My Gorram Frakking Blog

Government-mandated Standardized Economy Gauges

In typical fashion, republicans attack good ideas, even ones they have no legitimate basis for discrediting. Just to make the other guy look bad.

In this case, I’m referring to the McCain camp’s response to Barack Obama’s suggestion that Americans make sure their tires are kept properly inflated. They accused Obama of being ignorant of energy issues, but in typical fashion, they are wrong. Most cars on the road have under-inflated tires. Each 1 psi of under-inflation loses about 0.4% fuel efficiency. Most cars are 20% under-inflated. (You can also maintain your air filter. More information on the EPA’s site.)

The amount of oil saved if America were to properly inflate all her tires would significantly exceed the entire production of all new offshore drilling, and drilling in ANWR, combined. Moreover, it would happen immediately (within weeks, or however long it takes Americans to check and inflate their tires). Not 10 - 20 years (which is how long we’d have to wait for new oil drilling production to come online and ramp to full capacity).

Economy Gauges

Another place where you can improve fuel economy is driving slower, and accelerating more gently. I don’t know about you, but I like driving fast and accelerating hard. But if I could see what my actual fuel economy was, I might think twice. I might ease up on the pedal a little bit. Some people might ease up a lot.

Which brings me to my idea: the government can mandate that all new cars and trucks sold in 5 years must have fuel economy gauges. Many new cars already have them (and some, like Mercedes & BMW, have provided them for decades). The gauge should be on all the time (many today are buried in the pages of the trip odometer), and needs to show at least a couple of moving averages: one spanning a few days, one spanning a minute or two. You could get fancier, by making a prediction on when you will next need to visit the pump (in days & hours). Also, the computations need to be the same across the entire industry, so that automakers can’t fudge it, and so you can compare vehicles. They need to be treated the same as odometers, in terms of legal requirements for accuracy and precision.

This one would take a few years to implement, but will have return in much less time than drilling, and will come at a much lower price. It will be resisted by the auto makers who will whine that the requirement will put them out of business. But that’s all bullshit. The BOM on a good display should be less than $50 in production quantity, and the R&D is trivial (these things are not rocket science; the hardest part will be the ID, and they’re doing that already).

Conceivably, the government could even give some of the tax breaks it gives to Big Oil over to Big Auto to help implement the gauges.

I’m sure the republicans will side with Big Business Auto and never allow it, or water down any such proposal until it’s useless. After all, such a change would reduce oil consumption (virtually for free), and we can’t have Big Oil making less money. Fucking republicans. Assholes.

PG&E Claims Nuclear Power is Climate-Neutral

In my most recent PG&E energy bill, there’s a little insert labeled “Power Content Label.” It breaks down PG&E’s power mix by type, with 22% of the power coming from nuclear sources. On the pie chart, that wedge is green, which, according to the legend, means it’s “climate neutral or renewable.”

As it turns out, that’s incorrect. Nuclear power requires refining uranium ore to produce nuclear fuel. According to the Lean Economy’s Guide to Nuclear Energy, “Every stage in the nuclear process, except fission, produces carbon dioxide. As the richest ores are used up, emissions will rise,” and:

Uranium enrichment uses large volumes of uranium hexafluoride, a halogenated compound (HC). Other HCs are also used in the nuclear life-cycle. HCs are greenhouse gases with global warming potentials ranging up to 10,000 times that of carbon dioxide.

There are more shortcomings of nuclear power. I encourage you to read the whole Guide.

Comcast Block Port 25, AGAIN

I moved into a new house, got a new Comcast account for my internet & cable, and not four weeks later, they had blocked port 25, for exactly the same reasons they did it before.

I called the number again, and Eric was very competent and agreed to put in the unblock request. He also helped me to understand why Comcast suggests using a port other than 25. It’s not as ineffective as I had thought, but I still don’t think it’s worth the invconvenience.

His reasoning goes like this: By blocking port 25, they prevent most spamming viruses from getting to open relays that typically run on port 25. Even if the virus is updated to use port 587 (Comcast’s suggested port), Comcast’s mail server requires authentication, and so it won’t be able to send (of course, if they hijack your local Mail client, none of that will matter).

Now, if open relays start appearing that listen on other ports, then it won’t matter.

