http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Mon, 19 Jul 2004 08:58:57 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/19/085857.php Scott BellMy old Air Force buddy sent me this one for my birthday. I've gotta admit, my initial reaction was, "Hmmmm, I'll watch it sometime, but no hurry."Well, we sat down and watched it last night. Now I was born in Alabama and raised in Texas, so I may be a bit biased in my assessment. Side. Splitting. Funny.Ron White, Larry the Cable Guy, Bill "Here's Your Sign" Engval, and Jeff Foxworthy teamed up a couple of years ago for a nationwide comedy tour. This movie follows them through a day around Phoenix, AZ prior to the show, and of course, the show itself. Up until last night, I had only heard of Jeff Foxworthy; all four comedians, though are equally as funny as him.You don't have to be a redneck to enjoy this film. But in the same way that Galaxy Quest was even funnier if you've been to a Star Trek convention or two, the humor in this show is appreciated even more if you are a redneck (like me) or know one. So get that truck off the blocks in front of the house and go to your local video store now. You won't regret it. Oh, and thanks for the video, Rob. It's one of the best presents I've had in a while.Make sure you watch through the credits. There's a short spot where Larry the Cable Guy will give you a double-take. Now, what are you waiting for? GO!Rated PG-13 for mild language and sexual innuendo. Appropriate for teenagers and above.cross-posted at Confessions of a Jesus Phreak Video17592@blogcritics.org Mon, 19 Jul 2004 08:58:57 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/06/23/221920.php Scott BellI often wonder why the "mainstream media" behaves the way that it does when covering the "news." There are numerous possible explanations for it, but that is not the purpose of this essay. My purpose here is to discuss the nature and effect of their behavior, and whether it constitutes treason. I don't say that it is necessarily intentional, but in this case, I believe that intentions are irrelevant in light of the potential results. IANAL (I am not a lawyer). Having said that, let us proceed:This, according to the 'Lectric Law Library, is the legal definition of treason:TREASON - This word imports a betraying, treachery, or breach of allegiance. The Constitution of the United States, Art. III, defines treason against the United States to consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid or comfort. This offence is punished with death.This is the only crime (that I know of) in which the Constitution itself prescribes the death penalty. With a crime and punishment this severe, it is critical that we define our terms clearly. What is aid and comfort? Well, according to the legal dictionary over at FreeDictionary.com, this is:AID AND COMFORT. The constitution of the United States, art. 8, s. 3, declares, that adhering to the enemies of the United States, giving them aid and comfort, shall be treason. These words, as they are to be understood in the constitution, have not received a full judicial construction. They import, however, help, support, assistance, countenance, encouragement. The word aid, which occurs in the Stat. West. 1, c. 14, is explained by Lord Coke (2 just. 182) as comprehending all persons counselling, abetting, plotting, assenting, consenting, and encouraging to do the act, (and he adds, what is not applicable to the Crime to treason,) who are not present when the act is done, See, also, 1 Burn's Justice, 5, 6; 4 Bl. Com. 37, 38.I believe that upon even a cursory examination of the mainstream media's coverage of the action in Iraq and elsewhere, the case can be made that ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and other major media outlets are guilty of, if not treason, then skirting treason by a hair. The networks have long been biased in their coverage, but with the run-up to Gulf War II they seem to have slowly become unhinged. An extensive gathering of examples can be found here.A quick survey of the blogosphere and some news outlets will turn up many letters and photos of all the positive accomplishments of our people (both military and civilian) in Iraq. Yes, there are bad things happening. But there are many more good things being accomplished. By and large, the Iraqi people see this, and are grateful for our help in freeing their country and rebuilding their infrastructure.The media, however, has consistently front-paged the bad news, with only an occasional positive story to leaven the mix. The enemy has picked up on this, and is using it to his advantage. How many videos have you seen lately of kidnap victims? have you ever noticed how close the photographers can get to a terrorist who is in a firefight? Ya think they might even be playing to the cameras?Al-Jazeera is bad enough, but when the enemy knows that it can wear down the resolve of the American people with the help (conscious or otherwise) of a willing American media, there is not much difference in the end.When you are providing the vehicle by which the enemy propagandizes to America, and no attempt is even made at a critical analysis, are you not giving aid and comfort? When a well-known reporter has publicly stated that he would not inform American troops of an impending ambush so that he could get a story, is he not describing an act of treason? These are people who seriously had to have a discussion about whether or not wearing U.S. flag on their lapel during