New mp3s, laws, a book, a name and the end to the war

Greetings all!

Boy there's a lot for me to unload. I'll start with that particular image. The Apple. As in Apple Macintosh, the accursed (and yes, I know they are good for the graphically inclined) maker of macs. Suffice it to say, I've never been a fan. Don't get me wrong. I've used them but usually at schools who bought them cheaply because Apple thought it would incite parents to buy them for their children. This idea never really caught on and Macs have remained the red-headed stepchild for years. And just like like the proverbial sibling, they're really flashy but lack substance.

My reason for vilifying Apple know no limits. I detest iPods and even more so, itunes. Why? Well, besides the fact that there are better mp3 players out there that get a whole lot less press (and don't have the slick and snazzy marketing campaign), I just don't like the idea of an apple product in my home (I do have to admit I own a couple of Apple accessories that work on PCs). I also think itunes is revolting due to the fact that I cannot control the content I purchase in the same way if I bought the hard copy itself. I can download it but it will only play in itunes unless I burn it onto a cd, then rerip it on to my pc. Ugh....

I own a Dell Desktop and a Gateway laptop. Not that I'm a fan of those brands either but they aren't macs. Frankly, the Dell is only a Dell in name only (the insides are mine, I just use the case). I own a 30GB Creative Zen Vision: M which sadly is nearing the end of its life. I also am a suscriber to eMusic. If you haven't heard of this site, check it out. They are not about contemporary pop music like Akon and Christina Aguilera. Rather they specialize in independent and less popular genres like jazz, classical and older shite that is cool. True Audiophiles move past current music in search of the obscure aan forgotten. I will listen to everything. To look at my library is a test of endurance. It runs from Bach's organ music to Japanese rap to Glenn Miller and gothic. I even have a slew of environmental sounds, old radio plays and soundtracks. I have a cd library to match and consider myself legal. Some stuff was downloaded back in the day but I've since moved past that. EMusic has helped me build a library of big band, folk and even polyphonic music. EMusic has grown to add audiobooks.

But itunes was still the place to go for current music like the aforementioned Christina Aguilera. I say was... because on September 25th, Amazon started up its on wing of mp3 downloads (and its in Beta). They offer songs at $.89-$.99 apiece. This is a competitive price since Apple's itunes is roughly the same. However, where Amazon rules is the album pricing. It runs about $8.99 or less for current drivel and $6.99-$7.99 for the stuff I'm currently interested in like Bing Crosby, the Dale Warland Singers and Debussy (don't ask about Debussy. Actually, I'll tell you as a classical music buff that classical is a very seasonal genre. Listening to Debussy and other late Romantic composers in the fall is best. Stravinsky, Saint-Saens, Rimsky-Korsakov, Shostokovich, some Chopin, non Nutcracker and 1812 Tchaikovsky, Holst, and Ravel are great listens in October. Debussy's Claire de Lune sparkles regardless of the season, however. Stravinsky's Firebird Suite is excempt from the autumn as it is a spring juggernaut. You'll note the lack Germanic composers though Chopin was Polish (as was Tchaikovsky, too). Most composers on the list are Russian or French... I'm getting away from my point). This is music to my ears. They are DRMless and better yet, highly mobile! I've already downloaded a bunch of Dale Warlad, Anonymous 4 and 4 cds worth of ol' Bing. His non-Christmas stuff. I'll attack Count Basie tomorrow! Regardless I couldn't be more thrilled. To add to my already enormous World War II collection is a treat.

Moving on, I actually have really become absorbed by the war. The war as in World War II. It begs the question. We are currently embroiled in a rather unpopular war that requires little sacrifice for the civilians other than those whose send loved ones to fight. There are no war bonds to buy, no metal to salvage and ration books to use. And yet, without the hardships of the 40's, we complain. Gas prices are too high, FEMA is a mess and the press is a confusing mash of ambitious political hacks. Its no wonder I dream of Edward R. Murrow, Winston Churchill and FDR fireside Chats.

But like nationalist sentiment and the allure of scratched, sepia-toned photos, there is something wrong with my fascination with the War. It was not a romantic time. It has been romanticized through film, song and anecdote. Vietnam vets looked longingly at that war and wished theirs had been like it: Just, right and necessary. What hurts is that there isn't such a thing. War is dirty, rotten, hellish, surreal and agonizing. No one, conquerer or conquered comes out without some rather nasty scars. World War II left many and its a shame that we lose so many veterens every year. They are wonderful people who sacrificed so much and deserve our undying respect.

