July 16, 2008

Damn catchy tune. . .

If I do sayso myself, it's quite the toe-tapper.

Enjoy!

--Jason

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June 30, 2008

Pretty damned impressive. . .

Amazing, stupendous, and oh. . .so. . .cute!

Talk about Dog Whispering.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 9:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 30, 2007

Too funny to not mention. . .

62 percent of Democrats admit they are either a little or a lot crazy.

That's probably too mean, let's try this:

62 percent of Democrats aren't playing with a full deck. Yeah, that's better.

Hey! Don't get mad at me, I'm just the messenger, Gallup is the one that put together the report. (via WSJ Best of the Web Today)

The WSJ calls it "The Sanity Gap" but I like my phrasing better, I think it gets more to the point of the matter.

It's an interesting report, and worth taking a few moments to read through it. It also suggests a few possible explanations for the debacle at the CNN/YouTube Republican Primary Debate such as:

1. The reason so many Democrats thought it'd be ok to insinuate themselves into what was supposed to be a Republican Primary Debate of Republican candidates for Republicans. They were simply too mentally unstable to understand that they get their debate, and if they want to have all the questions asked by Democrat activists, interns for Democrat representatives, Democrat campaign steering committee members, Democrat campaign volunteers or Democrat Senator employees, former CAIR interns and Democrat aspiring TV writers who think that absurd racist stereotypes are funny, that's fine; and Republicans should be allowed to have their debate free from interference from Democrats masquerading as Republicans.

2. It also could explain why Democrat and Democrat agenda driven producers at CNN thought that it would be acceptable and appropriate to fly a sitting Hillary Clinton steering committee member from one side of the country to the other (creating what most likely is an illegal in-kind campaign contribution) and then have said Hillary Clinton team member miked up for more uninterrupted air-time than some Republican candidates (Hunter and Tancredo) at a Republican Primary Debate.

3. It could also explain the inability of CNN producers to use Google to vet questioners to insure they were on the up and up about their party preferences, affiliations and endorsements. They simply didn't have the mental capacity to use Google apparently.

4. It explains why Democrats would accept as valid the excuse, "that depends on what your definition of 'is' is."

5. It also explains why a majority of truthers are Democrats.

In all seriousness though, I think the report does raise some interesting points and suggests that accepting and believing in Democrat principles and policies is bad for your mental health. Which makes sense to me as the Democrat party moves farther and farther to the left and into the realm of socialism and communism. It can never be healthy for someone to intentionally subjugate their individualism in favor of collectivism in direct opposition to natural human nature. It also calls into question the validity of Democrat policies when a majority of Democrats admit themselves that their mental health is suffering.

The WSJ suggests that the fragile mental state of Democrats could be the result of spending 7 years in the wilderness while Republicans held the three branches of government, if that's the case, then one has to not only wonder about their mental health but also about their maturity. I've always thought that the Democrats penchant for demonizing Republicans, failing to accept the will of the people in 2000 and claim near constant victimhood status from the actions of Bush, Rove, Cheney, Rumsfeld etc was a sign of immaturity just as their penchant for calliing Republicans infantile names like "rethuglican" or "Bushitler" was.

I agree with the WSJ's assesment that without longitudinal data we can only speculate as to the reasons a majority of Democrats are willing to claim themselves mentally defective. If such a survey is conducted over the long term we may find out why a majority of Democrats feel they are mentally defective. At least I hope we can, so that we can address the issue appropriately and turn them away from ideals that seem to be harming their mental health.

--Jason

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September 5, 2007

The end of farming. . .

Ok, so that lead-in is a bit, um. . . misleading, but it does seem that we've hit a very important milestone in the history of the human species. It's a milestone that will undoubtedly go overlooked by 99.9 percent of the world's population, but it shouldn't; so I'll shine some light upon it in the hopes that others run with it, so here we go:

In the beginning, mankind searched high and low for the grubs, shrubs, nuts, berries, insects, small animals and the occasional windfall of larger game that sustained him. This gatherer existence gave way to the more familiar, hunter-gather existence; whereby early man took his primitive tools to the task of taking down larger and larger game, in greater and greater numbers. As man followed migratory species, he noticed that certain plants fared better or worse in differing climates. Eventually he began to collect and distribute seeds in close proximity to one another for later harvest. This in turn led us to an more agrarian existence, allowed for permanent settlement, the development of civilization and all that came after that.

I don't by any means intend for the above to be a complete or exhaustive examination of our past, but merely a cursory examination of where we were and what we transitioned to. Sources differ, but for simplicity's sake, let us say we began our agrarian existence approximately 10,000 years ago, and depending upon your interpretation, sometime around 8,000 years ago, farming or agriculture in all it's various forms became the dominate occupation for humankind.

That is, until now.

--Jason

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January 29, 2007

Today's Grab a Cup of Coffee - NASA Director Griffen's Speech

This is worth reading, on a number of levels. The quote below is pulled from the speech NASA Director Michael Griffin's speech accepting the Quasar award on Jan. 17.

"Let's think for a moment about national security. What is the value to the United States of being involved in enterprises which lift up human hearts everywhere when we do them? What is the value to the United States of being engaged in such projects, doing the kinds of things that other people want to do with us, as partners? What is the value to the United States of being a leader in such efforts, in projects in which every nation capable of doing so wants to take part? I would submit that the highest possible form of national security, well above having better guns and bombs than everyone else, well above being so strong that no one wants to fight with us, is the security which comes from being a nation which does the kinds of things that make others want to work with us to do them. What security could we ever ask that would be better than that, and what give more of it to us than the space program? "

Read the whole thing.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 10:55 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

December 27, 2006

President Gerald Ford passes at 93

If you had lived in Vail, CO for any length of time through the 80's or 90's your path was bound to cross with the former President of the United States, Gerald Ford. At the very least, you'd come face to face with his Secret Service detail somewhere, I was lucky (and unlucky) enough to do both.

My first experience was with the agents that secure President Ford's home in Beaver Creek, situated directly under the Strawberry Park lift, is common enough (if you consider slopeside multi-million dollar homes common) but the pillbox shaped plain vanilla Secret Service residence and the tiny slopeside guardshack stands out, especially when Ford is in residence and the friendly but firm agents are directing wayward skiiers and snowboarders away from the residence.

On other occasions I was priviledged enough to meet, eat and converse for a few moments with the former President on multiple occasions, in short, he is a down to Earth, sensible and friendly man, whose presence not so much demands respect, but inspires it. He is quick to recognize that one is nervous or seeks a meeting and is quick to calm a visitor and greets humble meeting seekers warmly and with genuine courtesy and friendliness.

For a man who carried the nation's burden at one of her most difficult periods in history, Ford is perhaps a man who was ideally suited to the task. He was certainly not loved by Republicans and Democrats alike, but he was deeply respected by both parties for his intellect and logical approach to things. His decision to pardon Nixon was widely criticized yet proved to be the right thing to do and whiile comedians portrayed him as a bumbling klutz, in reality, he was a graceful, atheletic, surefooted. If you don't believe me, I'll give you a few challenges to prove the point.

First, head out to you local regional airport on an sunny day and bring a pair of very dark sunglasses, find yourself one of those staircars and stand at the top. Now take off the glasses and immediately walk down the stairs as fast as you can, smile and wave at some object/person in the distance and don't hold onto the handrails. Now repeat this exercise 100 times and see how many times you make it to the bottom without stumbling.

