Illegal Immigrants, What a Country

How many U.S. laws aren’t enforced? We’ve heard over the years how if we could just enforce our existing gun laws, criminals wouldn’t be getting over. I wonder.

Now Bush is talking about granting temporary amnesty to illegal immigrants. We’re talking about 10 to 25 million people! California is in the proverbial pickle, as wimpy politicians want to cater to the very people breaking the laws, so they look the other way as more and more people flood their borders.

It’s really simple. We have laws, let’s enforce them. Don’t like the current laws? Pass legislation. But if we continue to ignore the laws we have, they become meaningless. Without laws, checks and balances, we become more like animals and less like humans.

Humperdinks

While I’m in Dallas, I’m generally looking for a restaurant I have never tried. With a name like Humperdinks, I think I would have remembered that one. After I order my salmon pasta in a garlic alfredo sauce, I sampled one of their home brews. The bartender steered me towards Buttface Amber Ale. Terrible name, terrific beer. But once I tasted my entre I knew my luck had run out; fair to poor. And the breadstick tasted like it came off the floor. Oh well, live and learn.

kottke.org Goes Full-Time

Jason Kottke is one of the few people with whom I disagree politically yet visit his site regularly. He’s one of the truly dedicated and bright voices that the Internet has helped to grow. See what he’s doing and judge for yourself, if you want to support his new career move.

Gizmodo Addiction

While it’s not listed on Dr. Grohol’s Psych Central, psychologists apparently haven’t yet given a name to obsessive gadget fanaticism. This article calls a person’s over-emphasized consumerism a form of neuroticism. But I’m not listening. *nyah nyah nyah* I feed my neurosis daily at Gizmodo. (I wonder if they understand the enabler role they’re playing.)

Just look at this post! Where else but on the Internet could I learn about a coat that uses electro-static energy to raise the coat’s fur stripes signaling to all nearby to “Watch out!”

Crap, it’s still just a prototype.

Bill Maher Calls People of Faith Crazy

Bill Maher is representative of the liberal elites who believe that people who don’t think like them must be insane. This time, he actually comes out and says it.

SCARBOROUGH: So, anyway, let‘s talk about something that Gary Wills wrote. And I think Maureen Dowd echoed with sentiment.

After the election when we found out that 22 percent of Americans, based on some exit polls, said morality was their top issue, Gary Wills said that any country with evangelicals that voted for George Bush who believe in the virgin birth more than they believe in evolution can‘t be an enlightened nation.

And Gary Wills basically compared America to al Qaeda. That‘s a little harsh, isn‘t it?

MAHER: That is too harsh.

SCARBOROUGH: People of faith can step forward, get involved in the process, believe in Jesus, and still vote for George Bush without being an ignorant peasant, can‘t they?

MAHER: Well, I think comparing them to al Qaeda is too harsh, but that‘s because al Qaeda is a terrorist organization.

But do we have more in common—and I am not the first one to say this. I have read this many times. We have more in common with the people, some of the nations who we are aligned against, when you look at beliefs in such things as, do you go to heaven, is there a devil, we have more in common with Turkey and Iran and Syria than we do with European nations and Canada and nations that, yes, I would consider more enlightened than us.

Yes, we are a nation that is unenlightened because of religion. I do believe that. I think that religion stops people from thinking. I think it justifies crazies. I think flying planes into a building was a faith-based initiative. I think religion is a neurological disorder. If you look at it logically, it‘s something that was drilled into your head when you were a small child. It certainly was drilled into mine at that age. And you really can‘t be responsible when you are a kid for what adults put into your head.

But when you become an adult, you can then have it drilled out. And you should.

SCARBOROUGH: So, you are saying that the millions and millions of Americans who go to church every week or go to synagogue…

(CROSSTALK)

MAHER: Have a neurological disorder, yes.

SCARBOROUGH: Have a neurological disorder. So I‚Äîso, so…

MAHER: It‘s something that happened to them when they were a child.

They were told…

So in Bill’s world, the only sane people are atheists? Elitism is a spreading epidemic.

elitism: n.
1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources.

Read the whole Scarborough Country transcript to see just how out of touch Mr. Maher is.

Life Can Not Be Overvalued

I received an email today from Bob Schindler. His daughter is Terri Schindler-Schiavo who is severely handicapped but not brain-dead. Courts have already ordered her to be withheld food and water at her husband’s request. For six days she was given nothing until Governor Bush stepped in. Now is another pivotal time.

Bloggers everywhere are supporting Terri’s right to remain alive. There are many ways you can support this cause. You can visit TerrisFight.org, donate money, sign a petition, post a blog entry, even hang up flyers.

As a society, we’re rapidly moving to a point where human life is no longer valued as highly as it should be. Even though abortions are declining, the U.S. will “eliminate” over 1,000,000 babies in 2005. With Dr. Kevorkian no longer in the news, others have taken up his mis-named cause.

Many can’t see through their mask of mercy into the depravity that exists when people want to play God. Don’t be one of them.

[3/25: Thanks for the comments everyone! Our prayers are with the Schindler family. Post is closed.]

