Marc Dann did the honorable thing and resigned today.
Note to the anybody still clinging to the Open Sourced Boobs project, Marc Dann was forced to resign over (among other things) a consensual (except, I'm assuming here, his wife) relationship. That relationship, however, lead to what is called a "Hostile Work Environment." Also understand that in the last administration we had several scandals involving the loss, theft, and misappropriation of millions of dollars of State Funds, cronyism, improper business arrangements (pay to play), and lets just say a complete failure in regard for the citizens of the State of Ohio to whom they swore an oath. Marc Dann helped force many of those issues into the public light. None of those in the former administration faced a real threat of impeachment. Marc Dann did, and it was mostly about the sexual harassment case (which has already seen several officials close to Dann resign).
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Bells Will Be Ringing
While here in the US we tend to have a strain of subsurface religiosity that runs through most of public life and it's one of those things that when religious leaders say we need more Christianity in the Public Square I counter with we have more than enough already, thanks. If you listen or watch the news with any regularity you'll probably have noticed it. although, being subsurface, it can hide pretty well. The rulers of China, on the other hand, from Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi to the modern day, retain power through the Mandate of Heaven.
The ancestors, Gods and multiverse bestow their blessings on the rulers, until they don't. Blessings can be a tricky thing to divine, removal of blessings, though, are usually decisive and with real consequences. Say, a powerful earthquake for instance can signal the Heavens withdrawal of the Mandate.
China, under communist rule (reformed though they are) is officially atheistic. Being atheistic, however, is not 100% proof against being superstitious. The earthquake in Sichuan could be said to be Heaven serving an eviction notice to the current leadership. This is why you will see these leaders hands on in the disaster area helping victims. If they don't, this earthquake would lead to their downfall, and it may yet.
In other news, having shown their complete disregard for those the rule by holding a constitutional referendum which legitimizes the military rule less than a week from being hit by a major cyclone killing thousands and displacing millions, Myanmar is facing a second battering storm. Some people need to be reminded a second time.
The bad things about all of this is that it's not the leaders that have or are suffering. And here we have some parallels to life here in the US. Our leaders rarely suffer (thinking about that, I wonder how Trent Lott's rebuilt home is coming) as Heaven signals their displeasure with the government. It's always the same poor people who bear the brunt of the wrath. Kind of makes me wonder about the supposed beneficence of the Powers that Be. So either the Gods are just rat bastards, or they have really poor aim.
We also have our homegrown crazy uncles (like Crazy Uncle Pat) that like to use natural disasters to show how God dislikes or favors certain things. They're all wacky in my book.
Raja dharma is a concept that has gone out of favor. I really wish the Heavens would get that and see that offering opportunities for the rulers of the world to remember that by increasing the suffering of the ruled doesn't work. It's much better to send avatars to the rulers to school them in the ways of responsibility and respect for the ruled as much of Hindi legend tells. Other than that and I fear a redawn of "an Age of Reason, like they had in France," as Ulysses Everett McGill says in "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" (a time otherwise known as "Reign of Terror")
I should also say that all my friends that live in that area of the world, I'm really concerned about. Myanmar isn't exactly a big country, and that was a huge storm that went over it. I'm surprised we haven't heard about other countries affected by it.
The ancestors, Gods and multiverse bestow their blessings on the rulers, until they don't. Blessings can be a tricky thing to divine, removal of blessings, though, are usually decisive and with real consequences. Say, a powerful earthquake for instance can signal the Heavens withdrawal of the Mandate.
China, under communist rule (reformed though they are) is officially atheistic. Being atheistic, however, is not 100% proof against being superstitious. The earthquake in Sichuan could be said to be Heaven serving an eviction notice to the current leadership. This is why you will see these leaders hands on in the disaster area helping victims. If they don't, this earthquake would lead to their downfall, and it may yet.
In other news, having shown their complete disregard for those the rule by holding a constitutional referendum which legitimizes the military rule less than a week from being hit by a major cyclone killing thousands and displacing millions, Myanmar is facing a second battering storm. Some people need to be reminded a second time.