The real problem is this: Comcast claims that they had reports that spam was being sent from my IP address (at the time it was assigned to me), but they won’t tell me anything about these reports. Now, I’m certain no spam has gone out from my house. My wireless network is locked up tight, the access logs don’t show any unauthorized accesses, and I’ve never run Windoze, so there’s no way I got one of those viruses. So, the report must be in error. But I have no way to track that down.

Hopefully, thought, I’ll get unblocked. And maybe the FCC’s point of view will eventually prevent them from blocking port 25 after all.

Customer Service Experience

Before remembering that I had written an entry about this problem (which had the info I needed), I tried using the regular Comcast online chat customer support. The first time I called, they insisted this was a permanent block and there was nothing I could do to remove it. That, of course, wasn’t true. This time they tried to pull the same shit, and after explaining to them that I was able to unblock it before, she said no, now it’s really permanent. As it turns out, it’s not.

I also have been trying to get a PIN number, so that I can get online access to my account. The agent could only give it to me if she called my Comcast Digital Voice number (a service I have but don’t use because it makes my bill cheaper). She couldn’t even call the number listed on my account (which I do use).

Here are a couple of photos showing our conversation (their stupid chat client doesn’t allow copy-and-paste):

California High Speed Trains Projects—Not as Cool as It Could Be

I got spam from California High Speed Trains identifying me as a business leader (clearly I’m on a mailing list somewhere). The information on the website is sketchy. It’s really just trying to convince visitors that high-speed rail is a good idea.

But I’m watching a video produced by KQED Quest. From what I can gather, they are not planning to build the awesome maglev train used in Shanghai. It looks like conventional electric rail, with a supply wire hung above the track. The video also shows more conventional trains running on the same tracks. In all, pretty lame.

The Shanghai Maglev technology (developed by Transrapid) is superior in every way. The track is typically slightly elevated, preventing wildlife from having their habitats cut in half. It needs no structure above the track, making it much more attractive. It’s much quieter, because there is no mechanical contact between the train and track. For this reason, the ride is also smoother, and faster (430 km/h vs. 354 km/h for the proposed system; the maximum design speed is 550 km/h).

Japan also has a maglev train, but their approach is different. The trains must roll on wheels until reaching a critical speed, and require more power. It also requires superconducting electromagnets.

The California project is expected to require $42 billion and take 12 years to implement. It’s a pity it won’t be state-of-the-art when complete.

Electric Motorcycle Project

I’ve decided to convert my old motorcycle to electric. This involves ripping out all the gas-related parts, and putting in an electric motor, batteries, and associated control electronics to make it all work. I’ve started a new blog for the project, go check it out:

Electric Motorcycle Conversion Project

The cure for “meh”

Follow these steps (even if you seen some of this before):

1. Watch the wonderful Discovery TV Commercial.
2. Read XKCD (and read its whole archive).
3. Watch this:

4. Watch this:

   
   Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

   Not all Americans suck.

Will Smith is a Scientologist? Shit.

I can’t believe it. Another actor I enjoy watching has stepped off the deep end of some nutjob crackpot religion. Will Smith joins Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson in this sad trend. I was going to go see Hancock, now I think I won’t.

The article says he hasn’t admitted to actually joining the church, so maybe I can rationalize it that way.

Feh.

Update: Maybe he’s okay after all, claiming not to be a Scientologist.

Uneffingbelievable. San Carlos is suing a man for having no trash

I couldn’t believe the article when I read it. I live here. I wish I lived in a house so I could do the same thing (I’m in an apartment ‘till my house is built).

People Should Stop Whining About Cell Phones

A recent story about the U.K. possibly allowing cell phone use on airplanes quotes someone saying, “It would drive me absolutely mad if the person next to me was using his phone.”

Now, some people speak more loudly when they’re on the phone than when they’re talking to someone next to them. Those people need to learn to quiet down.

Putting that aside, the only reason to be annoyed by a cell phone conversation is because you can’t eavesdrop on the whole thing. You only get half of it. You know what? Tough shit. You’re not a part of the conversation. Why don’t you concentrate on your own business?

As far as the safety concerns with cell phones, I’m unconvinced. I’m both a pilot and an electrical engineer. I’d be surprised if a cell phone caused any real interference with flight-critical systems. Certainly everyone’s heard the DSSS noise leak into amplified audio channels, and that could conceivably make its way into the pilots’ comm radios, but I doubt it would actually prevent communication. In any case, it should be generally allowed, and each pilot should decide on a case-by-case basis when to prohibit their use.

