Spanish Phrase of the Day

Awesome Video Saturday XXXXVIII

2008-06-28T11:09:00.000-04:00

Whether your message gets across is determined by the presentation. An example:

I Dare to Bear (Arms)

2008-06-26T16:51:00.001-04:00

It's a thing of beauty...

That is a picture of the Smith & Wesson M&P .40 caliber handgun, the newest member of my family. I actually bought it a few months ago, but wanted to save this post for the very important Supreme Court decision in DC v. Heller (complete majority opinion found here). An excerpt from the beginning:

1. The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home. Pp. 2–53.

It may surprise some of you that there could be disagreement on the question, as 73% of Americans already believed in an individual's right to own firearms, but in the 70 years since the last major court opinion on the 2nd Amendment that very question had emerged.

I decided to purchase a gun in part because of my belief in this right. I'm not concerned for my safety, nor do I live in an area where crime is a real problem. I just wanted to exercise my right to own a firearm. So I did, and now the Supreme Court has (according to the majority) simply affirmed a long-standing right. From the SCOTUS Blog:

The individual right interpretation, the Court said, “is strongly confirmed by the historical background of the Second Amendment,” going back to 17th Century England, as well as by gun rights laws in the states before and immediately after the Amendment was put into the U.S. Constitution.
What Congress did in drafting the Amendment, the Court said, was “to codify a pre-existing right, rather than to fashion a new one.”

SCOTUS blog also has an interesting roundup of quotes here. I also happen to believe this.

In most democracies gun rights are not enshrined and are often severely limited, if not eliminated. Author and legal analyst Dave Kopel discusses whether gun control presents a danger to human right in this article. It is an interesting concept to think about.

It will be interesting to see the many questions that come from this ruling. Already the National Rifle Association has sued to overturn Chicago's ban on firearms. As someone said today, the job security of 2nd Amendment lawyers is pretty good right now.

Roadtrippin'

2008-06-22T16:20:00.002-04:00

I am in Newcastle, Wyoming on the third day of a trip that has taken me from Gainesville, FL to where I sit in a delightful Pizza Hut. Tomorrow we will arrive in Calgary, Alberta, Canada where one of my best friends, Justin Palmer, will begin to practice dentistry with his father and brother.

We've covered about 2000, with almost 1000 miles to go. Good food, weird places to stay, and some beautiful sights.

More to come when we reach the end.

Awesome Video Saturday XXXXVII

2008-06-21T03:50:00.000-04:00

I've only watched/listen to a little bit of these guys, but this video made me laugh so hard.

Recycling is important.

Funny stuff. Not all of their is family friendly, but these two shouldn't be a problem.

He smells the coffee

2008-06-10T10:47:00.003-04:00

Even Hugo Chavez can be influenced. It turns out the way to do this is not diplomacy, but consistent and dogged pressure on activities that he should not be engaged in, such as his support for Colombia's rebel FARC. Chavez said the following, as reported in the NYT:

You in the FARC should know something. You have become an excuse for the empire to threaten all of us.

Of course, this is coming after some very damaging episodes that have made clear Venezuela's support for the Colombian terrorists. The FARC's days seem at an end, with the death of Manuel Marulanda and Raul Reyes and the increasing stability of Álvaro Uribe's Colombian government. This is a good thing.

Bush no Lie

2008-06-09T22:26:00.002-04:00

McLellan to the contrary, the case that George Bush lied prior to the invasion of Iraq cannot be substantiated with the evidence at hand. Fred Hiatt of the Washington Post elaborates at the WaPo's website.

Awesome Video Saturday XXXXVI

2008-06-07T06:41:00.002-04:00

This video discusses an interesting story, a very unflattering chapter in the public service of Monica Conyers, the wife of Congressman John Conyers. I think it's safe to say that she embarasses herself pretty definitively.

SPOTD #140

2008-06-05T08:25:00.002-04:00

I've been out of town, and it's been a while, but I have some good stuff for you.

Today's phrase:
One of those idioms that doesn't translate exactly.

Actual:
Con el dinero baila el perro.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Cone ail dee-nair-oh by-lah ell pay-roe.

Translation:
With money the dog dances.

It is an idiom, and the English meaning would be "With money anything is possible." You may not agree, but its a cool idiom.

Still Running
This is a great story about an Iraq vet who continues to play lacrosse despite losing his leg in the war.

