Another day, another 4,000 words.
I think I need to write some Web 1.0 static blogging software in Python.
*10/711/13*
Oregon has been rocked by a scandal: Someone apparently shot an killed several captive sea lions at the Bonneville dam. These animals were temporarily taken captive to keep them from eating too much endangered salmon under the dam. So apparently some vigilante angler decided to take justice into is own hands. Wow.
*9/711/13*
I have been working with computers for most of my life. I have experience with Windows, Apple, and Linux operating systems. For the past nine months or so I have been working as a network admin for a Windows 2003/XPPro network. And after all of this experience I have realized something: The GUI needs to die.
What is a GUI? It is a Graphical User Interface. Basically it is what you “see” on your computer monitor. The windows, the folders, the menus, and the mouse. Now most people these days don’t know that there is an alternative. But back in the day, before Apple created the Mac OS, there was no mouse. There were no windows. There was a much simpler text-based interface. I think that we would do well to switch back to a text interface for the following reasons:
1. It’s Too Complicated! Most people assume that a GUI makes computing more user-friendly and accessable. I believe the opposite. Part of my job is offering technical support to our computer users. I can tell you that a solid 40-50% of tech support problems are point-and-click issues. That is, things that would not be a problem with a text-based UI. Simple, explanatory text labels are easier to interpret than the myriad of icons in a GUI. Also, there are various confusions about single v. double click, right click, etc. If the users had a simple menu with Word, Office, and Internet Explorer (or Firefox preferably), there would not be many opportunities for mistakes. All these graphical bells and whistles may make computers look cool, but they do not really add to the functionality and usability of the computer.
2. It Bogs Down the System So much of our coputers’ computational power goes to useless functions. Rather than dedicating most of the CPU to compiling code or doing complex mathematical calculations, it is rendering 3D mouse icons and animating window effects. Larger and larger desktop resolutions are supported, with large .jpg background files. So much more system performance could be extracted from our hardware by trimming the front end. Of course, none of this applies to gaming computers.
3. It Hurts Productivity Not many employees would waste hours playing on computers with text-based UIs. Furthermore, enough time is spent customizing the GUI, which does not facilitate greater efficiency in computer use. Therefore we could get more work per dollar from our computers and users if we just toned it down.
But what does it all mean? I do not have the skills to code a text-based OS that still can use the internet and graphics editing files. I think that the mouse is useful for some programs, but is not required for a UI. In general I know that this is a wasted breath because computer companies are going to market exciting new products, not reactionary text-based menu systems. Still, one can dream.
*8/711/13*
I am sitting in the Denver Airport. I paid a cool $10 to get this wireless internet connection while I wait for my flight to Indianapolis. Looks like we are going to be an hour late arriving. At least I have the enjoyment of observing life in an airport.
People always seem irritated in an airport. Flights are late; flights are cancelled; bags are lost. You have to walk long distances and wait in long lines in order to sit and wait for your plane. Once boarded, you wait for takeoff; when you land, you wait until you reach the gate. So the airport is full of cranky people. I am quite impressed by airport employees who have to server constantly pissed-off people. Seems like all the employees I have met today have been pretty cheery.
The security in the airports is just silly. al Qaeda hijacked some planes with box cutters, so now nothing sharp is allowed on-board. Richard Reid put a bomb in his shoe, so now we take off our shoes at security checks. What if someone had a bomb in his pants? Sheesh.
The sad irony about 9/11 and airport security is that though the terrorists attacked with planes only once, they forced us to spend billions of dollars to beef-up security. We also have way more restrictions. Yet for all the money and effort and frustration, there may never be another terrorist attack with airplanes. This is not because our security will prevent it; it is because they only had to do it once to change everything in the USA. Now while we pile billions into airports they can sneak through the cracks in other areas (trains, ships, etc.).
So in the end I am sad that we spent all the money and gave up all of our rights in the USA Patriot Act and took on the burden of airport security. Sure, I would not want to be the victim of an attack, but it seems that we did exactly what the terrorists wanted us to do.
*7/711/13*
The world has gotten perceptibly crazier in the last month. And as I saw on a t-shirt at Think Geek: “I’m blogging this.”