If ON Air’s system really can allow cell phones to work without interference with aircraft systems, then by all means, allow it!

Don’t forget, without special help, most cell phones won’t work at typical flight altitudes.

Wow. Shit is going overboard

Ugh. What incredible bullshit. A high school senior was arrested for something he wrote for class. All the conservative, uptight fucks in this country need to go jump in the ocean and leave.

When Do My Favorite Shows Start?

(Originally published: 2006-05-30 19:57:02; I update this periodically, and I’ve decided to repost it as current each time.)

This is a nearly-complete list of the shows I watch. Some of these are very good, others I’m tring out to see if they’ll last. A couple aren’t yet on here, because I’m freakin’ tired of making this list (Standoff and Smith).

It’s incredibly difficult to find out when the new season of a show starts. I don’t know why the official sites don’t have it in big letters at the top of the main page. After far too much Googling, I found a list that has some info. I’ve copied the relevant entries here (who the fuck cares about all those shitty reality shows?):

The highlighted shows below I consider to be outstanding.

4400, The, Season 3 (“one hour special presentation”)	2006 06 03 2100
Dead Zone, The, Season 5	2006 06 18 2200
Stargate: Atlantis, Season 3	2006 07 14 2100
Stargate: SG-1, Season 10	2006 07 14 2000
Eureka, Season 1	2006 07 18 2100
Prison Break, Season 2	2006 08 21 2000
Bones, Season 2	2006 08 30 2000
Family Guy, Season 5	2006 09 10 2100
House, Season 3	2006 09 12 2100
Heroes, Season 1	2006 09 21 2200
Grey’s Anatomy, Season 3	2006 09 21 2100
Six Degrees, Season 1	2006 09 21 2200
Ghost Whisperer, The, Season 2	2006 09 22 2000
Numb3rs, Season 3	2006 09 22 2200
Veronica Mars, Season 3	2006 10 03 2100
South Park, Season 10	2006 10 04 2200
BattleStar Galactica, Season 3	2006 10 06 2100
Lost, Season 3	2006 10 11 2100 (projected)
O.C., The (only ‘cause my friend is in it), Season 3	2006 11 02 2100 (projected)
24, Season 6 (“one hour special presentation”)	2007 01
Psych, Season 2 (1.5?)	2007 01
Kyle XY, Season 2	2007

Great New Show: “Heroes”

I just watched the pilot of “Heroes.” I’d venture to say it’s one of the best new shows to come along in a long while. I’d put it somewhere behind “Battlestar Galactica” and “Eureka.” It’s very well written and acted, elegantly designed, beautifully shot, and it sucks you in within the first ten minutes. It has a lot of elements of “Six Degrees” (another show I’m keeping my eye on), which I’m finding very appealing.

I believe it normally airs on NBC Mondays, at 9 pm. They are repeating the pilot tomorrow (Tuesday 9/25/2006) at 8 pm (7 central). Watch it, decide for yourselves.

A Season is 22 Fucking Episodes

NBC (USA, Sci Fi), your so-called “seasons” of The Dead Zone, The 4400 and Stargate (both series) are a joke. 10 episodes? 12? 13? Cheap bastards. Those are good shows, they deserve to run for a consecutive 22 (or more) episodes.

Advertising and ratings suck.

You know what else sucks? “Pro” wrestling. That crap doesn’t belong on the Sci Fi channel. Put it on the channels that the trailer trash who watch that shit watch. Fox, or QVC. Fuck you.

Muir Hiking, Napa Wine Tasting, Sonoma Food Eating

Yesterday I went hiking with some Cal EECS peeps in Muir woods. Been there before, but it’s always nice (except for the part where I bit my tongue).

After that, some of us went to Benziger winery and took the tour, then tasted wine. You’re allowed to try tiny samples of two wines from a list. Then you coax them into giving you one or two more tries. Then you wait ‘till they walk away and ask the next helper for a recommendation. They’ll usually give you two or three things to try, also. And even if the tour guides tells you that the vineyard owner’s personal stash isn’t available for tasting, you can probably get one of them to let you try that, too. Wine tasting can be fun. I’m sure everyone was very impressed with my record-breaking 8 trials.

