So, just to prove that we're not all NASCAR watching, budwieser drinking, harley riding on sundays in leather chaps, banjo playing, tobacco chewing, inbred, one toothed, backwoods, bumpkins the State of West Virginia has decided to incentivize the state's youth to participate in the literary arts. Yes, folks, we're having a poetry contest. About monster trucks. Yes, you read that right, monster trucks.
While I'm sure that great literary works have been written about less classy subjects, I'd imagine most of them were composed by drunken irishmen or sailors on shore leave. I, for one, cannot wait to read "Ode to Bigfoot."
Paging Peregrinus... paging Peregrinus...
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Cowards! Caving to terrorists LEGITIMIZES TERROR!
Pathetic.
Some of you may have read that I sent a nastygram to Comedy Central's feedback department about thier censorship of the South Park Episode. I got a form-email response. Note that it took SEVERAL days, so they must be innundated with correspondence like mine. That or they recieved so much, they had to wait on thier legal department to formulate a mass-response.
Anyway, here's the drivel they sent me:
"Dear Viewer,
Thank you for your correspondence regarding the "South Park" episodes entitled "Cartoon Wars." We appreciate your concerns about censorship and the destructive influence of outside groups on the media, entertainment industry and particularly Comedy Central.
To reiterate, as satirists, we believe that it is our First Amendment right to poke fun at any and all people, groups, organizations and religions and we will continue to defend that right. Our goal is to make people laugh and perhaps, if we're lucky, even make them think in the process.
Comedy Central's belief in the First Amendment has not wavered, despite our decision not to air an image of Muhammad. Our decision was made not to mute the voices of Trey and Matt or because we value one religion over any other. This decision was based solely on concern for public safety in light of recent world events.
With the power of freedom of speech and expression also comes the obligation to use that power in a responsible way. Much as we wish it weren't the case, times have changed and, as witnessed by the intense and deadly reaction to the publication of the Danish cartoons, decisions cannot be made in a vacuum without considering what impact they may have on innocent individuals around the globe.
It was with this in mind we decided not to air the image of Muhammad, a decision similar to that made by virtually every single media outlet across the country earlier this year when they each determined that it was not prudent or in the interest of safety to reproduce the controversial Danish cartoons. Injuries occurred and lives were lost in the riots set off by the original publication of these cartoons. The American media made a decision then, as we did now, not to put the safety and well being of the public at risk, here or abroad.
As a viewer of "South Park," you know that over the course of ten seasons and almost 150 episodes the series has addressed all types of sensitive, hot-button issues, religious and political, and has done so with Comedy Central's full support in every instance, including this one. "Cartoon Wars" contained a very important message, one that Trey and Matt felt strongly about, as did we at the network, which is why we gave them carte blanche in every facet but one: we would not broadcast a portrayal of Muhammad.
In that regard, did we censor the show? Yes, we did. But if you hold Comedy Central's 15-year track record up against any other network out there, you'll find that we afford our talent the most creative freedom and provide a nurturing atmosphere that challenges them to be bold and daring and places them in a position to constantly break barriers and push the envelope. The result has been some of the most provocative television ever produced.
We would like nothing more than to be able to look back at this in a few years and think that perhaps we overreacted. Unfortunately, to have made a different decision and to look back and see that we completely underestimated the damage that resulted was a risk we were not willing to take.
Our pledge to you, our loyal viewers, is that Comedy Central will continue to produce and provide the best comedy available and we will continue to push it right to the edge, using and defending the First Amendment in the most responsible way we know how.
Sincerely,
Comedy Central Viewer Services"
Yeah. Wimps.
Oh, and google, you're wimps too. I couldn't upload mohammed.gif. I had to rename it. Damned cowardice is running rampant.
Here, I'll do something you didn't have the balls for:
Some of you may have read that I sent a nastygram to Comedy Central's feedback department about thier censorship of the South Park Episode. I got a form-email response. Note that it took SEVERAL days, so they must be innundated with correspondence like mine. That or they recieved so much, they had to wait on thier legal department to formulate a mass-response.
Anyway, here's the drivel they sent me:
"Dear Viewer,
Thank you for your correspondence regarding the "South Park" episodes entitled "Cartoon Wars." We appreciate your concerns about censorship and the destructive influence of outside groups on the media, entertainment industry and particularly Comedy Central.
To reiterate, as satirists, we believe that it is our First Amendment right to poke fun at any and all people, groups, organizations and religions and we will continue to defend that right. Our goal is to make people laugh and perhaps, if we're lucky, even make them think in the process.
Comedy Central's belief in the First Amendment has not wavered, despite our decision not to air an image of Muhammad. Our decision was made not to mute the voices of Trey and Matt or because we value one religion over any other. This decision was based solely on concern for public safety in light of recent world events.
With the power of freedom of speech and expression also comes the obligation to use that power in a responsible way. Much as we wish it weren't the case, times have changed and, as witnessed by the intense and deadly reaction to the publication of the Danish cartoons, decisions cannot be made in a vacuum without considering what impact they may have on innocent individuals around the globe.
