My Kindle 3 arrived and I couldn't be happier with it.
For years I've resisted buying an e-reader. I love the feel of paper, the look of books, the art of choosing one book from hundreds, but space constraints and the lower cost of Kindle books convinced me that I should relent (a little). The Kindle will supplement, not supplant, my buying of paper bound works.
Happy reading!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Unfrigging Believable
In general, I don't post about anything other than books, but it's getting to the point where I can't hold my tongue anymore.
I can't believe the DOJ dropped this case. See one of the many articles concerning the voter intimidation cases being dropped, here.
A former DOJ attorney testified recently that the cases against the individuals in this video
were dropped because of lobbying and political pressure by groups like the NAACP. Shame on them all. Racism is unbecoming in any shade. Though individuals have a right to say whatever they want, they do not have the right to engage in voter intimidation.
I fear the type of voter fraud/intimidation that individuals like this will engage in this November given the likelihood of their failure to gain or maintain seats in Congress any other way.
No people, by birth or nature, are superior to others. Hatred shouldn't be in vogue or fashionable just because of who you hate--that's how myriads of wars have started. Uh, hello World War frigging II. Your racism isn't OK because it's yours.
People must stand up and start speaking out against these sorts of activities. We don't, because we don't want to be labeled as racists or bigots. That sort of intellectual dishonesty and name-calling as a means to silence valuable opinions, reasonable opinions, must stop. To be frank, if you support Obama, you support what he supports. He and the Attorney General he nominated sanction Black Panthers interference with the fair, open elections that we are Constitutionally guaranteed. He either supports the interference or he is so weak in his convictions, that he cannot uphold his oath to preserve, protect, support and defend the Constitution of the United States against enemies, foreign and domestic. I hope that neither of these two things are true; I hope that I've misunderstood what happened; I hope that there was some reason to drop these cases at their sentencing stage; I hope that groups like the KKK and others don't see this as permission to attempt to intimidate voters this November.
We are a nation of laws. If were are not that, our Republic will fall. No one is to be above reproach, to be above the law, and, if we create a category of view points, a race of people, or a sect of religion that cannot be criticized or that will be held immune to the law, then we are a nation of fools.
Though we sometimes elect fools, I don't believe we are fools. I am hopeful. Even in temperatures breaking 100 degrees, I feel the cool, sweet wind of change moving through my neighborhood. Indeed with acts of voter intimidation and fraud being perpetrated by those who are unable to compete in an open, peaceful exchange of ideas, many Americans will still step forward, braving being hit by a night stick or being called a racist because its the least that we can do when so many better, honor worthy men have come before us, pledging their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor so that we could have the liberty to vote at all.
I can't believe the DOJ dropped this case. See one of the many articles concerning the voter intimidation cases being dropped, here.
A former DOJ attorney testified recently that the cases against the individuals in this video
were dropped because of lobbying and political pressure by groups like the NAACP. Shame on them all. Racism is unbecoming in any shade. Though individuals have a right to say whatever they want, they do not have the right to engage in voter intimidation.
I fear the type of voter fraud/intimidation that individuals like this will engage in this November given the likelihood of their failure to gain or maintain seats in Congress any other way.
No people, by birth or nature, are superior to others. Hatred shouldn't be in vogue or fashionable just because of who you hate--that's how myriads of wars have started. Uh, hello World War frigging II. Your racism isn't OK because it's yours.
People must stand up and start speaking out against these sorts of activities. We don't, because we don't want to be labeled as racists or bigots. That sort of intellectual dishonesty and name-calling as a means to silence valuable opinions, reasonable opinions, must stop. To be frank, if you support Obama, you support what he supports. He and the Attorney General he nominated sanction Black Panthers interference with the fair, open elections that we are Constitutionally guaranteed. He either supports the interference or he is so weak in his convictions, that he cannot uphold his oath to preserve, protect, support and defend the Constitution of the United States against enemies, foreign and domestic. I hope that neither of these two things are true; I hope that I've misunderstood what happened; I hope that there was some reason to drop these cases at their sentencing stage; I hope that groups like the KKK and others don't see this as permission to attempt to intimidate voters this November.