broadcasts would violate their "journalistic integrity!"Consistent negativity. Minimizing accomplishments. Magnifying failures. Running a negative subject into the ground (Abu Ghraib). Constant moral equivalence. I believe, to turn a phrase, that this is a soft treason that can have the same effect as a small rotten spot in the center of a mighty oak. If not dealt with quickly, the tree will eventually fall, rotted from wthin.No, I am not against free speech. The First Amendment, in concert with the Second, was meant by the Founding Fathers to form the bedrock of our society by guaranteeing the rights enumerated in our Constitution. On the other hand, we don't need a jingoistic, unthinking propaganda machine for the U.S.; our actions can and do speak for themselves. But if a school is rebuilt or a hospital re-opened, and no-one reports on it, in the minds of many Americans it never happened.Without a true balance to news coverage, the enemy has a much better chance of winning. Ironically, the enemy will show his gratitude to the folks in the media by butchering them, along with all the other Western "infidels." Let's clean out that rot, folks. Too much is at stake to ignore it any longer.cross-posted to Confessions of a Jesus Phreak Culture16785@blogcritics.org Wed, 23 Jun 2004 22:19:20 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/06/07/122140.php Scott BellReynaldus Maximus.The Great One.These and many other terms of endearment have been, and will be bandied about over the next week. Even his old enemies seem effusive in their praise of Reagan the man, if not Reagan the politician. Of course there are the LLL who don't even have the class to keep quiet rather than speak ill of the dead, but that is a topic for another day.The two men in this world whom I've admired the most were my father, and Ronald Reagan. They both greatly influenced who I am today. My father passed on over three years ago now; yet, even though I've expected this for a long time, and didn't even know the man personally, I find myself hit almost as hard by the President's passing.When I was in high school, I was a perfect candidate for membership in the Democrat Party. Pacifist, anti-war, pro-abortion, etc. Those were the Carter years, with double-digit inflation, marginal tax rates of 75%, the Iran Hostage Crisis, and the Misery Index(!).Election Year 1980 marked the end of my junior year and the beginning of my senior year in high school. As I heard more of what Mr. Reagan had to say, the scales started falling, oh so slowly, from my eyes. What concepts! Personal responsibility, small government, an optimism about the future, peace through strength. I was only 17 that year, so I couldn't cast a vote for him, but by November there were Reagan-Bush '80 bumper stickers an my little blue Pinto, and I was proselytizing for the Reagan Revolution at every opportunity.Going through high school, I had no idea what I would do as an adult, and really saw no reason to. After all, the world would probably be a radioactive cinder by the time I reached twenty. When I graduated, I had no direction. But as I grew up from teenager to adult, the President's attitudes started to take hold in my life.I ended up joining the U.S. Air Force, and I was honored to have Ronald Reagan as my Commander-in-Chief. I proudly cast my first Presidential vote for him in 1984.As the Reagan Revolution moved forward, so did opportunity. I work today in the IT industry, supporting my family with a decent income. I am entirely self-taught. I have owned my own business in the past, and I will do so again within the next few years. I have learned that you cannot wait for the world to give you a break; If you can't find an opportunity, then you make one. If you fall on your face, don't whine about it; get up and keep on going. No matter what storms come your way, if you lean into it and push through, and look to the Lord for your strength, you will make it to the other side. Mr. Reagan, thank you. Thank you for helping make this a land of opportunity again. Thank you for your example.This election year, our choices are nearly the same as in 1980: strength, self-reliance, and optimism; or flip-flops, UN cow-towing, and cynicism.The Reagan Revolution continues. Let's win this one for the Gipper!crossposted at Confessions of a Jesus Phreak Culture16320@blogcritics.org Mon, 7 Jun 2004 12:21:40 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/05/27/124723.php Scott BellWhen I was younger, I spent eight years in the U.S. Air Force. Though I served during the First Gulf War, I never saw combat. Heck, I never even left the country, unless you count being stationed in California. I was one of the lucky ones, I suppose.There are a great many men and women who are serving their country now. They all have made sacrifices; some by staying in when higher pay awaits them in the civilian world; many by separation from their families during TDYs (temporary duty assignments) or remote tours. Then there are those 700-odd who have given that "last, full measure of devotion" - who have bled their last on the rocky soil of Afghanistan, or the sands of Iraq.It is to my everlasting regret that I no longer serve with this new Band of Brothers; alas, I am too old to reenlist. In searching the 'net, however, I have found other ways in which I - and YOU - can help.This isn't about politics. I don't care if you believe in the rightness of the war or not. I don't care if you hate George Bush or love him. This is something