On our way to Alpine Village for TimToon's birthday celebration. Apparently, there's some beer festival going on this month.
Orignal From: On our way to Alpine Village f...
thepete.com mirror
Monday, October 08, 2007
Sunday, October 07, 2007
@lisarein I've never heard of ...
@lisarein I've never heard of anything like that happening-was it plugged in when you took out the battery? I don't think MBs have reserves.
Orignal From: @lisarein I've never heard of ...
Orignal From: @lisarein I've never heard of ...
NEW US BASE ON IRAN-IRAQ-OIL-FIELD BORDER
About three weeks ago, I blogged about how TheUSMil was building a new base on the Iraq/Iran border in order to defend against Iranians coming over the border to help the cause of evil in Iraq. In my post I suggested it was posturing for an American invasion of Iran, but it looks like the reason for the base might be a bit more straightforward.
While looking for an article explaining that Iranians make up 20 percent of the terrorists in Iraq (I KNOW I saw that article SOMEplace) I stumbled across an October 7, 2007 opinion piece at http://KoreaTimes.co.kr (here: http://urltea.com/1onw) that explains a fun coincidence about this new base. Check it out:
The piece refers to a Sarah Meyer who blogged about this very oil field back in September of this year. Here's a cutting from her post:
What's really interesting to me is that the opinion piece from the Korea Times mentions Smedley Butler. You may remember my post from last month about a corporate-sponsored planned coup on the American government that was foiled when Marine Major General Smedley Butler held a press conference announcing that he wouldn't take part in said plan. This is the third online reference to this story that I've found since last month--funny how no one's really heard of this and I've stumbled across mentions this many times in just a few weeks. Well, actually, the Korea Times piece doesn't mention the planned coup, but it does talk about how Butler felt being a Marine and essentially being a shill for Big Business. Here's another cutting from the opinion piece:
So, it's just a case of same shit, different day/country. What's worse is that the American people just aren't cynical enough to see through this. Sure, the average Amerishmuck on the street might admit to knowing the Iraq Attack was all about oil, but he probably would grasp the depth of this corrupt corporatism.
Think about it: first it was 911, then it was nukes, then it was freedom for the Iraqi people--all of that were lies to get this new oil law passed that would promise a lion's share of Iraq oil profits go to foreign oil companies.
There are three angles that, I feel, explains the US government's attitude here. Any or all of them could be at play here:
1) Peak Oil - This is the theory (more and more believe it's no theory) that the planet Earth is very near to reaching it's highest level of oil production. What happens after that highest level of production? Well, production goes down, of course. In other words, the Earth begins to run out of oil. As a result, oil companies around the world need to find new oil fields (like the one in Wasit, Iraq) to exploit to stay fluid (literally and figuratively) while they try to come up with some way to make money after the oil begins to run out and becomes prohibitively expensive.
2) Capitalism is Like A Shark - Capitalism is like some beast that has to keep moving at all times or it will die. This is not the truth, since capitalism is not alive in the first place and is a concept that can get discarded or re-adopted. However, a lot of power is tied up in capitalism and even more can be gained by keeping capitalism around and thriving. Any chance this shark can get to feed it will take and that's what getting more oil for the oil interests (US and otherwise) would do--feed the capitalist shark.
3) The Petro-Dollar - I've blogged about the Petro-Dollar many many times. In a nutshell, Petrodollars are American cash that is bought by anyone on the planet to use when buying oil from any OPEC country. See, OPEC (generally) only sells oil in USD, so when you consider how much oil is bought every day around the world you get the idea of how much USD is tied up in OIL. More oil sold for an OPEC nation (like Iraq) means more American dollars being bought up, which means our economy is invested in. Incidentally, I've read that some experts believe Petro-Dollars make up about 60 percent of the US economy.
In the end, you need to remember that the number of dead American GIs in Iraq is higher than the number of Americans killed on 911. This isn't really about avenging 911, or making America safe. This is about keeping oil and capitalism and oil-capitalism strong.
Orignal From: NEW US BASE ON IRAN-IRAQ-OIL-FIELD BORDER
While looking for an article explaining that Iranians make up 20 percent of the terrorists in Iraq (I KNOW I saw that article SOMEplace) I stumbled across an October 7, 2007 opinion piece at http://KoreaTimes.co.kr (here: http://urltea.com/1onw) that explains a fun coincidence about this new base. Check it out:
Coincidentally, the U.S. is to build another vast base in Wasit Province, to protect Iraq from ``insurgents'' coming in from Iran. As the gimlet-eyed analyst Sarah Meyer points out coincidentally, another vast oilfield, it seems, has just been discovered there.
