Archive for Blog

Where is the outrage?

Can somebody please explain this?

I’ll speak to my war supporting Christian brothers and sisters. I hear lot’s of “support our troops” from Christian organizations, and pulpits and the rest. Rarely do I hear a straight-forward acknowledgement of the fact that what we are “supporting” them in is often the killing of other human beings in the act of war.

That being said, I think there is also a proper and necessary place for a support of justice in regard to murderous abuses like the ones we know about here. Tell me please what your response is.

Miniature Earth

A Global Perspective

Sometimes the numbers and statistics and all of that can get pretty overwhelming.
This flash video is a pretty good way to put things in perspective and help us get a better grasp of our place in this sphere we call home.

Dual monitors

So, it’s official I’ve got two monitors. I saw a friend with two monitors hooked up once, and I thought it would be cool to tryout.
Anyways, I found a guy giving away a free monitor and I picked it up on my way home from work. And now here I am, dual monitoring it up.

Now I just have to figure out how best to utilize the space. It’s great for web design and people like me who like having a lot of windows open at once (ask my wife).

For those who have a second monitor check out this program.

Back to education

So, considering my last post concerning education generated a bunch of comments I figure it’s something I should come back to addressing. For those who want to make personal attacks, grammar corrections, etc. Please direct your comments to me in an email, that would just help the comments section to be a little more constructive.

I guess I’ll just start by saying somehow I’ve ended up with a whole bunch of friends that are teachers, in a wide range of schools, all over the coutry. I’ll do my best to share stories and situations that I hear from them.

I guess the question I have in my mind right now is whether or not people actually want public schools. I have to say Stephen’s comment sort of floored me. Do most republicans think there isn’t any really justification for public schools? Do a lot of people think there is no reason why education should be “equal” or “fair.” I guess I’m eager to hear some responses.

Wow, I mean to even hear some of the comments that were given before, it’s just scary to me:

“I’m not certain where in the United States Constitution it says that all public schools have to be equal.” -Stephen
“They say nothing about using taxation to establish “equal” ends in education.” -Anonymous
(This seems to imply you don’t think they should be equal, is that true?)

“Sometimes I laugh because you all don’t know how to frame the debate at all. ” -Anonymous
(It’s not a debate, but I appreciate your response to Stephen’s comment)
“Look, we’re an advanced industrial nation. There’s no reason that our literacy rates should be so low; there’s no reason that our kids shouldn’t excel. We’re wealthy and industrious, and it’s a crime that any child should languish with inadequate preparation for the industrial 21st century!” -Anonymous

Polar Bears?

I’ve been meaning to investigate this further but for now I’ll just give me first impression.

The Garnett high rise is a low income housing apartment building on the corner of 12th and Edgehill. It’s located right across the street from a larger public housing block on the other corner. I’ve been there a number of times for neighborhood meetings. There are real needs: dealing with and reducing crime, finding programs and activities for the youth to be involved in, and bringing retail business to the area. All of these things I have heard from the voices of people who have lived in the area.

As I’ve been going to these meetings and passing the building occasionally I noticed some work being done on the corner. About two weeks ago I finally saw what was being done. Someone somewhere in the city decided what this building and the people of this community really needed was two stark white polar bear statues throwing snowballs at one another. I guess they felt these statues where so important that the day they unveiled them I saw city vehicles out at 6am cleaning up trash, hosing down the area, and setting up cameras and lighting. It was so important to unveil these two statues that even the mayor came out and said a few words.

Now, I apologize for my cynicism, but this does not seem like the most pertinent need of the community. I could be very wrong, and maybe the artist was from the Garnett high rise. I’ll take a look further, but something tells me I won’t be surprised at the answers.

Does anyone else in Nashville see a problem here? I mean people in the community are speaking up and asking for the city to help with the crime and help build youth activities so the kids stay out of crime; and instead the city puts up two polar bears?!?

Something is not right here.