Archive: August, 2005

mac: the beauty of open source

author randomduck | timestamp 31/08/2005 | categories Comments Off

Sometimes, open source can be a pain in the rear (e.g. the *nuke family of blogging software, the umpteen variations on the theme of Linux, etc.).

But there are also times when open source can be a thing of beauty.

If you use Apple Mail 2.0 in Mac OS 10.4, there is a wonderful add-on called MailTags. This nifty little plug-in allows you to tag email messages with all sorts of identifier info, thus enhancing the utility of Apple’s Mail application. This might actually be enough to make me switch from Microsoft Entourage…

categories tech

dc4d: one more “no endorse” reason

author randomduck | timestamp 30/08/2005 | categories Comments Off

One more reason for DC for Democracy to vote against endorsing the September 24th rally:

“DC for Democracy is a grassroots organization located in the nation’s capital that works at the national and local levels to promote political empowerment, integrity in leadership, and transparency in government. To that end, DC for Democracy will bring new people into the political process, support progressive issues and candidates, and advocate full congressional voting rights for the District of Columbia.”
      – DC for Democracy By-Laws, Article 2

This is the mission statement of DC for Democracy. Note that the primary means to our mission is to bring new people into the political process (something we’re committed to doing in NoVA), support progressive issues (and while being against the war in Iraq is an issue that’s near and dear to progressives, it’s by no means the only progressive issue that demands attention), and advocate voting rights for D.C. (and what does the war in IRaq have to do with that?).

Just wanted to point that out: what does endorsing a protest rally have to do with our mission? As mentioned in an article I referenced earlier today (on an entirely unrelated subject): show me the proof that this is critical to the organization’s mission. Prove it!

categories politics, washington, dc

katrina dredging up memories

author randomduck | timestamp 30/08/2005 | categories Comments Off

I see the devastaton of Katrina on New Orleans and am reminded of being trapped there on September 11, 2001. And much as there is little similarity between the two events – save for incredible amounts of death and destruction happening hundreds of miles away and feeling like a part of my innocence is being ripped out of my soul – I still feel very much the same.

A friend of mine has a job in New Orleans. Fortunately, he came back to D.C. last weekend, but he is unable to go back and get his things. The irony is that he is quitting said job because it keeps him too far from home.

The son of other friends of mine is still in New Orleans. My friends assure me that he is fine, but has lost everything: his house (which he spent the past year renovating), his truck, and his tools (which are his livelihood). He’s sure to get back on his feet, but still – it’s tough not to feel pain for him and his parents.

And then there are the others: the people who are trapped in their houses. The pets who were left behind in the chaos. The fact that entire cities across the Gulf coast were reduced to rubble.

It’s sickening. It’s sobering. And I want them to know that I’m keeping them all in my thoughts.

categories random

dc for democracy at a crossroads

author randomduck | timestamp 30/08/2005 | categories Comments Off

To all my DC for Democracy friends out there:

There is a special meeting tomorrow night at 7:00 pm. The focus of the meeting is whether to endorse the September 24 United for Peace D.C. Anti-War Mobilization, which is being co-sponsored by Inernational ANSWER.

I am wholeheartedly against any endorsement of this march by DC for Democracy. I wrote about my stance earlier this month, and my feelings have not changed: officially associating DC for Democracy with this march will severely (and possibly irreparably) damage DC4D’s credibility.

Some basic facts:

  • No other Democracy for America affiliates have voted to endorse this rally.
  • Those who have endorsed the rally include the U.S. Communist Party, Cleveland Right-To-Life, and other, non-progressive organizations.
  • The rally has zero focus and will not serve to shape a sound military policy.
  • Endorsing the rally will put many DC4D members in very awkward and potentially risky situations.
  • There are many more important commitments already made by DC4D that are being neglected due to the distraction of this debate (e.g. Virginia House of Delegate races to which DC4D made hard-and-fast commitments of volunteers and time).
  • There is nothing stopping individual DC4D members from attending the march, on their own, with DC4D signs.

Please read my earlier post and think long and hard before you vote.

However, if the rally is endorsed tomorrow night, I will be highly disappointed with those who vote in favor. Credibility in political circles is fleeting, and not something to be bandied about recklessly. Endorsing the September 24 rally would, in my opinion, cause damage to DC4D that may never be repaired.

categories politics, washington, dc

intelligent design just doesn’t make sense

author randomduck | timestamp 30/08/2005 | categories Comments Off

Anybody who knows me knows that I find the whole concept of so-called “intelligent design” quite disturbing. The fact that public school systems in Kansas and South Carolina are considering tainting science with such misguided and foolhardy “educational theory,” and that President Bush is very open in his support, makes me feel sad for the U.S.

Don’t get me wrong: there is a place for teaching ID. That place is in church or in a private school. Heck – teach it to your kids at home, if you’re so inclined. Just don’t taint the public school curriculum with a theory that is essentially a warped endorsement of a religious belief system that is far from universally accepted.

But don’t over 100 years of scientific research, thousands of extremely open-minded and truly intelligent scholars, millions of years’ worth of fossil evidence, and hundreds of millions of free-thinking inhabitants of this earth (both living and dead) by saying that ID belongs in the same league as evolutionary science. Even though, tehchnically speaking, evolution is still theory, there is enough non-trivial, substantive evidence to present it as fact.

Daniel Dennett, professor of philosophy at Tufts University, wrote an extremely well-reasoned critique of the movement toward introducing ID into public school systems. His piece places the burden of proof on the promoters of ID: quit whining about being “attacked” by scientists and show us the proof of your theory. And from everything I’ve been able to learn about ID, its supporters have yet to lay out a convincing argument.