The bad things about all of this is that it's not the leaders that have or are suffering. And here we have some parallels to life here in the US. Our leaders rarely suffer (thinking about that, I wonder how Trent Lott's rebuilt home is coming) as Heaven signals their displeasure with the government. It's always the same poor people who bear the brunt of the wrath. Kind of makes me wonder about the supposed beneficence of the Powers that Be. So either the Gods are just rat bastards, or they have really poor aim.
We also have our homegrown crazy uncles (like Crazy Uncle Pat) that like to use natural disasters to show how God dislikes or favors certain things. They're all wacky in my book.
Raja dharma is a concept that has gone out of favor. I really wish the Heavens would get that and see that offering opportunities for the rulers of the world to remember that by increasing the suffering of the ruled doesn't work. It's much better to send avatars to the rulers to school them in the ways of responsibility and respect for the ruled as much of Hindi legend tells. Other than that and I fear a redawn of "an Age of Reason, like they had in France," as Ulysses Everett McGill says in "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" (a time otherwise known as "Reign of Terror")
I should also say that all my friends that live in that area of the world, I'm really concerned about. Myanmar isn't exactly a big country, and that was a huge storm that went over it. I'm surprised we haven't heard about other countries affected by it.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Quicky Version
Hey, Jay Lake made it out of his cancer surgery and is doing pretty well. You should all go and wish him well.
I had been thinking about posting about his diagnosis for a time (met him at World Fantasy, but mostly as Fanboy meets BNA). But here's a quick primer on my post.
"Talking to someone with cancer."
I do very badly around people in grief, and getting the Big "C" diagnosis will trigger grief/feelings of loss. Not that I'm not sympathetic, but I don't go all to pieces about it. That sometimes comes across as being cold, and I don't intend that at all. It may have something to do with accepting death as a part of the cycle of life, nobody gets out of here alive. How we live while we're here is the main trick. Anyway, this is veering too close to the long post I've been putting off.
Let's say I'm really happy that he found out sooner than later, and that his surgery is a success. I'd certainly miss all the books he's going to write if either of those didn't happen (even though how he found out kinda sucked).
I had been thinking about posting about his diagnosis for a time (met him at World Fantasy, but mostly as Fanboy meets BNA). But here's a quick primer on my post.
"Talking to someone with cancer."
I do very badly around people in grief, and getting the Big "C" diagnosis will trigger grief/feelings of loss. Not that I'm not sympathetic, but I don't go all to pieces about it. That sometimes comes across as being cold, and I don't intend that at all. It may have something to do with accepting death as a part of the cycle of life, nobody gets out of here alive. How we live while we're here is the main trick. Anyway, this is veering too close to the long post I've been putting off.
Let's say I'm really happy that he found out sooner than later, and that his surgery is a success. I'd certainly miss all the books he's going to write if either of those didn't happen (even though how he found out kinda sucked).
...but everyone knew her as Nancy
(g)Oil of My Dreams
The usual Green House Gas Emitters are at it again. They're contributing to global warming by venting off the the traditional thoughts that we need to drill in ANWR to reduce our dependance on foreign energy producers. All while talking out of the other sides of their mouths digestive tracts.
Oil is sold on a global market. Domestic production can not adjust prices. Domestic production, even at the optimistic end, will not provide all our energy needs. Domestic production is only useful to the energy companies because 1) they own the land, 2) they own the wells, 3) they own the transportation, 4) all the profits will stay within one corporate umbrella. So what does drilling in ANWR get us? At best it's a way to keep Alaska from having to start an income tax. It's also a way for the big oil companies to lose money. They know all those profit statements 1) attract the attentions of a revenue hungry government, 2) look bad for publicity and 3) won't last for long (as in decades). Drilling in ANWR, which the oil companies rejected only 30 years ago (yes there were test wells dug, same as Prudhoe Bay, PB had more oil), is a way to increase expenses for a few years, and then control the profit train for another few years (hint, ANWAR is big now because PB is becoming a dry hole and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline is having structural failures).
