http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/index/ en wolf1@laughingwolf.net Copyright 2010 2010-03-08T17:19:00-07:00 http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/well_no_money_for_ut_from_me/ http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/well_no_money_for_ut_from_me/#When:17:19:00Z Well, the University of Tennessee has awarded an honorary degree to the inventor of the Internet and carbon trading baron Al Gore.  Before they did it, I sent the following to the Alumni Association and the chancellor: Just so you know, while I have not been a regular or major donor, if that honorary degree is awarded Gore for the fraud that is AGW, forget any donation of any size.  They did it anyway, despite what apparently a number of us said, and I got the following form letter back from the chancellor (and no, I’m not going to do an initial cap on the title, not deserved): Thank you for your feedback about the Board of Trustees’ approval of former Vice President Gore to receive an honorary doctorate and serve as the featured commencement speaker for the College of Arts and Sciences this May. The decision to grant Mr. Gore with an honorary doctorate was not entered into lightly. He was nominated for the position by a member of the faculty and this nomination was advanced by two separate committees of faculty and administrators before being approved by both the Academic Affairs and Student Success Committee and the full Board of Trustees. In granting Mr. Gore this degree and asking him to speak, the university is not endorsing nor denying his stances as a public advocate on any issue.  This honor is instead designed to recognize his long service to the country and the fact that he has received both national and international honors that make him unique among Tennesseans. As an educational institution, the university supports a respectful, tolerant and accepting environment that allows people to share their own ideas and learn from one another’s differing viewpoints.  Thanks for your feedback and I hope you will reconsider your support in the future. Sincerely, Jimmy G. Cheek Chancellor If the university had shown respect, tolerance, and a modicum of thought instead of going for grandstanding and a big political play (which this was and is, and love the implied smear that those who oppose it are not tolerant, respectful, etc.), things might be different.  As it is, not a chance you cheeky bugger.  Unless some bizzare twist of fate intervenes, it will be a long time before I give them a single penny again.  LW Politics 2010-03-08T17:19:00-07:00 http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/spam_attack_update/ http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/spam_attack_update/#When:21:26:00Z Well, just deleted a ton of spammers and if I got an innocent in the process let me know.  You will have to re-register, and I will try to keep the system from banning you, but am getting to the point that I am going to let it run wild if it will cut down on the time I have to spend on this.  Blogging 2010-03-05T21:26:00-07:00 http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/why_journalism_is_dead_in_traditional_media/ http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/why_journalism_is_dead_in_traditional_media/#When:10:48:00Z If you happen to wonder why I don’t think traditional media even pretends to do real journalism anymore, or even understands the basic concepts of same, just go read this short piece and look towards the bottom.  As Instapundit notes, this is in Columbia Journalism Review.  The few practitioners of real journalism in traditional media are indeed a dying breed (or pushed out the door and into new media), and this shows why better than anything I’ve seen in a long time.  Communications, Media 2010-03-03T10:48:00-07:00 http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/not_dead_yet/ http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/not_dead_yet/#When:17:05:00Z Sorry for the silence, but between work and the political minefields and fundraising delights of Cooking with the Wounded, time is limited.  Not helping that anytime I log on to try to get something up, I’m having to deal with the spammers/spam attack underway.  Frankly, just about disgusted enough to turn off registration, but when I do get comments they tend to be good, and the discussions are what make blogging really work for me.  More soon, I hope.  Blogging 2010-03-02T17:05:00-07:00 http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/into_the_light_andrew_koenig/ http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/into_the_light_andrew_koenig/#When:10:50:00Z The topic(s) raised by this deserve a fuller discussion, but that is for another day.  For now, my thoughts go out to the parents and friends of Andrew Koenig. I’ve met his father a time or three, and to him and his wife, my sincere condolences.  May the light shine down on all those left behind, comfort and warm them, and guide them through the dark days ahead.  LW News, Obituaries 2010-02-26T10:50:00-07:00 http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/reminder_if_you_are_blocked_or_baned/ http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/reminder_if_you_are_blocked_or_baned/#When:11:26:00Z The spam attack continues, and so does the draconian registration system.  If you try to register and are blocked, banned, etc. and are a real person and not a miserable scumsucking sawed off khavian of a spammer, then drop me a line at the e-mail addy there in the sidebar.  If you are one of those low-life lower-than-pondscum spammers, then go play in traffic.  Thanks. LW Blogging 2010-02-21T11:26:00-07:00 http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/fuck_you_ioc/ http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/fuck_you_ioc/#When:19:57:01Z Okay, the thugs out to grab every penny they can diligent supporters of trademark rights and bane of any who would dare infringe (or even remotely think of infringing) on said trademarks, copyright, or any other “right” they can claim no matter how tenuously are at it again.  