Supreme Court Back Scratcher

Hmmm...so the Colorado State Supreme Court says it's not OK to look at The Bible for moral support while determining whether or not a guilty person should receive the death penalty.

But it's OK for the US Supreme Court to refer to international law while determining whether or not juveniles should be eligible for the death penalty.

Just checking...

Wide Awake In PA

Yeah, I know it's late/early, depending on how you look at it but I am so, so wide awake.

After a week long flu-enduced slumber and my recharge levels inching back to full, I am so awake. I know next week is going to be screwed up at work but hey, the flu bug is gone.

And the Illini are in the Final Four.

My world rocks to some pretty cool and funky music right now.

Happy Easter everyone!

John 3:16

Fantastic Plastic Card, Plastic Peso

When I went to the doctor's office the other day, the first order of business, of course, was figuring out when I was going to pay my $10 co-pay fee (thankfully I have health insurance). I gave the receptionist my credit card. She said the doctor only took check or cash. Huh?

Since roughly 1996, the only time I've actually written a check has been to pay bills, the ones I don't already have set up to be automatically paid by the bank. And I am starting to warm to the idea of web banking and web bill pay.

In every day meanderings, I've always used cash or my credit card. In fact, I very rarely carry much by way of cash. The movie theatres either take credit cards or there's an ATM machine and my bank has one near the theatre anyway to help me avoid the ATM fee scam. McDonald's here even announced they are going to start accepting credit/debit cards.

I explained all this to the receptionist. It's 2005, the 21st century, my cell phone has the same density of my wallet (small wallet, see above), why can't I use a credit card? She wouldn't answer. I'm sure it's because they don't want to pay the fees involved with running credit/debit card transactions. But hey, it's 2005, the 21st century, my car can verbally tell me where to turn on the way to Cape May NJ.

Google...In Klingon

For those of you who actually know the language adapted from Star Trek, you are loved. Google is available in your favorite dead language.

Sorry Mork, no Orkian version yet. Nano nano.

Breaking It Down

My fever finally broke this morning around 4am. I have been hovering between 100°F and 102.4°F all of last week. So now, aside from feeling very groggy, I feel cold and extremely hungry.

The flu bug is an amazing thing. The flu shot can hold some strains at bay but I know many people who've gotten the shot and still be bedridden by that virus. Because of that, I don't get the flu shot. While it's not a recommended way to lose weight, I've definitely done that and because you don't eat much, if at all, during the main stage of the infection, that notion can stick with you afterwards, as it did to me. My real weight loss happened after my last bout with the stomach flu. That was just an absolute evil romp through at least the third circle of Hades.

While lying on the couch for a week, I've been watching the news about the Terry Schiavo case. I haven't wanted to say anything up here because it is a very controversial and emotional situation.

In my own thinking, I've had to strip away what's been said emotionally and get to the black and white of it all. And while Terry's parents don't like it, I think that's what the judges have done too.

Emotionally, Terry is their child and they believe she is very much in an unconscious state. They believe she can be rehabilitated. They contend her due process rights have been denied.

Legally though, Michael Schiavo is still considered by Florida law to be her legal guardian, the Schindlers have yet to offer any evidence that she clearly indicated she would want all means necessary done to keep her alive, several doctors have drawn the same conclusion that she's in a vegatative state that has remained unchanged for 15 years without any real ability for rehabilitation, no proof has been provided in allegations that Michael hurt her. The whole thing about due process goes the other way as well, which in my mind cancels itself out as an issue. I personally think that Due Process is only effected during legal charges being brought against you. Due Process is one of those things that is largely unique to American law.

I also believe it is vitally important to preserve that distinction of who the legal guardian is. If Michael Schiavo were to be stripped of that status, ccould you imagine the precedent that will set?

For example, I end up in some sort of vegatative state like Terry (please God, don't let that happen) and I don't have a living will, although my public statement in parenthesis just now should clear up any sort of subtlities of my feelings on this, the legal guardianship issue could be battled for years.

