Apr 30, 2003
Apr 25, 2003
There was a special tonight on abc about the dixie chicks, and the recent flak they’ve been getting for the comment made by one of their members that she’s “ashamed pres. Bush is from her state”. Now….i haven’t really talked much about Iraq on the blog, as much as its here for social commentary, because I feel there is no clear cut right or wrong. However, I find American attitudes about the war to be much more unsettling than the actual fighting going on.
An excellent point one of the Dixie chicks said in the interview, one that I think is really quite obvious, and that crazy “patriotic” Americans seem to overlook is that this is clearly, CLEARLY, not a ‘with us or against us’ situation. You CAN be against the war, and still love your country. You CAN disagree with the president and still love your country. The freedom blabber espoused by people who want to kill the Dixie chicks, want to banish them to exile…..it’s just so hypocritical that it’s almost outlandishly ridiculous. You just want to SLAP them and say ‘you’ve GOT to be kidding right??’ Support freedom through conforming you say? Support democracy by subverting your individuality you say? How can you take these people seriously??
And I hate to say it, but it’s a typical knee-jerk reaction by the same (and I’d like to believe) small, but vocal group of people who deep down believe immigrants are stealing their jobs. Who think Marilyn Manson was responsible for columbine. Who blame mcdonalds for being fat. Who sue rock bands for putting on a bad concert.
It’s this ridiculous vocal minority that just gives Americans a bad reputation. Are Americans ignorant? No. I think that’s an absurd comment to make. But there’s this really…REALLY annoying group with the attitude that – hey – you know what? It’s OK to be selectively righteous. To pick and choose when I believe in something and when I don’t.
Don’t listen to r.kelly! he’s a pedophile! Ban him from the radio!
But….it’s ok to listen to 50 cent, an ex crack dealer? It’s ok for every rap video in the world to objectify women and talk about drive by shootings and pimpin ho’s? why don’t you ban rappers who rap about THAT stuff? Is pedophilia suddenly the clear cut line we draw in society for commercial airplay? We don’t mind our kids doing drugs, toting guns and seeing women as trophies as long as they don’t eyeball children?
Jail that 18 year old black kid! He had a dime of weed on him! That’s life in jail! Lock him away! The war against drugs must be fought callously! But oh….poor jenna bush. She gets to go to rehab (and get kicked out of it) over….and over…and over again. Oh, and those rich preppy white guys who were caught with cocaine at their party? They’ll get a warning, maybe a slap on the wrist. It’s ok. They can afford good lawyers.
You have to support the war in Iraq, or you aren’t patriotic! How can you not agree with our president? Go so far as to say you’re ASHAMED of him?? You should be executed for treason!! But….wait a sec. didn’t your wonderful president in his younger days dodge the draft and run from Vietnam so he could go drinking, gambling and lose a crapload of money in failed business ventures given to him from his family? Riiiiight…..
So to people who like to jump on bandwagons…..i just think you should THINK about what you’re saying and whether or not you really believe it. Because honestly. Nothing’s that clearcut! It’s good to have your own opinion! It’s good to filter what you see, you read, you hear! It really is a rampant problem in our society that we just take things at face value, when reality is RARELY what we first see.
An excellent point one of the Dixie chicks said in the interview, one that I think is really quite obvious, and that crazy “patriotic” Americans seem to overlook is that this is clearly, CLEARLY, not a ‘with us or against us’ situation. You CAN be against the war, and still love your country. You CAN disagree with the president and still love your country. The freedom blabber espoused by people who want to kill the Dixie chicks, want to banish them to exile…..it’s just so hypocritical that it’s almost outlandishly ridiculous. You just want to SLAP them and say ‘you’ve GOT to be kidding right??’ Support freedom through conforming you say? Support democracy by subverting your individuality you say? How can you take these people seriously??
And I hate to say it, but it’s a typical knee-jerk reaction by the same (and I’d like to believe) small, but vocal group of people who deep down believe immigrants are stealing their jobs. Who think Marilyn Manson was responsible for columbine. Who blame mcdonalds for being fat. Who sue rock bands for putting on a bad concert.
It’s this ridiculous vocal minority that just gives Americans a bad reputation. Are Americans ignorant? No. I think that’s an absurd comment to make. But there’s this really…REALLY annoying group with the attitude that – hey – you know what? It’s OK to be selectively righteous. To pick and choose when I believe in something and when I don’t.
Don’t listen to r.kelly! he’s a pedophile! Ban him from the radio!
But….it’s ok to listen to 50 cent, an ex crack dealer? It’s ok for every rap video in the world to objectify women and talk about drive by shootings and pimpin ho’s? why don’t you ban rappers who rap about THAT stuff? Is pedophilia suddenly the clear cut line we draw in society for commercial airplay? We don’t mind our kids doing drugs, toting guns and seeing women as trophies as long as they don’t eyeball children?