The piece refers to a Sarah Meyer who blogged about this very oil field back in September of this year. Here's a cutting from her post:
Hassan Jumaa Awad, Iraqi union leader, was recently travelling to raise awareness of the US attempts to grab Iraq's oil. Among the interesting points that he raised: "There is a newly discovered field in Wasit province in central Iraq with the potential to fill millions of barrels of oil. Under the law this new field will be given over to multinationals."
Iraq revenue watch (pdf file) notes: "This field lies in the two provinces of Baghdad and Salaheddin, and probably extends southward within the province of Wasit.1 Hence, it should be jointly managed by the provinces of both Baghdad and Salaheddin, and perhaps that of Wasit too. … initial production has averaged 20,000 barrels per day from its Baghdad section compared with a potential production of about 120,000 barrels daily."
What's really interesting to me is that the opinion piece from the Korea Times mentions Smedley Butler. You may remember my post from last month about a corporate-sponsored planned coup on the American government that was foiled when Marine Major General Smedley Butler held a press conference announcing that he wouldn't take part in said plan. This is the third online reference to this story that I've found since last month--funny how no one's really heard of this and I've stumbled across mentions this many times in just a few weeks. Well, actually, the Korea Times piece doesn't mention the planned coup, but it does talk about how Butler felt being a Marine and essentially being a shill for Big Business. Here's another cutting from the opinion piece:
`There isn't a trick in the racketeering bag that the military gang is blind to. It has its `finger men' (to point out enemies) its `muscle men' (to destroy enemies) its `brain guys' (to plan war preparations) and a 'Big Boss' (super-nationalistic capitalism.)
``It may seem odd, for me, a military man, to adopt such a comparison. Truthfulness compels me to do so. I spent thirty-three years and four months in active service in one of our country's most agile forces _ the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major General.
``During that period I spent most of my time being a high class muscle man for Big Business and Wall Street and for the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.
So, it's just a case of same shit, different day/country. What's worse is that the American people just aren't cynical enough to see through this. Sure, the average Amerishmuck on the street might admit to knowing the Iraq Attack was all about oil, but he probably would grasp the depth of this corrupt corporatism.
Think about it: first it was 911, then it was nukes, then it was freedom for the Iraqi people--all of that were lies to get this new oil law passed that would promise a lion's share of Iraq oil profits go to foreign oil companies.
There are three angles that, I feel, explains the US government's attitude here. Any or all of them could be at play here:
1) Peak Oil - This is the theory (more and more believe it's no theory) that the planet Earth is very near to reaching it's highest level of oil production. What happens after that highest level of production? Well, production goes down, of course. In other words, the Earth begins to run out of oil. As a result, oil companies around the world need to find new oil fields (like the one in Wasit, Iraq) to exploit to stay fluid (literally and figuratively) while they try to come up with some way to make money after the oil begins to run out and becomes prohibitively expensive.
2) Capitalism is Like A Shark - Capitalism is like some beast that has to keep moving at all times or it will die. This is not the truth, since capitalism is not alive in the first place and is a concept that can get discarded or re-adopted. However, a lot of power is tied up in capitalism and even more can be gained by keeping capitalism around and thriving. Any chance this shark can get to feed it will take and that's what getting more oil for the oil interests (US and otherwise) would do--feed the capitalist shark.
3) The Petro-Dollar - I've blogged about the Petro-Dollar many many times. In a nutshell, Petrodollars are American cash that is bought by anyone on the planet to use when buying oil from any OPEC country. See, OPEC (generally) only sells oil in USD, so when you consider how much oil is bought every day around the world you get the idea of how much USD is tied up in OIL. More oil sold for an OPEC nation (like Iraq) means more American dollars being bought up, which means our economy is invested in. Incidentally, I've read that some experts believe Petro-Dollars make up about 60 percent of the US economy.
In the end, you need to remember that the number of dead American GIs in Iraq is higher than the number of Americans killed on 911. This isn't really about avenging 911, or making America safe. This is about keeping oil and capitalism and oil-capitalism strong.
Orignal From: NEW US BASE ON IRAN-IRAQ-OIL-FIELD BORDER
Thursday, October 04, 2007
On the bus on the eay home...
Weee! I'm not stuck behind the stinky guy! I should look happier about
it, shouldn't I?
Orignal From: On the bus on the eay home...
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
OK, I'm up. Went to bed at mid...
OK, I'm up. Went to bed at midnight and I'm up. I *hate* temping. Too bad all the cool jobs called AFTER I agreed to the crappy data entry.
Orignal From: OK, I'm up. Went to bed at mid...
Orignal From: OK, I'm up. Went to bed at mid...