Next, lace yourself up a pair of cleats and head down to the local NFL franchise and challenge the boys to a little scrimmage and see how well you fair. Finally, cart yourself to the top of your local ski hill and strap on some vintage 60s era straight skis, bomb the most difficult runs and see how many times you fall. Now, do it again when you're 60, 70, or 80.

Sure Chevy Chase got some laughs at Ford's expense, some even say it cost him the election, but like most modern Presidents, their popular conception is misleading at best, grossly inaccurate at worst. Nixon, indeed, was not a crook, John F. Kennedy was not a saint, Reagan was certainly not an idiot and Ford was not a bumbling clown.

Like the others mentioned, now history can go about the task of evaluating Ford outside of the partisan spotlight and give us an accurate portrayal of the man as a leader, intellectual and genuine American President, who toasted his own muffins in the White House while restoring much confidence and repsect to the Office of President.

Ford won't go down as one of the nation's best Presidents, his term was too short and his tasks were not ones which gave opportunity for greatness, but President Gerald Ford was himself a Great Man, who loved his nation and his fellow citizens. President Gerald Ford had the mantle of a nation forced upon him at a time when few wanted it and still fewer were capable of wearing it.

I wish I could be more eloquent and describe my meetings with the man and the President in terms that showed a greater importance or say that we talked about great things, but alas my meetings were pedestrian, simple and the type one would have with acquaintance at mundane social functions, they were cordial, simple and short. We talked of the food, the snow, the games and the heaviest political discussions we shared revolved around the politics of a tiny ski-town. I will however forever count myself lucky however to have broken bread with him, share a few brief moments and consider myself lucky be recognized by someone I consider a Great Man when we met a second, third and more times.

Rest in peace President Ford, I and many others are sincerely grateful for your service, appreciate your sacrifices and honor your legacy. History will be kind, as well they should, for you were a Great Man in horrible times.

--Jason

President Ford passed at 93 at his home in Rancho Mirage, CA at 6:45 pm December, 26, 2006. [Link]

P.S. Above I allude that meeting President Ford's Secret Service detail was "unlucky". I mean that in jest. While certainly getting shoo'd away from his home while skiing was unlucky, I did have multiple occasions to meet his protective detail on multiple occasions. I even shared more than a few off-duty beers with them. These men and women were always the most professional and honorable of law enforcement officers, although they liked a good joke (as did the President) and were quick to remind me that their Department was under the Department of the Treasury just as the BATF was and since I held a BATF Brewer's license, they could make me squirm from time to time for fun (and it was fun). Professionally, the agents were masters of their craft; efficient, dedicated and trust-worthy almost to a fault, off-duty they were raucous and fun-loving (and some were quite good skiiers). I cherish my interactions with them just as much as I do meetings with the President. The term "unlucky" is used solely in jest.

-JC

Posted by JasonColeman at 9:59 AM

October 2, 2006

Some people wont agree with me. . .

Some people won't agree with me, but I'm pretty sure that I'm right on this one. One day, most probably in my lifetime, there will be a terrorist attack involving a nuclear device, or a rogue state will use a nuclear device as a first strike weapon hoping to bring about a one hit coup de grace.

Some people will completely deny this as an impossibility, they will state that groups capable of producing a nuclear device will understand it's implications and only use such a device as a "deterrent". Others will claim that I am being alarmist and armageddonist, and totally dimiss this idea on that basis alone; without addressing the probability of such an attack, they merely will stick their heads in the sand. Still others will claim that such an event will only occur by the hands of the evil Zionists or equally evil Americans, which is simply ridiculous because neither nation needs a nuke to lay waste to their enemies, both groups can defeat almost any comer with conventional means quite easily from a military standpoint.

There is a sect within Islam that sees the use of a nuclear device as a means to bring about the reappearance of the 12th Imam, who will organize the world along Islamic lines and bring about the Koran's version of Biblical Revelations. There are groups, lets call them Islamists for simplicity, but recognize that they are known also as Islamic Fascists, Islamofascists, or elements of Radical Islam, and some of these groups have openly stated their desire to acquire a nuclear device, or a hybridized device (dirty bomb) for the intent of using it upon the United States, Israel or the nations of Western Europe with the stated purpose of destroying these institutions and jumpstarting the Second Caliphate. Other entities may "pop a nuke" as a last gasp of power concentrated in a select group of insane rulers (North Korea). Then there is the unknown, the threat of tomorrow, the threat we don't see at the moment, but nevertheless grows in dark corners of the world, biding it's time, waiting for the geopolictical climate to be right.

If you sit back and think about it, it's basically inevitable that sometime in the future these weapons will be used. The effect will be great and depending on the target, the results will range from destruction and horror quickly passing and settling into rage and revenge, at the other end of the scale, nations could fall within hours or simply cease to effectively exist (Israel could be an example, so could Great Britain or any other country with a small geographic footprint).

The device will most likely be small, in the kiloton range, not a city killer megaton nuke, but a man-portable "tactical" weapon used deep within a society to produce a profound strategic effect. There may be just one, which will be bad enough to deal with, but there most likely will be more than one, near simultaneously, or in a quick succession of a few days.

Some people will have already stopped reading because they can't handle thinking about such a possibility. I suggest that these people are more likely than not, the same people who would suggest that WE need to change in order to stop THEM from attacking us. That WE cannot fight THEM, because WE cannot change THEM, so WE must change and be kindler, gentler, and more accomodating to those who would wish US dead. To me, this seems like total insanity run amuck. It just doesn't make sense. If WE change, THEY will be emboldened. If WE change, THEY win, and their victory does not ensure our safety, in fact it only assures that another group will arise with another agenda to demand that WE change for THEM.

I don't have any answers, I don't have any program to make this all go away. I can only observe that it will happen, someday. Someone WILL use a nuclear device on a unsuspecting population sometime in the relatively near future. The only suggestion I have is for people to realize that there is a war on, it's a World War, and it's not the Global War on Terror I'm referring to, the GWOT is part of it, but it's more a battle or a theatre than it is the whole war. The war I'm referring to has not yet been named, it's not even realized by most that it's taking place, but it is taking place and it's important that people begin to recognize it.

We are at a unique place in the history of mankind. No longer are we disjointed and separate groups of people separated by trade routes and occasional contact. The entire world has become a community against it's own will. Disparate groups with different worldviews have been thrust together via the Information Age and the bridges between nations and people have been physcally bridged by the culmination of the Industrial Age providing mobility and travel options never before seen in human history.

Some call this a culture war, others call it a clash of civilizations, others call it all manner of things. I prefer to use the term, The Long War, because I don't see any resolution to this war coming any time soon, and by my reckoning, this war has been going on since the late 1940's. That means we're already 60 years in and the war isn't even recognized, to expect that The Long War could last for another 100 years is not unrealistic.

So what is this war all about? In short, this war is about the future of the human race, ALL of the human race. That word ALL is very important, it should be thought about at least a little. ALL of the human race. We are at a convergence of human society where every human on the planet, if he or she so chooses, can interact with almost every other human on the planet through travel and electronic communication. A global consciousness is emerging. Humanity as a whole has entered a NEW infancy, this new infant is taking it's first tenative steps and only beginning to explore it's world, and realize it's potential.

While this war rages on, it will take various forms. Just as World War 2 had smaller, seemingly separate "theatres", this war has component parts that can't properly be called theatres, so lets just call them for the purposes of this discussion "a battle" as opposed to "the war". I recognize that I'm using battle incorrectly, but we just don't have the terminology to describe what is happening yet, we are living it right now, and defining it as we go, which makes the realization of what is happening all the more difficult.