Back in the beginning of the Bush Administration the President ordered the repurchase of deep-water oil leases from the West Coast of Florida because it would help his brother who was facing a re-election amid speculation that the oil companies were going to start drilling in the Gulf. It was possible that you might see the oil rigs from just off shore (which you wouldn't as the military controls a great deal of that water for training purposes). However, it is estimated (on the low end for Florida and the high end for ANWR) that those oil reserves in the Gulf are ten times those untapped along the whole North Slope (which included ANWR). Deep water drilling is proven technology, ANWR would require some new innovations. The Gulf wells could be tapped and producing within five years (mostly construction time), ANWR would be at least ten years. And yet all the talk is about ANWR. All that talk is bull.
We don't get much of our oil from the Middle East. In fact, the majority of our (US)imported oil comes from Canada. Then Mexico. Next up is Venezuela. After them is conglomeration of African West Coast nations. Only then do we get some oil from the Middle East.
Then there is the issue of transportation. Alaska oil has to travel through a pipeline across Alaska (one of our bigger states), then be shipped down the West Coast, through the Panama Canal, back up the Gulf Coast to the Southern US to be refined (okay, there are some refineries on the West Coast, but not many). Gulf oil is shipped to shore to be refined. Which sounds safer to you?
So, Senators, Congresspeoples, and the general flapping lip class, you want to actually do something about decreasing our reliance on foreign oil? Then increase CAFE Standards to a point greater than what I already get with the car I bought 3 years ago. Stop filling the Strategic Reserve (70,000 barrels a day, 97% filled) until oil prices go lower. Buy low sell high (dimwits), oil is selling for record prices. Increase spending on renewable resources and shift the tax breaks from big oil to renewables (yes, they have some, but big oil gets the lion's share). Cut off corn seed ethanol funding and go for cellulose (the non-food part) production (and other plants that can be used). And drill in the Gulf, off the west coast of Florida. If all you're talking about is ANWR you should be physically labeled (I'd go for the forehead tattoo) the idiots you are. Do all of the other things above, and I'll consider changing my stance on ANWR. edit Only talk about ANWR and you just obeying the oil companies bidding and doing absolutely nothing to help out.
Oh, and while we're at it, take the damn natural gas pipe line from Prudhoe Bay north over to the already existing Canadian pipeline to ship to Chicago (which just typing that is a Felony, bite me Congress). We wouldn't need any price guarantees or billions in government expense to build our own pipeline.
Oil is sold on a global market. Domestic production can not adjust prices. Domestic production, even at the optimistic end, will not provide all our energy needs. Domestic production is only useful to the energy companies because 1) they own the land, 2) they own the wells, 3) they own the transportation, 4) all the profits will stay within one corporate umbrella. So what does drilling in ANWR get us? At best it's a way to keep Alaska from having to start an income tax. It's also a way for the big oil companies to lose money. They know all those profit statements 1) attract the attentions of a revenue hungry government, 2) look bad for publicity and 3) won't last for long (as in decades). Drilling in ANWR, which the oil companies rejected only 30 years ago (yes there were test wells dug, same as Prudhoe Bay, PB had more oil), is a way to increase expenses for a few years, and then control the profit train for another few years (hint, ANWAR is big now because PB is becoming a dry hole and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline is having structural failures).
Back in the beginning of the Bush Administration the President ordered the repurchase of deep-water oil leases from the West Coast of Florida because it would help his brother who was facing a re-election amid speculation that the oil companies were going to start drilling in the Gulf. It was possible that you might see the oil rigs from just off shore (which you wouldn't as the military controls a great deal of that water for training purposes). However, it is estimated (on the low end for Florida and the high end for ANWR) that those oil reserves in the Gulf are ten times those untapped along the whole North Slope (which included ANWR). Deep water drilling is proven technology, ANWR would require some new innovations. The Gulf wells could be tapped and producing within five years (mostly construction time), ANWR would be at least ten years. And yet all the talk is about ANWR. All that talk is bull.
