Weird headlines

Missing Vietnam Servicemen to Be Buried
How do you bury someone who is missing?

Iraq Finally Fills Six Cabinet Vacancies
Apparently their Correll dishes arrived by mail order.

Airports Not Rushing for Private Screeners
Aiports is now rushing for the Cleveland Browns. Hopefully, Joseph Airports will get 1,000 yard season this year.

U.S. stocks look to extend winning streak
Stocks are now four games ahead of bonds in a strike-shortened season.

Submarine Crash Could Have Been Avoided
Gee, ya think?

And finally, have you ever wondered how you date a photograph? Apparently it is more complicated than you would think according to a Reuters story:

This undated photo released by the U.S. Department of Defense shows the casket bearing the body of US Navy Machinist's Mate Third Class Nathan Taylor being sent over the edge of the USN Aircraft Carrier USS Enterprise as US Navy Sailors conduct a Burial at Sea ceremony on May 19, 2004.

I'm betting the photo was taken the day of the burial, but I'm just guessing there.

Narnia Trailer

The trailer for Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe premiered tonight. No link to it on the web yet.

This is going to be the movie to see at Christmas though.

Kingdom of Heaven movie review

As a fan of previous Scott’s previous movies Gladiator and Black Hawk Down, I was expecting a graphic depiction of the battles in the Crusades. In this regard, Ridley Scott tops himself in the gore-fest Kingdom of Heaven.

The battle scenes are as good as any war movie and twice as bloody. The R rating is deserved. Honeybun got more and more squeamish throughout the movie. Do not take children to this one. Artistically, Ridley Scott (as he did in Gladiator) was able to convincingly bring a historical place to life. Even so, the movie was visually impressive, the scenery of the middle ages, the city of Jerusalem and especially when showing the vast Muslim and Christian armies arrayed on the field of battle.

The movie had two main problems. The main character Balian – played by Orlando Bloom - was just not believable. The movie does not explain how a blacksmith (the illegitimate son of a nobleman) who inherits his father’s lands happens to be an expert in agriculture, engineering, and tactical warfare. A contributing factor was that the dialogue was sometimes hard to follow and as a result it sometimes became confusing on who new characters were and what motivated them.

The other issue is the historical portrayal of the Crusades. Scott points out every failing of the Christian armies. In contrast, Muslims are portrayed as entirely honorable and the spread of Islam by the sword is only briefly mentioned but discredited as the comment comes from a corrupt priest.

If you like battle scenes, this movie is for you if you are patient in getting through sometimes slow dialogue. If you want to see an accurate portrayal of the issues surrounding the crusades, you won’t find it here.

2 ½ stars.

This is why we need to win.

Major Mark Bieger comforts a wounded girl while taking her to a military hospital. The child didn't make it.

Update:
The writer who took this picture has his own blog where he relates the story.

So-called martyr's think they are heroes for blowing up the own countrymen. This photo show not only why we need to stay and fight, but also why we will win. The only way we will lose is if the U.S. loses heart and pulls out. Then all the sacrifices will be in vain.

The terrorists' desperation in targeting children shows we are winning. Their own countrymen will not stand for this continued slaughter.

Salazar - I take it back!

U.S. Senator Ken Salazar says he regrets calling Focus on the Family "the Anti-christs of the world." He really meant they were just "unchristian".

OK.

He then tried to reason away the reason for the dispute. Focus on the Family points out that during his run for office Salazar said that President Bush's judicial nominees deserve an up or down vote.

Salazar now says that he changed his position because Republicans have proposed changing senate rules so Democrats can't filibuster the nominees.

Look at that again, Salazar was for an up or down vote until Republicans were going to change the rules to get an up or down vote. Because Republicans were going to do what Salazar agreed should happen anyway, he changed his position.

No, it doesn't make sense. But apparently, its the Democrat way.

Global warming check

It is April 29th and it is snowing in Denver. This global warming has got to stop. Or is it cooling? Whatever.

Salazar - religious leader

This past Sunday, U.S. Senator Ken Salazar called James Dobson and Focus on the Family the anti-christs of the world. That was not long after he complained about combining religion and politics by the way.

Is the rhetoric approriate for a U.S. Senator?

Stupid headline O' the day

From the AP:

Mavs See Room for Improvement Vs. Rockets

Let's see, the Mavericks lost 98-86 in their last game against the Rockets. Isn't it true that any time a team loses, they have room for improvement?

Habemus Papum!

Benedict XVI 

Today Cardinal Joseph Ratziner was elected Pope Benedict XVI. For the past 23 years, he served in the Vatican as guardian of the church doctrine. Liberal theologists will surely be disappointed that Pope Benedict is not the kind of man who will change the church's teaching to approve of abortion, gay marriage, or female priests.

It's a great day for Catholics though. As Honeybun and I were just confirmed in the Catholic Church at Easter, this is an exciting time for us.

A new pope! How cool is that?

Stop the insanity

Last night was the annual ritual of "springing forward" - the beginning of daylight savings time. It's days like this that I wish I still lived in Arizona, a state that is smart enough to realize that no matter what you do with your clock, there will still be the same number of hours of daylight in a day.

