tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383723878052306612024-03-05T19:22:47.968-06:00Midnight SprintAN ONGOING DISCUSSION OF THE MUNDANE, MODERNITY AND MALFEASANCEMidnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-46602301480636483732010-03-26T12:27:00.003-05:002011-01-08T10:10:04.255-06:00A satricial essayAfter receiving a link to Paul Krugman's recent OpEd piece "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/26/opinion/26krugman.html?emc=eta1">Going to Extreme</a>" I wrote up this satirical response:<br /><br /><br />What does some Nobel Peace Prize winning economist writing for some liberal rag know about A-mur-ik-a? Nothin'. Just like a liberal to take a handout from a foreign country, cuz he hates the USofA!<br /><br />Glenn Beck is a man of the people, even if he is Mormon, and he told me that the Democrats are tyrannical-socialist-<br />communist-Nazi monsters that are going to send me to death panels while they practice witchcraft and drink the blood of all the babies they kill every year. A man of the people wouldn't lie, only weak-willed closet Muslim-socialists and gays lie; only people that go to churches that preach social-justice lie. Jesus hated social justice, but you know who loved it? Hitler, Stalin, and Mao! All loved social justice and all evil - how do you know? Because they didn't wear an American flag pin, that's how.<br /><br />Besides, Fox News interviewed 4 old people and they didn't want the new health care bill to pass, that's a 100% disapproval rating!! 100>50 and I know that's true because I saw it written on Sarah Palin's hand! You just don't like the cross-hairs of justice aimed at you because you want to take away our right to bear arms; placing gun-related markers on the office of public-elected officials in retaliation for passing legislation through legal means is not provoking violence, it's standing up for our God-given right to blow a 6-inch diameter hole into whatever animal or minority we see trespassing on our lawn! Just like you yellow-belly liberals to try to take away my guns.<br /><br />I don't care if Dwight Eisenhower, Teddy Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln wouldn't recognize their own party anymore. We don't need them. We have Pat Robertson, Baby Jesus, and Rush Limbaugh! Real American Heroes!<br /><br />Now if you'll 'scuse me Pinko, while I go drink my tea 'cuz I'm a Tea Bagger a.k.a. I love everything about America except what I disagree with a.k.a. a true Patriot; even if the lefty conspiracy writers say the original Boston Tea Party used the tea as a symbol of tyranny and anti-democratic ideals from England that needed to be destroyed to send a message that we prefer freedom.<br /><br />But I don't believe that bull-honky for one minute because in Texas, all we did was learn about how the Founding Fathers were God-fearing Conservative Christians- that's what a masonic Deist means, right? - that loved Ronald Regan and startin' wars and hated free-thinking and progressive ideas.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-22165211676500654752009-05-04T14:19:00.005-05:002009-05-04T15:02:48.239-05:00Fartleks: April 2009<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Director's Cut commentary track on the most memorable Tweets of the month:</span><br /><br />warrenellis: Okay, now I need to find some clothes. Wait, no I don't -- I'm a writer!<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">It's funny cuz it's true; oh to have the life of a [famous and well-paid] writer</span>)<br /><br />warrenellis: Menacing foreigners is tiring, thirsty work. Time for a pint of espresso, and to sit and think about the world. (And take off my pants.)<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">Even though it was three days later, Mr. Ellis was still part of the No Pants lobby. My love for this one can be found in the first sentence; the idea of going out and 'menacing foreigners' is funny to me. I suppose that is because I'm not the one being harassed.</span>)<br /><br />warrenellis: HATE! HATE, I SAY! NNNNG HATEGASM<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">Mr. Ellis was expressing his anger re: Twitter's recent inability to handle their new popularity. A 'hategasm' is a good word; I think I shall use it.</span>)<br /><br />aplusk: I just tried to update my twitter status by programming my microwave. and I'm pretty sure it @ replied me<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">I actually laughed out loud when I read this tweet. At times, Mr. Kutcher throws out a gem that makes following him, and his frequent tweets, worthwhile.</span>)<br /><br />warrenellis: No-one ever gets me a death ray as a holiday gift.<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">Given Mr. Ellis' admitted fetish for menacing foreigners, it is probably for the best that he isn't armed with villainous weapons.</span>)<br /><br />oopspow: How come Cyclops never uses his laser eyes to just saw peoples' heads off from like 200 yards away? That's what I'd do.<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">This tweet not only asks a good question, but lead to a brief back-and-forth re: the Summers brothers and Phoenix. Geek much? 'Nuff said.</span>)<br /><br />oopspow: @schuettn Shueyville got a new Pope?<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">I must give Adam praise for his witty response to my tweet that proclaimed white smoke was rising from Shueyville. A religion joke gets two thumbs up.</span>)<br /><br />schuettn: White House on high alert after protester tea bags the White House. http://is.gd/sDDL<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">The 'scrotal humor' as Jon Stewart referred to it was too much to pass up. The entire tea bag protest was ridiculous; the Republicans continue to act like children after losing the White House.</span>)<br /><br />ThatKevinSmith: And I don't mean queer in that awesome, mano y mano cock-sucking way. I mean queer as is "He's super-queer for Gretzky." Old school queer.<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">Offensive and funny; sure to be a party favorite!</span>)<br /><br />Inksmith: Angelina, seriously, mix in a condom, maybe a pill, and stop trying to bring half of Africa over here one child at a time.<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">The celebrity adoption fetish is disturbing. What is wrong with adopting American children?</span>)<br /><br />warrenellis: It's one of those "lift skull-lid and pour Red Bull on my naked brain" days.<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">It just so happened that I could really empathize with Mr. Ellis on that day. Hopefully the Red Bull-straight-to-brain method avoids the upset stomach and bad after taste I get from Red Bull.</span>)<br /><br />StephenAtHome: fun-sized candy bars? they're slaughtered before they can grow to full size--what's 'fun' about that?<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">A fun play on words that led to a chuckle from me.</span>)<br /><br />StephenAtHome: this is not supposed to be its own tweet. it's a support-tweet for the previous tweet. good job, previous tweet.<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">Again, just another chuckle inspiring tweet from Mr. Colbert.</span>)<br /><br />schuettn: Sent in my time sheet and my resignation from the Daily Iowan. $20/mo ain't worth it.<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">It was a long time, or so it felt, coming. I was never an editoral writer for the money, but the time it took versus the low wages and budget problems they have made the entire thing too onerous to keep with it.</span>)<br /><br />schuettn: My dog likes pretzels; in other shocking news, the Cubs are losing, Pujols hit a HR, ppl die needlessly in Iraq, and our President is black.<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">Oscar will eat almost anything that isn't a raw vegetable, that's why this is funny.</span>)<br /><br />neilhimself: Is there anywhere I could order a clutching dead zombie hand that would stand up to midwestern outdoors weather? It's to perk up a headstone<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">From anyone else this might be a very odd and concerning request. From Neil Gaiman, it's par for the course.</span>)<br /><br />Inksmith: Lapsus Calami, now with commenting abilites! Same great suckage, without the discouraging indifference!<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">A funny and self-deprecating plug for Nate's new blog. <a href="http://lapsuscalami.tumblr.com/">http://lapsuscalami.tumblr.com/</a> </span>)<br /><br />warrenellis: You know what I need? Another cigarette, and to punch myself in the junk eight or nine times. Be right back<br />warrenellis: Not at the same time. I might drop my cigarette.<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">Funny cuz it's true</span>)<br /><br />oopspow: Took some vitamins yesterday, which perfectly achieved their one desired effect: neon green urine.<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">Personally peeing a color reserved for Gatorade is always a bit alarming, but the tweet is on-point.</span>)<br /><br />escapepirate: Storm's comin'. I can hear (and feel) the thunder in the distance. The last ribbon of sunlight is swallowed by the gathering darkness. Rain.