But yo, If I'm going to hell, it's making me wonder.

[BRIDGE]

The greatest atrocities ever committed on this planet have been in the
name of God
This country was founded by Puritans, for the expressed purpose of
oppression-free worship
Your attitude is the same arrogant, fearful fundamentalism that fueled the
hatred of the Crusades
& the attacks on 9/11.
If we are not allowed to worship God as groups & individuals free from
persecution, in respectful
Tolerance, there's only one outcome...

[CHORUS]

Hmmm. Not sure about this one. I've never had to take pause on Mr. Smith's works before and he's always seemed to be a stand-up guy that avoids the usual topics and foul language found in most Hip-Hop/Rap. There's just something a little wrong here? Maybe I'm just tired. A fresh eye is the thing to do.

Right. 'Splain to me what that picture of the nicely buxom young lady has to do with the story it accompanies?

So-called 'Page 3' girls are rather well known, even in the States, but aren't mentioned in this story. Well, it got my attention.

Yahoo! News has a great 'roll-over' feature that I wish all news sites would adopt. Simply mousing over the headline link pops up a box (much like Windows Tooltips) that shows a brief paragraph from the story and a related picture. But how this picture is relevant, I don't know.

Just the day after I write about product placements on TV our friends the Foxtrots give us their spin on the trend:

Well known for irony and punnery, Foxtrot delves into topical issues now and then but without the sarcasm other strips are noted for. Thanks!

Just this morning American Public Media's Marketplace had a report on product placement in TV programs. I've written about it, too. If you think back to the movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), you'll recall that this isn't a new idea. The M&M/Mars was out bid by Hershey so their colorful, kid-friendly confection M&Ms weren't in the movie despite prominent placement in the novel. That's how the critter's favorite candy turned out to be Reeses's Pieces.

Movies have always had some sort of deal like that. But TV's legacy is in sponsorship deals. With the increasing use of digital video recorders more people have the ability to skip traditional adverts and advert execs are looking to the motion picture model.

So in comes product placement. Companies pay TV show producers to write scripts that sometimes not-so-subtly feature their product. In a post from February of this year I noted that in an episode of CBS's Joan of Arcadia iPods and some brand of snack chip stood out nicely. On tonight's episode of Medium (NBC) they, too, did a nice job of sneaking in a product placement for the up-coming movie Memiors of a Geisha and then had an advert for the movie first in line during the very next break. And the show's Web site is running a contest to go see the movie's premiere.

I guess that's how money is going to be made from now on. Especially now that TV shows are being sold by the episode on iTunes and through other sources. And unless it becomes extraordinarily annoying (or extraordinarily poorly done) I won't mind. It adds a hint of reality to the programs. After all, when my coworkers and I chat during down time we don't avoid brand names. And who turns product packaging around so the labels don't show when they put things away at home?

I almost went to bed without reading the funnies. Today's top strip: Andy Capp

Another example of my theory that the best humor is fully grounded in real life. My mom always said that my dad had selective hearing and my then-wife used to say the same things about me, too. Maybe it is true.

When I was taking the Listening Skills portion of the National Teacher Exam a number of years ago I was lining up my pencils, straightening my papers, and counting the hours until lunch when I suddenly realized the test had started. Apparently I wasn't listening.

Per their Website's self-description, "The Capitol Steps, the only group in America that attempts to be funnier than the Congress, is a troupe of current and former Congressional staffers who monitor events and personalities on Capitol Hill, in the Oval Office, and in other centers of power and prestige around the world and then take a humorous look at serious issues while providing a nationwide laugh for millions..."

I can't recall how hard they came down on the Clinton administration, but they are certainly having their way with the Bush II administration. Regardless of political leaning, however, you have to appreciate the quality of the satire. These folks deserve more time in the spotlight than they get.

