December 17, 2003

Talk About the Passion

In response to his viewing of "The Passion," Mel Gibson's upcoming Jesus biopic, the Pope had this to say:

"It is as it was."

Of course, this depends on what the definition of "was" is - because I'm pretty sure that John Paul, even though he's well into the "adult diapers" stage of life, wasn't present for the Passion of the Christ.

His statement is pretty much akin to a nerdy Lord of the Rings uber-fan standing athwart the box office and proclaiming "Verily, I say unto you, Peter Jackson, thou hast made a fine recreation of the words writ holy and verbose by Tolkein!"

The obvious difference being that most of us (nerdy uber-fans excepted) realize that Tolkein is, at best, naught but an inspirational mythology, and at worst, hundreds of pages of drudgery. If only we could achieve the same realization about religion on a widespread basis.

In the meantime, let's amend John Paul's statement to read: "It is as it was - in the book I read."

Update: In the comments, Phil Dennison asks:

What are people supposed to get from this movie - besides hearing dead languages spoken aloud for two hours - that they cannot get from King of Kings or The Greatest Story Ever Told?

That's easy, Phil. The answer is: Monica Bellucci.

Gunpowder 1 - Superstition 0

One of my personal business ethics has always been that I wouldn't work for a company that sold a product I wouldn't be willing to use or recommend myself (hence, you'll never see me working for Big Tobacco or The Christian Broadcasting Network). I'm glad to see that the same principle is alive and well (even if it's proponents aren't) in Nigerian witchcraft.

A traditional doctor in central Nigeria has been shot dead by a patient who was testing the potency of an anti-bullet charm the herbalist had prepared for him, police told AFP.

"To confirm its efficacy, the herbalist tied the charm around his neck and insisted that Akor should fire a gun at him. The experiment proved fatal for the herbalist and his skull was shattered," he added. "He died immediately".

My official consulting recommendation is that a product redesign is probably in order. Or maybe dropping ignorant belief in black magic and spooky monsters that go bump in the night.

Belief in Binky the Magic Space Clown, however, is always encouraged - particularly because his birthday is coming up next Thursday. Honk! Honk!

The Big Time

It's official - glurge has gone commercial, with Jesus-tastic Flash animation too!

Something about a fool. And money. And their parting of ways.

December 16, 2003

The Democratic Underground

Comes above ground:

The Washington congressman who criticized President Bush while visiting Baghdad last year has questioned the timing of the capture of deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Rep. Jim McDermott (search), D-Wash., told a Seattle radio station Monday the U.S. military could have found Saddam "a long time ago if they wanted." Asked if he thought the weekend capture was timed to help Bush, McDermott chuckled and said: "Yeah. Oh, yeah."

Upon reading the headline "Dem Rep. Suspicious of Timing of Saddam Capture," my first thought was - honestly - "Wait, I thought Cynthia McKinney got the boot back in 2002?"

I was right; it just so happens that the Democrats have found another wonder-loon to take her place. I expect this sort of conspiratorial nonsense from the likes of the Democratic Underground (so called because they have their heads buried). I, perhaps foolishly, expect better from most others, particularly those in the Congress who, one could argue, are likely to have in excess of three functioning brain cells (ok, ok, it's a reach, but bear with me).*

Rep. McDermott, isn't there some second gunman on a grassy knoll you should be chasing? Maybe aliens and crop circles?

* Meanwhile, I politely ask that Monica Belluci bare with me. Yeah, yeah, so I'm intrigued by her at the moment.

A New Science

After considerable pondering, thought, reflection, and - yes - beer, I've decided we need to add a new term to the scientific literature of evolution. That term is:

Blog Darwinism

No, it's not the survival of the fittest. It's the amazing way in which an Instalanche can force a blog to evolve in the Blogosphere Ecosystem, only to see the forces of blognature drive it back into the organic soup from which it sprung. You know, kind of like what is happening here, now.

Science, ain't it grand?

VATICAN NEWS TOO

Or HISTORY OF VATICAN CORRUPTION: FROM FUGGER TO FUGEES
Volume 321: FUGEES

The Vatican was dissed at its Xmas party by a Diva of Soul.

Still to come at Vatican Xmas Party MMIII: Sinead O'Connor sings "What Child is This?", Rosie O'Donnell and Ricky Martin sing "Do You Hear What I Hear" and special guest star Joey Lawrence arrives to hand out gifts.

