tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-108355332011-07-14T20:38:49.048-04:00Progressive politics, movies, jazz, literature, technology, and potatoesBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comBlogger1661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1163005871272331862006-11-08T12:10:00.000-05:002006-11-08T12:11:11.290-05:00

There is just one key issue that I would like to emphasize about the massive Dem wave from yesterday's elections. A huge number of candidates who won were not supported by the establishment Dems; they were supported by local and national bloggers and built their campaigns entirely from the grassroots. Some of them even defeated establishment-choice Dems in their primaries.No matter what the news

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1126138482418108572005-09-07T20:14:00.000-04:002005-09-07T20:14:42.450-04:00

This is a test of my updated blog access software.

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1116596396088229352005-05-20T09:37:00.000-04:002005-05-20T09:39:56.093-04:00

My wife's thesis is done and she defends today.And she let me use the red pen on every single page!This should restore my regular internet acccess (and energy!)For the record, in-depth copy-editing is a whole lot of fun, but I wouldn't want to do it for a living.

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1115907749576149302005-05-12T10:22:00.000-04:002005-05-12T10:24:29.580-04:00

Sirotablog: Ike Predicted GOP Demise Over Social Security:"'Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are [a] few other Texas oil millionaires, and an

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1115856037989023012005-05-11T19:58:00.000-04:002005-05-11T20:00:37.996-04:00

"I would love to enlist and help the power-hungry war criminals in the Oval Office wage their unjust war, but I have a bathtub full of puppies at home that I need to drown first. And that may take a while."

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1115825126619363132005-05-11T11:25:00.000-04:002005-05-11T11:26:41.903-04:00

EPA Puts Mandated Lead-Paint Rules on HoldThat's right, it wasn't enough for the Bush administration to roll back decades of policy on mercury emissions. Now they want to do the same for lead-based paint, making compliance with so-called Federal standards voluntary.When are people going to wake up and realize that this supposedly Christian president has no qualms about encouraging business to

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1115391774347854492005-05-06T10:58:00.000-04:002005-05-06T11:02:54.546-04:00

Granted, spam has evolved greatly since it's early days. One piece of that evolution, of course, has been the addition of random text meant to trick the spam filters.I suppose that it was only a matter of time before the spam was reduced purely to that random text, with absolutely no content, advertising, or malicious attachments included.With that in mind, all that I can do is appreciate the

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1115389018989240482005-05-06T10:06:00.000-04:002005-05-06T10:17:00.946-04:00

This is not an Onion article. A church in North Carolina has just excommunicated all of its Democrat members for not supporting President Bush.While more of the country may slowly be coming to its senses, we should expect to see increased insanities from right wing extremists.Here's the initial post from Democratic Underground:My Mom just emailed me the news. There's no link yet. She said WLOS

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1115143110802026422005-05-03T13:58:00.000-04:002005-05-03T14:00:51.520-04:00

Writes John Conyers:"Dear Mr. President:We write because of troubling revelations in the Sunday London Times apparently confirming that the United States and Great Britain had secretly agreed to attack Iraq in the summer of 2002, well before the invasion and before you even sought Congressional authority to engage in military action. While various individuals have asserted this to be the case

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1115039144305820452005-05-02T09:03:00.000-04:002005-05-02T09:05:44.306-04:00

Sorry about the lack of posts. I'm developing a huge backlog of things I need to write about. Unfortunately, the combination of additional work hours and my wife's thesis (which is taking all available typing hours on our one computer) is severely limiting my ability to get that commentary out in a timely manner.Thanks for your understanding!

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1114887284453148532005-04-30T14:53:00.000-04:002005-04-30T14:54:44.453-04:00

You can tell you have created God in your own image when it turns out that he or she hates all the same people you do.Anne Lamott, Salon

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1114869587871045662005-04-30T09:54:00.000-04:002005-04-30T09:59:47.873-04:00

I confess. I skipped it. I was busy and didn't care enough to watch it after the fact. But it seems that this graphic really tells the whole story, doesn't it?Or this.Word is that television pundits were fulsome in their praise of Bush's speech, while the rest of the media world looked on in shock at the blatant bootlicking.More headlines and commentary here.

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1114723716543456742005-04-28T16:34:00.000-04:002005-04-28T17:29:40.873-04:00

The Nation has a reputation for knocking down statues with clay feet across the political spectrum. Therefore, it was with great interest that I read their recent commentary on Current, Al Gore's new television cable network.Surprisingly, for an article that calls "Campaign Ad" "a satire of political campaign ads that came across as an amateurish stab at The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," I found

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1114621679315284382005-04-27T13:07:00.000-04:002005-04-27T13:10:01.393-04:00

As frustrating as the Republican's attempts to claim all Christians under their conservative umbrella can be, that religious tunnel vision also blinds them to a key fact: not all Christians are conservative, evangelical Republicans.That happy truth rarely causes them pause, of course, but it does allow for huge potential embarrasment.For instance, take the graduation addresses that our beloved

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1114450158655351012005-04-25T13:20:00.000-04:002005-04-26T09:27:10.606-04:00