"Korea," sung to the tune of West Side Story's "Maria," is a fabulous piece that not only pokes fun at the president's alleged intelligence (take that any way you wish), but brilliantly skewers foreign policy and celebrity politics. Probably the best work I've heard lately, though, is "Evolution" from the album It's Not Over 'Til The First Lady Sings. Its a great faux advert for the mock album The Greatest Hits of the Kansas School Board and rakes each side of the Evolution issue over the coals.

Like any political humor the songs quickly become dated, but those of us with an historical bent and a funny bone will appreciate the Capitol Steps for some time to come. After all, I still listen to Vaughn Meader's The First Family albums (related link1 link2). And hiding out still in its original cellophane is the follow up album about the "other" first family of the time, the Kruchevs. I would love to listen to it, but I'm sure that if I keep it pristine someone will give me double what I paid for it -- $2.00 at a yard sale.

A key difference between the efforts like Meader's from the '60s and the most recent political comedy - like the Capitol Steps - is the tone. I suppose humor turning bitter and adversarial is cyclical (think of the political cartoons from shortly after the American Revolution) but I'm beginning to tire of the negativity. I certainly look forward to some non-partisan humor. Bring on the irony!

Once again I really have nothing to write about today. Yesterday's single post really just popped out of nowhere. Today, nothing in particular happened that was noteworthy. I got tires rotated on the Focus and the oil changed. While waiting for that I found myself getting some goodies in the Disney Store. A quick trip to buy some holiday candy at Hershey's Chocolate World followed. Then I wound up watching a couple movies. Other than that, it was just a day.

One of the movies was After The Thin Man, from The Thin Man series with William Powell and Myrna Loy. These movies feature some really terrific acting from the leads and even the most minor supporting actors considering most were shot in just a matter or weeks. This one has the distinction of being the only film in which Jimmy Stewart was the villain (sorry for the spoiler). I'm so glad they finally came out with a DVD boxed set. With my VCR not working at its peak breaking out the tapes is something of a pain in the toochis.

Later, Daredevil (2003) showed up on TV and I was rather keen to watch it because I caught some bits the other day that I didn't recall seeing at a first-run theater. I hope they don't spoil this film with a sequel. It is a really good one-off movie. Fine acting all around with some rather good fight sequences. Nice cinematography, too.

Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can tackle some of the leaves around my house and do laundry. Maybe I'll sneak in a couple more of the Thin Man movies or finally get around to watching the Star Wars - Clone Wars DVD that I know Netfilx has sitting in my mailbox. With any luck there will be a cheeseburger tucked in (pun intended) somewhere.

After watching one of the latest TV adverts for Vehix.com I'm not sure I want to shop on the Internet any more. A guy is using a mechanical crane vending machine to pick out an electric blue Ford Focus. He drops it into the chute and a car "magically" drops in behind him. But it is an electric blue Chevy Cobalt. Cute commercial, but hmmm ....

Actually, I did buy my electric yellow Ford Focus on the Internet nearly 5 years ago. It wasn't a bad experience, it saved a bit of money, and I love my car. Just the other week I was able to fold down the back seat and stuff in a snow blower and a lawn mower. She gets great mileage, too. With my new tires I can get over 30 m.p.g. on the highway if I watch my speed.

Thinking about Pat Robertson's latest faux pas was just a bit deeper than I wanted to let my mind slip tonight. Thank goodness for Dave Coverly's Speed Bump and "Feelin' Alright" by Traffic from iTunes. TGI tomorrow is F!

"I'd like to say to the good people of Dover, if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God. You just rejected him from your city..and don't wonder why he hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm saying..I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city and if that's the case, then don't ask for his help because he might not be there" (Pat Robertson, 10 Nov 2005).

And I'd like to say to everyone who prior to this assumed that Christians were kind, loving people: Mr. Robertson doesn't speak for anyone but himself. This latest broadcast simply confirms that the controversial televangelist has lost touch with his Christian roots. God isn't about politics, but rather He is about a caring, personal relationship. Because of this, He can be called upon at anytime, disaster or not, just by accepting His love. That He gave us his only Son is proof that God has not rejected us and that He never will (John 3:16). Mr. Robertson, you have forgotten this by believing that you have the authority to mete out God's graces when this is reserved to the Lord alone. Your actions, sir, are a grand violation of the 2^nd Commandment as you should well know.