Vatican Views

Oh boy. Sometimes the Church ought to just shut up.

A top Vatican official said Tuesday he felt pity and compassion for Saddam Hussein and criticized the U.S. military for showing video footage of him being treated "like a cow."

"I felt pity to see this man destroyed, (the military) looking at his teeth as if he were a cow. They could have spared us these pictures," he said.

Yeah, I kind of felt the same way at first, and then that logical part of my brain screamed: "He's a mass murdering tyrant!" Jesus, it makes you wonder if this Cardinal would have offered Hitler tea and cookies had he not plugged himself in the head before his capture.

Calling Johnny Cochran

Come in, Johnny Cochran:

Saddam Hussein's oldest daughter told Al-Arabiya television network Tuesday the family of the former dictator will hire the best attorneys it can find to fight for her father.

If the mass grave doesn't fit, you must acquit!

Hey, maybe Jesse Jackson will get involved as well, defending his dark-skinned brother from oppression of The Man.

Update: Apparently other people had the same thought before I did, may Allah curse their name. Via Overtaken by Events. Yeah, Allah can curse his name too, why not?

World Wide Review

Today's installment of the much loved DVD review section is: "Brotherhood of the Wolf," a 2001 period piece mixing a bit of the supernatural with the hair of the werewolf, some Matrix-esque fighting sequences, and Monica Belluci in varying state of undress.

What more do you need to know?

You Don't Say

Somewhere, someone could make money running a school for clear headline writing. If they did, we might avoid getting headlines like this:

Prostate Cancer Most Common Among Men

Apparently, women with prostates are the next most likely to get it? Errr....

December 15, 2003

Missing Pieces

Saw this little item over at ResurrectionSong.

Iraq's coalition government claims that it has uncovered documentary proof that Mohammed Atta, the al-Qaeda mastermind of the September 11 attacks against the US, was trained in Baghdad by Abu Nidal, the notorious Palestinian terrorist.

Details of Atta's visit to the Iraqi capital in the summer of 2001, just weeks before he launched the most devastating terrorist attack in US history, are contained in a top secret memo written to Saddam Hussein, the then Iraqi president, by Tahir Jalil Habbush al-Tikriti, the former head of the Iraqi Intelligence Service.

Stories like this come about here and there, and - granted - they are just small pieces. But eventually enough pieces kind of give you a picture of the whole puzzle, even if you don't have the front of the box at hand.

The puzzle I see forming is of the "my enemy's enemy" variety (hell, the US has played that game plenty in the face of political realities; it's a fact of life for those of us who live in the real world - so I imagine it was the same for our pal Saddam).

While You Wait

Or, more accurately, while I wait for the repairs on my car to be completed (no idea what is wrong or how much it will cost, but chances are that loud shriek of terror you hear in about an hour is from me), why not go check out Walter's round-up of the best of the Rocky Mountain bloggers from the last week.

Yes, Walter too has learned that the secret to traffic is a good meme.

Monday

It is definitely Monday.

How do I know? Well, it started with the fact that the weather sucks. Overcast, winds gusting to ridiculous speeds, and the possibility of snow is looming. This, however, was merely the beginning of my woes.

I shower, dress, and go to the car. Close the door. Insert the key. Turn the key. The engine won't turn over, try as it might. Maybe it's the battery? Hmm, all the lights work - radio seems ok. Lets turn on the lights and then crank it. Click. Battery is dead now. OK, fine, let's wrangle the car out of the garage and into the driveway, then turn the wife's car so that I can try to jumpstart mine.

Did I mention it was cold and windy? Really cold and windy?

So, on the slow road to a frozen death, there I am, working in the pre-sunrise darkness. Finally, we're all hooked up and ready to jump it - so I do - and, same problem. It just won't catch.

I assume it's the starter. The battery is quite new and should be ok, and it's not -30 or anything outside. Looks like I'll be missing work today, which sucks because I generally like to use my vacation time for - oh - vacation.

And spending the afternoon at the car shop is anything but. So now I am waiting for the tow truck to arrive, and then my fun day can begin.

Yay for Monday.

December 14, 2003

And Speaking of Iraq

Denver is going to have some unique visitors this week:

Four members of the Baghdad City Council arrived at Denver International Airport late Saturday, looking more like refined American businessmen than fledgling leaders wrangling with how to build a democracy in politically unstable Iraq.

