Funny Business in Spurville

Listen, I don’t know how you people play basketball in France, but here in America, we frown on this kind of action.

Dojo Info

1. Reagan In Control
   Why don’t you tell us how you really feel?
2. Duke University Equestrian Team Hoping to Avoid Investigation Into Their Sex Scandal
   Leave it to The Onion to quickly cross the line into that land of poor taste. Even still, it’s hilarious. [note: questionable content]
3. Liver Transplant Saves 10-Day-Old Baby Boy
   Youngest patient for a liver transplant ever. Amazing.
4. Panasonic unveils 103-inch TV screen
   I wonder how many people will add this to their Amazon Wish List?
5. Man Rediscovers Gift Fruitcake From 1962
   They really do last forever.

Unan1mous: Show 4

Well, I’m falling behind again. I think I need a vacation.

But I digress. So, this week’s episode of Unan1mous was kinda fun but it seems things have denegrated down to the point where people are thinking, “If I can’t have the money, ain’t nobody gonna have the money.”

It makes me wonder if it was possible to find a group that would be trusting enough to give all the money to one person on the first vote, hoping that person would honor the agreement to evenly distribute the money afterwards? Hmm…

Anyway, it looks like Tarah or Jameson is toast. I’m fine with either one. In fact, part of me is rooting for Richard “Crazy As a Loon” Johnson. I just made that up. I don’t know what his last name is. All the nice people are gone, so it’s tough to choose. Well, I’m just gonna have to see this through to the end.

Dojo Info 4/21/06

1. The Sports Guy Wins Celebrity NBA Fantasy League
   I like the lead in, “Bernie Macs Talks Some Trash.”
2. Cardinals Unveil $450 Million Stadium
   First Edge and now this? Arizona won’t be a laughing stock for long.
3. We Need a Fence
   Personally, I have no problem with a fence if it’s the best answer to keeping illegal immigrants out of the country. But it needs to be pretty, darn it.
4. Gonzales calls for mandatory Web labeling law
   It’s been too long in coming, by my accounting. Meanwhile, millions of kids are getting exposed to some seriously sick stuff and some are even becoming physically abused. Anything to curb the pron storm is good in my book.
5. The 3rd Annual Smithsonian magazine Photo Contest
   Amazing stuff.

Reality Can Be Tough To Take

When I was younger, I had a mantra. I’ll likely embarrass myself by revealing it, but please know, it doesn’t apply to any of you. Ready? Here goes.

Most of the people in the world are stupid.

When cited, I’ve been told that’s an “unhealthy outlook” or “completely mean” but no one ever said it wasn’t true.

So why am I bringing it up now? Because I just read someone have the cahonies to put this concept on the record. Here, check out this excerpt from Bill Simmon’s email back-and-forth with Rounders writers Koppelman and David Levien. (They’re talking about their experience of making ‘Tilt‘ with ESPN.

Anyway, there’s this great line in “Men In Black”: Tommy Lee Jones is explaining to Will Smith that the citizens have to be kept in the dark about the existence of aliens. Will is arguing that the citizens can handle it. He says, “People are smart.” Tommy interrupts. “No,” he says, “a person can be smart. People are stupid.”

That sums up the relationship between TV execs and writers better than anything: One TV exec can be smart; multiple TV execs working together can be stupid. Especially because they’re operating in a nonstop climate of fear, and as such their entire game (other than doing everything they can to keep their jobs) is to find ways to appeal to the absolute lowest common denominator. Making feature films brings a lot of the same problems, but the level of compromise just seems to be slightly less than in TV, so you’ve got a better shot at doing your best. That said, if we had an idea that we felt we needed 22 episodes per year to tell, and that was the only way we knew how to tell it, we’d probably head back into the waters. Cause, after all, we’re people. And people are stupid.

People are stupid. Not everyone, of course. But when a good decision needs to be made, throwing it off to a committee the surefire way to get it wrong.

I feel so vindicated.

Switchfoot Nails It with ‘Nothing Is Sound’

In my formative years, music played a huge role. No dream was higher than to be the next Eddie Van Halen or Neil Peart. The music drew me in, but the messages of those songs infiltrated my attitudes and eventually my decisions.

That’s why I’m such a cheerleader for music with a positive message. Lyrics alone don’t cut it, the music still has to punch my buttons. One band that’s doing it right these days is Switchfoot. In the world of prefab “idols” these guys are the polar opposite; they’re real. About their latest release, he relates:

These songs are dreams and questions, bleeding together, breathing in and out- always somewhere between life and death. And I feel this tension, this distance now more than ever, like a numbing ache… deep inside. The distance between the way things are and the way they could be, the distance between the shadow and the sun.

Jon Foreman, the lead singer, admits he doesn’t have all the answers. In fact, he’s been suffering lately. Check out track #6, The Blues.