In London, terrorists attacked again. Not with planes, but on trains (see below). Many people died because of the madness of the terrorists, and there was a shocking dress-rehearsal two weeks later. The fear gripped London, and police were given a shoot-to-kill order for suspected suicide bombers. The next day several British police officers fired eight shots (seven at the head) at an innocent Brasillian man on a train platform, killing him. So now the terrorists have the police killing their own people. In New York City, subway riders are subjected to random bag searches.
Sometime between the two bombings, Great Britain had a breather. JK Rowling blessed the world again with her Harry Potter series. Yet something strange was afoot. Nothing so vile as terrorism, but something equally disturbing. A Canadian grocer accidently sold several copies of the book before the official release. The publishing company in Canada sought an injuntion in court, disallowing the owners to read the books, and forcing them to turn over the books along with any notes they had made concerning the text. They were also forced not to discuss the book. The ruling was upheld in the high courts of Canada, making it illegal to read under certain circumstances.
So despite the warnings of 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, freedom is marching on.
*6/711/13*
This week, the FX network debuted a new series, Over There. The show, produced by Steven Bochco, is a fictional account of the lives of soldiers who are currently fighting in Iraq. It is certainly not broadcast TV material; it features sex, frequent offensive language, and of course, violence and gore. I would hazzard to say that this is the most violent TV show ever in production. It offers a shockingly realistic view of life on the ground in Iraq. Judging from initial buzz, it is sure to be a controversial hit.
What’s interesting about this series is that it hasn’t tried (at least in the pilot) to take sides on the war. That is, it does not have any pervaisive pro- or anti-war sentiment. It does examine themes on both sides of the issue. Over all, it is quite sympathetic to the Americans. The balanced nature of the show, however, is to me the most disturbing aspect.
This show, whether you are pro- or anti-war. has to be considered entertainment. It is not a documentary; it is not history; it is drama. People watch it to endulge something inside of themselves. So Americans are entertained by war. We are not the first or only, of course. The Romans seemed to find it quite enjoyable to watch Christians destroyed in gladitorial combat. So Americans are quite pleased by violence, like the Romans, and it will be more and more reflected in our reality TV shows.
This nation was born in and defined by war. We are a violent nation (with crime statistics to match). The only nation that has been able to match America in war was America itself in the civil war. That conflict had more casualties than all other American wars combined, and in many ways (at least in the North) is considered the most patriotic war. America is known as a war-like state throughout the world.
Another example: A few weeks ago, a sexually explicit scene was unlocked in the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. There was a public outcry reaching all the way up to Senator Clinton, calling to the game to be banned or restrictively rated. Interestingly, the game encourages violence against the police, women, and against anyone in cold blood, yet that was not decried as unacceptable by the masses. Stil another example: In evangelical Christian culture, rated R movies are often considered OK if they have violence (and maybe an ounce of language), but are considered wholly unacceptable if they have a sex scene or nudity.
This culture of tolerance for violence is what made a war in Iraq (of Afghanistan) acceptable in the public’s eyes. They fact that we send young men and women to kill and be killed is just fine, because it is masked by some abstract motivation (WMD, patriotism, freedom, democracy, regime change-whatever the line from Washington is at the moment). Since the powers in America can ensure that the people are entertained by war, they can expect no great outrage when the forces are sent out (until, of course, the human toll reaches home). This love and tolerance for violence among the people is what made the Romans and the Nazis so powerful before their eventual fall.
So, as a Christian, I face a dilemma. How do I deal with violence in the worlds of music, literature, cinema, and TV? For instance, the Bible is full of war. Moreover, my favorite film is Saving Private Ryan. I do not think that the portrayal of war in the arts is wrong a priori. But when violence is put forth as entertainment (and a means for commerical profit!), I must reject it. As someone who is trying to follow Jesus and adhere to his teachings, I cannot watch Over There again. I do not wish to let violence (which is anti-Christian) become such as integral part of my sould as I once did.
“Cinema, simulated life, ill drama
Fourth Reich culture – Americana
Chained to the dream they got you searchin for
The thin line between entertainment and war.”
~Rage Against the Machine, No Shelter
*5/711/13*
Since writing about Over There, I have been keeping an eye on Army recruiting. They really have a strong voice in Americana; even the very young can hear it. I was watching an old home movie with my girlfriend. On it, we saw her younger brother being given a GI Joe action figure for Christmas. He was about 4. Yes, your average Joe from the general infantry is a cross-generational hero to our youngsters. He was (of course) quite excited to have it and began playing his first war games. As American boys grow older, they get toy guns, ranging from plastic noise-makers all the way up to Air Soft.