Benziger recommended a restaurant called Doce Lunas. Delicious food, and the sweetest, cutest server (Jolene) one could ask for. They offer family-style (combo) and a la carte versions of most of their entrees, and their Sticky Toffee Pudding dessert was amazing (it needed more ice cream, but everything does).

All in all, Saturday was decently salvaged, despite having imploded the day before.

Engrish? Wow.

My friend was looking at craigslist posts for a place to live. She came across this gem:

NiCe HoMe RooM - 4 - ReNt - AnD YoU CaN((( SaVe $$$ ReNt is NeG))) (milpitas)

Reply to: ZaMBaKusa@aol.com
Date: 2006-04-09, 10:49PM PDT

@@M 4 _ Rent

PLEASE read the whole post.
& if it sounds good to you, please reply to the Questions below.

I lil give for the good roommate for good deals.
And good For Hess levying to help to that person long is ho is good and deserve for good living.

And A+plus good dependable friendship Maybe even comes to be som day better than may be even three own family.
I do have good hart And I do like helping to pupil.
The way I have bin brood up.
And I have be tech from my own loving family.

NICE ROOM FOR RENT FOR (MALE ONLY) rite (female may be so to)
CARPETED
SIZE OF 11X12
BIG CLOSET
(bedroom has a full bathroom inside the room) all moused p/exit way to coming to the house
$ — WITH UTILITIES INCLUDED (neg.)
$ —SECURITY DEPOSIT (neg.)
CABLE HOOK UP IF YOU LIKE AND WAN WE A GRE
PHONE LINE
SWIMMING POOL
KITCHEN PRIVILEGE NEW RE DECOR/
DINNING ROOM PRIVILEGE NEW FURNISH
REFRIGERATOR, TOASTER, MICROWAVE ALL NEW
VERY QUIET AND CLEAN HOUSE
QUIET AND SAFE NEIGHBOR
AVAILABLE NOW OR SUN
2 - WINDOW`s IN ROOM
VERY CLOSE TO FREEWAYS 237,880,680 AND 237 . 101
ALL SHOPPING CANTER NEAR BY TO

•Well, this is it. I have a room that will be available wan we talk over and agree whit EC other.
•Everything in the house is newly remodeled
in a single family house, Good size-room and House, is newly remodeled and new furnish whit everything.

•Room is about 11X12 and 1 of the window has beautiful modern shaver .
•Nadnice mirer closet door Hill View and 2 windows all moist •All Moist Private Entrance and Very nice and quiet neighborhood, safe neighborhood Full use of the common areas including the kitchen is permitted include
•When you come home to have dinner, relax, and have a nice evening. I am very respectful and I expect the same from you, so no drama, party, or any crazy stuff.

If you really need a place to live and have respect for others in our home then this is a place for you. we do a lot of cooking whit are friends and in the summer a lot of BBQ, up ground pool. soon to come also

Remodeled kitchen, refrigerator, gas stove and a nofe cabinets to use for
and all other - facilities Clean, spacious & quiet home with 1 bedroom/ with your own private bathroom to rent. & $ _ we can a negotii/ includes basic utilities (water, gas, electric & garbage) use of laundry facilities and other parts of home (living room, kitchen,
dining room) also.. The house has a nice yard with a BBQ & patio and a good stocked kitchen some nice fish tanks and stuff. You will feel right at home. Everything you could need in this house you can use for it
& parking is available. As car > port or front parking.
Also, the has a pool open during the summer moths… . . home is a 2 bedroom/2 bath near 880 and 680 in Milpitas

-friendly male (discreet, clean, respectful, pet-friendly)

To>>> >>Share a nice clean house with a discreet, closeted professional >> (whit Open M/maile ) and you must be wary discreet, and clean, respectful >> Open mined >>( W/M.) I hope som one ho is European or italyan Latin .

And I am looking for a cool guys ho is wry respectful,
Clean Open minded Male to we can share as good friend lots of think to be whit.
Not jots as room maid .
Good body and family tips family orientate .
I am down to earth & I am looking for social out going person.
I do love cooking I am ex/ant cook and i love giveing som diner party som times .
And I love to joke I do have grayed hummer and looking the for ho has one to same whit as my room maid .