We may not all agree about Terry Schiavo's current state and whether or not her starvation is construed as murder or not but I think we'd all agree, I'd hope we do, that it's important for each state to look at their laws regarding living wills, right to die and legal guardianship and get rid of any ambiguities or holes.

The Schindlers are contended that because none of the judicial processes have gone their way, that "Judicial homicide" is happening and that Governor Jeb Bush has done nothing this past week. What about his attempts to gain protective custody of Terry and trying to persuade members of the Florida legislature to pass a law to help Terry? I thnk the Schindlers need to stop listening to radicals like Randall Terry.

In the end, it's been Terry Schiavo's right to a dignified death over 15 years that has been denied.

Make Your Own Duct Tape Wallet

What do duct tape, the jeep and slinky all have in common? They were all invented during World War II.

Duct tape was born out of a need for some sort of tape that could be used to secure demolitions to obstacles at the Normandy beach head. Feature number one was that it could stay secure in the water. All of us duct tape believers know this is great stuff.

Not only did duct tape help the Allies win on D-Day at Normandy, it has helped many of us with various repair jobs. Now, duct tape can be used to secure your credit cards and money.

3M has posted how-to instructions for building your own wallet out of duct tape. Eat your heart out Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior and Tommy Hilfiger.

Go here.

St. Patty's Day Lament

And its by the hush, Me Boys
And be sure to hold your noise
And listen to poor Paddy's sad narration

My background is South African (French, Dutch and a smattering of English). Dad and I believe our Smith surname comes from the Irish Smiths but that is speculative at this point. So really, there isn't too much of a need for me to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. And since the Hugenots were kicked out of France (with some moving down to South Africa), I'm not much for honoring Bastille Day. Nonetheless, I do wear green on St. Patrick's Day (helps that it's one of my favorite colors) as recognition for what the Irish have done for America.

The Irish came to America for very much the same reason as the Hugenots went to South Africa: the potential for making a better living. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That sort of thing.

I was by hunger pressed
And by poverty distressed
So I took an oath to leave the Irish nation

The Scots and Irish, along with Chinese, helped to build our rail and telegraph systems. Irish folk music has heavily influenced American folk music. There was also the Irish Brigade during the Civil War with men often times getting off the boat from Ireland and being mustered right away in to military service.

But when we got to Yankee-Land
They stuck a musket in me hands
Sayin' "Paddy, you must go and fight for Lincoln"

The song quoted above is called Paddy's Lamentation, which I first heard in the movie, Gangs of New York. Irish folk songs, like other types of songs, have several themes running throughout. Praising Ireland's beauty, poverty, some sense of defiance or perseverence.

And here's you Boys, now take my advice
To Americay I'll have you not be goin'
For there's nothin' here but war
Where the murderin' cannons roar
And I wish I was back home
In dear old Ireland

In spite of that advice, most did stay and helped to make it great. I wear my green proudly, even though I'm South African (French, Dutch).

C-Flash. Yet Another Media Format

Not to be confused with CompactFlash, C-Flash is about the same size as the Transmedia format and potential use is in cell phones.

But really folks, do we need yet another media format? C-Flash will be added to the current list:

SD, miniSD, CompactFlash, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, TransFlash, xd-PictureCard, the USB Flash Card, MMC, RS-MMC, MMCmicro, SmartMedia.

There's probably more but you get the idea.

Fatwa Issued On Bin Laden, Finally

3 years after September 11
1 year after Madrid

Today, Spanish Muslim clerics declared a fatwa on Osama bin Laden. This is basically an official condemnation on the guy.

Great but why did it take so long? Not only that, this is the first ever fatwa against that evil SOB. Not only has he helped murder people and inspire violence and intolerance over peace and tolerance, he has hurt the Muslim faith.