They hope to find answers during their week-long stay in Colorado, where they will visit with elected officials in Lakewood, Aurora, Denver, Douglas County and Littleton.

It's a good thing they didn't come for lessons while former Mayor Wellington Webb was in office. The answer to all their problems would have been hiking the parking meter rates.

Checkmate

Gotcha:

AD-DAWR, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. troops captured Saddam Hussein hiding in a hole near his hometown of Tikrit in a major coup for Washington's beleaguered occupying force in Iraq.

Someone notify the Democrats to mark this issue off their talking points.

Let's hope that removing the fear of Saddam's return from the minds of the Iraqi people will prove a turning point in the occupation and rehabilitation of the country.

And to our troops both here and abroad, you folks kick ass!

(Yes, I know I'm a little slow on getting to this story, but it's Sunday and I do like my sleep!)

December 12, 2003

For those who aren't caroled out...

This site would kill 18 diabetics per minute with ease, but I'm in awe of the coding. (Totally safe to open from any computer with sound.)

PS- If you wanna know why I'm p.o.d with Mel Gibson, just ax. Go ahead and ax. Or are ya chikkin?

Pardon Me

You know it's a Friday and I'm anxious to be elsewhere when I resort to things like this:

You are an enzyme. You are powerful, dark,
variable, and can change many things at your
whim...even when they're not supposed to be
changed. Bad you. You can be dangerous or
wonderful; it's your choice.


Which Biological Molecule Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Found via The Accidental Jedi.

Cream of the Crap

Iran's President, Mohammad Khatami, had this to say regarding the political philosophy in his country:

[Khatami] exemplified Iran as the best for democracy in the region, reasoning the theme with poising (sic) a question: "Where would you find a couontry (sic) the same as Iran, in which authority and centralisation are reduced in favour of the public."

Saying that Iran is the best model for democracy in the region is akin to saying that KFC fried chicken is the best model for healthy fast food. It sure sounds pretty, but it rings hollow.

Rall's Reality

I want to live in the world that Ted Rall calls home:

Straight up. It's time for the increasingly irrelevant influence of centrist-right Al From's Democratic Leadership Council to decide which is more important: keeping control of the Democrats or electing one to the presidency. Dean is the only contender with the cash, charisma and cajones to expel Generalissimo El Busho from the White House--but he needs a unified party to pull it off.

I'm not so sure a unified party is really going to make much of a difference in a situation like this:

A stunning new poll shows President Bush would clobber Democratic front-runner Howard Dean by nearly 2-1 in politically potent New Hampshire - even though Dean has a giant lead over Democratic rivals in the state.
Bush gets 57 percent to Dean's 30 percent among registered voters in the American Research Group poll. In fact, Dean, from neighboring Vermont, does worse in the Granite State than a generic "Democratic Party nominee" who loses to Bush by 51 to 34 percent. Another ARG poll this month showed Dean with a 30-point lead over Sen. John Kerry (Mass.) for the Jan. 27 New Hampshire primary, the second test after the Jan. 19 Iowa caucuses.

It's sounding more and more like the Republicans that are hoping (and for the religious among them, praying) that Dean gets the Democratic nod, might be on to something.

Of Breasts and Brains

One seems to affect the other:

McMaster University researchers proved men can't think straight after just looking at photos of attractive women. Psychology professors Margo Wilson and Martin Daly showed male students pictures of both attractive and non-attractive women. Then they had the men roll dice.

When they threw double digits, the men would get a choice: take between $15 and $35 the next day, or take $50 to $75 after a wait of one week to eight months. The men who had just viewed pictures of "hot" women were far more likely to take the lesser sum right away, says the study, printed recently in Biology Letters.

Clearly, such science has the vast potential to be abused. How long will it be before employment offer letters and even federal tax forms come complete with centerfolds?

December 11, 2003

A Launch Station A Day

Keeps the RIAA lawsuits away.

So, I did it - I sprung the $35 for a year of high-quality streaming audio from Launch. I listen to it a fair bit on headphones at work, and recently bought some 1/4" to RCA plug cables so I can hook my laptop to either of our stereos. Now, I've got the music streaming over the wireless network to one of the stereos, and can enjoy a wide selection of music at very respectable quality, with selections based upon the music I rate.

You can hear my station here. Enjoy.