tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47197792051758416102024-03-12T20:15:10.425-06:00Hakkiri Shinasai - Please Make It ClearIt's a collection space, so please take care and don't trip over anything.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-29678562640175386332007-04-10T12:16:00.000-06:002007-04-10T12:38:21.015-06:00Intemperate CommentaryI was looking at the headlines on Drudge, and I realized, "You know, I don't want to blog any of these." So, it's time to rant.<br /><br />They're still going on about the child of that Smith woman who died... how long ago was it now? Explain to me a world in which we have international conflict, large national issues at stake... heck, we even have baseball season now. Why in the world is the kid of someone who I couldn't even begin to guess why she was famous still news at this point?<br /><br />Meanwhile, there's this whole controversy brewing over what some announcer named Imus said. All I could think upon opening up the story to read about it was, "People got upset over what some guy who looks like he's freshly dug up said? Really?" I mean, sure, I can see why people would be upset over what he said (<a href="http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8ODST4G0&show_article=1">link here</a>, including the picture I'm talking about), but c'mon, the guy looks warmed over. I'm not sure I could take anything the man said seriously at this point, even if he were just reading out of the phone book. On the serious point for a moment, I think Mr. Boortz has it absolutely right when it comes to the people referring to Imus' statements as racist: "Racism is the belief in the inherent genetic superiority of one race over another. There was nothing racist -- not by definition -- in Imus' remarks."<br /><br />On a completely different thread, I was reading up on <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.73:">House Resolution 73</a> earlier. Even though I'm sure it's just a small cross-section of the total number of such occurrences, I was about ready to spit nails upon reading the third point under Findings (section two), about people who were prosecuted for using firearms in self defense. Seriously, if we can't use guns for self defense, what's the point of having them? (Okay, hunting and such aside.) Thankfully, Representative Bartlett is a right-thinkin' kind of guy on this. We'll see what comes of it, though. Death in committee wouldn't particularly surprise me, after all.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-79508732899292899722007-04-10T11:47:00.000-06:002007-04-10T12:13:07.148-06:00Geoff Reviews - Yamanade (v.1-8)Title: The Wallflower / Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge (volumes 1-8)<br />Media: Manga<br />Text: English<br />Story: Hayakawa Tomoko<br />Art: Hayakawa Tomoko<br />Publisher: Del Rey Manga (originally Kodansha)<br /><br />The person who decided on the English title for this really ought to be caught and put in a small room with no visual or auditory stimulus, there to be confined for an indeterminate period of months. Seriously, though, could you come up with a blander title? Not to mention, it gives absolutely no clue as to the contents of the book.<br /><br />Anyway, here's the concept. Stop me when you realize just how non-"wallflower" this is.<br /><br />Four guys are living in a boarding house. One day, their landlady contacts them and says that her niece is going to be living there, and she has a job for them: Make this girl into an outstanding lady. If they do, they continue to live there, at no cost. If they fail, the rent triples. Confident in themselves, the boys agree... But what they couldn't have foreseen was that the girl in question is no mere normal girl. A few tips on grooming and an introduction to polite conversation isn't going to cut it, because ever since the boy she liked called her "ugly", Nakahara Sunako turned into darkness personified.<br /><br />So, instead of trying their hardest to make a lady out of Sunako, the guys are mostly reduced to attempting to keep the landlady from finding out just how far gone the girl is. Let comedy ensue.<br /><br />For the most part, this manga can be read out of order. There are few stories that span more than one chapter. Of course, there is ongoing characterization, but it happens at a slow enough pace that it isn't impossible to pick up on it as you go. I would still suggest starting from the beginning, naturally, but if you can't find volume one at your local bookstore, any of the others will serve just as well to introduce you to the story.<br /><br />The series is currently eleven volumes English-translated, with at least two more due out this year. Meanwhile, the Japanese release is up to volume 18 (as sourced from animenewsnetwork.com), and apparently going strong, since there is currently an anime adaptation ongoing. We can certainly hope that makes its way over here as well.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-29149061935785196932007-04-10T11:44:00.000-06:002007-04-10T11:46:18.670-06:00Hamilton on the Constitution"[T]here is not a syllable in the plan under consideration which directly empowers the national courts to construe the laws according to the spirit of the Constitution." - Alexander Hamilton<br /><br />On that note, look for the start of Brushing Up On The Constitution: Article Two later this week.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-77624589392769036502007-04-05T13:04:00.000-06:002007-04-05T13:08:31.616-06:00Don't Give Them What They WantThe obligatory link: <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/04/please_bomb_me.html">Please Bomb Me!</a><br /><br />Victor Davis Hanson has interesting takes on a pretty regular basis, but this one struck me. Basically, he puts forth the idea that Iran is trying to get itself bombed in order to raise morale and its standing in the middle east. In addition, he's got a bit of the history of that country's doings. Definitely worth a read.