7/9/05

Jaime Singleton gets EXPORTED!!!

WMBB - TV | News 13 Streaming Video Plans


Jaime is live, on-scene (much like Jim Cantore) for 'Cane Dennis Da Menace. Show some support to a local brotha!

7/8/05

intermezzo pianissimo

Hurricane Dennis Pummels Cuba, Killing 10 on Island and Raising Caribbean Death Toll to 20

London Placed on Highest State of Alert

The stars are quiet on the face of the deep
All the dogs and angels are turning
Burning in their sleep
You can't see me now, but I'm watching over you
A broken smile never lies
A busted mirror cannot see you cry
I'm looking through one glass eye
You can't see me now, but I'm watching over you
All the clocks are broken
Every door is open
Take me to the ocean
And we'll ride on the hurricane
Until we're washed away
Take off the mask and tell me what you find
Behind the curtain everyone's deaf dumb and blind
Everyone becomes the one, the one they most despise
You're looking through one glass eye
Well, you can't see me now, but I'm watching over you


copshootcop - all the clocks are broken - ask questions later 1993 interscope records.
arguably the most important record of 1993 at that, but you never heard of it, did you?

dont you hate it when songs suddenly become a soundtrack for global events.

Could it happen again?


No not that. This:



Cuz, yanno - we just dont have enough rain. Oh - and by the by, anyone notice how it feels like September outside?

"...when the angels sing." (or: Roanoke Times spins me round round baby round round)

I bet if you go back into the archives of the Times, back to 9/12/01, you will find a similar editorial. Similar in tone, anyway.

I don't know who they took todays editorial from, but it is not a RT editorial. It shows a modicum of understanding, comprehension, and sense that is the anti-hallmark of your standard RT editorial.

Personally, I did not ever think I would read the words "Nor can any nation hope to immunize itself with appeasement or self-isolation." I must have taken the wrong vitamins this morning. I think I took my wacky pills instead.

This from the same Roanoke Times which talks about Iraq's failures on a daily basis. Again, I have to quote: "The danger is still shared and still supersedes all disputes. And a concerted, global response is still needed to prevail against it."

I guess as long as we can do it without Guantanamo, interrogations, killing insurgents, and a laundry list of other complains often found in the Times - we should continue with our plan to rout terrorisim from the face of the Earth.

But of course, the RT Eds have to get a shot across the bow of Bush. Claiming that the demands of the terrorists and their widespread nature undermines Bush's claim that freeing Iraq will help prevent terrorisim at home.

Ok, he's the deal with that whole thing. Iraq was a known funding source for terrorists. Ok - so maybe Saddam and Osama did not sit for tea and crumpets at the same table. But it is known, and proven that there were "runners" who went between Saddam and Osama from time to time, discussing funding and use of land. It's not like they sent each other "50 ways to know your a Despot" forwarded e-mails. (Although Im sure Kim Jong Il has recieved several of them.)

But there was a philosphical and idealogical parity between the two, and what in the business world would be termed a "working relationship." And if you want me to connect the dots for you, I can.

Saddam would pay $20,000 to the family of any Palestinian who became a 'maryter'. Of that $20,000 - much like in most religions, there was a tithe. The tithe went to a general account at a bank, (still does by the way) which was run by governments with ties to Osama. From what I understand of the system - it was almost like a credit union, you borrow out of the general fund - and you pay back into the general fund.

This account is funded by hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Muslims. Now again, I have to couch this in the fact that this is not every Muslim, nor most likely even a majority of them. But the funding is enough that it allows for Al-Quaeda to essentially franchise the business.

The attacks in London were in the NAME of Al-Quaeda, but not OF Al-Quaeda. The simplest explination is: A group of 'terrorists' formulates a plan. The plan is then routed through couriers to someone at Al-Quaeda. They judge the plan, weigh the benefits and provide assistance in "polishing up" the plan. When the plan is finalized, they then either provide the materials, or provide the funding to attain the materials. Then the plan becomes a mission. And we know the rest.

In short, YES. Going to Iraq will assist in the eradication of terrorists. Yes it has begun to help. Funding resources are no longer as strong as they were coming out of Iraq, not to mention the funding that would normally be routed elsewhere is now being routed into Iraq.

