Upgrade to MT 3.1 Accomplished

This site has been upgraded to the latest version of Movable Type. Everything seems to be working so far, although I ran into this problem while upgrading. I may be tweaking some things over the next few days as I learn more about the new MT.

Update: That little problem turns out to be a bigger deal than I initially thought. I'm going to avoid doing much with this blog until a solution can be found. It's working now, but who knows what might happen if I press my luck. Usually, I wait a bit before major upgrades to allow time for bugs to be worked out. I wish I would have done so this time.

Not really "back" yet...

However, I do want to link a few quick things until I feel like doing some proper posting again:

• Stuff like this brings out my inner Neal Boortz...it really does. See this post if you want to know where I stand.
• Times Against Humanity is blogging about the RNC. Here's the first report. Also, here's an earlier important piece from Times about those "progressive" new family structures: When Parents Play, Children Pay.
• Thunderstruck has tons of "rock 'n' roll Republican" links. Just start at the top and scroll down.
• While on this subject, I spied this while reading the latest on the Dave Matthews dumpage story: Some "art student" wants to protect the memory of Johnny Cash from those eee-vil Republicans. Apparently, if you hold the wrong political views, you are not allowed to listen to his music or pay respects to his memory.
• "Neocon" and "fundamentalist" -- two completely worthless words.
• Finally, I love this description of the protesters by Jeff Goldstein at Protein Wisdom: "...stream by like a river of colorful sewage."

That's all for now...

Impromptu Hiatus

Sorry everyone...I just don't feel like blogging right now. I may be back tomorrow or I may be back in a week or two -- it all depends. I will be doing some work on the site in the meantime. I may upgrade to the new Movable Type when they release it this week. (Yes, I'm going to stick with MT for the time being.) Wish me luck!

Email Notice

The email address for this site doesn't seem to be working. I'm not receiving mail. So if you send me email and get no acknowledgement, that's why. I'll see if this clears up on its own before taking this up with my host.

Update (8/26/04): The email seems to be working again. I may have lost some messages, though. If you sent me anything yesterday, you may want to resend it.

Funny Site of the Day

Saint Kansas

(Via Dawn Eden.)

So I guess being "Retro" is bad...

More stuff to make me roll my eyes...

Via Bunnie Diehl comes this: Retro vs. Metro.

Of course, in the description of the "Retro" America, you can practically hear the ominous, minor chords:

The Republicans who represent them in Congress vote for constitutional amendments to ban flag burning, declare the U.S. a Christian nation, allow tax-exempt religious organizations (but not other nonprofits) to engage in partisan politics, and favor limitations on the First Amendment to combat speech and symbols they perceive as pornographic or unpatriotic. [As opposed to combating speech and symbols deemed "politically incorrect". -Ed.] Retro Representatives support subsidies to oil, mining and agriculture, but they are opposed to women’s rights, gay and lesbian rights, affirmative action, welfare, organized labor, and taxes of any kind.

These are “God, Family, and Flag” folks politically dominated by rural, conservative, white, Fundamentalist Christian ["Fundamentalist" meaning any serious, orthodox Christian. -Ed.] populations. Retro America is not the land of co-habiting, unmarried, hetero, or same-sex couples, [Nobody shacks up in the Red States? Man, are they ever wrong! -Ed.] or of the young seeking cultural excitement in the large Metro cities.

But then, there's "Metro" America. Cue the happy music, rainbows and chirping birds:

Metro American states are loosely held together by common interests in promoting economic modernity and by shared cultural values marked by religious moderation; vibrant popular cultures; a tolerance of differences of class, ethnicity, tastes, and sexual orientation; and a tendency to vote Democratic. [...]

Metro America values inclusion, respects science and social discourse, and promotes policies designed to provide physical, economic and social security for all families, both the 20 percent of the “old traditional families” and the 80 percent of the “new traditional families.” If America is ever to be a true United States, it must embrace these Metro values of inclusion and respect.

Somehow, I don't think this "inclusion" will have room for those icky conservatives or those dumb people who take all that God stuff seriously.