So has anyone reading this heard a thing in the U.S. media about the pending collapse of the Canadian government? Naturally, it was all over the news this past weekend in Ontario.It's a pretty interesting scenario. Turns out that hundreds of millions of government dollars have, under the watchful eye of the Liberal Party, been found in the pockets of various well-connected individuals. Now their

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1114025145151714222005-04-20T15:22:00.000-04:002005-04-20T15:25:45.153-04:00

I will be in Canada for the next few days to attend my sister's wedding to her girlfriend of the last three years. It's nice to know that there's somewhere in North America where she can make choices for herself.In the meantime, hopefully Dave will step forward and share his thoughts while I'm gone.Finally, I don't have the time to write anything of more substance today, but I highly suggest

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113956485198108722005-04-19T20:12:00.000-04:002005-04-19T20:23:31.676-04:00

Today's new media installment is actually a piece that I had absolutely nothing to do with. However, it is my great pleasure to provide a link to my friend Dave Wolbrecht's website, where you can see his exciting music video, "Really Big Universe".I've been working with Dave for a number of years now, especially in his capacity as a performer with DG Improv. Little Davey has always been a few

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113922886306764942005-04-19T11:01:00.000-04:002005-04-19T11:05:14.763-04:00

In Japan, a new system for school security was recently introduced that uses a combination of robots, security cameras, and RFID tags to keep track of students and visitors. While the original article is right here, the Google translation leaves something to be desired. A brief search found a better translation:Secom released a new security system for schools called "SECOM School Security." This

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113921956457276152005-04-19T10:40:00.000-04:002005-04-19T10:45:56.460-04:00

The May/June issue of Mother Jones (a magazine my logging town family rightfully stopped subscribing to after they published an article on how to spike trees) has in it a fantastic set of articles about the oil industry and global warming. One passage in particular struck me: Then as now, a prime tactic of the fossil fuel lobby centered on a clever manipulation of the ethic of journalistic

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113853583802320142005-04-18T13:17:00.000-04:002005-04-18T15:52:29.246-04:00

Could it be that the Republican leadership in Washington has finally overreached itself? Consider the events of the past few weeks.Top Republicans are all but encouraging violence against (Republican) judges whose rulings they disagree with and are discussing mass impeachments to reduce the power of the judiciary.Average Americans are beginning to hear about how Tom DeLay had the ethics committee

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113767580917889832005-04-17T15:33:00.000-04:002005-04-17T15:53:59.626-04:00

If only I were writing about the movie of the same title. Sadly, this post's topic refers to the reasonably new fantasy novel from David and Leigh Eddings. I remember loving their Belgariad and Malloreon series back in middle school, so when I saw that beautiful hardcover novel on the new books shelf at the library, I figured it was worth a read.Was I ever wrong.I haven't read such a

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113672450949954982005-04-16T13:25:00.000-04:002005-04-16T15:30:36.410-04:00

Part Seven of American Geniuses is now posted at my companion blog.If you haven't encountered it here yet, American Geniuses is a serialized screenplay that delights in breaking as many of Robert McKee's screenwriting directives as it possibly can.This week, the kids continue the fight for the life of one of their friends in a flooding throne room. Meanwhile, Mark, Jenny, and Robby face black ops

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113585583909130612005-04-15T12:55:00.000-04:002005-04-15T13:19:43.910-04:00

With a couple months of logging under my belt, I've begun to notice an odd trend in how I approach the news. While there are definite topics which I return to frequently, like global warming, deconstructing conservative ideology, and human rights issues, it is difficult to continue to refute the same tired spin, distortions, and outright lies from the extremists in the Republican party.I imagine

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113456616071300712005-04-14T01:30:00.000-04:002005-04-14T13:16:51.760-04:00

From Yahoo News:Silicone-gel breast implants, virtually banned for 13 years, would return to the market if the government heeds a surprising recommendation from its scientific advisers.After three days of wrenchingly emotional debate, advisers to the Food and Drug Administrationsaid Mentor Corp. should be able to sell its gel implants — but only if it meets strict conditions.Yes, it's technically

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113400967156651272005-04-13T09:42:00.000-04:002005-04-13T10:02:47.160-04:00

From the NY Times, via Common Dreams:The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has decided to replace its president and chief executive, Kathleen A. Cox, who has been in the post about nine months.While it seeks a successor for Ms. Cox, the corporation will be led by W. Kenneth Ferree, a former senior official at the Federal Communications Commission who played a significant role in the failed

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113349537813842932005-04-12T19:45:00.000-04:002005-04-12T19:45:37.813-04:00

Yahoo! News - Poland to Pull Troops from Iraq at End of Year: "Poland's government decided on Tuesday to withdraw its troops from Iraq at the end of 2005, making official an earlier proposal, Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said." Let none of us forget Poland.