We don't get much of our oil from the Middle East. In fact, the majority of our (US)imported oil comes from Canada. Then Mexico. Next up is Venezuela. After them is conglomeration of African West Coast nations. Only then do we get some oil from the Middle East.
Then there is the issue of transportation. Alaska oil has to travel through a pipeline across Alaska (one of our bigger states), then be shipped down the West Coast, through the Panama Canal, back up the Gulf Coast to the Southern US to be refined (okay, there are some refineries on the West Coast, but not many). Gulf oil is shipped to shore to be refined. Which sounds safer to you?
So, Senators, Congresspeoples, and the general flapping lip class, you want to actually do something about decreasing our reliance on foreign oil? Then increase CAFE Standards to a point greater than what I already get with the car I bought 3 years ago. Stop filling the Strategic Reserve (70,000 barrels a day, 97% filled) until oil prices go lower. Buy low sell high (dimwits), oil is selling for record prices. Increase spending on renewable resources and shift the tax breaks from big oil to renewables (yes, they have some, but big oil gets the lion's share). Cut off corn seed ethanol funding and go for cellulose (the non-food part) production (and other plants that can be used). And drill in the Gulf, off the west coast of Florida. If all you're talking about is ANWR you should be physically labeled (I'd go for the forehead tattoo) the idiots you are. Do all of the other things above, and I'll consider changing my stance on ANWR. edit Only talk about ANWR and you just obeying the oil companies bidding and doing absolutely nothing to help out.
Oh, and while we're at it, take the damn natural gas pipe line from Prudhoe Bay north over to the already existing Canadian pipeline to ship to Chicago (which just typing that is a Felony, bite me Congress). We wouldn't need any price guarantees or billions in government expense to build our own pipeline.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Pomp and Circumstances
This weekend, starting tomorrow, I'm going to be scarce on these intertubies as I will be down in Oxford, Ohio watching my nephew graduate from Miami of Ohio. My wife has her PhD from Miami, so we sort of know our way around the place. Unfortunately, by the time we knew when and that we were going, all the local sleeping places were booked up (would have really liked to stay at Hueston Woods again, but not to be - that photo of the canoe on the water reminds me of the time we got stuck on the lake in a tornado warning, let's just say I was exceedingly pissed when we finally got back to the rental, you don't fly the friggin' fair weather flag during a tornado warning, and you shouldn't be renting boats during one as well) and we're somewhere in Indiana.
Jared wants to be a screenwriter. Last I knew he was submitting a script for Columbia to do graduate work. I don't know what the result of that was. So we get to find out this weekend. And we get to have real Cincinnati Chili again (hot sauce, why, yes, I'd like some hot sauce). I was also hoping to get to the Mongtomery Inn, (the Original, natch) but that also probably won't happen.
On the way back we'll stop by Mom's for Mother's Day. Hope you all have fun.
Jared wants to be a screenwriter. Last I knew he was submitting a script for Columbia to do graduate work. I don't know what the result of that was. So we get to find out this weekend. And we get to have real Cincinnati Chili again (hot sauce, why, yes, I'd like some hot sauce). I was also hoping to get to the Mongtomery Inn, (the Original, natch) but that also probably won't happen.
On the way back we'll stop by Mom's for Mother's Day. Hope you all have fun.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Joys of Home Ownership, No. 1,035
My dishwasher is leaking. Oh joys. I wonder if Sears would accept a barter deal? Probably not.
Yes, I know, I need to check the gasket first. I will. Then the hose connections, to see if it's just a connection that's come loose. It's just another thing to do without anytime to get to it.
Yes, I know, I need to check the gasket first. I will. Then the hose connections, to see if it's just a connection that's come loose. It's just another thing to do without anytime to get to it.