•I Prefer someone who works during day, home evenings (Senior or disabled be OK to help them to.
•Long is ho has good ATI Tu. and out look in there life)
this is a great opportunity for som adults looking for shared housing at a fair price. •The neighborhood is very clean, quiet and nice. located close to bus stop, shopping

•No smoking in the house and no pet .

•Rent is negotiable with rite person comes long whit Are you looking for a room in a great house.

•About Me
I’m a yung Europein Devours and (S/w/M ) ho is cleen fun, outgoing, considerate, neat, respectful, easy going, and appreciate similar qualities in the person to share the my home.
•Who I’m Looking For: Open Mien Male in the age is are 27 -35 and Gr/ up
age range may be until 50 or so long is person ho is clean and halt/ and in shape who is courteous, responsible, doesn’t smoke in houes or do have- Drug, likes to have fun but isn’t a crazy parties, can pay rent (on time), and who will say hello and talk to me when passing by me

(i am neat aaaaand clean freaks, and i am great cook just want someone who won’t leave food and dirty dishes around.. someone who will pick up food if they drop it, wash dishes after they use them, not leave food in the sink, & help keep common areas clean: like sweep if it’s needed, and take out the trash when it’s full)

• Friendly, low-maintenance and considerate.
• Stable and professional and ho can be hi and low key wan time and place rite whit others to
I’d prefer a person that has a good, clean, easy going atmosphere.
In my house.
And I am Looking for a clean, honest, easy going, friendly roommate(s). I’d have to say roommate chemistry is key.
You have to get along with your roommate and respect each other’s lives, stresses and everything.
I am looking for someone laid back. I would hope that we become friends and can hang out wan we are at home. It is important to me that we build a home; I don’t want to live in a boarding house. Whit boarding roomed

I am down to earth & I am looking for social out going people.
Looking for someone honest and responsible. I am a easy going, and some time a quiet.
I won’t mind washing your dishes that you may occasionally leave behind.
I am not your servant but am always willing to do a few extra dishes or share a meal
It is important to me that we build this a home together keeper up together i am looking for Open and young and strong responsible tenants to add to the home.
to som day that They can be Abel to come up as owners of this place to because i don `t have family in USA i am from over see that’s why

Let’s make this happen the Security deposit and rant is negotiable.
Minimum of time is 6 months rental
or One year lease preferred wan we meed and wan you are conferrable to do so maybe
after you are having meed whit me.

•My Current roommates is: Latino and ho he is age 60 or over person and he is disable I can say this.
He is alcoholic I can say.
I don’t know what he is we have nothing in commend and to talk for Anything.
He has bad and Nasty attitude all he doz.
And all he doz.
is locks hem self in house and in the room drinks all day long I don’t know he is life or dad lots time to in that room.
Orally in the morning some time he comes out in kitchen to get some ice cub for he drinks.

That’s why he like to do what he ones after wield living whit someone.
And than he also curries to breaks the rules and agreement what we have before to when he moved in
I am not going for that again whit any one.

•And I am not looking fore same types of person at all again.
And place be open about your self and anything whit me to lest meed up whit rite person now and on to OK.
And I lil say tanks for fu that to.

I am going to make my Current roommates move out from my house.
Because he takes to much alcohol Avery day and he has open hart serge/ to.
He takes hart Madison and + Alcohol I don `t wont hem to passed out som day or dying in my house I deer.
That’s why I feel sorry for hem but he dozen lessen and I have to do what I have to do.
For my self to the not to let that happened in my house thetas why.

And i hope to find the right person at the `s time to not go true to looking for roommate all the time again.
wan I do find the right person to fit into the household on a long-term basis i hope

•Room: Large RooM with private bathroom & large closets, in-room/cable with •Lines for cable TV and private phone hook up available in the room
Wall-to-wall carpet. Room can be furnished or unfurnished (negotiable).

What’s Needed to Move In?
• I am looking for a roommate to build and share a home together.
• First and last months’ rent are required to move in ($ neg.).
• Rent is due every fist of the month.
• One year or -to-do 6 month commitment;

•Sorry no pet, children, overnight guest or smoker.who is quiet and smokes outside

OK long is not in house.
• NOW, Month to month lease (long term commitment welcomed).
•Serious response only please.
Also what I can do is som times wan I do need som help may be in the house wan you do have time to do so also
• som-part of the Rent is can be a free in exchange for providing some help to that’s deepens to I am adding and still remodeling Som. Area in my house .