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113238852588965222005-04-12T13:00:00.000-04:002005-04-12T10:56:26.616-04:00

Yahoo! News - McCain Sees 'Slippery Slope' in Filibuster Ban: "At a Washington conference last week, leading social conservatives urged Congress to impeach what they termed activist federal judges, with several citing Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who was appointed by President Reagan and who initially received Schiavo's parents' appeal to the high court. Speakers at the conference

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113152049677476582005-04-10T12:50:00.000-04:002005-04-10T12:54:09.676-04:00

Yeah, I'm not posting anything of substance today, but I have to share this brilliant piece of pro-America video art.America, The VideoHave you watched it yet? If so, here are some discussion questions:1) Have the 80's ever really left us?2) Do other countries get kick-ass flagwater too?3) Satire, propogada, or too much LSD?4) Would showing this to grade-schoolers cause irrevocable

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113150917682248992005-04-10T12:32:00.000-04:002005-04-10T12:35:17.683-04:00

I wish that I were posting something more intelligent today, but this is the only thing that really permeated my fogged sinuses."Vin Diesel has a trained group of swans to awaken him every morning with their mournful cries."More random Vin Diesel facts right here. I wonder if he ever got his phone number changed.

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113149926279595882005-04-10T12:18:00.000-04:002005-04-10T12:20:37.183-04:00

From the Baltimore Sun:PUT YOURSELF in Mike Bolesta's place. On the morning of Feb. 20, he buys a new radio-CD player for his 17-year-old son Christopher's car. He pays the $114 installation charge with 57 crisp new $2 bills, which, when last observed, were still considered legitimate currency in the United States proper. The $2 bills are Bolesta's idea of payment, and his little comic protest,

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113069175918209132005-04-09T13:50:00.000-04:002005-04-09T13:52:55.920-04:00

Part Six of American Geniuses is now posted at my companion blog.If you haven't encountered it here yet, American Geniuses is a serialized screenplay that delights in breaking as many of Robert McKee's screenwriting directives as it possibly can.This week, the kids fight for the life of one of their friends in a flooding throneroom. Meanwhile, Romeo is left alone and must seek help elsewhere

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113064585574682302005-04-09T12:36:00.000-04:002005-04-09T13:07:21.393-04:00

Two recent events are worth noting, specifically because they represent intention on the part of lawmakers and the courts to uphold basic protections that the Republicans have avidly sought to destroy.First, the EPA has been reprimanded yet again by the courts, this time in language that can only be called terse.EPA Ordered to Act on Regional Smog Plan: A federal judge has ordered the

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113021246570362742005-04-09T12:33:00.000-04:002005-04-09T13:12:25.923-04:00

In the spirit of finding a Democratic platform with a strong backbone, check out this recent post and discussion on Daily Kos. Make sure you read the whole thing to see the author's suggestions for how to implement each of the steps listed below. Democrats should: Create a solid, proactive, concise, sincere, compelling, and positive plan (manifesto) for the future of America.Distribute the

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1113010863815805262005-04-08T21:41:00.000-04:002005-04-08T21:42:40.993-04:00

From the AP:"Vatican ushers seated dignitaries who were given a chance to view John Paul's body before it was carried out of the basilica - where it has lain in state since Monday - and into the square.Bells tolled as the final leaders took their places on red-cushioned wooden seats. Ten minutes before the scheduled start of the funeral, the U.S. delegation arrived, headed by President Bush, and

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112976694377063272005-04-08T12:11:00.000-04:002005-04-08T12:13:21.596-04:00

Democrats Block Nomination Over Morning-After PillPlan B, manufactured by Barr Laboratories, was approved for use by prescription in June 1999. Consisting of two pills, it is intended to be taken in the 72 hours after unprotected sex, either when regular contraception fails or is skipped. But advocates for women's health say selling it by prescription hampers its usefulness, because it is

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112877216301536932005-04-07T08:33:00.000-04:002005-04-07T09:16:19.053-04:00

Where to begin the end?Current.tv is a fascinating endeavor that may or may not succeed. In any case, though, it's picked up a lot of attention in the last few days, especially since being Slashdotted recently.It has also picked up quite a few misconceptions. Current will not be a 'liberal' or 'conservative' network. (A producer assures me that they will insist that submissions be, you know,

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112678664295045802005-04-05T01:15:00.000-04:002005-04-05T01:24:24.296-04:00

Briefly, - Today was insane.- Spike Jonze looks good in orange.- There are only so many ways Al Gore can make a congratulations and a handshake sound fresh and exciting. (The limit seems to be three.)- I assume that afterparties suck.- Tipper Gore is extremely friendly.- Leo DiCaprio looks just like himself. So does Sean Penn. Mos Def doesn't.- You can get good burritos in the Mission

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112562555900538642005-04-03T16:52:00.000-04:002005-04-03T17:11:12.883-04:00

So I worked last night until 1 AM at the movie theater, went home, slept for an hour, and then got up and got a ride out to the Dayton Airport with my wife. Daylight savings time has never hurt so much!The trip out, arranged by INdTV, ended up with me sitting in first class on a Boeing 777. Now, I've been in first class once or twice before, but always with fairly normal seats.It seems that

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112460711196977492005-04-02T11:42:00.000-05:002005-04-02T12:23:53.083-05:00