Regardless, we look at it without the reality of what the sense can truly tell you. Looking at photos of crematoria at Auschwitz without really seeing it begins to become a problem when Holocaust deniers begin to get attention. We need to continually re-evaluate the war and its effects on the world we know. We need to look at it without the romanticization of time. With the romance comes mythology and eventually the war becomes not how and who fought or even why, but what we imagine it was and idealize it to be. Otherwise it will become like Victorian age. We have glossed over the human suffering that took place in the name of the Industrial Revolution. We read Dickens now and forget how very real the conditions were.

Because of this, I was glad that Ken Burns made The War. In 7 installments we look at the war through the eyes of those who lived it and experienced it. I had never known about the slaughter of Nazi soldiers near Normandy as they were trying to retreat. It is so obscure that it is difficult find any documentation. Anyways, those who didn't watch it... what's wrong with you? It will be replayed. View it just for the poetic and elegant Sam Hynes of Minnesota (the Woodrow Wilson Professor of Literature Emeritus I might add. He taught at Princeton after getting his PhD!). Listening to his words alone makes it worthwhile

While I go through reading books on the war and listening to its music, I also am reading up on its slang. There's a book out called FUBAR (which I might add looks similar to the US Army's FM 21-76: the Survival, Evasion and Recovery Field Manual). In here are not only the American GI and Gyrene slang but the British & Aussie as well as German, Russian and Japanese. There are some interesting entries such as Khaki-Whacky and cackle fruit. The oft-argued about and aptly, the book's title, FUBAR is included. It states in the text that it stands for Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition. There are several arguments about this term. One being that it is Fucked Up Beyond Any Recognition or All Repair or Reason. I was raised by two Sailors who both were raised by former military men. It was always All Recognition to me which by the way I learned at a very young age ;).

But here's a conundrum: was it really used in WWII? My father maintains that it was not. He claims it was coined in Vietnam. A good many things were coined in 'Nam but I never believed him. It gets mentioned far too many times in film and literature alike prior to Vietnam to be from there. The book does not shed any light on this perplexing mystery. However, in the introduction, author Gordon L. Rottman (somewhat ironically named) asserts that many terms predate the war and were coined during the American Civil War or in other countries. Well, thats a different frame of mind. No one had ever thought it might be older than the War! He also mentions that terms were from various other walks of life and professions such as farming even! Again, not a possibilty in my mind. Usage seemed so entrenched in World War II lore that I failed to envision a very different circumstance to its birthing.

I began to do a search for the origins of the fabled FUBAR. SNAFU, the name of this blog, was also included in this search (And in case you do not know what SNAFU means, it is Situation Normal (or Nominal as a good Marine might say), All Fucked Up.) In Google Answers, it says that it came from the Fuchtbar. THis I find hysterical as there is a plot within the World War II-era film Saving Private Ryan where Captain Miller's rangers tell the translator they're saddled with that FUBAR is German. Poor kid looks it up but cannot find it!

"Lieutenant Dewindt: FUBAR.
Private Reiben: FUBAR.
Sergeant Horvath: FUBAR.
Captain Miller: FUBAR
Private Jackson: Y'all got that right.
Corporal Upham: I looked up fubar in the German dictionary and there's
no fubar in here."

It also states that phone booth repairmen used it when they went out to sites to communicate over less then preferable quality back to their bosses. FUBAR and SNAFU were easily heard and quickly said. I wanted more corroboration than Wikipedia however. I continued but I could find no other reference for this storied beginning to the overused term. I did find it interesting that Wikipedia listed other R-words that also turn up such as rescue, recovery, reality, and redemption.

I also found an interesting entry: SUSFU. This is related to FUBAR and SNAFU. SUSFU means Situation Unchanged: Still Fucked Up (By the way, I haven't been saying Fouled instead because it was Fucked. Get over it!). I was wondering about changing the name of this site to SUSFU. Things haven't changed despite the sweeping elections of democrats last year who were dedicated to bringing our troops home from the war. Problem isn't that they can't get things done. The war cannot end. Not as we envision it. It may take decades which frightens me to tears. It may end as it did in Vietnam with a helicopter atop the embassy and Bing Crosby's White Christmas being the signal to drop everything and scram.

I don't know. I'll give it some thought. I'm going to bed. Turning in.... Smoking Lamp is out!

FUBAR on SNAFU

Heh. Interesting day today. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (محمود احمدی‌نژاد) visited Columbia University in New York. He was invited to the campus to speak before going to the United Nations General Assembly tomorrow. Its likely that the speech he gave today will be what he'll give tomorrow.

He questioned why the Palestinians should pay for the crimes of Germany. He also said that he thought the way the US managed the world is wrong.

Before he got the chance to speak, the president of the University, Lee Bollinger, had plenty to say, much of it insulting, about the leader after defending the school's decision to host Ahmadinejad on Good Morning America today. He said "Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator". He also told the president that there is no reason to research the holocaust: "The truth is that the Holocaust is the most documented event in human history".

