“Fighting is done in the ring and wars are waged on the board.”

Some people think peanut butter and chocolate don’t belong together. I may think they are crazy, but to each their own on edibles. I will tell you a combination I think is crazy. That would be boxing and chess.

The matches work like this: competitors alternate between three-minute rounds of boxing and four-minute rounds of speed chess with one-minute breaks in between to get the gloves off and hunker down at the chess table. The winner is determined by knockout, checkmate, or referee decision.

Apparently, proponents of this silliness say it is a way to teach children about strategy and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. Unless the meaning of “peaceful” has changed recently, I’d say removing the boxing aspect and just sticking to chess games would do more to further that cause than introducing mini boxing matches in the middle of said chess games.

What’s next? NASCAR and backgammon?

“They go on [the internet] for me. I am learning to get online myself, and I will have that down fairly soon, getting on myself. I don’t expect to be a great communicator, I don’t expect to set up my own blog, but I am becoming computer literate to the point where I can get the information that I need.”
–John McCain

What the hell? No really … what the hell?!

I give my elders a lot of leeway on understanding and using computers and the internet. I understand they did not grow up with these things. Neither did I, for that matter. I also understand that not everyone has a computer, has ever used a computer, and that not everyone has an internet connection, whether or not they use computers. I am very understanding about computer and internet illiteracy … for common people. Common people have lots of other things to worry about, like putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads.

But I would expect a long-time US Senator and a presidential candidate to be capable of using one of the tools of the 20th and 21st centuries, or at least know how to “get online.” Even with a dial-up connection to the internet, the process involves nothing more than opening a browser. One click of the mouse button on one icon. When my mom first got a computer and had internet hooked up, it took her a mere five minutes to figure out how to “get online” and by the next day she was looking things up on Google, playing games online, and sending email. She’s fair less educated and significantly more backwoods rural than Mr. McCain.

How is it even possible for someone in government today to not know how to use a computer or the internet? Oh, because he has people to do that kind of thing for him! It’s a poor excuse. I don’t mind delegating. I delegate tasks myself, when I can, but rest assured, I always know how to do the task myself. I can’t even fathom being a politician in the 21st century and not knowing how to send an email or search for information online … all by my little lonesome self.

I’m not saying life can’t be lived without the internet. It most certainly can, but if one’s life involves staying informed of current events and being connected and communicating to the world at large, both things I believe politicians should be doing, then yes, knowing how to “get online” and use a computer takes on a little more importance. It’s utterly shameful McCain isn’t capable of that. But then we have a President right now who can’t be bothered to read the news or stay informed no matter what format the information is presented in, so it shouldn’t be a surprise, I guess, that McCain is both computer and internet illiterate. Not a surprise, but it’s certainly very sad. Maybe that’s what some people are looking for in a candidate.

By the way, the entire news story I pulled that quote from is worth reading for other gems like this one:

“I think that we’ve proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no, I don’t believe in gay adoption.”

And this one on whether creationism should be taught in schools:

“It’s up to the school boards. That’s why we have local control over education.”

Once I finished the housework, I hurried back to my computer to email Neil de Grasse Tyson, only one of the coolest astrophysicists to have ever graced this planet, with the links and background on the whole black hole flap going on in Dallas. I thought he’d get a kick out of it. I’ve never written any famous person before, except for politicians. I don’t know why I did. Seems silly now, but too late, right? It’s already in his email inbox. Maybe he won’t read it.

After hitting the send button on that email, I searched the internet to see what other people were saying about the ridiculous show of ignorance up in Dallas, and I ran across this comment:

Johnny Appleseed @ July 9th, 2008 at 8:49 pm

Why use the word “niggardly” in the article. We know it isn’t to show off his English skills. That word may mean stingy but Mr. Webster or whoever didn’t make that word up for a good purpose. The writer didn’t need to use the word and only did it because it contain some form of the “N” word. It wasn’t for good intentions. I don’t care if it’s in the dictionary. The intent wasn’t nice then and wasn’t nice today.

The stupid seems to be thick today. “Mr. Webster or whoever” didn’t make up that word, and it certainly wasn’t made up for nefarious racist purposes. Of course, to know that one would have to be capable of using a dictionary. I’d think even a daft idiot who is able to post comments on a blog would be able to type the word into a search engine and find the definition or maybe even learn about its origins. That would require not going off half-cocked as soon as they are offended, and those types don’t like to bother doing anything resembling research or learning.

Anyway, I think I’ll go find something better to do with my time than sit here and run across more stupid on the internet. I have a bunch of projects, of the paying kind, I need to work on. That would certainly be a better way to spend the rest of my afternoon.

Eeek! What if Dr. Tyson emails me back?! I’m so embarrassed I even emailed him!

I knew if I looked long enough, I’d find the TV news video of the exchange between county commissioners and a judge over the use of the term “black hole” and whether or not it is a racially charged term (No! Previous post here for more.). Well, I found it, and now I am even more convince of the utter and complete outright stupidity of both Commissioner John Wiley Price and Judge Thomas Jones. You have to watch it. You really do. It’s priceless.