Yesterday was a very bizarre day in the world of Blogger. I did some checking around and discovered that whatever bug was eating my posts before publishing them had been making the rounds, so I don't feel quite as bad for the lack of timely updates yesterday.In any case, the bug seems to be fixed [edit: no, it's not], so I can start undoing the damage I caused yesterday when trying to get any

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112460084750873692005-04-02T11:38:00.000-05:002005-04-02T11:41:24.750-05:00

Part Five of American Geniuses is now posted at my companion blog.If you haven't encountered it here yet, American Geniuses is a serialized screenplay that delights in breaking as many of Robert McKee's screenwriting directives as it possibly can.This week, the kids who were pulled under the ocean by a mysterious iron sphere are forced to take an aptitude test. Meanwhile, Romeo, Robby, Mark, and

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112378842220114972005-04-01T13:07:00.000-05:002005-04-01T13:07:22.220-05:00

(From now on, I write copy my posts before I hit "publish". Damned javascript exceptions!)

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112378639318157672005-04-01T12:51:00.000-05:002005-04-01T21:23:08.906-05:00

Imagine the following scenario:There is a mostly empty room with a hundred dollar bill on the floor, a file cabinet by the wall, and a hidden camera in the ceiling.One man enters with a folder, notices the dollar, leaves it, puts the folder in the filing cabinet, and leaves.A second men enters with a folder, puts it in the cabinet, and takes the $100 on the way out.Later that day, the two men are

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112278245867963742005-03-31T09:09:00.000-05:002005-03-31T10:03:03.030-05:00

Apology: My sister is far more of an expert of the politics of food than I am. My apologies for stepping on her turf. Perhaps she will be able to provide an addendum to this post with corrections, modifications, and additional information.Back in the early 1900's, when the American Midwest was a hotbed of progressive political reform, especially through the Populist movement, farmers demanded

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112109589953960082005-03-29T10:12:00.000-05:002005-03-29T10:19:49.956-05:00

Any of you who hang around the Dead Gentlemen website should already know this short film.For the rest of you, I am happy to present "Episode 1" of the Syphilitic Ninja Vampires.We shot this last summer at about the same time as when we did "Campaign Ad", which you can vote on until Thursday at INdTV.The short film was written by Matt Vancil, directed by Nathan Rice, and shot and edited by me.

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112108935439428672005-03-29T09:59:00.000-05:002005-03-29T10:08:55.443-05:00

If you read anything that I link to this week, make it David Kneiwert's fantastic essay on the question of media bias and the quest for so-called balance.Following up yesterday's post concerning Scientific American's scathing editorial about why they should not be expected to promote obvious falsehoods in the name of balance, as if opinions could somehow be weighted independently of fact,

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1112025520811702822005-03-28T10:53:00.000-05:002005-03-28T10:58:40.816-05:00

Some of the key problems with mainstream media presentation of the news would be incredibly easy to solve. Rather than presenting two opposing points of view as 'equally' valid, the MSM could fact check claims made by either party and call them on it when they lie, dissemble, or twist the truth.The magazine Scientific American seems finally to have caught on. Here's an excerpt from this month's

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111854252359026702005-03-26T11:15:00.000-05:002005-03-26T11:31:52.393-05:00

For those of you who are technically fluent in the ways of RSS or XML enabled content, I have added an XML feed to the blog. The link is available permanently directly below my statcounter on the sidebar.Also, hello to new regular readers in Denver, Colorado; Redmond, Washington (unless Dave is visiting his parents); and Santa Barbara, California. The blog's heaviest traffic, however, continues

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111852742855749462005-03-26T10:59:00.000-05:002005-03-26T10:59:41.566-05:00

What you're not seeing on television right now:Herald.com | 03/26/2005 | Police 'showdown' averted: "Hours after a judge ordered that Terri Schiavo was not to be removed from her hospice, a team of state agents were en route to seize her and have her feeding tube reinserted -- but they stopped short when local police told them they would enforce the judge's order, The Herald has learned.Agents of

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111851941678976382005-03-26T10:38:00.000-05:002005-03-26T10:45:41.680-05:00

Concerning the Rapture: Why would someone embrace such a nihilistic, suicidal belief system, so devoid of logic, so dependent on Lovecraftian fantasy? Why would they rush, like lemmings, to promote a vast war in the Middle East and irreversible ecological destruction of the Earth's resources? [snip] The last wave of Rapture-mania

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111851164087168822005-03-26T10:16:00.000-05:002005-03-26T10:32:44.093-05:00

1) After a federal appeals court panel rebuffed them yet again, Terri Schiavo's parents made another desperate attempt to keep their brain-damaged daughter alive, telling a judge that she tried to say "I want to live" just minutes before her feeding tube was removed a week ago.Can somebody explain to me how a person with no cerebral cortex activity could possibly communicate? If there were a

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111849962896878142005-03-26T09:56:00.000-05:002005-03-26T10:12:42.896-05:00