Once a respected leader in the Christian community, Robertson has rapidly become a lightning rod for criticism for comments such as today's shaming of a town and a recent call to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. But this is nothing new. When Jerry Falwell, another well-known televangelist, blamed the terrorist attacks of 9/11 on the moral decay of the United States, Robertson was quick to agree. Today's pronouncement is therefore not a shock, but is nonetheless regrettable.

So to all my friends and acquaintances that know me as a Christian, I am sorry for Robertson's remarks. Take a few moments to read the Bible and you'll see that in his zeal to be a bastion of right-wing conservatism he has forgotten 1 John 4:20 - "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." True brotherly love means that one doesn't abandon others as Mr. Robertson's remarks indicate he has. And for that, too, I am sorry.

"We are alone, absolutely alone on this chance planet: and, amid all the forms of life that surround us, not one, excepting the dog, has made an alliance with us." - Maurice Maeterlinck (1862 - 1949)

Apparently the author had managed to miss meeting the Lord during his studies at a Jesuit college. Anyone who knows God is never alone. Nor is it apparent that Mr. Maeterlinkc has read "Footprints in the Sand" by Mary Stevenson, for if he had, he never would have uttered such a bleak statement. This poem elegantly interprets the experience of knowing God in a close, personal relationship.

Some of today's headlines show one of the beautiful aspects of the United States - freedom of choice. Two states reached different conclusions on the latest debate on teaching Evolution.

Voters in Dover, PA made it clear what they thought about a school board that mandated the teaching of Intelligent Design (ID) by voting in candidates from the opposition (source). Newly elected Democrats are likely to withdraw the requirement that a special paragraph about ID be read before teaching anything about Evolution. The trial in the state capital still hasn't been settled, but the issue may well be dead.

Unless you are in Kansas. Intelligent Design proponents won a victory there (source) with a "6-4 vote [which] reverses a 2001 decision that affirmed Darwin's theory of natural selection. That vote came two years after most references to the theory were removed from state standards, making Kansas the butt of jokes by scientists and late-night comedians" (source).

Just to make things more interesting, the Catholic Church recently weighed in on the issue. "A Vatican cardinal said Thursday the faithful should listen to what secular modern science has to offer, warning that religion risks turning into 'fundamentalism' if it ignores scientific reason" (source). This is not a new position. The Church affirmed in 1996 that Evolution is a theory with a lot of proof behind it. The wheels of the Vatican grind slowly but inexorably. Look how long it took them to discard the heliocentric view of the universe.

When will we know an answer? That depends, I believe, on how close we are to the End Times. We won't know until we have a chance to ask Jesus in person and by then it likely matter even less than it does now. But it is an interesting debate and one that I pray brings more people into contact with His word.

For your consideration:

• "The Evolution of Darwin" - Yahoo! News
• Darwin at the American Museum of Natural History
• AboutDarwin.com
  

That headline is such a tease. The Yahoo! News article never got around to answering the question. Maybe next week's episode will tell us, but as I mentioned in yesterday's post on this topic I probably won't watch.

Apparently the folks I work with aren't West Wing viewers, either. No one talked about the live episode. There was a brief mention of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, but not in the context of the previous night's activities.

Watching NBC's The West Wing isn't my usual cup of tea but tonight's 'live' episode caught my eye. So once I got my VCR working again to tape ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition I tuned in and found myself fairly well impressed. Some taped segments opened the show (surprisingly they didn't bracket the closing, too) but after a rather funny American Express commercial with Ellen DeGeneres they kicked in with the live portion.

