The Problem With Vegans

My problem with Vegans can be rather neatly summed up by one phrase. I can live with the often tendentious moralizing, albeit not for very long. I can also take the often insane issues about what foods are ethically acceptable, even if I find the reasoning suspect at best. However something like

Even better if I stopped being a vegan entirely, so that they wouldn't suffer with the knowledge that someone, somewhere, is enjoying a hearty bowl of split pea soup with tofu croutons.

is just wrong. I would like it if people stopped being vegans so the very idea of "tofu croutons" would perish from the Earth. I mean, really, WTF? Surely all correct-thinking individuals can agree that whatever virtues or vices may be inherent to a piece of tofu, it certainly didn't need to be tortured into the semblance of a crouton for some hippy who refuses to eat meat.

Anybody who tells me vegetarian/vegan food is just as tasty as real food has a pretty fucking huge hurdle to overcome. Tofu croutons. Yeesh.

Tecmology

New computers have arrived. I am finally able to stop using my work laptop for everything, which is really quite annoying. J has a shiny new laptop and I have a honking great desktop. I tend to treat computers much like I treat engines: I want as much horsepower as I can afford. This leads me to desktops, because the equivalent laptop usually costs you about 2 to 3 times as much money.

N is the great loser in the YPS technology sweepstakes, since all she got was a replacement laptop docking station. A new TV will be forthcoming when we move, but for now she'll have to suck it up.

Spam Ignunce

If I did, for some strange reason, have a nude video of Angelina Jolie, why would I send myself emails announcing the fact? I mean, really, are people so stupid they open emails purporting to be from themselves with obviously BS subject lines? WTF?

This is almost, but not quite, as dumb as sending me emails in languages I don't understand.

What is Your Capital?

The Time for Liberty


What has been the most interesting aspect of this Presidential campaign from the perspective of a libertarian leaning conservative, or a conservative leaning libertarian (either way) is that we've really gotten a good take on where peoples' "capitals" lie. Are you a capital C Conservative, or a capital R Republican? There are so many people who claimed to be conservatives first and not Republican party loyalists, who have proven themselves intellectually dishonest with the nomination of John McCain.

Well, not I.

I am a Catholic, a Constitutionalist, and a Conservative Libertarian...in that order. I have never missed a Republican primary since the age of 18 and have always voted for Republican party candidates because I believed that they held the closest values to my own. This November, there are many Republican candidates who will get my support and my vote. John McCain is not one of them.

A vote for Bob Barr is not a vote for the creepy communist B. Hussein Obamessiah...and Mr. Barr is not diverting votes from John McCain. Those of us who have chosen to support Mr. Barr would've never voted McCain under any circumstance. We are tired of the lesser of two evils. We are ready to truly change the course of America.

Music Hath Charms To Soothe The Savage… Shopper?

While out recently at a large chain retailer fond of sending out coupons every week, I started paying attention to the background music. I did this mainly because it gave me an opportunity to tweak my lovely and talented coblogger and spouse. As I pointed out at the time, you know your alternative-music street cred has bottomed out when the big box is playing the greatest hits off your iPod. I figure I get to make snide comments like this because the world will have gone seriously weird when the tunes on my iPod are showing up as background music outside of head shops and record stores. The latest additions to the playlist include such friendly, happy music as Combichrist, Suicide Commando, and Static X. Well, that and the Katy Perry CD. But I haven’t added that to the device because I’m waiting on new computers before I rip it. I think that CD alone blows my credibility to shreds, but I’m old and tired and don’t care much.

I could insert the obligatory old guy rant about how music today sucks and how you should get off my lawn. Instead, I’ll just reference Sturgeon’s Law and note that the old days had a whole bunch of crap being produced as well. Those of you who are even older will have to do the legwork on your own decade of choice and figure out just how much talent-free dreck made it up the charts and into inescapable ubiquity.