Part Four of American Geniuses is now posted at my companion blog.If you haven't encountered it here yet, American Geniuses is a serialized screenplay that delights in breaking as many of Robert McKee's screenwriting directives as it possibly can.This week, the kids who were pulled under the ocean by a mysterious iron sphere meet two Englishmen with antique pistols. Meanwhile, the rest of the

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111724837431480972005-03-25T11:27:00.000-05:002005-03-25T13:30:04.156-05:00

Last November, Ohio voters passed Proposition One by a significant majority, despite the fact that not only were Democratic leaders almost uniformly opposed to the amendment, but almost every prominent Republican in Ohio spoke out against it.This so-called Gay Marriage amendment went far beyond simply banning gay marriage. It also removed domestic partner benefits that would have a significant

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111706066240934502005-03-24T17:57:00.000-05:002005-03-24T18:14:26.243-05:00

There is a strong element in American conservatism that believes that the best way to work with children is to teach them independence, self-control, and a strong work ethic.I don't have any problem with those values.However, I do take issue with how some attempt to instill them.For example, refusing to hold a crying baby on the grounds that it would condition the poor thing to expect comfort

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111634426344579152005-03-23T22:16:00.000-05:002005-03-23T22:20:26.346-05:00

Eight hours of 2nd graders, seven hours of cinema concessions: I'm exhausted!For the record, I have never taught in such a scary school. Their education philosophy seems to be based entirely on yelling at the students. I'm serious. Five minutes didn't go by when I didn't hear a teacher yelling at the top of his lungs at the students. My classroom was out of control, the kids were miserable,

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111549099314815222005-03-22T22:38:00.000-05:002005-03-22T22:42:33.920-05:00

So Bush and Congress may really have overstepped this one!Yahoo! News - Bush Role in Schiavo Case Bothers Right: "Not all conservatives are happy with the decision by Congress and President Bush to intervene in the Terri Schiavo case. Some leaders said Tuesday the new law allowing a federal court review of the case is an example of the big government they have always opposed.'To simply say that

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111511059505081042005-03-22T12:02:00.000-05:002005-03-22T12:04:19.506-05:00

Speaking of the so-called culture wars, take a look at this post from Hullabaloo:By now most people who read liberal blogs are aware that George W. Bush signed a law in Texas that expressly gave hospitals the right to remove life support if the patient could not pay and there was no hope of revival, regardless of the patient's family's wishes. It is called the Texas Futile Care Law. Under this

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111510911994574352005-03-22T11:58:00.000-05:002005-03-22T12:01:51.996-05:00

From the Tallahasee Democrat:A 5-year-old girl was arrested, cuffed and put in back of a police cruiser after an outburst at school where she threw books and boxes, kicked a teacher in the shins, smashed a candy dish, hit an assistant principal in the stomach and drew on the walls.The students were counting jelly beans as part of a math exercise at Fairmount Park Elementary School when the little

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111508687143123012005-03-22T11:22:00.000-05:002005-03-22T11:24:47.143-05:00

The Billionaires for Bush can be hit or miss in their social satire, but this nails it.They're auctioning off Social Security on Ebay.Current bidding is $10 trillion. Only brokerage firms are eligible, but anyone can watch their future benefits get eaten up in fees and other hidden costs.

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111426349094846792005-03-21T12:07:00.000-05:002005-03-21T12:32:29.106-05:00

Of course, the big discussion this past week has been over the Terry Schiavo case.What the media has missed, however, is how a law that Bush signed in 1999 as governor of Texas just allowed the courts to end the life of a 15-month-old baby against the wishes of its mother.Confused? Read on. In 1999 then governor Bush signed a law which allowed hospitals to withdraw life support from patients,

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111423709650883662005-03-21T11:45:00.000-05:002005-03-21T11:48:29.656-05:00

From the Washington Post:U.S. Misled Allies About Nuclear Export By Dafna LinzerWashington Post Staff WriterSunday, March 20, 2005; Page A01 In an effort to increase pressure on North Korea, the Bush administration told its Asian allies in briefings earlier this year that Pyongyang had exported nuclear material to Libya. That was a significant new charge, the first allegation that North

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111423032812493402005-03-21T10:32:00.000-05:002005-03-21T11:40:50.136-05:00

Why is water important and what role should government play in regulating it?Water is a primary necessity for the continuation of life. Key elements of the issue include access for public, private, and corporate consumption, use of nonrenewable sources (like underground aquifers), impact of climate change on water availability, and strongly related issues like disease, pollution, and competing

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111248273723927692005-03-19T11:01:00.000-05:002005-03-19T11:20:37.333-05:00

Part Three of American Geniuses is now posted at my companion blog.If you haven't encountered it here yet, American Geniuses is a serialized screenplay that delights in breaking as many of Robert McKee's screenwriting directives as it possibly can.This week, the kids who floated out to sea on the Party Line Ice Cream Parlor encounter a mysterious iron sphere. Meanwhile, Romeo makes a trip to the

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111247302078463972005-03-19T10:06:00.000-05:002005-03-19T10:48:22.083-05:00

American Progressives have put a great deal of thought since the election into what they see as the failure of the Democrats to build a true party platform. A number of different projects have appeared, tried to build consensus, and ended up with functional, boring statements. (The Principles Project is a notable example.)Two key elements have provoked the most disparity, principles and policy.