Jimmy Smitts portrays Matt Santos, a Democratic candidate for president, while Alan Alda is Arnold Vinick, the Republican candidate. Nearly three-quarters of the way in I'd have to say "Let's elect Alan Alda." As a radical centrist, I'd also say "Jimmy Smitts for vice-president." The network's 'instapoll' on their Website showed others disagreed when I checked it half-way through the hour. Both 'candidates' made some excellent points, particularly the statements about the economy in Africa and alternatives to gun controls. I'd have to give the edge to the Vinick character, though, as being more in control of his disposition, having a greater command of his talking points, and generally having a better presentation.

I certainly hope that some creative teachers are recording this and developing materials to turn the broadcast into a valuable teaching tool. All the issues discussed were contemporary and relevant and I'm glad they avoided the 'war for oil' discussion until the very end. Putting that in the forefront would have seriously colored any subsequent topics.

Thank you, NBC. That was nicely done. It almost makes up for the Last Comic Standing tragedy.

It's funny how often I open my Bible and find the answer I was looking for on the first page I see. Yesterday's 'Daily Wisdom' (at left) was just what I needed.

Isn't it great how God works and how he knows our hearts and our needs? Thank you, Lord!

The new iPod shows videos. That's not news. Nor should it be news that the porn industry is already taking advantage of the device update.

"Dirty Downloads Ready to Go on IPods" Purveyors of porn and entrepreneurs who spied a niche when Apple Computer Inc. unveiled its video-playing iPod are proving that sex even sells in tiny packages -? especially when it is portable.

One online social network of amateur pinup girls said it logged 500,000 downloads of the sexy 'featurettes' - three- to five-minute video clips -? in the first 24 hours targeting the new iPod-toting crowd.

Two in five Internet users visited an adult site in August, according to tracking by comScore Media Metrix. The company said 3 percent of all Web traffic and 2 percent of all surfing time involved an adult site.

The Internet accounted for $2.5 billion of the adult industry's $14 billion in U.S. revenues last year, about the same as revenues from cable and satellite pay-per-view showings, according to Adult Video News, a trade magazine.

Vivid Entertainment Group, a major adult video producer that already offers high-resolution still images, video clips and footage from 'voyeur cams' through its Web site, now plans to shoot shorter films specifically for the iPod and other portables.

"It could be a huge percentage of our business," says the company's chief executive, Steven Hirsch. "People love watching adult movies and to be able to carry an adult movie in your pocket is a powerful tool." (Yahoo! News)

I'll leave the down-side commentary to others. Let's look at the upside: If it hadn't been for the porn industry, home videotape recorders, personal camcorders, DVD players, and even the Internet would not have advanced as quickly as they did. Conventional entertainment sources could not have driven changes with such speed and magnitude.

No, I'm not defending the porn industry. But I am for giving it the credit that it deserves. But our society has to decide if having moral decay accelerate at a rate proportional to the growth of technology is a price we are willing to pay.

Things have been a bit slow at work lately and we've all been looking for ways to fill the time once we've caught up on everything possibly work related. A couple of the ladies were talking about food the other day and the topic of Blood Sausage (or Blood Pudding) came up. I leaped into the conversation with material I gathered at the only commercial reference site (fortunately, a good one) we can access through the server blocks. For my own amusement I also looked up haggis and learned the following:

Since many countries' food safety laws outlaw some of the ingredients in haggis (for example, United States law forbids the sale of any animal's lungs for human consumption), expatriate Scots and Scots descendants overseas have been known to engage in haggis smuggling to obtain true Scottish haggis.

Haggis is an amusing subject for many people. Those who ask a Scotsman for information about it will rarely get a straight answer. A common "answer" to the question "What is a haggis?" often goes along the following lines. "A haggis is a small four-legged Scottish Highland creature, which has the limbs on one side shorter than the other side. This means that it is well adapted to run around the hills at a steady altitude, without either ascending or descending. However a haggis can easily be caught by running around the hill in the opposite direction." (see wild haggis) Surprisingly the humorous myth is believed by many tourists, thus they are shocked - and possibly disappointed - to hear the truth.