SOURCE

Lies, Damned Lies and Photographs

Giuliana Sgrena, the Italian reporter wounded by U.S. soldiers after the truck she was riding in refused to stop at a U.S. checkpoint in Iraq has some explaining to do regarding the various versions of the story she's been telling about what exactly happened at the checkpoint.

She claimed the shooting at the checkpoint was a deliberate ambush in which she survived a hail of bullets/300-400 bullets.

Unfortunately, the photographs appearing on the internet show it was a car, not a truck that she was in and featuring a couple of bullet holes, not anywhere as many as she claimed.

In fact, the photos are more consistent with what the U.S. soldiers were reporting. They said they used various hand signals and flashlights to signal the car, traveling at a very high speed, to stop. After that they fired warning shots and then several shots into the engine to disable it.

One website had comparison photos of Sgrena's car and Bonnie and Clyde's car, which did get pretty well shot up.

I'm sure Sgrena will now employ Geraldo Rivera's classic "Fog of War" excuse for the embellishments and outright lies in her stories of the events

I'm Just A Bill

Remember the attempt to make it illegal to have "droopy pants" in the state of Virginia? Well it looks like the state of Conneticutt isn't too far behind in terms of genius and and spending tax dollars in a meaningful and prudent manner. Connecticutt state senator Andrea Stillman has introduced legislation to make it illegal to use a cell phone while filling up their cars at the gas station. She believes cell phone usage could spark a fire at a gas station.

Her scientific evidence? A chain junk message she received online. A case of classic urban legends being taken to heart.

There is no evidence to prove cell phones can spark a fire at a gas station. There is, however, lots of evidence to show cell phones won't start a fire.

Nothing to be done about the folks who smoke while filling up.

They Built It, You Should Go

The baseball diamond, house and cornfield that were a part of the movie, Field of Dreams, is still there and lots of people visit it.

At noon, just as in the movie, Shoeless Joe and crew emerge from the cornfield to play.

SOURCE

Personally, I'd like to visit Yankee Stadium and Boston's Fenway Park.

Circuits Dead at NYTimes

It's official. What's been rumored for a week or so is now fact. The Circuits section of the New York Times will be killed off in favor of an expanded fashion section.

Circuits appeared every Thursday and featured stories on computers and gadgets by great writers like David Pogue.

A computer section killed off in favor of a fashion section? How humiliating. Excuse me while I go around the corner and puke. Well, maybe I shouldn't be so harse since the various parts of the Thursday Circuits section will be absorbed into other sections. Thanks Bounty.

Peeps For The People

And while we are talking about building your own laser tag weapons, how about making your own peeps? No, we're not talking about human cloning but rather of Peeps.

DIY Laser Tag: Because We Can

Like laser tag but feel jealous of all the cool equipment the paintball warriors get to choose from? Tired of the wimpy laser tag stuff at Toys R' Us?

Rejoice Laser tag fans! Become a laser tag DIY person with the info here.

Cronkite Digs Into Rather

CNN.com posted the transcript to an interview Wolf Blitzer had with Walter Cronkite. Lots of very illuminating stuff.

Here's what he said about Dan Rather,

CRONKITE: Well, I think that there was a general feeling among quite a lot of us around the CBS shop and, indeed, some of the viewers, that Dan gave the impression of playing a role, more than simply trying to deliver the news to the audience.
...

BLITZER: Bob Schieffer, as you know, is going to be the interim anchor of "The CBS Evening News," a good friend of all of ours, an outstanding journalist. Who do you think should emerge as the next anchor, the main anchor of CBS, after Bob Schieffer's interim period?

CRONKITE: Well, I think it's going to be hard to find anybody who is going to be as much liked and appreciated and does such a job as Bob Schieffer. I think he's one of the great television journalists of our time. And he was a good journalist when he came to television from Fort Worth [Texas]. He is, to my mind, the man who, quite frankly -- although Dan did a fine job -- I would like to have seen him there a long time ago. He would have given the others a real run for their money.