<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">So ominous and brooding... must be all the hate pirates are getting lately.</span>)<br /><br />warrenellis: Swine flu reaches Australia: Australians unsure how to deal with something they can't fuck, drink, deport or barbecue<br />(<span style="font-style:italic;">Another offensive and hilarious tweet. More on topic is the utter hatred I have for the alarmist media coverage of the swine (yet-can't-get-it-from-eating-pork) flu.</span>)Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-66456739213756805992009-04-23T12:47:00.004-05:002009-04-23T13:09:41.669-05:00UIMT does it again...UI doesn't careThe 2008-2009 mock trial season has finally come to a close. All of the evidence has been submitted and the jury has returned a verdict. Northwood University from Midland, Michigan is the new national champion. Congratulations to Northwood!<br /><br />UIMT finished a strong season with another top 5 finish. The 1271 team ended the tournament tied for second place after facing Claremont McKenna College, University of Alabama-Birmingham, University of Pittsburgh, and University of California-Berkeley. 1271's only loss was by one point; they also had two ties. Four points stood between 1271 and finishing 8-0. Ravi Narayan earned an All-American Attorney award on the defense, while his teammate Kaitlyn Evans just missed the honor by one point on the plaintiff.<br /><br />A young 1272 team finished with 2.5 victories; Kathryn Beary finished her first season of UIMT with All-American Witness honors on the plaintiff. <br /><br />Once again UIMT finishes in the top 5 (this stretches the streak of Des Moines top 5 finishes to seven). In fact, since the 1999-2000 season the Hawkeyes have finished in the top 15. Of course, no one in Iowa City seems to care. The press release went out and even the Daily Iowan ignored it. Surprising? No. The back-to-back championships in 2002 & 2003 were greeted by a blurb that was barely too long for Twitter.<br /><br />Every year we succeed despite a lack of funding or campus support outside of the Honors Department. The tournaments get more expensive, farther away, and yet the students continue to pay out-of-pocket. The dedication and determination of the students is admirable and inspiring. However, the burden is categorically unfair to the students.<br /><br />Debate has a room at the Communication Center for all of their materials, trophies, and practice needs. UIMT practices in hallways, our trophies gather dust in basements, and our case materials clutter trunks. <br /><br />I have no grand notion that my diatribe will amount to anything. It is a shame, however, that the University is likely to lose a great program in the near future and no one will care or fight to keep it alive. With my pending departure to Ohio it's likely UIMT will become a student run program with no connections in AMTA and no guidance on how to argue the law or succeed in the mock trial archetype. A program I helped build will crumble without so much as a whimper from the University.<br /><br />I understand budgets are tight, but a university is supposed to be about building strong skills for a bright future. Mock trial promotes teamwork, public speaking skills, analytical thinking,and complex problem solving skills. At least it does right now; in a few years students around the country will continue to hone crucial skills that will help them in their careers. In Iowa City, the University will continue to care more about the drinking students do privately than aiding a program that creates stronger students and successful alums.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-13049578647204039132009-04-23T12:22:00.002-05:002009-04-23T12:25:23.874-05:00I'm BackWell... the resignation is in and I'm no longer working for the Daily Iowan Editorial Board. <br /><br />I had some fun, met some really interesting people, and now it's time to move on. One can only write about chicken ordinances and blindly ignore the death of the newspaper industry for so long before you can't take it anymore.<br /><br />I will try to think of some weekly columns to post in the coming days. <br /><br />Any thoughts would be appreciated.<br /><br />It's nice to be back.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-8394623542855122222009-03-31T10:57:00.004-05:002009-03-31T11:26:35.607-05:00Fartleks: March 2009<strong>The Director's Cut commentary track on the most memorable Tweets of the month:</strong><br /><br /><u>schuettn:</u> Living in the Midwest is like being in an abusive relationship with Mother Nature. Today she's saying she's "sorry & has changed."<br /><em>(Being a Midwestern means waking up to 60 degree weather and going to bed with 30 degree ice storms. Mother Nature is a real bitch, and she knows it.)</em><br /><br /><u>schuettn:</u> With such a deep fantasy baseball league, my draft strategy is going to like Hamas: pull the trigger and hope I hit something of substance.<br /><em>(Appropriate? No. But it did aptly describe my fantasy draft strategy. The season starts this weekend!)</em><br /><br /><u>schuettn:</u> I love Monday crosswords; it always makes me feel smart.<br /><em>(Unfortunately, yesterday, my intellect was weighed, measured, and found wanting by the crossword.)</em><br /><br /><u>schuettn:</u> Smoke rings are a simple pleasure in life.<br /><em>(It's small victories for me. Hookah smoking is a guilty pleasure.)</em><br /><br /><u>escapepirate:</u> Bizarro SAMSON. (So I'm not all that versed in biblical spelling...)<br /><em>(Instant Classic)</em><br /><br /><u>escapepirate:</u> Not good with small talk, or chit-chatting. My responses: "uh huh" and "yep."<br /><em>(It's funny because it's true.)</em><br /><br /><u>Inksmith:</u> Evidently Rudy Giuliani was mayor of New York on 9/11! Who knew? He should have mentioned that in his campaign.<br /><em>(It's funny because it's not true.)</em><br /><br /><u>Inksmith:</u> See ya, Coach K. Don't let the door hit you in the nose, you arrogant tool. You and your spoon-chested cracker-assed team.<br /><em>(I also twatted/tweexed on this subject, but this was more apropos. Coach K felt the need to criticize Obama for filling out a bracket; perhaps he was just sore the President picked UNC? It seems with good cause.)</em><br /><br /><u>Inksmith:</u> Snow, why are you here? Go somewhere else. Mother nature, youre a worthless cunt.<br /><em>(Great minds think a like; idiots never disagree. The moral? Mother nature is bi-polar)</em><br /><br /><u>schuettn:</u> Feeling refreshed like an Irish Spring; oh wait I use Dove...Feeling freshed like I was just released from an animal-filled ark<br /><em>(I thought it was witty. Besides, mixing modern commercials with the Bible is fun for all ages!)</em><br /><br /><u>warrenellis:</u> good morning sinners<br /><em>(Funny because it's true, part II)</em><br /><br /><u>schuettn:</u> Doing my best to save the economy one take-out meal at a time.<br /><em>(Exotic India is very tasty. Unfortunately, my economic bailout plan will also lead to me needing an aortic bailout eventually.) </em><br /><br /><u>escapepirate:</u> In the mood to fight futuristic robots with a hammer while the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.<br /><em>(I don't ask... I just chuckle.)</em><br /><br /><br />**Yes, I know I am copying Escape Pirate's "Escaping Thoughts" with this segment but at least it will keep me posting here**Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-69010810061029245472009-03-18T11:37:00.002-05:002009-03-18T11:42:27.782-05:00Quick PeekThings have been rather hectic lately. Preparations for the pre-national tournament for collegiate mock trial sucked up most of my time that I wasn't working multiple jobs or sleeping. <br /><br />This week is a bit better because the University of Iowa is on Spring Break, meaning no practice to be had. I can finally get back to the gym without feeling like I'm letting down my students (okay, so it's an excuse to not go to the gym; sue me). <br /><br />However, tomorrow the wifey and I leave for Ohio. It's part business-part pleasure. I will be the AMTA rep at the Hamilton ORCS and we will be checking out Oxford as a potential future home. Big weekend!!<br /><br />I intend to keep better accounts of my thoughts and goings-on (again); perhaps I will have more time when the mock trial season is over in mid-April. I suppose my busy life is partly my fault, if the team wasn't successful our season would have ended in February.