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111177408074160702005-03-18T15:07:00.000-05:002005-03-18T15:23:28.076-05:00

Today is a very special New Media day because the piece in question has just been selected as a finalist in a major television competition!"Campaign Ad" is a 90 second short film that looks at how political advertisements use technical tricks to subconsciously influence the public's perception of a candidate.Not only is it available for your viewing pleasure at the link below, but you can vote

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111165178863065852005-03-18T11:57:00.000-05:002005-03-18T11:59:38.866-05:00

OK, I'm back and I have a ton to post. (By 'a ton' I mean many notebook pages filled with notes.)First, however, I have about 500 email, all marked urgent, to wade through

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111031711298660252005-03-16T22:49:00.000-05:002005-03-16T22:55:11.300-05:00

"The Arctic Refuge and Public Are About to Get Drilled"Here's an article on Common Dreams talking about the recent Senate activities. It's an interesting read.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06810461356616248557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1111005892959030712005-03-16T15:43:00.000-05:002005-03-16T16:01:01.500-05:00

Senate Votes to Allow Arctic DrillingThe Senate just passed a budget resolution that includes revenue from drilling in Alaska. Although this close vote (51-49) doesn't open up the area for drilling, it sets the stage for opening up the wildlife refuge in the near future. It's a sad day for evironmentalists everywhere. Of note:This afternoon's vote came on an amendment sponsored by Senator Maria

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06810461356616248557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110813566122100972005-03-14T10:19:00.000-05:002005-03-14T10:19:26.123-05:00

I am leaving shortly to attend a conference in Las Vegas, where I will be promoting three completed films, one movie that's currently in production, and a number of potential future projects. While I will attempt to maintain a daily posting minimum, I don't know yet whether I will have consistent net access during this time, so in a worst case scenario, you may not hear from me again until

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110661824311098142005-03-12T16:10:00.000-05:002005-03-12T16:10:49.900-05:00

This fantastic article, Can Democracy Survive Bush's Embrace?, is being hosted online at Common Dreams."The Bush definition of liberation robs democratic forces of their most potent tools. The only idea that has ever stood up to kings, tyrants and mullahs in the Middle East is the promise of economic justice, brought about through nationalist and socialist policies of agrarian reform and state

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110644788973616312005-03-12T11:26:00.000-05:002005-03-12T11:26:28.973-05:00

The Onion | Bush Announces Iraq Exit Strategy: 'We'll Go Through Iran' Well, at least The Onion has the real news firmly under control. I can't believe the Bush administration hasn't thought yet of this decidedly brilliant spin for how to exit Iraq! "I'm pleased to announce that the Department of Defense and I have formulated a plan for a speedy withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq," Bush

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110642211660290732005-03-12T10:38:00.000-05:002005-03-12T10:43:31.663-05:00

Part Two of American Geniuses is now posted at my companion blog.If you haven't encountered it here yet, American Geniuses is a serialized screenplay that delights in breaking as many of Robert McKee's screenwriting directives as it possibly can.This week, the kids who floated out to sea on the Party Line Ice Cream Parlor struggle to survive a midnight storm. Meanwhile, the sullen yet brilliant

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110556013773440852005-03-11T10:30:00.000-05:002005-03-11T10:46:53.776-05:00

Speaking of movies, I finished rewatching The Talented Mr. Ripley the night before last.What is truly brilliant about that film is how it emotionally contextualizes the personal costs of committing evil. (I will be discussing the ending, so leave now if you don't want to know.)------------------------------------------Basically, throughout the film the main character, Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) has

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110554939085663002005-03-11T10:28:00.000-05:002005-03-11T10:30:33.316-05:00

Gunner Palace Movie ReviewThe film Gunner Palace begins screening today in a number of theaters around the country. It is receiving critical acclaim from a surprisingly wide swath of the political spectrum, in large part because it takes time to show what American soldiers in Iraq are actually experiencing, for better or for worse.I offer my strongest possible encouragement to my readers to find

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110554333330973672005-03-11T10:18:00.000-05:002005-03-11T10:20:30.130-05:00

Evangelical Leaders Swing Influence Behind Effort to Combat Global WarmingA question I have been asking of various members of the clergy for some time is why the majority of Christian leaders in the United States have refused to address some of the major social and environmental issues of the times.During my short period at the Progressive Democrats of America conference this January in D.C., I

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110493716652435192005-03-10T17:25:00.000-05:002005-03-10T17:28:36.653-05:00

And another thought, in reference to this paragraph from a lower postHas anyone thought to compare the increased 'debt accountability' that the recently passed Bankruptcy Bill mandates to the complete lack of 'debt accountability' evidenced by the Bush administration? Seems to me that the message we're getting is "Poor folks must pay off any debt they owe, no matter the cause, but their

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110491280441567272005-03-10T16:48:00.000-05:002005-03-10T16:58:37.370-05:00