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-4502345630436805642007-04-05T13:02:00.000-06:002007-04-05T13:03:42.346-06:00Adams On Virtue"We ought to consider what is the end of government before we determine which is the best form. Upon this point all speculative politicians will agree that the happiness of society is the end of government, as all divines and moral philosophers will agree that the happiness of the individual is the end of man....All sober inquirers after truth, ancient and modern, pagan and Christian, have declared that the happiness of man, as well as his dignity, consists in virtue." - John AdamsGeoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-51573243431831369022007-04-03T11:27:00.000-06:002007-04-03T11:34:39.447-06:00Train To Zone!The obligatory link: <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070403135858.u31kq0gr&show_article=1">French train smashes world speed record<br /></a><br />I'll state from the start, they're talking about the speed record for trains on rails. Thus, the speed records for the magnetic-propulsion train tests in Japan don't count. Still, the train in question came within about four miles per hour of that record. (357mph versus the maglev record of just under 361mph in 2003.) For comparison, from Wiki, the world land speed record is currently 763mph for four-wheeled vehicles (the unlimited classification) and 351mph for motorcycles.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-88223977604642556392007-04-02T12:55:00.001-06:002007-04-02T12:55:46.254-06:00Witherspoon on Corruption"Nothing is more certain than that a general profligacy and corruption of manners make a people ripe for destruction. A good form of government may hold the rotten materials together for some time, but beyond a certain pitch, even the best constitution will be ineffectual, and slavery must ensue." - John WitherspoonGeoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-40514449390199920472007-04-02T12:47:00.000-06:002007-04-02T12:52:04.594-06:00It's Spring, And Spring Means...<a href="http://images.google.com/images?q=cherry%20blossom&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi">Cherry blossoms.</a><br /><br />お花見 (<a href="http://images.google.com/images?q=hanami&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi">ohanami</a>) n. - cherry blossom viewing<br /><br />夜桜 (<a href="http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=yozakura&btnG=Search+Images">yozakura</a>) n. - cherry trees at evening<br /><br />All of the links go to GIS.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-32260811838851290922007-03-30T13:05:00.000-06:002007-03-30T13:08:27.414-06:00Japanese of the Week久し振り (hisashiburi) - after a long time<br /><br />This will often get used in a couple of different ways based off of the main word. The first adds and "o" to the beginning of the word, which adds a level of politeness to the term. The other usage adds a casual flair, dropping the "hi", and occasionally lengthening the "s" in "sa". In either way, or in the normal expression as given, the term is used as, "Hey, it's been a while."Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-18873780856867865412007-03-30T11:58:00.000-06:002007-03-30T12:57:00.313-06:00Geoff Reviews - Fruits Basket (v.1-14)Title: Fruits Basket (volumes 1-14)<br />Media: Manga<br />Text: English<br />Story: Takaya Natsuki<br />Art: Takaya Natsuki<br />Publisher: Tokyopop (originally Hakuensha)<br /><br />Fourteen volumes? Yes, fourteen volumes. Fruits Basket, or Furuba, to use the series' nickname, has been called the best-selling shoujo manga in America. I'm sure there are sales figures floating around somewhere to prove that, though that's not really that important.<br /><br />I hesitate to call Furuba a slice of life series only because I can't recall any slice of my life in which I've hugged a member of the opposite sex who then promptly transformed into an animal. Well, it's supposed to be a closely guarded secret, so I can accept that although it's never happened to me, it could. (Okay, not really, but this gets back to the whole <a href="http://pleasemakeitclear.blogspot.com/2007/03/on-suspension-of-disbelief.html">suspension of disbelief</a> thing.)<br /><br />Before I get started, a quick note on romanizations: The Tokyopop translations stuck a bunch of "h"es in where "o"s and "u"s go. This is supposedly an accepted romanization style for long vowels, or "u" extensions of vowels. However, these mystically appearing "h"es made my life miserable when I was just starting out in learning the Japanese language, so I won't use them. There is no plain "h" in the Japanese language. Don't misunderstand, there are "h" sounds, but they are all "h" plus vowel. (HA, HI, FU, HE, HO, respectively.) Thus, Tohru becomes Tooru, Sohma becomes Souma, and so forth. The same applies to many words with extended vowels, but in a purely English-translated text, the names are the only place that romanization should be an issue. ... ... ... Anyway, rant over, I suppose. On with the show.<br /><br />Whether or not it can be called slice of life, the series certainly can lay claim to a quality mix of comedy and drama, along with an enjoyable cast. The story opens with Honda Tooru living out of a tent, because her grandfather's house is being remodeled. She happens across a house near where her tent is set up, out in the middle of relative nowhere, which, like the land she's pitched the tent on, belongs to the Souma family, and is inhabited initially by Soumas Yuki and Shigure. It would be nice to say that the Soumas took her in out of kindness and human decency, but saying that it's because none of them could cook or clean worth a lick is much more accurate.<br /><br />The Souma family, or at least particular of its descendants, are cursed by what are referred to as the "vengeful spirits of the Chinese zodiac". Each of the twelve, plus the cat, have associated weaknesses, likes, and dislikes based on their animal to go along with the general "transforms into that animal when hugged by a member of the opposite sex" bit. Needless to say, this isn't exactly something that the family would be pleased about if it were to become common knowledge.<br /><br />While it's not really something to recommend a manga based on, the author talk sections are easily some of the most memorable in memory. Just for a taste: "When a character dies in an RPG, my first thought isn't, 'Oh, how sad'... It's 'Please give back the items you had equipped, okay?' Then I feel bad about being so cold-hearted."<br /><br />At some point, which I didn't think to pin down at the time (probably around volume nine or ten), the story shifts from Tooru living life while trying to hide the Souma family secret to her getting the idea that she might be able to find a way to break the curse.