• About you:
• -male and open minded male
• -you pay the rent on time
looking for a kindhearted like my self , mentally and emotionally stable Guy who
• - pays rent/bills on time
and open /mien / guy and friendly
cleans up after himself!! seriously!!
• -your name & sex/gender
and i do >>(Puffer/ Whit Male or open / Guy / you must be as Latin Spanish or any one of as >European German Canadian > as American guy and
all that good pupils to know one to.
>>Gobbles America .

• —age/ethnic background
• —what are you looking for in a house/housemates?
• —ideal cleanliness level for the house
• —will all your stuff fit in your room?
interests? job? music taste?
• —what do you usually do at home
• —frequency of and # of guests you usually have over
(we have people over occasionally, and of course you can too, but i hope we don’t want a dorm-like atmosphere in the house) thanks!
I hope you’re the right person, & I ‘ll get back to you.
• -you are respectful of common areas and noise

• So that’s a bit about everything. If you think you might be a good fit, drop us a line and tell me a bit about yourself. Any questions, feel free to ask. Wan we get on talephone confe/or if you can found better dii may be Good luck hunting!

• Interested?
•Please tell me a little about yourself and may be if you do have any of PICS.
your self even beter to that to the best way to contact you. whit your (( phone number)
I lill call you soon as i can OK.
•Place Not just whit e-mail writhing back and forth
•Place and asking so much of non sansei of Que/ OK i don’t have time for that OK.
if you are sive/ person do what it takes or spouse to be to do so OK .
•Tanks again .
• Serious only !!! and tanks Redding my add
• Reply to >> my email Tanks and good lack to began whit also and have great day

Stamps

Being a fairly wired (and wireless) kind of guy, I rarely send out snail mail. I use the web, email and IM whenever I can, and I use an online bill paying service. Hence, I rarely need stamps. I used to alway ask someone for a stamp, and inevitably they refuse the dollar I offer in exchange (lacking change but considering my time to go buy stamps more valuable).

But I finally got to where I have a small book of stamps in my wallet and another on my desk. Now the problem is that I use them rarely, and often have old stamps after the Post Office hikes rates.

Instead, The Post Office should issue stamps for first-class mail with some kind of code, rather than a price. Something like FC-1, -2, -3…etc., incremented each time new rates are effected. I think they already do something like this, but in addition, they should honor older uncanceled stamps as valid for first-class letter delivery, rather than for their face (or book) value. I mean, I paid for some number of first-class stamps, I should be able to use them without having to get extra stamps, just because I don’t mail that often.

Now, I’m happy to have the stamp revert to it’s monetary value when I combine it with other stamps. But they’ve gotten to use my money since I bought them, money that could otherwise be earning me interest. So, I figure they owe me the delivery of several first-class letters.

Nice to know NASA’s well on its way to stupidity

In this Reuters article, NASA’s new administrator talks about how we won’t get to the moon ‘til 2015 at the earliest, and that that mission will likely be followed by a multinational space station on the moon.

There’s nothing on the moon worth the money and the time. It would make much more sense to go straight to Mars, skipping the Moon entirely. We could land humans on Mars by 2015, and have a regular rotating mission every two years, for about a tenth of the cost of the proposed Moon missions.

Bush fucks everything up.

.xxx Will Never Work as Intended

ICANN has finally approved .xxx as a top-level domain. Unfortunately, according to one article, the strictly volunteer use will never encompass the majority of porn sites because ICN, the group responsible for administering the TLD, is going to impose rules about where and how a porn site may operate. Not only that, but domain names will cost significantly more than .com domain names do today:

The new domain will cost less than $100 and will be available to registrants willing to adhere to the predetermined best business practices.

There will remain countless porn sites in the .com TLD, dramatically reducing any “save the children” benefit that proponents claim the new domain provides.

Watching TV in your car

So, I’m coming home from work yesterday, and I come up on this pickup truck with an extended cab and huge tires. I can see through the smoked back window that they’ve got two screens showing video, one in front of the passenger and one in the center for the rear seats.

We get to a red light, and I get close enough to where I can see what’s playing. I snapped a picture, if you want to see. In case you can’t tell, it’s a girl on her knees in front of a guy.

They had the volume up loud enough that you could hear the cheesy music in my car.