The Winnipeg Free Press - View from the WestSo this was published March 3rd, but I only encountered it for the first time today. It's an open letter from a former Canadian foreign minister that succinctly and devastatingly illustrates just what some of the problems with how we're running things are. Here's an excerpt from the above link.I know it seems improbable to your divinely guided master

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110425361944077002005-03-10T10:29:00.000-05:002005-03-10T17:19:05.153-05:00

Full article at Daily KosNot that this should come as a surprise to anyone, but the good old GAO has once again crunched the numbers and determined that Bush's Social Security notion (there's not enough there to call it a plan) won't help Social Security and will cause more massive deficits.They wouldn't shore up the system, he said, if they were financed, or "carved out," from current Social

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110404236761579912005-03-09T16:37:00.000-05:002005-03-09T16:38:26.530-05:00

Colorado Department of Transportation Fells the "Peace Tree"Sterling had hired a chain saw artist last month to put a peace sign and the words "Peace Tree" on two sides of the tree. The tree stood near U.S. 34 and on Sterling's property in Big Thompson Canyon.Sterling said he wanted the tree to remain standing to brighten up the canyon for motorists. But CDOT said Sterling did his work without

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110385804050270212005-03-09T11:30:00.000-05:002005-03-09T11:30:04.050-05:00

Yahoo! News - Bankruptcy Bill on Brink of Passing Just remember, this is the bill that offers asset protection for millionaires who go bankrupt, but gives no slack to folks who make $50,000 a year. It blatantly favors the rich and oppresses the poor and the middle class. Combine this with steadily increasing costs for health care and you have the perfect recipe for creating lives doomed to

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110384835687324082005-03-09T11:13:00.000-05:002005-03-09T11:22:42.633-05:00

Yahoo! News - 'Counter-recruiters' shadowing the militaryUsing a 1986 federal appeals court decision that supported the rights of draft registration opponents to equal access to students, the Los Angeles Unified School District teachers union has helped get counter-recruiting into some schools regularly visited by military recruiters in the nation's second largest public district.I wonder what

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110311754613707812005-03-08T14:44:00.000-05:002005-03-08T14:55:54.616-05:00

I know, I know, it's a just a link without commentary, but what could I really say about Spiderman's Greatest Bible Stories?Hooray for the Portland Mercury, whose pages totally helped me find a movie I wanted to see once.----------------------------I'm doing a critical screening of The Talented Mr. Ripley this afternoon. I've only seen it once before, in a small town Midwest theater. Naturally

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110300108297109772005-03-08T11:35:00.000-05:002005-03-08T11:50:48.160-05:00

Today's media clip is an eleven minute piano suite from my jazz musical Argonautica. Woven throughout the music you will hear references to last week's vocal piece, "Midnight Garden". Listen as well for how each melody returns at the end over a 6/8 bass ostinato. What the piano arrangement cannot convey is that in the musical, each of these pieces fits together harmonically at the end, despite

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110293645746084932005-03-08T09:54:00.000-05:002005-03-08T12:22:54.000-05:00

Yahoo! News - Senate Defeats Minimum Wage IncreaseThis AP story has some very interesting language about bipartisanship. The clash unfolded as part of a debate over business-backed legislation to overhaul the nation's bankruptcy laws.The overall measure enjoys bipartisan support, although no vote on passage will occur until the Senate settled the minimum wage dispute and resolved companion

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110256466238114512005-03-07T23:29:00.000-05:002005-03-07T23:34:26.240-05:00

Tomorrow is New Media Tuesday. I'll be posting an eleven minute jazz piano suite from my musical Argonautica.Also, coming as soon as I'm allowed to announce it, some exciting news about a video I directed last summer that's a finalist for a major award.

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110256113407070162005-03-07T22:39:00.000-05:002005-03-07T23:28:33.410-05:00

I am deeply ambivalent about the Fox Network show 24. It is the only TV show that I have watched consistently since it began to air in 2001, which is no mean feat for a guy who chooses not to have television reception of any kind in his home. Nonetheless, friends and DVDs have allowed me to follow the adventures of Jack Bauer without missing an episode.When it's good, 24 is fantastic

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110230571069404052005-03-07T15:52:00.000-05:002005-03-07T16:22:51.073-05:00

I've been thinking about the conservative vision of America's future, a future where 'tort reform' has allowed businesses to calculate the cost of tiny lawsuits into the practice of systematically abusing their workers and polluting the environment, punishment is meted out for any kind of failure, the social safety net is utterly destroyed, health care is available to those who can afford it,

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110127869473934862005-03-06T11:46:00.001-05:002005-03-06T11:51:09.476-05:00

I'm out all afternoon playing the Game of Thrones Board Game from Fantasy Flight Games.I highly recommend that and the series of books by George R. R. Martin that it's based on.

