October 31, 2004
Halloween Pics
On Saturday we went to Fall Creek Falls for Jackson's first time up there. Met up with Grams and Gran and had a big picnic.
Then Jackson had a big time playing in the leaves.
Granpa was pack-mule for a while but if made him really tired.
Last night we had Trunk-or-Treat at church. Jackson was a low-budget vampire.
His favorite trunk was Wanda's, since they had a crazy/scary face that he liked. Kind of like those talking Billy Bass fish.
October 27, 2004
Jackson is officially a toddler
That's right, no more crying like a baby. My kid cries like a toddler. But not all that often.
Here we are at a favorite spot, the elementary school. Jackson decided to walk the dog.
This is the playground there.
Another playground we like is over by the river.
Yesterday we looked at some pumpkins.
"I'll take this one."
At home we tried on one of the trial Halloween costumes, but decided to return for something more scary. This is "Lil' Stinker."
"One more thing!"
"I'm a happy kid!"
October 26, 2004
October 25, 2004
HAZARE PROJECT
This was an awesome day. Since I can't remember names, I will refer to everyone by whatever I remember about them.
These five girls did an awesome job reworking a long flower bed.
The tall guy swung the maddock ALL DAY LONG, and the other guy was right there behind him with the shovel. Grant planned the drainage system and despite Meg's neighbors nay-saying, I think it will work pretty well. Venu, Megs' brother was a big help too.
The hairy guy is me. I am very sore.. The older you get, the more sporadic hard work kills you. I intend to avoid it from here on out.
Megs wore those goggles all day long.
October 20, 2004
Eternal Sunshine
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an accurate portrayal of what would happen if someone stuck a fork in my brain and jabbed around for a while. It actually felt like that watching it.
I liked it.
The what-if is pretty good. What-if you could erase unpleasant memories, would you? I have always said if Hell were personalized, mine would be to have watch or relive every stupid thing I've ever done. But would I want to erase those memories? Where's the learning? What's to keep you from doing it all over again?
This website for the film is cool. Reminds me of tylerdurden.com.
October 14, 2004
Tell me who to vote for: Part Two
The latest survey I've taken from, oddly, Minnesota Public Radio, yields these results:
I've almost completely ruled out Kerry, so can I, would I, possibly, vote for Nader?
The issues important to me in this survey were:
Iraq Tax breaks Abortion Gun control Energy
Do I want to vote for a radical? All in all, I do feel Nader has done more as a public watchdog for everyday domestic life than either of the two big-party candidates. Mulling it over..
I wonder how many other folks would be surprised by actually thinking about the issues and dropping the party line. Chris Rock said in Never Scared something to the effect of, If you vote for what some party tells you to, without knowing the issues, you crazy. Crazy and ignorant.
Of course he also said, "You know the world is going crazy when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest guy in the NBA is Chinese, the Swiss hold the America's Cup, France is accusing the U.S. of arrogance, Germany doesn't want to go to war, and the three most powerful men in America are named 'Bush', 'Dick', and 'Colon'. "
Tell Me Who To Vote For...
So far, most online quizes are telling me to vote for Kerry, but ugh.. I don't know if I can bring myself to do it.
My overall theory on voting is balance. I want checks and balances, and if they have to come in the form of a Republican in the White House and Democrats in majority in congress, or vice-versa, then so be it. I think that's why the 90s were so prosperous, not because either party had a monopoly on governing. Therefore, I should vote for Kerry, since the Rs have taken over congress.
But, and this is a big "but," the Supreme Court is ultimately composed of justices of the Exec. branch's choosing. The Supreme Court is fairly balanced now, though slightly leaning left. There are potentially 2 justices stepping down, and with balance in mind, I'd rather see it swing 6 to 3 conservative to liberal vs. 7 to 2 liberal to conservative. This may not seem like a big deal, and certainly doesn't get much press, but the big decisions are ultimately decided here, and as much as I dislike their lifelong appointments and bizarre system of being chosen by the president, scandalized by the opposing party, and ultimately railroaded into office--the justices control this country's moral, ethical, and legal standing. This to me to vote for Bush--idiot that he is.
The other issues that are important to me are:
No more tax cuts for rich people - I could even pay a little more if necessary..
More environmental regs for fuel ifficiency and clean air emissions - Come on, who needs or even wants to burn that much fuel?
Limiting medical malpractice suits against docs - our whole healthcare system/drug company needs big overhauls, but this is a start.
Caps on social security payments to the wealthy. Why do they need a check anyway?