Shazam! The Muse Strikes Back
Okay, so I may be dense and this is already out there, but in working through the biology of the beast in my Marie Fitzgerald story (which is vaguely Cthulhu mythos like) and listening to the Diane Rehm Show about whale song I hit upon a crucial aspect. How does an animal in space communicate? I've thought about using cephalopod communication techniques (ie. color flashing and changing skin pigmentation), but then it hit me. Sure, no sound waves in space (sound waves require a medium - atmosphere or liquid - to transfer energy), but radio waves work just fine. The tin-foil hat brigade was right, we are receiving transmissions from the mother ship! Or, actually, from sleeping Cthulhu in R'lyeh. The Old Ones and Elder Gods would need to communicate through radio telepathy as both are space traveling species who can survive the void. This is why humans who come in contact with them go insane (the tin-foil hats and all).
I'm sure someone else, somewhere, has already done work on this.
This also helps explain why the characters were having difficulty communicating (some plot bunnies involved here) - radio static jamming. Brilliant! It didn't appear in much of Lovecraft's work because of their were no radios (that I remember) mentioned.
I'm sure someone else, somewhere, has already done work on this.
This also helps explain why the characters were having difficulty communicating (some plot bunnies involved here) - radio static jamming. Brilliant! It didn't appear in much of Lovecraft's work because of their were no radios (that I remember) mentioned.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
The Bell Tolls for Thee
Marc Dann, you made the Daily Show. I don't give a rat's ass how much your office is working for us. You're a lame duck, you're bleeding out, you can't get the work done. You screwed up royally. Time to resign and write your book. Sorry, dude, you had potential. Too bad you couldn't have learned from the people you pushed out.
Yes, we've met personally (at the Trumbull Country Fair). Yes, I supported you. You can't be effective anymore.
Yes, we've met personally (at the Trumbull Country Fair). Yes, I supported you. You can't be effective anymore.
Do You Hear What I Hear
I'm enjoying another podcast lately. WNYC's Radio Lab
Podcasts are now a little easier for me to listen to than reading blogs. I just download, tune in and turn on. I then can look like I'm doing work while I'm absorbing it all.
This is another product from the mind of Robert Krulwich in collaboration with Jad Abumrad. The show deals with the same topics that they digest down to 10 minutes for NPR segments, but on Radio Lab they take almost an hour to explore them. The format is somewhat like an old time radio play mixed with science appreciation. So no hard math, but they do cover a lot of subjects in a way that most people can understand (sort of like History without memorizing the dates).
Podcasts are now a little easier for me to listen to than reading blogs. I just download, tune in and turn on. I then can look like I'm doing work while I'm absorbing it all.
This is another product from the mind of Robert Krulwich in collaboration with Jad Abumrad. The show deals with the same topics that they digest down to 10 minutes for NPR segments, but on Radio Lab they take almost an hour to explore them. The format is somewhat like an old time radio play mixed with science appreciation. So no hard math, but they do cover a lot of subjects in a way that most people can understand (sort of like History without memorizing the dates).
Monday, May 5, 2008
Today's Serious WTF Moments, all together in one package
Laura Bush gave the press conference today regarding the humanitarian crisis in Burma/Myanmar. WTF? What, were the puppies unavailable? Here is someplace that should be very important to peoples everywhere who value democracy, because of how incredibly lacking it is there. You know, Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi lives (and is still under house arrest) there, and then send the First Lady. No offense to Mrs. Bush, as we all know she's the brains in the family and is probably the only one who can say Myanmar without breaking into a rendition of "Me and My Shadow," but you think the Pres. might have been up for this, or say the Secretary of State.
And then, the most hilarious part of all, in discussing how Burma/Myanmar ("It's Istanbul not Constantinople, now Istanbul not Constantinople, it's been a long time gone...") should accept humanitarian help from the West (seems that military dictatorship doesn't like them dang foreigners hanging around in their country, taking all their jobs, speaking a foreign language, you know, the usual). They should accept this help to feed their people, and rebuild their country. And then in the next sentence she thanks Canada, Australia and England for helping seize all of Burma's/Myanmar's foreign capital, because they're all repressive like.