Pirate?
This is a great story about a woman who is fighting back against the RIAA's efforts to prosecute music sharers.

So Hot
This is one of my all-time favorite cars, the McLaren F1. I saw one in London when I was 12 years old and it remains unique to this day.

Donate
High School blood donors are more likely to face complications, but they are also among the best source for donated blood in a time when more and more people are getting tattoos and piercings that can inhibit your eligibility to donate.

Jet Packs!
Who doesn't love jet packs? Honestly!

Link of the Day
This is a really fascinating story about an untouched Indian tribe in the Amazon.

Awesome Video Saturday XXXXV

2008-05-31T09:54:00.002-04:00

Japanese Commercials are awesome.

Here's Ah-nuld for Cup O' Noodles:

This one is vintage, brought to you by Maxell and WHAM!

Just two guys having fun, right?

The Role of Business

2008-05-30T15:35:00.002-04:00

I've written about government and the oil companies at In Rare Form.

Awesome Video Saturday XXXXIV (On Wednesday)

2008-05-28T09:27:00.002-04:00

I just saw this video over on Eric Snider's website. It is from Weezer, and it is a kind of salute to YouTube all-stars. You can follow this link it you want to follow all the various YouTubery contained in the video.

Enjoy.

Good News

2008-05-27T11:21:00.002-04:00

Manuel Marulanda, the longtime leader of the FARC, died in March according to several reports. I'd like to see a body, but as that may never happen let me just say that he was a bad man who deserved to die.

Good riddance.

Awesome Video Saturday XXXXIII

2008-05-24T08:13:00.001-04:00

This is a fantastic spoof of The Office from last week's Saturday Night Live.

Saru mo ki kara ochiru.

Also from SNL, this funny bit by Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain.

Priorities

2008-05-23T11:37:00.000-04:00

Bjorn Lomborg is known for his work focusing on ROI (return on investment) for efforts to combat the world's problems. He wrote an op-ed that appeared in yesterday's Wall Street Journal. It is a must read. An excerpt:

Research for the Copenhagen Consensus, in which Nobel laureate economists analyze new research about the costs and benefits of different solutions to world problems, shows that just $60 million spent on providing Vitamin A capsules and therapeutic Zinc supplements for under-2-year-olds would reach 80% of the infants in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, with annual economic benefits (from lower mortality and improved health) of more than $1 billion. That means doing $17 worth of good for each dollar spent. Spending $1 billion on tuberculosis would avert an astonishing one million deaths, with annual benefits adding up to $30 billion. This gives $30 back on the dollar.

Lomborg has always been skeptical about the amount of money being poured into combating climate change. Current efforts often cannot be justified based on the return"

Acknowledging that some investments shouldn't be our top priority isn't the same as saying that the challenges don't exist. It simply means working out how to do the most good with our limited resources. It will send a signal, too, to research communities about areas that need more study.

Indeed. By the way, here is further evidence that Global Warming, whatever its cause, duration, or serverity, is not responsible for a higher number of hurricanes. In fact:

warmer temperatures will actually reduce the number of hurricanes in the Atlantic and those making landfall, research meteorologist Tom Knutson reported in a study released Sunday.

Very interesting.

Da Da Da Daa! Da Da Daa!

2008-05-22T22:16:00.001-04:00

So a movie that I've been expecting for 18 years finally arrives, and I feel like it was worth the wait. There are a few ways to judge the film:

1. What if there had never been any previous Indiana Jones films. Would this be an enjoyable movie?

Yes. Definitely. Not a perfect movie, but I laughed out loud, clapped with joy/astonishment/horror. As a film experience it was a really good one.

2. How does this movie fit in with the rest of the series?

Very well. It does homage and adds to the legacy. It takes a few minutes to feel "in the swing" but after that it feels like an Indy movie.

I'm not a film critic, but I think I have a pretty good sense for what makes a good film. This is a crowd-pleaser, prompted the right amount of nostalgia, and brought fire back to one of my all-time favorite actors.

If you never liked Indiana Jones, or found a movie like National Treasure unenjoyable, you should probably skip it. If you have a soul, you'll probably like it. Pretty straightforward that way.

Protection for the Protectors?