Haggis is also used in a sport called haggis hurling, involving throwing a haggis as far as possible. (source)

Now as with as much of an Anglophile as I claim to be, I have to admit that I don't fancy the food. Haggis, Blood Sausage, and even a traditional full 'cooked breakfast' are quite to my liking. However, I do get peckish for some 'Spotted Richard' now and again if I forget it includes suet. I really must learn to cook.

Whoa! I don't even remember what got me looking for Christmas songs, but I just spend that last 90 minutes browsing and searching iTunes for a bunch of them. Some 45 or so tracks are now sitting in my 'Wish List' for me to pare down to about 20 before purchasing. That includes eight variations on "Carol of the Bells," one of the best tunes ever written; three variations of "I'll Be Home For Christmas, one of my mom's favorites; and a scad of Jazz tracks headed up by several from Etta Jones.

I'm not going to make any decisions tonight. Actually, I should wait a couple more weeks, but I have to do something before December as I'm going to Maine in the first week to celebrate Christmas with family and I'll want the tracks for the trip.

(Photo: L to R - Aunt Iola, Mom, Aunt Ginny - Christmas 2002)

Whenever I discuss the Harry Potter stories with my right-wing Christian friends (just kidding) or anyone else that feels the same way, I challenge them with the idea that perhaps the "magic" in the stories is really just an example of Clarke's Third Law:

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
- from Profiles of the Future: An Inquiry into the Limits of the Possible, 1961.

Several posts in my blog over the years have discussed this and used the moving, interactive paintings featured in the stories as examples. The electronic ink story recently in the news and especially my post about binoculars from earlier today continue this theme.

Recently I have begun to think that this can also be applied to the current Evolution debate. Isn't the idea behind Intelligent Design essentially what Clarke has asserted? My pondering leads me to conclude the answer is "Yes!" and here is why: It is the simplest explanation.

Of course I'm not the first to apply Ockham's razor (Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem or "Given two equally predictive theories, choose the simpler" if stated as Pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate) to the debate as it is an integral part of the Scientific Method (also see application to religion). Adding Clarke's 3^rd Law, though, seems unique and it fits very nicely by allowing for Evolution as postulated by Darwin to be a tool in the toolbox of any Intelligent Designer. We can now allow for miracles - something we have as yet to discover a concrete, scientifically testable explanation without giving offense to either side.

Something I find amusing, though, is that both theories - Evolution and Intelligent Design - are advancing due to the conflict. Anthropologists believe that a culture advances when it has something to struggle against such as weather, climate, or another culture. This spurs advances in technology or social structure. Struggling against ourselves, the contention between proponents and opponents of each theory are thus helping each other strive to be something better. I hope that by recognizing the potential influence of Clarke's 3^rd Law the results can be more beneficial to society.

The Bushnell^® Instant Replay 8x32 binocular can record 30-second continuous loop video or take digital photos with 3.2 megapixel resolution. It features a pop-up LCD screen, 32MB internal memory, multi-coated optics and a compact flash memory card slot.

Cor! If that doesn't sound like the Omnioculars from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire then I don't know what does. Okay, it is missing the play-by-play commentary and the player identification features -- or does it? Has anyone taken a pair to a Quidditch match yet?

Guy Fawkes appears in the 2002 List of "100 Great Britons" (sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public), alongside such other greats as David Beckham, Aleister Crowley, Winston Churchill and Johnny Rotten. Cynical Britons are sometimes known to ironically comment that Guy Fawkes was the only man to go to Parliament with honourable intentions.In an interesting example of semantic progression, Guy Fawkes has become immortalised by one of the most common words in the English language, particularly in American spoken English. The burning on 5 November of an effigy of Fawkes, known as a "guy," led to the use of the word "guy" as a term for "a person of grotesque appearance" and then to a general reference for a man, as in "some guy called for you." In the 20th century, under the influence of American popular culture, "guy" gradually replaced "fellow," "bloke," "chap" and other such words in that country; the practice is spreading throughout the English-speaking world. (source)

For your consideration:

• Britannia article on Mr. Fawkes
• Guy Fawkes and Bonfire Night
• BBC News "Halloween v Guy Fawkes Day"
• Google search results

- Toilet Paper
- Bud Light
- Keystone Ice
- Budweiser
- Red Dog
- Other alcohol
- 7-^Up to help stretch supplies
- Mustard (yellow)
- Piece of plywood to float your old lady & booze

It just warms my heart to see that someone had a plan during the recent hurricanes along the U.S. Gulf Coast. They saw a need, found the necessary materials, and implemented the plan. FEMA could learn much from such talented individuals.