Despite he past claims that Israel should be wiped off the map, he would not go so far as say that here. The likelihood he would not escape New York City with his life or something like it may have been a motivation for the omission. He did comment that the Palestinians deserve self-determination and free elections. To read more on this, there's a large article on CNN.

See that? POTUS?! What a weird name, right? Well it's a new channel on subscription satellite radio service XM radio. This channel is on number 130 and will likely have a 14 month or so life. This will take it through the election of the President of the United States next November. That's right, POTUS stands for the President and his (her) title. After previews and such it has finally gone on the air. Yay!!! If you're a subscriber, tune in!

Recently, maybe today, there was a story about protest songs. Back in the day, there were heaps of songs protesting the Vietnam conflict. One such song was "Save the Country" by the 5th Dimension. Apparently, there is a line in the song that refers to the Kennedy's:

"Come on, people
Sons and mothers
Keep the dream of
The two young brothers

Take that dream
And ride that dove
We could build the dream
With love, I know"

It made me pause. I forget, and I think many people do, how much of an affect the Kennedy's had on the country. I dunno...

Marcel Marceau, the famous French mime, died at the age of 84, on September 22nd. He left no last words.

Back on this day in 622, Muhammad completed his pilgrimage or Hegira. This would be the first on many for Muslims. It continues today and is a major tenet for Muslims the world over.

In 1664, the Netherlands surrenders New Amsterdam to England. It is now known as New York.

In 1890, The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints denounced polygamy with purpose being Utah becoming a state. It never goes truly out of practice and the debate around the practice continues to this day.

On this day in 1906, US President Theodore Roosevelt made Devil's Tower the first national monument.

In 1957, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower orders the 101st Airborne to go into Little Rock to enforce desegregation at the high school there.

And in 1991, Nirvana released their album Nevermind. Rock music would be never be the same.

عصر بخی

Asr be kheyr!
(That's "Good Evening" in Farsi)

Where the hell have I been??!??

If you read this and were annoyed that I stopped blogging, I apologize. Several things happened and I shall break them down as succintly as possible:

1. FINALS! Yes, there was finals and I was stressed beyond all measure. But I got out with an A, 2 B's and a C. I call that a good semester. I can do better, however.

2. I had things to worry about like the holidays.

3. I worked a ton during the break.

4. I really didn't care but I did remember. I cannot use the lame excuse of forgetting.

5. I rediscovered my love for all things Galactica, Firefly and Science Fiction novels in general.

So as you can see, I just wasn't ready for running a blog of this nature. Speaking of "nature", I want to add that nature is fucking cold right now. It's like 10 and were happy for 10 here in Minnesota.

Besides that, I want to ask what is the nature of this site? I must reiterate that I basically posted a mission statement right at the top of this page. See it up there? I will, however, restate it now in a different form. I will try, to the best of my ability, to distill local, state, national and international politics, economics and downright newsiness for you my loyal reader (as in there is 1 of you). I aim to add my own opinion (when I feel warranted) and to analyze pertinent facts and events surrounding a particular story, developing or otherwise. I will not let my own political bias hinder my ability to attack those who need attacking, i.e. politicos who just plain screw up. Or CNN or Fox for being media... well, the media. The media just sucks anyways...

I'll admit that I have a healthy fascination for the weather (and weather reporting... there's some real comedy in that, let me tell ya), spies, International bodies like the United Nations, Anderson Cooper, weird crimes, idiocyncrasies that bother me, stupid politicians and history. I like to ground each entry in "back in the day" sections. I feel knowing what others were experiencing on this day in yoner year (oh, alliteration...) is helpful and also reminds us that others trod this grund before. Sometimes there are startling acheivements, disasters, battles or just plain oddness. I like the oddness.

There are some bits of news I failed to make any comment over the intervening 43 days. This was an oversight on my part. Here is a list of news items I failed to make a comment on and may try to make up for my apathy/lack of time:

1. Saddam Hussein was executed. The Iraqi government hung the former dictator in a fashion unbecoming to most western nations. His corpse was danced about by Shiites celebrating his recent demise. On Fox, a particularly amusing graphic was displayed showing his corpse. On the left side of the screen was Saddam "Alive", and on the right, his "dead" body. I couldn't help but be befuddled and amused by this. It reminded a friend of a moment in a film when someone was sorting dead rats and saying "alive"... "dead". We believe it was Transylvania 65000.

2. Gerald Ford died. He was never elected President, but nevertheless, led our country througho ne of its darkest periods. He also open the military academies to women. And pardoned Nixon. The flags will remain at half mast for another week or so. (Yes, I said half mast not half staff...)

