Christmas and otherwise

What I got for Christmas, a Canon EOS 10D:

In other news: I am taking is slow for the next couple of day. Lots of wine make the cold I have bearable, but it’s annoying nonetheless. What better excuse to “unplug man. Get some R&R?” After the chaotic half year I just had taking a break seems like a good idea.

Changing stances on Iraq. Yet again.

“My point is the elections in January are just the beginning of a process, and it’s important for the American people to understand that.” - President Bush explaining how the Iraqi election has to be understood. NY Times

I have a question. Was this a “beginning of a process” as well, or just a cheap photo-op while he new the operation was far from over?

Even back then I said it was a photo-op. (And the editorial I wrote about that event was picked up The New York Times. entry) Now even more than back then I am convinced it was all a staged hoax to “mislead” the american public. Either that or the president and his entire brain trust did evaluate the situation in Iraq completely wrong. Both scenarios do not put the Bush presidency into a good light, to say the least.

It’s also interesting that about a month and a half ago, when the election was still looming the Bush administration was promising elections in Iraq come hell or high water. Now they already moved the election back to January 31 (conveniently after Bush’s inauguration) and do not seem so sure anymore.

Guardian: Signature row turns up heat on Rumsfeld

The pressure on the beleaguered US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, intensified yesterday and threatened to taint his main supporter in Washington, George Bush.

David Hackworth, a retired US army colonel turned writer, reported that Mr Rumsfeld had used a mechanical signature writer to sign his name on letters of condolence to relatives of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Although the charge was initially denied by the Pentagon, Mr Rumsfeld issued a statement on Thursday acknowledging the practice and promising to halt it.

“While I have not individually signed each one, in the interest of ensuring expeditious contact with grieving family members, I have directed that in the future I sign each letter,” Mr Rumsfeld said in the statement. Guardian

He cannot be bothered to sign a couple of letters each day? Is he afraid to face the grim reality of putting his name under the text that informs someone a beloved one died in a military action he spearheaded?

That right there is what is wrong with this administration: While touting “support for the troops” all day long but cannot be bothered to sign his name.

Kristof says genocide in Darfur could easily be stopped

Brilliant column by Kristof today. Here an excerpt:

Early in his presidency, Mr. Bush read a report about Bill Clinton’s paralysis during the Rwandan genocide and scrawled in the margin, “Not on my watch.”

But in fact the same thing is happening on his watch, and I find that heartbreaking and baffling. Mr. Bush’s core constituency, the religious right, has been pushing him to be more active on Sudan, and some of the first people to jump up and down about Darfur were in Mr. Bush’s own Agency for International Development.

Mr. Bush did take modest action (much more than most Europeans), and even these baby steps halted the worst of the killing, saving tens of thousands of lives. So, in effect, Mr. Bush had the ball in his hands - and then fumbled it.

NY Times

no web

Some information for the faithful readers of this page: I am staying with my brother and there are some web-connection woes that need remedied. The upshot of those is that the flat currently has no DSL and no phone service. That means even dial-up is impossible.

Hopefully this can be fixed soon, but until then there will be sparse posts on this site. (Should be a matter of days, but I am not going to bet any money on the German Telekom to actually be helpful. I could tell you stories…)

wasting iPods

Oh the humanity of this.

UK repeals terror law due to human rights violations

Detaining foreign terrorist suspects without trial breaks human rights laws, the UK’s highest court has ruled.

In a blow to the government’s anti-terror measures, the House of Lords ruled by an eight to one majority in favour of appeals by nine detainees.

The Law Lords said the measures were incompatible with European human rights laws, but Home Secretary Charles Clarke said the men will remain in prison.

He said the measures will “remain in force” until the law was reviewed.

Most of the men are being held indefinitely in Belmarsh prison, south London.
(…)
Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead, in his ruling, said: “Indefinite imprisonment without charge or trial is anathema in any country which observes the rule of law.

“It deprives the detained person of the protection a criminal trial is intended to afford.” BBC

Meanwhile in the “land of the free” …

Cell phones may be allowed on airplanes

At the moment, there is one area of business life which is free of mobile phone chatter. There is one place where we are spared the endless bulletins on the minutiae of other lives: only when we fly do we escape the mobile phone.

This week, though, the Federal Communications Commission is to consider how to ease the ban on cell phones in aircraft.

It’s expected to look at two measures: increasing competition to bring down the price of using the phones currently on the back of aircraft seats, and starting to look for technical solutions so ordinary mobile phones can function at high altitudes. BBC

Forget mobile phones. I want WiFi on flights. Some flights by British Airways briefly had a pilot project (pun intended) that offered WiFi wireless internet on some flights, but recently decided to discontinue the service. Other airlines such as Lufthansa are also looking into it.