In other musical news, if you have a high tolerance for crap and want to hear the sound of a career imploding, go listen to the new album from Panic At The Disco. Note the lack of exclamation point, a signal that they have changed their musical style to be less exclamatory or some such nonsense. What they’ve really done is go in a direction that is almost completely unmarketable, as well as being just bad. Not that I care, as I only listen to them when J is driving. It’s just amusing to listen to a career dying.

Speaking of iPods, one of my issues with Apple, besides their lack of support for FLAC format files, was the godawful piss poor software interface they like to call iTunes. I avoided it for a long time by running Rockbox. However, Rockbox had some bugs features issues I got tired of dealing with on a fairly regular basis. So I uninstalled it and went back to using the default interface. The default includes iTunes. It annoys me no end that Apple won’t let me simply drag and drop files. So, I got rid of iTunes. I’m using MediaMonkey Gold. This has the added benefit of not needing to keep two separate directories for the different file types. MediaMonkey converts on the fly between FLAC and MP3 when I drop the song into the device. It ain’t quick at doing so, but it does it automatically. If you’re loading up the podling for the first time, it will probably take all night. After that, an album or two doesn’t take that long.

On that note, I'm off to await my insurance check so I may buy new computer hardware.

Get Bombed 3 Times

At the asscrack of dawn today, 63 years ago, the United States government ushered in the dawn of a new era by blowing the ever-loving crap out of a chunk of deserted New Mexico real estate. We understood the power of the atom and used it to turn some sand into radioactive glass. Yay, us.

In the 63 years since then, we have notably managed to not destroy all life on earth as we know it. The genre of post-apocalyptic sci-fi really dates from the Atomic Era, and so far very few of the bleak dystopias imagined have come to pass. Personally, I'm not at all disappointed.

Anyhow, in celebration of the glorious event, here's a drink recipe shamelessly pulled off the internet. I have modified it for easier understanding by non-metric drinkers.

Atomic Bomb

Take a double jigger of good beer.
Place in bottom of pint glass.
Fill remainder of pint glass with Aquavit.
Drink.

If you're a little less prone to drinking pints of mouthwash Aquavit you might try reversing the mix. That strikes me as a wee bit more palatable, but what do I know? Also, you won't end up passed out on the floor after 2 of them.

Musical suggestions to accompany the evening's libation:

Atom Bomb by Fluke
We Will All Go Together When We Go by Tom Lehrer
Atomic by Blondie

Similarly themed music may be substituted at your discretion, but these are what's on the NAS that come immediately to mind.

Now, go drink up and enjoy a Happy Trinity Day.

Sympathy Deficit

Somehow, I can't bring myself to shed a tear for young Mr. Robin . Maybe I'm just a heartless old veteran, but this is not 1962. Nobody has been drafted lately. If you are in the military in this day and age, you volunteered. Accept the consequences of the choices you have made.

Think the war is illegal? Stand up in front of everybody and say so. Take the lumps for your decision. Don't puppy out and run to Canada.

Comedy Gold Mine Erupts

As much as I despise their politics, goals, and ideology, I would like to take a moment to applaud the Green Party for the service they have provided all of us. By nominating Cynthia McKinney as their presidential candidate, they have guaranteed some great comic moments will occur this election season. Well done, Greens. Y'all aren't any closer to getting anyone to take you seriously, but you've made sure people will pay attention, if only to see what kind of disaster will ensue.

This is going to be comedy gold, I tell you. I can't wait for the whackjob conspiracy theories and punching of random people. Remember who to blame when she loses, folks. It's not the American public ignoring the watermelon crazies. It's the J.E.W.S!

I'll also note the VP candidate, Rosa Clemente, apparently doesn't realize she's not running against the current administration. In her remarks at the convention, she noted she was ready to debate Dick Cheney. Which is fine and all, but since he's not running for anything, I don't see why he would. Maybe she should be willing to debate McCain's VP pick, whoever that turns out to be. Or she could debate Wayne Root now. That'd be some quality debatin', right there.

In any event, we'll see what happens with the crazies. Further updates when they cross my radar again.