Comedy gold right there.
Who knows, maybe there's some Senate Seat they're grooming her for. Laura Bush, the anti-Hillary.
And then, the most hilarious part of all, in discussing how Burma/Myanmar ("It's Istanbul not Constantinople, now Istanbul not Constantinople, it's been a long time gone...") should accept humanitarian help from the West (seems that military dictatorship doesn't like them dang foreigners hanging around in their country, taking all their jobs, speaking a foreign language, you know, the usual). They should accept this help to feed their people, and rebuild their country. And then in the next sentence she thanks Canada, Australia and England for helping seize all of Burma's/Myanmar's foreign capital, because they're all repressive like.
Comedy gold right there.
Who knows, maybe there's some Senate Seat they're grooming her for. Laura Bush, the anti-Hillary.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Free Saturday!
Well, I didn't expect it to be free, and it really wasn't, but there was a discount on our Saturday. This was the last weekend to go see the Great Lakes Science Center's show, Chocolate. Unknown to us, this Saturday was a visitor appreciation day, so entry into the museum was free. Everything else was still full price. So the show was a few extra bucks, and the IMAX movie was ever more bucks. We saw, "Roving Mars," which was excellent, including the running commentary by the preschool boys behind us ("we could go back and take infinity times a thousand photos now!" was one of the gems). We didn't really see much of the museum itself, running around to find the exhibit, then get in line for the movie, then roam the gift shop (oh yes, we always have to roam the gift shop).
Well, we got up late, so we got there late.
And we decided to take in another museum while we were there, the William G. Mather Steamship. It was a wonderful rainy day here in NE Ohio, did I mention that before. So, in the rain, we hiked over to the Mather (about a five minute walk). Did I also mention, because it was warm we didn't bring jackets? So here we are, about to go into a freighter and go tromping around the deck, in the rain. That sounds like we had a bad time, right? Well, our tour guide worked on the Mather, and he was willing to take us around (we were two of about five people not employed by the museum on board) before he left for the evening. Don was a hoot. He told us stories (like why it's called a windless room) and his love for the old ship really came through. I think he must have worked all over the place. He told us what was there, what had been updated and what it replaced, and what they had to do to make here a museum. I'd call Don an old salt, but he's a fresh water sailor. He talked about some of the cooks on board and how they treated the men. Don's foot was bothering him so he'd send us scrambling around the place while he talked. "See that, that's where (insert story or practical advice here)."
And when we came out from the stern at the end of the tour, the skies were bright, and clear. A beautiful late afternoon sun washed down. Down the dock, where you can look over the water at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a marriage party was having their pictures taken. Cleveland was bright and beautiful, having just scrubbed her face in the May Dew.
Well, we got up late, so we got there late.
And we decided to take in another museum while we were there, the William G. Mather Steamship. It was a wonderful rainy day here in NE Ohio, did I mention that before. So, in the rain, we hiked over to the Mather (about a five minute walk). Did I also mention, because it was warm we didn't bring jackets? So here we are, about to go into a freighter and go tromping around the deck, in the rain. That sounds like we had a bad time, right? Well, our tour guide worked on the Mather, and he was willing to take us around (we were two of about five people not employed by the museum on board) before he left for the evening. Don was a hoot. He told us stories (like why it's called a windless room) and his love for the old ship really came through. I think he must have worked all over the place. He told us what was there, what had been updated and what it replaced, and what they had to do to make here a museum. I'd call Don an old salt, but he's a fresh water sailor. He talked about some of the cooks on board and how they treated the men. Don's foot was bothering him so he'd send us scrambling around the place while he talked. "See that, that's where (insert story or practical advice here)."
And when we came out from the stern at the end of the tour, the skies were bright, and clear. A beautiful late afternoon sun washed down. Down the dock, where you can look over the water at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a marriage party was having their pictures taken. Cleveland was bright and beautiful, having just scrubbed her face in the May Dew.
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