2008-05-21T09:27:00.002-04:00

Michael Yon posted an interesting and disappointing notice on his blog. It is from the Dept of Transportation Federal Transit Administration:

Here are a few friendly reminders of personal protective measures that can help you to stay safe:
-If possible, do not commute in uniform (military members) -Do not display DoD building passes, "hot cards", or personal identification in open view outside of the workplace -Do not discuss specifics about your occupation to outside solicitors
-Always try to remain in well lit, well populated train cars if traveling via metro -Be vigilant at all times!

Where do you think this advice applies? Washington D.C.! It seems absurd, but military personnel have been the subjects of harassment while on the Metro. Not cool.

Fiscal Irresponsibility

2008-05-19T21:37:00.000-04:00

One of our biggest domestic threats comes from looming entitlement obligations. Follow the link for more.

http://www.reason.com/news/show/126234.html

Counting Down

2008-05-18T21:52:00.002-04:00

We're just a few days from the premiere of Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls. Much of the buzz has been positive. Tuesday I will finish my Indiana Jones Film Festival with The Last Crusade.

From the perspective of a dispassionate film critic the movie may not be perfect. I won't be looking at it that way. Spielberg and Lucas have given me back part of my childhood. That makes it worth the $9 and 2 hours of my day.

Si Camina Como Pata

2008-05-15T21:22:00.003-04:00

As I read this article I realized that I have never expressed the full depth of my contempt for Hugo Chavez.

He is an enemy of democracy. He is a socialist. He is a friend to Fidel and Ahmedinejad. Like all dictators he has based his rule on cronyism and the weakening of opposing forces and institutions.

Now it appears that there is evidence linking him directly to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). FARC is a terrorist organization. They kidnap, extort, and murder for gain. Computers seized from a FARC camp were examined by Interpol and found the following:

Venezuelan officials set up contacts with Australian arms dealers and arranged for missile training in the Middle East, according to the documents, which were on computer hard drives seized by Colombia.
Venezuela's ties to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, came under further scrutiny Thursday when Interpol said it had concluded that the Colombian government hadn't tampered with the seized computers.
Interpol's report bolsters Colombia's claims that the computers contain evidence of meddling by Venezuela in its neighbor's war with FARC. Venezuela has asserted the files on the computer are bogus, and on Thursday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez denounced the Interpol report as "ridiculous."

Read the article for more. I'm disgusted.

Peak Oil

2008-05-15T13:36:00.000-04:00

Ever heard of "Peak Oil?" What does it mean? This guy has some answers.

Uribe v. Pelosi

2008-05-14T10:31:00.002-04:00

I'm pulling for Uribe. Here's more on how Colombia continues to act in good faith, despite the disrespect paid to it by the Democratic leadership.

The Beast Gets His Bite Back

2008-05-12T09:26:00.002-04:00

I was at my Rotary Club meeting last week and our speaker was Dr. Don Goodman, the director of Gainesville's Kanapaha Botanical Gardens. Several years ago he lost his right arm to MoJo, a massive American alligator that made its home there. As is the practice when an alligator attacks a human, MoJo was killed, not only as a protective measure but also to see if Dr. Goodman's arm was salvageable. Unfortunately it was not.

Now that several years have passed Dr. Goodman has come to the conclusion that MoJo's behavior is part of a trend that began when animals like the alligator fell under the protection of the Endangered Species Act. Alligators had learned to fear humans because an encounter with a human meant a very real chance of death. After years of protection, alligators don't really have to fear humans for their survival. They know most of us are unarmed and more aggressive behavior seems one likely by-product of that, even as endangered status no longer applies.

A few days later I saw this post at Instapundit. Glen Reynolds highlighted some cases of coyotes acting more aggressive in L.A. suburbs and elsewhere. This seems to be supportive anecdotal evidence of what I learned last week.

Just something interesting to think about.

Awesome Video Saturday XXXXII

2008-05-10T08:00:00.003-04:00

I don't usually watch late-night television, but a blog posted these videos from the White House Correspondents dinner. Craig Ferguson was the featured entertainment and I think he was pretty funny. You can't go wrong with a Scot. The video is in three parts.

Thankful for Freedom

2008-05-09T10:08:00.000-04:00

This is an astounding account of what life can be like in a place that has none of the protections and freedoms that we take for granted everyday.

Here's what it can be like to be a journalist in a place like Zimbabwe.

Go Joe!

2008-05-08T22:11:00.004-04:00

There are a lot of cool pictures of characters from the upcoming GI Joe film. Dennis Quaid is playing General Hawk: