uncalled for

I meant to mention this yesterday but life events interveaned. The New York Times print edition decided to run a picture of a field of dead children as it's cover picture. I thought that it was uncalled for.

I understand that the deathy rate is news. I understand that lots of children have died. I still think it was uncalled for.

A Day Late, A Dollar Short

Serves me right for trusting that things that I think are cool will still be there in the future. Many moons ago I saw that Sony had released a linux kit for the PS2 and it was good. I had every intention of buying one, but alas I was broke and did not.

fast forward to now and I check to see if I can get one and i find they have been quietly discontinued. So I guess Ebay will be my friend. One day I'll find it.

and it will be mine.

Free, baby. Free.

I find This interesting. Free speech in China. How amazing.

I don't think we get it. We have free speech (at least currently) and no matter what the doomsayers are crying we haven't lost it (yet). We can still criticize out leaders (pick up any paper on ether coast and I can almost guarantee you will find an editorial or some article blaming Bush for something. I'm not saying he doesn’t deserve it, but rather I am pointing out a liberty we take for granted. In the post article referenced above, the authors were censored for criticizing a local government official. A LOCAL official. They were censored because it might make the party look bad. (Gee. Simple logic dictates that if you don’t want the party to be embarrassed then don’t do stuff that might be embarrassing. But what do I know? I’m just some guy.)

Like I said, I don't think we get it. Canada looks at us and points out our flaws to make them selves feel better about whatever it is that they need to feel better about. A good portion of the rest of the world lives in places where they encounter extortion, censorship, and other personal impositions (And that is just from the people that are supposed to be there to help them) We get news about Chinese censorship and my guess is that it won't make a blip on our collective society’s consciousness.

This is a reminder. We could end up in the same boat as those Chinese authors. We are not there yet, but the possibility exists.

Christmas wishes.

What do we want for christmas?

I want my family to stay happy and healthy [and alive - thankyouverymuchMr.Bush].

My son wants to give everyone his presents.

I see my friends talking and being merry. i see my family loving each other. I think about the troops and I wish them peace today. I thing about the politicans and wish they would realize the consequences of their actions and decisions.

I'll write more later. Right now I want to leave everyone with these wishes.

Merry Christmas everyone.

May we all find peace and happiness.

More in a bit. I gotta get some coffee.

Insert title here

Department stores discover what the rest of us already knew Sex Sells.

[NY Times link - Bug Me Not is your friend]

I love it when you walk into stores and they are playing the light fetish card. it reminds me that EVERYONE loves sex.

It also reminds me of this article from Washington Post columnist Terry M. Neal.

He points out that porn has (sort of) gone mainstream.

My Favorite quotes?

the Sun Coast Video store in the town of Orem was deriving 20 percent of its rental sales from adult movies, even though adult movies only made up 2 percent of the store's inventory;

"The General Motors Corporation, the world's largest company, now sells more graphic sex films every year than does Larry Flynt, owner of the Hustler empire. The 8.7 million Americans who subscribe to DirecTV, a General Motors subsidiary, buy nearly $200 million a year in pay-per-view sex films from satellite, according to estimates provided by distributors of the films, estimates the company did not dispute.

Gotta love that. GM sells more porn than Larry Flynt. Mainstream companies push porn and go figure - it sells. Shocking, I know.

Is this a problem? I don't think so. I think people like sex. Lingerie sells because people like pretty things. My guess is that people dress up pretty, watch a naughty movie, and have some hot sex with a consenting partner.

Good for them.

Overheard.

you are just a dildo with ears.... some people love the shit out of you.

A quick update [Presents for you.]

I know. It’s been what? A whole two days since I posted and said I was going to release God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

It is available now at Depressoboy.com. Just click on downloads and you will find it. That or click on the link above.

Happy holidays.

Bull takes fighter

What a week. Finals, papers, laptop death, and the cold of doom that seems to be traveling around have all contributed to my lack of updates.

Enough about me. Let’s talk music for a moment.

Stavesacre released a 4 song E.P. called Bull Takes Fighter. I got my copy the other day and it is fantastic. The production is top notch and the songwriting is amazing. Stavesacre consistently put out good albums the show growth in their ability as musicians, songwriters and Human beings.

Mark Salomon and company have crafted songs that pulse with life and emotion, components that seem to be missing from most releases these days.

The biggest issue I have it that is only 4 songs. It makes me want more. Which I suppose, is the point of the thing.

Anyway, enough of my gushing. If you haven't already - check out any of their earlier albums. I would recommend starting with Speakeasy or Absolutes.

