Hysterical Technobabble March 20, 2006
Posted by TimTheFoolMan in Humor, Science & Technology.add a comment
I can’t remember the first time I saw this video, but every time I watch it, I see something else funny about it.
The Retro Ecabulator
A Solution to Baseball’s Falling Stocks and Bonds March 18, 2006
Posted by TimTheFoolMan in Baseball, Morality, Sports, Stupidity.add a comment
Last week’s Sports Illustrated contains excerpts from a new book called “Game of Shadows,” due to be released on March 27th. The excerpts are titled “The Truth About Barry Bonds and Steroids.”
Rumors and inuendo surrounding baseball and steroid use have circulated for years, and by now, probably the only people who don’t publicly discuss steroid use as “widespread” and “obvious” are Bud Selig and the current management and staff of most major league baseball teams. The book (and excerpted article) should be the nails in the coffin, and finally put the questions to rest. The evidence is detailed and comprehensive.
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Life Begins at Conception March 15, 2006
Posted by TimTheFoolMan in Family, Morality, Parenting/Children, Politics, Religion.13 comments
Author’s Note:
This is a work of fiction, set in the Spring of 2007. Many of the views expressed in this story are my own, but the situation is contrived from the personal experiences of my friends, and not my own life. It should be viewed as a starting point for discussion.
I am devastated.
This morning, we were having a baby. My wife and I had dreamed of this for years, but lately, it seemed to be just that… a dream. As a result, when the off-the-shelf test reported a positive, we didn’t believe it, and bought two more kits to retest, just to be certain.
Even then, it wasn’t until the trip to the doctor that we allowed our hopes to rise. “Congratulations! It looks like you’re going to have a baby!”
We looked at each other, dumbfounded. We were so overwhelmed with joy and excitement that we didn’t hear anything else the OB/GYN was saying. I can now remember him saying something about, “It’s still early,” and “we’re not out of the woods yet,” but the sound of his voice was muffled. As if my wife and I were isolated in an envelope of silence, where the only sound we could hear clearly, was the faint heartbeat, echoing in our minds from the ultrasound we had just witnessed.
Now, less than a week later, the silence is deafening, but somehow the policeman’s questions about our miscarriage seem as muffled as the doctor’s words were a few days ago.
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What’s Next? Popecasting? March 8, 2006
Posted by TimTheFoolMan in Blogging, Music, Religion, Technology.1 comment so far
Apparently, Pope Benedict XVI has now discovered the wonders of the iPod, having acquired a Nano. The burning question for me is whether or not he’s listening to pirated copies of his own edicts.
Will they call this “Popecasting”?
Thomas Friedman at Yale March 2, 2006
Posted by TimTheFoolMan in Blogging, Education, Politics, Technology.add a comment
When Thomas Friedman made this speech, much was made of him referring to Lou Dobbs as a “blithering idiot.” Regardless of whether Friedman’s assessment of Dobbs is accurate or not, it is blatantly irresponsible to reduce a 90-minute Q&A session from a widely-read journalist to a 5 second sound bite (and one where he gives Dobbs his due for his opinions).
Friedman’s comments are thought-provoking, and run the gamut of social, political, and technological issues. He gives President Bush credit for making the right decision about going to war in Iraq, but qualifies that credit with a stinging critique of the prosecution of the war. He praises the “horizontal thinking” of the military (something most conservatives would claim a “liberal” would never do), but clarifies some of the reasons that the Administration’s tone and approach have distilled ill will toward America into full-blown hatred for President Bush.
He quotes a chinese leader as claiming “America will never ‘out-rote-learn’ China,” and then points to Georgia Tech changing admission policies to require sports and arts participation. Education is a recurring theme, as is the notion of collaboration and communication. I lost count of how many times he used the terms “blog,” “blogger,” or “blogging.”
My only annoyance about this talk is that it wasn’t available in audio-only form, or I’d download it in a heartbeat for re-listening later. This should be required viewing for high school political science classes to use as a discussion starter.
A Fool and his Words are Soon Parted 