Fascists!

You tell us, what do YOU think?

Obama did what?!

Caught this one on Slate today.  It is the e-mail we should all be sending in an attempt to combat the rumors of his being Muslim or not being American enough…

From: [Redacted]
To: [Redacted]
Subject: WHO IS BARACK OBAMA?

There are many things people do not know about BARACK OBAMA. It is every American’s duty to read this message and pass it along to all of their friends and loved ones.

Barack Obama wears a FLAG PIN at all times. Even in the shower.

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Barack Obama says the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE every time he sees an American flag. He also ends every sentence by saying, “WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.” Click here for video of Obama quietly mouthing the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE in his sleep.

A tape exists of Michelle Obama saying the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE at a conference on PATRIOTISM.

Every weekend, Barack and Michelle take their daughters HUNTING.

Barack Obama is a PATRIOTIC AMERICAN. He has one HAND over his HEART at all times. He occasionally switches when one arm gets tired, which is almost never because he is STRONG.

Barack Obama has the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE tattooed on his stomach. It’s upside-down, so he can read it while doing sit-ups.

There’s only one artist on Barack Obama’s iPod: FRANCIS SCOTT KEY.

Barack Obama is a DEVOUT CHRISTIAN. His favorite book is the BIBLE, which he has memorized. His name means HE WHO LOVES JESUS in the ancient language of Aramaic. He is PROUD that Jesus was an American.

Barack Obama goes to church every morning. He goes to church every afternoon. He goes to church every evening. He is IN CHURCH RIGHT NOW.

Barack Obama’s new airplane includes a conference room, a kitchen, and a MEGACHURCH.

Barack Obama’s skin is the color of AMERICAN SOIL.

Barack Obama buys AMERICAN STUFF. He owns a FORD, a BASEBALL TEAM, and a COMPUTER HE BUILT HIMSELF FROM AMERICAN PARTS. He travels mostly by FORKLIFT.

Barack Obama says that Americans cling to GUNS and RELIGION because they are AWESOME.

Let’s Get Laid!

We know your fed up with the same crap on TV. I mean, how many times can Meredith and McDreamy break it off and rekindle their tired courtship? Stop wasting your time with the drivel pouring out of the major networks and “Let’s Get Laid!” Watch the trailer. Check the website. Get excited for this new web series.

Führer Furor

There was once a time in Germany where its leaders forbade the mere act of thinking certain things, where censorship reigned for fear of the influence of new ideas. No I don’t mean 1938, it is happening now, in 2008. More than sixty years since the fall of Third Reich, Germany appears to be wrestling with its Nazi guilt as Madame Tussauds announced its new wax museum will showcase a figurine of Adolf Hitler.

Hitler waxing poetic?

Many in Germany are outraged that Tussauds would dare include Hitler in an exhibit of world leaders in the Berlin Wax Museum set to open in July. Johannes Tuchel, editor of Gedenkstaette Deutscher Widerstand, a memorial for opponents of the Nazi regime stated the sentiment clearly, “It’s tasteless…A waxworks museum is meant to entertain and to amuse. It’s not appropriate to have a Hitler figure there.” He further elaborated his feelings, ““It’s embarassing that this part of German history should be exhibited like this. There’s also the danger that young people could try to take pictures with Hitler.”

Upon reading this morsel I was shocked. I had heard that Germans share a guilt over the Nazi era. I figured most felt no such feelings. I harbor no feelings of the so-called “White” guilt for sins of my great, great, great, great grandfathers. Should African descendants feel guilty for the sins of some tribes who sold other tribes into slavery? Its hard to say yes, isn’t it? The Nazi-guilt has made it illegal to use swastikas for any use unless explicitly shown in an attempt to satirize or distance one’s self from the National socialism movement of the 1930s and 40s. This is the case despite the fact the Nazi’s hold no rights over the image. They co-opted the symbol, just as Rome did with pagan imagery in their rise to power, in order to acquire authenticity through the use of historical symbolism. You can find references to it use many uses here. Buddhism, a philosophical religious tradition that focuses on self improvement through meditation, embraced the inherited symbol. Depending on its orientation, it means either universal harmony, the balance of opposites, or love and mercy. For the Hindus, the symbol can mean anything from the universe to a compass or even represents the god Surya.

How many young students in Germany will ever know this? As embarrassed generations take the paint brush to the mural of history, other important historical elements are white washed along with Nazism. History must be retold to avoid the mistakes of our fore bearers. Madame Tussauds will depictv Hitler in a diminutive manner where he “will be hunched over a desk in a dimly lit bunker,” according to a museum spokesman. Perhaps this is a concession to the German people, an attempt to avoid hostilities. It didn’t work.