The Blues
Is this the New Year or just another night?
Is this the new fear or just another fright?
Is this the new tear or just another desperation?

Is this the finger or just another fist?
Is this the kingdom or just a hit n’ miss?
A misdirection, most in all this desperation

Is this what they call freedom?
Is this what you call pain?
Is this what they call discontented fame?

It’ll be a day like this one
When the world caves in
When the world caves in
When the world caves in

I’m singing this one like a broken piece of glass
From broken arms an’ broken noses in the back
Is this the New Year or just another desperation?

You’re pushing till you’re shoving
You bend until you break
Till you stand on the broken fields where our fathers lay

It’ll be a day like this one
When the world caves in
When the world caves in
When the world caves in

There’s nothing here worth saving,
Is no one here at all?
Is there any net left that could break our fall?

It’ll be a day like this one
When the sky falls down and the hungry and poor and deserted are found
Are you discontented? Have you been pushing hard?
Have you been throwing down this broken house of cards?

It’ll be a day like this one
When the world caves in
When the world caves in
When the world caves in

Is there nothing left now?
Nothing left to sing
Are there any left who hasn’t kiss the enemy?
Is this the New Year or just another desperation?

Does justice never find you? Do the wicked never lose?
Is there any honest song to sing besides these blues?

And nothing is okay
Till the world caves in
Till the world caves in
Till the world caves in
Until the world caves in
Until the world caves in
Until the world caves in
Until the world caves in

So, where do you go when the world caves in? I think Jon would say to look for the next world. The world to come.

My hope runs underneath it all,
The day that I’ll be home

It won’t be long, I belong,
Somewhere past the setting sun

Find me free, find me strong,
Somewhere back where I belong

I’ve only just listened to this album one time through, but the music jams and I resonate with the message that “we were meant for so much more.”

Integrity Quiz

See if you can figure out which group of people the following statistics fit.

36 have been accused of spousal abuse
7 have been arrested for fraud
19 have been accused of writing bad checks
117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
3 have done time for assault
71 get a credit card due to bad credit
14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
8 have been arrested for shoplifting
21 currently are defendants in lawsuits
84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year

Is it:

A) Current NFL Players
B) New York’s American Bar Association
C) Actors appearing in last year’s Top 100 films
D) Today’s United States Congress

Sadly, the answer is “D”. And these are the people who are making laws for the rest of us?

Dojo Info 4/19/06

1. Hybrids: Vespa LX50 HyS and Piaggio X8 HyS
   So if the Vespa’s incredible gas milage isn’t enough for you, try this Vespa Hybrid!
2. Who’s the NBA MVP?
   The Sports Guy breaks down the MVP race. How can you argue with someone who watched more sports than all of Vermont combined?
3. HD DVD debut ups ante in high-stakes game
   It’s about bloody time. ;^)
4. Eight second-day selections among active QBs
   Stats show that more than their share of non-1st Round QBs are making it in the NFL. Just goes to show that the “intangibles” are hard to indentify and then rank.
5. Networks Want FCC to Reconsider
   Basically, the Networks are appealing the October 3rd FCC decision, to not make the “F” word everyday language. Personally, bad language doesn’t bother me that much, there are far bigger issues, in my opinion, but do we really want television to be broadcasting this kind of stuff at all hours?

Living Homes Make Good Sense

There are just too many worthwhile ideas in these Living Homes for them not to take off at some point. It might also be a good idea to come out with a version that’s less modern and more traditionally styled, but I’d buy this first model in a heartbeat. It’s useful, as well as aesthetically pleasing. At least to my eye. [via Coudal]

Dojo Info 4/17/06

1. Jumpcut
   Could we just integrate this into Windows? Pretty please?!?
2. stunts of oman
   Game physics be damned. These guys are having a blast!
3. NBA Development League Insitutes New Player Eligibility Rule
   The D-League completely countermands the NBA age change by moving to a minimum age of 18. Is Stern even involved in the D-League?
4. Robot Birth Simulator Gaining Popularity
   Only reading the article title, I thought the robot was delivering the babies. I guess the joke is on me.
5. airport
   Frequent travelers will resonate with this short film.

Survivor: Week 9

I bet you thought I forgot about Survivor, right? Well, RealLife^TM did get in the way, but we’re all caught up thanks to CBS’s new OnDemand service. Then last night we watched live as Terry continues to “survive” like no one else before him. We could start calling him Mr. Bullseye as now that Sally is gone, everyone else left on the show is gunning for him. Lookout! Behind you!!

Gitanos

Go go gadget challenge champion! If he continues going like he’s been going (can’t possibly happen) then he could rewrite the Survivor records book. Holding onto the hidden immunity idol was a smart move.

Holding steady to their alliance, Danielle all but assured the La Mina member’s fate by not jumping ship. The question becomes, will they ever try to build their own sub-alliance?

