Keith_Indy on Oct 02 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Domestic Politics, Keith's Page
I was commenting to my wife the other night when we saw the trailer for “Religulous,” just what the Obama camp needs at the moment, something to remind the right, and especially the religious right, why they hate liberals.
Bill Maher jabs his style of comedy into the eye of religions and those that follow them, [...]
MichaelW on Sep 23 2008 | Filed under: Art, Culture, MichaelW's Page
It is not so much,
And Time stands alone for a moment.
Fall begins.
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Lee on Sep 13 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Foreign affairs
Photos of Russian kids mounting a street protest against the banning of South Park by the state. This is no small or meaningless act.
As daily experience, one of the worst aspects of living under a repressive fascist regime is how utterly boring it is. It is a horrible experience to be a teenager in a [...]
Lee on Sep 11 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Domestic Politics
(photo: Brian Long)
Dr. Andre Lalonde, executive vice president of the Canadian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, is concerned that Sarah Palin’s decision to have Trig, may lead to a reduction of abortions in Canada through positive example.
This is perhaps demonstrative of how different perspectives on abortion can be in the United States on both sides. [...]
Lee on Sep 09 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Foreign affairs, Lee's Page, Religion and theology, Travel
Ramadan always means new soap operas in the Arab world. I learned today it also means not even thinking about masturbation. A small thing to you perhaps, but in a repressive sexual society where the curves of the female figure are a matter of imaginative mystery, this is a serious lifestyle sacrifice for young men.
For [...]
Lee on Sep 07 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Domestic Politics, Election 2008
(Italee)
Apparently Sarah Palin has become the latest women’s fashion trendsetter. Ladies across the country are flocking to find her rectangular rimless spectacles, created by Japanese designer Kazuo Kawasaki, to achieve that “Sarah Palin look.” Some are comparing the glasses to Jackie Kennedy’s pillbox hats.
Well, this is certainly one dimension of Sarah’s success I didn’t anticipate.
[...]
Keith_Indy on Sep 02 2008 | Filed under: Keith's Page, Travel, Uncategorized, motoring
I had a lesson in all three this past Friday (8/29.) As I was riding my brand new Triumph Bonneville (with 2 weeks & 650 miles on it,) to work, not more then 2 miles from my house I had a collision with a raccoon. The short story is that the bike and [...]
Lee on Aug 31 2008 | Filed under: Art, Lee's Page, Uncategorized
I was searching for an image on my backup drive today and came across a cache of header graphics I’d thrown together for posts over the years. The diversity of subjects was kind of interesting as a gallery. Here’s a few rather random selections:
The HIV Epidemic:
Eurabia:
Slobodan Milosevic:
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MichaelW on Aug 29 2008 | Filed under: MichaelW's Page, Music
I’ve mentioned before that I lived (in the fullest sense of the word) in Charlottesville, VA for many years in the 90’s. During that time I got to know a great many talented musicians including Dave Matthews. We weren’t buddies or anything but, like many small towns, our paths crossed enough to know [...]
Lance on Aug 23 2008 | Filed under: Lance's Page, Music
A treat for Velvet Underground fans, Bud Benderbe reinterprets the seminal alternative band:
More over at Airforce Amazon.
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Lee on Aug 17 2008 | Filed under: Art
Pragmatists frustrated, idealists vindicated:
Art project by Ed Thompson.
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Lee on Aug 17 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Education, Lee's Page
The movement of “ethnic studies” curricula from colleges to public schools, is something that troubles many of us who have experienced such classes in modern times. Ethnic studies programs are often called “multiculturalist,” but since they tend to be monoethnic and extremely political rather than cultural, I prefer the term “ethnostatism.”
In defense of the migration, [...]
Keith_Indy on Aug 08 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Election 2008, Keith's Page
via Instapundit, we find Tigerhawk making the complaint that the new O salute is discriminatory against those differently-abled people who have lost an arm or hand. He doesn’t seem to have a problem with those who have lost both arms or hands though.
But the solution is simple. Show him your “O face.”
Show him [...]
