Greg Hartnett

In perhaps the most important Congressional battle this year, that weird kid with the cool dog will be battling the greatest linguist in history. That’s right, the perennial underdog will be duking it out with the animal translator turned naturalist for a coveted seat at the Round Table.

In what is proving to be a close race, Democratic candidate Charlie Brown is making big promises. While quick to point a critical eye at incumbent, Republican Dr. Doolittle, Mr. Brown has recently had trouble keeping his own critics at bay.

At a recent press conference, Charlie Brown lashed out at reporters for criticizing his poor math skills. Mr. Brown quipped, “Well, what the hell do you expect? That’s why I have made schools one of my highest priorities. How can you expect a kid to learn if they can’t understand a single word any of the adults are saying? Maybe my opponent can understand - the guy can talk to ducks - but until we get some teachers in the classromm that our kids can understand, we’re stuck at square one. The current Congressman, Dr. Doolittle, is too busy taking money from special interests to pay attention to our schools. California will not be safe until we have a representative that values our kids more than his animal friends. ”

An aide to Dr. Doolittle, Gub-Gub the pig, declined to comment.

More on this as news from the Fourth Congressional District unfolds.

A classic propaganda piece straight out of the Cold War era.

All hail King Joe. Thanks shandyking for hitting me with the link.

There have been quite a few calls to boycott Citgo recently. After the most recent outburst by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, right-wing bloggers and other keepers of the gate have been ranting and raving about how Americans should unite and stop supporting this madman. Apparently, they seem to think that a boycott of Citgo would teach Chavez a lesson. I would oppose such a boycott for the following reasons:

• The boycott wouldn’t hurt Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A (the parent company) at all. They’d still be able to sell all of their gas to plenty of other interested parties - China, Russia, etc… Your local dealer might get screwed, but your boycott won’t hurt El Presidente at all.
• Punishment of the Venezuelan population for the outbursts of their leader doesn’t seem very fair. Our elected officials have insulted more than their share of other leaders. How about applying the same rules to all parties?
• Today’s foe may be tomorrow’s friend. Remember when Citgo bailed helped us out when Katrina hit? Seems a prudent course of action would be to not alienate ourselves from non-Middle Eastern crude oil sources.

Most of the outrage seems to stem from the recent UN debacle. However, this isn’t the first time Chavez has been on the radar. Remember when Pat Robertson called for the assassination of Chavez? A truly deplorable moment in the cross section of church and state. However, in the heat of his cry for state sponsored terrorism, Robertson does have one moment of clarity. One thought that really touches at the heart of the matter:

This is in our sphere of influence, so we can’t let this happen. We have the Monroe Doctrine, we have other doctrines that we have announced.

That’s it in a nutshell, isn’t it? “God damnit, this guy is playing in our section of the world, and if he doesn’t get with the program, then take him out by any means necessary.” His failure to bow to our power is unacceptable to the corporate interests pulling the strings. What kind of example would that set? We couldn’t let Latin America break loose of our shackles.

At present, Chavez poses no threat to the US. There is no chance of Venezuela invading or militarily attacking us. The only attack we face from them is an attack on ideology. Venezuelan’s socialist democracy can’t be permitted the chance to flourish, or our Latin American house of cards may come tubmling down. The propaganda machine will ensure that the public stays ill-informed, or focused on the clowns climbing out of the car in the third ring. All the while, ignoring the elephant in the room.

The digital camera I had been using for the last couple of years has all but forsaken me. The batteries won’t stay in properly, and I have trouble getting the lens to fully close. We decided it was time to relegate that camera to kid friendly status, and go out to buy a new one for the adults.

After reading some good reviews - here, here, and here - I decided that the Canon Powershot S3 IS would do the trick. I picked it up at the local Best Buy for $399 - a hundred dollars cheaper than it was advertised just a couple of months ago. With a $25 rebate, I save a few bucks more.

Thus far, I am pleased with the purchase. If you are using Mac OS X, I would recommend not installing the included software as the install is a bit cumbersome, and sets itself as the default. The whole program makes getting to your iPhoto a PITA. I wound up downloading the software, and promptly placing it in the trash. Save yourself the time.

The shooting speed is very quick - one of the best in a comparison done on the CNET review. It’s a bit too large to fit into clothing, so I may still have to pick up a pocket sized camera for traveling. I broke it in with some new pictures, and plan on experimenting much more in the near future. Look out Ansel Adams.

I saw this on a newly added blog to my reader - The Indy Voice. I tend to miss things on network news, and feel I am better off for it. This however, I applaud.