In fairness, Berlin’s Mayor Klaus Wowereit did request via letter that the display include historical facts abouts the crimes Hitler committed. The JTA said, “An unscientific, interactive survey in the Berlin Tagesspiegel daily newspaper showed that 57 percent of about 1,400 readers agree that ‘Hitler is an historical figure, thus belongs in the show,’ while 43 percent said ‘Hitler should stay where he belongs – in history books.’” There are indeed signs of a loosening on anti-Hitler policies and opinions across Deutschland, although it is still illegal to show artwork glorifying him.

Madame Tussauds’ forthcoming exhibit will do a great service to Germany and humanity at large. Forcing later generations to confront the sins of their fathers for education’s sake will hopefully insure us from ourselves later. This is not the case yet, ahem, for Darfur. Stephan Kramer, general secretary of Germany’s Central Council of Jews, said, “Trying to erase Hitler from history doesn’t work and is counterproductive,” and he went on to point out seeing Hitler hunched over may help “demystify” Hitler. Finally, the Madame Tussauds in a statement provided the most obvious point:

“[Hitler's rule] stands for an important, though also appalling, turning point in the development of modern Europe…To ignore Hitler’s role in this era would allow a strange gap to develop in the German and Berlin history that we show from [19th century chancellor Otto von] Bismarck to the present day.“

Politicians, historians, radicals, moderates and ignorant citizens please put down the white out and embrace the past we may better our future.

Design for Humanity – SOLD OUT

Design for Humanity is SOLD OUT!

From the ticket purchasing website:

“THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT, ONLINE TICKET SALES FOR THIS EVENT ARE NOW CLOSED BUT YOU MAY STILL BE ABLE TO GET TICKETS THE NIGHT OF THE EVENT AT THE AVALON BOX OFFICE AROUND 9:30PM IF CURRENT TICKET HOLDERS DO NOT SHOW UP.“

Sorry if you didn’t get any tickets…get on it next time!

See you there..

Defending Fallacy

Passed to us from a friend…

Please be sure your son Alex understands that he “would be better off simply accepting my teachings without resistance.”

WTF? Ignorant rhetoric infuriates me (and probably most thinking beings). No argument could justify indifference toward the facts in the school environment. If we did not challenge prevailing theories or idiot teachers, the Sun would not only be revolving around the Earth, but our Ocean’s would be flowing into space off of our flat planet’s precipice. Moreover, this writer is of the opinion that a child’s education involve the teachings of facts and more importantly the understanding of how to think, evolve and adapt.

I recall my European History teacher sophomore year of high school. She was not the brightest. The first week of class she stressed that dates were not so important to our study of history. I get that. I understand that in addition to the facts, the teaching of history must convey the broader lessons learned in the past. However on a number of occasions this teacher of mine confused dates, misstated facts and even incorrectly marked test answers as wrong.

More recently I had a 10 minute argument with one of my bosses over the meaning of “subsequent.” He was insistent, much like the detention-serving teacher above, until I finally printed out the definition from Dictionary.com. He was subsequently reluctant to believe the facts.

What is it about the human psyche that drives us to insist on fallacy? How many times have you had this argument? Is it our ego or pride that insists on winning no matter if our causes is right or wrong, true of false? Does this represent a problem with our education system or something deeper within ourselves?

Simply “accepting teachings without resistance” is a terrible idea, practically a crime for a teacher to suggest it. Found some information at Snopes.com and discovered the above letter may be a hoax. “No Mr. Teacher, I read on Snopes that Adam Hilliker, not Adolf Hitler, was the Führer of the Third Reich!”

Peckman’s Alien Looks a Fake!

Finally, an image, if not the video, of Jeff Peckman’s alien has been released. The Verdict? Looks a fake to me. You may recall that the video itself was authenticated, but the Colorado Film School teacher had no way of authenticating the alien itself. Some in Hollywood, say such an animatronic alien might cost upwards of $50k. Who has got the time when you’re focused on setting up your E.T. Commission? Anyway, here’s the picture, what do you think?

From ABC News:

“It’s the best evidence I’ve seen,” said Peckman of a roughly one-minute snippet of footage he showed this morning in Denver. “If people believe it, it’s really significant.”

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I’m wondering what if people don’t believe it? Peer acceptance and belief seems Peckman’s greatestest concern. However if the alien life-form shown in the video does exist, then society’s belief is not a requisite.  Maybe reality says it is a fake and “if people believe it” then their belief somehow benefits Peckman. I can’t see an explicit profit motive yet but I think it’s there somewhere. Maybe if people believe he will get the 4,000 signatures he needs to get his Extraterrestrial Affairs Commission on next November’s ballot. If he then gets the votes he needs to create the commission, perhaps public dollars will flow into his unidentified flying coffers.