Here’s a quote to whet your appetite:

“Could I get an apology from the commissioner, in this day and time, you don’t sit around a table where you have diversity and refer to a black hole.”
–Judge Thomas Jones

Jones seems to get in trouble a lot for the way he runs his court. I’d have thought, what with all the current and obvious evidence against him, he was under-educated, but no. At the bottom of this story about the troubles he has had in the past (which have continued past the publishing of that story into the present time), they list his education and work experience.

•Born: Nov. 10, 1943, Decatur

•Education: Bachelor’s degree, Dallas Baptist University, 1970; master’s degree, University of Texas at Arlington, 1974

•Career: Air Force, 1965-66; U.S. Department of Education, investigator in civil rights division, 1974-84; real estate investor; Dallas Independent School District board member, 1987-92; justice of the peace, 1990-present

I would think someone with a college education, including a master’s degree, would know, unequivocally, that describing an office as a “black hole” isn’t racist. I guess just because someone goes to school it doesn’t mean they bother learning anything while they are there. Still, I’d think sometime during his 64+ years of life, he’d have encountered information about black holes and maybe even heard someone refer to something as a black hole. I mean, my mom is older than that and far, far less educated, and even she can tell you exactly what a black hole is and what it does … and that it isn’t at all a racial dig.

UPDATE: There’s another video about it here. Some of it is just the same footage from the meeting itself, but there is a bit with Commissioner Price being disgruntled about Angel’s Food Cake and Devil’s Food Cake, and he is seemingly still offended by the usage of black hole. What an idiot. He and the judge should be forced to go back to school. Not that it would help. Closed minds don’t absorb information differing from their current programming.

Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who is white, said it seemed that central collections “has become a black hole” because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office.

Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is black, interrupted him with a loud “Excuse me!” He then corrected his colleague, saying the office has become a “white hole.”

That prompted Judge Thomas Jones, who is black, to demand an apology from Mayfield for his racially insensitive analogy.
–Dallas City Hall Blog

I would suggest if Commissioner Price doesn’t know what a black hole is and what it does and has never heard anything being referred to as a black hole that he please sit down tonight and watch Universe, or any other space-related science show on this evening. Maybe he’d learn something … like calling something a black hole is simply not at all racist and white holes are very theoretical. Hell, it doesn’t even have to be a real science show. There are many, many sci-fi movies featuring black holes, and even those would teach him something.

To be honest, I find his use of the term “white hole” to be somewhat racially charged (and downright stupid). If he doesn’t know what a black hole is or why someone would refer to something as being a black hole, then how would he have a clue about white holes even theoretically existing? And if he does happen to know that (and not about black holes), wouldn’t he know that these theoretical white holes eject matter and light at astounding speeds … rather than sucking those things in and losing them … which is the opposite of the point Commissioner Mayfield was trying to make? Perhaps he had in mind something less scientific or was just spewing the opposite of black hole without having a clue. No matter, someone so ignorant as to be offended doesn’t need to be a county commissioner … or a judge.

Personally, had it been me being chastised for a perfectly modern proper usage of the term “black hole” I’d have launched into an educational session about what a black hole is, what it does, and how it couldn’t possibly be racist to use that term. I wouldn’t have cared if the TV news cameras were rolling or not.

And now for your morning fear, uncertainty, and doubt with a big dose of Big Brother:

To a businessman on his way home to be reunited with his family or to a young family going south for a holiday, wearing an EMD safety bracelet for a few hours during a flight is a small inconvenience to ensure their safe arrival.

We feel that, given the choice between taking a flight with the added security of the EMD safety bracelet system and taking a flight without the additional security, many, if not most, passengers would happily opt for the extra security of the EMD safety bracelets.
– pulled from this promotional video

What is an EMD safety bracelet? Why, it’s an Electro-Muscular Disruption bracelet, of course! Yes, the creators of this delightful little piece of security equipment would like to see every passenger on every airplane strap an Electro-Muscular Disruption bracelet to their arms to take a flight. Also, the EMD safety bracelet would contain each passenger’s data and is capable of tracking the whereabouts of said passenger and his/her luggage at all times.

Surely this is just some crazy company with a crazy idea! No one in the US government would be seriously considering this as a security option, right? Wrong.

To make it clear, we are interested in the mobile read/write emitter concept in conjunction with the immobilizing security bracelet, and look forward to receiving a written proposal.
– from a letter written by Paul S. Ruwaldt, Project/Program Lead, Department of Homeland Security

Watch the video linked above and read the news story about it, where you can also find a link to the entire letter written by Paul S. Ruwaldt (which is worth a read as well). I don’t normally read the Washington Times, because I consider it to be a rag of a newspaper, but even a broken clock is right twice a day. No one else is reporting on this yet, but it is making the rounds of the blogs. I’d like to hear it is a hoax, but I fear it’s just one more step on the road we have been on where everyone seems willing to give up all their rights in order to have a sense of safety and security.