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-18800204864885369452009-02-04T08:37:00.004-06:002009-02-04T08:42:26.102-06:00DI Reprint: 02-04-09 (Part 3 of 3)<b>Shadowboxing the Bush Doctrine</b><br /><i>Part three of a three-part series</i><br /><br />"We seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect," proclaimed newly inaugurated President Obama to the world. Specifically, Obama prefaced this statement by addressing "the Muslim world." If Obama can turn his words into policy, then the next four years will be a stark contrast to the last eight. The neocons at the helm of the Bush administration were too focused on their Middle East domino-democracy theory to consider whether their grand plan was respected or in the interest of the people whose countries they occupied. If Obama wants to win the war against the "far-reaching network of violence and hatred" referenced in his speech, then he will have to reclaim the respect our country has lost in the global community, especially in the Muslim world, since our invasion of Iraq. <br /><br />The cycle of violence and charged rhetoric promulgated by the Bush Doctrine cannot be easily undone. For seven years we have forced our agenda on the world without asking. Our war on terror has pushed the attacks from our shores to the streets of Kabul and Baghdad. The Bush Doctrine has set in motion a cycle of violence that needs to be completely thrown off course, not just held in abeyance, if we are to be safe from the Sword of Damocles that demented men such as Osama bin Laden hold over the free world. If we continue down our current path, there may never be an end to the acts of reprisal, and we may never regain our moral standing in the global theater.<br /><br />The perfect example of the cyclical war that could continue between the United States and the militant jihadi organizations can be found in the Holy Land. Hamas terrorizes Israel through rockets; Israel bombs Gaza, so Hamas lobs more rockets - rinse and repeat while civilian deaths mount. Israelis insist they are just defending themselves, but killing Gazan civilians only leads to more street-level support for Hamas' defiance of Israel and galvanizes Hamas' recruitment efforts. Israel's pre-emptive and disproportionate responses aren't going to end the cycle of violence; it only adds fuel to the fire.<br /><br />The United States' foreign policy toward the Middle East must rebrand itself. If Obama's administration aims to truly "reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals," then it's time we stop paying mere lip-service to the ideals of freedom, equality, and tolerance in our foreign policy. The Bush administration promised democracy and freedom in Afghanistan; now, we are considering giving the Taliban back at least a portion of control in the government. As soon as the neocons could fabricate WMD in Iraq, we abandoned a poor and war-torn Afghan populace to their own fate.<br /><br />We heralded our policy as progress and a battle against evil; meanwhile, we continue to pay the oppressive Saudi government billions. We consider an Egyptian government that has been in "a state of emergency" for decades, led by an "elected president" who aims to pass on the office of president through nepotism, a democratic ally in the region. We snuffed out the democratically elected government in Iran, ushering in the Islamic Revolution.<br /><br />If we want the people of the Middle East to believe that the United States is more than the "Great Satan," then Obama must follow through on his promise to promote mutual respect and mutual interests. We must supplant hypocrisy with accountability. The Bush administration chastised - even threatened military force - against Iran and Syria for supporting terrorism, yet we continually fail to hold Saudi Arabia and Pakistan accountable for the Salafi and Wahhabist factions within their borders that provide aid to such terrorist groups as Al Qaeda. Why should the Muslim world trust us when we left the Afghans to the warlords, arm Israel's use of disproportionate force, and turn a blind eye to some corrupt governments while admonishing and sanctioning others?<br /><br />In the end, however, change in the Middle East must be a homegrown movement; it cannot be forced upon the region. Appealing to the virtues and elements that are established in Islamic jurisprudence or a Qur'anic Sura will foment support faster than forcing Western enlightenment philosophy onto the region. Islamic scholars have written volumes on the importance of acting just and fighting corruption. The Prophet Muhammad wrote one of the world's first constitutions in Medina. Democratic principles should be repackaged as the Islamic concepts of ijma (consensus) and shurah (consultation). The rhetoric must be refocused on local terminology and should embrace Islamic values and culture instead of promoting a clash of civilizations.<br /><br />Hopefully, Obama will heed his own words, "our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead … our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause."<br /><br />Originally published in <a href="http://media.www.dailyiowan.com/media/storage/paper599/news/2009/02/04/Opinions/Shadowboxing.The.Bush.Administration.part.3-3611186.shtml" target=_new>The Daily Iowan</a>Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-91256475383586485922009-02-03T09:07:00.005-06:002009-02-04T08:41:10.863-06:00DI Reprint: 02-03-2009 (Part 2 of 3)<b>Shadowboxing the Bush Doctrine</b><br /><i>Part two of a three-part series</i><br /><br />The parallels between the Bush Doctrine and Al Qaeda's Islamist jihadi doctrine extend beyond military tactics and strategies. The "war on terror" is more than a physical battlefield; it is an ideological war as well. The no-compromise military strategy used by the Bush administration and Al Qaeda also extends to their rhetoric, once again creating a never-ending cycle of conflict.<br /><br />The national-security strategies of 2002 and 2006 detailed then-President Bush's long-term and short-term goals regarding the "war on terror"; conversely, Al Qaeda detailed its goals through a series of letters and speeches to the American public. Both sides made it clear through their rhetoric that the final battles in the "war on terror" will be for the minds of the people. Bush commonly referred to this ideological struggle as the "battle of ideas."<br /><br />The rhetorical tactics, weapons if you will, used in the "battle of ideas" are strikingly similar. The core elements of both parties are dualism, a duty to defend, protection of core values, and triumph through cultural expansion. It is at the point of intersection between these four themes that the rhetoric and propaganda are at their most powerful; it is within this nexus that the "battle of ideas" is being waged.<br /><br />In a game of persuasion, the advocate must portray her or his side as the morally just or empirically valid position in order to present the most persuasive argument. Without the vilification or invalidation of the adversary, the audience may weigh both sides of the debate equally, a fatal proposition for winning a rhetorical exercise. The "battle of ideas" follows the same road map. The Bush administration and Al Qaeda are quick to condemn the beliefs and actions of their adversaries. Each presents an argument designed to efficiently demonize its "evil" enemy. Thus, the rivals are quick to classify the "battle of ideas," usually by way of historical analogies, as a part in the eternal struggle between good and bad, light and dark, and heaven and hell. Thus, any action taken on behalf of the "good fight" is just; conversely, any action taken against the "good" is malicious and wicked. The brilliance of the duality scheme is that there is no in grey area; neutrality is just as sinful as opposition. <br /><br />The process of vilification is a prerequisite for the subsequent self-appointed label of "Great Defender" employed both the Bush administration and Al Qaeda. Without a malevolent adversary threatening the core values and people of their respective society, the need for a "Defender" is nonexistent, and the use of a first-strike defense policy is unjust. Both organizations present their cases to the world that they were attacked first; war was brought to their soil, and thus, they must respond to save their respective societies. However, each side is careful to represent itself as more than a legally - be it based on Shariah or the U.N. charter - justified defender. A legal right has a logical and legally defined course of action and conclusion, whereas moral obligations are nebulous appeals to subjective reasoning leaving more room for broad interpretations of what is "necessary" and "warranted" in the face of evil. Water-boarding, extraordinary rendition, and attacking noncombatants are presented as defensible means to a just end, ignoring the fact that they are illegal and no less "evil" than the initial terrorist attacks or economic sanctions that lead to the deaths of Muslim children.<br /><br />While the Bush administration and Al Qaeda substantially differ on political, sociological, and economic policy, they agree on the fundamental pillars of society. For both organizations, the principles of freedom, justice and human dignity are worth defending even if it means the use of force and a great loss of life. In the end, both adversaries are fighting to "defend" the same core principles of society. Unfortunately, they wage war to defend the principles as interpreted by their respective societies, rather than a global community. Thus, the freedom Al Qaeda fights for means the subjugation of American values. It's not human dignity we "champion" as argued in the 2002 national-security strategy by President Bush, but American dignity. Torture and killing civilians does nothing to further dignity, freedom, or justice within America, the umma, or globally.