Keith Olbermann “offers a special comment” on President Bush’s soon-to-be (in)famous Rose Garden news conference. Watch the video here (it’s only 8 minutes).

I commend the bravery of Mr. Olbermann in standing what appears to be alone amongst his peers. Why didn’t this get more airtime? How come more members of the media aren’t asking similar questions, or making similar demands? Oh, that’s right. NFL season is back, the MLB race is on for the playoffs, and Clay Aiken has a new look.

Equally important, and regretably ignored by Olbermann, we were told that not only were we not allowed to think about a comparison, but that:

It’s unacceptable to think that there’s any kind of comparison between the behavior of the United States of America and the action of Islamic extremists who kill innocent women and children to achieve an objective.

How many women and children have died at the pursuit of American objectives? If there is anything that we have in common with those Islamic extremists, it’s our willingness to sacrifice the lives of innocents. Not only are we willing (eager?) to make those sacrifices, we have a history of stripping away any annoying little civil liberty that may interfere with the operation.

So what’s next? What opinion are we prohibited from expressing next? How far away are we from a full-fledged attack on any form of dissension? Is this the country that you believed it to be?

I have always been fascinated with language. Few things do I value more than the intricacies of expression through the verbal and written word. I find that the people I admire most are experts of expression, and fellow language enthusiasts. Some have turned their love of language into a profession: the comedic genius, George Carlin; MIT professor and activist, Noam Chomsky; or master essayist Gore Vidal. All of these men understand and appreciate the role of language in our society, and painstakingly labor in choosing the precise words to convey a particular emotion or thought.

No facet of life is immune from the gravity of communicating properly. From the most serious of issues to the mundane tasks we all run, if you don’t express yourself properly, you’ll find that you don’t get what you desire. I’m sure that you’ll notice that the most successful people are often the most eloquent - surely not a coincidence.

One of my favorite nuances of language is the widespread use of euphemisms - a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing (i.e. downsizing instead of firing). I much prefer the use of dysphemisms, but that just goes with my status of in-house agitator.

There is perhaps no expression that bothers me more than hearing somebody say “Well, to be honest with you…” I used to use the expression as well, until a respected English Literature professor gave me a verbal bitch slap. Most people use the expression to preface a statement that they believe will either surprise, or go against what they believe the listener expects to hear. I understand the use of the expression (serving as a space filler and warning to the listener), but admonish those who utter the phrase. What are you saying to your listener? “OK, now I am going to be honest with you. Before, I may have been bullshitting, but on this rare instance, I am going to tell the truth.” Shouldn’t all of your statements be de facto truthful? Why preface this one statement with the proclamation of honesty? By pointing out the honest intentions of your future remark, you are discounting the inherrent honesty of your previous statements.

You are using the wrong words. Instead of using this obnoxious term, substitute with “Well, quite frankly…” or “To be frank with you”, or “To be blunt”. Any one of those phrases will convey the desired warning (hey listener get ready), without casting a potential shadow of falsification over your previous remarks. In actuality, it’s not honesty that you are preparing your listener for, it’s candidness, or surprise.

So choose your words wisely. Sometimes what you don’t say is just as important as what you do.

In early August, a friend of mine, Sumo Rob, told me that he had heard a poll reporting more than a third of Americans believed that Bush and company may have had a hand in the 9/11 attacks. While I had heard some of the “inside job” arguments before, the number seemed abusrdly high, and I wrote it off as bad information. Most of the people I know, and I run with a fairly liberal crowd, would scoff at the notion.

Last week, I heard Bill Maher reference the same poll, citing the same results. I decided to look a little further, and indeed they were correct. According to a recent Scripps Howard/Ohio University poll 36% of respondents replied that

it is “very likely” or “somewhat likely” that federal officials either participated in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon or took no action to stop them “because they wanted the United States to go to war in the Middle East.”

The entire article is worth a read. Of additional interest is the role that the web has taken in the dissemination of alternative views, and how the rival philosophies reside on opposite sides of the technological divide. But that’s for another post.

Things aren’t looking good for GW. His approval ratings are abysmal, currently hovering anywhere between 30 - 40%, depending upon which poll you look at. Even his loyal supporters are beginning to run for the exit. I knew back when right-wing mouthpiece Anne Coulter slammed him for his nomination of Harriet Miers that there was trouble in paradise.

With the November elections approaching quickly, expect the Bush-bashing to reach new heights. Republicans seeking election will try to distance themselves from the Cheney-Bush junta, and Democrats will sling more mud than ever. Grassroots organizations and liberal bloggers will continue to prop up their candidate of choice, with increasing fervor as November approaches. But where will these naysayers be when Bush is gone? I wonder if DailyKos and Salon will report of the deception and chicanery of a Democratic leader if/when one is in office? What will all the “crazy liberals” do when they can no longer blame everything on GW?

