If you can't beat 'em, entertain them

I spent a fair amount of the day yesterday and, again today, trying to get my laptop working. I don't know if it is a virus, spyware, the machine's age or my incompetence but, it isn't working. Finally today, I gave up and sent (from my BlackBerry) a "Help Me!!!!" email to our IT Department. They will get back to me tomorrow so tonight I commandeered Mrs. Bald Man's computer to share my thoughts for the day. There are too many stories to comment on so I've decided on a meandering monologue.

I try to be self-sufficient and it caused me great pain to admit defeat and call in the cavalry. Let's hope they bring enough horses to fix this electronic Indian uprising (sorry, "First American" uprising). Some may see this desire to do it myself as stubborn but I don't feel that way. I think in today's society too many are willing to let someone, namely the government, do things for them or to let someone else pay for it. There is also a dearth in those willing to stand up for what is right. Here are a few examples of decisions people are making today.

Case number 1: John Murtha, Pennsylvania congressman and slanderer of Marines, states plainly "If I'm corrupt, it's because I take care of my district. My job as a member of Congress is to make sure that we take care of what we see is necessary..."

He is protected in his corruptness by his fellow House members who, for the sixth time, refused to investigate connections between Jackie boy and some not so squeaky clean donations.

I think the story here is not the admittedly corrupt official. It is the fact he finds it easier to "go along with the corruption" instead of bringing it to light. Nancy has "drained the swamp" so he should have had no trouble.

Case 2: The New York Times decided to do what they felt was right for them instead of what was just plain right when, during the heat of election battle, they killed (meaning didn't run) a story linking vote fraud extraordinaire ACORN, Project Vote and the Obama Campaign and some unsavory electioneering. By unsavory I mean illegal. The story was suppressed because it could have been a "game changer".

If the NY Times put journalistic honesty over partisan belief, the First African American President of the United States to ever attend the G20 Summit might still be in the Senate and taking campaign contributions from AIG. I ask again, can there be anyone who refuses to admit the mainstream media was in the proverbial tank for the one now in the 'copter and flying around London?

Case 3: Call me a hypocrite on this one but, I will admit to having a song or two on my hard drive that don't reside on any CD that is in my personal collection. I therefore probably shouldn't pass judgement on anyone downloading movies, music or cheesecake recipes. I do draw a distinction between someone doing this for personal use and the pirating of said media for financial gain. This practice of illegal duplication is rampant in the People's Republic of China and, if you can dodge the tanks, you can pick up most first run movies or newly released CD in Tiananmen Square within days of their release.

In a move that smacks of giving up, Google will soon be providing free downloads of music to computer users in China. Rather than try to stop those making money for their needs from those providing from their ability. The move hopes to stem the tide of pirating by giving it away. But isn't this the equivalent of handing a thief the bullets for his gun? Now to copy the latest collection of Britney Spears synthesized vocalizations the thieves don't even have to purchase the first copy. They can just download it. Of course, the IP address of the computer will be verified to ensure it is in China. I guess the guys over at Google have never heard of IP spoofing.

Case 4: In an example of someone who is standing up for what is right, Rush Limbaugh announced he is pulling out of New York state completely in protest of confiscatory tax rates on the wealthy. His Atlas like shrugging is meant to send a very public signal that this type of redistributive tax will drive those targeted to warmer climes. I can guarantee he is leaving on his own jet plane and not in a taxi.

In typical "missing the boat" fashion, the NY Daily News sees fit to spend a good portion of the article discussing Mr. Limbaugh's personal life rather than commenting on the true nature of the debate.

Case 5: There is one other who needs to be mentioned for doing what was right. An unnamed Modesto, Ca police officer and his four legged partner squared off against a crowd of 60 unruly partiers and gang bangers. He happened on the group while responding to another call in the area and witnessed a man being beaten. Against large odds, the officer did what was right and held the crowd, who was heard to say "he will not get out of here alive", until backup could arrive. Both officers, the human and the canine, were injured.

What is the point of these examples? I guess just to illustrate that every day we are faced with choices. Our decision on what to do, most of the time, does not involve life or death circumstances but each one plays a part in the ongoing and developing nature of our society.

It has been said that character is what you do when nobody is watching. When we see just how poorly some people act when the world is watching, we can only imagine what their character truly is. Look in the mirror and state your case. Me? I am going to listen to some music while I fall asleep. Just don't ask where I got it.