<br /><br />Whether it is categorized as "expanding liberty," "advancing freedom," "bringing democracy," "establishing justice," "defending the oppressed," or "enjoining the good," both doctrines present victory to be reliant upon the abrogation of their adversaries core values with their own. If cultural domination is the death blow, then the self-imposed "moral defender" label turns out to be nothing more than a pretext for cultural expansion and homeland propaganda aimed at ensuring popular support for aggressive military policies. In the end, the Bush administration's rhetoric justifies the ridiculous accusation that we are waging a "war on Islam" rather than defending our right to live free from terror.<br /><br />Originally published in <a href="http://media.www.dailyiowan.com/media/storage/paper599/news/2009/02/03/Opinions/Shadowboxing.The.Bush.Administration.part.2-3609592.shtml" target=_new>The Daily Iowan</a>Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-89362456552391483622009-02-02T10:00:00.003-06:002009-02-04T08:42:07.382-06:00DI Reprint: 02-02-2009 (Part 1 of 3)<b>Shadowboxing the Bush Doctrine</b><br /><i>Part one in a three-part series</i><br /><br />In the days after Sept. 11, 2001, then-President George W. Bush and his neoconservative administration developed a modified version of the international anticipatory self-defense doctrine under the precept of self-preservation. The so-called "Bush Doctrine" was designed to eliminate all current and future threats to American military personnel and civilians. However, the "war on terror" as implemented by the Bush administration was not a viable option to accomplish the very goal it continually espoused, protecting the American public from future terrorism. Seven years later, Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri remain at-large; Al Qaeda continues to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq; and the threat of harm to American civilians abroad still exists, as demonstrated by the recent Mumbai terrorist attacks.<br /><br />For the last seven years, the Bush administration has waged a war on its own reflection. While the media and the White House went to great lengths to portray our "war on terror" as an unambiguous battle of good versus evil and a straightforward example of self-defense against provocation, a more in-depth examination of the strategies and tactics employed by both the United States and the jihadi Islamist factions reveals significant similarities between the quintessential adversaries. Militarily and rhetorically, the two foes employed strategies that were mirror images of each other creating a never-ending cycle of violent acts of reprisal.<br /><br />At their cores, both the Bush Doctrine and the jihadi military doctrine are self-defense strategies; both doctrines are modified versions of an anticipatory self-defense doctrine. The Bush Doctrine is a modern adaptation of the Caroline doctrine; Al Qaeda reinterprets classical jihad jurisprudence to justify its military operations. The common revision in both doctrines is the reshaping of the "threat" element of anticipatory self-defense. A state must face an imminent threat that leaves the state with no time for deliberate or alternative means of defense to justify the use of preemptive military action. Without a threat, an "act of self-defense" is unwarranted. The jihadi defense doctrine requires Muslims must be attacked because of their faith for aggression to be justified.<br /><br />In order to justify the use of force, both the Bush Doctrine and Al Qaeda's doctrine argue that the threshold is not an "imminent threat" but an "emerging threat." No longer must the United States or the umma, the worldwide community of Muslims, be a victim of an attack to justify the use of defensive measures, a threat of violence is sufficient to justify force; a first-strike policy is portrayed as a defensive response. Thus begins the bloody tit-for-tat cycle of violence in the "war on terror"; reports of a pre-emptive strike by one adversary are viewed as an emerging threat by the other. Unlike the Cold War, in which the threat of an armed response created a stalemate, the "war on terror" uses the threat of an armed response as justification for using "defensive military force."<br /><br />Perhaps the acts of pre-emptive force could be better contained and force a tenuous Cold-War-like impasse if both doctrines didn't also espouse "guilt by association." Al Qaeda, and other jihadi Islamist factions, continually equates the actions of Israel against the Arab world with those of the United States. This amalgamation is evinced by the recurrent label of "Zionist-Crusader coalition" by bin Laden when he references the United States. The "guilt" is also extended to any of America's allies, as evinced by the bombings in Madrid, London, and Baghdad. No country that aids the United States in their "war" will be safe. According to the speeches of bin Laden and al-Zawahiri, you are either with them, or against them. Sound familiar? Bush said, "We make no distinction between terrorists and those who knowingly harbor or provide aid to them." Rightly, the Bush administration made clear that the United States was willing to defend itself and its allies from terrorist activity. In other words, the United States is willing to defend its "umma" from outside threats.<br /><br />It is not my intent to argue that the rationale or morality at the foundation of these doctrines is the same. Clearly they are not equivalent. Rather, my comparison rests in the means by which each doctrine intends to achieve victory. Both doctrines are designed to reject compromise and reconciliation; victory is attained only through vanquishing the Great Adversary. If both doctrines espouse a determination to continue their struggle, their jihad, as long as the enemy or threat of harm exists, we must examine whether the means will ever achieve the desired end. Punching your reflection in the mirror isn't going to destroy your mirror image; it will only shatter and fragment the glass. The Bush Doctrine may have kept America's shores safe over the last seven years; however, it failed to secure long-term stability and protection from terrorist threats.<br /><br /><br />Originally published in <a href="http://media.www.dailyiowan.com/media/storage/paper599/news/2009/02/02/Opinions/Shadowboxing.The.Bush.Doctrine-3607854.shtml" target=_new>The Daily Iowan</a>Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-84878812462774533812009-01-13T11:17:00.002-06:002009-01-13T11:32:37.690-06:00Revisiting the PastIt's not uncommon for my current playlist to go through substantial shifts in genres and/or eras. My playlist isn't always a direct reflection of my mood. I rarely use music to deal with emotional swings. My selection of songs is more accurately a reflection of the activity I am participating in while listening to my Zune or laptop. <br /><br />Recently, I have been revisiting bands who were at their peak in the 1990s; the mid to late 1990s is a more accurate as most of these bands were at their height of stardom while I was in high school or early college. Most of the bands of that era have a "Best of" album on shelves. Instant top 40 gratification. <br /><br />Currently on rotation on my laptop are The Cranberries, No Doubt, Stone Temple Pilots, and Eve 6's first two albums. The latter band pushes the playlist into the new millennium but the style of music is still very late 1990s. So far the mix has been quite enjoyable; non-radio favs are always fun to rediscover, even 10-15 years later.<br /><br />I'm still waiting for the Bush "Best of" album to drop. Perhaps Gavin is too busy with his new pop album or just wants to forget about the glory years; however, I wish there was a concentrated playlist of Bush singles and best songs. Most of the time I find a song on a compilation album I didn't even know/had forgotten was sung by that artist. (E.G. "Days of the Week" by STP)<br /><br />As more and more nineties bands seek to recapture their former glory (Candlebox, Alice in Chains, STP, Gin Blossoms, Smashing Pumpkins) it's nice to revisit the reason for their successes. From time to time I try to forecast which songs and bands will make up the future "oldies" stations. Green day seems an obvious choice given their popularity 15 years later. The remaining potpourri is a bit more ambiguous. Regardless, my sojourn back in time has been a nice break from the modern day top 40 cycle that gets overplayed on free-radio these days.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-72334074320042418262009-01-02T07:44:00.003-06:002009-01-02T07:53:46.698-06:002009 B.C.E.Well Sprinters, it's another year gone by and I'm still unsure what to do with this blog. Any thoughts would be appreciated.<br /><br />I intend to cross-post more from <a href="http://diopinions.blogspot.com" target=_new>The Podium</a> so that this place doesn't look so bleak and boring. My current project is a series I intend to write for the Daily Iowan about the Bush Doctrine and the war on the terror. It's based off of a seminar paper I wrote in law school. I will make sure I cross-post it here. <br /><br />Also:<br /><br /><li>I will be participating in a friendly "get healthy" challenge with my friend. You can check out the progress based on the chatter at his blog "<a href="http://ayearoflossandhealthpirate.blogspot.com/" target=_new>Loss and Health, Pirate</a>"</li><br /><br /><li>Hopefully I get more original pieces done this year (either here or at <a href="http://diopinions.blogspot.com" target=_new>The Podium</a>). The life with the wifey is dire need of direction for both of us and we are hoping to figure it all out in the coming months. Do we stay in Iowa? If so, Iowa City? Buy a house? Start a family (biped not quadped like our current "children")?