Bush says "bring 'em on" was big mistake

Bush says "bring 'em on" was big mistake

Duh! So now we will be treated a series of "Born Again" confessions.

Sorry -- one does not get redemption by admitting stupidity.

Convergence and divergence on the waist

When I go out, I carry several waist-top technology items. My latest is a T-Mobile MDA - a Windows Pocket PC based cell phone. This device replaced a Treo 600, which was tortured by my grand-daughter until it died a horrible buzzing death. The 5 oz MDA has about the same power as the computer that was my main desktop three years ago. Its screen and keyboard are a tad - OK - several tads - too small, but otherwise it is comparable in everything except disk storage.
I am exploring the possibility that this device could reduce the load that I carry on my belt. Fully equipped for travel, the current waist load that I need/carry is:

• Telephony, messaging, e-mail, games and Internet access: T-Mobile MDA
• Bluetooth headphone for above
  
• Photography and video: Fuji F11
  
• Recorded material (podcasts, music and books): iPod Gen 4
• iPod headphone
  
• Binoculars - Zeiss 10x25
  
• GPS - Garmin eTrex
  

Including cases, their total weight is 2lb 6oz (1.08 kg in the rest of the world) or about 1.4% of my body weight. In my suitcase I need four different chargers plus spare AA batteries.

This of course excludes any SLR equpiment I want to have with me.

No wonder I can't take pictures anymore.

I have become addicted to podcasts - they almost work on the phone. A few more tweaks and I will be able to use the phone in place of the iPod for podcasts.

Clash of cultures

Is is clear that we are caught in the midst of long term confrontation between world views that have no possibility of reconciliation viewed from the perspective of the proponents of each world view. The views may be encapsulated as:

• The truth has been revealed to me and you will believe it or suffer somehow (Islam, Christianity)
• I have my beliefs, leave me alone (Judaism, Buddhism, Shinto, Tao, Hindu, Agnostic, Atheist, and Animist)
• Do what I say, who asked your opinion anyway (the political leadership of most members of the United Nations)
  

Unfortunately, Islam and Christianity now seem determined to fight it out, engulfing the rest of the world in the cross-fire.

Bernard Lewis has a cogent discussion of the issues here:
http://podcast.thestar.com/audio/thestar-2006-05-05-70165.mp3
This 35 minute presentation is worth listening to especially if you are interested in feminist issues.

However, his comments towards the end quoting historical views of Muslims regarding women do not support his case. Many similar comments from all world views could be quoted.

If you have listened to this, you will not be surprised to find that some folk don't agree with him. For example:
M. Shahid Alam: Bernard Lewis: Scholarship or Sophistry?
and from a perspective that is not quite as partisan
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0411.hirsh.html

What do you think?

Salon - Playing with the big boys

Salon - Playing with the big boys
Originally uploaded by chmoss.

This is my entry for this Monday's Streetphoto forum bi-weekly Salon. The theme for this fortnight is "Playing with the big boys". The adjudicators comment is:

"Interpret how you wish. I'm looking for photos that make me think, "DAMN! I wish I had taken that..."

This entry does not meet or exceed that bar but it is the best I have on this theme - so I will go with it.

What were they thinking Department - Coca-Cola BlaK

I tried a pack of Coca-Cola Blak - it appeared to be reasonable proposition. I like Coke. I like coffee. Maybe I could save some time by drinking both together.
Wrong - it is awful. Their speil is here:

Coca-Cola BlaK

Note that it is hard to type BlaK correctly. The "a" has a bar over it, and the first and last letters are capitalized

The Holocaust from the other side

Robert Scoble is a Microsoft employee and prolific Blogger. Sometimes he blogs on personal subjects. This recent post provides an illuminating insight into the Holocaust from the other side.
Scobleizer - Microsoft Geek Blogger » Disturbing family stories

Reality TV, Me, You and Government Access Programming

American TV now abounds with programs under the rubric of "Reality TV". I have no idea whose reality they are referring to, but it is not my reality, and probably not yours, if can read these words. I do not regard competitions based on:

Who can eat the most disgusting things
Who can sing crappy songs better than others
Who can perform movements called "dance"
Who can run/crawl/slither/slide/yawl/drop/leap/etc faster
Who can complete the x-athlon in less/more time or whatever

as having anything to do with reality.
The most riveting reality TV for me is the local channel that is called in my area "Government Access Programming"
Here is democracy in action. It is our local zoning board. It is our local planning commission. It is our city council. It is real people, with real concerns, trying to make things better for themselves. I may not always agree with them - but I could also be there arguing with/against them, in a forum where I will be heard. I can rant and rave for/against the foreign policy of the US, France, Iran, Israel, or any other country on this blog, and feel that I am "making a difference". But I m not making a difference. All I am doing is venting my spleen.
According to Wikipedia

"The spleen is a ductless, vertebrate gland that is not necessary for life but is closely associated with the circulatory system, where it functions in the destruction of old red blood cells in holding a reservoir of blood. It is regarded as one of the centers of activity of the reticuloendothelial system. Until recently, the purpose of the spleen was not known. It is increasingly recognized that its absence predisposes to certain infections."

WTF do they know? I lost a dear and valued colleague to a senseless accident on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie 30 years ago. Robin from New Zealand was sideswiped by a bad driver, his spleen ruptured, and died with no warning in the Mid-Hudson Valley almost 12,000 miles from home.
So think about stopping your own venting, stop watching "Reality TV", watch your own local government TV channel, find the cause that impacts you, and go out and do something to make a real difference, not a reality difference

Sad News

Ron Bokor - Nancy's wife, Andy's Dad, Lisa's father-in-law, Jacob, Julia and Abigail's grandfather, our mechuten, passed away.

He was diagnosed with chronic but treatable leukemia almost two years ago. However, lymphoma developed, and he was subjected to intensive chemotherapy. An infection developed after surgery to remove a node, and the infection could not be controlled - his defenses were compromised by the chemotherapy. Ron fought bravely but as it became apparent that the treatment was ineffective, he requested that treatment be stopped. His doctors concurred, and Ron passed away two days after he returned home.

We will all miss him.

At the Field Museum

Jacob and I spent last Saturday at The Field Museum. Highly recommended.

Over 700 people slept on the floor of the museum, in everything from basic sleeping bags to pup tents with air mattresses. We slept on the floor, which was little hard, despite the carpeting.

Dozin' With the Dinos
Sue the T. Rex is having a sleepover! Join us for a night of family workshops, tour and performances. Explore ancient Egypt by flashlight, prowl an African savannah with man-eating lions and take a stroll through the Royal Palace in Bamun, Africa. Then spread your sleeping bag amidst some of our most popular exhibitions. The event includes an evening snack and breakfast in the morning.

At last the president and I agree on something

On being asked "What was the most wonderful moment in your terms of being President so far?", President George Bush answered: "I would say the best moment was when I caught a seven-and-a-half pound large mouth bass on my lake."

It is sad, but that really may be the best thing he has done.

The full text may be found here:

Interview of the President by Kai Diekmann of BILD

Chief rabbi says : Buffalo meat kosher

Just in case you were wondering -
Jerusalem Post | Chief rabbi: Buffalo meat kosher

Half my images from our trip to Australia

At last - I have edited some of the images from my last trip to Australia.

The pics are here.