Yeah, I think Cronkite was being diplomatic about Rather, given some of back story about Cronkite's retirement and Rather taking over the anchor position at CBS.

So Rather was "...playing a role, more than simply trying to deliver the news..."? What about when Cronkite used his position (at the time, a pretty powerful one) as news anchor to issue an on the air opinion that the war in Vietnam was at a stalemate and that the U.S. should open negotiations with the North Vietnamese?

Cronkite has been involved with news reporting since the 1930s and with the birth and early days of broadcast journalism, so it was no surprise that Blitzer asked him about the current state of news.

BLITZER: Where does Walter Cronkite go when he wants to get the news?

CRONKITE: Well, I go to my newspapers first. They're more complete than broadcast [news] today. The misfortune with broadcasting today is that all -- even including your network, which is dedicated to the news -- do not take enough time to give us all of the facts and the background. ...

I wish that my network of CBS and the other two, I wish they would spend more time with their magazine programs giving us documentaries to back the news and interpret the news for us, or broadcast time in the half-hour evening news report programs. As we all know, with the commercial time taken out ... we've got 17 or 18 minutes. We've got one of the most complicated nations in the world, particularly today. We've got a complicated world in which we presume to be leaders. And my gracious, we're trying to cover all the important news in those two great bailiwicks in 17 or 18 minutes. It's madness. And we simply can't do it.
...

Give news a little more time and don't request that they also, in their news time, entertain. We're not entertainers. We're journalists. And we need more time to do our job well.

Lisa de Moraes of The Washington Post has a different take on Wolf Blitzer's interview of Walter Cronkite. She thought that maybe it was Cronkite taking some last shots at Rather and CBS.

But really, let's get to the bare essence of it all. Isn't news another form of entertainment? Why does someone "Like" to watch the news? What's the difference between a news junkie, sports junkie or reality-show junkie?

Cronkite has said many times in the past that he'd like to see the daily news shows expand from a half hour to an hour or more. In fact, his CBS news broadcasts were originally 15 minutes long and under his guidance, grew to 30 minutes.

Now, I wonder what Cronkite has to say about The Fox Report with Shepard Smith that is an hour long.

Continued Speculation on 2008

Whether or not we elect a female president in 2008, The folks at Outside The Beltway are probably right in saying that, "the Democratic nomination is rather clearly [Hillary] Clinton's to lose."

Will we will see some sort of branching off either of the two major political parties in this country in 2008?

Peace? Sorry, Can't Have That!

The last sentence says it all:

Lebanon's most powerful party, Hezbollah, says it does not want Syrian troops to withdraw from Lebanon. It has called for a mass rally in central Beirut on Tuesday in support of Damascus and against what it calls Western meddling. "The U.S. and Israel want chaos in Lebanon in order to find an excuse for international intervention," said Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah secretary general. The Shiite Muslim group says Syria's pullout under intense global pressure could spell chaos for Lebanon and push it towards peace with Israel.Peace with Israel?
SOURCE

Peace? We don't need no stinkin' peace!

In the meantime, the government of Lebanon and Syria have agreed to a gradual reduction in Syria's military presence within Lebanon. No surprise they agreed since the Lebanese government is more or less a puppet of Syria.

There is now a kosher mobile phone.

Orthodox Jews say that you cannot use a mobile phone on the Sabbath . Now what if you apply the same concept as what you see on kitchen stoves, the "Sabbath mode" which keeps the stove or oven running? If I was to turn my cell phone on and keep it on through the Sabbath, is that a no-no?

Google Tricks

Google.com has continued to add neat tricks to it's website.

Get the weather forecast - In the Google search box, type "weather state college, pa" without the brackets and use your city name and state instead.

Get a map - In the same Google search box, type an address. You will then get a results page that should have options for viewing the map at Google Maps, Yahoo! maps or Mapquest.