"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" — MLK
This old song is really speaking to me right now. Got no feel, I got no rhythmI just keep losing my beatI’m ok, I’m alrightAin’t gonna face no defeatI JUST GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PRISON CELLSOMEDAY I’M GONNA BE FREE, LORD!
The whole State of the Union has grown way too “cult of personality” for me. Like the General Secretary’s Annual Address to the Supreme Soviet, you see “spontaneous” 10-minute standing ovations after Comrade President introduces the next Five Year Plan (only in our case, it’s “here’s platitudes about stuff I want to do this year.”) … Continue reading “The State Of Our Union”
In Second Life, my “avatar” is Namav Abramovic. I’m involved in several projects. Heron Sanctuary (and Namav) are already getting some ink in the Second Life blogosphere. Medicaid reform activist Namav Abramovic read about people with disabilities using Second Life in the Washington Post, and logged in for the first time on October 20, 2007. … Continue reading “Helping People in the Virtual World”
Well, I’ve been alive, just distracted from blogging. In October, my computer died, and I spent nearly three weeks on mom’s old PC unable to run applications heavier than Firefox. I made the best of the situation and did a lot of reading, especially about Second Life, a 3d virtual community. What especially caught my … Continue reading “Where have I been?”
I love learning. I had to stop college for a variety of reasons (and I’m still bitter about this) but I still love learning new things. Stuff like the wonderful new technology, podcasts, help me continue learning (I can’t move my arms to turn the pages of books). I cope with my situation by trying … Continue reading “Learning History Online”
“Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind.” — John F. Kennedy Let’s take this idea “viral.”
Will The Blob Devour Us All? From this charming piece in Slate, Dispatch from Blob Fest: Though Phillips might not have intended The Blob to have a political message, she did accidentally insert an environmental warning, which was reflected in the Blob Fest’s 2007 theme: “An Inconvenient Blob.” I thought it was just an attempt … Continue reading “An Inconvenient Blob”
I saw this story the other day: By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writer Wed Aug 22, 8:58 AM ET DAMASCUS, Syria – Iraq’s prime minister lashed out Wednesday at U.S. criticism, saying no one has the right to impose timetables on his elected government and that his country “can find friends elsewhere.” Prime Minister Nouri … Continue reading “U.S. Prepares to Jettison Al-Maliki”
On this day, August 19, in 1953, the Americans and British overthrew the democratically-elected Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammed Mossadegh. Mossadegh ended (BP) British Petroleum’s monopoly over Iranian oil, and *gasp* nationalized their oil fields so that Iranians would benefit from their own resources. The Western powers, angry at being cut out of the oil … Continue reading “This Day In History, U.S. Overthrows Iran Gov’t”
Lots of people on MySpace (even presidential candidates) are making Simpsons avatars of themselves. HAHAH!!!!! Hi-larious. Here’s the Simpsons avatar of me. I used www.simpsonsmovie.com/avatar to make it, then added the beard and ventilator with Paint Shop Pro. You can also use SimpsonizeMe.com Fun 🙂 Nick
Dick Cheney in 1994: Invading Iraq Would Create Quagmire WOW. He made the exact same arguments the Dems made. He couldn’t have been more right. I wonder what caused his 180 degree turn after he became CEO of Halliburton then VP….
“People have access to health care in America. After all, just go to an emergency room.” — President Bush That’s what Bush said (as an aside) at a recent event where he discussed why he is going to veto a funding boost for the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP). Basically he said the “federalization … Continue reading “George W. Bush’s Health Care Plan”
Discovery of Middle Asia Cities Recasts Ancient History LiveScience.com Thu Aug 9, 11:05 AM ET New discoveries at dig sites in Middle Asia are rocking the archaeological world and redefining the origins of modern civilization. Numerous sites in modern-day Iran and the surrounding region suggest that a vast network of societies together constituted the first … Continue reading “New Civilizations Discovered”
Let’s revisit the whole point I’m aiming for with this blog. These quotes from Paul Wellstone sum it up well. “Politics is not about power. Politics is not about money. Politics is not about winning for the sake of winning. Politics is about the improvement of people’s lives. It’s about advancing the cause of peace … Continue reading “The Purpose of This Blog”
One always must be very careful with historical parallels; they are frequently used and abused to score political points.I’ve heard anti-immigration people saying “Rome collapsed ’cause they let in too many illegal aliens who turned on them!” Please! The Roman Empire succeeded because it was so intensely multicultural, not in spite of it. Often the … Continue reading “"Are We Rome?" Part VI: The Final Chapter”