Yes, it is being used against our own troops. Along with Iraqi police, militia, and the general population in Iraq. To be honest, this whole Iraq thing is a bigger PR nightmare for the 'insurgents'. And if not for the fact that the US is spearheading the whole campaign, it would be a disaster for the terrorists. The only reason anyone is even showing up to fight (and somewhere between 75%-95% of all insurgents are from outside of Iraq) is because its American Troops. The brass ring.

We are making a difference, and we are not alone in this. Our allies who remain, who did not try to appease the terrorist mind, stand with us.

(Don't forget Poland!)

Do you see that flag?

The Union Jack, the direct ancestor of our own flag. Blood relative, if you will. And it comes down to the old saying, "There but for the grace of God go I."

I could have been here, this was a no-brainer attack. You hear the experts rambling on about this and that, but it all boils down to the fact that once they got the explosives - they had the method. The plan is secondary once you have the means. I spent a good portion of a year riding the NYC Subway and the LIRR daily, and I can personally attest to how many people wear backpacks or have briefcases with them when they ride.

I carried a roll of chef's knives stuffed in my backpack. 10 of the sharpest blades you've ever seen. And I was never once stopped, never questioned. I saw the police enter trains before they entered the tunnel under the East River heading towards the WTC, I saw the officer stationed at the entrance to the tunnel. I know very well that there were more officers than the ones I saw, I probably sat next to these officers.

I did not see any explosive materials sniffing devices. I saw dogs, but mainly in the larger stations. I saw the TITAN Tactical Response team floating around, carrying the big guns.

I saw guys who looked shadier than any cartoon villan, and I watched as everyone in the subway car watched them. Gave them a hard look-over, especially if they were carrying something. But no one stopped them for a check.

If you can blend in with the locals, you have little to fear.

I saw, on the same subway car, orthodox Jews praying and Muslims reading the Koran. Pakistani businessmen standing toe to toe with Jewish doctors. This is to the credit of NY, that diverse cultures can co-exist without destroying eachother on sight.

But it is also the greatest vunerability of any city. How do you single out the bad seed in a load of grain? Without "chatter" and intelligence, you can't. And thats why it happened in London. Because we have no way of identifying terrorists on demand. If you have seen "Total Recall", you will remember in the movie, when Arnie goes to the 'airport' he has to walk behind a wall, which displays an x-ray image of everyone who passes behind it.

We have a similar technology, minus the computer-designed graphics. But because we have this technology, we have people who say it infringes upon our rights.

They say the average Londoner is photographed no less than 300 times a day as they go around town. London is one of the most heavily surveiled cities in the world. And this still was not enough to deter the idiots.

It's going to happen, and there is nothing we can do about it.
What matters is how we react to it when it does happen, and limiting the reasons it happens in the first place.

More to come

7/7/05

7 July 2005 London bombings - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Just to show the fluid nature of news now, check out Wikipedia's reporting on the London Attacks. Not only is it up to the minute, it's links are direct-to-source. This is mass reporting at its finest. Each source is numbered and linked either after the quote, or at the end of the paragraph. You can find the text of Tony Blair's speech, a quote and link to the Mayor of London's speech, pertinent phone numbers for those who need information, those in emergency situations, and links to the major media outlets and transportation authorities.

This is Wiki at its finest.
This is news.

What. The. Hell.

Bad enough that our distant relatives (socially speaking) in London were attacked today, now I hear word that after the attacks were reported - oil futures actually fell. Thats right, the price of oil went down - and why? Oh well, attacks in London must mean that less people will travel to big cities, so oil demand will drop.

What?

Oh - and now oil is over $61 a barrell at last reporting. Because now I guess people WILL travel to London and large cities. I've always said that the markets are based in fantasy-land, but this just seals the deal.

That would be like saying Eisner at Disney has the flu, which might cause him to die, which might cause the parks to be closed for a day, so based on all that speculation - you must sell the stock before that happens.

Anyway, back to London.

I don't know if you pay much mind to our buddies overseas, but they have this fascination with technology. Here - if you don't have a cameraphone, it's no big deal. There - cameraphones are pratically the only kind of cellphone. Well, the British people, especially the younger ones, are technologically obsessed. With a cameraphone, one can engage in Moblogging. Essentially, mobile blogging - live blogging, posting straight from the scene. Which leads to things like this:
This comes to us from Alfie's Moblog, and is taken via cameraphone, direct on the London Underground.