</li><br /><br />Hopefully, before I hit the three-decade mark a bit more is settled.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-69849609555107494862008-11-23T08:54:00.006-06:002008-11-23T09:03:17.452-06:00Podium Piece Reprint: 11/10/08<span style="font-weight:bold;">A Great Weekend to be a Hawkeye</span><br /><br />By now every corner of Hawkeye nation has heard the echo of the victory drums after this weekend's historic upset of Penn State. Fans and players alike braved the cold weather under the common banner of black and antique gold, the same banner that both parties raised as thousands flooded the field after the game-winning field goal of Daniel Murray split the uprights and gave the Hawkeyes their biggest upset in the Kirk Ferentz era. <br /><br />Three hundred miles to the north of Iowa City a bevy of undergraduate Hawkeyes braved the cold for a different, yet competitive, purpose. Over thirty University of Iowa students climbed into a caravan of University Fleet Services vehicles Friday morning and drove to the Twin Cities. They returned in the dark of Sunday night victorious, even dominant. However, unlike their Kinnick-playing brethren the victory of these students will go unnoticed. Their efforts will not be covered by web sites or newspapers. Their representation of the black and gold means little to anyone but their peers and parents. The title of "undefeated tournament champion," and placing four teams in the top ten of a forty-four team tournament will, for no other reason than they don't play at Kinnick or Carver, earn these students absolutely no respect from the University community.<br /><br />Every year upwards of fifty University of Iowa students compete in a season that lasts longer than college football and college basketball combined. They spend an average of nine hours a week, all extra-curricular, honing their skills and practicing while balancing their heavy course loads and jobs. By the end of their season these students will have traveled to both coasts and many cities in between, sometimes four to five weekends in a row. Unlike their west campus peers, they pay for almost all of the expenses out of their own pockets -whereas most of their adversaries boast school-provided budgets in the tens of thousands of dollars. Distinct from their west-side peers, these students graduate - many with multiple degrees, and with honors. Contrary to their peers who play at Kinnick and Carver, over the last ten years this competitive Hawkeye squad has not only made it into post-season play, they have consistently placed with high honors.<br /><br />Even though their banners are not hung from the rafters of Carver; their accolades are not carved in brick, marble, or metal; their plentiful stock of trophies and medals gather dust in an unadorned cabinet, or various apartments closets, rather than being displayed with the fanfare of a three-story hall of fame; and even though their historical back-to-back national championships and seven year national top five finishes streak will not be used to recruit anyone to our institution, these students will continue to strive for greatness and will work tirelessly to uphold the name of "The University of Iowa." The University of Iowa Mock Trial students have pride in what they do for the University community, even if the substantial majority of campus and alumni refuse to honor their accomplishes and efforts. They bleed Black and Gold just as much as every person that was able to watch the football team win at Kinnick this weekend; and they deserve the same recognition for their accomplishments and success just as much as those that wear an Iowa jersey. <br /><br />To all the students that competed over the last month in St. Louis, Des Moines, Washington D.C., Mt. Vernon, and St. Paul, that continue to earn the respect of other schools across the country, and uphold the level of competitiveness associated with "The University of Iowa", I would like to say, "Thank you. Keep doing what you do." It truly was a great weekend to be a Hawkeye!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Originally posted at: <a href="http://diopinions.blogspot.com/">The Podium</a></span><br />Published in the <a href="http://www.dailyiowan.com">Daily Iowan</a>.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-72120639600301719862008-10-21T13:02:00.002-05:002008-10-21T13:04:57.745-05:00UpdateI am currently working for the OpEd Board of the <a href="http://www.dailyiowan.com">Daily Iowan</a>. Thus, most of my posts can be found on <a href="http://diopinions.blogspot.com">The Podium</a> Blog. A few of the blog posts have been published in the DI already. Look there for more current posts. <br /><br />I will update this site with posts from time to time.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-65779464106491366312008-10-08T09:53:00.004-05:002008-11-23T08:56:29.113-06:00What a difference a year makesHeading in to the primary season last year I would have never guessed how this election process has turned out. I thought Romney would win the Republican ticket and that Clinton was a solid lock for the Democrats. Of course, this is why I am not a political analyst, and why I don't gamble. <br /><br />Twelve months ago I wasn't even registered to vote. My view of the American political system was jaded, cynical, and bordered on a frustrated feeling of complete hopeless and powerlessness that lead to a strict stance of indifference. Two elections have come and gone since I was of legal age to vote. I had no part in either of them. I was a proud political conscientious objector. My indifference was my voice to the government. I was an educated non-voter; I followed the debates, the issues, and all of the different policies. Yet, I was never inspired to be politically active; I never felt as if there was a reason to exercise my right to vote or that my views would be heard.<br /><br />All of that changed this year. As this political maelstrom that we call the race for the White House has grown larger and larger - sucking in various politicians' careers, American integrity, ethical behavior, and billions of dollars - I decided to register to vote. This was the first race that was interesting, inspiring, and made me feel as if I should be involved since I turned 18. Bush v. Gore? Bush v. Kerry? Boring. Uninspiring. Continued hopelessness. <br /><br />This country is at a vital turning point. In 27 days, the people of this country will tell the coming generations what America truly stands for in the 21st century. At least, this is what the media tells me on a daily basis. I do believe this election is paramount, but not just because there will be a female vice-president or a minority president in the White House on Inauguration Day. <br /><br />When Barack Obama and John McCain were selected to represent their respective parties I actually felt that no matter who won, America would have a strong, bright, respectable, and ethical man in the White House to lead us through the next four years. I may be a "secular progressive". I may have caucused for Obama. But if Clinton had won the nomination, I may have voted for McCain. Not because I believe Hillary isn't capable, but because I despised the campaign she ran. My dismissal of the American political system is rooted in my hatred for misleading and false ads, politicians that stir the racial-religious-social prejudice pot, empty campaign promises and platitudes, and self-interested politicians. Certainly a candidates stance on the economy, foreign policy, and domestic policy will guide my vote; however, for me the "big issues" are just as important as whether or not I respect the candidate. <br /><br />I am a proud American. I am proud of this country's core beliefs. I am proud of what we have accomplished in this country, especially over the last 100 years. In turn, I want to be proud of the elected leaders of this country. I want to be proud of the actions of my fellow Americans. Lately, I have pride in neither. The mob-mentality of American voters over the last month has been abhorrent. The character assassinations and manipulations of social prejudices during the race for the White House has been repugnant. <br /><br />On November 4th, 2008, we will be choosing more than just an elected official. We will be choosing more than just whether or not a Republican or Democrat sits in the Oval Office. We will be choosing whether or not, we as Americans, will tolerant our leaders to be elected via unethical and socially divisive politicking. I firmly believe that when your back is to the wall, your true character surfaces. Over the last couple of weeks each ticket has its back against the wall. The finish line is insight, time to dig deep and find the strength to sprint. Both campaigns have flip-flopped - which honestly is better than being too stubborn to admit you're wrong or acknowledge that society and solutions are in constant flux - both campaigns have pointed fingers, and both have used misleading statements to woo voters. Neither side's hands will be clean when they take office; however, it is John McCain that I have lost respect for, not Obama. <br /><br />John McCain ran in 2000 as the reformer; the Maverick; the man who wasn't afraid to stand up to the Republican base even if meant he was unpopular. He stuck to his morals, his values, and it probably cost him the party domination. I can respect that. He fought for his country abroad and in Washington. I can respect that. In February, when the Clinton-machine was throwing mud and shit as fast as it could at Obama, and the right-wing media used Obama's middle name in a clear attempt to foment prejudice McCain denounced Bill Cunningham's "Barack Hussein Obama" mantra. I can respect that. Hell, I can vote for a man like that, even if he means "four more years of Bush in office" - and I foster extreme dislike for Bush, the Neo-Cons, and the Bush Doctrine. McCain's "Country First" slogan seemed real. Yet, today, I am left asking what happened to that John McCain?