The battle that is the GWOT is a battle of religion, religious wars are common throughout history, and this is another in a long line of religious wars. I believe that this will be the last. Islam is the last "unreformed" universalizing religion. It's highly unlikely that another true religion will arise. Cults will rise and become somewhat legitimate, like those cultist who worship "the envrironment", but these are minor players and not capable or desirous of global war like the Catholics did once and the Islamists do now. This religious war, the GWOT, is one we can fight, and we can win, the endpoint will be the reform of Islam and the rise of Islamic moderates to the positions of power within Islam. Once the moderates gain control of their religion, it's unlikely that it will retain it's extremist appeal for very long, the radicals will be marginalized, and eventually they will fade away. While this might seem a condemnation of the GWOT in favor of an internal Islamic solution, it isn't; the GWOT is a necessary battle, because Islam cannot reform without pressure from the outside, just as the Catholic Church would have never reformed were it not for the Princes of Europe demanding and fighting for it in the Wars of the Reformation.

So we will go forward with the GWOT, we must. I say we in a much larger sense than it is now. The WE in the equasion will grow as more people begin to realize what is at stake and what the other side, the Islamists, are aiming for. The second Caliphate will not rise and any attempt to create it, no matter how severe the attack or action, will be resisted, and as the attacks from THEM increase, the WE component will grow. Eventually the WE's will conquer the THEM's and Islam will reform, it won't end the problem of Islamists, but the threat will be effectively mitigated, and when it gains strength, it will be slapped down hard again, just as Nazism is slapped down when it makes it's periodic resurgences. There is no real threat of a Fourth Reich or a disciple of Hitler arising to take over the world, such a threat would immediately be pounced upon and destroyed if it began to seek conquest of others. Such will be the case when Islamism arises again the future after this battle is won.

Yet The Long War won't be over when Islamism is defeated. Other ideologies will arise or existing ones will decide that the time to strike is at hand. It must be remembered, that it is STILL the goal of Communist China to control the world and bring all of humanity under the banner of Communism. That battle lies ahead. It may be another violent clash, with guns and bombs and death, or it may be a relatively peacefull battle fought in boardrooms and with policy speeches and the will of the masses determining the victor. This battle is coming, we just don't know what shape it will take and whether it will be a HOT part of The Long War, or a COLD part.

Down the road we'll have battles we cannot conceive of now, against enemies we do not know, cannot see and do not suspect malice from, but THEY will challenge the WE and the battle will be fought.

Will The Long War ever end. Yes, it will, but the nature of what the world will be like at the end cannot be forseen, it's simply too far off and to many variables are in the way. What we do know is that it will end one day, and there will be a victor. This planet is simply too small for multiple ideologies and worldviews to exist indefinately. Multi-cuturalism will not be the future of the planet, a single global culture will eventually emerge as transportation and information transfer improves.

We are still in a phase of our development where different groups of people are given different sets of information to base their opinions and actions upon. One day this will not be the place. We are only a few short years away from information access being a uniform global process. Just as fiber replaced copper, WiFi will eventually be replaced by SatFi and any human with a simple device will have access to the same information as every other human with a simple, portable and self-contained device, accessing a global network that cannot be interfered with by local or national governments. If you want to look at the US internetsat, you will be able to, if you want to look at the China internetsat, you will be able to, access points in orbit are coming, and keeping a population in the dark will become impossible. When this occurs, it will be the strength of the ideas and goals of groups that will make them powerful and not merely their access to weapons and their local power over a population.

As transportation evolves, it too will give greater access and greater range to the individual. Highways will be replaced by skyways, and mankind's mobility will both act as a dampening effect and inflamatory effect on the violence and scope of The Long War. Combatants will have greater and greater access to their targets, but those targets will be contaminated more and more by unwanted bystanders. How this will play out cannot be forseen, but transportation will both increase the violence of The Long War and decrease it over time as populations continue to merge and high value single targets become more scarce.

The Long War will determine the future of mankind. Will we take to the the stars seeking out new homes, new science and a greater understanding of the universe? Will we stay earthbound, working like ants to serve the desires of a select few in a Communist utopia? Or will we see a new "religion" preventing us from developing our technology in some warped sense of respect for the planet where we see mass starvations and depopulations before a complete technological collapse that sets us back hundreds or thousands of years because we must not damage our environment for the sake of improving the lives of humans?

The Long War will have an end. There will be an eventual one world culture, there will be one world language, it's inevitable. There will be one world system of government, that too is inevitable. There will be a common set of information and it will be universally accessible, that too is inevitable.

That language does not have to be English, I'd sure like it to be, because I feel that it's got the greatest headstart and would be the most efficient direction to take and retain the most knowledge along the way. That system of government does not have to be Democracy, I'd sure like it to be, because Democracy empowers the individual, and does not reduce man to slave. That set of information does not have to be science and truth, it could be a political information set a la Orwell's 1984, or a religous set that teaches only one fantasy worldview, I'd sure like it to be the science and truth set, and I think the reasons are obvious.

So what is the whole point of this. The point is to realize that things are going to get worse before they get better when it comes to the GWOT, the point is to realize that the GWOT is just a battle, or a theatre, in the larger war for humanity, The Long War, which will determine where we, as a species (think about that: WE, as a SPECIES) decide to go with our opposable thumbs and big brains. The point is for people to realize that we are in a War that we have not yet named, a war that we do not yet see it's full scope, a war that will make past wars seem unimportant and a war that will change the very nature and scope of what is considered humanity.

The point is to hopefully spark other discussions about the future, and how it will be shape by the new interconnected small world we now live in as opposed to the old disconnected large world we inhabited just a few short decades ago. Where once we could have oceans and deserts as barriers, we now have everyone thrown together in one big bowl, and we must hash out our differences and come to a realization of what humanity is and what our purpose will be. Are we to be ants? Are we to be worshippers? Are we to be individuals? What will it mean to be human at the end of The Long War? What will we have to endure to get to that end?

This is survival of the fittest, who will it be? Athens or Sparta? (See the PS below for an explanation of that.)

Comments are welcome and will be responded to.

--Jason

PS, This screed, rant, commentary, post, whatever you want to call it, was sparked by a reading of this fictional piece by Dan Simmons. If anything in this post sparked interest, and even if it did not, I highly suggest you take the time to read the April 2006 Message from Dan. It's interesting, it's thought provoking, it's scary, and it's enlightening, take the time to read it, make the time to read it.

Posted by JasonColeman at 9:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 11, 2006

Eine minuten bitte. . .

As we enter this day (I'm sorry, but I can't bring myself to call it an anniversary), that marks the fifth year since the attacks of September 11, 2001; many will have Islamic Terrorism and the greater threat of Islamic Fascism on their minds. This is appropriate, it will be on my mind as well. I just want to put the brakes on a second and remind people that Islamic Fascism is not the only threat we face in the world today.

As we prepare to remember our fallen, North Korea plans to announce to the world that they have indeed created an atomic bomb. Their only possible motivation for this is to blackmail the rest of the world into accepting a regime that starves millions of it's own people intentionally, that imposes an iron fist of state control on a completely opposite end of the scale from the Islamic Fascists.

Now is good time, if you haven't before, to read Bill Whittle's Tribes.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 12:50 AM

August 31, 2006

How FAKE is Burning Man. . .

This is going to take a while, and you still might not get it. . .my apologies in advance if this is the case.

Oh what has become of my beloved Burning Man. Ok, for starters, that's a bit much, even for me. So let's back up.