Stupid Puritannical Bullshit

That’s the subject line my friend gave the email he sent me containing this link:

http://news.tbo.com/news/MGBU85UDQ4E.html

I can’t even begin to describe the outrage I’m feeling at the parents and the jury, but mostly at the prosecutor. Sure, the babysitter experienced a lapse in judgment, not because she put the boy at any risk (she didn’t), but because of the fucked-up society we live in, where children and sexuality are like matter and antimatter.

“She did a bad thing, but our biggest concern is that she doesn’t do it again,” the mother said, noting that Slicker is now a registered sex offender.

Why are prosecutors so enamored with alleged sex offenses? What drives them to prosecute these cases with such zeal, more so than drug offenses or even, say, murder cases?

The babysitter was a caretaker and a teacher, not a sex offender. The sex offenders are the parents, the judge and the jury. She was caught sitting naked on the couch, watching a Bond flick with the boy. No one has said she engaged in any kind of sexual act, she simply answered a question.

Their son, the couple said, has had counseling and is doing fine.

Like so many cases of this nature, the boy is worse off because of his parents’ reaction. He didn’t need counseling. He needed explaining. Thanks to the so-called counseling, he’s probably going to reveal a “repressed memory” about a sexual act that never happened (no doubt implanted by the “counselors” during their incessant questioning).

I sympathize with the babysitter, and I have nothing but contempt for the prosecutor, jury and parents. They epitomize one of the most serious illnesses in our society today.

20 Hours in America

One of the best episodes of The West Wing is “20 Hours in America”, Part 2. It elegantly and powerfully collects a series of story threads (without necessarily concluding them), so for the best impact you should watch several episodes before it. Among other things, President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) gives one of his better speeches (which is saying a lot, since they’re all very, very good), written by Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe). Of course, the speech is actually written by the brilliant Aaron Sorkin.

In the hours before the speech, pipe bombs have exploded at a university swim meet, killing 44 people. The show reveals the entire staff’s reaction, elevating the importance and seriousness of the attack. As Tori Amos’ “I Don’t Like Mondays” gently begins to play, the episode wanders up to President Bartlet’s speech. We’re revealed a large ballroom filled with guests at tables, and the audio picks up in mid sentence:

…securing peace in a time of global conflict, sustaining hope in this winter of anxiety and fear. More than any time in recent history America’s destiny is not of our own choosing. We did not seek, nor did we provoke, an assault on our freedoms and our way of life. We did not expect, nor did we invite, a confrontation with evil. Yet the true measure of a people’s strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive.

Forty-four people were killed a couple of hours ago at Kennison State University. Three swimmers from the men’s team were killed and two others are in critical condition, when, after having heard the explosion from their practice facility, they ran into the fire to help get people out. Ran into the fire.

The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight. They’re our students, and our teachers, and our parents, and our friends. The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels, but every time we think we’ve measured our capacity to meet a challenge, we look up and we’re reminded that that capacity may well be limitless.

This is a time for American heroes. We will do what is hard. We will achieve what is great. This is a time for American heroes and we reach for the stars. God bless their memory, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. Thank you.

Of course, the speech carries much more impact when listened to, so I’ve ripped the audio for your listening pleasure. I also included a little bit of humor at the end, when their campaign consultant leans over to Sam Seaborn and takes a stab at his extraordinary writing ability (“When did you write that last part?” “In the car.” [pause] “Freak.”). It’s too bad Robe Lowe is a staunch Republican; I want to believe in Sam Seaborn (it shows his acting ability, though!).

Would that we had a President with the integrity and strength of character of President Bartlet. Would that our president had at least a command of the English language, and would that our White House had a speech writer of Aaron Sorkin’s caliber. Sigh

I’m ashamed I’m from Missouri

The residents of Missouri just voted to ban gay marriage (or rather, to define marriage as between a man and a woman). Stupid hicks. Small-minded, intolerant hicks.

Prison Experiment

I am convinced that the facilities and methods of incarceration used in this country are very poorly implemented, and that the “system” chartered to manage it has turned a blind eye, or is otherwise incapable of seeing the wrong in it. Here’s a copy of an email I just sent to a list I’m on:

So, having recently signed up on Netflix, I was picking movies left and right based on their recommendations. One was called “The Experiment.” Here is Netflix’ description:

An artificial prison has been built as part of a psychological experiment in which 20 male participants are asked to take roles as either prisoners or guards. As psychologists watch the results unfold, our focus is on a former journalist who was intrigued by the experiment and volunteered to be one of the prisoners, thinking there might be a big story in it for him. But he ends up getting a lot more than he bargained for.