<br /><br />In the last week he has had multiple opportunities to take the high ground, and failed to do so. When someone shouted "terrorist" at his rally he should have denounced the defamatory comment then and there on national TV. The use of Obama's middle name is a much more subtle reference to extremists and "evil"; yet, McCain quickly killed it. Where is that John McCain now? Multiple reports of derogatory comments by supporters at McCain/Palin rallies have been reported; even the possibility of a death threat - it doesn't matter if it's a real threat or not - was screamed at a rally in Clearwater, Florida. Accusations of treason have been lobbed at Obama. These are serious and frightening events. A person that values "Country First" and promises "Change is coming" should squash this uneducated, juvenile, bigoted, and odious behavior quickly and decisively. Instead, McCain's ads and silence only galvanizes and condones the bigots, the extremists, and the hate-mongers. What kind of America is he putting first? Does he want to be in the White House so badly that he is willing to ride the votes of people that believe Obama is the Antichrist, a black who doesn't know his place, or an Arab terrorist secretly plotting to give the United States over to his Muslim cabal?<br /><br />I used to have a lot of respect for John McCain. I embraced his nomination instead of another puppet of the Christian Right; however, I was embracing the bipartisan John McCain circa 2000. The McCain that challenged Bush, the established Republicans, the Neo-Cons, the Christian Right, and stuck to his own beliefs over the clear desires of his party base. I was embracing the John McCain that confronted unfounded accusations and dirty political games head-on. A real Maverick would have told the Christian Right to get lost and would have nominated Lieberman instead of Palin. A real Maverick would tell his supporters that if they are voting for him solely because he's white, that he doesn't want their vote. A real Maverick would take the high road even if it's a harder and ultimately a losing road to the White House. A real Maverick values his own ethics and morals over political office. A real Maverick would accept losing if it meant that he was still respected. A real Maverick wouldn't want to win if it meant he was guilty of character assassination and galvanizing uneducated bigot rhetoric. A real Maverick brings positive change of reform through his actions and not just paying the lip-service to the idea through a campaign of platitudes and promises. <br /><br />I wanted so hard to believe that McCain v. Obama would be different. I wanted so hard to believe America was ready to usher in a new era of open-mindedness and tolerance - that we truly are the greatest nation on Earth. I would have really enjoyed a race between McCain circa 2000 and Obama. I would have really enjoyed having to toil with who to vote for in my first time in the booth. I would have really enjoyed being proud of both candidates. I would have enjoyed believing that politicians do care about "Country First" instead of themselves and their cash flow. I would have really enjoyed seeing America change for the better. I really wish I still had "Hope" that "Change is coming."<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Originally posted at: <a href="http://diopinions.blogspot.com/">The Podium</a></span><br />Published in the <a href="http://www.dailyiowan.com">Daily Iowan</a>.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-60782234326663444352008-09-24T11:44:00.005-05:002008-09-24T12:09:36.979-05:00The loss of a "friend"Last night I was "de-friended" on Facebook by a high school classmate. I haven't actually seen this man in over 10 years; Facebook was the only "interaction" we have had in the last decade. I will admit that lately the correspondence has been one-sided, and perhaps even a little aggressive - but it's an election year, right?<br /><br />In the course of the last month I have responded to various attacks on the Democratic party by "friends" who post items or notes through Facebook. My attacks are never personal, and usually nothing more than an attempt to play Devil's Advocate or counter the partisan post. My language is never vulgar; my arguments never defamatory. I view the interaction as an attempt to exercise the my right to free speech and the necessary process of political discourse when it is brought up in a public forum; especially in an election year with as much pandering, platitudes, and potshots as this race has witnessed.<br /><br />I don't usually respond to Facebook notes, items, or even pictures. I may peruse the various posts of my friends, but rarely do I voice my opinion on political issues on Facebook. This summer has seen a stark change in my reserved behavior; mainly due to a lack of anyone else trying to fight the clear fallacies spread about Obama - this includes Obama himself, causing me much ire. <br /><br />My first real venture into the political debate with - for all intensive purpose - an almost complete stranger was last month when I fired back at posts by a friend's sister-in-law. The sparring went back-and-forth with red herring and straw man arguments from her side, and simple questions of where she found her information from me mixed with challenges of her arguments. In the end, I was told I was childish and if I didn't didn't like her posts, then I shouldn't read them. She claims she has a right to post as she sees fit because of the First Amendment; evidently, I don't have a right to rebut her claims as I see fit under the same Constitution.<br /><br />My other sparring match was with the aforementioned "casualty" of Facebook friendom. This gentleman posted snide comments about Obama's campaign being like China for boycotting and protesting a radio program in Denver during the DNC. When I countered his argument that no free speech was being silenced and then brought up the RNC riots and arrests of reporters, he never responded. He would post notes and items attacking Obama and I would riposte leading to no response until last night.<br /><br />Why post items on a public forum such as Facebook, if you cannot handle defending your positions? I have posted many articles recently and I willing to discuss with any willing person as to why I posted them and discuss the arguments contained within those op-eds and news articles. It's not a matter of "if you don't like it, change the channel", so much as it is "if you can't handle the heat, then get of the kitchen."Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-32430895482529361392008-09-24T11:35:00.005-05:002008-09-24T11:44:34.244-05:00Just when you think you're out...Well Sprinters, I'm back. Oddly enough, it's been exactly a year since I posted last and what a year it has been.<br /><br />The presidential campaign, cowardly media, slanted radio hosts, financial crisis, and continued Middle East turmoil have pulled me back into the blogosphere. This time, however, I'm angry. Angry at the politicians that gave me hope, angry at the opposing politicians for being so self-serving even at the cost of America's success, angry at the media for letting the politicking, smears, blatant lies, and bigotry go unpunished, angry at Americans for being so blind, partisan, and cowardly, angry at our government for letting the average American drown in debt while bailing out corporate execs, and angry at myself for how powerless it makes me feel. <br /><br />The mad dash to midnight seems looming and the race has picked up pace.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-41606154818404891282007-09-24T11:11:00.001-05:002007-09-24T11:15:35.508-05:00Ramadan Challenge UpdateHello Friends,<br /><br />Well I'm not too good at the Ramadan thing. I am about 4 <em>ajiza</em> behind and fasting is completely out the window because of a nasty chest cold. <br /><br />I still fully intend to catch up on the <em>ajiza readings</em> and finish the Qur'an cover to cover. I will have more time in a few weeks to play catch up during my international flight and my more relaxed schedule in Paris. <br /><br />While in Paris I hope to see the Parisian mosque. I will probably wait until after Ramadan though as not to interrupt.