Just imagine, back on 9/11 we had digital cameras for the most part, which captured some amazing and haunting photos - but then again, not everyone had a digital camera on them. Or the presence of mind to use it. But imagine for a second that over 50% of the people in the Twin Towers had camera phones. How may photos of the jet heading straight at the camera would we have had, how many photos of the stairwells. A camera phone is capable of sending the image to just about anywhere - not solely another phone.

And it only takes a few seconds to send.

All power and God-speed to the 45 reported dead at this point, and the thousand or so injured. Although, in true British fashion - I was reading this blog, and he is live blogging the attack.

He went to lunch and made this observation: "14:05 - I tell you what, if this is an "Islamic" terrorist attack, they're doing a piss-poor job. The pubs are all packed out, people sipping their pints happily, all a tad pissed off, but basically fine with it. Nice one, Al Quaeda - you profess to be from a teetotal religion, and you've given the pub trade a massive mid-week boost. Result."

Thats the Brits for you - It's bad enough to attack them at home, but now you have messed with their commute. Look what they did to the Germans when they attempted to disrupt tea-time. Yes the blitz took its toll, but they perservered.

Hail Britain, and Hail the power of the Imperial Pint.

7/6/05

How about a nice "Cuppa Hell-No" Joe

Joe Kennedy

Who is this guy? I understand he is the "region's best writer" by the readers of the Roanoker, but who is he?

And why can he not put together a paragraph? Just give a read to the first 3 paragraphs - or whatever you want to call them.

"My statement explains why, much as I'd like to learn more about the Big One, events beyond my control prevent me from signing on. "

Well, we have his statement, about everything seeming more important when you get older, but no information on what events are beyond his control. Especially considering the Roanoke Times is located basically right across the street from Anglers. There is a severe lack of information there. Obviously learning more about history is not part of "everything." Although everything seems a pretty all inclusive term.

Joe, come on - get a guidebook to writing skills. You know, Standards of Journalistic Writing. That kind of thing.

And Times editors, please - PLEASE fix these colums. They give me headaches.



7/5/05

BBC - Radio 3 - Beethoven Experience - downloads

BBC - Radio 3 - Beethoven Experience - downloads

BBC is offering free downloads of Beethoven's 7th, 8th, and 9th symphonys. The 7th is going to be taken down at midnight tonight (GMT I assume), the 8th tomorrow, and the 9th the following day.

These are new recordings, done by the BBC Philharmonic.
We have allready missed Symphonys 1-6 for free downloading, so get these while you can.

Ok, Ive hit an impasse here..

When it comes to the creative writing that I pull from my nether-regions for the website, I seem to have dried up today. Of course, I also have a headache - so who knows. But I am beat, and beat hard today.

Last year, having only been down here a few months at that point, my wife and myself watched the fireworks from Victory Stadium in the parking lot of Kroger at Tanglewood. This year, we faded back a bit in the parking lot. Retreated back near the Wachovia at the other end. And what a show.

Aside from seeing the Not-Victory-Stadium firework show, and the other personal ordinace from homes - it was a great night. Wonderful breeze, a few small groups watching the fireworks along with us. Children cheering, applauding, across the street at the apartments there - you could see children playing with sparklers and snap-caps. It was a generally great night, made all the better by the wonderful bbq sammiches, and Blue Ridge Farms potato salad.

I am hoping that by the end of this week, my head will have cleared enough that I can finally finish the pages on the site. Then it's on to the next project. Something small and easily done, a nice break.

And with any luck, by that time - the podcasting will begin. Now that you SHOULD be worried about.

mmm potato salad.

News from The Roanoke Times -Burned Quran left by Muslim

News from The Roanoke Times -Burned Quran left by Muslim

Allright, I want a retraction of every story, every editorial,
every wire piece about this "burned quran" hate crime nonsense,
and I want it now.

Will it happen? Hell no.

7/4/05

Newsday.com: Diner fight leads to stabbing

Newsday.com: Diner fight leads to stabbing

this was my diner growing up on Long Island. It was never like this. Bunch of idiots, and of course - what are these kids doing out this late.. allright - maybe 17-18 is somewhat understandable, but a 14 year old was with them. And a 16 year old started it...

boneheads

Remind you of summer vacation? GOOD! Posted by Picasa

Happy 4th!!!