In other news,

My band and I have recorded the Christmas carol "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" as this years present to you. In previous years, we recorded Carol of the Bells and What Child is This. True to form, we feel like we have done something interesting with the traditional form of the song. I will post it for download on the
depressoboy website this weekend for your enjoyment.

Apples + Oranges

If this is true, everyone wins. (and isn't that what we all want?)

This quote seems to sum up my general feeling on it:

Kass said the ideas raise the possibility that "the partisans of scientific progress and the defenders of the dignity of nascent human life can go forward in partnership without anyone having to violate things they hold dear."

Panel member Diana Schaub, a political scientist at Loyola College in Maryland, said, "It seems to me almost too good to be true -- that scientific advance would solve a moral dilemma."

(emphasis mine)

More in a bit, coffee is calling my name.

Everything Counts

Putin dismisses call for new runoff election in the Ukraine

and funny thing - the Ukranian Justices tell Putin to stuff it.

Ukrainian Justices, in Show of Independence, Order New Runoff

[NY Times links - Bug me not is your friend]

Putin has been an interesting character lately. I suppose we live in interesting times. I'll digest this later. I'm sure it will work its way out into my writing later.

Just give me what I want and no one gets hurt.

Is this really a good idea?

Do we want a man like that as the head of the Department of Homeland Security? I don't know. He looks like he has a really authority complex. (by complex I mean - "I'm right. I'm the law. You will comply" sort of attitude.)

I say a post somewhere that compared Kerik to Batman. And while I love Batman, i don't know that I want him trying to coordinate security for my party. A description of Batman - Vengeful, paternalistic, self-righteous, fanatical, ruthless, a control freak. Well i suppose that dosen't sound so diffrent from what our goverment have been edging toward. (the DHS just being another symptom of the problem)

Either way it should be ... interesting.

We shall see.

More in a bit, I need coffee.

Risingson

So according to the Washington Post Ukraine Opposition to Lift Blockade.

I think this quote nails it:

"It is an important and serious victory, but there is still a lot to be done," Mykola Tomenko, a parliament member and Yushchenko supporter, told demonstrators in central Independence Square. Yushchenko supporters have occupied the plaza since the vote.

The conflict pits fundamentally contrasting views of Ukraine's future. Yushchenko regards Ukraine as allied with the West and especially the EU. Yanukovych sees Ukraine's destiny as tied to Russia, which supplies the country with its energy needs.

Maybe I am wrong, but I see this as a good thing. Russia seems to be shutting itself up again. There is no longer the openness we had even 5 years ago. Academics are more restricted now, and access to sources and news seems to be drying up. It looks like Putin wants to recreate the Soviet Union, even if it is not named that. With Ukraine dissenting, and at least looking at adopting a pro-western stance, the world benefits. I don't thing the current president will notice it, but it is a safe bet that someone out there will. Will the EU be accepting of an Eastern European country? We shall see.

More in a bit. I seem to be in dire need of coffee.

It's good to be king (so they tell me)

Merck to Offer Big Bonuses to Executives if It Is Taken Over

[NY Times - Bug Me Not is your friend]

Someone explain this to me - why should these idiots people get a bonus if the company gets taken over?

This quote says it all:

Today, Merck said in a federal securities filing that its board had decided to give its 230 most senior managers the opportunity for a one-time payment of up to three years of salary and bonus if another company buys Merck - or merely buys more than 20 percent of its shares. Any executive who was fired or resigned for good cause would receive the payment.

Maybe it's me. In fact I know it must be. I don't see why management should get up to 3 years of salary and bonus in the case that their company undergoes a takeover. What about the grunt workers? Why don't they get the same options?

Oh wait. I know.

It is because they are not "special" not high enough on the corporate food chain. The executives get the benefit of the sweat of those under them. God forbid they actually work for their money. Maybe it is the socialist in me that I haven't beaten out yet. Why not do something like offer all employees a "golden parachute" if the company gets taken over? I don't know, maybe something like the bonus they might get in a normal year, or 6 weeks of pay or even a half years worth of pay. (Ok now I’m just dreaming)

You know if one of the grunt workers gets terminated or resigns with good cause his/her ass is out in the cold. But the "Senior Management" is protected. Up to 3 years of salary and bonus in one lump sum.

Must be nice to be a member of the privileged class.


More in a bit.


EDIT: I know this is a ploy to dissuade other companies from trying to take them over, but as pointed out in the article - why then did they make it so that if any company bought 20 percent of their stock the management could cash in even if the take over did not go through? They could have written the rules diffrently. The chose not to.