Jail that 18 year old black kid! He had a dime of weed on him! That’s life in jail! Lock him away! The war against drugs must be fought callously! But oh….poor jenna bush. She gets to go to rehab (and get kicked out of it) over….and over…and over again. Oh, and those rich preppy white guys who were caught with cocaine at their party? They’ll get a warning, maybe a slap on the wrist. It’s ok. They can afford good lawyers.
You have to support the war in Iraq, or you aren’t patriotic! How can you not agree with our president? Go so far as to say you’re ASHAMED of him?? You should be executed for treason!! But….wait a sec. didn’t your wonderful president in his younger days dodge the draft and run from Vietnam so he could go drinking, gambling and lose a crapload of money in failed business ventures given to him from his family? Riiiiight…..
So to people who like to jump on bandwagons…..i just think you should THINK about what you’re saying and whether or not you really believe it. Because honestly. Nothing’s that clearcut! It’s good to have your own opinion! It’s good to filter what you see, you read, you hear! It really is a rampant problem in our society that we just take things at face value, when reality is RARELY what we first see.
Apr 24, 2003
ah yes...summer........which means....movies!
i recently saw a couple asian imports i've been dying to watch for a while, hero and spirited away.
Hero i thought was an excellent movie. It's reminiscent of crouching tiger, naturally, but really is a totally different film. in particular, the action scenes in hero are EXCELLENT. even better i would argue then CTHG. there's just something about chow yun fat with a sword that never really struck me right. it should be guns. he just always looks more 'right' holding guns....hm....now i'm in the mood to watch hard boiled......anyways, hero was really good. great cinematogrophy, and a really good story. i thought the final scene was a bit....uh....contrived, but still, it gets its point across.
and spirited away? wow.
probably one of the best anime movies i've ever seen. i couldn't help but be reminded of alice in wonderland by the whole thing, and thinking about it in hindsight i realize that indeed there are some very striking similarities between the two stories. they're both about a young girl thrown into a situation where she has to grow up quickly. they both take place in strange and bizzare worlds that border on scary, but usually leave you more in awe. just.....a great movie. the animation is superb, the story is captivating and refreshingly innocent. in typical style however, and as most high art anime tend to do, the ending was vague and a bit anti-climatic. i've never been a fan of this trend in anime, but for this ending the viewer at least is given some very obvious clues to figure things out for themselves. but overall, i think it's an AMAZING film. Miyazaki's (sp?) best movie in my opinion. i thought princess mononke was good, but a bit over ambitious - biting off more than it could chew. Spirited Away however is just.....this perfect blend of fantasy, childish playfulness, wonderful scenery and animation....it's the real thing.
i recently saw a couple asian imports i've been dying to watch for a while, hero and spirited away.
Hero i thought was an excellent movie. It's reminiscent of crouching tiger, naturally, but really is a totally different film. in particular, the action scenes in hero are EXCELLENT. even better i would argue then CTHG. there's just something about chow yun fat with a sword that never really struck me right. it should be guns. he just always looks more 'right' holding guns....hm....now i'm in the mood to watch hard boiled......anyways, hero was really good. great cinematogrophy, and a really good story. i thought the final scene was a bit....uh....contrived, but still, it gets its point across.
and spirited away? wow.
probably one of the best anime movies i've ever seen. i couldn't help but be reminded of alice in wonderland by the whole thing, and thinking about it in hindsight i realize that indeed there are some very striking similarities between the two stories. they're both about a young girl thrown into a situation where she has to grow up quickly. they both take place in strange and bizzare worlds that border on scary, but usually leave you more in awe. just.....a great movie. the animation is superb, the story is captivating and refreshingly innocent. in typical style however, and as most high art anime tend to do, the ending was vague and a bit anti-climatic. i've never been a fan of this trend in anime, but for this ending the viewer at least is given some very obvious clues to figure things out for themselves. but overall, i think it's an AMAZING film. Miyazaki's (sp?) best movie in my opinion. i thought princess mononke was good, but a bit over ambitious - biting off more than it could chew. Spirited Away however is just.....this perfect blend of fantasy, childish playfulness, wonderful scenery and animation....it's the real thing.
Apr 23, 2003
Apr 21, 2003
Apr 16, 2003
DID CNN DOCTOR BOOING ON MICHAEL MOORE'S OSCAR ACCEPTANCE SPEECH?
so i noticed this link while surfing around shift earlier. at first i thought "man. i love MM and all, but this just seems a biiiit too paranoid for even me". but out of curiosity, i went and downloaded the video clips. now.....i understand mics can be placed at different places and such, but the ONE dude booing over and over in the CNN clip? wow. he either boo's extremely consistently in volume and tone, or.....
so i noticed this link while surfing around shift earlier. at first i thought "man. i love MM and all, but this just seems a biiiit too paranoid for even me". but out of curiosity, i went and downloaded the video clips. now.....i understand mics can be placed at different places and such, but the ONE dude booing over and over in the CNN clip? wow. he either boo's extremely consistently in volume and tone, or.....