Only time will tell, but if history is any indicator, I would imagine these outlets will gloss over the misgivings and misdeeds of a Democratic leader, probably resorting to pointing the finger at a hostile Senate or Congress. Complicitly playing their role in the polarizing of the American populace in an effort to advance their own agendas. A song and dance, getting you talking and thinking about issues that are not really important, in the guise that your officials are actually concerned about your well being. They are not. The system is broken, and spiraling ever more out of control.

So now that it is socially acceptable, you can hop on the bandwagon and let the world know that you think GW is a bumbling fool - truly redefining incompetence. But you had better start planning on what card you are going to play next. GW day’s are numbered, and you can’t afford to be a one-trick pony.

Have you heard of Camp Democracy? Not likely if you get your news from mainstream media. Why would they want you to know that people are gathering to speak about important issues. The more they can keep you in the dark, the easier it is for them to control the conversation. But I digress.

Camp Democracy is a non-partisan (yeah right) group coming together in Washington DC to promote “peace, democracy, and the restoration of the rule of law.” Various booths are set up between the Mall and Constitution Avenue for interested parties to learn about activism, electoral reform, community building, and more.

While the main topics addressed will cover and end to the war in Iraq, there will be plenty of speakers covering topics ranging from corporate globalization to the ineptitude of the Bush administration. If you are within the DC area, and would like to attend, here is a list of the schedule of events.

If you can’t (or don’t want to) go, but would be interested in donating money, click here. Or you can volunteer for any number of projects. Or you could do nothing, and complain that your country is going to shit. Your call…

I have thoroughly enjoyed the transition of switching from a Windows environment. I have grown into an Apple enthusiast and evangelist. The OS is more intuitive, less prone to crashes (never), better looking, and just more fun to use. I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to a Windows machine.

However, I am less than thrilled with the contact management solutions I have come across thus far. I started off using Mac Mail, iCal, and Address Book, but didn’t like having to flip between the apps to manage each. I was looking for an all-in-one application.

I had purposely held off on using the Entourage application. I had never liked MSFT Outlook when I used Windows, and was reluctant to try a MSFT offering on my clean Mac. But, I had already installed Word and Excel, so I figured I’d give it a shot. While Entourage has it’s perks (I really like the Project Management feature), overall the entire application is clunky and unresponsive. It is the only application on my PowerBook that I have to wait for. After downloading mail, I have to wait 30 seconds before I can click anything in the mail. Completely unacceptable.

So now I am looking for an alternative. I have looked around a bit, but haven’t yet found what I am looking for. Basically, Outlook for a Mac that doesn’t suck. So not the real Outlook, which does suck, but something that has email, address book, and calendar functionality. Otherwise, it’s back to Mac defaults, because I give up on MSFT.

PS - I am also looking for a new web based calendar, so compatability would be nice.

I am going to keep from any political agenda on this post…

Today is not the day to point fingers, or second guess. Nor is it the time for political jockeying, name calling, or agenda advancing.

It’s a time for all of us to remember. Remember those poor civilians who lost their lives that fateful morning. Remember the families that shattered as those buildings collapsed. Remember what life was like on September 10, 2001. Remember how we felt safe, and trusted that our leaders would take care of us.

As I sift through all the news commemorating the fifth anniversary of 9/11, I find that I am having trouble keeping the tears at bay. The emotions of the day flood back, as if the events happened only yesterday. I think of the guys that I knew who died that day. Chris Slattery, who grew up across the street from me, and in whose house I had my first sleep over. How did he die? Instantly when the plane hit? I like to think so.

Or Chris Ciafardini. A year younger than I when we went to school together. I never really knew him that well, but we hung out a bit. When I watched the names of the victims in the days that followed 9/11, the name jumped out at me. When I saw a street sign in Oyster Bay commemorating him, I realized that my fears had been justified.

Those signs became all too popular in my old home town. I saw them putting one up for Tim Byrne just up the street from where I grew up. A memorial street sign now hangs ominously over the kids playing on the quiet cul-de-sac, a constant reminder of the heart broken home just around the bend.

I remember seeing flyers adorned on store fronts and light poles, hung by family members desperately seeking information about a loved one. I remember learning from my sister that she had finally gotten in touch with my cousin who had worked at the NYSE. And learning from my father that my cousin, who was at the time a speech writer for Giuliani, was also safe.