Not sure how the FCC would allow the use of cell phones, but there is usually a way to get online that way too.

Zell Miller joining Fox News Channel

U.S. Sen. Zell Miller will be joining Fox News Channel as a contributor next month, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported Tuesday. The irreverent “Democrat” is also joining a law firm, though he’s not a lawyer, in a somewhat curious career move. Blue Lemur

Why not rebrand the Fox “News” Channel as Conservative Comedy Channel? It’s one as far as I am concerned.

A watchdog four years in the making

Complaining that Republicans have failed to oversee how billions of dollars of taxpayer money is being spent, Senate Democrats said Monday that they would begin holding oversight hearings of their own, even though they are in the minority and have no subpoena power to compel the testimony of government officials.

“The Congressional watchdog remains fast asleep, and we intend to wake it up,” Senator Byron L. Dorgan of North Dakota, who is chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, said at a news briefing. NY Times

I applaud the newfound drive of the Democratic party, yet would would like to humbly pose this question: What the fuck did you guys wait for? Why did it take four years for this to happen? The biggest deficit in U.S. history wasn’t enough reason to do this? Did you have to lose an election first to get it?

But I’m glad somebody is finally getting it. Oppositions are there to oppose. Hence the name.

NY Times: Strain Is Seen in Giuliani Ties With President

Former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani had a Christmas dinner at the White House on Sunday night, and he attended with an important goal in mind: to apologize to his host for pushing Bernard B. Kerik as homeland security secretary and then watching as Mr. Kerik’s nomination collapsed in legal problems and embarrassed the president of the United States.

That embarrassment has put a new strain on a mutually beneficial relationship that has always been more complicated than mere friendship. NY Times

After the four years of deception, mismanagement and bullying the world has seen Bush do, I doubt that hurt Bush’s image at all. Just one more thing to add to the list, that’s all.

made it

Made it to Germany without any problems. This time all my luggage made it as well. Definitely an improvement from my last two trips.

Time to take a shower and go to bed.

For the airplane geeks among you: I am currently onboard a spanking new Boeing 777-200ER. I’ve been upgraded and am in “Business First” class, which amounts to ridiculous amounts of amenities.

My seat reclines by 170 degrees and I have my own power jack for laptops and the like. Naturally there is a cappuccino machine onboard and a X course menu will be served. (I dated this ahead so it would show up on the siteabout the same time we are scheduled to take off)
Read entire entry

phone habbits

To meet up with my Dad, whose plane landed at the same time as mine, on a huge airport I called his cell phone. It took us about two minutes to establish that I was indeed in front of the international traveler lounge and that I would meet him there.

It’s odd how the “older” generations are not used to cell phones yet in the same way “my” generation is. If I had called any of my friends the same conversation would have gone something like this:

“I’m here. Where are you?” and the response: “I’m on my way, meet you in 5.” Click. Done.

No need to say who you are, the phone tells you that anyway when the call comes in.

I do not mean to harp on my Dad, the fact that his cell phone is on now is quite an improvement. But I thought it interesting that while we use the same tools we do not use them in the same ways. (By the way: The free WiFi service at the lounge is pretty damn fast)

trip to the old world

Just got off the flight from Tampa to Newark where I will met up with my Dad. From here we will via Amsterdam to Maastricht/Aachen Airport where my brother will pick us up.

Florida parent’s on strike in tent call it quits

The parents that “went on strike” to bring their kids to behave better and do chores have called it quits:

In the week since his parents moved into a tent in the driveway and planting a sign that reads, “Parents On Strike,” his bedroom has become Exhibit A.

“International attention for this?” he says, gesturing to the Metallica and Rob Zombie posters on the walls and a few magazines on the floor. “Anybody who’s been over here says it’s absurd - their house is way worse than this.”

On Wednesday, Benjamin returned home from school to find a cadre of video photographers in front of his house, “all holding microphones with these grins, these evil-looking grins on their faces.”

He walked into his room, curled up in a ball, bit his hand and shivered.

“One of the most sunken feelings you could ever get,” he said. SP Times

Good job. The parents were trying to teach their children a lesson about responsibility and ended up traumatizing them in the process. Now that’s true parenting.

Kristof asks for troops

When I grow up I want to be just like Kristof. The guy is doing exactly what I would love to do. Sadly I don’t have the same access to expense accounts that he has. Any rich benefactors out there?

Doctor Says Ukrainian Candidate Was Poisoned

This is starting to sound like a bad Shakespeare play:

VIENNA, Austria (AP) — Dioxin poisoning caused the mysterious illness of Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, a doctor said Saturday, adding that the poison could have been put in his soup.

Yushchenko is now in satisfactory condition and dioxin levels in his liver have returned to normal, Dr. Michael Zimpfer, director of Vienna’s private Rudolfinerhaus clinic, said at a news conference.