The IOC went after UVEX sports for daring to note without proper protection payment to the insatiable maw of the IOC that Lindsey Vonn won the downhill and was wearing their product.  The response was pure poetry.  Never been a real fan of the summer games, but grew up watching and eager for the winter.  There was something about watching Jean Claude tear down the slopes, the long jump (let the women compete you sexists!), the biathlons, and even figure skating.  Between various actions of the IOC over the years and things like Tanya Harding, well, it’s just not the same and not real anymore.  If you really want me to stay up and watch, send everyone associated with the IOC down their “killer” luge track (starting with the assholes who are now saying it’s not the run it’s the poor quality of the athletes at fault and then with the IOC lawyer involved in this latest fiasco).  I’d pay to watch that, especially if they then send the survivors back down until there is only one clear winner… The Olympics are a mockery of what they once were and what they are supposed to be.  While I respect and even like some of the participants, the games and those behind them stink of rot and corruption.  Just my two cents worth. LW General 2010-02-20T19:57:01-07:00 http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/some_random_thoughts_on_complexity_and_tolerance/ http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/some_random_thoughts_on_complexity_and_tolerance/#When:11:47:00Z I really need to expand this when I have more time, and link back to some older posts, but some quick musings for consideration. On the whole, I’ve had fairly good luck in choosing good friends in my life.  I’ve occasionally made mistakes, as would anyone, but for the most part I’ve chosen surprisingly well.  This is not to say that all my friends are likable, for they are not; they are not all even nice people, for some would not qualify; nor, is any one of them the same person I knew when I first met them.  If they were, they tend to be no longer friends as change is an inevitable part of life.  A person who does not grow or change is dead, literally or figuratively, and as such are no longer a part of my life.  Nor are those who fail to grow in a positive way still friends of any type, though some may still be very distant acquaintances.  I miss the ones who are dead literally, and I always have hope for the figurative… The world of social networking and media is introducing me to a world of new acquaintances.  For those new to me or the site, I should note that I tend to break people into friends/acquaintances and true friends.  True friends are people I can pretty much count without having to take off my shoes, for they are the people I trust at my back, to have my life, and even with my death.  The rest are great to know, and the fact is I love to meet new people as one always learns something and is exposed to different viewpoints, new facts, new ideas, and more.  Some of the new is simply fantastic, and enriches life on an order of magnitude such that the rest doesn’t even begin to take away from it.  Some of that other, however, is mindboggling in the depths of hatred, bitterness, and lack of reason.  I was reminded of that other yesterday when someone I follow casually on Twitter posted an extremely bigoted comment about those belonging to the Tea Party.  I’ve not paid attention to most of their posts before, as I was focused on a specific area/interest, and in checking their comments I was—alas—unsurprised at the vitriol, bigotry, and flat-out hatred shown.  I sent them a quick message to the effect that I was Tea Party (as much as I am any party), that I don’t follow bigots and blocked them as I have no desire to be associated with the hatred and intolerance shown.  When I say I was unsurprised, it was because I quickly saw that they were “progressive.” If life has shown me anything it is that those who fall in the quadrant that includes “progressive” and associated areas (you need at least three dimensions to model politics, five seems to be better IMO) have the least tolerance, least sense of humor, and least reason of any political class.  For all that they decry facism and such, it is this quadrant that demands lockstep and groupthink, and reacts strongly to any deviation from their norm.  They attack quickly and without thought any deviation or perceived intrusion, much like a colony of ants.  They also are the most antithetical to the concepts of individual liberty, individual responsibility, and freedom out there.  These are the people who make the wildest claims, and then are shocked when you disagree and horrified if you offer citations or other proof in a discussion.  If you counter, especially with facts, they move to change the subject, end the conversation, or otherwise move along.  If you insist, you can and will be accused of yelling or being hateful for simply being forceful (and not loud).  They then will claim that they had the superior position and did you a favor by not engaging.  They feel, and feelings trump facts, so there!  I got a good laugh out of this person, for after I blocked them I was made aware that they were very indignant and vindictive.  No surprise.  In point of fact, they knew that I had been trying to get Cooking with the Wounded on The Ellen Show so they immediately claimed to have contacted Ellen to “warn” them that one such as me (evil, racist, ignorant savage, etc.) was trying to get on via subterfuge.  Love it, as they did me a huge favor and probably increased chances of getting on.  I, too, contacted The Ellen Show and admitted that I was an evil person supporting the repeal of DADT, equal rights, etc. To me, the clearest sign of lack of rationality out of various political persuasions is the avoidance of complexity.  