We are a nation of laws. If were are not that, our Republic will fall. No one is to be above reproach, to be above the law, and, if we create a category of view points, a race of people, or a sect of religion that cannot be criticized or that will be held immune to the law, then we are a nation of fools.
Though we sometimes elect fools, I don't believe we are fools. I am hopeful. Even in temperatures breaking 100 degrees, I feel the cool, sweet wind of change moving through my neighborhood. Indeed with acts of voter intimidation and fraud being perpetrated by those who are unable to compete in an open, peaceful exchange of ideas, many Americans will still step forward, braving being hit by a night stick or being called a racist because its the least that we can do when so many better, honor worthy men have come before us, pledging their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor so that we could have the liberty to vote at all.
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Tomorrow is Hump Day
Only two court appearances tomorrow...
So much work.
So little time.
Bill has to get a commission done this week.
So much work.
So little time.
Bill has to get a commission done this week.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Needs Editing
5,000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen is actually a very quick, enjoyable read. I agree with its overall sentiments; nevertheless, it has some structural and grammatical issues. Skoussen's ideas are not fully formed out, the piece lacks flow, and it is in dire need of some editorial tidying. Its issues detract from what is a really strong survey piece. How can things go to press with errors like the use of "it's" where the author means "its" etc.? Overall, it's a good survey of American Constitutional History.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Bauhaus
From Bauhaus to Our House by Tom Wolfe
Loved it--an essay about navel gazing and what happens when groups of people navel-gaze and gather together to prove which one of them is more perfect at navel-gazing. Wolfe critiques modern architecture, but it isn't just about the negative effects of the Bauhaus style as much as the dangerousness of a group of people who attempt to rid themselves of pesky intellectual and moreover, ideological, competition. You don't have to hate modern or post modern architecture to like the book, but it probably doesn't hurt if you are a bit of an iconoclast.
Loved it--an essay about navel gazing and what happens when groups of people navel-gaze and gather together to prove which one of them is more perfect at navel-gazing. Wolfe critiques modern architecture, but it isn't just about the negative effects of the Bauhaus style as much as the dangerousness of a group of people who attempt to rid themselves of pesky intellectual and moreover, ideological, competition. You don't have to hate modern or post modern architecture to like the book, but it probably doesn't hurt if you are a bit of an iconoclast.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Thank you Spring!
We are having some really nice weather after a terribly long, cold winter. It's not been warm of enough for me to actually start seedlings, but it's been warm enough for me to start planning spring plantings and thinking off all things that need to be done in preparation for Spring and Summer.
I might even be able to sit outside and read later today!
On the topic of reads, I enjoyed Unnatural Fire by Fidelis Morgan but it wasn't nearly as good as it's sequel The Rival Queens. I read them in the wrong order, finding the first disappointing in comparison to the second book. The situations in the first weren't nearly as memorable and the characters were not nearly as engaging as both were in the second piece. I'm glad I read the second one first or I might not have gotten to the second, better one.
The characters were not realistically foolish. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but the story was too much like the common comedy of manners. The characters were just too dense. Furthermore, with the exception of a character named Betty I had no connection with the characters. In other words, when they inevitably die their deaths result in nothing more than a dull thud. The apparent villains are not attractive and are gravely flawed. The place and voice of the story were lacking the same delicious quality that the second book had. It wasn't easy to laugh with the story, nor were the descriptions of period London as well wrought. I'm only tempted to keep it because I'm rather fond of the author's second book.
I might even be able to sit outside and read later today!
On the topic of reads, I enjoyed Unnatural Fire by Fidelis Morgan but it wasn't nearly as good as it's sequel The Rival Queens. I read them in the wrong order, finding the first disappointing in comparison to the second book. The situations in the first weren't nearly as memorable and the characters were not nearly as engaging as both were in the second piece. I'm glad I read the second one first or I might not have gotten to the second, better one.
The characters were not realistically foolish. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but the story was too much like the common comedy of manners. The characters were just too dense. Furthermore, with the exception of a character named Betty I had no connection with the characters. In other words, when they inevitably die their deaths result in nothing more than a dull thud. The apparent villains are not attractive and are gravely flawed. The place and voice of the story were lacking the same delicious quality that the second book had. It wasn't easy to laugh with the story, nor were the descriptions of period London as well wrought. I'm only tempted to keep it because I'm rather fond of the author's second book.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
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