On my run today, I ran past the sign board at my local fire department, and it said, "Always Rembember 9/11. All gave some, and some gave all." Those words, while simple, gave me goosebumps. In lighter news, I also ran past a Taco Bell, and I wasn't even remotely tempted! Woohoo! I used to run past a Fuddruckers, and the smell would taunt my soul.
Anyway, in the most exciting news of the day, Dream Theater put out its eleventh studio album today. I picked up a copy of A Dramatic Turn of Events on my way home from work, and I started to listen. There were a few songs that didn't do it for me upon first listen, but others were amazing. I'll have a writeup to review it in the next few days after I've had time to listen a few times.
-FSG
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Republican Debate 9/12/11
I'm flipping back and forth between the CNN Tea Party Express (seems like an odd juxtaposition, no?) Republican Primary Debate, so I won't be able to give complete commentary, but below will be my take on each candidate from what I see.
Michele Bachmann - I was quite surprised that she had so much less face time than Romney and perry. That said, I think her comments on the HPV vaccine directed at Perry might well have brought him right back to the pack.
Rick Perry - Dislikes Romney...Intensely. I can't say that I support his ideas to this point, but he seems like he'll not shy away from difficult issues. That said, he seems to put his feet in his mouth by oversensationalizing a bit for effect. He would be better served by using arguments to support his beliefs, not grandiose statements that seem more to capture headlines. If that is the way he legislates (and the HPV vaccine may be indicative of that), it is dangerous. I don't understand how he says how he is so pro-small government and pro-Constitution yet talk about using executive orders (even going so far as to using one to repeal parts of Obamacare)...Even AFTER Ron Paul had just talked about the abuse of executive orders. That said, I agree with his stated stance on illegal immigration, and I respect that he said it despite its unpopularity among the audience. I don't understand why the Hell anyone wouldn't want to encourage people to be productive members of society (coughcoughRomneycoughcough).
Mitt Romney - Dislikes Perry...Intensely. With the opening topic of Social Security, he seems more like an attack dog than he does someone who wants to tackle issues or take them head on. Rather than offer an idea, he went right after Perry. It wouldn't surprise me to see the same tactic on other topics as well. Additionally, I feel he'll say anything for a vote. To me, he's just as slimy as I remember in 2007.
Ron Paul - The peace candidate. I do like that he differentiates between defense spending and military spending. It seems like he is the candidate with the most concrete ideas. However, he tends to come off as that crazy uncle who walks around in underwear and boots. While from an idea standpoint, I find him one of the more compelling candidates, he just doesn't strike me as electable. That said, I think he might be the most sincere, and I don't believe that he's saying anything to get a vote. He's saying it because he truly believes it. Not saying that I agree with all he says, but I respect that he just says it.
"She turned me into a" Newt Gingrich - He always comes off as being condescending and professorial. When he's not that, he's busy making jokes and ripping on the President. Based on what I'm hearing, he is the embodiment of the politics I can't stand. I'd prefer to see him stand toe to toe with his fellow candidates and the President rather than to claim that between he and Barack Obama, he is the least bad choice. That said, attacking the incumbent did prove to be a successful strategy in 2008...
Herman "Hurri" Cain - I'm hearing some good idea and some bad ideas from him here. He seems like one of the more pro-business candidates up there, BUT I wish that I could hear more of his thoughts fleshed out to a greater degree. Unfortunately, Perry and Romney seem to betting the lion's share of the spotlight.
Jon Huntsman - See Cain. I would be quite happy seeing a side debate between these two candidates.
Rick Santorum - I really haven't heard much from him other than trying to drag down the current frontrunners. I'd like him to focus more on ideas (much like Newty). Another thing I notice is that he answers the question he wants to answer rather than the question asked. Case in point: Immigration question.
One thing that I wish the candidates would do differently is use fewer statistics in their arguments. Those of you who know me are probably shocked by this comment because I quite enjoy statistics. However, politicians generally use statistics that are misleading or plainly false because a zinging sound bite sticks with people more than anything else, and since other candidates usually can't decipher where the heck the statistic came from and what the truth is in the moment, the perpetrators don't get called out till it's too late.
-FSG
Michele Bachmann - I was quite surprised that she had so much less face time than Romney and perry. That said, I think her comments on the HPV vaccine directed at Perry might well have brought him right back to the pack.