you can do to help our troops, and the families of the fallen. In the first instance, it is also a way for us to help make a difference on the ground in Iraq.Spirit of America (SoA) is a nonprofit, charitable organization that helps Americans serving abroad improve the lives of people in need. We enable American military, Foreign Service and reconstruction personnel to submit requests for goods that will help local people. Typically, the requests are for items that established aid organizations and government bureaucracies are not designed to handle and that fall in the gaps between large-scale assistance programs - yet can make an important difference. Utilizing the Internet and grass roots communication, Spirit of America works to fulfill the requests through donors in the United States. SoA collects the tax-deductible donated funds and procures the goods, or secures the direct donation of the requested goods, and arranges shipment to the requestor. We are now accepting and fulfilling requests from Americans serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. We do not seek, require or accept funding from the U.S. Government.Currently, U.S. Marines and SeaBees are training Iraqi men as carpenters, electricians, plumbers and masons. Donated tools will be presented as gifts of friendship when they complete trade school. Your tax-deductible contribution will support Iraqis who are working with the Marines to improve their country. $670 purchases five electrician tool sets $157 buys one carpenter tool set $97 provides a manager/inspector tool set The Fisher House program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times - during the hospitalization for an unexpected illnes, disease, or injury.There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 7,000 families, and have made available more than 1,500,000 days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990.And last, but most assuredly no least:The Fallen Heroes Fund. Since September 11, 2001, more than 700 American and Allied soldiers have died in military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. More than half of these brave men and women have left behind a spouse or children. These families must now face their future without a husband or wife or father or mother. In addition to their grief, many of them must also address the questions of finding work, where to live, how to raise their children, how to provide for their education, and even how to get food on the table. The Armed Forces provide some benefits, including SGLI life insurance, a $12,000 death benefit, continued payment of a portion of salary, assistance with burial costs, health care, continued military base housing for up to six months, and other benefits. But very often the financial needs these families face demand immediate help. The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund exists to meet this need.The Fund provides unrestricted grants to the families of military personnel who have given their lives in the current operations in defense of our country. The gifts, $10,000 to each dependent family and an additional $5,000 per child, are intended to help these families through any immediate or long-term financial difficulties they may face. This gift is made quietly and without fanfare, to protect the privacy of the families. Our goal is to support them in their time of need, and to ensure that they know that our nation appreciates the sacrifice they have made for us.The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is supported entirely by donations. 100% of contributions from the public for this effort go to support military families; no administrative costs are deducted. The Fund is a program of the Intrepid Foundation, which absorbs all administrative costs.Since 2000 the Fund has helped hundreds of military families. The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund contribution is given without restriction, available for any needs the family may have. This gift has helped these families in many ways: providing a sufficient down payment for a house, flying parents to the funeral of their fallen child, providing schooling for children, and even more immediate needs such as buying food and other necessities. Some families have put the funds in a trust for their children's education. Others have used them to establish support groups for families who are facing similar losses. One widow, who lost her husband in Afghanistan, wrote to us saying "It is a great honor to our family for the members of the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund to have helped with our financial needs during our darkest hour. It is incredibly meaningful to have fellow Americans, who do not know us personally, contribute to the future of our family in such a significant way."The Fund is currently contributing to the spouses and children of U.S. and British military personnel killed in action, as defined by the casualty offices of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom, in Operation Iraqi Freedom; and the spouses and children of U.S. military personnel killed in action in Afghanistan.Do you want to help with the war effort, but don't know how? Here is your answer: three great ways to make a difference, at home and abroad.Now is not the time for excuses. Even a small amount will help. You have your assignment. Go to it!cross-posted at Confessions of a Jesus Phreak. Culture16041@blogcritics.org Thu, 27 May 2004 12:47:23 