I remember reaching out to people I knew who may have been afftected. Talking with Brian as the events unfolded, to learn that his buddy LP had gone missing. Unfortunately, Laurence worked at Cantor Fitzgerald, up on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center. Cantor Fitzgerald saw the highest casualties of any company - almost the entire workforce was decimated that morning.

Today as I work, the emotions of the event linger with me. I remember the tragedy each day, but today I permit myself to remember details and emotions of the day. So today, all I do is remember. Tomorrow, I rant.

With employees scattered worldwide, staying on the same page often proves difficult. In an effort to keep all of us more in tune with each other, we have decide to implement a web-based calendar application.

After an initial search, the Google Calendar seems to be the front runner. However, I also noticed that Yahoo has it’s own offering, and there are more than a handful of applications offered for free, or sale.

I’m leaning towards recommending the Goolge service.  Anybody have any opinions?

eventually you get burned. This is a pretty straightforward lesson - one that we all learn at a fairly early age. Even my 4 1/2 year old, daredevil son knows that if you stick your hand in a dog’s mouth, you’ve got a good chance of walking away with a bite.

So why is it that the world is shocked at the passing of Aussie croc-hunter, Steve Irwin? I am not trying to sound insensitive or callous towards the grief of his family. What I don’t understand is the “floored” responses, or the people saying “what a shock” or “it was a freak accident“.

How can this come as such a surprise to so many? The guy defied death on a daily basis. It would have been a shock, or a “freak accident” if a helicopter fell on his head. Or if I got stung in the chest by a stingray - that would be a surprise. But when you tempt wild animals continually, eventually you get bit - or stung.

We all know that honesty is the best policy. Our parents and teachers have always taught us that you never get ahead with being dishonest, and that being truthful is always the right choice. But is it? Does honesty really pay?

So we all know this, and yet we continue to be less than 100% honest. How many times do you lie, every day? 10 times? 20 times? More?? Each of us does it - every day, we lie. We lie to our spouses, our kids, our boss, officials, coworkers, strangers, business associates, and friends. Hell, we even lie to ourselves.

Why do most of us lie? Fear. The fear of disappointment or negative consequences. The fear of not being seen in the light that we wish to be seen. The fear of rejection. The fear of confrontation.

Now you may be thinking to yourself, “Hey, I don’t lie”. Bullshit. You do. You know it. Have you ever rationalized something to yourself? That’s a lie - sugar coating reality. A rose by any other name… While you may not blatantly lie to another, you are bound to “exaggerate” (lie), fail to mention (lie), gloss over (lie), or rationalize (lie) multiple times daily. There’s really no escaping it - your’e a liar.

What can you do about it? It’s simple really. First, you need to come to the realization that you are not going to be able to please all the people all the time. Your actions and decisions are bound to ruffle some feathers, and you need to be prepared to deal with the fallout. You can’t live your life expecting to never step on any toes. People will accept your decisions, so long as you are truthful and forthright in your explanation. What they won’t forgive is dishonesty.

Secondly, and more difficult, you need to shift your paradigm. Instead of shying away from situations that may require you to be less than 100% honest, embrace those opportunities as a time to shine. Step into a difficult spot, and let your honesty fly. Watch the wonder in others as you step up and take the heat. Take responsibility for a failure, and swell in other’s eyes. Awaken to the realization that other’s will expect you to lie, and will respect you when you surprise them with your honesty.

Finally, see yourself as an example for others to follow. If you are fortunate enough to have children, remember that they will learn through your actions, not your words. Telling them to be honest is merely lip-service. Let them see you live honestly, and they will truly learn. If you have subordinates, remember that they too will follow your lead. Always remember that others are taking their cues from your actions, and it should help when you are feeling weak.

So give it a shot. Try incorporating a little more honesty into your daily routine. Next time you feel the urge to lie, take the alternate route. Muster up the courage to speak honestly - you’ll be glad you did.

I haven’t heard any chatter, and a few searches don’t bring up anything relevant, so this may be out of left field.  But…

Is the WordPress platform no longer displaying incoming links using Technorati?  Used to be that when I logged into my dashboard, in the right column there was an area displaying most recent links, with a “more links” that did a link: query on Technorati.  I think it was even there earlier this morning.  I noticed an error while trying to hit the link this afternoon, and the next time I logged in, it was gone.

This blog is using WP 2.0  I verified that it is not just this version by checking the BOTW Blog, which is still running on WP 1.5.2 (I don’t know why??)  So is it just a hiccup, or has there been a change?  Is it still there on any other versions?

I thought it was a great feature, and probably good for both companies - I’d be bummed to see it go.