I've been to a couple of Burning Man celebrations in the Nevada desert. People who are familiar with me generally find this to be a shock. The festival is a moonbat carnival to most people, it's really not, but that's what people portray it as. Let me be straight though, Burning Man IS a moonbat carnival, it's a hippy freak show, it's a bunch of leftist morons sitting in the desert talking about how great Communism is. It's about raw unadulterated sex and violence, it's about free-love and all that jazz.

Burning Man is a lot of other things also. It's about showing up in the middle of nowhere and creating a city, on the fly, on demand. It's also about destroying that city and dancing around it in glee as it burns. It's an oxymoron wrapped in an enigma obscured by camouflage. In short, it's great fun.

Some people have called Burning Man "Mardi Gras on steroids." Let me assure you it's not. It is, but it's not. The night of the burn is like "Mardi Gras on steroids with some blotter acid and an IV drip of tequila". I could talk about the Burn night, but that's not the intent of this post.

The "Community of Burning Man" is a special thing. It's spontaneous, friendly, open, loving and accepting. It's also EXTREMELY judgmental if you're. . . say . . . religious (but only mainstream religion, trying to organize a traditional Canonical Catholic service wouldn't make you any friends, but a hippy dippy worship ceremony with actors playing out the Moon and Sun having intercourse will get you lots of play from the "spiritual" among Burners.) Religion is just one example, if you were to seriously show up with a Pro-Bush, Pro-War or Pro-Israel viewpoint, you'd also most likely be ostracized if you admitted so publically or loudly. Likewise if you had anti-homosexual viewpoints, or a number of other views. Burning Man is tolerant, but it's also intolerant.

Personally, I love Burning Man, I don't agree with half the things other people there do or say, but as I look at, they don't agree with half of the things I do or say too, so it balances. I can say so many horrible things about Burners, each paired with a great thing. It's a brief glimpse of a "possibility for Community" that I can certainly agree with and accept. I could live in a year round Burning Man, I would probably be successful and thrive while generally being pretty happy.

95%+ of Americans and 99%+ of other inhabitants could most certainly not write that above paragraph and mean it.

Burning Man is an ideal living set, it's a fantasy land where there is virtually no crime, no personal property, no income, no expenses, a barter economy based on gifting rather than trading, environmentally friendly (apart from the massive burning destruction at the end of course), tolerant, safe, secure and a haven for personal liberty.

Simply put, most human beings can't handle that. That's not an insult, it's just an examination of reality. Most humans want and need a sense of structure and order, they need to know that there is a "safety net" of public infrastructure (non-Westernized nations less so), they need to know that their personal property and security of person is protected by an organized and capable force. They need to know that the mail will come, not because someone has created a cool art project and is playing mailman, they need to know that the mail will come regardless of whether or not the artist continues his personal commitment. Most need to know that there will be oversight of public eating facilities, clean potable water, etc etc etc. Burning Man delivers all these things, so to the supporter of Burning Man, they may not understand what I'm saying, BUT, at Burning Man, these things are FAKE, they are an illusion. Yeah, there's WiFi now at Burning Man, but it's not economically stable, it couldn't support a society. There's mail at Burning Man, but you couldn't trust it for commerce. There's so so much to see and do and touch and feel and play with and jump on and roll in and more, that Burning Man FEELS real. It FEELS like something you could get behind and support as a "lifestyle".

Alas dear reader, it's FAKE, completely FAKE.

Fake people, doing fake things, creating fake art, in a fake city. It seems real when you're wrapped up in the moment, but in reality, it's just a "vacation", it's not real, and it can't be real, because if it were real, you'd have to support it. For it to be real, people would have to make more of a commitment to it than taking a week off from work and spending evenings and weekends creating costumes.

There are some truly REAL people at Burning Man. In fact I'd suggest that almost all are REAL people. People who deep down realize that they are on vacation, at a great party, and as such, they are generally disposed to good behavior, having fun and not harshing their own or others vibe. That's what makes Burning Man fun, meeting these REAL people in a wholly UNREAL world. That's what makes something in your head click when you pass through the gates (or begin to pick up random CB signals if you've chosen to drive in across the dry lakebed from the East). That click is the "disconnect from reality", you're in the world of Burning Man now. Things are different.

Burning Man truly is a great experience, it's impossible to describe Burning Man in short form. Countless books and DVD's have been devoted to documenting and exploring what Burning Man is. None of them are right, they are just various perspectives offering a view of varying broadness, never encompassing the whole.

I highly recommend the event if you are of the philosophical worldview to "handle" it. To enjoy Burning Man you have to be able to rationally disconnect the two worlds, if you try to bridge them you will fail and only diminish the experience. You have to accept that the world of Burning Man is ordered chaos with outbreaks of Fascism and Anarchy, there is no law, although sometimes there is, and there is order, although sometimes there isn't. If you can "accept" this, if you "roll with it", and you can realize that it's FAKE. You can have a great time.

So I hope I've giving some of you a perspective on Burning Man. So let’s just shift gears here for a second and laugh at just "How FAKE is Burning Man. . . "

The Burners like to think of themselves (as a group) as being generally leftist/Democratic/Progressive in orientation. There are certainly exceptions, this is Burning Man after all. The "collective" of Burning Man embraces many environmentalist concepts and carries them off quite well. The event encourages it's attendees to use environmentally friendly products and to leave no trace (camping lingo: meaning to take everything you bring with you when you leave and leave the environment in as close to the same condition as you found it). There are groups that attend to assist with recycling and green cooking. The event puts a premium on being kind to the Earth and you're bombarded with environmentalist messages throughout. It's is after all a moonbat carnival, a "progressives" party.

Never mind that at the end a significant portion of the content of the event itself is set ablaze to burn unmitigated sending tons upon tons of unmitigated pollution into the atmosphere. Personally, I think it's a sacrifice on the altar of the cult of global warming, but that's another issue.

For years, they've been trying to mitigate this obvious hypocrisy between the conscious of a super-majority of attendees and their actions in burning tons upon tons of wood, paint, plastic, fabrics and other items in the open air.
But finally folks, today, that's all changed:

A group of "scientists" have "created" a way for the Burners to mitigate their destruction of the environment. Burners can now "buy credits" to compensate for their pollution.

Yes, now for just $5, you can burn away to your hearts content. Because someone in the background is going to mitigate your personal pollution, which you are creating just so you can have the joy of burning it.

What's the first project they will fund with the Burners money?

A windmill to provide power for a Native American casino.

See, I told you it was all FAKE.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 3:09 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 24, 2006

Look here MSM, stop with the armageddonist blather. . .

So I was going through my daily routine of hitting the bigger news sites looking for interesting stuff when THIS caught my eye.

Here, via Reuters, we have the alarmist report of a "Tropical Wave" heading for the Caribbean. Got that? A wave, not a tropical storm forming, not a hurricane about to ravage unsuspecting non-white people, but a wave.

Yes, yes, I know it's been a slow year for all those reporters who were banking on a heavy-weight hurricane season to pay for their new condos purchased with their bonuses for Katrina coverage, but to report on a TROPICAL WAVE, give me a goddam break people.

Look, I'll grant that a Tropical Wave is a somewhat important meteorological construct, and weather forcasters should pay attention to such a construct, but for al-Reuters to come out with a statement like:

"If the wave gets into the Gulf of Mexico, it could disrupt the U.S. oil and natural gas producing and refining facilities, damaged last year by hurricanes Katrina and Rita."

This statement is simply bullshit. IF the wave gets to the Gulf of Mexico, and IF conditions are right, a tropical depression MAY form, and IF conditions are correct, then a tropical storm MAY form from that, and IF conditions continue to be favorable for it, a hurricane MAY form, and finally, IF a hurricane forms, it MAY disrupt oil and gas facilities.