And check out the headers -- an eee-vil military guy and what looks like a blurred American flag on the "Retro" side and a brighter American flag with a group of people working together on the "Metro" side.

Now, who is it that lacks nuance, again?

Update: **chortle** It looks like those sophisticated Metro folks cannot even correctly identify Tennessee on a map. (Thanks Jared!)

Update 2: They have finally fixed their map.

Update 3: I made screenshots of the map mistake, but kept forgetting to link them up. I know it's old news, but I'm linking them anyway: here and here.

Yard Sign Controversy!

AP -- Kerry Yard Signs Vandalized in Florida

Pensacola News Journal -- Kerry signs stolen, trashed

**rolling eyes**

So this makes the national news? A local talk radio show has been receiving reports for weeks about people getting their Bush signs stolen. But Kerry signs are stolen, and suddenly it's news? National news?

Incidentally, I've yet to see one Bush yard sign. I have seen a couple of Kerry signs. I've seen about as many Kerry bumper stickers as Bush ones. I have a "Bush/Cheney '04" sticker on my car. I better not catch anybody messing with my car because of my sticker, either.

Seriously, this is getting ugly and ridiculous. I wish both sides would stop such nonsense.

Update: For additional entertainment, check out the comments to this story on Yahoo. (Warning -- many are not work safe!)

Tribute

Joshua Claybourn posts a tribute to his mother.

I lost my brother to a brain tumor in 1997 and my Dad to cancer in 1998, so I know the kind of pain he is going through.

Those Uppity Conservative Women

Michelle Malkin was recently put through the wringer by Chris Matthews, with Keith Olbermann getting in a few shots, too. I already have a low opinion of both of these jerks, but I think they acted in an especially unprofessional manner. Also Matthew's treatment of Malkin was pretty...dare I say...sexist as well. I mean, really, what was this patronizing crap about asking her her age? I've seen liberal male* pundits treat conservative women like this before -- with total disrespect that they would not direct at conservative men. So don't tell me it isn't sexism against women who dare to not be liberal.

And what is this crap I've seen on several of the lefty blogs with calling Malkin "Little LuLu"? (I saw this in many of the references** to Malkin's post picked up on Bloglines.) Yet more patronizing sexism from liberal males* directed at a conservative woman. Oh, and they made fun of her looks, too. Typical.

(A little aside...a liberal family member recently claimed that Matthews was a "neocon" and was biased against Democrats. I think her complaint was spurred by some mildly critical remarks Matthews supposedly made about some of the speakers while covering the DNC.)

*My use of the word "male" instead of "men" is intentional here. These are not men.

**Whoever thought you'd see a bunch of liberals high-fiving a powerful white man male for being nasty to a minority woman. ;-)

Allergy Hell

It's supposed to rain again for a few days. I can't wait, because when it rains, it helps get whatever crap that's causing my allergies to act up out of the air. Right now, my eyes are so bloodshot and watery that they are scary looking. They hurt too. I also have the runny nose, irritated throat and headaches that go with the bloodshot eyes.

The past few weeks, we've had a haze hanging around in the air most of the time. Somebody told me it's from the forest fires out west. Whatever it is, my allergies always are very bad when it's around. We got a break from it late last week when a front came through, bringing really pretty, clear, fall-like weather. (This same front also helped push Hurricane Charley in the direction it went -- sorry about that.) I started feeling better. But by Monday or Tuesday, the heat and the haze were back. Then I started feeling worse.

I'm ready for this summer to be over. Summer 2004 will forever be remembered by me as The Summer of Allergy Misery.

Update (8/21/04): It rained last night and we have some thundershowers moving through today. Physically, I'm feeling better. My eyes are not completely well yet, but at least they no longer feel and look like I scrubbed them with a Brillo pad.

Things that are just wrong...

• Pro-choice butt-floss thongs. (The perfect way for a woman to let her partner know that if an "accident" happens, he's off the hook.)
• Pimp and ho costumes for kids. (Strangely enough, the "ho" costume is probably more modest than some of the clothes that teen and pre-teen girls typically wear these days.)