Rick Perry - Dislikes Romney...Intensely. I can't say that I support his ideas to this point, but he seems like he'll not shy away from difficult issues. That said, he seems to put his feet in his mouth by oversensationalizing a bit for effect. He would be better served by using arguments to support his beliefs, not grandiose statements that seem more to capture headlines. If that is the way he legislates (and the HPV vaccine may be indicative of that), it is dangerous. I don't understand how he says how he is so pro-small government and pro-Constitution yet talk about using executive orders (even going so far as to using one to repeal parts of Obamacare)...Even AFTER Ron Paul had just talked about the abuse of executive orders. That said, I agree with his stated stance on illegal immigration, and I respect that he said it despite its unpopularity among the audience. I don't understand why the Hell anyone wouldn't want to encourage people to be productive members of society (coughcoughRomneycoughcough).
Mitt Romney - Dislikes Perry...Intensely. With the opening topic of Social Security, he seems more like an attack dog than he does someone who wants to tackle issues or take them head on. Rather than offer an idea, he went right after Perry. It wouldn't surprise me to see the same tactic on other topics as well. Additionally, I feel he'll say anything for a vote. To me, he's just as slimy as I remember in 2007.
Ron Paul - The peace candidate. I do like that he differentiates between defense spending and military spending. It seems like he is the candidate with the most concrete ideas. However, he tends to come off as that crazy uncle who walks around in underwear and boots. While from an idea standpoint, I find him one of the more compelling candidates, he just doesn't strike me as electable. That said, I think he might be the most sincere, and I don't believe that he's saying anything to get a vote. He's saying it because he truly believes it. Not saying that I agree with all he says, but I respect that he just says it.
"She turned me into a" Newt Gingrich - He always comes off as being condescending and professorial. When he's not that, he's busy making jokes and ripping on the President. Based on what I'm hearing, he is the embodiment of the politics I can't stand. I'd prefer to see him stand toe to toe with his fellow candidates and the President rather than to claim that between he and Barack Obama, he is the least bad choice. That said, attacking the incumbent did prove to be a successful strategy in 2008...
Herman "Hurri" Cain - I'm hearing some good idea and some bad ideas from him here. He seems like one of the more pro-business candidates up there, BUT I wish that I could hear more of his thoughts fleshed out to a greater degree. Unfortunately, Perry and Romney seem to betting the lion's share of the spotlight.
Jon Huntsman - See Cain. I would be quite happy seeing a side debate between these two candidates.
Rick Santorum - I really haven't heard much from him other than trying to drag down the current frontrunners. I'd like him to focus more on ideas (much like Newty). Another thing I notice is that he answers the question he wants to answer rather than the question asked. Case in point: Immigration question.
One thing that I wish the candidates would do differently is use fewer statistics in their arguments. Those of you who know me are probably shocked by this comment because I quite enjoy statistics. However, politicians generally use statistics that are misleading or plainly false because a zinging sound bite sticks with people more than anything else, and since other candidates usually can't decipher where the heck the statistic came from and what the truth is in the moment, the perpetrators don't get called out till it's too late.
-FSG
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Time Doesn't Heal All Wounds
I can't believe it's been ten years already; it still feels as stunning, fresh, and painful as it was a decade ago. The shock, the anger, the sorrow, the sadness, the disbelief, the inability to comprehend why, the fear...Those things have not faded with time. In fact, as I write this, I've already had to wipe away some tears, unclench my fists after my hands involuntarily closed into a defensive yet aggressive configuration, and close my eyes and take deep breaths to try to corral my focus.
I was a junior in high school sitting in the second row of the fourth aisle from the classroom door in Mrs. Waite's second period British Literature class. That morning, walking into school from the bus, it was a gorgeous day, excepting the fact that it was the day of the summer reading essay test. As I sat in my chair scribbling my thoughts on the lined paper, Mrs. Waite left the room momentarily. I barely noticed because I was so focused on my task. Shortly thereafter, the door opened, and she came back in. She told us that a plane had hit one of the towers and that we should keep working. I tried to keep my focus, but I was utterly incapable. Thoughts about what might have happened and why consumed me.
During fifth period orchestra class, Mr. Schaberg had a television in the room tooned into CNN. This was by far the most heartwrenching experience I've ever had. I sat there watching in a state of emotional paralysis; I didn't know what I was feeling, and I wish I could do a better job of describing it, but words capable of conveying it simply do not exist. Some classmates around me broke down crying as the footage rolled, unsure whether they would ever see their loved ones again. It is by far the most helpless I've ever felt. Seeing friends in such need where I could do nothing to help was awful.
As the day progressed, my feelings started to come together and evolve. Watching first responders running to a near certain death to try to help their fellow countrymen filled me with an incredible pride and a completely new respect for all of them. Their instinctive bravery inspires me to this day. The same can be said for those aboard United 93. They willingly sacrificed themselves to protect you and to protect me...all of us.