It was with this in mind we decided not to air the image of Muhammad, a decision similar to that made by virtually every single media outlet across the country earlier this year when they each determined that it was not prudent or in the interest of safety to reproduce the controversial Danish cartoons. Injuries occurred and lives were lost in the riots set off by the original publication of these cartoons. The American media made a decision then, as we did now, not to put the safety and well being of the public at risk, here or abroad.
As a viewer of "South Park," you know that over the course of ten seasons and almost 150 episodes the series has addressed all types of sensitive, hot-button issues, religious and political, and has done so with Comedy Central's full support in every instance, including this one. "Cartoon Wars" contained a very important message, one that Trey and Matt felt strongly about, as did we at the network, which is why we gave them carte blanche in every facet but one: we would not broadcast a portrayal of Muhammad.
In that regard, did we censor the show? Yes, we did. But if you hold Comedy Central's 15-year track record up against any other network out there, you'll find that we afford our talent the most creative freedom and provide a nurturing atmosphere that challenges them to be bold and daring and places them in a position to constantly break barriers and push the envelope. The result has been some of the most provocative television ever produced.
We would like nothing more than to be able to look back at this in a few years and think that perhaps we overreacted. Unfortunately, to have made a different decision and to look back and see that we completely underestimated the damage that resulted was a risk we were not willing to take.
Our pledge to you, our loyal viewers, is that Comedy Central will continue to produce and provide the best comedy available and we will continue to push it right to the edge, using and defending the First Amendment in the most responsible way we know how.
Sincerely,
Comedy Central Viewer Services"
Yeah. Wimps.
Oh, and google, you're wimps too. I couldn't upload mohammed.gif. I had to rename it. Damned cowardice is running rampant.
Here, I'll do something you didn't have the balls for:
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Comedy Central and Muhammed
What I pasted into the feedback form on comedy central's website regarding South Park and censorship (apparently comedy central would not let them air an image of muhammed):
"Assuming the plotline of South Park is correct, your cowardly retreat from the first amendment is not respresentative of the spirit of freedom upon which this country is based.
I have changed the channel. I won't be seeing any more comedy central commercials."
I should get a nice drawing of muhammed and put it on this blog.
"Assuming the plotline of South Park is correct, your cowardly retreat from the first amendment is not respresentative of the spirit of freedom upon which this country is based.
I have changed the channel. I won't be seeing any more comedy central commercials."
I should get a nice drawing of muhammed and put it on this blog.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Sometimes it's a shame.
It's a shame that the local Little League baseball league is run by petty, vindictive, power hungry little beaurocrats. It's a shame because it hurts the game. It's a shame because it hurts the kids. It's a shame because it's been that way since I played at that field 20+ years ago. It's a shame because I won't expose my son to them. It's a shame because the kid hits every fastball and knuckleball I throw down the pipe. It's a shame because he has all the fundamentals, and he won't be playing.
Busy weekend
I had a really busy weekend. Trust me, I'm really, not ever, going to use this blog as a diary or journal, but hear me out. This weekend I recieved some cultural exposure that's pretty darned rare for me. You have to keep in mind that if I'm not fighting at the dojo, learning to fight at the dojo, or shooting stuff at the range, I'm probably at work. "Culture" for me means learning the japanese or korean names for various strikes, blocks, pins, throws and holds. And I suppose my use of russian ammunition for my commie rifles is a uh... form of cultural exposure.
My weekend started with a trip (the whole family) to the Clay Center for a performance by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. They had a guest piano virtuoso by the name of Valentina Lisitsa. Oh my god could this woman play a piano. Her performace (and the symphony of course) of Liszt's Totentanz literally brought tears to my eyes. It was my son's first exposure to classical music live. After the performance of Totentanz, the symphony went to intermission. I leaned over to my wide-eyed son (who plays guitar, and understands how difficult the mastery of an instrument can be) and said "um... was that just a little more complex than Green Day?" He nodded and replied "uh... yeah," still wide-eyed.
So Saturday, we head to guitar lessons. Yes, my whole family takes guitar lessons. The boy and I play guitar, and the wife is learning bass. And if you're in the Charleston area and in need of a good guitar teacher, look up Josh Cannon. Just call Fret n Fiddle in St. Albans and they'll hook you up. Josh can friggin play. I mean, the guy can PLAY. On top of that, he's a helluva good teacher. Very patient with fumble-fingers like myself. He doesn't chastize me for being lazy and not practicing like I should. And that's good. Because I'm not a professional musician, and I have a job, and so on... But I digress.
Right after guitar lessons, we all pack up and head over to St. Albans High School. Karate tournament day. Both the boy and I compete. We both did pretty well. My boy really kicked some butt. His age and experience class is a lot more competitive than mine. It's a bigger challenge for him to place well.