Sorry, but one of my favorite rednecks sent this to me at work and I had to post it here. On a serious note, please visit FloodSmart.gov to complete a personalized flood risk profile. Floods are America's #1 natural disaster. I live a few miles from a creek that floods several times annually and wipes out houses every 30 years or so. While I'm not at much of a risk from the creek itself, it could happen just from ground saturation.

It is common knowledge that most blogs are simply reposts of content found on other blogs or of news stories. That's something that I've tried to avoid though I do cite my sources and add a "For Your Consideration" section to recommend sites with more information (i.e., my post from 29 Oct). Recently, though, I found a story that is rather important so here is a 'reprint' from Yahoo! News.

Popular Snowman T-Shirt Raises Concerns

By DESMOND BUTLER, Associated Press Writer
Fri Nov 4, 4:44 PM ET

One of the hottest-selling T-shirts around the country shows a simply drawn snowman with a menacing expression.

It's not Frosty's evil twin. The image popularized by drug-dealer-turned-rapper Young Jeezy symbolizes those who sell a white substance known on the street as snow: cocaine.

Anti-drug campaigners and education officials are alarmed, saying the T-shirt and others like it are part of sophisticated marketing campaigns using coded symbols for drug culture that parents and teachers are not likely to understand. Some schools are banning kids from wearing the snowman images.

"The snowman is made of white, grainy stuff like sugar," said 12-year-old seventh-grader Mailik Mason, standing next to his mother in a Manhattan store selling the snowman shirts. "It has to do with a certain drug, crack or coke."

Young Jeezy's hit debut album, "Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101," peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard album charts. On one of his songs he raps, "Get it? Jeezy the Snowman / I'm iced out, plus I got that snow, man."

The shirt was first produced solely for Jeezy by Miskeen Originals, a hip-hop fashion firm in New Jersey, the company says. The owner, Yaniv Zaken, says his artists produced a handful for the rapper to wear on TV appearances.

They then sold a larger batch to retailers, but pulled them when Zaken discovered that his employees had not licensed the T-shirt from Jeezy.

"I wasn't sure what the snowman meant until the artist explained to me that it was a drug dealer, the man delivering snow," Zaken said. "Now everyone is selling the snowman Â? all unlicensed. It's become a street-hood hit worldwide."

A spokesman for Young Jeezy's record label, Def Jam Records, confirmed that the rapper held the rights to the snowman image but declined to comment on complaints that it was sending children the wrong message.

"This is part of a phenomena in which parents have no idea what their children are exposed to. There is a code that children are aware of but not parents," says Sue Rusche, president and CEO of the anti-drug group National Families In Action.

Rusche's organization has tried to pressure companies that they believed were targeting children with drug messages, like fashion companies marketing "heroin chic" in the 1990s. She was unaware of the snowman T-shirt.

Mason says he'd like to have a snowman T-shirt Â? but that his school in Brooklyn has banned it. His mother, Autherine Mason, 34, said she had been unaware of the snowman's meaning and wouldn't buy it for her son now that she knows.

Dr. Gilbert Botvin, director of the Institute for Prevention Research at Cornell University Medical College, has been studying what influences children to use drugs and alcohol. He believes that pop culture does play a role.

"The research tells us that influences coming from the media can have a profound effect on kids and influence them to use drugs," he says. "All of these things help to convey the impression that engaging in these behaviors using drugs is normal and that drugs might help you be successful or sexy or something."