Be it in discussions of policy, events, etc. as noted above, or in evaluations of people, those that fall in the anti-freedom contingent demand a one-dimensional model.  They try hard for a single set world, and reluctantly take a binary world:  black/white, good/evil, like me/enemy.  The world is a complex place, problems are complex, and anyone selling a simple solution is usually wrong or a con looking to get rich quick off you.  I should link some of the posts soon, but this Tea Party supporter also believes as a result:  discrimination is wrong; anyone who can do a job and do it well should be allowed to do it, regardless of race, gender, etc.; marriage is the right of the church (whatever religion) and government has no business being in the marriage business, so if you can find a church that supports your union go for it (all unions should have the same laws applied to dissolving said union as well); what goes on between consenting parties is none of anyone else’s business (age is lousy way to determine consent, as we all probably know someone in their fifties who lacks the brainpower to form consent to pick their own nose, much less anything else); publicly supports the repeal of DADT (see Blackfive archives, I don’t care if the medic is gay or not, only if they will make me better or not and if not keep them the hell away from me); and, frankly, much more.  Not enough time, and no time to link back and/or discuss the details (which is where the fun lies).  I should also note that I don’t call myself a Christian, though I was raised in the Methodist church and became an Episcopalian later (why should Christianity, which gets bashed enough as it is, get blamed for my failings?), and have gone on to develop some decidedly pagan beliefs as a result of my theological studies.  My beliefs are my own, and as a result are complex.  I also consider myself an independent (small-L libertarian), and detest when the political power structure demands that I register as either democrat or republican, as if those are the ONLY two choices.  I am a defense and fiscal conservative, proudly classical liberal (no connection to the modern Liberal belief) on social matters, and unabashedly pro-individual liberty and responsibility.  I try to do right by others, offer kindness and help where warranted, and have no obligation to bail you out if you made a stupid mistake (any more than you have a right or obligation to bail me out i I do).  I very much believe that the government that governs best governs least.  If you can’t or won’t deal with the complexity, buh-bye.  Wish I had more time, but this will do for now.  Let the flames begin.  LW Philosophy, Food For Thought 2010-02-18T11:47:00-07:00 http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/tips_for_inexperienced_drivers/ http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/tips_for_inexperienced_drivers/#When:14:39:01Z After giving some minor assistance at an automobile accident last night, allow me to offer the following suggestions to younger or otherwise inexperienced drivers. 1.  When turning a corner and seeing flashing lights ahead, slow down. 2.  When someone is in the road doing a flashlight back and forth (not up and down), slow down and stay in your lane.  Swinging out of your lane is not a good idea. 3.  Seeing both of the above and speeding up is not good.  It does not impress anyone else other than yourself and the person with you (and a big maybe on that).  In fact, it is not only unimpressive, it makes you appear to be an idiot, a threat, or both—and that can cause bad things to happen.  4.  I said it above, but will say it again:  stay in your lane.  There is obviously some constriction/restriction ahead, and moving into the other lane so as to block what little traffic there is generally confirms you are an idiot and gets you called—with justification—interesting names by all parties.  5.  When you do get to finally pass through, go where Officer Friendly directs, not where you think you should go/want to go.  Going behind where he points and almost hitting him does not endear you to Officer Friendly or anyone else working the scene.  While it didn’t last night, it can, in fact, get you pulled over for a thorough check, inspection, etc.  Frankly, I’m amazed Officer Friendly was as kind to you as they were, as I would have been a bit grumpy had you come that close to hitting me and failed to obey very clear directions.  6.  If there are other options for getting where you want to go, even if not terribly convenient, then turn around and take them.  Especially if you are not an experienced driver.  Just some thoughts to share, particularly with the obviously inexperienced and generally clueless.  LW General 2010-02-14T14:39:01-07:00 http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/thoughts_go_out_to_huntsville_area/ http://laughingwolf.net/index.php/site/thoughts_go_out_to_huntsville_area/#When:12:08:00Z The Huntsville, Alabama, area has twice now been my home.  It is a scenic area, there are a number of good people there, and there is a fair bit to commend it despite what can only be described as a horrid politico-power structure there.  Yesterday, that area was rocked by the second school shooting in a matter of days.  The first was a student shooting, and yesterday was by an academic at UAH.  My thoughts go out to all in that area, especially to those who have suffered loss or injury in these shootings.  While the local structure is already blaming possessed and obviously evil inanimate objects, I lay the responsibility with those who perpetrated these outrages.  People do things.  Other people suffer as a result.  I ask you to keep those who now suffer in your thoughts, prayers, meditations, or whatever you do.  May the light shine on them, guide them, and guard them now and in the days ahead.  LW News 2010-02-13T12:08:00-07:00