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/05/10/203212.php Scott BellChristDot is a SlashDot-type Christian website that I frequent. It is remarkable for its diversity of viewpoint and relatively calm demeanor.This morning I read an article in which one of the founders, whose dislike for Pres. Bush is well-known, does an I-told-you-so entry regarding the Abu Ghraib mess. Par for the course, but I've learned that he won't be budged from his position. But it was an entry in the comments section to which I had to respond. I can't link directly to the comment, so I will reproduce it here. Ladies and gentlemen, a Fisking:First the comment from "SteveGus," in its entirety:War fills me with horror. The thing is, I could not honestly call myself a "pacifist," in that I can imagine killing other people in combat, and do not think that I personally am too squeamish, or not capable of that kind of anger. Still, the military as an institution fills me with horror --- not because it uses weapons and kills people, but because of the nature of military training and the sort of behaviour it encourages. I cannot imagine myself a private, bound to unthinkingly carry out the orders of the corporal or the sergeant. If you send me to boot camp, you would be most unwise to trust me with live ammunition or real weapons, especially given the sort of hollering and insults that seem to be mainstays of military training. The isolation and rigorisms of that kind of training strike me as being intended to cut the recruit off from his real life, in order to remake him as a member of a "unit," who is willing to carry out military orders because he sees only the military world and its values, and imagines that he has nothing left to lose. Atrocities like this seem to me to stem from the brutality of military organisations generally. To be a soldier is to practice extreme sorts of group cohesion and group-think, a radical sort of male bonding, and to be cut off from sources of competing values. You have to dehumanize your enemy, and if your comrades in arms approve of doing so, you don't think of what the rest of the world will see. My response:Methinks you've been watching too much "Full Metal Jacket" and not enough "Band of Brothers." As a veteran, it is self-evident to me that you have no first-hand experience with any of the subject matter on which you speak. For instance: "...the sort of behaviour it encourages. " What sort of behavior would that be? Military folks, as a group, are willing to give their lives so that you don't have to get your hands dirty. The primary reason we've lost as many soldiers in Iraq as we have, is that we are doing our best to avoid any civilian casualties. "I cannot imagine myself a private, bound to unthinkingly carry out the orders of the corporal or the sergeant." If you are an unthinking soldier, you are a dead soldier. Military folks are trained so that they react instantly, by intimate familiarity with their duties. To do otherwise in a combat situation is to be killed. "unthinking?" The battlefield is not the place for a philosophical debate. That is taken care of before combat. "...you would be most unwise to trust me with live ammunition or real weapons, especially given the sort of hollering and insults that seem to be mainstays of military training" If you are given to killing people if they are "mean" to you or yell at you, then I don't want you in my military. Basic training has one purpose, to tear down self-centered individuality, and teach people to work together as a team. "who is willing to carry out military orders because he sees only the military world and its values, and imagines that he has nothing left to lose. " I'll say this, you have some imagination! Military beople aren't locked up on base or on post, unable to partake of the "real world." If anything we see the world in larger terms, because we see a bigger picture. "Nothing left to lose?" What, do you think that we only joined the military because we couldn't make it anywhere else? Today's all-volunteer military is the most well-educated in history. In the Air Force, for instance, over half of the enlisted have a bachelor's degree or better. Not to mention the fact that most still have parents, brothers, spouses or children. Nothing left to lose? I don't think so, buddy. We fight to protect their, and your freedoms. "To be a soldier is to practice extreme sorts of group cohesion and group-think, a radical sort of male bonding, and to be cut off from sources of competing values. " See above. "...you don't think of what the rest of the world will see. " Again with that automaton stereotype. Just because one wears the uniform, doesn't mean that he (or she) stops thinking about others. Yes, it's terrible what those idiots did at Abu Ghraib. They have dishonored the U.S. and its military, and given the enemy a powerful weapon. This is, unfortunately, another thing which the military has in common with the rest of the world: there are a small fraction who can give the rest a bad name. I would suggest that you actually get to know some people who serve, rather than taking your cues from shallow stereotypes. You might be surprised what you would find. Yes, war is terrible. It is to be avoided if at all possible. But sometimes it is the only option. To quote Orwell: "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Sleep well.Also posted at Confessions of a Jesus PhreakUPDATE: Sgt. Stryker says it much better than I. Culture15566@blogcritics.org Mon, 10 May 2004 20:32:12 EDT