Background Checks on Gun Show Purchases. Have you seen these things? ESPECIALLY with the assault rifle ban lifted... (Dems were sleeping on this one. Did they really think laying low was going to get them more NRA votes?)
A big change in my thinking lately is on abortion. For a long time I was somewhat apathetic about abortion, in that I do believe it's wrong, but several things kept me from feeling like we should do anything to overturn Roe v. Wade. However, thanks in small part to a guilt trip laid on me by the conservative co-host of Teens Talk, I've come up with an analogy that changes my opinion. If the KKK, or any hate-group were driving around in their pickups randomly shooting black people (or gays, or the minority of your choice) I would have a pretty big problem with that. I would do everything in my power to make it stop. Why not the same thing for unborn babies?
Many born people feel like the unborn are not people, but just living tissues. I disagree, but I can (unfortunately for my political inner-wranglings) see the argument. People are who they are due to nature and nurture. We are formed by our experiences, the majority of which happen post-birth. However, it all comes down to whether you believe the unborn are in fact people, and if so, do they have rights. I support the passage of the double-homicide for killing a pregnant mother (burn Scott Peterson--j/k!) which accepts the unborn as actually being a person. Doesn't the whole thing remind you of blacks only having three-fifths of a vote?
Another related probelm is a woman's right to choose. Where's my rights as a father? Half that DNA is mine. That child is mine. Guilt-trip I laid on my wife: Someone gets an abortion because the child is unwanted and it will screw up their life. Well, my son is 14 months old and my life is radically different. I happen to love every change parenting has brought, but what if I didn't? Would my father's right to choose allow me to get rid of him? Certainly not. I hear that men and women see abortion differently, but I don't understand how. I'm sure it's because I'm a man.
That whole argument brings up our constitutional right to LIFE, liberty, and to pursue happiness. This brings to my mind the issue of gay marriage, which I believe is ALREADY PROTECTED by the US Constitution. I disagree with gay marriage, I believe homosexuality is against God's will, but I do believe that it is completely protected by our existing laws.
Do I want my son to grow up in a world where gay dudes are kissing on the street? Hmm, guess what, he already is. Wouldn't protecting their right to do so encourage this lifestyle--yes. But do I want to limit other people's rights because I don't like them or their lifestyle? No. People don't want their kids exposed to homosexuals because they don't like them. Guess what, Hitler had the same feelings about Jews.
I want my son to do everything HE can do to show people God's truth. That may include but is certainly not limited to voting his conscience.
Finally, the war in Iraq. I wish we hadn't gone there. If Gore had narrowly tipped the scale (though I'm glad he didn't) we would never have gone. Not that I don't see some positive in it. People are free. But hey, guess what? They don't want to be. They want extreme muslim shar'riah law, which is very much akin to the Taliban where you could be arrested for not having a beard, women couldn't go to school and had to walk around in a sheet, and music--yes ANY music, was illegal to own or play. Which country had the most rights for women and other civil liberties (except occasional being dragged to torutre chamber by the Baathists)? Yep, Iraq. (I guess that's why the administration thought thaey would feel liberated and accept democracy.) Turns out they hated it. They want to go backwards. Well, now they can.
Not that I blame Bush. The military and CIA cook up wars. Take the Cuban Missile Crisis--we could have invaded. We came very close. But we didn't. Those missiles were a few hundred miles off the coast of Florida... I feel sure if Bush had been president we would have invaded Cuba (and possibly completely devalued the treasured cuban cigar industry). But Kennedy masterfully/luckily/diplomatically solved the problem. We could have done the same with Hussein. But every part of our administration fell for the cooked up lies of WMDs and mobile chemical factories. Were these reports completely untrue, exagerrated, or what? Nobody knows, because all this administration can do is stick to their guns and say, "It was the right thing to do." I supported it then. I'm just not sure anymore.
No I don't condone Saddam's torture, rape, and murder of his people. I hate it. I hope he pays dearly for it whenever they prosecute. But it's no more than I hate genocide in Rwanda, starvation in Haiti, or any other dictator depriving people of freedom. But were there missiles pointed at us? No. Would there have been? Maybe. There are now possibly in Iran and N. Korea...
BTW. I'm not concerned about WMDs in the hands of terrorists. I'm concerned about anything in the hands of terrorists. Terrorism is my number one concern in this election. WMDs are just another piece of a much bigger pie. The DC sniper caused more alarm over the last four years than any "Duck and Cover" educational film from the Cold War.