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110127562003993292005-03-06T11:46:00.000-05:002005-03-06T11:46:02.003-05:00

Student Arrested For Terroristic Threatening Says Incident A Misunderstanding So a highschooler writes a fictional story about a zombie attack at an anonymous high school for a school assignment. His grandparents find the journal and call the police. The teenager is arrested for making a terrorist threat. Bail is set at $5000, due to a request from the prosecutors, who are insisting that this

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110057844559319062005-03-05T16:24:00.000-05:002005-03-05T16:31:59.666-05:00

Took me a bit to find the original article from Free Inquiry magazine. This has been around for awhile, but is worth repeating.Definition of Fascism: "The 14 DefiningCharacteristics Of Fascismby Dr. Lawrence BrittDr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14-

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1110042246169743582005-03-05T12:01:00.000-05:002005-03-05T14:35:10.316-05:00

Today marks the official launch of my companion blog, where I am serializing a very silly screenplay called American Geniuses.Let me tell you a little bit about this project. I sat down to write American Geniuses as a way of clearing my head and simply writing. While the typical route that I and my writing partners take on a screenplay involves careful plot management, over ten drafts, and many,

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1109999591862887012005-03-04T23:46:00.000-05:002005-03-05T00:13:51.796-05:00

Well, it turns out that the script I sent off this morning (as mentioned here) just got a big thumbs up from the producer who received it. Definitely a pleasant development. It's now being passed on to the next level for review. Thank goodness for my brilliant writing partners!-----------------------------------------------------------Also speaking of scripts, I'm going to post the first

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1109966952554603282005-03-04T13:56:00.000-05:002005-03-04T15:09:12.596-05:00

I hear about a lot of stuff that the empiricist in me dismisses as impossible. For instance, one friend of mine will tell me with complete belief in her eyes about the time she was abducted by aliens for five hours on the way back from dinner at a pizza place. A few friends have told me in far greater detail than I ever wanted about the shape shifting that they have witnessed at exorcisms. And

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1109956713193198752005-03-04T12:18:00.000-05:002005-03-04T12:19:01.483-05:00

Wired News: Domain Owners Lose Privacy:"The U.S. Commerce Department has ordered companies that administer internet addresses to stop allowing customers to register .us domain names anonymously using proxy services.The move does not affect owners of .com and .net domains. But it means website owners with .us domains will no longer be able to shield their name and contact information from public

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1109955860615069772005-03-04T12:04:00.000-05:002005-03-04T12:05:12.983-05:00

Turns out the FEC commissioner who's comments I reproduced yesterday wasn't being entirely accurate. For the sake of clarity, I am including the full press release addressing the issue. Press Contact: Mark Glaze 202-271-0982Statement of the Campaign Legal CenterSetting the Record Straight: There is No FEC Threat to the InternetWashington, D.C. -- In a recent interview with CNET, Federal Election

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1109948609194970052005-03-04T09:58:00.000-05:002005-03-04T10:03:29.196-05:00

Finally, here's the updated trailer. It's quite good.Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyI just reread the whole series for the first time since high school and was quite surprised by how direct a social satirist Douglas Adams is. It will be quite interesting to see if the movie captures some of his sense of how insane we are.10 AM and it's already been an interesting day. Received a new script

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1109909461936441072005-03-03T23:11:00.000-05:002005-03-03T23:11:38.843-05:00

Some say: I can't help myself...Star Wars Episode III Trailer PreviewOthers say: I choose not to help myself...In any case, Episode III sounds about as entertaining as The Pacifier. But without the cute kids or Vin Diesel's dark elf tattoo.Help yourself.

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1109885994874467852005-03-03T16:39:00.000-05:002005-03-04T12:07:04.286-05:00

Update: A good portion of this has been rebutted.----------------The coming crackdown on blogging | Newsmakers | CNET News.comSays Bradley Smith of the Federal Election Commission:In just a few months, he warns, bloggers and news organizations could risk the wrath of the federal government if they improperly link to a campaign's Web site. Even forwarding a political candidate's press release to

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1109870011113899602005-03-03T10:58:00.000-05:002005-03-03T12:13:31.116-05:00

Imagine a future society which is completely fair. Opportunity is defined such that anyone can understand the necessary criteria for success and advancement. Yearly comprehensive exams provide every person with the chance to increase their lot if they have studied diligently or to see their fortunes fall if they have not fully applied themselves to the noble quest for self-improvement. All that

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1109818668680377422005-03-02T21:45:00.000-05:002005-03-02T21:58:56.580-05:00

Hello to returning visitors from Torrance, California; Eastpointe, Michigan; Tacoma, Washington; Portland, Oregon; and Bratislavsky, Slovakia. Thanks for inspiring me to keep writing!I've had to negotiate computer time with my wife for the last few days, due to a major presentation that she had to prepare for today, but with that successfully completed, I can get back into some longer essays

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10835533.post-1109817687323425372005-03-02T21:41:00.000-05:002005-03-02T21:44:03.356-05:00

Yahoo! News - Implanted Electrodes Combat Depression:"A procedure that involves drilling two holes into a person's skull and then implanting electrodes in the brain has shown promise in treating individuals who are severely depressed and resistant to other types of treatment."I suppose it beats messing up your body chemistry with Paxil or Zoloft...I mean, electricity's all-natural, right?(Before

Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311262189569722846noreply@blogger.com