I gave up on ever flying anywhere again quite some time ago, so it’s a safe bet I will never be strapping one of these to my arm in order to get on a plane or for any other reason DHS may come up with to use it in other ways. I’d rather live in a shack and eat pine cones and dirt than willingly put on the equivalent of a shock collar controlled by flight attendants ,or anyone else for that matter. I simply will not do it, and no one should.

But people will, and as the video says, “many, if not most.” It’s such a “small inconvenience,” and it makes us safe! Well, no, it doesn’t. It completely robs you of your freedom, furthers the idea that we are all guilty until proven innocent, and I would hate to see what a malfunction or misuse of the system would do to a human being … or an entire planeload of human beings.

My mind is twisted between not even wanting to entertain the idea this is true and being very, very angry. That combination usually leaves me speechless, and it has. I can’t even rant about this. I shouldn’t have to, as I would hope that any freedom-loving human being is as outraged as I am by the mere concept of such a system without me ranting about it. You are outraged, aren’t you? Well, you better be. The slippery slope this country has been on for far too long is fast becoming a free-fall off a cliff. It’s up to us to keep that from happening since “we the people” are supposed to be in charge around here.

Once I have regained the ability to form sentences that do not include curse words, I will be writing my representative and Senators, not that it will help, seeing as they are all neo-con right-wing Republicans who likely think this is an excellent idea. At least it might make me feel better … for a minute or two. I suggest everyone write some letters, because sometimes we have to draw a line in the sand and stand firm behind it. We should have done that some time ago, but now is as good as any to get started taking back our freedom. Unless you like the idea of the “small inconvenience” of being asked to strap an Electro-Muscular Disruption bracelet to your person. If that doesn’t get your ire up, you are either insane or dead. I don’t like the idea of doing it myself, and I don’t like the idea of anyone having to do it. It is simply WRONG.

NOTE: I’d also like to clear up one of the FUD statements made at the beginning of the linked video. To say airport security people were shocked the 9/11 hijackers were able to pass through several security measures is to be disingenuous. Previous to 9/11, it wouldn’t have been at all shocking to security personal at airports for people to pass through security and get on a plane with a box cutter. Or two. Or more. I know this personally, because I used to fly from place to place for my job, and I carried cases — CASES — of box cutters with me in my carry-on luggage, which was the only luggage I traveled with. No one ever batted an eyebrow, because they were not on the disallowed list. I was perfectly within my rights to carry as many of the things as I liked. So, it isn’t at all surprising they had gotten on planes with box cutters. It wasn’t the use of box cutters I found surprising. It was the lack of attention to warning signs that something like 9/11 might happen I thought was surprising. Well, really not even that, but that’s a rant for another time.

Anyway, 9/11 wasn’t caused by people who snuck box cutters onto planes, because sneaking wasn’t required. Any time I was on a plane, I could have outfitted the entire passenger list and crew with their very own box cutter, and security new all about them after checking my luggage, which they always did quite throughly owing to my blowdyer making them think I was carrying a bomb. The failures that allowed 9/11 to happen had nothing to do with airport security checkpoints and box cutters. The failures happened long before the terrorists got to the airport.

UPDATE:

Lampard, the company promoting this insanity, has issued a statement.

We wish to clear up any misconceptions regarding the EMD Safety Bracelet for Airline Security.

First, Lamperd is not the inventor, we are just the contractor to research and develop this product if the funding becomes available. Secondly, the correspondance [sic] in those letters is between the inventor and the agency - Lamperd was not involved.

The bracelets remain inactive until a hijacking situation has been identified. At such time a designated crew member will activate the bracelets making them capable of delivering the punitive measure - but only to those that need to be restrained. We believe that all passengers will welcome deliverance from a hijacking, as will the families, carriers, insurance providers etc. The F-16 on the wingtip is not to reassure the passengers during a hijacking but rather to shoot them down. Besides activation using the grid screen, the steward / stewardess will have a laser activator that can activate any bracelet as needed by simply pointing the laser at the bracelet - that laser dot only needs to be within 10 inches of the bracelet to activate it.

Feel better now? Me neither.

Oh, and that video also mentioned the new hardened cockpit doors aren’t safe enough, because the terrorists might have plastic explosives. Now how the hell would they get that on a plane? We can’t even take bottled freaking water on a plane and mothers are being forced to drink from their babies’ bottles to prove it isn’t deadly! Oh yeah … more fear-mongering in order to make it seem like the “small inconvenience” of a strapped on Tazer is a great idea.

I repeat, from earlier:

“We will not accept any memorandum of understanding if it does not give a specific date for a complete withdrawal of foreign troops,” national security advisor Muwaffaq al-Rubaie told reporters in the holy city of Najaf.

And the US response:

“The US government and the government of Iraq are in agreement that we, the US government, we want to withdraw, we will withdraw. However, that decision will be conditions-based,” State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said.

So basically, let me see if I have this straight, we wanted to bring freedom and self-governance to Iraq, and now that they seem to be set off on the right direction, we are dictating to them how they run their own country. Or put more bluntly, the US says to Iraq “F*ck you! You’ll be free when we say you are free and on our conditions!”