What a world...

I needed a good snicker...

I find this both hilarious and pathetic at the same time. Here's part of a caption that I found particularly amusing:

Our rich environmental resources made us wealthy as a nation; they need to be protected. We also need cancer-free water and air. Environmental pollutants are changing us as a species, especially the brains of developing children (maybe that's what happened to George W.)

Gee, I didn't know water and air could get cancer. Oh, and there's a "Bush is a dummy" remark -- that's new!

And did you know John Kerry is a "deep thinker", is "worldy and well read" and can speak French?

(Found via a comment on LGF.)

Update: Looks like the site has been taken down.

Why Alan Keyes Doesn't Impress Me Anymore

Many conservatives are enamored of Alan Keyes. It's understandable why -- he's an articulate, passionate black conservative. I used to be very impressed with him myself, since I voted for him in the 1996 Presidential primary.

Since then, I've gradually become less impressed with Keyes. He seems to be more a "talker" than a "doer". More and more, he reminds me of his counterparts on the left.

I used to listen to his radio show. I liked him, at first. He was a strong voice for social conservatism. Then it got to where I found him too strident and censorious. My views didn't change, and I still agreed with him. But his tone changed, and not for the better.

Then there's the whole "carpetbagging" thing, with his running against Barack Obama in the Illinois Senate race. I didn't like it when Hillary Clinton did it in New York, so why should I approve of it when Keyes does the same thing in Illinois?

The final straw: he has come out for reparations. He used to be opposed to them. This tells me that he's just pandering. I used to think Keyes was above that sort of thing.

I know this is heresy for a social conservative like me, and I know I'll probably get some flack for saying this, but Alan Keyes is very, very overrated.

"My Truth" and "My God"

Peppermint Patty uses this column by Mark Steyn as a jumping off point for a fine rant about a phrase that I too find really irritating -- "My Truth":

Neat trick, but in the end, my truth/your truth is just nothing by words. The objective truth is we are what we are -- liars, cheats, corrupt, fallen people. Painting it as MyTruth® just lets you ignore what a selfish, morally repugnant person you are for a little while longer.

Another related phrase I hate is "My God". I'm sorry, but if you say that phrase in any kind of serious way, you are referring to an idol of your own making, not the One True God. For example, someone once said to me, "Abortion is between a woman, her doctor and her God...it's nobody else's business." That makes resolving moral issues very easy, doesn't it? If you don't like what God has to say, if you don't like what He demands of you, just create a god in your head ("Your God") who will tell you what you want to hear. Problem solved -- or so you think.

"My God" is such an arrogant phrase, when you think about it. When you say that, it sounds like you think God belongs to you. Actually, it's the other way around.

I'll conclude with what C.S. Lewis has to say about this topic in The Screwtape Letters:

We produce this sense of ownership not only by pride but by confusion. We teach them not to notice the different senses of the possessive pronoun -- the finely graded differences that run from "my boots" through "my dog," "my servant," "my wife," "my father," "my master," and "my country," to "my God." They can be taught to reduce all these senses to that of "my boots," the "my" of ownership...[W]e have taught men to say "my God" in a sense not really very different from "my boots," meaning "the God on whom I have a claim for my distinguished services and whom I exploit from the pulpit -- the God I have done a corner in."

And all the time the joke is that the word "mine" in its fully possessive sense cannot be uttered by a human being about anything. In the long run either Our Father or the Enemy will say "mine" of each thing that exists, and specially of each man.

Update: A comment by "pt" brings up a very good point -- there are Scriptural and appropriate ways to say, "My God". My apologies for overstating the case...perhaps I have fallen for Uncle Screwtape's tricks myself. ;-)

Condolences

My deepest sympathy goes out to Joshua Claybourn on the passing of his mother. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

President Bush in Pensacola

Like I said a few posts ago, I had a chance to get a ticket to see President Bush when he came here for a campaign stop, but I turned it down. I found out yesterday that if I would have went, I would have had a floor ticket. Harrumph! Several of my coworkers had gotten these tickets. The President passed within feet of them while leaving and one of them shook his hand.