There were many wars between the Romans and the Iraqis / Persians, too many wars to adequately describe here, one time a Roman general even defected to the Parthians and invaded Syria, but suffice it to say, neither side ever gained much territory long-term. The wars continued into the era of the Byzantines vs. the … Continue reading ““Are We Rome?” Part V: The Spoils of Ctesiphon”
Wednesday, presidential candidate Mitt Romney was campaigning in a New Hampshire diner. The waitress there has three sick children, and like most regular people, is struggling terribly to get the health care her family needs and is often not able to keep her head above the rising tide of costs. Governor Romney was there telling … Continue reading “Mitt Romney Confronted by Reality on U.S. Health Care”
Did you know that for nearly 150 years off and on, the Roman Empire fought to conquer Mesopotamia? At the time, the area that is now Iraq, Iran (Persia) and more was ruled by the Parthian Empire. What was the Parthian Empire like, and how did they collide with mighty Rome? The Parthians formed from … Continue reading ““Are We Rome?” Part IV: The First Roman Invasions of Iraq”
Bush is acting president; Cheney in hospital for battery rechargeBy Nick Dupree CAMP DAVID, Maryland (Satire) — Vice President Cheney transferred the powers of the presidency to George W. Bush on Saturday just before having minor surgery to receive a new battery for an implanted device that monitors his heart rhythms, his spokeswoman said. “The … Continue reading “GWB Will Be Briefly In Charge of the Presidency”
Obama, Richardson, Biden and Kucinich, prior to the CNN / YouTube debate Monday night. The Democratic party has become so rotted out and ineffectual that I watched the CNN / YouTube debate not from a position of sympathy but from the perspective of wanting to see them pinned down and held to account. I want … Continue reading “Nick’s Analysis of the CNN / YouTube Debate”
Does it bother anyone else that the vice president is always rubbing his hands like a supervillain scheming your demise? Every time you see him he’s clasping his hands like an evil genius, like a cartoon villain. Why does no one notice? Nick P.S. Part 4 and 5 of my five-part “Are We Rome?” series … Continue reading “Vice President Cheney Is A Supervillain”
American architecture isn’t even subtle in saying that we’re like Rome. The White House The Temple of Hercules Victor in Rome The Washington Monument in DC (left) and Trajan’s Column in Rome (right) U.S. Supreme Court Building Roman Temple of idolatry, built 19-16 BC. Still standing in Southern France. The Colosseum in Rome Los Angeles … Continue reading “"Are We Rome?" Part III: Architecture”
From David Horsey, the Pulitzer-winning cartoonist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Read the rest at Empire Rising: A Satirical History, Part V
“Are We Rome?” the book, by Cullen Murphy If you didn’t catch it, this is the video of Stephen Colbert interviewing Cullen Murphy, author of the new book “Are We Rome?” Stephen comes out in full centurion armor, with an American flag cape, which is hilarious, and the interview is fascinating. It is great someone … Continue reading “"Are We Rome?" Part I: Cullen Murphy”
Some Jews are offended by the Ride of the Valkyries, and any music by Wagner, because it was revered by Hitler, and used heavily in Nazi propaganda. I get that… But it’s still a musical masterpiece. For some reason, whenever I hear the Ride of the Valkyries, and those famous (almost Darth Vader Imperial March-esque) … Continue reading “When Zeppelins Attack”
So Hillary Clinton and John Edwards were caught off-mic after the latest debate saying that they want smaller debates, with more “serious candidates” (read the details). “They’re not serious. They’re not serious,” Edwards said.This whole concept of “serious” and “not serious” candidates and ideas really sticks in my craw. The political elite, the media and … Continue reading “Politics: "Serious" Candidates?”
I love maps. Here’s a map of who controlled things in 820 AD: States and Empires in 820 The most powerful nations at this point were the Chinese, who controlled or vassalized everything from the Caspian to the Pacific, and the Abbasid Caliphate, who in 820 invented algebra. This was the Islamic Golden Age. By … Continue reading “Political Map of World, 820 AD”
From Mom’s flickr: Then Jamie (left) and Nick (right). Jamie was approx. 4 and I was about 6.around 1988. Now Jamie (left) and me (right). Nearly 20 years later. Nick
I found this on YouTube. It is testimony from Dahlia Wasfi, a physician with a Jewish mother (who fled the Nazis) and an Iraqi father, and she has done two long visits to Iraq recently to help during the war. This testimony is riveting. She is very angry, screen-melting angry, about America invading her country. … Continue reading “Iraqi Jewish Woman Very Angry At War”
This deserved a post. I’ve been obsessively playing Civilization 4 for nearly two years. I’ve never won a game before; this (and my obsessive, stubborn nature) is why I keep playing. Usually I fall behind in technology, or have an inferior military because I spend time building infrastructure, and get left in the dust on … Continue reading “My First Ever Victory at Civilization 4!”