To try to elevate this Tropical Wave into the realm of imminent weather threat is simply alarmist and armageddonist blather from the MSM, it's what I could call a "most ridiculous" or "bottom story" of the day.

--Jason

PS This reminds me of the lunacy a few months back when "hurricane experts" were calling for the scale to go up to 6 for categories of cyclonic storms. Which in turn reminds me of the amplifier that goes to eleven.

-JC

Posted by JasonColeman at 10:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 22, 2006

Required Viewing. . .

I, a Muslim is a Czech documentary from a series called "infiltrator", it's runs about 30 minutes and is Czech with English subtitles. The documentary uses hidden cameras, microphones and a "potential convert" to Islam to enter Czechoslavakia's Muslim culture.

I believe the program speaks for itself. Watch it now, I'm sure it won't last long on the big public video servers.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 11:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 18, 2006

15 Years Ago Tomorrow. . .

The Soviet Union collapsed under it's own weight, helped along with a shove from one of our nation's greatest Presidents, Ronald Wilson Reagan.

To many, including me, the collapse of the Soviet Union proved the fatal flaws of Communism. The Soviet directed economy was unable to react to local economic crisis and unable to find efficient ways of distributing resources. The simple fact that after decades of Soviet rule, the Communist Party was unable to find a way to feed it's people, provide goods and services and deliver the promise of a better life than that which existed in the West, condemned it to failure.

Gorbachev's policies of glasnost (political openness) and perestroika (economic restructuring), which included an easing of government censorship, exposed the average Soviet citizen to the fact they were far behind the West despite years of government propaganda. Regional economic autonomy led to a rise in regional nationalism and a diminished allegiance to the central government and the Communist party in general. The unintended results of glasnost and perestroika led to uskoreniye (speed-up of economic development) which was unable to counter the economic costs of inflation despite the government's attempts to hide it from the masses. Citizens began to realize that taking control of their own economic destiny (as exemplified by the rapidly expanding black market) led to greater prosperity for the individual, but still didn't match the prosperity of the West.

When they compared themselves to the West, Soviet citizens finally began to realize that they truly were "oppressed". As individual discontent grew, Soviet "states" began to become obstructionist to the Central Government's policies, turning instead to local initiatives and withholding tax revenues from Moscow. As the Politburo's power diminished at the local level, the Parliament (which prior to this period was a largely symbolic body) saw their power and prestige grow.

The Warsaw Pact states, looked upon the weakening power of the Soviet government as an opportunity to escape the Soviet's iron fist, by early 1991 the governments of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania had thrown off the yoke and set the stage for a revolution in Soviet Union.

On August 19, 1991 a group of Communist Party hard-liners seized control of the government. The world watched in fascination as the State Emergency Committee placed a vacationing Gorbachev under house arrest and tried to take the Soviet Union back to a period of iron-clad Soviet control. Despite the political power of the Committee's members, which included the KGB Chairman, Internal Affairs Minister and Defense Minister, they were unable to consolidate control as Russian President Boris Yeltsin and members of the Parliament defiantly held the "White House" (Russian Parliament Building) and the citizens of Moscow and Leningrad rallied round the resistance.

Soviet armor arrived on the scene at the White House and promptly defected to Yeltsin's side. Yeltsin's denouncement of the coup via megaphone from the top of a Soviet tank was broadcast to the world and marked the beginning of the end for both the coup and the Soviet Union itself. Commandos dispatched to seize the White House and arrest Yeltsin and leaders of the resistance unanimously refused their orders and stood idly by.

The "Vodka Putsch" collapsed after four days and Gorbachev returned to Moscow. His power was fatally wounded, and in very real terms, Yeltsin was the nation's new leader, if not yet in name. Despite resigning from the Communist Party and the promise to purge Communist Party hardliners from the government, Gorbachev was never able to regain real power. By December, the transformation was complete, all of the Soviet Republics had declared independence and the Soviet Union was no more. Communism was no longer on the march, it was in full retreat.

Fifteen years is a long time on the world political stage. Today a new breed of Communists is organizing in South America, while China's communists are embracing a hybridized free-market system in an attempt to mitigate the inefficiencies of Communist economic policy.

In my view, China and the new Communist states of South America are doomed to failure just as the Soviet Union was. Their hybridization of economic markets into a "free yet directed" economy is merely smoke and mirrors. While such policies may increase the economic prosperity of citizens in the short term, it's this very economic prosperity of individuals which will eventually lead to the collapse of the world's remaining Communist States.

Die-hard leftists and neo-Communists point to Venezeula's apparent success as proof that a Communist state can survive, they also point to China's role as a major industrial produced as an indication that Communism will rise again and be a viable alternative to Democracy and free markets, these are both false beliefs. While Communism can indeed create short term benefits for a people, the inflexible nature of a directed economy can never compete with a free market without crippling government subsidies and false economic props. Likewise the unparalleled capacity of the free market for economic development cannot be matched by centralized planning; it's simply not flexible enough or quick enough to effectively respond to changing market conditions.

Prosperity, which Communism promises, is also Communism's greatest enemy. Prosperity leads to a desire for greater prosperity as individuals realize their potential and seek greater wealth and the comfort and security it provides. The nature of individuals to seek a better life for themselves consistently trumps the misdirection of their economic activity for the support of others. This doesn't mean that people do not have great capacity to help others, but forcing people to give up a portion of their economic prosperity against their will through centralized planning, and forcing people into economic roles they don't wish to take is are untennable positions for a government to take.

Venezeula cripples itself with each move into a directed economy; Citgo (the Venezeulan oil-company) has the potential to be a major player in the world oil economy, in many ways it already is; but the interference of the Central Government in Citgo will lead to it's demise. For any economic entity to succeed, it must be able to recognize and adapt to changes on it's own. Citgo is hampered with a Government that sees it as an unlimited cash cow, while investment in the structures needed to ensure it's viability go ignored and development of new reserves are hampered by the removal of the cash assets needed to ensure viability go to other, unconnected projects. The failure of a Communist State to re-invest in the economic structures that support it is a common theme as managers who have no real hard experience in the industry make decisions from political perspectives rather than empirical economic perspectives.

A similar economic hamstringing is occuring in China, while the Chinese have been very effective in creating a broad based economic engine, it has no depth as critical infrastructure is put into place as window dressing to pay homage to the state rather than put into place to give solid support to China's growing industry. Across China today, there are scores of viable yet abandoned factories from projects which have fallen out of political favor and have their support or even liscense to operate stripped from them for political considerations, causing much needed capital to simply evaporate. As millions of citizens stream into the cities to find work, they are herded like cattle into appaling living quarters and become virtual slaves to the state and its favored industry of the moment.

For sure, there is great economic improvement of the lives of individuals in China, but this improvement is not based on an individuals performance under the whip, but rather his or her loyalty to the party. Businessmen have to constantly balance the needs of their economic activity with the dictates of the state, this leads to the inevitable hiding and hoarding of capital and the development of the black market. This black economy will continue to grow in China just as it did in the Soviet Union. As people begin to rely more and more on the black market and less and less on the state, the state's power will be undermined, and once individuals have tasted the sweetness of the economic apple, they are loath to abandon the flavor for bland handouts of Soylent Green. The Chinese culture historically has produced shrewd economic minds and many would argue that this culture actually supports the Communist system, I beg to differ. While today, Chinese culture independent of the state is complimentary to Communism, it's a certain eventuality that as the masses migrate into the middle class, the dictates of human nature take over, driving the individual to acquire more, want more, and most importantly, want more than the other guy. This desire to not only keep up with the Joneses, but to surpass them will eventually manifest itself in China, and in many ways it already has. As people move up in social and economic status, they demand a share of the political power which governs it. With prosperity comes a desire for more prosperity and as this desire increases, it must be accomodated. Communism by it's very nature, no matter what hybridization you put into it, fails to meet this challenge of the masses for greater and greater economic and political power. Eventually the balance will tip in the favor of the indivual as he (or she, but not in China) gains power and demands more control over his life.