Well, spelling all this out helps me think through the issues. But, I don't know who to vote for. I could make a list, then pick the candidate who I agree with on more issues. Yippee! I could also go to McDonald's and order 3 out of 5 items I enjoy and 2 that would make me vomit. What I wish is that we could vote for the issues, and not the morons who these two ridiculous parties put before us.
October 12, 2004
Cosby rules!
"'Study. That's all. It's not tough. You're not picking cotton. You're not picking up the trash. You're not washing windows. You sit down. You read. You develop your brain,' Cosby pleaded at Fred D. Thompson Middle School..."
This article is awesome.
I think Cosby is a hero and champion of speaking rationally about real issues facing inner city/low income kids. Way to go...!
October 06, 2004
Cracker Countrysides - 1 Thumb Down
OK. This is hard to say, but.., I finally bought a Cracker album I don't like. Countrysides is country/honky-tonk mix of Cracker's least interesting or entertaining work ever. As much as I like the country-leaning songs on previous albums, this really didn't rock my boat. They seemed to be straying away from country altogether with Forever, but if it's tears in beers they were going for here, they got it. They really took the alt out of alt-country.
Having that said, I really wish I'd gone with the album I knew would be good, O Cracker Where Art Thou, a collaboration with Leftover Salmon. Maybe it's the bluegrass that works, and the wannabe throwback to the Eagles that just doesn't.
Our church sign is bigger than yours...
After a few weeks of Kerry and I making fun of Red Bank Cumberland Presbyterian's giant new LED wannabe bank sign, I was saddened when the church of my denomination, or nondenomination, or whatever, Red Bank church of Christ, now has almost the exact same sign. But in either case, what are they thinking? How much are those things? What's the justification?
I would like to see their visitor cards in the pews with a How did you hear about us: friend, relative, enormous blinking sign? How many drivers or pedestrians really come to Christ because some quip like, "No God - No Peace? Know God - Know Peace." What does that even mean?
I guess what I really don't like the most is the disconnect between our mission and how we put out our message. It's getting more and more impersonal. Not that I don't mind knowing the time or temp before I get to the bank, but really, has nobody seen the starving kids in Africa? "Feed my sheep."
Not even if it were the life-altering highway sign from LA Story, would I support my congregation wasting money in this way.
October 05, 2004
No interest, no downpayment
This store has an advertisement for No interest, No downpayment, No payment at all until September 2006. Just what exactly is the deal with that? Here's a sofa, loveseat, end table and some lamps, take 'em. Then in 2 years, when they're all worn out and crappy, we'll start sending you the bill. And if you don't pay, someone will come to break your legs.
Seems funny that in a society where we have to have the best of everything we can afford, and then just a little more, that putting off payments would even be appealing. Just like leasing a fancy car. What moron pays that much a month, gets screwed at the end of the deal, then leases another car from the same company?
I guess what's funny to me is that if someone can't really afford to own something, why risk ruining your credit to have it for a little while? Couldn't you just go without for a little while, then outright buy something affordable..
I realize this is impossible in buying a home, or having a reliable car, but hey.. you know it's true.
Another thing that bothers me about the current state of things is how everything is getting more expensive when it should be getting cheaper. Particularly cellular service and broadband. Both services are nothing but gravy for the providers, but as other companies compete, everyone raises their prices. Why? Because consumers are so gullible and weak-minded to think, Gee, I really need a cellular plan that costs $70/month or broadband for $45/month that equates to $840/year or $540/year.
At least my broadband addiction is due to Comcast's monopoly on the market, which is soon going to end if EPB, Bellsouth and other companies have their way.
Finally, if my theory holds true that cell towers will soon be capable of carrying wi-fi access throughout their coverage area, we may soon live in a truly wireless age.
Firefly Film Fest
So, it's over. What a ride. I am extremely proud of Jean, Steph, Bo and all the others who worked so hard on this event. If anyone who went reads this and has suggestions for next year please let me know.
I was particularly impressed with "The Package," especially now that I know the 3 minute introductory scene was intentionally slow, and then followed by both fast-paced and madcap hilarity. An interesting debate/argument is raging on Ryan's website, Lazybear Productions, about different viewpoints of "working together" to build the film community in Chattanoogs.
I will post the complete version of "Hey Ladies!" shortly.
Thanks to everyone who showed up and everyone who had a part in this project.
October 04, 2004
"Drum roll please!"
Special thanks to Chuck Cantrell--or more specifically Kyle Cantrell for taking up guitar, for the new drum set. Basically, when Jackson was born or before, I told Kerry we would be getting a drum set, and the fact that its free is all the sweeter.
And with the new Ringo haircut, I think we're well on our way to a rock band.