<br /><br />-----<br /><br />The review feels like it cuts off quite abruptly, but I'm not sure what else I can say without going into excessive spoilers and ruining things for potential readers. So, I'm going to leave it at that.<br /><br />With this, plus the eventually forthcoming reviews of the five books of the Belgariad by David Eddings, and The Tempting of America by Robert Bork (and the review that I won't be doing of volumes 5-8 of KareKano), I've clobbered the March reading challenge with room to spare, even if you want to count English-language manga at 3-to-1, 4-to-1, or even 5-to-1. (Go me? Heh...)Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-44485211326226576082007-03-29T15:12:00.000-06:002007-03-29T10:51:15.645-06:00Brushing Up On The Constitution (part 5)Previous entries in the series can be found here: (Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four).<br /><br />This entry will finish Article One of the Constitution, dealing with the limitations placed upon the congress, and the limitations placed upon the states.<br /><br />Article One, Section Nine:<br /><p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S9.C1:</i> The migration or importation of such persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight; but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each person.</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress cannot prohibit the importation of slaves or other individual into any state that was signatory to the Constitution until the year 1808. However, it can tax the slave trade at a rate of up to $10 per person brought in to the country.</p><p>According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constitution">the article on Wikipedia</a>, Congress did put such a prohibition into effect at the earliest possible opportunity, January 1st, 1808.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S9.C2: </i>The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.</blockquote><p></p><p>The congress cannot suspend <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habeas_corpus">habeas corpus</a> except in specific circumstances: rebellion or invasion of the country.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S9.C3: </i>No bill of attainder, or ex post facto law, shall be passed.</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress cannot write a law declaring a person or persons guilty and punish them without the benefit of a trial. Nor can it create laws which apply retroactively, whether to make legal something which was illegal, or vice versa.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S9.C4: </i>No capitation or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in proportion to the census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.</blockquote><p></p><p>A reiteration of Article One, Section Two, Clause Three, regarding how taxes were to be apportioned amongst the states. Note again that this is purely in relation to population, not in relation to the income of any members of that population.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S9.C5: </i>No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any State. No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of one State over those of another: Nor shall vessels bound to or from one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties, in another.</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress cannot lay a tax on items exported from the states. Any laws it creates which apply to revenue generation from ports must be applied equally to all ports in all states. In addition, it cannot tax ships from one state when they enter another state.<br /><br /></p><blockquote> <p><i>A1.S9.C6: </i>No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time.</p></blockquote><p></p><p>Money cannot be withdrawn from the treasury except if it is required by an appropriations bill. The income and expenditures of the government must be published as a matter of public record.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S9.C7: </i>No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no person holding any office of profit or trust under them shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office or title, or any kind whatever from any King, Prince, or foreign State.</blockquote><p></p><p>The United States will not confer titles of nobility (though, sometimes it seems like such titles as Congressman and Senator have reached that level, doesn't it?). Also, no public servant is allowed to accept gifts or titles from any foreign dignitary or power without the consent of the congress.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></p><p>Article One, Section Ten:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S10.C1: </i>No State shall enter into any treaty, alliance or confederation; grant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of credit; make any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, or grant any title of nobility.</blockquote><p></p><p>This places particular limits on the states which join the union. Many of these are either reserved powers of the federal government, or are limitations also placed on the federal government. Specifically, the states cannot enter into treaties, alliances, or other confederations (reserved to the federal government); grant letters of marque and reprisal (reserved to the congress in A1.S8.C11); coin money (reserved to the federal government in A1.S8.C5); emit bills of credit (also A1.S8.C5); make anything but gold or silver coin a legal form of payment for debts (yet again, A1.S8.C5); pass a bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or any law which impairs private contracts (the first two restrictions are shared with congress in A1.S9.C3.); and finally, the states, like the congress, cannot grant titles of nobility. (There goes my dream of being Duke of the Western Rivers, I suppose...)<br /></p> <p><i>A1.S10.C2: </i>No State shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any imposts or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection laws; and the new produce of all duties and imposts, laid by any State, on imports or exports, shall be for the use of the treasury of the United States; and all such laws shall be subject to the revision and controul of the Congress. No State shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another State, or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay.</p><br />The states are restricted from taxing imports and exports, as well as unduly delaying them other than as absolutely necessary for inspections. Any money that the states gain from taxing imports and exports must be turned over to the treasury of the United States. Also, congress has oversight over any such laws regarding this taxation as the states happen to enact. The power to maintain a standing military is reserved to the federal government, not the states, as is the power to enter into treaties with foreign powers.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-55185338868759467812007-03-27T11:55:00.000-06:002007-03-27T08:38:20.774-06:00On Suspension Of DisbeliefI've been considering this topic for the past couple of days, so I thought that I'd commit the thoughts to something resembling paper, for a group somewhat resembling posterity. Let's start off with the Wikipedia definition of the term, just for the sake of clarity:<br /><br /><blockquote>Suspension of disbelief is an <a title="Aesthetics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesthetics">aesthetic</a> theory intended to<br />characterize people's relationships to art. It refers to the alleged willingness<br />of a reader or viewer to accept as true the premises of a work of <a title="Fiction" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiction">fiction</a>, even if<br />they are fantastic, impossible, or contradictory.</blockquote><br /><br />Now, it's really been ever since <a href="http://pleasemakeitclear.blogspot.com/2007/02/geoff-reviews-crossroad-v1-6.html">Crossroad</a> that I've been mulling this over, but it only really came to a head recently. It has to do with what people will actually accept in their suspension of disbelief, and what they won't. In the end, I came to the conclusion that willingness to suspend disbelief for the plot varies in direct relation to how much like our world the story world is meant to be.<br /><br /><br />Accepting the essentially impossible:<br /><br />To borrow the example a friend of mine used last night, take Superman. While it's set in a world that resembles ours, it's essentially a work of fantasy. Certainly, you could make the argument that science is slowly working towards giving men Superman-type abilities, starting with such things as bulletproof vests to stop bullets with one's chest, but we're expected to accept that he can do these things with his natural body. Still, even though no man is actually able to perform under his own power the feats that Superman can, most people can accept the premise of a man who is "faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound". I would submit that things like this are so fantastic that they cannot disturb our concept of the real world, and thus we can accept them as a premise for fiction.<br /><br />The same concept would apply to any number of other things: Faster-than-light space travel, aliens with the power to disassemble and properly reassemble the human body practically from scratch, wizards throwing fire or ice or calling down lighting from a clear sky, mahou shoujo or giant robots and their 14-year-old pilots attempting to stave off the annihilation of the earth, and so forth.<br /><br /><br />Accepting the possible, but outlandish:<br /><br />Most of the examples I can really come up with here are from science fiction. Perhaps I'm just not reading the right fantasy, but there doesn't seem to be a real equivalent to "hard" science fiction in fantasy. In any event, what the reader is being asked to accept here is something outside of their own experience that either is possible, or can be reasonably said to be possible in the future.<br /><br />For explanatory purposes, take the idea of humans colonizing outer space. While humanity certainly isn't at that point yet technologically, it isn't impossible to consider ways in which it would be possible. In fact, this case may not be so much a suspension of disbelief as it is a willingness to believe in the creativity and ingenuity of mankind. Still, it falls under the general umbrella.<br /><br />Likewise, consider the case of an outlandish but possible character: Sherlock Holmes. The reader is asked to believe that Holmes' mental prowess and knowledge far exceeds the norm when it comes to his chosen fields. Here, the problem is not so much believing in the idea that a person could be near or at the top of their field of expertise as it is believing that such a wealth of knowledge and near-perfection could come together in one man.<br /><br /><br />Accepting the Normal:<br /><br />This should be fairly obvious. Most people should be able to accept what appear to be normal occurrences, even if they fall outside the realm of an individual's experience. This extends both to plot points (e.g.: a character becomes sick, or is out of town on business) and characterizations (e.g.: the neighbor across the street who gets a beer or two too many in him on a Saturday afternoon, a needy girlfriend who is constantly calling). Even someone too young to be in the workforce, or who has never had a friend or acquaintence like the ones listed can accept and rationalize their existence without any difficulty.<br /><br /><br />What Qualifies as Unacceptable?<br /><br />If we're capable of rationalizing both the normal, and the extremely abnormal, why is a term such as suspension of disbelief even necessary? Obviously, there must be points beyond which this concept will not operate. These points may well be different based upon the reader in question, but I would submit that they fall into two primary categories.<br /><br /><br />Things Which Are Supposed to be Normal, but Are Not:<br /><br />Going back to Crossroad again, because it is the best example of this in recent memory. To explain it in general terms, it works like this: The world is supposed to be our world. Natural, rational, easy to accept. In fact, there is even a saying, that "life is stranger than fiction", which should cover such things. However, what the author has asked the readers to accept is a cut above. "How these characters got together, while unusual, is not impossible." It may not be impossible, but it is so exceptionally unlikely that the situation in question could happen more than once, perhaps twice, that accepting that it happened four times with the same person involved belies the idea that the world is like ours.