The Chinese will be able to keep the lid on for the foreseeable future, but underneath the facade is a growing middle class, a middle class that will begin to demand protection for it's status and the protection of rights that become a need when wealth is generated. The state can not only content itself with protection of life (security, food, shelter, etc.), it must, if it wishes to survive in a modern economic construct, provide its citizens with protections for liberty and secure the mechanisms necessary for the pursuit of happiness, these latter two philosophic constructs cannot be accomodated in a political system such as Communism. Communism cannot deliver liberty to the populace, because the populace must always remain the property of the state to continue its viability. An individual cannot be considered property and have liberty at the same time, the two concepts are mutually exclusive. The pursuit of happiness means the pursuit of the things you want, not the things the state decides to provide for you, central planning cannot deliver the broad spectrum of goods and services the pursuit of happiness entails. Even if a Communist government were to try to respond to the changing tastes of individuals, it is incapable of responding fast enough or efficient enough to effectively deliver.

[Aside: Before you fire off an email telling me that Chinese citizens are not property, I will address that as follows: If someone (state or individual) tells you where you must live, if you must receive permission to work, if at a moments notice you can be forcibly removed from your home and job to be placed in another home and job not of your choosing, you are in fact property of another, be it individual or state.]

Communism, in a very real way, is slavery. The only difference between a traditional "slave" (as some Muslim communities still practice) and a Communist slave is who holds the whip. It doesn't matter to the slave if the whip is held by an individual or an actor of the state, he is still a slave, and slavery cannot be tolerated.

So on this day, with the anniversay of the collapse of the Soviet Union on the horizon, I urge you, my meager readership to think about the existance of Communist slaves the world over. Realize that our fellow human beings are held in bondage and prevented the very freedoms we all too often take for granted. I urge you not to fear the rise of Communism in South America or it's continued presence in China, Cuba and N. Korea, instead I urge you to despise it as the citizens of the Soviet Union came to. Recognize that "Che worship" is the worship of oppressors and those that would enslave other men to their will, to their dictates. The concept that a state can make better decisions for an individual is an truly evil concept. To deny an individual the control of their own destiny is to encourage evil in the world. To fail to support Democracy is to support the imposition of another's will on the individual.

As we remember the collapse of the Soviet Union, we must turn our attention to the other Evil Empires emerging. We must, at every turn do whatever we can to encourage dissent and rebellion in those areas of the world where an individual is stripped of his individual right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We must expose the man behind the curtain of Communist regimes and point out their failings at every turn, as loudly as we can so that the oppressed of the world know that we support them in their natural quest for freedom and liberty. We cannot continue to stand idly by while more and more people fall under the control of their "betters", for the concept of "betters" does not exist in a world where all men are created equal.

As we remember the collapse of the Soviet Union, we must look forward to the disintegration of Communism worldwide; in some cases this means we must destabilize those nations which oppress their citizens, in others it means we must "cook" their economy, drive it to a fever pitch where the ability of the state to control it collapses, in others we will have to act to remove regimes that are bent on oppression and where starvation is considered a means of control, in all, we must reject the tennents of Communism and do our best to bring about it's eventual demise.

This is what we should think about as we remember the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was a victory over Communism surely, but it was only one battle, albeit a major one, but the war against Communism and for the freedom of mankind is far from over.

--Jason

UPDATE: Welcome Ace of Spades HQ readers, please feel free to take a look around, and thank you for taking the time to give my words a brief bit of your attention.

MAJOR UPDATE: Just a few hours after I posted this, Bloomberg reports that the last Soviet Premier/Dictator, Mikhail Gorbachev, praises Hillary Clinton. If that's not telling, I'm not sure what is.

There are those that would look favorably on Gorbachev, I do not. While his policies led to the eventual fall of the Soviet Union, don't think for a second that Gorbachev was anti-Communist, he wasn't. The collapse wasn't an intended outcome of Gorbachev's polices; the intent of his policy was to stave off the economic and political collapse of the Soviet regime. He would have been more than happy to serve out his time as a Soviet Premier / Dictator for Life, thankfully, the world had different plans.

-JC

Posted by JasonColeman at 9:33 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

August 16, 2006

NYC 9-11 Calls Released. . .

New York City officials today released over 1600 emergency calls and transmissions between dispatchers, first responders and other responding agencies today. Included are calls from individuals trapped inside the World Trade Center complex and individuals reporting the terrorist attack upon the Twin Towers. Also included are calls between responders and supervisors offering help, support, direction and information as the attack and the its aftermath unfold.

Listening to the released material is quite difficult emotionally and brings the horror of that day once again into sharp relief. I'd recommend that everyone take at least some time to listen to the recordings as they are an important part of understanding the scope of the event for the individuals tasked with responding and managing a crisis previously unimaginable.

I have nothing but praise to offer for the courageous efforts and professionalism the recordings demonstrate.

WARNING: There are some very graphic descriptions of tragic events included in the recordings, they are most definately inappropriate for young children and those easily disturbed.

Links to the released tapes after the jump.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 4:05 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 14, 2006

Has Google jumped the shark. . . .

Internet behemoth Google, seems to be setting itself up to jump the shark. From censoring results in China, to some dubious methodology in it's click-based advertising system, Google has already been under fire.

Now it seems they are taking offense to the terminology "to google" claiming that its use by media outlets is approaching trademark infringement.

While I can see Google's point, and I can almost agree with its, I think it's a seriously bad move to send menacing legal notices to media outlets. Google is on shaky ground with the rest of the world media via it's Google Video and Google News services. Further, their plans to digitize and make available on the web, every book ever published is setting the internet giant up for a showdown with Big Media over intellectual property rights.

Personally, I think they are setting the stage for a battle they cannot win by antagonizing the media and trying to play the bully. When push comes to shove, it's highly unlikely that their plan to digitize and offer up every published work will succeed. Authors like readers, for sure, and so do publishers, but both groups also want to be paid for their intellectual output and the resources used to publish such works. If Google succeeds in dealing such a fatal blow to print media, the public will be ill served as publishers will begin to step back from publishing hard copy and publishing only via electronic means where they have a greater control over who can access their content.

To take books away (as Google is unwittingly trying to do) would be a significant negative blow to the education of the masses. As much as Google would like it to be so, access to the internet is not universal and it never will be. Additionally, the ability to transfer knowledge without additional technological support (other than handing over a book) will be seriously harmed. Google is facing a showdown and before they get to the dance, they are further antagonizing their partner and will only gain enemies by trying to buck common vernacular and determine how people use the English language.

If Google wants to fight the use of their name as a verb, they need to go first to the publishers of Oxford's English and other dictionaries, not the people using the terminology found there.

Google is severly over-valued as a company, their position is far from stable at the top of the heap and as we've seen time and time and time again, your position on top is short-lived if you go after the people who put you there.