Lee on Aug 05 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Society
Alan Finch, Helen Finch, Alan Finch the Revenge
Looking over our logs, it’s incredible how much global traffic we get from people searching for information on Alan Finch (August’s #1 ASHC keyword and a top-30 quantity since February). Perhaps a little odd for a blog that tends to focus on American party politics, economic theory [...]
Lance on Aug 03 2008 | Filed under: Culture, History, Lance's Page, Religion and theology
The impact of this man on the world is not part of the memory of many today. I’ll be breaking out a few of his books this week in his memory. A true Giant has passed away.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, whose stubborn, lonely and combative literary struggles gained the force of prophecy as he revealed the [...]
Lee on Aug 03 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Domestic Politics, Glenn Greenwald's Carnival of Fisking, Lee's Page, Uncategorized
(photo: companyink)
After writing about the Ronpaulist fear mongering of Jordan Page, and then reading Lance’s splendid post on the latest contheorist pandering of Glenn Greenwald, a common insight has reoccurred to me: the absurd amount of cognitive dissonance conditional to political paranoia.
This is something Christopher Hitchens explored quite adeptly last year at the “Four Horsemen” [...]
Lance on Aug 03 2008 | Filed under: Lance's Page, Photography, science
A simply stunning series of pictures of Jupiter and its moons. Lots more at the link.
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Lance on Jul 27 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Humor, Lance's Page, Media
I am co-bloggers Keith and Josh will be thrilled to know that Vanity Fair now has a gay car blog.
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Lance on Jul 27 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Humor, Lance's Page
It isn’t just that this is funny-or so devastatingly literate, profane and lovingly crafted- and all over the removal of the indefinite article “a”. Nor is is just that Giles is so absolutely correct to be so exercised over the removal of the indefinite article “a.”
What I find so wonderfully amusing is that it is [...]
Peg on Jul 26 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Peg's Page
Oy!
Just as the economy is headed to recession, the shidduch system is in crisis mode. Or so the rabbis moan, noting the surplus of women eager to marry and the corresponding shortfall in the quality and quantity of available Jewish men. It’s not that there are more Orthodox women than men out there; experts [...]
Joshua Foust on Jul 16 2008 | Filed under: Music
Feist, the glorious female vocalist from Broken Social Scene who went solo and got her song in an iPod commercial, recently made an appearance on Sesame Street:
I don’t know if it’s creepy or not, but it is most definitely surreal. And awesome. I wish I had learned to count like this.
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Joshua Foust on Jun 12 2008 | Filed under: Music
Yo Yo, a flash in the pan empowered-but-sexless female rapper (try selling that today), got her big break by teaming up with Ice Cube on her 1991 debut Make Way for the Motherlode. Why, here she is, being so early-90’s empowered.
Unfortunately, she was overtaken by Salt ‘N’ Peppa, and later Missy Missdimeanor Elliott, and now [...]
MichaelW on Jun 03 2008 | Filed under: History, MichaelW's Page, Music
Rock & Roll lost one of it’s brightest and most penetrating stars yesterday, even if one of the least well known. The founder of the jungle beat heard in too many songs to count over the last 50 years succumbed to heart failure at his home in Archer, FL, at the age [...]
ChrisB on May 28 2008 | Filed under: Chris' Page, Humor, Music
Reading through our spam comment queue is like listening to Feel Good Hit of the Summer.
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ChrisB on May 27 2008 | Filed under: Art, Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Humor, Music
This post + this post = This.
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Robby on May 26 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Music, Robby's Page
Previously posted on last.fm, now with political addendum at the end.
The concept of the price of fame is usually applied in the sense of the personal cost to the famous, from the relatively mild annoyance of not being able to go out without being recognized, to the deep existential crises and insanity of megastars like [...]
Keith_Indy on May 23 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Keith's Page, Military Matters
Some thoughts from Hal Moore on war, peace, and reconciliation.
When the blood of any war soaks your clothes and covers your hands, and soldiers die in your arms, every breath forever more becomes an appeal for a greater peace, unity and reconciliation.
…
From face-to-face combat to arm-in-arm friendship — unity was restored by our efforts [...]