<br /><br />This is more normal-seeming on its face, because it only involves people, but it doesn't really come off any differently than if an author were to write a book set now, in our world, with our current level of science, asking us to buy the fact that humans had developed faster-than-light travel.<br /><br /><br />Excessive Contrivance to Make the (Nearly) Impossible Possible:<br /><br />This is probably the more common way that suspension of disbelief is abused or defeated. Most of the time, it boils down to an excessively contrived luck. Put in fantasy terms, our hero just happens to be exactly where he's needed every single time in order to prevent the great evil from dominating the world. Even this we can possibly accept for the sake of the story, as long as it isn't made blatantly obvious.<br /><br />Brought closer to reality, however, the problem becomes obvious. Instead of the dashing hero in the previous example, consider instead the case of a plumber: On his way home from work, he survives a head-on collision with an 18-wheeler, then, in the hospital, he learns that his wife's cancer has gone into remission, and a couple of weeks later, he's won the state lottery. None of these are excessive in and of themselves, but as they pile up, it becomes more and more difficult to accept that the plumber is a normal person in our world.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-76549987953918495812007-03-27T08:38:00.000-06:002007-03-27T08:51:09.171-06:00Going Whole-HogThe obligatory link: <a href="http://www.examiner.com/a-640957%7ESenate__emergency__war_bill_has_almost__20_billion_in_domestic_spending_tacked_onto_it.html">Senate war bill features $20B in pork</a><br /><br />I know, at this point, nobody is really surprised by the ways that congress goes about spending money. Sad, but true. Still, you'd think that they could at least keep their snouts out of the trough while passing spending bills relating to military action. ... ... ... Well, no, you wouldn't think it, and neither would I, but I suppose we could wish it.<br /><br />Meanwhile, senator Byrd was quoted as saying that the bill as laden with pork is "common sense and good economics". To twist a favorite quote to fit the circumstances, "What part of this looks like good economics to you, huh? What part of this?" And who's surprised that they're still trying to appropriate more money because of hurricane Katrina?<br /><br />Of course, the House doesn't come out of this clean, either. They tacked on $20B or so of their own pork on their version of the bill.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-33470362863707186022007-03-26T12:50:00.000-06:002007-03-26T13:16:40.445-06:00Over The (Lap)TopThe obligatory link: <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/go/7030/">The first million dollar laptop</a><br /><br />I suppose if you can have a thousand dollar pizza, you can have a million dollar laptop, huh? The only thing remotely interesting to the technology geek in me is the 128 gigs of solid-state disk space. One would hope the rest of the specifications are also top-of-the-line, given the price, but the article doesn't mention anything other than the drive space, and the 17" screen (nice for a laptop, but not really what I'd call luxury...).Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-9060594676062026522007-03-23T16:54:00.000-06:002007-03-23T16:56:04.962-06:00Japanese of the Week肝試し (kimodameshi) n. - test of courage<br /><br />Kind of a random pick, I know, but "test of courage" was a clue in a crossword I was working earlier and I needed a word for the week... so, it kind of worked out.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-78743605708275100492007-03-23T13:07:00.000-06:002007-03-23T13:08:28.319-06:00Henry On Liberty"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" - Patrick HenryGeoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-49987414294285434122007-03-23T13:06:00.000-06:002007-03-23T13:07:18.868-06:00Marshall On Taxes"An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy; because there is a limit beyond which no institution and no property can bear taxation." - John MarshallGeoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-46550387520986547692007-03-21T12:27:00.000-06:002007-03-21T13:22:54.182-06:00Of Course It's Not Child-FriendlySo, I was going through my normal roundup of blogs today, and I happened across something interesting linked from Julie's <a href="http://jihadophobic.blogspot.com">Jihadophobic</a> blogspot. Aside from an image including one of my favorite quotes ("Aside from ending slavery, fascism, naziism, and communism, war's never solved anything."), she had <a href="http://www.mobyrebuttal.blogspot.com/">a link to another blogspot</a>, where she'd found the image. Funny how that works out, isn't it?<br /><br />Anyway, on that page, the writer had included a short rant on some busybodies who take issue with sex, violence, and foul language in television shows and movies, particularly taking exception to their inclusion of '24' on a list of bloody-violent shows. Since a link to the actual site in question, for the <a href="http://www.parentstv.org">Parents Television Council</a>, was included, I decided I'd go take a look. You know, since I'm still a child, and I watch such excessive amounts of television these days.<br /><br />Now, I understand what these folks are purporting to be doing. They watch the shows so you don't have to, and all that. But let's be serious now. Should anyone be surprised if there's a bunch of sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll on prime time TV these days? Frankly, if a parent doesn't want their kid or kids exposed to such things, they're going to be much better off not having a television than trying to pick and choose which programs are least objectionable. After all, doesn't that make the issue even easier? No longer do you have to worry about whether or not a show might be something you don't want your children watching, since they can't access it anyway! Well, on top of that, you'll probably have to toss out the computer, or those sneaky young'uns could find most of the shows on Youtube, at least until the next round of copyright-related takedown notices.