Then again, maybe he is right.  Maybe WE are the crazies and he stumbled upon the most compelling evidence of alien interaction with us lowly earth-bound creatures.

Maybe not.

What’s the Most Difficult Business Out There?

I read a script recently (that’s what I do for an almost-living) where one of the characters lamented about the business of Hollywood, stating that this [showbiz] is the most competitive industry in the history of the world. While I was uncomfortable with the hyperbole, the statement caused me to think about the nature of the comment. Is this the most competitive industry that exists?

I have always thought that entertainment and Wall Street were on the same level, or at least in the same competitive grouping, but you know what, Wall Streeters’ days end at 4:30 EST and what’s worse, in this town, you can get crucified for how you look or don’t look. At least on Wall Street they don’t turn you away for being ugly — have you seen some of these hedge fund guys? L.A. has to be exclusive in the sense that talented people aren’t guaranteed to make it, beautiful people likewise, and then there is that rare combination of talented and beautiful people who fail to achieve success.

Can you think of a more competitive industry? Are your hours turning you into a creature of the night? Are they leading you to alcoholism or other dangerous substance abuses? Please, state your cases as we’d love to hear your thoughts.

ZZ

Joke: The Best Presidential Candidate

Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain were flying to a debate. Barack looked at Hillary, chuckled and said, “You know I could throw a $1,000 bill out of the window right now and make somebody very happy.”

Hillary shrugged her shoulders and replied, “I could throw ten $100 bills out of the window and make ten people very happy.”

John added, “That being the case, I could throw one hundred $10 bills out of the window and make a hundred people very happy.”

Hearing their exchange, the pilot rolled his eyes and said to his co-pilot, “Such big-shot back there. I could throw all three of them out of the window and make 156 million very happy.”

[buh-dum-ching!]

Green Gas (literally)

ften you will find environmentalists fervently advocating a new policy or shift in policies due to anecdotal evidence, showing an insufficient regard for basic cost-benefit analyzes or facts in general. Don’t believe me? Remember when nuclear power plants were the cause célèbre of the 1970s for various unsubstantiated threats posed by the evolving energy source. The early environmentalist movement decried them for their safety hazards (though more people die every year in mining accidents, ahem coal power, then every have from nuclear incidents) and for fear of the “China Syndrome” leaping from film to reality. Now many of those same people now run (perhaps rightfully so) away from carbon emissions and have come to realize the benefits of nuclear power for curbing greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. Similarly, popular opinion was swayed by our ever-greener society and ever-greedier politicians [at the Iowa Caucuses] toward biofuels, specifically corn-based ethanol. Oops! Wow, that’s less efficient and more polluting than Texas Tea ever was. The world desperately needs a solution that can ensure energy independence and environmental regeneration at an affordable price.

Today, the landscape changed as Sapphire Energy unveiled its pet project. The San Diego based company have been working on algae-based diesel and gasoline that will be processed at existing refineries, dispensed at your corner gas station and will power existing cars without any fancy engine add-ons. The only requirement for production? Algae + CO₂ + Water = Green Crude Production. According to the LA Times, Sapphire Energy’s Chief Executive, Jason Pyle, “described the expected cost as competitive with extracting oil from deep-water deposits and oil sands.”

According to the year old company, it can use any kind of water (non-potable, salt, you name it) and the US Department of Energy claimed in a Salt Lake Tribune article, “algae could replace all the petroleum consumed in the United States on an area not much larger than Maryland.” (Brian Maffly. The Salt Lake Tribune, March 25, 2008.) A New York Times article this past December stated, “An algae farm could be located almost anywhere. It would not require converting cropland from food production to energy production. It could use sea water and could consume pollutants from sewage and power plants.” Not only can we use water pulled straight from the Pacific but we can build greenhouses in places that otherwise would not support agricultural production. In other words, there will be reduced demand for food-bearing land and no more corn ethanol, possibly leading to a drop in global food prices.

Jed Clampett might’ve called it Green Tea

What’s the catch? Well right now the process only exists in the laboratory. Sapphire Energy says a pilot is a year away and scalable production still 3 years away. Low emissions, improved energy independence, reduced international stress, decreased food costs and immediate functionality with existing products on the market seems to make this green fuel well worth the wait. If all this is true, the ramifications of this discovery shift the global energy paradigm (beware: gratuitous business clichés) and may be the beginning of revolutionary geopolitical changes. At the very least we have a climate change solution that might stand up to closer analysis. Take a lesson environmentalists, capitalism may save us all.