S2

It is deadly when life imitates art (A.K.A If this van is a rockin' please come knockin')

Gather any group of 40 or 50 year old guys, mention Monty Python and invariably the next 20 minutes will be filled with British accents and the verbal replaying of a half dozen scenes from the Holy Grail. This classic comedy is still busting sides thirty-four years after it was released.

The infectious nature of this movie seems to provide credibility to the watch dog groups who sit in judgment on violent movies and count every bullet shot, appendage severed or nipple exposed. Their thesis is that violence portrayed on screen will find its way in to every day life. I've always been dubious of this opinion. However, after seeing news reports of impressionable teen boys acting out violently after diets of Grand Theft Auto and slasher films, I am beginning to think life's imitation of art can be portrayed in the comedic or dramatic venue; and there seems to be no plot too ludicrous for a dose of reality.

In Monty Python's Meaning of Life there is a skit involving a unique view of Organ donors and the contract they enter when they sign on the bottom line after waiting a few days in the line at the DMV. You may want to check the fine print after watching this:
(Warning: this "side splitting" humor involves actual side splitting and blood spattering)
While this concept may seem too outrageous to ever be played out, I am afraid our society of obliterated boundries and reality television is proving nothing is impossible.

It probably took the Chinese about one day to begin bootlegging The Meaning of Life when it came out. One can only wonder how long it took for one of these bootlegged copies to work its way up the food chain in the People's Government until it reached someone with enough power, enough motivation and so little care for human life to put the idea of live organ donations in to play.

In cities across China there are vans circling neighborhoods like vultures waiting to pounce on carrion. Except these vans arrive pre mortem. These death mobiles are like the Grim Reapers personal bus service and their stops are at the homes of those convicted and sentenced to death under the State's brutal penal code. There are no fewer than sixty-eight crimes punishable by death in China and among them are things as innocuous as fraud and, probably, passing wind in a closed elevator.

Death is by lethal injection and the sentence is carried out while double parked with the engine running. Officials seem to think the local nature of the execution serves as a deterrent and they are saving a ton by not having to feed a parking meter or maintain centralized facilities of death.

When the convicted have ceased their life function, doctors begin harvesting the dead's usable body parts; picking them clean faster than a Thanksgiving turkey at the Klump's house. Like Indians efficiently divvying up a Buffalo, the organs are dispersed to clinics all over China, where they are transplanted into the ailing bodies of the wealthy - and thousands more who come as 'organ tourists' from neighboring countries such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

The Communist government is hush hush on how many of these vans are in service though it is estimated there could be as many as 10,000 executions this year; more if Taco Bell expands to areas outside Beijing.

Of 10,000 liver transplants performed in the country last year, fewer than 300 of the "donated" parts came from voluntary donors. Statistics like this make me think twice when I hear researchers in the United States vehemently deny that embryonic research will ever lead to "cloning for parts" of human beings. I hear Schwarzzeneger's "The Sixth Day" (a cloning movie) was quite popular in the capital of Beijing a few years ago.

I just renewed my license a few months ago. I best check that donor line again.

S2

I never knew

This will be a short one today. It is later than the usual late night posting time and I've still got about 75 sites to review in "researching" a new topic.

I am behind schedule today because I took a nap. Just like a kindergarden student, I got all tired cramming new thoughts in to the tight recesses of my brain. I spent the plane ride home reading about Flash programming and then I got to help Mrs. Bald Man with some of her Photoshop final projects for her school. It was great having the chance to learn something new today.

What, you are asking yourself is funny about any of this and where is the bashing of The ONE? Sorry. Today's theme is one of self-improvement and humility. The more blogs, articles and postings I read the more I realize there are a lot of talented and creative minds floating around the ether that comprise the net. While we can't allow ourselves to rely on everything (or even most of) that we read in blogs or, unfortunately, "real" news sites, information is a precious and valuable commodity.

It is an overused example but, I have to use it. If I give you a dollar and you give me a dollar, we each have a dollar. If I give you an idea and you give me an idea, we each have two.

So, take the opportunity to learn something new today and then share that knowledge with someone else. We will all be better off for it.

That's it for today. I have to go take care of Mrs. Bald Man. She just tripped over the dog. Tomorrow, I will be back with vitriol and a good long rant.

S2