Oh well, I won't kick myself too much for not going, because it would have been hard for me to go. I just wish things had been more conducive to my going. I saw the very end of his speech on TV. The crowd was absolutely pumped up! They also showed his campaign bus going across the Three Mile Bridge. He was leaving Pensacola and was on his way to another campaign stop in Niceville.

Here is some coverage in the local paper about the President's visit. Of course, there were a handful of mangy protesters on hand who caused some minor scuffles. However, this area is definitely Bush country.

Kill the Rabbit!

Dean Esmay has this provocative post* defending pr0n. I will use this as an opportunity to once again link to this classic article on the subject. Here's just a sample:

The Playboy philosophy, which requires women to be thin, infertile, and always available, essentially requires childlessness. And you can bet your birth control packet that abortion is the natural bedfellow of the successful playboy.

The Playboy Foundation, the (ahem) philanthropic wing of Playboy Enterprises, provides grants and donations to a wide range of projects, most involving reproductive rights and freedom of speech—industry code for promoting sexual license as a natural right, and abortion as a failsafe guarantee. Hence the heavy support of the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and similarly single-minded organizations.

Of course, Hugh Hefner is on the side of women's liberation—as long as it supports his "incredible machine that brings to me the most beautiful young women … already wanting to be … part of my life." What could be better for an irresponsible and sexually aggressive male than an entire culture that considers women sex objects, treats pregnancy as a disease, and offers abortion as its cure?[...]

And all of this has happened through a few reliable tricks of the trade that go right back to the serpent in the garden, who played the first game of "two truths and a lie." Most every temptation proceeds by offering almost the whole truth. The woman in the garden was promised that her eyes would be opened, that she would be like God, and that she would know good from evil. The serpent delivered—almost. Her eyes were opened; she did know good from evil. But she did not become like God.

Hefner, too, can deliver on two of his three promises. Women, he purrs, are the refined gentleman's path to truth, goodness, and beauty. Hefner certainly did—and does—deliver beauty, albeit a two-dimensional version. And in the early days at least, his women were the good, clean, "wholesome" type that men might aspire to romantic involvement with—certainly far more so than anything pornography had previously offered (unless you count the pre-Raphaelites and Le Dejeuner sur L'Herbe).

But Hefner does not deliver truth. Bring it out in the open, Hefner said, and you'll feel better. Well, like it or not, the Playboy philosophy is now your culture's philosophy. Do you feel better?

Now, go read the whole thing.

Update: The CT version of the article is condensed some. This GodSpy link has a longer and more scathing version of this article.

*Be careful where you click in Dean's post, since he links to some "adult" images.

Why I'm Tired of Politics

More and more, I find myself wanting to avoid reading or watching anything about politics or the election. Well, I'm not the only one, and there's a name for the malaise I've been suffering from lately. It's SBHFS: Sudden Bush Hatred Fatigue Syndrome. I'm tired of the hate, I'm tired of the anger and I'm tired of the lies.

While I support President Bush's reelection, I don't agree with everything he says or does. For example, I don't agree with letting international observers monitor our election. I understand why the administration is allowing this -- to stave off the typical "Bush cheated" crap that will inevitably be flung if he wins. But it's still a terrible idea.

But overall, I support Bush and I think he understands the most important issue of this campaign. Kerry doesn't.

Incidentally, President Bush is coming to town tomorrow. I had a chance to get a ticket to see him, but I turned it down. My life is too hectic right now, and I don't want to take more leave from work -- I need to try and save some up.

Modesty Discussion

I'm very busy right now, but I wanted to link to some interesting discussions on modesty by Old Oligarch and Lutheran in a Tipi. Old Oligarch addresses swimwear in this post. Lutheran in a Tipi responds. Old Oligarch then follows up.

I would like to say more on this when I have some time. Until then, here are a few quick points.