After the tournament, we head out to Scarlett Oaks for a jazz performance by Dominick Farinacci. This guy's a trumpet player, and after hearing that, I'd rank him as one of the best in the world. The guy's only twenty three years old, and he's freakin' amazing. I played a trumpet as a kid and through high school. All told, I played a trumpet for oh... seven years or so. Among my peers, I was pretty damned good too. I usually sat first or second chair in band, and being sorta familiar with how the instrument is played, I can recognize talent and skill when I hear it. Holy crap that guy was good. I mean, I can't say how good the guy was. It's just not going to translate in a text medium. Seriously, to register how good the guy was, take the top of any art or skill, and there's your analogy. The Tiger Woods of Trumpet. (that's actually a very good analogy because they were both very very good at a very very young age) The Michael Schumaker of Trumpet. The Valentino Rossi of Trumpet. The Michael Jordan of Trumpet. You get the point. The guy was good.
Not only was Dominick good, but the piano player and bassist in his band were damned good too. Now, the previous night's performance by Ms. Lisitsa had kind of tained my perception of "good" when it comes to the ivory keys, and no, this guy didn't hold a candle to her, but he was good. He did some crazy crazy stuff with scales and modes. Real zappa style space-stuff.
But the bassist, wow. That guy was a trip. He'd run through these scales, flip modes, do crazy timing stuff (within the time signature) and just flat go OFF. And what impressed me about his playing, was that he returned to what I refer to as "the melodic." Jazz players tend to drive me batshit. They go off in musical space so far, and so wide that all semblance of melody is left alone in the corner holding a sign that says "hey! remember me? I'm that thing called the song? Over here? Hello?" Well, the bassist would return to the melody. He'd go on some magical scalar/modal trip, and come back to the melody several times during his solos. It was cool. Hey jazz players, listen up. Us lay people need that. We're not all beret and turtleneck wearing musical intellectuals. We need you to come back to the melody every now and then just to remind us that we're not listening to random notes in a random key. K?
My weekend started with a trip (the whole family) to the Clay Center for a performance by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. They had a guest piano virtuoso by the name of Valentina Lisitsa. Oh my god could this woman play a piano. Her performace (and the symphony of course) of Liszt's Totentanz literally brought tears to my eyes. It was my son's first exposure to classical music live. After the performance of Totentanz, the symphony went to intermission. I leaned over to my wide-eyed son (who plays guitar, and understands how difficult the mastery of an instrument can be) and said "um... was that just a little more complex than Green Day?" He nodded and replied "uh... yeah," still wide-eyed.
So Saturday, we head to guitar lessons. Yes, my whole family takes guitar lessons. The boy and I play guitar, and the wife is learning bass. And if you're in the Charleston area and in need of a good guitar teacher, look up Josh Cannon. Just call Fret n Fiddle in St. Albans and they'll hook you up. Josh can friggin play. I mean, the guy can PLAY. On top of that, he's a helluva good teacher. Very patient with fumble-fingers like myself. He doesn't chastize me for being lazy and not practicing like I should. And that's good. Because I'm not a professional musician, and I have a job, and so on... But I digress.
Right after guitar lessons, we all pack up and head over to St. Albans High School. Karate tournament day. Both the boy and I compete. We both did pretty well. My boy really kicked some butt. His age and experience class is a lot more competitive than mine. It's a bigger challenge for him to place well.
After the tournament, we head out to Scarlett Oaks for a jazz performance by Dominick Farinacci. This guy's a trumpet player, and after hearing that, I'd rank him as one of the best in the world. The guy's only twenty three years old, and he's freakin' amazing. I played a trumpet as a kid and through high school. All told, I played a trumpet for oh... seven years or so. Among my peers, I was pretty damned good too. I usually sat first or second chair in band, and being sorta familiar with how the instrument is played, I can recognize talent and skill when I hear it. Holy crap that guy was good. I mean, I can't say how good the guy was. It's just not going to translate in a text medium. Seriously, to register how good the guy was, take the top of any art or skill, and there's your analogy. The Tiger Woods of Trumpet. (that's actually a very good analogy because they were both very very good at a very very young age) The Michael Schumaker of Trumpet. The Valentino Rossi of Trumpet. The Michael Jordan of Trumpet. You get the point. The guy was good.
Not only was Dominick good, but the piano player and bassist in his band were damned good too. Now, the previous night's performance by Ms. Lisitsa had kind of tained my perception of "good" when it comes to the ivory keys, and no, this guy didn't hold a candle to her, but he was good. He did some crazy crazy stuff with scales and modes. Real zappa style space-stuff.
But the bassist, wow. That guy was a trip. He'd run through these scales, flip modes, do crazy timing stuff (within the time signature) and just flat go OFF. And what impressed me about his playing, was that he returned to what I refer to as "the melodic." Jazz players tend to drive me batshit. They go off in musical space so far, and so wide that all semblance of melody is left alone in the corner holding a sign that says "hey! remember me? I'm that thing called the song? Over here? Hello?" Well, the bassist would return to the melody. He'd go on some magical scalar/modal trip, and come back to the melody several times during his solos. It was cool. Hey jazz players, listen up. Us lay people need that. We're not all beret and turtleneck wearing musical intellectuals. We need you to come back to the melody every now and then just to remind us that we're not listening to random notes in a random key. K?
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