Shane is a joke. He’s goofy. He talks too much smack. I so want him gone. Who wants to join my Anyone But Shane group?

Courtney isn’t exactly my favorite Survivor, but at least she’s entertaining with all that fire juggling stuff. I wonder if she messed up and CBS just didn’t air it?

So now the real strategy begins. Aras knows he’s going to be considered the “biggest threat” once Terry is gone. Will he shake up the game by trying to build a new alliance? Nah, too risky but it’d be fun to watch if he did.

Cirie is pretty bright. And by bright I mean, she understands Survivor Rule #1: Flying under the radar es uno del numero de la estrategia.

Bruce is a good guy. I can root for Bruce. Anyone who can take a machete to the mouth is a tough hombre in my book.

Voted Off

It was bound to happen sooner or later. They just couldn’t break the alliance of former Casaya members. Sally did well though and should be proud of her performance.

Unan1mous: Show 3

I have to admit that this show has turned out to be less than stellar. Maybe I was too quickly engrossed in the concept without seeing if they could pull off the implementation.

Don’t get me wrong, I still think it’s an entertaining show. And crazy Richard is a gem. I mean that. You just can’t buy this kind of unpredicability off the street. (Or maybe you can?)

But as the prize money dwindles, and each players most base instincts win out, it’s becoming more and more depressing. Even Fox won’t bring this show back for another cycle. Ah well. At least they tried, right?

The Nefarious Tax

Tony Perkins is right so often that if he ever wanted to run for office, I’d not hesitate to vote for him. In fact, I’d work for his campaign. For free! Read what he put in today’s broadcast about the Death Tax.

(I must first apologize for my recent series of critical posts. Nothing is more natural than complaining.)

“Nothing is certain except death and taxes,” said Ben Franklin. We’re celebrating that electrifying genius’ 300th birthday this year. Why not honor Ben by eliminating the death tax? The House passed a repeal of the death tax one year ago today, but the Senate has yet to act. They should give this onerous tax a proper burial. Speaking of money, the federal government set a new record in February–for spending, a record breaking $250 billion. It isn’t a case of not enough money coming in. Revenues are way up. Government’s income has increased 10.5 percent in the first six months of this fiscal year over a comparable period last year. The doom-and-gloomers who voted against the Bush tax cuts said we were digging our fiscal grave by letting you keep more of what you have earned. They were wrong. It’s not that the government gets too little income; rather, politicians cannot control spending. Ronald Reagan used to compare the federal government to an infant. It has an inexhaustible appetite at one end and no control at all at the other. The GOP was given slender majorities in both Houses in part to rein in runaway spending. They’re not supposed to spur it on!

So while some continue to praise Bush, simply because he’s who they voted for, he and his Republican majority is certainly failing his conservative base who’ve been crying for smaller government for decades.

Dojo Info 4/13/06

1. Chance of a Lifetime
   Do you have a dream? Of course you do.
2. The Muppet Matrix
   From right here in Louisville, KY comes The Matrix… Muppet style. [via Subtraction]
3. The Logos of Web 2.0
   Always interesting to see what logo style is most emulated.
4. Thoughts on Freakanomics
   Gladwell pokes himself in the eye. On purpose. Then tells us why. This guy is good.
5. ‘Are Captain Antilles and Wedge Antilles related?’
   You’d think so wouldn’t you? Well, if you’ve got a question about the Star Wars universe, there’s a good chance this site has your answer. Young Padewan might want to bookmark, yes?

The DaVinci Phenomenon

The buzz behind the DaVinci code has been intense, to say the least. When Speilberg wants to make a movie based on your book, you know it’s big. Sites have popped up all over to “get in on” the craze. The DaVinci Code Discussed is a great site for serious investigators about the concepts in the book.

Now, there seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding among many concerning this book. I believe this misunderstanding is also purposefully promoted, to garner additional interest. While Jesus Christ did, in fact, live and die most of Dan Brown’s book is made up of pieces of myth mixed in with a portion of popular culture. It’s truly fiction. But many believe the book to be based in truth. Therein lies the rub.

So where to turn for accurate analysis? Typing “DaVinci” at Amazon returns 765 results. Most of that are piggy-backers trying to cash in on the phenomenon. I say, when looking to learn about the Bible, listen to the most respected Bible scholars. Josh McDowell is one of those scholars. In college, Josh was an athiest pursuing a degree in law. Along the way, he thought to disprove the claims of Christianity through intensive, objective research. What he found changed his mind. He documented his findings in Evidence That Demands a Verdict.

Now he’s releasing another book that examines the DaVinci Code. This book is called The Da Vinci Code: A Quest for Answers. As a piece of fiction, Brown’s book is entertaining and even thought-provoking. Just don’t take it as Gospel.

Update: Right on cue comes common-sense writer, Ralph Dettwiler, to address some of the specific deceptions within DaVinci. And you don’t even have to buy a book! ;^)