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28 November 2001 
Coco
I added to the About page a picture of my cat, Coco, taken this morning as she lounged on the bed while I got ready for work. She's a cutie.
11:07 PM |
27 November 2001
The Most Sensitive War in History
Mark Steyn had a great column in yesterday's paper that I just got around to reading. In it he bemoans how people who are supposedly on our side in this war are bending over backward to be sensitive to the feelings of Muslims, a posture made more offensive in light of the fact that little or no reciprocation is forthcoming. The Commander-In-Chief himself hosted a Ramadan dinner last week, for goodness' sake. Unbelievable. From the Steyn piece:
All I ask is an end to the deeply unedifying spectacle of Western politicians fawning on an anti-war constituency by jumping through increasingly obnoxious tolerance hoops. It suggests we have something to feel guilty about. We don't.
10:48 PM |
New Word Detective
Yay, there's a new issue of The Word Detective out! Learn how "bedlam" derives from "Bethlehem," why "ravel" and "unravel" mean the same thing, and much, much more (including a reference to my home province of Nova Scotia). All interlarded with Evan Morris's unique wit. (But does his explanation of the origin of the phrase "to curry favor" sound suspicious to anyone else?)
Calvinist Ethics
Just because today's Calvin and Hobbes was obviously meant to be ironic doesn't mean I have to take it that way.
Oh, Canada.
The first sentence of an article in my morning paper:
Prisoners canvassed about a proposed new uniform for Canadian jail guards believe it is too authoritarian, according to a $16,000 government-funded study.Oh, Canada.
25 November 2001
Politics of Dancing
Paul van Dyk's The Politics of Dancing is a great CD to run to. Disc 1 is on the Rio right now. His remix of U2's "Elevation," especially, makes me all happy smiley.
24 November 2001
Rio Made Easy
I hate bad software. I hate it as strongly as perhaps only someone who designs software for a living can. If you have a Rio 300 or 500 MP3 player, you have experienced very bad software. That's right, it's the dreaded RioPort Audio Manager. No, it doesn't crash all over the place. What makes this software bad is its ability to turn everyday operations into head-scratching, hair-tearing exercises in frustration. It has the feel of software designed by committee, if saying it was designed at all isn't giving it too much credit. Since getting my Rio 500 over a year ago, I've learned to dread those times when I need to download new songs to it.
Well the other night, I was thrilled to discover RIOsitude. The name is the only thing that has me scratching my head with this software. It's a dream of simplicity. Drag the files you want to download to the Rio into the window. Everything works just like you'd expect it to. Bravo to its German author Josh Jersild! If you have a Rio 300 or 500, go download this program now. You'll save your hair and reduce your blood pressure.
Margaret Cho, Nay; GameCube, Yay!
Saw Margaret Cho at Roy Thomson Hall last night. It was quite a disappointment. I'd never seen her live before, but always found her funny when I'd caught her on something. And my friends Alan and Ivan (who I went with last night) had seen her on her last tour, I'm The One That I Want, and really liked it. The tenor of the evening was set by a completely unfunny opening act by a black drag queen. This lasted a mercifully short ten minutes or so. Then, a 20-minute intermission was announced. We were starting to laugh at the joke until we realized they were serious. Perhaps there were technical problems, but no apologies were made.
Once the show proper got underway it was merely OK. She was best when talking about her family (you've probably seen her do her mother — hilarious) and worst when discussing sex. The problem is, about 75% of the show was about sex — graphic, detailed descriptions of her sex life. Oh, and her bodily functions. I don't mean to say that it wasn't funny at times, but the intimate details were just a bit too intimate for me. She even joked that the gay men in the audience were probably plugging their ears and humming a Madonna tune to block out these parts. Well, she was very right about that, but the straight woman next to me didn't seem to be enjoying it any more than I was.
Oh well, on a better note, Buy Nothing Day was "celebrated" here with the arrival of my new jet black GameCube! Today I went out and, with much effort, managed to track down a copy of Super Monkey Ball. After a couple of hours with it, I can see much time disappearing over the next few weeks as I roll this stupid monkey around in his transparent ball (those Japanese game designers are weird!).
19 November 2001
Human Nature
Regarding "the images from liberated Afghanistan of women throwing off their veils and feeling the sun on their faces for the first time in years" Andrew Sullivan says:
How could anyone have believed that these women actually wanted to live like that? We have become so saturated with the nostrum that culture is everything, that we cannot judge or understand others brought up with different faiths or histories or legends that we have forgotten a simple thing. Some things are simply against human nature. There is barely a child anywhere in the world who wouldn't take some pleasure in flying a kite. There is no human who has ever lived whose life wasn't improved or enlightened by some kind of music. A religion that attempts not to channel human nature for good, but to suppress human nature altogether is doomed to failure.I would change only that last line, to: "Since all religions attempt to suppress human nature (i.e., man's rational faculty), they are doomed to failure."
18 November 2001
Mike Harris at Loblaws
I was out grocery shopping with my friend Al this afternoon and who should I see but the Premier of Ontario himself, Mike Harris. Wow, I didn't know premiers did their own grocery shopping. But there he was in the produce section, picking out baby carrots with his wife — and a very obvious security guy trailing close behind. He's just announced his resignation from politics and reconciliation with his wife, so maybe this is just another sign of him trying to return to a normal family life. I didn't say anything to him (no one was bothering him, which was nice), but if I had I would have complimented him on a job (mostly) well done.