According to standardtime.com there is an increase in the number of traffic accidents on the Monday after the time change. So why do we keep doing this. I want my hour of sleep back.

The passing of Pope John Paul II

I was at work when I heard the news. Obviously, the news wasn't surprising.
The world watched him deteriorate over that last few years. As I was watching the news coverage, I realized I had forgotten what a strong presence he was. Old news clips really show a vibrant man of faith.

May God bless John Paul II

Ski day

Honeybun and I went skiing today. Great weather, good snow. The important thing to remember though is that only a man who is really secure in his masculinity will let his wife see him fall on the slopes....repeatedly.

Yes, I am that man.

Rest in peace Terri Schiavo

Terri Schiavo died this morning. I haven't commented on this before because I could never understand how a court could allow her welfare be decided by her estranged husband - a man who is living with another woman and had children by her.

Even so, I have to admit I would not want to live in the condition Terri was in.

But for the record...I don't want to die by starvation either.

If the truth isn't on your side....lie

What is it with liberals and fraud? First there was Rathergate where a known Bush hater supplied CBS news with memos he claimed were from a former commanding officer of George W. Bush. My favorite justification of that fiasco was that the memos were "fake but true".

Last week, ABC News reported that a memo circulated by Repulicans was trying to exploit the Terri Schiavo case for political gain. Powerline again blows up another liberal lie by demonstrating that memo is also clearly a fraud. It wasn't written by Senate Republicans.

Since those frauds were so successful, the liberal group People for the American Way apparently thought they would follow those examples. They don't want U.S. Senate Republicans to be able to confirm President Bush's appellate court judge nominees. For four years Senate Democrats have been using filibusters to prevent the nominees from coming to a vote. This means that effectively there must be 60 votes to confirm a judge instead of the simple majority (51) required by the constitution. Senate Republicans want to prevent the filibusters by changing procedural rules.

In response, the PFWA group has produced an advertisement to convince the public that what the Republicans want to do is wrong and dangerous for our country. The spokesman in the ad claims:

I'm a Republican. A common sense Republican. I like that my party controls the White House and the Congress. But I also know that our democracy works best when both parties are speaking out and being heard.

Here's where it gets funny. Radio Blogger did a little research into finding out who this "common sense" Republican is. It turns out he doesn't hold any elected public office. He isn't a prominent businessman either.

His name is Ted Nonini and he is the treasurer of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City. Yep, he is an officer in a union. That is, he is an officer in a union that endorsed John Kerry in last year's election.

Do you really think an officer of an organization that supported John Kerry is really glad that Republicans hold the presidency and majorities in congress? Please.

Addition to blog roll

I updated my blog roll to the right. Way over due to add Melissa to my list.

Obviously there isn't a lot on TV tonight since I'm sitting here watching the Colorado Mammoth lacrosse game.

The more I watch, the more I believe lacrosse is the game for guys who like hockey but don't know how to ice skate.

Understanding women

A friend sent this to me. Honeybun confirmed its accuracy:

Words Women Use

Fine
This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

Five Minutes
If she is getting dressed, this is half an hour.
Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given 5 more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

Nothing
This is the calm before the storm. This means "something" and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with "nothing" usually end in "fine".

Go Ahead
This is a dare, not permission, DON'T DO IT!

Loud Sigh
Although not actually a word, the loud sigh is often misunderstood by men. A "Loud Sigh" means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over "Nothing".

That's Okay
This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can make to a man. "That's Okay" means that she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

Thanks
This is the least used of all words in the female vocabulary. If a woman is thanking you. Do not question it, just say you're welcome and back out of the room slowly.

Blogfest

Picture012.jpg, originally uploaded by semperjase.

Last night Hugh Hewitt was in Denver for a book signing. Of course I had to go to get my copy of Blog signed and shake hands. Honeybun snapped this pick.

Hugh even remembered linking to my blog on a couple of his symposiums (or perhaps he was just trying to make me feel like he did). At any rate, Hugh turned out to be personable. It wasn't just a scribble and "move it on."
I'm never washing my hand again.

Politically correct causes collide again

A legislator in Maine has introduced a bill to prohibit the aborting of fetuses that would grow up to be homosexual. Even though it is impossible to tell right now which lifestyle the fetus would choose in life, this is a pre-emptive measure for the day when science may be able to predict such behavior in the womb.

So-called women's groups want no restrictions on abortion while homosexual activists want societal promotion of their lifestyle. Who wins here? If the bill were to pass, Maine is saying that homosexuality is superior to heterosexuality since on heterosexual babies could be aborted. Presumed heterosexual babies would not have the same protection as homosexual babies. Putting aside morality, it is difficult to understand the legality of such a move.

Then again, maybe this legislator is smart. If the law were to stand up against legal challenges from abortionists, it would necessarily outlaw all abortion since the heterosexual babies obviously deserve the same protections as homosexual babies.

Where have I been?

It's been over a week since I last posted. Hey, I've been busy. No, really.

I've been working a project for school. This semester is web design so I've been, well designing. My web site is devoted to science-fiction and fantasy books. You can see the results so far at www.sffnexus.com.