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Sunday, July 30, 2006
Loop 49:
Loop 49 is a little highway project that will eventually connect I-20 with our little metropolis here in Smith County. That will also cut drive times to Dallas by 45 minutes.
One of the novel things about Loop 49 is that it will be without toll booths. Systems will be in place to scan each license plate, and those drivers without toll tags will be sent a toll bill in the mail. Those drivers will also have to pay an additional charge ($1 vs. 75¢).
One of the disappointing features of the new loop is that it is going to be only two lanes, at least at first. I'm not sure what benefit there will be if traffic is slowed to the lowest common denominator. Eventually, the road is supposed to be widened to four lanes (two each way), but the estimated time to completion on that is unknown.
The complete loop from greater Smith County to I-20 will not be operational until 2010. Until then, we'll still have to live with the arduous drives out to the main highway. Hopefully, the tolls being placed on Loop 49 will accelerate its development. Certainly, I would drive more to Dallas if I had a more direct route, and Loop 49 should provide that. Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
2:40 PM
Things I Didn't Know About East Tennessee:
East Tennessee readers might remember that Dollywood used to be called Silver Dollar City. Before that, it was known as Goldrush Junction. Apparently, the owner of Goldrush Junction was none other than Art Modell, of Modell's Sporting Goods fame, and owner of the Cleveland Browns - not the new ones, but the ones who left Cleveland for greener pastures in Baltimore. Modell also was known to use many of his players as summer employees at Goldrush Junction. And to think I learned this little bit of trivia from a Dallas newspaper, and not one in East Tennessee.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
1:23 PM
Friday, July 28, 2006
Note to Self: Stop forgetting silverware in the mornings. It is very unpleasant to try to eat cold cereal with a plastic fork. Have a good day.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
7:49 PM
Sony’s e-Book Reader:
I just recently read a review of the Sony Reader on Knoxviews, and I thought I’d throw in my $0.02.
I buy about 3-4 e-books per month and I will never again buy a paper book unless it is just not available in electronic format. If you value quick delivery, portability, and search functionality, I highly recommend e-books.
However, if it says Sony on it, and it in any way involves digital rights management (just like Bubba mentioned in the post), then I'd stay away from it. Much like Apple with their iTunes scheme, Sony limits portability to other devices. After the Sony rootkit fiasco, I know I won't soon be touching another Sony product anyway.
I prefer to get my e-books from eReader, and I read them on my Treo device, although, I should add, I am not limited to the Treo. I can read eReader books on my desktop PC if I so choose. Also, the extra functionality of PDF, RSS, MP3, HTML, etc. is already there (in addition to MP4, W4V, DivX, MPG, and a host of other media formats).
I wasn’t aware that the Sony device has such a huge lag with turning pages, or that it suffered in the battery department. Those are two bugs (or are they features?!) that would drive me away from the device too. And why pay $400 for a device with such limited functionality?
My assessment: Sony fumbled the PDA ball when they stopped making the Clie, and they haven't been able to enter the music device arena successfully yet, so this is their attempt at linking portable devices to DRM-enabled content. While this business model makes tons of money for Apple, I don't see it being the same for Sony. Chalk this device up in the same genre as the Betamax. Dead on arrival.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
9:34 AM
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Musings While Driving to Work Today:
1. People who have red #8 stickers on their cars should absolutely not drive 35 MPH in a 55 MPH zone. They just shouldn't. End of story.
2. Heard on Sirius: "Are you a debt victim? If you owe more than $10,000 on your credit cards, you are a victim!"
Um, no. You just haven't managed your money well. You chose to incur debt. You did. No one else is to blame.
Victim. Whatever.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
1:20 PM
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
“UT signee named in Powell sex probe”
Now there’s a headline that will probably sell a few thousand papers.
So now, allegations (and let’s keep in mind, they are only allegations) have ruined reputations and stained careers. In the real world, image and public relations, unfortunately, matter as much as reality. Anyone who doubts this can look at how propaganda is used during wartime to see the effect.