Let’s put it this way: when Tony Blankley (conservative, editor of the Washington Times and regular on the “McLaughlin Group“) equates ID with the systematic promotion of religion in schools, and argues that ID does not belong in the public school system, there’s not much footing to use. After all, there’s got to be a good reason for Tony to break ranks with BushCo.

So keep ID out of the public schools and let the reality-based world breathe again.

(All of this talk about ID really makes want to believe in the flying spaghetti monster.)

categories politics, theocons

the secret of long life: herring

author randomduck | timestamp 30/08/2005 | categories Comments Off

One of the world’s oldest people – a Dutch woman who was 115 years old – died today. She credited her longevity to a daily helping of herring.

I knew there was a good reason to like the stuff!

categories food, random

the upside of disaster

author randomduck | timestamp 30/08/2005 | categories Comments Off

Hurricane Katrina was a helluva storm. The damage it caused to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and other states was incredible. Many people lost their property and their lives due to its destructive power. As Haley Barbour (governor of Mississippi) said yesterday, Katrina is “our tsunami.”

But there is a bit of an upside to this: 123 Wal-Mart locations were closed due to flooding and storm damage.

I’m no fan of Wal-Mart. Their employment practices are terrible, they have little regard for social and community responsibility, and they openly discriminate against huge segments of the population. Musical artists are subject to censorship in order to sell their wares in the music department. Many towns have seen their local economies – the mom & pop shops, butchers, grocers and hardware stores – shuttered due to the Wal-Mart empire. Low cost crap – much of it made overseas under terrible working conditions – is aimed at the people who can least afford it.

Sure, the temporary idling of 123 Wal-Mart stores won’t likely cause any lasting change in shopping behavior. And the people who depend on Wal-Mart for their income will see some tough times, and I do not wish them any ill will.

But there’s a little bit of me that’s happy to see a portion of Wal-Mart shut down. Evil Rudi – evil, evil Rudi.

categories random, theocons

the ipod files: history

author randomduck | timestamp 29/08/2005 | categories Comments Off

Wanna know how the iPod came about? Click here to read all about it!

Forgive the writer’s so-so grammar and editing skills – it’s all about the history, which is quite interesting.

categories music, tech

dc mayor’s race: it’s too damn early

author randomduck | timestamp 29/08/2005 | categories Comments Off

Okay, now there are likely five candidates for the office of D.C. mayor. Adrian Fenty (Ward 4 Councilman), Vincent Orange (Ward 5 Councilman) and Marie Johns (former telecom executive) have already joined the race. Michael Brown (lobbyist and son of former DNC Chair, Ron Brown) will declare his candidacy within weeks. And this morning, word is leaking that Linda Cropp (D.C. Council Chairwoman) will join the race on September 7. Not to mention that current mayor, Anthony Williams, hasn’t yet declard whether he’ll seek another term (though Cropp’s declaration may point against another Williams run).

Note that the election isn’t happening until November 2006.

That’s over 14 months from now.

I know that folks will argue that declaring this early provides time to knock on doors throughout the District’s eight wards. Some also argue that people in some parts of the city do not know about the records of the candidates. If only D.C. was not one of the most politically astute cities – albeit one of the most politically misguided ones – there would be a good argument for this. It’s true that some of the candidates are not well-known amongst the locals, but a tiny bit of media coverage goes a long way in this city.

But starting the economic and psychological war of attrition this early is just silly. D.C. is not that big, both in terms of population and physical area. Getting the word out about canididates, platforms and issues is not the toughest job in the world (though it can seem like it, at times). This is not a presidential candidacy; instead, it is a run for what is, for all intents and purposes, a mayoral seat with few “teeth.” After all, the majority of the District’s fiscal destiny and governing policy is determined by congress, not the mayor and council.

Yes, the mayor gets a lot of media “face time,” and acts as the “ambassador of the people” for the residents of D.C. But still, in the grand scheme of things, it isn’t necessarily the most powerful political position around.

I, for one, am remaining completely non-committal with regard to this mayoral race. It’s too early to put my support behind any candidate. As yet, I’ve seen no single candidate that really gets (or keeps) my interest. Some have bit and pieces of things that appeal to me, but that’s all – there’s no “complete package” candidate, nor is there one that comes remotely close to that ideal.

For now, I’ll see what unfolds.

categories politics, random, washington, dc

shoulder update: day 12

author randomduck | timestamp 28/08/2005 | categories Comments Off

The shoulder is healing, but is still a nuisance. I’m not using the arm for anything, though I’m trying to put it through some range of motion. So far, so good – it hasn’t popped out (or felt like it’s going to pop out) since the first morning after injury.

The worst part of things now is muscle cramps. The muscles around my shoulder, neck and upper arm are cramping fairly often. They’re only mild cramps, but they’re most annoying. The ice packs help, as does some light massage; but it’s not pleasant. I’ve been keeping up with my ibuprofen regimen, too, though it’s not as effective as it once was (typical of regular ibuprofen use: the body builds a tolerance to the painkilling effects).

So I carry on. A fellow PPTC member dislocated his shoulder yesterday (rain riding, no less), so I’m guessing that the recovery will be shared. He, too, had plans for a 100-plus mile ride in September, though he has yet to hear his doctor’s prognosis for such a ride. I wish him the best of luck, and hope that he has a faster recovery than mine.

categories random, shoulder

Page 1 of 41234