<br /><br />Later my fellow sprintersMidnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-60351388100691222122007-09-14T10:22:00.000-05:002007-09-14T10:54:40.157-05:00TGIFFIt's not uncommon to stumble across articles ranging from lovable and quirky to downright bizarre during the week. <em>TGIFF</em> - Thank Geebus, It's Freakin' Friday - is an amalgamation of short blurbs dedicated to the oddities I stumbled across during the week.<br /><br />----------------------------------------<br /><br /><strong>Arrested for a-SALT-ing an officer</strong><br /><br />A quick-serve restaurant employee in Georgia was arrested for <a href="http://www.dailyiowan.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&uStory_id=a41bbbe3-51c6-4ce6-b967-16ebd2697030" target=_new>over salting</a> hamburger meat. The young lady was charged with reckless conduct after serving a police officer with over salted meat. The office became ill after eating the burger and came looking for answers. I doubt the arrest will stand in another example of abuse of power by the police force in this country.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Darwin's Starch</strong><br /><br />It seems the reason the human race may have succeeded over other primates can be found in potatoes. Yes, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6983330.stm" target=_new>potatoes</a>. Our ability to break down starch could be the reason we out performed our primates cousins. Shouldn't Idaho be the most advanced state in the nation then?<br /><br /><br /><strong>Look out Wii</strong><br /><br />It was only a matter of time until gamers got even lazier. As if it's not bad enough the paddles turn off the console now, new game systems may eliminate the new to even move our thumbs to play the game. <a href="http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/news/2007/09/bci_games" target=_new>Brain waves</a> will communicate with the game to move your character. Some are worried the game will takeover the brain of the gamer. Isn't that already the case with World of Warcraft and Everquest?<br /><br /><br /><strong>Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's engineered</strong><br /><br />Japanese schoolgirls are taking eye make-up to the next level. <a href="http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/magazine/15-09/st_jsgw" target=_new>Engineered lashes</a> are the new rave in Japan. Perhaps it's only a matter of time until the lashes have the messages you can program like the fans. Then when a girl blinks she can tell us guys if it's flirting or dirt.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-47770629433081225562007-09-13T12:11:00.000-05:002007-09-13T13:18:11.820-05:00Tawhid: 13-Sept-07 ed.<em>Tawhid</em> is a series on the Middle East, Islamic jurisprudence, and Islamic theology. The word "tawhid" (TAW-heed) roughly translates to "unity" or "oneness".<br /><br /><br />----------------------------------------<br /><br /><br /><strong>The Ramadan Challenge</strong><br /><br />Sundown 12-Sept begin the Islamic month of Ramadan in 2007. This holy month is believed to be when Muhammad received his first relevation from Gabriel in the year 610 CE. Every year Muslims around the world celebrate this month through fasting and prayer. Because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar the month of Ramadan starts on a different date each year (vis-a-vis our Roman calendar).<br /><br />Observant Muslims fast from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan; smoking and sexual relations are also to be avoided during the fasting period. Age, illness, travel, and menustration are acceptable reasons for not observing the fasting period. Travel and menustration usually are treated as temporary stays in fasting, with most observant Muslims "making up" the fasting, prayers, and Qur'anic readings after the end of Ramadan.<br /><br />Concomitantly, most observant Muslims seek to read the entire Qur'an during Ramadan. The Qur'an is broken in up into chapters and verses (<em>suwar</em> and <em>ayat</em> respectively in Arabic) much like the Judeo-Christian Bible. However, if you read the Qur'an you are not reading the <em>suwar</em> in chronological order - the order in which they were revealed to Muhammad. Instead the Qur'an's layout is by lenth of the <em>surah</em> (the singula form of <em>suwar</em>). The <em>suwar</em> decrease is length as the Qur'an progresses. The only exception is the first <em>surah</em>, - The Opening/Prologue - the Islamic analogue to the Christian Lord's Prayer. This <em>surah</em> is recited during daily prayers and is a statement of the Islamic faith.<br /><br />In order to facilitate the completion of the Qur'an during the month of Ramadan the Qur'an is read in 1/30 sections called <em>juz'</em> (<em>ajiza</em> (pl)). <em>Juz'</em> do not run <em>surah</em> to <em>surah</em>, as the Qur'an contains 114 <em>suwar</em>. <br /><br />Last year I tried to fast and keep up with my <em>juz'</em> readings. I failed to complete the process for the entire month, falling about 12 days short. My fast ended because of illness, and my readings failed when the fast ended. This year I intend to again try to keep up with the Ramadan readings and fasting. I will admit now that my fast will end early and that I intend to drink water during the day - thus my fast will not be a true fast - as I am still not 100% healthy. My wedding and honeymoon fall within the month of Ramadan. Travel is the excuse, however I don' t know that I will "make up" my fasting days. However, I intend continue with reading a <em>juz'</em> per day. <br /><br />I challenge my readers to keep pace with me, thus the tile, "Ramadan Challenge". An online copy of the Qur'an in English can be found <a href="http://quod.lib.umich.edu/k/koran/browse.html" target=_new>here</a> or <a href="http://www.al-islam.org/quran/" target=_new>here</a>. Most Qur'ans have a marker in them to inform the reader where a <em>juz'</em>begins and ends. Given that some English translations and the online translations do not have this marker, a breakdown of the length of each <em>juz'</em> and the corresponding <em>ayat</em> can be found <a href="http://islam.about.com/od/quranin30days/a/juz_index.htm" target=_new>here</a>. The site also has some explanations of the first couple <em>ajiza</em>.<br /><br />While I have read large portions of the Qur'an, I am yet to read the entire book. I hope to rectify that situation over the next 30 days. I hope some of you take the journey with me.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-4028903534076669812007-09-07T22:12:00.000-05:002007-09-07T22:23:57.560-05:00TGIFFIt's not uncommon to stumble across articles ranging from lovable and quirky to downright bizarre during the week. <em>TGIFF</em> - Thank Geebus, It's Freakin' Friday - is an amalgamation of short blurbs dedicated to the oddities I stumbled across during the week.<br /><br />----------------------------------------<br /><br />It's a short TGIFF this week, kiddos. I didn't have much time to stumble across weird stories. <br /><br /><strong>Beer Me</strong><br /><br />Scientists at the University of Wisconsin, of course it was in Madison, have released a study which argues that <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3266819.stm" target=_new>Guiness</a> is just as good as aspirin at fighting heart clots. Back in the day post-op patients were given the "beer you eat with a fork" to replenish their iron! Can you imagine that now? <br /><br /><br /><strong>Acupunture to a Whole New Level</strong><br /><br />A women in China went to the doctor because of blood in her urine and the doctors discovered <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6983435.stm" target=_new>26 sewing needles</a> imbedded in various regions and organs of the 31 year old woman's body. Doctor's believe the needles were stuck into her when she was little because her grandpartents were angry that she was a girl and not a boy. Interesting method of murder, the pin cushion torture technique.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-6835526144147570782007-08-31T09:26:00.000-05:002007-08-31T10:02:41.993-05:00TGIFFIt's not uncommon to stumble across articles ranging from lovable and quirky to downright bizarre during the week. <em>TGIFF</em> - Thank Geebus, It's Freakin' Friday - is an amalgamation of short blurbs dedicated to the oddities I stumbled across during the week.<br /><br />----------------------------------------<br /><br /><strong>Everything's bigger in Texas</strong><br /><br />They have their own national beer in Texas, the Alamo, and now they have a <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6972062.stm" target=_new>650 ft spider web</a> to brag about. Twice the size of a football field, the web is a dingy brown due to the massive amount of dead mosquitoes. Millions of little spiders have teamed up to create the sticky behemoth. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Stupid Human Tricks</strong><br /><br />Why is it that there are always some dumb schmo giving criminals a bad name? This week I stumbled across two inept criminal capers. What is rule number one in committing a crime, aside from don't get caught? Right. Don't video tape yourself committing the crime. It <em>always</em> comes back to bite you. Unfortunately for this <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070830/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_britain_driver;_ylt=AujRqCkPNHoOD0J3NwrDLv_tiBIF" target=_new>English Youtuber</a>, he missed that memo. <br /><br />The second asinine <br /><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070830/ap_on_fe_st/naked_man_theft;_ylt=Ag0Wusq11fa_ENwdJIhl837tiBIF" target=_new>caper</a> is just plain ridiculous. Okay, Bob here's the plan. In order to get free beer you'll run into the store naked and dance. The clerk will be distracted and we'll steal the beer... ready, break! As you might have guessed the criminals were foiled in the their plans as the clerk just called the cops as soon as a naked man started dancing in his store.<br /><br /><strong>"Chickity china the chinese chicken"</strong><br /><br />In the shadow of the looming Olympic torch, the Chinese government is trying to clean up restaurant menus and dishes, or at least <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070831/ap_on_fe_st/odd_oly_beijing_menu_names;_ylt=AtxnTmAtn6o9h4FhUhiyukDtiBIF" target=_new>Chinglish</a> translations of Chinese dishes. Scared that poor translations will scare tourists and/or give them the wrong impression of Chinese cuisine and culture the Beijing Tourism Bureau is reviewing and editing local menus. No longer will "virgin chicken," "burnt lion's head," and "steamed crap" be offered on the menu. Olympic tourists will have to settle for "crispy chicken," "pork meatballs." and "steamed carp."<br /><br />After the menus, perhaps they should start looking at the back of disposable chopsticks wrappers. There are some horrid translations on those wrappers.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Generation Ninny</strong><br /><br />A Colorado school has <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070831/ap_on_fe_st/odd_tag_banned;_ylt=ArLux47Qt.GBUHnge5Emc7vtiBIF" target=_new>banned tag</a> because "it causes conflict on the playground." Between antibacterial soap and no dodgeball or tag, we're breeding a whole generation of ninnies.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-50047670543313671712007-08-31T09:24:00.001-05:002007-08-31T09:26:00.566-05:00WowzersIt's been a busy week at work with getting a new office and some late night projects. Add in a sick puppy and mock trial recruitment and that makes for a quick and busy week. I do intend to post some <em>Tawhid</em> articles soon. <br /><br />Have a good weekend!Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-7316030053616206732007-08-24T09:55:00.000-05:002007-08-24T10:39:32.397-05:00TGIFFIt's not uncommon to stumble across articles ranging from lovable and quirky to downright bizarre during the week. <em>TGIFF</em> - Thank Geebus, It's Freakin' Friday - is an amalgamation of short blurbs dedicated to the oddities I stumbled across during the week.<br /><br />----------------------------------------<br /><br /><strong>Attack of the Ex</strong><br /><br />An English woman was sentenced to 2.5years of prison for <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/4253849.stm" target=_new>"wounding"</a> her ex-boyfriend after he failed to respond to her advances. As if it wasn't bad enough that she ripped the body part off, she then tried to swallow it before choking and spitting the flesh out!<br /><br />I would say more, but the article and actions speak for themselves. I wouldn't want to ruin it.<br /><br /><br /><strong>The Sexual Life of a Camel</strong><br /><br />This blurb takes it's title from a British drinking <a href="http://www.odps.org/glossword/index.php?a=term&d=5&t=166" target=_new>song</a>. It seems an Australian women found out the hard way that the sexual life of a camel is <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6954728.stm" target=_new>"stranger than anyone thinks"</a>. Evidently, her pet camel may have tried to mate with her, unfortunately his weight crushed her. Having ridden a camel in Egypt, I don't understand why you would want to have such an ugly and smelly creature as a pet.<br /><br />It's a further reminder of the movie <em>Zoo</em>. A movie I don't really need to think about.<br /><br /><br /><strong>The Meatball Defense</strong><br /><br />Move over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twinkie_defense" target=_new>Twinkie Defense</a>, a former NYPD detective has put further <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/23/ap/strange/main3199110.shtml" target=_new>the meatball defense</a>. It seems his wife spiked his meatballs with drugs in order to get him to leave the force after 22 years on the job. She even passed a lie-detector test and toxicologists confirm the defense is valid.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Attack of the Vulgar Monkeys</strong><br /><br />The small Kenyan village of Nachu has been under attack my a group of <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6959209.stm" target=_new>nasy monkeys</a>. Unforunately, the plight of the villagers isn't nearly as humorous as the gestures of the monkeys that they report. The villagers are in desparate need of aid from the government in order to have enough food. Mixed in with this tradegy, however, are some hilarious antics and gestures by monkeys that have researchers even puzzled. <br /><br />Perhaps those TV censors that didn't like the <a href="http://midnightsprint.blogspot.com/2007/08/tgiff.html" target=_new>hot fruit-on-baked goods action</a> in the Curious George episode should read this to realize unprotected food fornication pales in the lewd imagery these monkeys are cooking up.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Dogs Get Back at Vick</strong><br /><br />An animal lover in Missouri is using the Michael Vick dog fighting scandal to get a little <a href="http://www.wsbtv.com/news/13956705/detail.html" target=_new>retribution</a> for the dog-world. Tattered and mangled Vick cards were sold on e-Bay with all proceeds to go to animal shelters in the area. While little can be done to help the dogs that Vick and his co-defendants killed, tortured, and brainwashed to the point of being unable to re-enter domestic life - meaning all 54 dogs rescued will mostly likely be euthanized, at least some animals out there will benefit from a horrible underground culture. (If you want to read more about the dark world of dog fighting <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6960788.stm" target=_new>here</a> is a BBC article)Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-80642832245007841912007-08-23T19:57:00.000-05:002007-08-23T20:17:32.935-05:00Tawhid: 23-Aug-07 ed.<em>Tawhid</em> is a semi-weekly series on the Middle East, Islamic jurisprudence, and Islamic theology. The word "tawhid" (TAW-heed) roughly translates to "unity" or "oneness".<br /><br />----------------------------------------<br /><br /><br /><strong>New Doses of ”Westoxification” in Iran </strong><br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6960959.stm " target=_new>Iranian barbershops</a> are the most recent target of anti-Western sentiment by the Iranian government. It seems that the barbers are being forced to close and under threat of license revocation because they gave "Western" haircuts, offered tattoos, and plucked eyebrows of their male clients. <br /><br />It appears as if the Iranian government is intimating that Iranian or perhaps Islamic men must sport a uni-brow in order to remain true to their roots. They article doesn't expound upon what the Iranian government considers to be a "Western" haircut, and honestly I don't know that there is a single haircut that defines Western culture. While I was in Egypt the men's hair didn't differ greatly from the styles of men's hair in the West. <br /><br />I have read no <em>hadith</em> (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) or Qur'anic passages that forbid a man to pluck eyebrow hairs. While Muslims are supposed to practice modesty, is eyebrow plucking crossing the line into temptation? <br /><br />Continued oppression of personal expression is only going to foment further resentment of the hardline religious scholars that rule the government. If the ayatollahs wish to rid themselves of everything Western then they should get rid of automobiles, computers, electricity... you get the picture. While religoius officials certainly have the duty to regulate the behavior of their religious community, splitting hairs over eyebrow plucking only serves to diminish any remaining legitmacy the ayatollahs claim (not necessarily a bad thing if it sparks a revolution). Moreover, stories like these only serve to further paint Islam as a backwards religion and social order. If the Iranians wonder why the West doesn't think they are responsible enough to wield a nuke, perhaps they should examine the money and effort they are focusing on whether or not their citizens are plucking their eyebrows.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338372387805230661.post-57231929019270716602007-08-22T17:31:00.001-05:002007-08-22T17:32:41.242-05:00Oscar (not so much a Grouch)My delinquency this week can be blamed on our newest member of the family, Oscar. He's a twoish year old Beagle that we adopted from the Humane Society in Cedar Rapids. <br /><br />I hope to write a <em>Tawhid</em> tomorrow and I will definitely have the weekly <em>TGIFF</em> up Friday.Midnight Sprinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15012311388865439994noreply@blogger.com3