If they press this particular issue with the media, eventually they'll get a backlash, and the lawsuits over Google News and other services will begin to mount up. Remember, it only takes one successful lawsuit to force Google to shut down it's News or Video services. The sudden injunction on either of these services would severely hurt Google's stock, it will also produce a pile on effect as lawyers descend on Google en masse to begin a "death of a thousand cuts" which will be championed by the media that Google is antagonizing. Google has alot of cash, cash that once tapped with a successful lawsuit, will bring about a legal swarm of locusts that will make drug company liability cases seem pale in comparison.

For me personally, I don't rely on Google as I once did. I found over time that there were other search engines which produced better results with particular subject matter. While Google's interface is clean and fast, their results are being "gamed" more and more everyday. Just like Windows is targeted by virus developers because it's the prominent platform, Google is targeted by SEO con-artists and spammers because of it's position at the top.

Unlike Microsoft, there are simple and widely available alternatives to Google. Their position is not secure, they live in a multi-layered glass house, and if they start throwing stones at the brick and mortar media, the brick and mortar media will throw back. It doesn't take a structural engineer to determine who will win the rock throwing contest.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 12:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 8, 2006

If this pisses you off, go away. . .

Because I think it's absolutely hilarious.

The audio is a bit hot, so be ready to turn it down, and you may not understand all the lyrics at first, but give it a little bit and I promise it gets better. About half way through, you'll be tempted to turn it off because you'll feel like it's run it's course, but I encourage you to stay with it for the entire video.

If you don't find it funny, well, let's just say that if you don't, then, you're not really my target demographic, OK?

If the embedded player isn't working for you, you can click here.

A small bit of commentary below the fold. . .

Now I know SOME people are going to find this offensive, but I'd suggest that anyone who doesn't realize the stress and the activitiy levels of our troops in harms way, also won't recognize that humor is their way of coping with being far from home, doing a tough job and most importantly, battling the feelings that people at home aren't behind them.

I post this because A) I find it hilarious, B) I like poking those who would find it offensive and C) I really support the boys and girls in harm's way and can empathize with their desire to lash back a little by using humor.

So before you fire off that 10 page hate mail missive to me, just realize that if this offends you, and you bitch at me about it, I'm just going to laugh at you.

Also, lets just say that if you snipe at me or have a problem with me, that's cool, take a swipe at the troops or my "target demographic" in comments and I'll delete ya. Got it?

--Jason

UPDATE: Comments are closed due to spambots.

-JC

Posted by JasonColeman at 11:30 AM | Comments (5)

March 7, 2006

Behold, the Dhimmitude of Europe continues. . .

Somedays I just look at my inbox and shake my head slowly. I can't believe where the world is going sometimes.

Of interest to me today is a report coming from Islam Online that says that the top rock act in Germany will be prohibited from appearing at Berlin's ECHO Music Festival after a television station announced they would not broadcast the performance because to do so would be an "irresponsible act".

Read the article and decide for yourself if the organizers are doing the right thing by banning the top rock band in Germany (named Oomph!, by the way) from the festival to appease potential religious troublemakers.

For my part I'm going to do something "irresponsible" and post a sample of the "offending song" entitled "Gott ist ein Popstar (God is a pop star)." Click the title for a sample.

I hope all those who would be offended by such music are profoundly offended. I'm still waiting for that Fatwah folks, I keep checking, but I don't think anyone has decared a jihad on me yet.

More musical interludes later tonight folks, and I promise that this next one will be a howler!!!! You're gonna have to wait for it though, cause I'm like that.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 3:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 23, 2006

Two tales of a city. . .

Ok, not quite a city, more just a place, and a people. The place is Lalish, Iraq (Kurdistan Iraq, for whatever that's worth), the people are the Yezidi. The tales are from Michael Totten, who focuses more on the religion, and Michael Yon, who focuses more on the people.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 11:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 17, 2006

The international language of. . ..

"Common Sense."

First found via my favorite web diva.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 11:43 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Did I say hell? ? ?

Freigh-train, I tell ya, freight-train!!!!

Where's my jihad?!?!?!

First caught this at California Conservative, then at Cake or Death.

It's a must see, but be warned, Not Necessarily Safe for Work (Language, and if you're an easily offended jihadist wannabe Muslim, you'll really hate it.). You've been warned.

Courtesy of Zipperfish.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 1:47 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 15, 2006

More of what the MSM won't show you. . . .

Something tells me that you'll never see an article about this type of reconstruction in Iraq in the New York Times, LA Times, Boston Globe, nor will you probably see it on ABC, NBC or CBS.

Yes, that's in IRAQ, and so is this.

To find out about this kind of reconstruction. You'll have to look to the blogs. This time, you'll specifically have to check out Michael Totten, who's taken to blogging directly from the Middle East. Until recently he was living and blogging in Lebanon, and now he's taken his laptop and digicam to Iraq.

Have a look around his site at MichaelTotten.com, when you're done there, check out Michael Yon.

The MSM is dying on the vine, I'm just glad we have something to take it's place.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 3:29 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

February 1, 2006

Dear Alcohol. . .

Did I ever tell you I used to own a brewery??? Anyway, I just wanted to share.

Dear Alcohol,
First & foremost, let me tell you that I'm a huge fan of yours.

As my friend, you always seem to be there when needed.

The perfect post-work cocktail, a beer at the game, and you're even
around in the holidays, hidden inside chocolates as you warm us when
we're stuck in the midst of endless family gatherings.

However, lately I've been wondering about your intentions.

While I want to believe that you have my best interests at heart, I feel
that your influence has led to some unwise consequences:

1. Phone calls: While I agree with you that communication is
important, I question the suggestion that any conversation of substance
or necessity takes place after 2 a.m. Why would you make me call those
ex-girlfriends when I know for a fact they do not want to
hear from me during the day, let alone all hours of the night?

2. Eating: Now, you know I love a good meal, but why do you suggest
that I eat a kebab, a butter chicken curry along with a sausage with
cheese,onion and mustard (washed down with WINE &
topped off with a Kit kat after a few sweet chilli and sour cream old
dutch chips)? I'm an eclectic eater, but I think you went too far this
time.

3. Clumsiness: Unless you're subtly trying to tell me that I need to
do more yoga to improve my balance, I see NO need to hammer the issue
home by causing me to fall down. It's completely unnecessary, and the
black & blue marks that appear on my body mysteriously the next day are
beyond me. Similarly, it should never take me more than 45 seconds to
get the front door key into the lock.

4. Furthermore: The hangovers have GOT to stop.
This is getting ridiculous. I know a little penance for our previous
evening's debauchery may be in order, but the 3pm hangover immobility is
completely unacceptable. My entire day is shot. I
ask that, if the proper precautions are taken ie water, vitamin B, bread
products, aspirin
prior to going to sleep/passing out face down on the kitchen floor the
hangover should be minimal & in no way interfere with my daily
activities.

Alcohol, I have enjoyed our friendship for some years now & would like
to ensure that we remain on good terms. You've been the invoker of great
stories, the provocation for much laughter, and the needed companion
when I just don't know what to do with the extra money in my pockets.

In order to continue this friendship, I ask that you carefully review my
grievances above & address them immediately. I will look for an answer
no later than Thursday 3pm (pre-happy hour) on your possible solutions &
hopefully we can continue this fruitful partnership.

Thank you,
Your biggest fan

P.S.