Lance on May 02 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Lance's Page, Music, Robby's Page
Robby and I got back to our roots a few weeks ago, garage band roots that is. We went to see the Fleshtones. Robby shared his thoughts over at Last Fm. I figure they belong here as well. First, my verdict. Maybe the most fun band ever live. Yeah, click the links, go listen to [...]
Keith_Indy on Apr 30 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Election 2008, Firearms, Keith's Page
Never underestimate the power of a politician to overestimate their power, especially in an election year.
Just as the signs are trending towards a “permanent” majority for Democrats, one of them has the bright idea to poke a sleeping bear.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a New Jersey Democrat, has introduced a bill that would allow the FBI to [...]
Lance on Apr 19 2008 | Filed under: Humor, Lance's Page, Music, Religion and theology
Heh, a response to Richard Dawkins and the unbelievers amongst us. Right or wrong, arrogant condescension does not go unpunished.
Hat tip: D.A. Ridgely
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Lance on Apr 12 2008 | Filed under: Art, Baton Rouge, Culture, Lance's Page, Music, Photography, Technology
A worldwide celebration is happening tonight. Yuri’s Night!
The local arts organization I am a member of, Art Mob, is supporting our local version. Unfortunately Art Mob’s sight is having trouble, but the temporary site can be found here. I just spent the afternoon at a juried art competition and art walk we organized, “Smock Paper [...]
Synova on Mar 29 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Military Matters, Society, Synova's Page
I’m often guilty of seeing connections between things that others seem to think make no sense at all. So bear with me and then tell me what you think.
The New York Times review of “Stop-Loss” explains the failure of Iraq themed movies in this way, “The commercial failure of last autumn’s crop of [...]
Keith_Indy on Feb 29 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Keith's Page
Missed this on Wed, still need to get internet at our new house, and I hadn’t seen it on the news.
Hot rod entrepreneur Boyd Coddington died on Wednesday of undisclosed cause. He will be missed by many in the hobby, even if his management style (as shown on the show American Hot Rod) wasn’t [...]
Lance on Feb 26 2008 | Filed under: Lance's Page, Music
I actually enjoyed American Idol tonight, in past years I couldn’t say that (though Carrie Underwood was hot.)
One of them performed this song, and did a pretty good job. No graphics, but the best sound quality of the video’s I found:
There was also an interesting copy of the Carpenters Superstar. However, to hear the definitive [...]
MichaelW on Feb 26 2008 | Filed under: MichaelW's Page, Music
Two things you probably don’t know about me and one you probably do:
(1) I’m a pretty decent musician and singer.
(2) I love American Idol.
(3) I hate John Lennon’s “Imagine” because of the message, even though I’ve always enjoyed the tune itself.
This is 17 year old David Archuleta singing his own version of “Imagine” tonight on [...]
Joshua Foust on Feb 26 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Media
Two shows on Nickelodeon are teaching Chinese values to the kids. The first, Ni Hao, Kai-lan is meant to teach pre-schoolers Mandarin Chinese and Chinese values. It sounds innocent enough (and certainly a welcome change to the insipid Dora the Explorer), even though those values include “being a good member of a group,” and the [...]
MichaelW on Feb 22 2008 | Filed under: Humor, MichaelW's Page, Music
Did you ever wonder what it would be like if The Beatles had written Stairway to Heaven instead of Led Zeppelin? Yeah, me neither. But the Australian tribute band, the Beatnix, give us some insight anyway [via: Marginal Revolution, and Michael Blowhard]:
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Keith_Indy on Feb 21 2008 | Filed under: Keith's Page, Photography
Yep, that’s a big lens all right. 12X optical zoom, equivalent to a 432mm telephoto on a 35mm camera. Biggest lens I have right now. The previous shots of the lunar eclipse were taken with this camera. Still getting used to the new features, and controls, but I love it.
Here is [...]
Keith_Indy on Feb 21 2008 | Filed under: Keith's Page, Photography
Hey, I entered a online photo contest. Here is one of the photo’s I entered. I would really like to win the Canon 40D, as I’ve had my eye on it since it was released. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE vote for one of my pictures…
Voting starts tomorrow February 22 and goes through [...]