I didn’t realize until I started watching that the movie was in German. Nevertheless, I found it to be gripping and intense.

Here’s the thing: I just learned that this experiment really took place (NOTE: if you think you might want to see the movie, you might want to wait before reading this material, otherwise it will give things away):

http://www.prisonexp.org/
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/news/relaged/970108prisonexp.html

Not only that, but reading the description of the experiment and their results, and comparing that to the movie, I was amazed at the accuracy of the reproduction.

When I watched the movie, I thought it was based on a fictional story (there was some story credit given in the German opening credits). So, I was sitting there watching, thinking, “this experiment would never be conducted; it wouldn’t reflect the reality of real prisoners, because each of the subjects a) knew he was not guilty, and b) knew he was done in two weeks.”

Having viewed the slideshow describing the actual experiment, I am somewhat sickened by the results. The speed at which human behavior breaks down (moves from decent and caring to power-hungry and abusive) is astonishing.

Here’s a Ruling that Makes Sense

A judge in Rhode Island ruled that a private (religious) school could not punish a student for his hairstyle.

Religion Is the Root of All Evil

In yet another example of how bipartisan rancor has failed us, the U.S. Senate has recently confirmed another Bush federal court appointee.

Reading from the Bible on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, Sen. Orrin Hatch endorsed a federal judicial nominee who wrote that wives should have a subordinate role in marriage, with the Utah Republican emphasizing “millions and millions of people will agree with” that view.

You can read some of Tuesday’s comments (search for “Leon Holmes”, and click the link; there’s no notion of a permalink on the site) about Leon Holmes from the U.S. Senate Website. There are a couple of testimonials, including one from a supposed pro-choice female attorney (not actually present, as far as I can tell). There is also some bashing of “liberals” and “activists in Washington”.

The presence of these kinds of comments alone makes me worry more, not less, about the appointment of Leon Holmes. There are plenty of qualified candidates for federal judge; why must we appoint ones with such obvious controversy surrounding them?

The complete voting roll is available. My quick counting shows three abstentions (Kerry, Edwards and Murkowski), four Republicans against (Chafee, Collins, Snow, Warner), and six Democrats for (Breaux, Landrieu, Lincoln, Miller, Nelson, Pryor).

I consider it failed leadership. I’m convinced, although without much citable evidence, that Holmes was confirmed pretty much on party lines (that is, senators voted with their party, rather than on the merits of the appointee). There are too many people like Holmes in positions of great influence, and someone as intolerant as he should not be considered. But politicians are more concerned about politics than what’s right, and so we end up with people like Holmes.

The news article quoted Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) as saying, “We hear so much from the other side about tolerance. Where is the tolerance for people who want to believe what has been taught for 2,000 years?” The problem with this statement is that what has been taught for 2000 years includes substantial lessons in intolerance, and the general regard that if someone doesn’t believe in those teachings, they are either less than human, and should be converted, or that they are evil and should be wiped from the face of the planet. Perhaps the Senator should keep his accusations of intolerance to himself.

It is this view held my many of today’s popular biblical religions that is the root of their evil, and that is the cause of so much suffering today.

The only thing one should not tolerate is intolerance itself.

Nerf Herder Makes It to Public Radio

NPR always manages to play the most apropos music during their program breaks. Today on Talk of the Nation, Ira Flatow did a show about bats. While my local affiliate (KQED) was making announcements during the NPR break just before the bat segment, you could hear Nerf Herder’s theme song to Buffy the Vampire Slayer in the background.

Excellent Teaching

A middle school teacher has chosen to educate her students about the many perils of drug abuse by discussing the financial costs. In the reported story, a young girl comes home and reveals to her parents that she has a $300 (monthly?) pot habit. I think that’s terrific. Not the addiction, but that the realization of the (very tangible) financial cost allowed her to go to her parents with it.

On the other hand, one parent figured it was a bad idea to educate kids in this way, saying that they have enough temptations as it is. Whatever. Information and education are never as dangerous as ignorance. The only time information becomes dangerous is when it’s incomplete.