3. Barbara Boxer v. Condoleeza Rice. What?

4. Donald Trump v. Condoleeza Rice. Double What?

5. Trump v. Rosie. eh....

6. The Next Harry Potter will be "The Deadly Hallows". That's hallows like hallowed ground, hallowed be his name and hallowe'en.

7. Pinochet, Chilean dictator, died at age 91. No one cared and it only rated below Harry Potter and The Don.

8. Tim Johnson, a US senator, was hospitalized with a mild stroke. Before he was even evaluated, US news outlets were already discussing the possible return of power to Republican hands. They weren't even waiting to see if he died.

9. Ex Russian Spy turned British citizen and author (and Muslim), Alexander Litvinenko, was finally covered in depth by 60 Minutes. About bloody Time!

10. Denver shut down for snow: $Billions. Holiday travellers stranded in terminals on stiff, smelly cots: ^#$^ %&#!!!! Laughing at my sister for moving there and claiming they hardely get any snow there: Priceless.

Back in the year 1265, The English parliament convened at the Palace of Westminster for the first time.

In 1892, the first game of basketball was played at a YMCA in Springfield Massachussetts.

And the Nazis, in 1942, agreed on the "final solution" to the European Jewry. The result was the holocaust the significant impact on world politics, culture and geography.

That's it from my end.

"You with the wells... GET OUT!"

Chad (تشاد) has taken the step to order oil firms out of it territory. Chevron Texaco and Petronas (from Malaysia... those wonderfaul towers belong to them) have been given their marching orders because they failed to pay taxes. Exxon Mobil is the only remaining oil company and the rest of the will be controlled by the state. I thought President Idriss Deby had taken a page from the book of Bolivia's President Evo Morales. If so, good on him.

Iran (جمهوری اسلامی ايرا) still claims their nuclear facilities are for peaceful energy only resources. One cannot help but distrust the oligarchic theocracy. They do not have a great record and their President challenges the existence of the Holocaust. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (محمود احمدی نژاد) continues to say nuclear weapons are not on the table while touring a Heavy Water plant in Arak (اراک). The BBC quotes him as saying "There is no discussion of nuclear weapons. We are not a threat to anybody, even the Zionist regime which is a definite enemy of the people of the region." Supposedly this plant will also be beneficial to health institutions as well.

In Gaza (again) Israel (מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל )made some interesting airstrikes. They dropped some ordinance on a Reuters van. Two journalists were injured. The IDF claims they were driving suspicious and in a combat zone. They also claim it was not clearly marked but "the armored car was clearly labeled as a media vehicle, with signs on all sides, including the roof". Good job boys!

Up North in Canada, the leader of that country's Green Party is calling for a renogotiation of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). Elizabeth May, elected at a convention on saturday, compared the free trade deal to cancer by saying "unlimited economic growth is the ideology of the cancer cell". In other words, economic growth should be checked rather than be free wheeling. Gotcha.

Remember a few days ago when Pluto was still a planet? Not anymore! Now, just like Plan B, there are opponents to this unthinkable decision. Some scientists find it embarrassing. There are of course those who believe its the right way to go. Because of new technologies there are other distant objects that rival Pluto's size, new definitions must be written and agreed upon. Though this makes sense, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) waited until the end of the convention in Prague to vote on the resolution. Most of the delegates weren't there had left. Of the 2,700 attending, only 424 voted. That's roughly 15.7%. Hardley a majority. We'll see what happens to poor Pluto. I still think we've pissed off the Plutonians who will one day strike back with their death ray.

Last but not least, I want to chime in on George Will's declaration that Article 9 of Japan's constitution be reconsidered. For those that do not know, General MacArthur wrote the Japanese constitution back in those dark occupation years and in it was a stipulation that Japan (日本国)could not have military forces. It could retain some for self-defence (自衛隊) mind you and it needed it considering China (中國) and later Korea (조선) and Viet Nam. However, the events in the past decade or two have raised the amount of self-defence Japan must do. Its budget for said self-defence is "$45B". That's enormous. We, the United States, are supposed to provide the bulk of defence but with two wars and various conflicts and operations, that is untenable. Will, writing for the Washington Post, asserts quite correctly that the time has come to change things. With increased tension in East Asia and the long ongoing dispute over Taiwan (中華民國), there is a need for Japan to be a true military power again. Its dubious they'd go a mad rampage of the Pacifc since they are predominantly pacifist. They beat us economically anyway. Will also keenly points out that we need a pro-American ally. Japan is that ally. Just adding my two cents.

On this day back in 55 BCE, Julius Caesar landed in Britain. It would never be the same.

On this day 15 years ago, Moldova declared itself free of the USSR.