Botvin says parents need to educate themselves about the media their kids are consuming and pressure schools to monitor what messages they allow students to advertise.

But sometimes it's hard to overcome the buzz on the street.

Ali Kourani, a Manhattan wholesale salesman, says the T-shirt is their top seller across the country.

"It's big money," Kourani said.

(AP Photo/Jeff Christensen)

Apologies to AP News for any potential copyright infringement, but that's a story I think everyone should know about. Following is my normal means of sharing news stories, the excerpt.

"Electronic paper moves from sci-fi to marketplace" - 'Electronic paper' is a display technology that makes possible flexible or even rollable displays which, unlike current computer screens, can be read in bright sunlight.

A number of companies are currently working on such displays -- LG.Philips LCD and Massachusetts-based E Ink announced last month that they have developed a protype 10-inch display, and Fujitsu showed a color display in July.

Philips' Polymer Vision unit aims to mass-produce a rollable 5-inch display by the end of 2006, and among the first consumer products is a watch with a curved electronic paper display from Seiko Epson, due to hit the Japanese market next year.

Electronic paper was invented in the 1970s at Xerox' Palo Alto Research Center by Nick Sheridon, who now works as research director at Xerox subsidiary Gyricon, which makes electronic paper signs.
(Yahoo! News).

Remember the newspapers from the movie Minority Report (2002)? That's where electronic paper is heading - live, wireless updates. Imagine being able to close your laptop computer and have it fit into a file folder in your briefcase. Astounding. No wonder I've been following news about electronic paper since the 70s.

Check out E Ink's explanation of the technology and then click around on that site for example applications other than signs.

Just finished re-re-reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire so I'm ready for the movie. Bring it on. Let's see how a sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishible from magic. Also coming soon ... a post on Harry Potter and Evolution ... a post on Wizardly binoculars.

Wandering through the grocery store this evening I noticed that the Christmas candy was already on display and looked like it had been there since before Halloween. C'mon! We haven't even celebrated Id al Fitr or Thanksgiving yet!

Okay, I'm getting ahead, too. I've been putting Christmas songs in an iTunes waiting list for months. And I bought Jeff Foxworthy's "Redneck 12 Days of Christmas" and Bill Engvall's "Here's Your Sign Christmas" already. Eight more songs await as does the Veggie Tales The Incredible Singing Christmas Tree album. Well, I'll probably get just a couple tracks from that.

And I've been purchasing presents for people since at least August. Not many and nothing big, but a few here and there. I haven't really been in a jolly, holiday mood in years and haven't decorated since my daughter's last Christmas. But more than I dislike getting presents I like giving them in abundance. And I don't usually need a holiday.

I'd better get going with the wrapping, though, 'cause I'm going to be celebrating in early December with half the folks on my list. That's the only time I could manage to take off before the end of the year. Maine, here I come. In a month.

• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is now in my possession. I look forward to screening it. So far I've looked at the deleted scenes (not enough present) and the "Within A Minute" documentary. I'm only a bit surprised that there weren't more than six deleted scenes, but with the Lucas editing style the movie is fabricated in post as much as it is in production. The case notes say that these scenes were "created just for this release," so I wonder if they were really deleted anyway.
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) is out on DVD, too. Nay, I don't think I'll buy it. Watching it at the IMAX was fabulous, but the 2^nd viewing wasn't quite as good even on a fairly big screen in another theatre.
• I caught part of Ralph Macchio's 1986 movie Crossroads tonight. Excellent soundtrack but the the official album isn't quite what you hear on the screen. Comments at Amazon indicate that the guitar work can be found on Steve Vai's The Elusive Light and Sound album but I can't verify that. It's not on iTunes.
  
• Some gift certificates are winging their way to me so the complete Thin Man series will soon find a proud place on my movie shelf.
• I'm going to have to get around to watching The Musketeer (2001) sometime. Recently acquired for just five bucks new, I figure that was cheaper than seeing it at the movie and I can skip past the parts that bored the critics.