LEGO Does Escher

Escher was a crafty dude. Remaking his relativity piece entirely from LEGOs? Brilliant! Actually, I think my 6-year-old Ben might need to have a run at this guy. [via Coudal]

IAS: Internet Attention Syndrome

Ok, so maybe IAS isn’t the best acronym. But there’s certainly truth to the idea that spending regular time on the Internet, especially in large amounts, reduces your attention span and makes focusing on a single concept quite difficult. Scientists are beginning to work on solutions as Internet usage continues to surge upward. Now off I go to bid on eBay, right after I check the weather, movie time, update my wish list, check my email…

Faith Over Fear and Loathing

Heard in the news this morning that Hunter S. Thompson, an acerbic writer who gained fame with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, killed himself. Knowing that this book is his claim to fame should tell you the most important thing you need to know about the man. It should not surprise anyone that his final days would end this way.

What surprises me is the way men persues fame. Whenever the topic comes up I shout my amazement that any loving parent would steer their beloved offspring down the road that nine-times-in-ten ends in tragedy. I know of no other people group more unhappy than the famous; from Marilyn on down, fame doesn’t live up its promise. Yet people still pursue it with a wreckless abandon.

I don’t want to pick on Mr. Thompson (despite his flaws he was a hardcore Kentucky Wildcat fan) but when will people learn? Santayana was right when he wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Things can’t make humans happy.

Anyway.

I suppose I should be more compassionate towards the man, but what’s the point? Hunter is gone. His choice is made. True compassion works to help people who are heading down Hunter’s dark road.

If I could force my will upon people, it wouldn’t be to make them think like me. It would be to make them think… and then let them make up their minds. But too many today merely exist, floating on by. Busyness is chief among the devil’s stratagem.

Don’t let it suck you in.

Inspiration Defined

Brandon Watkins was born severely deformed. With only three fingers on each hand and two prosthetic legs, he was still determined to make his junior college basketball team in Madison, Wisconsin. And the coaches didn’t just give it to the guy. He earned it.

Now, how do you think we, who have such minor obstacles compared to Brandon, should respond when we hear about Brandon’s story? I, for one, am humbled and inspired.

Zombie Infection Simulation

This zombie infection simulation is simply cool. [via Coudal]

Constantine Opens Today

Constantine is certainly an intriguing film and I’m sure it’ll do well in this weekend’s box office race. Even if people don’t give it high marks (I didn’t) it’s sure to start some important discussions. And that’s the best part! People rarely talk about the afterlife and faith. 100% of us die, but how much time do we devote to investigating our options? Films like Constantine get us thinking.

Thunderstruck has a big ole list of review links for those of you who’ve already seen the movie and want to compare notes.

Get Your Grub On

Product placement is one thing. But now gamers, who are actually in the middle of playing said game, have the opportunity to order a Pizza Hut meat-lovers with extra onions, from within the game!?! We’ve officially entered the Gaming Age. Quick! Buy some YUM!

I apologize beforehand for what this breakthrough brought to my mind. It won’t be long before a gamer will never need to leave his chair for anything. [via kottke]

Fantasy Survivor

I wasn’t always a fan of the NFL. That was before I found Fantasy Football. Now I’m a bloody addict. CBS is playing upon the craze that is fantasy sports by bringing the game to their Survivor show. Of course, I signed up.

Here are the different ways my “players” can score points:

* Reads Tree Mail: You score 10 points any time one of your Survivors reads aloud any part of the “Tree Mail.”

* Goes in Ocean: You score 8 points any time one of your Survivors goes into the ocean – except during a challenge. No points are awarded for being in water during challenge. The Survivor must be in the water above their knees.

* Chops Coconut with Machete: You score 15 points on every occasion that one of your Survivors uses a machete to chop a coconut. The points are for striking the actual coconut with the blade of the knife. Points are awarded for each coconut the Survivor works on.

* Cries: You score 10 points any time one of your Survivors sheds tears.

* Immunity Challenge (group): You score 10 points any time one your Survivors is on the Tribe that wins Immunity.

* Immunity (individual): You score 25 points any time one your Survivors wins the individual Immunity Challenge.

* Reward Challenge (group): You score 10 points any time one your Survivors is on the Tribe that wins a Reward Challenge.

* Reward Challenge (individual): You score 20 points any time one your Survivors wins the individual Reward Challenge.

* Sits Out Challenge: You lose 12 points any time one of your team does not take part a group challenge – reward or immunity.

* Voted Off: You lose 20 points when one of your Survivors gets voted off of the show.

* Bonus Points: You are awarded 40 points any time one of your Survivors performs the activity that you have selected for them in the “Bonus Points” area.

I’ve drafted Ian the dolphin trainer, Caryn the slightly emotional older female, Katie who is this years Jenna, and Bobby Jon because it seems like the girls like him.

Who knows how to draft for this thing? But you gotta admit that CBS is smart… now I’m booked for their Thursday night time-slot.

Flower Battle Revisited

Posted on this a bit ago, but I’m still fascinated by it. So today, I grew my site again and got this:

Besides the improved color change, now I have the very same root-like appendage that I ridiculed my brother for. Plus, there’s no means to contact the author on their site other than trying to Whois. Where do I go for an explanation? Christine Sugrue, why must you torture me so?!?