<br /><br />Sure, I'm being facetious to make a point there. Still, if they could then find non-objectionable books, maybe it could be the beginning of solving the functional illiteracy problem? Hmm...<br /><br />Meanwhile, I found that the only three shows that I'm even minimally willing to brave the 16-minute wall of commercials to view on television (instead of just waiting for the season on DVD like normal) are all red on the PTC stoplight rating system. They are, in case anyone was curious, '24', 'House', and 'Heroes'. I just have to wonder what they'd rate some of the anime that I watch... Maybe they'd have to grow new levels of the stoplight for some of it?Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-62325052911520650552007-03-21T11:34:00.000-06:002007-03-21T11:47:30.359-06:00Thankfully, Someone Gets ItThe obligatory link: <a href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070321-0538-czech-environment-.html">Czech leader Klaus fights global warming 'religion'</a><br /><br />It's always interesting when you have to go half a world away to see people talking sense. Case in point, Vaclav Klaus, Czech president. Here we have a man in a position of actual power, rather than in a position of influence such as, say, talk radio, who gets it, and who isn't afraid to speak out on the matter.<br /><br />From the article: "This ideology preaches earth and nature and under the slogans of their protection – similarly to the old Marxists – wants to replace the free and spontaneous evolution of mankind by a sort of central, now global, planning of the whole world."<br /><br />And also: "No government action can stop the world and nature from changing. Therefore, I disagree with plans such as the Kyoto Protocol or similar initiatives, which set arbitrary targets requiring enormous costs without realistic prospects for the success of these measures."<br /><br />Unfortunately, the alarmists have such a head of steam already that it's going to take plenty of common-sense, level-headed talk like this, probably over the course of years, before we can consign the idea of global warming as man-made to the dustbin of history.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-6216288866655991582007-03-20T12:03:00.000-06:002007-03-20T12:34:14.903-06:00Geoff Reviews - Spiral ~Suiri no Kizuna~ v.2Title: Spiral ~Suiri no Kizuna~ (volume 2)<br />Media: Manga (tankouban)<br />Text: Japanese<br />Story: Shirodaira Kyo<br />Art: Mizuno Eita<br />Publisher: Gangan Comics (a Square/Enix publication)<br /><br />Volume two of Spiral picks up right where the first left off, with the locked room mystery. As I read through, I keep meaning to go back and look at the similarities and differences between the manga and anime adaptation, since I know there are a couple of changes between the two (primarily to keep the number of incidental knifings down in the anime, is my assumption).<br /><br />Ayumu quickly proves himself in the finale of the locked room saga, unmasking the culprit with a certain Holmesian flare.<br /><br />Speaking of differences between the anime and the manga, it was interesting to see, between reading the first two volumes, and watching the first two episodes of the anime, what got left out when the series got animated. Really, the anime truncated the manga storyline, and attached it at different points, involving the same people in multiple events rather than using the original manga characters in order to tighten up the time frame.<br /><br />Anyway, after the locked room comes what is, in my opinion, the first point in Spiral where I said to myself, "I have to see the rest of this.": The turtle bomb. I know, if you haven't read or watched Spiral, your mental image here probably isn't capturing the event. Essentially, Ayumu has half an hour to somehow decipher a nine-digit disarm code, or the concert hall he was in will be blown to bits (and him with it, of course). Now, you can solve the disarm code yourself, with the right information (and a bit of luck). Just consider what a turtle from China, and a three-by-three grid have in common. The last piece you need is that the number 1 (one) is in the second box of the third column.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-54824472287964007902007-03-20T11:34:00.000-06:002007-03-20T12:04:18.117-06:00Masked Man For GovernorThe obligatory link: <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/wrestler-enters-political-ring/2007/03/19/1174152938919.html">Wrestler enters political ring<br /></a><br />Sure, it's not unheard of for people on the spectacle side of things get into politics. We have a couple of good examples right here at home, between Ventura and Schwarzenegger. Still, I guess the added amusement value of this one is the fact that... well, he's not just a wrestler, he's a masked wrestler. (Yes, the link does have a picture of Murakawa in his mask.)<br /><br />Interestingly, this isn't the man's first foray into politics, according to the article - he's been involved in local politics since 2003. Now, he apparently intends to run for governor of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iwate_Prefecture">Iwate prefecture</a>.<br /><br />For those extreme political junkies out there, while I haven't been able to find any policy statements from Murakawa himself, here's what I have been able to find: Murakawa was a member of the Liberal Party of Japan, which merged with the Democratic Party of Japan in 2003. The party platform can be viewed <a href="http://www.dpj.or.jp/english/manifesto_eng/images/fullmanifesto.pdf">in English in PDF form here</a>. Really, though, that's reading far too much into a story about a man who wears a vinyl wrestling mask while conducting politics.