The most disturbing part of the mess is what I am going to focus my comments on. The following is a snippet from the KNS article:
Whatever the outcome of the investigation, Kallenberg will not return to Powell High School, Oaks said.
"The superintendent has determined that given the nature of the allegations and the nature of the atmosphere in the building, that it would be in the interest of everyone for Kim Kallenberg not to return to the building," Oaks said.
Just so you understand what’s going on, we live in a society where someone can allege something about someone else and effectively ruin them. Ms. Kallenberg will now be removed from a school where she has worked for nearly a decade. Mr. Smith, regardless of his success on the football field or in the classroom, will now be dubbed the “kid who got it on with the teacher”. Well, that’s just great, ain’t it? That sure makes me want to go into the teaching profession.
Listen, maybe these allegations are true. But they are only allegations. Allegations happened all the time when I was in high school. Any hot-looking teacher we had (and there were very few, sadly) was supposedly having sex with the quarterback or the point guard. The difference between 1986 and 2006 is that we never sought out a lawyer to publicly accuse an instructor of such impropriety.
If the accusations against those in question are true, shame on them. If they aren’t, shame on the accusers. And shame on a system that stigmatizes someone before their guilt is proven. And, not to be left out, shame on a sensational media whose sole goal in life is not to report news, but to sell newspapers or advertising. What a sad situation, with no winners, except the News-Sentinel and their circulation department perhaps.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
10:38 AM
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Virginia, The Nanny State:
We all have what are hot-button issues to us. War. Terrorism. Bush. For me, it’s the freedom to choose. Not the choice that NARAL trumpets, but the freedom to choose how to spend my money, how to worship my God, and how to raise my kids.
So when I read about things like this, I get pretty angry:
Juvenile court Judge Jesse E. Demps has ruled that the boy must undergo chemo as prescribed by his doctors, and that his parents were being neglectful by supporting his decision, so they must continue to share custody with the county Social Services bureau.
God help us if I have to delegate every choice of responsibility to the state.
I’m not really sure how I would handle that, because I am so infuriated when people or institutions tell me how to care for my children. Like the parents referenced above, I am very responsible where my kids are concerned. I want the best for them. The problems arise when what I think is best conflicts with what the state thinks is best.
So allow me to put myself in their shoes. Would I force my son to endure chemo if his improvement was nominal at best? Not likely. Would I introduce him to alternative treatments? Probably so. I know of several. What would my response be? I don’t know really, but I’d likely bolt from Virginia before they made a decision to rescind my God-given parental rights.
This story makes me angry at Americans for allowing the state to assume so much control over their lives. It makes me angry at bureaucrats who consider themselves omniscient and infallible. And it makes me sad that a loving family has been fractured and demonized by a flawed system.
I keep trying to tell myself that even our Founding Fathers noted that certain rights are given to us by God. Apparently, Virginia (where many of the Fathers were born, ironically) thinks parenting isn’t one of them. That is a travesty that I can only hope an appellate court will rectify.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
11:43 AM
Monday, July 24, 2006
Say What?
Today’s idiot former athlete award goes to former Gamecock D-lineman Moe Thompson. Read and laugh.
Former South Carolina defensive end Moe Thompson has sued the university for $300,000, claiming officials thwarted his chances of transferring -- and consequently a shot at the NFL -- after he was suspended from the team in 2005.
Thompson is serving five years probation after he pleaded guilty in October to two counts of attempted first-degree burglary and two counts of petit larceny. He and teammate Kevin Mainord went into dorm rooms in February 2005 and took TVs and a DVD player belonging to female students.
Thompson tried playing for Grambling State, but academic problems prevented him from taking the field.
Let’s recap. Moe plays for S.C. and decides that a future in the NFL isn’t enough, so he cases the girls’ dorm and makes off with some electronic gear. Moe gets caught, and, no doubt due to his status as an athlete, gets probation. Moe leaves Columbia and tries his hand at playing for Grambling, where they decide he can’t spell his own name, so that’s that.
