January 2004 Archives

A bill I could support.

Guantanamo Spy Cases Evaporate (washingtonpost.com)

"Some experts on military law and the men's lawyers say the prosecutions of Yee and Halabi have been riddled with inconsistencies and oddities that cast doubt on the government's original fears that a spy ring was operating in the high-security prison for alleged al Qaeda and Taliban fighters."

Happy New Year!

unbillable hours: On Bill Bryson and the Responsibilities of the Traveler

"I envy that man's career. Anyone who has the ability to travel - like Bryson, Ian Frazier, and Robert Kaplan - for a living has been given the most amazing gift."

I echo the sentiment, but the rare gift is the ability to describe the places the author visits in such a way that we see them in a fresh light. The best travel writers are able to share their voyage of self discovery as they move from place to place, and integrate their stories with the people they meet, the books they've read, the food they've eaten, and the other places they have been. In many ways, it is the stories that are magical more than the voyages.

Maybe it is all for the best, but I am somewhat saddened to learn that the Tall Ship Rose has become the property of Fox Studios and is now berthed at a museum rather than sailing under the auspices of the private foundation that restored her.

Wooden Beauties

Having just finished John Livingstone Lowes' extensive discussion of the extensive literature on the living dead trapped on a ship of the damned, I was amused to find myself watching Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney's campy modern update of the ancient theme. The making of the ships is a story in itself.

One suspects that Frank Gilbreth (the original Cheaper by the Dozen) became the father of Motion Study because he realized he did not have much time. (He died young of a heart attack, leaving behind a dozen fatherless children.)

The truth is, God has not given any of us much time, so we had better make the most of it, and take advantage of whatever efficiencies we can.

SCO's SEC filings reflect an increasingly tenous position.

Yahoo! News - Spam E-Mail Plays on Men's Deepest Fear

"NEW YORK (Reuters) - For many American office workers, the day begins with deleting spam. These days, a lot of electronic junk mail hits below the belt by seeking to profit from many men's deepest fear -- that their penises are too small."

Oh, please. Who can believe that anyone takes this kind of spam seriously?

Plan to Supplant Episcopal Church USA Is Revealed (washingtonpost.com)

"Episcopalians who oppose the consecration of a gay bishop are preparing to engage in widespread disobedience to church law in 2004, according to a confidential document outlining their strategy."

It seems the Episcopal Church is going to pay a stiff price for doing the right thing by confirming Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. The determination by this small band of hatemongers to wreak havoc on the Church is appalling. Obviously, it will be a real test of the Church's ability to live up to its best principles and meet hate with love. That does not mean that we should let the schismatics walk away with a dime, however.

The quest for the universal computer address book continues. For years I have wanted to be able to have one address book for all my applications on my computer at home, all my applications on my computer at work, my Palm, and preferably my cell phone. For some reason, software designers seem determined to balkanize the address book market, so that address books in different applications and on different platforms will not work together. It seems so simple . . and yet so elusive. I think that I am making some progress with a combination of Intellisync and Outlook, from which I am importing addresses to WordPerfect. Some progress . . . but a long way to go.

MediaGuardian.co.uk | Broadcast | Simpsons parody upset Fox News, says Groening

"Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Channel threatened to sue the makers of the Simpsons over a spoof news ticker, the show's creator Matt Groening has claimed."