THINGS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN DRUNK:
1. Innovative
2. Preliminary
3. Proliferation
4. Cinnamon

THINGS THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHEN DRUNK:
1. Specificity
2. British Constitution
3. Passive-aggressive disorder

THINGS THAT ARE DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY
WHEN DRUNK:
1. Thanks, but I don't want to have sex.
2. Nope, no more beer for me.
3. Sorry, but you're not really my type.
4. Good evening, officer. Isn't it lovely out tonight?
5. Oh, I couldn't. No one wants to hear me sing

----------------------------------------------------

I wish I could take credit for this, but I can't. I read it first some time back and had been looking for it ever since. Found it, so I'm putting it here so I won't lose it.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 7:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 31, 2006

Oh this is too good. . . . (It's in the Koran!)

Give it a bit to load and then click play. . .

It's in the Koran!

As always, give it a few seconds to load then click play, and PLEASE, no hot-linking. Link to the page, and that's great, but please don't just steal my bandwith without referencing, it's just uncool.

UPDATE: Google Video was originally serving the video but in their march toward Dhimmitude, they've taken it down. Never fear however, I had a copy laying around and am now glad to serve it up for ya.

Oh yeah, and just for Googles sake, lemme put in some keywords here: It's in the Koran song plus lyrics and audio, Islam's Not for Me.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 2:11 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

DUDE!!!

Kirkwood has a 200 inch base!!!

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 12:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 24, 2006

If there is a Hell. . .

Yes, yes, I know I'm an Atheist (really, I am), and I don't believe in Hell, but I'm also quite cognizant that I could very well be wrong, and there may in fact, actually be a Hell.

I'm certain though, that if there is. . . I've got a reservation for putting this on my blog.

Give it some time to load, click play, and watch the whole thing. Leave hate mail in the comments.

--Jason

Posted by JasonColeman at 2:55 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

January 23, 2006

It's as if. . . .

Mother Nature creeped up on the libbies and leaned in close to their ear and then screamed:

HA! There's your Global Warming for ya!

Seriously tho', I don't subscribe to the Global Warming nonsense. Sure there's evidence that the earth is getting warmer, but there's also evidence that it's getting colder. There's plenty of evidence that our Sun is cranking out more energy than ever before and that our planet and it's various ecosystems are responding in kind.

[NOTE:It's important to realize that our Sun is going to keep getting hotter and hotter over geologic/astronomic time until it cooks us right off the planet and absorbs the Earth into it's ever expanding disk just a few million years before it collapses back upon itself. So if you want to bitch about "global warming" and use the SUN as your boogeyman, that's fine, but pretending that WE HUMANS are the culprit is just ludicrous at this point in our scientific/industrial evolution.]

In essence for me, it just seems as if we simply don't have enough of a grasp of global climate change or even the global climate in general to understand what the last 100 or so years of data means. That's really all we have ya know, about 100 years of "somewhat" reliable data on temperatures. Not to mention that MOST of that 100 years of data was collected within big concrete heatsinks that make up our cities. Those sinks keep getting bigger as cities grow so it's not really surprising that collecting data in our universities and our city-based weather bureaus over the past 10 or so decades has skewed the temperature data upwards. We're doing much better now with satellites since people began pointing out the heatsink effect of cities.

There are plenty in the Global Warming crowd that will harp that we have THOUSANDS of years of data, but that's mostly theoretical data at best and wholely fabricated at worst. Although I do just LOVE this graphic from the IPCC via the Wall Street Journal some time back.

In all intellectual honesty we simply don't have enough information to say that WE are doing THIS or doing THAT with regard to the climate, even with ice cores and tree ring fossils.

Sure pollution is bad, but industrialized societies compensate for pollution with wealth. Yep, I said it, wealth. Think about it for a second. I'm not rich, rich, rich, but I'm Bill Gates when it comes to most of the third world, and I do something with that wealth that many people take for granted. I landscape my yard. That's right. I have a lawn, I have flowerbeds, I have trees and schrubbery that not only enhance the value and appearance of my property, but also absorb far more CO2 and produce more O2 than the same piece of property would if left to the natural state. I'm not alone either, there are MILLIONS of us doing this. Think about it.

Now I'm not about to say that nice lawns and landscaping are the cure for global warming, but I do know this, they certainly help quite a bit. In case you hadn't noticed, North America is a NET ABSORBER of CO2 (That's one of dem der "greenhouse gasses" ya know). Yep, that's right, even with all our cars, our power plants, fireplaces and heavy industry, we still absorb more CO2 than we crank out. I suggest that's mainly because of our land use practices, especially our more modern ones (post WW2). We rarely let land go to "waste" in the United States. We do hold some aside and we do have some that doesn't appear to be doing anything, but the vast majority of land in the U.S. is managed in one way or another.

That management can take many different forms, it could be local and individual, as in the case of my house, which is surrounded by a green lawn in summer, regularly watered and cut so it's always growing and cranking out O2 and absorbing CO2 at a fair clip. I also spread rye grass in the winter to keep a lawn growing, then I have fruit trees, decorative cypress, some schrubbery and plenty of other decorative plants which I try to keep healty and do my best to avoid them becoming deer food (which I'll come back to later), as well as another area set aside in it's natural state to provide a bit of habitat for critters, birds and the like.

There's also the big agri-business land use and management on the other end of the scale. The United States produces ALOT of vegetation for foodstuffs, and that vegetation has a significant impact on the CO2 level. This vegetation has also been selected, domesticated and hybridized to produce a fast growing crop, maximizing both the amount of food produced and also the amount of CO2 and O2 processed and produced (not necessarily intended, but definately a benefit). We grow far more than we need as a "people" and then we sell the extra to others who don't grow quite so much because either they can't, they won't or they try and fail to produce enough to feed their own people. We also grow alot of food for fun (private gardens which hardly every outproduce commerical farms economically) and then we do strange things like grow corn in Indiana, ship it to Alabama and then spread it out in our backyards to encourage a deer population that's already over-abundant to visit our yards and eat our ryegrass, but hopefully not to eat the pansies in the front yard or kill our fruit trees (go figure).

Then we have trees. Lot's and lots of trees. The libbies are going to react to that statement and bitch and whine about logging, but that's ridiculous. Responsible logging, like that practiced in North America and most other industrialized areas of the world, is GOOD for the environment. Sure, it might be better, if we let wildfires rage out of control every few years to take out our older forests, but managing the forest seems to be a little better for all concerned. So we cut down a tree and we plant 7 in it's place, and those 7 young trees are going to process more CO2 and produce more Oxygen over a given reasonable period of time than that one older tree did. Then that tree is going to be processed into lumber for a house that's going to have a lawn and landscaping around it. So yeah, I'll say it. Logging is GOOD for the environment.

I know this is all VERY VERY simplistic, but I didn't really intend to write this at all. I just wanted to point out that just when you think the clamor about Global Warming can't get any louder or be any more insane, Mother Nature herself tosses us a curveball to just point out how little we actually do know and throw all the proconceived notions about climate change and how evil us humans are right out the window.

I also love the recent "Global Warming CAUSED by plants" info that's recently surfaced. Showing that we plainly and simply have no freaking idea what we've been talking about, are talking about or think we might be talking about.

So in short, Europe, break out the winter gear, it's probably going to continue to be a chilly one for you. As for me, I'll keep working on my lawn and hope that one day I can match my Dad's skills in cultivating the perfect patch of grass. For the rest of you out there, stop worrying so much about global warming and start concentrating on just being good to yourself and those around you, get yourself a hybrid if you're worried about it, grow some plants, blacktop that driveway instead of concrete, or vice versa (think about reflection vs. absorbsion) and stop worrying about Global Warming (which we don't really know exists anyway).

I suggest you start worrying about REAL ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS, like the nutcase in Iran who can't wait to start splitting the atom in the open atmosphere in order to bring about the 12th coming or something like that. Freaking nutcase.

How's that for a RA