Moe’s Take: I couldn’t help it. This is really not my fault. None of this would have happened if S.C. hadn’t been so mean to me.
My Take: Two words, Moe. Personal. Responsibility. It’s time to ‘fess up, admit that you have issues, and place blame where it belongs. With you. Then and only then can you get the help you need to get your life back on track. Until then, you will remain the poster boy for dumb jocks who think society owes them something.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
12:32 PM
Saturday, July 22, 2006
My wife on her blog rants about gun control and, more to the point, the need to base ones conclusions on actual data instead of on one’s perception of the facts.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
3:01 PM
Michelle Malkin writes about the New York Times and their decision to blow the cover on yet another secret operation. This time, it’s about Israel and the US delivery of precision-guided missiles. Now, some people might think that all information needs to be disclosed publicly (which would pretty much destroy all covert operations, but who cares, right? WE NEED TO KNOW!) I, of course, believe that national security issues should be kept out of the sight and mind of the public. That includes the NSA wiretapping program, and the global financial tracking program which the Times have already so dutifully exposed.
Many pixels have been spent by other bloggers detailing these programs and their virtues, so I won’t bother with that. I would, though, like to offer a solution to the problem that is the New York Times. If a few well-placed “sources” would plant rumors about some supposedly insidious government program, especially if it would ostensibly smear the Bush administration, one would have to assume the Times would jump right on the story. Allow them to print the piece, and then witness the aftermath once the Times finds out that the “leak” was actually false. It wouldn’t take too many of those types of incidents to cause the Times to lose what is left of its already dwindled credibility. I’m surprised there hasn’t been some sort of Rovian scheme to do just this very thing.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
2:58 PM
There’s lots of rhetoric flying around regarding the Lebanon situation. Certainly, I don’t find it useful to consult the mainstream media for information or useful opinion. But one man who has earned the trust of this reader is Michael Totten, who has been blogging from Lebanon for quite awhile now. What does Michael think about the current crisis?
The people of both Lebanon and Israel have my deepest sympathies. The Israelis do not deserve to be bombed by Hezbollah, and the Lebanese do not deserve to be bombed because of Hezbollah.
Hezbollah, though, deserves every last bomb that lands on their heads. There is a special circle in Hell dedicated to terrorists who hijack countries and use civilian populations as human shields. Hassan Nasrallah is using some of my personal friends as human shields, and for that I hope he dies twice.
Lest we start to believe the meme that Israel is a mean bully who responds disproportionately to a measly couple of soldiers being kidnapped, keep in mind who they are fighting with and why. Israel is not the bad guy. Lebanon is not the bad guy. Hezbollah and Islamic terrorism is.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
2:56 PM
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Watching the morning talk shows, I get the feeling that some Congressional members want to pin the Israel/Hezbollah situation somehow on the Bush administration and their lack of diplomacy. If you subscribe to the theory that diplomacy can solve the situation in the Middle East, then perhaps you can make an argument that the administration hasn't done enough to bring a solution to the problem. However, if you listen to the rhetoric of groups like Hezbollah and states like Iran and Syria, you know that a diplomatic solution just isn't possible. If the goal of a group or state is the final annihilation of another, where is the diplomatic solution? Only the eradication of the Jewish state will please these terrorist groups. Once Western governments admit this truth, they will have to admit Israel's right to defend themselves. And it would mean that they would have to admit the existence of evil and purveyors of evil. And those admissions will not happen anytime soon. So, expect continued pushes for "talks" and "negotiations", and expect the Jewish nation to continue to wear a target on their back. Until the world unites to call out the foursome of Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran and Syria and demands that they leave behind their ambitions of destroying Israel, this cycle will continue indefinitely. And neither Bush nor diplomacy will change that.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
10:04 AM
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
On a Lighter Note:
A funny thing happened to my office mate as he was “doing his business” this morning. As he was redeploying his trousers, his wrist became entangled with his belt, resulting in his entire mobile phone and its sheath dislodging from its perch. While this was going on, my friend was engaging the flushing mechanism on the toilet. Now, gravity being as it is, and the trajectory of the falling digital communication device being as it was, there was no way to avoid the inevitable entry of the gadget into the basin. My co-worker therefore stood by, pants in hands, watching his communications lifeline slink away into an oblivion of aqueous sewage. His phone was no more.