Keith_Indy on Feb 21 2008 | Filed under: Keith's Page, Photography
If you missed the eclipse of the moon last night, it was quite a sight. These two pictures were only taken about a minute apart. The first picture is closer to what was actually viewable to the naked eye. The second picture is with a wider aperture.
f8.0 @ 1/4 sec ISO 400
f3.5 [...]
Synova on Feb 18 2008 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Humor, Music, Uncategorized
Last week?
…but I can no longer stand idly by and watch the media and independent voters continue to throw themselves at the feet of John McCain.
Because I’m trying to remember anyone swooning over McCain and I’m not having much luck at all.
The John McCain they fell in love with in 2000 — the straight-shooting, [...]
Synova on Feb 17 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Education, Society, Synova's Page, Uncategorized
…am I just not impressed by YOU?
Jules Crittenden responds to a column by Susan Jacoby The Dumbing of America. She concludes…
It is past time for a serious national discussion about whether, as a nation, we truly value intellect and rationality.
The short answer is… yes, we truly value intellect and rationality.
It just doesn’t look like [...]
Robby on Feb 13 2008 | Filed under: Music, Robby's Page
Love letter, 1982-1985.
In between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, a section of I-10 stretches out as a low, dead straight bridge across 25 miles of swamp. This is the story of how I came to be hauling ass across that long, low bridge at 120 mph (still and forever the fastest I have ever driven [...]
Lance on Feb 13 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Lance's Page, Music
Can be found here. For those who missed the tale of REM, Robby and I, I am promoting it to the front page.
Hat tip: Instapundit
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MichaelW on Feb 13 2008 | Filed under: Humor, MichaelW's Page, Music
My first thought was something along the lines of that soliloquy from The Commitments where Jimmy Rabbitte encourages his erstwhile band to internalize the thought “I’m black, and I’m proud.”
Do you not get it, lads? The Irish are the blacks of Europe. And Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland. And the Northside Dubliners are the [...]
MichaelW on Feb 12 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Domestic Politics, Election 2008, MichaelW's Page, Society
The current dust-up over the Cuban-Che flag (flags?) hanging in the Houston campaign office for Barack Obama (opened by supporters, with actual staffers intended to occupy by next week), has spawned some interesting commentary. Captain Ed advised:
Oh, my. Barack Obama may want to call his new Houston office and suggest some decorating ideas…No, that’s [...]
Keith_Indy on Feb 11 2008 | Filed under: Books, Culture, Keith's Page
Thanks to Lance, I have a hankering to learn who this man is he is quoting…
http://www.chesterton.org/discover/who.html
This absent-minded, overgrown elf of a man, who laughed at his own jokes and amused children at birthday parties by catching buns in his mouth, this was the man who wrote a book called The Everlasting Man, which led a [...]
Synova on Feb 11 2008 | Filed under: Culture, History, Society, Synova's Page
Or: What I Learned About the World from Reading Historical Romances.
I learned that sometimes people get *more* uptight over time rather than less.
Victorians, according to custom and any number of novels, were concerned with propriety above all. Certain things were not spoken of and certainly the rougher aspects of life were hidden [...]
Lee on Feb 08 2008 | Filed under: Culture, Firearms, Lee's Page, Society
There’s a moment in Mark Steyn’s book America Alone, where he relates the truism that we’ve all experienced conversations with a mild-mannered, educated and seemingly rational person from the Arab world, where quite unexpectedly they say something nutty in the most casual way. “Of course the Jews planned 9-11″ for instance. As Steyn notes, when [...]
Lee on Feb 07 2008 | Filed under: Blogs, Culture, Lee's Page, Media
image: Dead Central (see alternate posters at ZNN)
George Romero is evidently taking on the dynamics of social networking and new media culture, in his latest apocalyptic zombie film Diary of the Dead. George, in an interview for the AP:
“If Hitler were alive today, he wouldn’t have to stand out in that square. He could just [...]
Risk and Return Multinational Force-Iraq QandO