Incidentally, if you are ever in Toronto and want to see famous people, drop me a line and I'll give you directions to this grocery store. Mr. Harris is the third person of some celebrity that I've run into there. The other two were Nik Manojlovich, Canada's gay male answer to Martha Stewart, and the legendary actor Donald Sutherland. Perhaps I should take my camera next time.
14 November 2001
All is Lost
"Good evening, and welcome to All Is Lost."
Perfectly Modulated: Now let's go to our European analyst, Loathes America, for the insight from over there. Loathes, what is the mood of Europe tonight?
Loathes America: Bleak, of course. And properly so. I mean, one does not wish to say that this debacle is what America deserves for its arrogance, its vulgarity, its bullying ways - well, actually one does wish to say it, doesn't one rather? Really, one just hates America. Really, one always has, ever since one was just a little chap. You and your bloody Big Macs. I mean, it's about time you lot got the thrashing you damned well deserve, isn't it?
11 November 2001
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders Fields
by John McRae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
9 November 2001
Lileks on Blacklists
Another great Lileks piece, this one on those bemoaning the lack of dissent in war commentary.
People are free to celebrate bombers, blame the Jews and parade their loathing for America and love of nihilist chic. But when they make a movie, avoid it. When they ask you to buy their books or records or give their institution money, decline. When they show up on TV, mash the remote button with gusto.I won't steal his thunder by quoting his excellent closing lines, but they couldn't be more succinct or more right. [via Instapundit]
Lileks' Bleat
You must read Lileks today. Much, much goodness. A taste:
I’ve written here before about people who believe that skepticism is not only an obligation - which it is - but a modus vivendi, the only possible option for a Thinking Person. The end result of this philosophy is intellectual paralysis. The sufferers are unable to see some things for what they really are. Shown an elephant, their first instinct is to say that it might be the skin of an elephant stuffed with rabbits; just because it’s been an elephant before doesn’t mean it’s one now, and you have to look at who wants you to think its an elephant.
8 November 2001
Phil Donahue on the War
Rosie O’Donnell had Phil Donahue on today. I had either forgotten or never really realized how far to the left he is. He spent several minutes explaining why the US should stop the bombing and focus all its efforts on giving humanitarian aid to the Afghans over the holiday season. It would show the world what a compassionate people Americans are, he said. Imagine how much better we’ll feel on Christmas Eve knowing we’ve helped feed and clothe Afghan children. How are bombs making our children any safer? he asked.
Of course, it’s ludicrous to think that sending any amount of aid will sway the terrorists or their supporters from their belief that Americans are evil personified. But what bugs me just as much as this idiocy is that you just know Mr. Donahue wouldn’t be on national television advocating massive relief efforts for the Afghans if we weren’t at war with them. So, it comes down to helping them because we are at war with them, sending them our money because their leaders facilitated the slaughter of thousands of Americans. Hmm, where have I heard that before? Yes, Phil certainly got the message of his Catholic education, loud and clear.
God love her, Rosie wasn’t budging on her support of the bombing, and for a moment I thought it was going to be another Tom Selleck moment. But her respect for the daytime talk-show pioneer and the fact that, as she said, she would like to be on Phil’s side of the issue (where her political views normally place her) prevented any serious flare-up. Unfortunately, her defense of the war amounted to roughly: I’m angry and we have to do something. But it was still more than Mr. Compassion offered, and it was good to see any vestige of that American impulse to fight back self-confidently when attacked—especially when expressed by someone who voted for Al Gore.
4 November 2001
Emmys
"Think about it: what would bug the Taliban more than seeing a gay woman in a suit surrounded by Jews?" How great was Ellen DeGeneres?! Fabulous. Her opening monologue at the Emmys was hilarious. That standing ovation at the end was well-deserved.
Beautiful Run
Beautiful Fall day. Over there on the right is a picture from my run this afternoon.
Not sweet
Pet peeve: use of the word "sweet" to mean good or cool. Ick.
3 November 2001
Vanishing Verbs
"Today in Washington, around the country, television reporters, talking like this." David linking to this interesting article today. Also including a link to this more recent article on the phenomenon by Michael Kinsley. Hadn't noticed this tendency, but probably newbiquitous from now on.
1 November 2001
WP Sue Grafton Interview
"No one with a happy childhood amounts to anything in this world. That's the drive, the angst, the passion to accomplish." I think that's debatable, but nonetheless, this is a very interesting article on Sue Grafton, one of my favorite mystery authors. In fact, I even went on a vacation to Santa Barbara this past summer as a result of reading her Kinsey Millhone "alphabet series." 
The fictional Santa Teresa of the books is based upon this idyllic little town up the coast from Los Angeles. It was very cool to see Kinsey's stomping grounds. I ran her jogging route and even had lunch at the McDonald's she frequents. And most afternoons were spent on the beach, reading P Is for Peril. Not a bad way to spend a week.
Harry Roolaart
harryroolaart.com looks interesting. Billed as "Commentary on United States Culture, History, and Politics," it also has a gallery of free war-related photo-illustration downloads. (via CyberNet)
Lunchtime demographics
Went to a new place for lunch today and I happened to glance down at the cash register as the guy was ringing up my burrito. There was an array of buttons at the top of the machine, each with a different age-range/sex combination. He pressed the "Male 21-30" button. I'm sure I'll be going back there again.