A series of tests run over the past 24 hours provided conclusive evidence of the poisoning, Zimpfer said. AP

Deadliest year in 10 for media

Fifty-four journalists were killed in 2004, the deadliest year for journalists in a decade. BBC

What makes these cases even more sad is that there is a faction of journalists who are taking their job so serious that they are willing to risk their lives. Meanwhile a far larger part of the media is satisfied with simply handing the talking points given to them by government officials on to their readers/viewers without asking the hard questions.

A large part of the journalists that died did so in Iraq. If the rest of the media (I am looking at you, New York Times) had done their job properly it would have been exposed that the Bush administration was blatantly lying to the American public in order to force a war with Iraq and the war would have been averted.

The journalists who died while trying to cover the outfall of the war of choice Bush started probably had good intentions, but if the media on the whole had done their job they wouldn’t have been in Iraq in the first place.

Wal-Mart sells f-word

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) — Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which promotes itself as a seller of clean music, deceived customers by stocking compact discs by the rock group Evanescence that contain the f-word, a lawsuit claims.

The hit group’s latest CD and DVD, “Anywhere But Home,” don’t carry parental advisory labels alerting potential buyers to the obscenity. If they did, Wal-Mart wouldn’t carry them, according to the retailer’s policy.

But the lawsuit claims Wal-Mart knew about the explicit lyrics in the song, “Thoughtless,” because it censored the word in a free sample available on its Web site and in its stores. AP

I have this to say: Fuck Wal-Mart.

The world’s largest retailer is also increasingly controlling what we watch, read and consume. They recently banned The Daily Show’s book America. They did so not because the company disagreed with the clever criticism toward American policies, including corporate America, but because the satirical book contained a “naked” shot of the Supreme Court Justices. It was photoshopped and quite apparently a joke, but Wal-Mart didn’t care.

That’s just retarded and one of the many reasons why I do not shop there anymore.

parents on strike pitch a tent in Florida

Looks like someone is trying to make it easier for me to leave this madhouse of a state on Sunday:

Cat and Harlan Barnard have pitched a tent in the front drive of their Florida home and erected signs, one of which says: “Parents on Strike!”.

They say they will stay there until Benjamin, 17, and Kit, 12, start to do their share of the household chores. BBC

God forbid you actually communicate. Yes, I think ridiculing yourself by staying in a tent while ignoring the main problem is a far better approach.

Coming to think of it, that’s somewhat representative of this nations policies, as well.

digital obesity

I was thinking about this just the other day: How many things would I tote around every day if I had a physical copy of every CD, book, etc with me instead of the digital copy I carry around on my iPod, PowerBook and mobile phone. Apparently someone did a study in Britain:

Gadget lovers are so hungry for digital data many are carrying the equivalent of 10 trucks full of paper in “weight”.

Music, images, e-mails, and texts are being hoarded on mobiles, cameras laptops and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), a Toshiba study found.

It found that more than 60% kept 1,000 to 2,000 music files on their devices, making the UK “digitally fat”.

“Virtual weight” measurements are based on research by California Institute of Technology professor Roy Williams.

He calculated physical comparisons for digital data in the mid-1990s.

He worked out that one gigabyte (1,073,741,824 bytes) was the equivalent of a pick-up truck filled with paper.
BBC

As an example: Including audio books, podcasts as well as music, I currently have two months worth of audio content on my iPod. That’s not even including the first 8 episodes of Battlestar Galactica that’s residing on the HD part of it and the 3720 photos I can display on it.

I do not like the term “obesity” though. That would imply it’s something unhealthy. I love having all this choice with me at all times though. If I want to listen to the Beatles, I have all their albums with me at all times.

If I felt like I had to listen to everything it would be a burden. But since I find it refreshing to have the ability of switching from John Lennon to Trent Reznor with three flicks of my hand I find it gives me freedom rather than trying me down.

the matrix has me

No more posts today. I am busy.

“The Ultimate Matrix Collection – The Matrix / Reloaded / Revolutions / Revisited / The Animatrix”

RIAA lawsuits despised by some musicians

Maybe the RIAA will shift course?

The study by US researchers, Pew Internet, suggests musicians do not agree with the tactics adopted by the music industry against file-sharing.

While most considered file-sharing as illegal, many disagreed with the lawsuits launched against downloaders.

“Even successful artists don’t think the lawsuits will benefit musicians,” said report author Mary Madden.
BBC

Don’t get me wrong, downloading music without paying for it definitely hurts the artist and is illegal. But I’ve often poked around the web in order to find something new to listen to. Once I did I’ve ended up buying something from the same artist I had just discovered later on.

Instead of fighting the emerging technologies the RIAA will have to find a way to incorporate them into their business models.

Either that or the RIAA will go the way of the dodo. Not that I would mind that…