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-30341117717840491352007-03-20T11:31:00.000-06:002007-03-20T11:34:18.531-06:00Franklin On Welfare"Repeal that [welfare] law, and you will soon see a change in their manners. St. Monday and St. Tuesday, will soon cease to be holidays. Six days shalt thou labor, though one of the old commandments long treated as out of date, will again be looked upon as a respectable precept; industry will increase, and with it plenty among the lower people; their circumstances will mend, and more will be done for their happiness by inuring them to provide for themselves, than could be done by dividing all your estates among them." - Benjamin Franklin<br /><br />Isn't it interesting that we haven't really come anywhere since then, but the only time I can actually recall that the nation tried this 200-plus-year-old idea, it worked to a degree that surprised (dare I say, shocked?) people? Of course, the whole problem is that it just isn't <span style="font-style: italic;">nice</span>... Well, I never claimed to be particularly nice, either, so I suppose it works out.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-51142007995606615022007-03-19T15:03:00.000-06:002007-03-19T15:16:26.524-06:00Brushing Up On The Constitution (part 4)My apologies right at the start for the three week break in this series. I'd like to say it's because there was plenty else to blog about (which there was), but chalking it up to my natural laziness is probably a lot more accurate. Setting that aside...<br /><br />Up today are Article One, Section Seven and Article One, Section Eight. In other words, bills, or acts of Congress, and the powers of Congress. Section Eight is actually why I started on this endeavor in the first place, because I think it highlights just exactly how far the country has gotten away from its founding document. If you need a refresher on what has come before, follow the links to <a href="http://pleasemakeitclear.blogspot.com/2007/02/brushing-up-on-constitution-part-1.html">part one</a>, <a href="http://pleasemakeitclear.blogspot.com/2007/02/brushing-up-on-constitution-part-2.html">part two</a>, and <a href="http://pleasemakeitclear.blogspot.com/2007/02/brushing-up-on-constitution-part-3.html">part three</a> of the series.<br /><br />Article One, Section Seven:<br /><p></p><blockquote>A1.S7.C1: <i>Sect.</i> 7. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments, as on other bills.</blockquote><p></p><p>The House is responsible for starting bills dealing with bringing money into the government. Any other type of bill can start in either the House or the Senate. Even with revenue-generating bills, however, the Senate can propose amendments to them, including material that was not originally in the bill.<br /></p> <p></p><blockquote>A1.S7.C2: Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senates shall, before it become a law, be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve; he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a law. But in all such cases the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal of each House respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law.</blockquote><p></p><p>Even after a bill is passed by both the House and the Senate, it is not law unless it is approved and signed into law by the President. If he does not approve of the bill, he sends it back to the body which originally created the bill (the House or Senate, depending), along with notation of what he did not approve of in the bill. In common usage, this is referred to as a veto. Each body can then reconsider the bill, and if both agree with a 2/3rds majority, can pass the bill into law without the president's signature.</p><p>Any bill that the President does not act upon (either sign or send back as unacceptable) after ten working days (Sunday is not considered a working day for these purposes) is considered to have been signed into law. The exception to this is if Congress prevents the President from returning a bill to them as unacceptable by adjourning their session, in which case the bill will not be considered as having been signed into law.<br /></p> <p></p><blockquote>A1.S7.C3: Every order, resolution or vote, to which the concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be re-passed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill.</blockquote><p></p>Any bill that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate must also be approved by the President, or disapproved by him, and subsequently re-passed by the House and Senate by 2/3rds majorities.<br /><br />Article One, Section Eight:<br /><p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C1: Sect.</i> 8. The Congress shall have power To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States; but all duties; imposts and excises, shall be uniform throughout the United States;</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress can impose and collect taxes, pay the debts of the national government, provide for the military, and for the general wellbeing of the nation. Also, any taxes imposed by the congress have to be the same in all parts of the United States.</p><p>Note that this does not say the general wellbeing or welfare of the people, though the courts have construed the term to mean this. This is the technicality through which we have our current systems such as Welfare.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C2:</i>To borrow money on the credit of the United States;</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress has the power to borrow money "on the credit of the United States". (Anybody know what the credit limit of the government of the United States is?)<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C3:</i>To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes;</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress has the power to oversee and put limits on commerce with foreign nations, commerce between the states (also referred to as interstate commerce, and has this power ever been abused), and with the Indian tribes.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C4:</i>To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies, throughout the United States;</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress will establish the rules pertaining to naturalization of immigrants (the process of becoming a citizen of the United States), which will be the same for all immigrants, and also laws pertaining to bankruptcy.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C5:</i>To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress oversees the coining of money and its value (questions have been raised as to the constitutionality of paper money based on the wording of this sentence), as well as the valuation of foreign currency, and sets the standards of weights and measures.