Then, as teenagers, the Army gets to young men in a creative way: video games. Yes the Army develops, markets, and distributes a first person shooter war strategy game called America’s Army – for free. If mom and dad wont shell out the bucks for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the Army is waiting to fill that gaming void. As you go through the simiulation, you get exposed to arguably the most realistic combat training and execution ever in a game. You also have the added bonus of getting to hear what army life is “really like” from other NPC recruits. “You want to go see a movie on base tonight? Or should we go bowling at the alley on base?”
But neither of these, the toys or the games, are the strongest draw for young men to the Army. Thanks to our loving congressmen we have the GI Bill, which promises to pay for a portion of your college education if you enlist. I am most conflicted about this option. On the one hand, I am extremely supportive of using federal money to subsidize the educations of our young men and women. What is sad is that for many young Americans, serving the Army (or other services) is the only option for continuing education. So many 18-year-old young men are faced with a dilemma: Face death in Iraq to get a college degree, or settle for a high-school diploma. Thankfully there are still plenty of jobs and trade schools which are approachable for young people and do not require putting their lives on the line. It seems ironic that a major source of funding for higher education comes from the millitary.
What’s the point? I think that young people in America should not have to risk their lives in a place like Iraq in order to get a top-notch education.
BTW, I was in a car accident recently. Here is the damage, and here is the rental:
*4/711/13*
Well I finally purchased a vehicle. It is a 1988 BMW 325is 5 speed with 167k miles. It is quite a bit more sporty and fun than my Mirage was, and I have been having a great time driving it, though I am learning how to drive stick. Here is the eye-candy:
*1/711/13*
The events of this week should give everyone the opportunity to question things. Nature has proved herself to be cruel, unrelenting, and sadistic. The depravity of man is on full display. Materialism is still evident.
Less than one year after the Asian Tsunami, which was the greatest natural disaster ever, the United States is hit hard by Katrina. Nature has mocked man. The storm passed over Florida with much furor, but we thought it was over. Then its romance with the Gulf of Mexico spawned a terrible child. Now we have a sunken city, bodies floating in the water, and homes destroyed. When so many people are killed, and so much is destroyed, people start to question God. He is listening, though he is not answering.
Some decided to take advantage of the storm. I have no problem with a man stealing to provide for his fellow humans. But when a man loots for personal gain, I am totally disgusted. There are garbage fires and gun battles in the Big Easy. Internet scams are already abounding. I don’t know which saddens me more: The destructive force of the storm or the people who seek to take advantage. When the injustice is so great, people start to question God. He is listening, though he is not answering.
The death and destruction are featured on the news, but just after them come the financial estimates. We find out that gas is going to be very expensive. This, of course, puts a big pinch on the victims and the rescue effort. But it puts a bigger pinch on the national economy and its sacred numbers. We have heard also about insurance estimates and the cost of the clean up. And some contractors will make unimaginable sums of money in the wake of Katrina. Oh yeah, OPEC? When the greed of the people outweighs their charity, people start to question God. He is listening, though he is not answering.
He is listening.
*2/711/13*
Can the teachings of Jesus be applied to statecraft? Should they be?
In Israel there is a never-ending cycle of violence due to lex talionis. When a Palestinian rocket kills two, an Israeli helicopter takes two (or more) in return. The violence is broken from time to time by a cease-fire, but with each attack the battle is inflamed again, because each nation must exact justice.
After 9/11 the US had to stand firm and not bow to the terrorists. For the 3,000 Americans killed that day, we killed many thousands of Afghans and Iraqis, who in turn killed many more thousands of each other. The United States refuses to leave Iraq because its geo-political reputation is at stake. George W’s plan to win the war on terror is simply to “kill ‘em all!”
So how does “turn the other cheek” fit in, or the golden rule? Christians often justify anti-Christian behavior by arguments of nationalism. In the army it is “war” not “murder,” and it is OK for Christians. “Just read the Old Testament” some say. When the US exploits, impoverishes, and displaces people within the nation and without, it is “National Security” or “protecting American interests” and therefore not a violation of the golden rule. If the state executes a criminal, Torah overrides Gospel because it is a national, not individual, issue.
I am not so convinced by these nationalistic arguments. Am I not bound to follow Jesus no matter what I am doing or whom I am acting for? I will continue my thoughts another time.
*3/711/13*