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Back to Sexism
HUDSUCKER PROXY (1994)
Technically any good? I thought everyone was pretty solid except for Jennifer Jason Leigh who needed to scale herself back a bit because only she was truly acting like an actor acted in films that came out during the period in which this film takes place. Wow. Did that make sense? Everyone else was cartoony, but not quite on par with Ms. Jason Leigh. The story was fun and interesting and had a great sense of fable about it, but the Deus Ex Machina ending was so obvious and so stupid (and could have easily been done with more imagination) that it kind of ruined the movie for me.
How did it leave me feeling? Disappointed. I won't tell you what happens, just that it's pretty damn contrived and left me wondering just what the hell the message of the movie was in the end.
Final Rating? NFI - NetFlix It - don't directly spend any money on this one--it's just for Coen Brother fanatics.
Orignal From: HUDSUCKER PROXY (1994)
Heading to Tim's to borrow me ...
Heading to Tim's to borrow me a DVD. That's what I get for trusting a hard drive to not crash and delete 400+gigs of video on me.
Orignal From: Heading to Tim's to borrow me ...
Orignal From: Heading to Tim's to borrow me ...
Monday, October 01, 2007
TheVlog for October 1, 2007: Colbert Predicts Bush Years
This was pretty surprising to me, so I decided I'd do a TheVlog entry to showcase this clip I found in my video collection from a long time ago. Check it out:
You can also DL 6.8MB mp4 here.
Orignal From: TheVlog for October 1, 2007: Colbert Predicts Bush Years
You can also DL 6.8MB mp4 here.
Orignal From: TheVlog for October 1, 2007: Colbert Predicts Bush Years
PURE DIGITAL TO GIVE FREE LOW-END CAMS TO 3rd-WORLD NON-PROFITS
Wow, this is really kind of impressive. Remember those cheapy single-use camcorders CVS sells that are ideal for hacking? Well, the company behind them is called Pure Digital and they also make a pre-hacked version of the same camera that has a USB plug built in. The USB plug is VERY classy (not) and since it flips out, Pure Digital decided to call it the "Flip Video Camcorder". You can see one for yourself at theflip.com. They're pretty ugly and kind of expensive for what they really are. They come in two sizes 30 and 60 minutes and price in at around $150 and $180, respectively. I've messed around with the single-use version of the camera and I must say that while I think they're cool, they're not worth the price--especially compared to the Aiptek camera I have which does everything the Flip does but also has a video-in for recording external video sources--and it's available at the Aiptek site for just $100.
So, in the end, I wouldn't recommend spending money on the Flip--unless you can get it for the price a bunch of third world non-profits are going to see them for--free. According to a September 26, 2007 post at GeekSugar.com, Pure Digital is getting all generous on our-asses:
Pretty cool, indeed!
Honestly, I think video cameras are the great equalizer. I'm a big believer in the principle/art/idea of sousveillance, which is the word Steve Mann created to describe "watchful vigilance from underneath." How does Big Brother like it when Little Brother is staring right back at him?
So, three cheers for Pure Digital for getting good PR from doing a good deed. Who says all big businesses are bad? Not me.
But I do say some of them are.
Orignal From: PURE DIGITAL TO GIVE FREE LOW-END CAMS TO 3rd-WORLD NON-PROFITS
So, in the end, I wouldn't recommend spending money on the Flip--unless you can get it for the price a bunch of third world non-profits are going to see them for--free. According to a September 26, 2007 post at GeekSugar.com, Pure Digital is getting all generous on our-asses:
Pure Digital will distribute up to one million Flip Video Camcorders to nonprofits and other qualified non-governmental organizations (NGOs) over the next five years, starting this December. These groups will be able to use video as a tool to highlight the need for their services, better communicate with their donors, and broadcast their accomplishments to the world. Qualified nonprofits and NGOs can sign up to purchase Flip Video Spotlight Kits at Flip Video Spotlight and will receive the necessary tools to begin using video technology effectively. The massive camcorder giveaway kicks off today at the Clinton Global Initiative where the camcorders will be distributed to each of the current and former heads of state and other leaders. How cool is that?!
Pretty cool, indeed!
Honestly, I think video cameras are the great equalizer. I'm a big believer in the principle/art/idea of sousveillance, which is the word Steve Mann created to describe "watchful vigilance from underneath." How does Big Brother like it when Little Brother is staring right back at him?
So, three cheers for Pure Digital for getting good PR from doing a good deed. Who says all big businesses are bad? Not me.
But I do say some of them are.
Orignal From: PURE DIGITAL TO GIVE FREE LOW-END CAMS TO 3rd-WORLD NON-PROFITS
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