I’ve been trying for months to come up with a way to avoid useless tech support calls. I think the above method is the best I’ve seen yet.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
1:09 PM
On the Mumbai Bombings:
Reading Michael Silence’s roundup of blog commentary about the bombings in India, I noticed that Preston thinks what everyone else seems to think, that terrorist Muslims were behind the attacks:
Just another day at the office for the Religion of Peace™.
My first reaction was that he is right, but now I'm not so sure this is the work of TROP™. An Indian co-worker of mine has suggested that Shiv Sena is behind the attacks.
From the Wikipedia entry for Shiv Sena:
"On July 9, 2006, irate Shiv Sainiks blocked roads at Dadar in central Mumbai and damaged a police outpost after some unidentified miscreants allegedly desecrated the statue of Meenatai, the late wife of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray."
My co-worker thinks that Shiv Sena are instigating violence and using the desecration as a reason to do so. I guess we'll know more in the coming days.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
12:48 PM
Monday, July 10, 2006
The Psychology of Blogging:
What is it that makes so many people react with such voracity and anger on blogs, primarily political ones? I find this to be true for both commenters and posters. I have some theories as to why this has become the norm for many blogs.
I think for some people, anonymity allows them to say things they wouldn’t otherwise say, and act in an irrational manner. This is why it is far easier for me to drop a note into the anonymous “Dialog” box telling my boss how horrible his decision-making process is, as opposed to confronting him directly. Anonymity provides cover in the form of removing any consequences of one’s actions.
Others are drawn into such behavior simple because they respond to how others around them are acting. This would explain why a few comments on the Democratic Underground can morph into a verbal free-for-all wishing death, pestilence, and disease upon anyone labeled by the mob as a neocon.
Still others feel compelled to post vitriolic comments because they feel like they belong to an intricate online community, and directing such things at the “other side” is an act of affirmation to them. This is somewhat an extension of the previous theory. (Maybe the two should be morphed into a single theory, but I digress.)
Another reason such bile gets spewed forth in the blogosphere is a really simple one: quick trigger fingers. I firmly believe that a great many people type and post before they think. They do so in a knee-jerk reaction to something that angered them, or perhaps they figured that what they had to say would surely never lead to a posse of hackers finding their IP address and directing a DoS toward their website.
Finally, there is the distinct possibility that the poster really believes what they are saying. God help us if this is the case with those who frequent the DU.
I recall one time trying to engage in a discussion about the privatization of Social Security, which I happen to support. All I wanted was a rationale for confiscating a large percentage of my income for redistribution; what I got was labels, and anger, and frustration, and even a threat or two. I changed no one’s mind, and no one changed mine.
This discussion occurred in a forum-type atmosphere, one where participants were masked behind anonymous nicknames. I’m reasonably confident that, had this discussion taken place at the local bookstore, most of what was said would have remained unsaid. (At least, I’d like to think so!)
The truth is that the desire for civil discourse is eroding, even in the “real world”. The name-calling, the insinuations, and the verbal barbs solve nothing, and contribute nothing to the debate. Many blogs tend to make the situation worse, not better. And I guess that’s just human nature.
POST-SCRIPT: I should add that, despite my citations of the popular site Democratic Underground, the phenomenon I discussed above is not exclusive to one party or ideology. There is enough anger to go around, it seems.Labels: Archives_2006
.: posted by
Dave
3:40 PM
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