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C6:</i>To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States;</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress sets the punishments for counterfeiting the currency of the country.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C7:</i>To establish post-offices and post-roads;</blockquote><p></p><p>This invests in congress the power to create post offices and roads for the use of the mail system. (The USPS now has the 35th highest revenue of any company in the world, just below Home Depot. They trail by $400,000,000.00, which looks like a lot until you consider that that's all the difference there is between two businesses pulling in $69,000,000,000 each per year. For comparison, this is slightly higher than the $68,815,000,000 GDP of Pakistan. Yes, I know it's constitutional... it says so right here, but the USPS alone is pulling in as much money as a medium-sized country generates per year. Amazing, isn't it?)<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C8:</i>To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;</blockquote><p></p><p>This gives congress the power to establish intellectual property laws, written to "promote the progress of science and useful arts". There is some argument now as to how well the intellectual property laws as written are actually promoting the progress of science, but this is the intent of them.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C9:</i>To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress has the power to create the lesser court system. This, for instance, is where the district court system comes from.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C10:</i>To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas and offences against the law of nations;</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress defines what constitutes piracy and felony on the high seas, and the punishment of the same.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C11:</i>To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress has the power to declare war, to issue a letter of marque and reprisal (which is, to officially empower a person or persons to go beyond the boundaries of the nation to retrieve or destroy the assets of a hostile person or organization in roughly the amount that said hostile person or organization had done within this country. See the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_of_marque_and_reprisal">Wikipedia entry for more</a>.), and to create rules pertaining to persons and property captured during military action.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C12:</i>To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress can raise and support the army of the United States, but cannot designate money for the military more than two years in advance. In other words, congress has to oversee the funding of the military on a fairly constant basis.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C13:</i>To provide and maintain a navy;</blockquote><p></p><p>In addition to the army, congress is also to create and maintain a naval force.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C14:</i>To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;</blockquote><p></p><p>Also, congress is to make rules for the governing and regulation of the army and navy.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C15:</i>To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions;</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress is to provide for a means to call out the state militias for the purposes of enforcing the laws of the union, suppressing insurrections, and repelling invasions. In common current terms, this generally refers to the National Guard.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C16:</i>To provide for organizing, arming and disciplining the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;</blockquote><p></p><p>In addition to the above, congress is also to provide organization, armament, and disciplinary measures for the militia, as well as for oversight for any of them who may be employed as part of the national military. However, the states are responsible for the appointment of officers and for the training of their militias.<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C17:</i>To exercise exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the Legislature of the State in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dock-yards, and other needful buildings;--and,</blockquote><p></p><p>Congress has the power to oversee and legislate in regards to the seat of government (now known as Washington, D.C.), as well as over other government installations such as, but not limited to, forts, magazines, arsenals, docks, and "other needful buildings".<br /></p> <p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>A1.S8.C18:</i>To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States,or in any department or officer thereof.</blockquote><p></p><p>Finally, congress has the power to make any law necessary to execute the powers granted to it in the constitution.<br /></p>Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-77154849816062170982007-03-19T11:35:00.000-06:002007-03-19T11:43:20.292-06:001984 For The New Millennium?<a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=cWvHbOoG3tI">This ad</a>, purportedly by Barack Obama's team, may be one of the most memorable (and vicious) campaign ads in memory. I say may be because, unfortunately, there are two problems... First, it doesn't actually use the logo that Obama is using (the "O" in red, white and blue), but rather a vaguely Apple-ish looking "O" with a leaf on the top; and second, I can't find any information on it on the senator's '08 campaign website (which is <a href="http://www.barackobama.com/">barackobama.com</a>, if you want to go looking for the ad there yourself).Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4719779205175841610.post-30327985574422044782007-03-19T11:30:00.000-06:002007-03-19T11:31:38.375-06:00Wilson On Law And Liberty"Without liberty, law loses its nature and its name, and becomes oppression. Without law, liberty also loses its nature and its name, and becomes licentiousness." - James WilsonGeoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316077947833510767noreply@blogger.com0