First of all, while I don't agree with everything O.O. says here, I agree with quite a bit of it. There is a lot of pressure on women to "show off your bod". And, strangely enough, much of that pressure comes from other women. If you wish to dress more modestly (like wear a one-piece or a swimskirt to the beach or wear bermuda-style shorts instead of shorter shorts), some people will assume you are a mincing, repressed little person who is ashamed of her body. ("Poor thing, bless her heart!") Personally, I don't like tank tops or sandals either and don't wear them. I'm not saying either of those things are necessarily immodest...I just don't like to wear stuff like that. But I've had people give me a hard time for not wearing tank tops and sandals.

Lutheran in a Tipi responds to O.O., asking a couple of questions about how responsible women are for the actions of men. She makes the following statement, which I agree with:

To me, modesty is a matter of educating females about good taste in clothing. But the goal will still be beauty...But some will argue that women should not make themselves beautiful at all, that therein lies the problem. It's my belief that women have the right to make themselves (or their homes, or their investment portfolios) beautiful, and to the extent that they succeed, they are not responsible for men's reactions.

The thing is, I have actually seen Christians argue that any attempt by a woman to be pretty is immodest. In the comments on another blog a long time ago, I said something along the lines that women can look attractive without being immodest. Someone else commented that "looking attractive" is itself of questionable modesty. I either let the subject drop or I managed to respond in a non-snarky manner (I can't remember which). What I felt like saying was, "So, in order to be truly modest, I guess women are supposed to make themselves look as ugly as possible, huh?"

And I have to agree with Twylah and her commenters about these swimsuits. To me, they cross the line from mere modesty into complete prudery.

O.O. has a follow up post that addresses Twylah's questions. He ends with this point:

There is also modesty in speech, etc., which have not been discussed. If you want one area in which men routinely fail in modesty and scandalize women, it is often modesty in speech.

Amen to that. I can't tell you how many Christian men I've seen show this kind of immodesty. I mean, I've seen Christian men joke about ogling women, make offensive sexual jokes and make jokes about wanting women to be less modest. Do they realize how hypocritical this makes them look?

Well, I already wrote more on this than I intended, but I may yet have more to say when I have time. Meanwhile, feel free to chime in in the comments on this subject.

I keep forgetting to mention...

I have updated the Radio Blog for this month.

Raising My Standards

If anything on this site looks funny for the next couple of days, it's because I'm going through all the stylesheets for the site skins and making changes so that they validate properly.

I ran them through the validator and was pleasantly surprised that they were not in bad shape as far as standards go. Besides the scrollbar properties and opacity stuff, the only other problems were very minor things (like needing to replace a color name with a hex code).

I'm not sure yet, but I may dump the colored scrollbars. They only work in IE, anyway. I have two skins that use opacity and I'm going to see if there is a CSS standards compliant way of getting the same effect (one that's not too time consuming). If not, I'll just leave them alone for now.

Giving Mozilla a Try

I recently followed the herd and switched to Mozilla Firefox as my primary browser. I have used IE for years and have been satisfied with it. However, I ended up having to install the Google Toolbar to get rid of the pop-ups (and some would still sneak through sometimes). I've also been concerned with the security problems with IE. Finally, after using Safari on my iBook, I've become fond of tabbed browsing, and wanted to use a tabbed browser on my PC as well. Another thing I like about Firefox is that it has a built-in toolbar area to search Google, Dictionary.com, the Urban Dictionary and many other sites of your choosing. No more adding toolbars.

I'm also giving the Mozilla mail client, Thunderbird, a try. I like it better than Outlook in many ways. One thing I like is how each mail account has its own set of folders and its own inbox. The only problem I have is that when I imported my saved email from Outlook, the time stamps on any messages I sent are six hours off. They seem to be going by GMT instead of Central time. I've looked for a solution to this problem but have had no luck so far. It's not a huge deal, but it's kind of annoying.

BTW, if you use Firefox and Movable Type, you will need to add this to your MT install if you want to get your editing buttons back.