Apr 14, 2003
SARS is a chinese biological weapon?
uh.....not to question the intelligence of russian scientists (heck, look at MIR!) but SARS doesn't strike me as incredibly effective at killing people. and the idea that China would accidently let it loose on its own population seems a bit suspect to me. UNLESS it's a REVERSE biological weapon, purposely released onto the chinese BY the chinese for the sole purposes of killing off old people and sick people, thus freeing up valuable resources that would otherwise be alloted to healthcare and allowing for that money to be spent on military research and development.
but frankly, i don't think the chinese are that smart. on the bright side, maybe this means the Canadian armed forces will get a bit of a budget increase too this year. hmmm.......could it be we're getting more leaky submarines for our birthday this summer? huzzah!
uh.....not to question the intelligence of russian scientists (heck, look at MIR!) but SARS doesn't strike me as incredibly effective at killing people. and the idea that China would accidently let it loose on its own population seems a bit suspect to me. UNLESS it's a REVERSE biological weapon, purposely released onto the chinese BY the chinese for the sole purposes of killing off old people and sick people, thus freeing up valuable resources that would otherwise be alloted to healthcare and allowing for that money to be spent on military research and development.
but frankly, i don't think the chinese are that smart. on the bright side, maybe this means the Canadian armed forces will get a bit of a budget increase too this year. hmmm.......could it be we're getting more leaky submarines for our birthday this summer? huzzah!
Apr 13, 2003
Apr 11, 2003
du finds the cooling sensation of shaving cream up his nose helps him sleep after a long hard day. i thought it would be amusing to photograph his habit for future documentation in case i decide to ever do a study on sleep. laugh all you will, but this is scientific data people. take it seriously please.
Apr 9, 2003
i don't think i'm smart enough to be in university. i'm writing this essay (due a week ago mind you....) and one of my sources starts off with this line:
"It has become commonplace amongst scholars to recognize that a rethinking of paradigmatic scope is required in light of the macrosocial dynamic of our epoch: globalization"
like....DUDE! who the hell talks like that? i mean, i know what you're saying and all, but come ON man. you're like the educational equivalent of a walking dawsons creek episode! will your friends make fun of you if you don't talk like some smarty pants know-it-all? Are you afraid you'll be kicked out of mensa if you use a term that a grade schooler would understand? is it some sort of running bar bet among publishing prof's to maintain a minimum of 1000 4 syllable words for every paper they publish? like, what the heck? ENGLISH people. speak ENGLISH.
sheesh....epoch. who the hell says epoch....? if anyone i knew used the word epoch in a sentence seriously, i think i'd slap them.
well, outside of discussing chrono trigger i suppose...
"It has become commonplace amongst scholars to recognize that a rethinking of paradigmatic scope is required in light of the macrosocial dynamic of our epoch: globalization"
like....DUDE! who the hell talks like that? i mean, i know what you're saying and all, but come ON man. you're like the educational equivalent of a walking dawsons creek episode! will your friends make fun of you if you don't talk like some smarty pants know-it-all? Are you afraid you'll be kicked out of mensa if you use a term that a grade schooler would understand? is it some sort of running bar bet among publishing prof's to maintain a minimum of 1000 4 syllable words for every paper they publish? like, what the heck? ENGLISH people. speak ENGLISH.
sheesh....epoch. who the hell says epoch....? if anyone i knew used the word epoch in a sentence seriously, i think i'd slap them.
well, outside of discussing chrono trigger i suppose...
Apr 7, 2003
neato. the PM will be on campus tomorrow. They'll probably keep him locked away from us like all the other politicians that seem to visit. anyways, the gas to our house has been down, so both our furnace and our stove don't work.
it's not as bad as last time during november i think it was. We could see our breath in our bedrooms that time, but it's still pretty cold in our house now. i would guess around 5-7 degrees in the downstairs bathroom? luckily we all have space heaters for our rooms. damn you you crappy old house......
i've been listening to jason fowler lately. He's a superb guitarist/song-writer from Toronto. he's played at 'cest what a few times too. i keep meaning to go there, but i never seem to have time or company. oh well. it's starting to look more and more like i'll be back home for this summer. woohoo! now if i can only find a job.....
it's not as bad as last time during november i think it was. We could see our breath in our bedrooms that time, but it's still pretty cold in our house now. i would guess around 5-7 degrees in the downstairs bathroom? luckily we all have space heaters for our rooms. damn you you crappy old house......
i've been listening to jason fowler lately. He's a superb guitarist/song-writer from Toronto. he's played at 'cest what a few times too. i keep meaning to go there, but i never seem to have time or company. oh well. it's starting to look more and more like i'll be back home for this summer. woohoo! now if i can only find a job.....
Apr 5, 2003
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