I wanted to leave this part out when I began to write, but I am unable to keep the anger and frustration at bay. I find it barbaric to celebrate anyone's death, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have one of the best sleeps of my life on May 2, 2011.
I pray that I never have to experience anything like this ever again.
-FSG
I was a junior in high school sitting in the second row of the fourth aisle from the classroom door in Mrs. Waite's second period British Literature class. That morning, walking into school from the bus, it was a gorgeous day, excepting the fact that it was the day of the summer reading essay test. As I sat in my chair scribbling my thoughts on the lined paper, Mrs. Waite left the room momentarily. I barely noticed because I was so focused on my task. Shortly thereafter, the door opened, and she came back in. She told us that a plane had hit one of the towers and that we should keep working. I tried to keep my focus, but I was utterly incapable. Thoughts about what might have happened and why consumed me.
During fifth period orchestra class, Mr. Schaberg had a television in the room tooned into CNN. This was by far the most heartwrenching experience I've ever had. I sat there watching in a state of emotional paralysis; I didn't know what I was feeling, and I wish I could do a better job of describing it, but words capable of conveying it simply do not exist. Some classmates around me broke down crying as the footage rolled, unsure whether they would ever see their loved ones again. It is by far the most helpless I've ever felt. Seeing friends in such need where I could do nothing to help was awful.
As the day progressed, my feelings started to come together and evolve. Watching first responders running to a near certain death to try to help their fellow countrymen filled me with an incredible pride and a completely new respect for all of them. Their instinctive bravery inspires me to this day. The same can be said for those aboard United 93. They willingly sacrificed themselves to protect you and to protect me...all of us.
I wanted to leave this part out when I began to write, but I am unable to keep the anger and frustration at bay. I find it barbaric to celebrate anyone's death, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have one of the best sleeps of my life on May 2, 2011.
I pray that I never have to experience anything like this ever again.
-FSG
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Opposites Attract?
We all know about how "flammable" and "inflammable" mean the same thing, as that's generally taught from an early age because of its counterintuitivity (if you'll pardon my fabricated word).
However, there is a pair of phrases that troubles me far beyond the ability of the aforementioned contradiction. Look in any self respecting thesaurus, and you will find that the opposite of "up" is "down" and vice versa. Why then, I ask you, can one describe something that is a little further away on a particular course as being both "up the road" and "down the road?" That bothers me. If one means that it's ahead of you, the other should mean that the destination is behind you!
Aren't you all so glad that my sparks of lunacy are now available for you to experience?
-FSG
However, there is a pair of phrases that troubles me far beyond the ability of the aforementioned contradiction. Look in any self respecting thesaurus, and you will find that the opposite of "up" is "down" and vice versa. Why then, I ask you, can one describe something that is a little further away on a particular course as being both "up the road" and "down the road?" That bothers me. If one means that it's ahead of you, the other should mean that the destination is behind you!
Aren't you all so glad that my sparks of lunacy are now available for you to experience?
-FSG
Unlikely Alliance
It's official! The blog is back! I definitely have lots to say, but most of my notes aren't with me now, so I think I'll just dive back into things with a youtube link! Be sure to pay extra attention at the 1:18 mark, as a third animal that I shall call a "cantalope" (for reasons you'll find patently obvioius) appears! It is important to note however that "cantalope" is not to be confused with "cantaloupe," which is in fact not an animal at all.
Without further delay, I present to you the exploits of Spike and Visa:
http://youtu.be/czhpQe-56qg
-FSG
Without further delay, I present to you the exploits of Spike and Visa:
http://youtu.be/czhpQe-56qg
-FSG
Saturday, September 3, 2011
The Return
My internet and cable installation is scheduled for Friday, 9/9. The natural consequent is somewhat unfortunate for humanity: DOPP Lure Effect posts will once again be appearing for the world to see on a nearly daily basis once again! For the past several months, I've been percolating, and hear you me, I have a LOT of things to share, and now you're going to hear about them!
I've also decided to make a permanent feature out of NFL weekly previews due to the popularity of the playoff preview posts.
See you all soon,
FSG
I've also decided to make a permanent feature out of NFL weekly previews due to the popularity of the playoff preview posts.
See you all soon,
FSG
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Once the Strike Ends...
I have not been on strike from writing on the blog. However, a strike is preventing me from posting at this point. However, I am pleased to announce that I have officially decided to rejoin the century by ordering cable and internet after being without for many months. As soon as the Verizon strike is over, it will be installed, and my insane ramblings shall once again become a daily feature in your life should you choose to let them in. For now though, I must wrap up since I'm being mauled by mosquitoes.
-FSG
-FSG
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