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What They've Thought
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What They Thought December 12, 2004 R.A.
Hawkins Click here for columnist bios |
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R.A.
Hawkins You may be interested to see what CBS has to say lately about the Internet. Before I start I’ll put the link right up here for you to peruse: Blogs: New Medium, Old Politics It seems that the chief political writer for CBS is concerned about the right-wing bloggers who helped to oust Tom Daschle, the author of Patriot Act Two as introduced. They feel there is not so much a legal problem as there is an ethical problem. There is a problem for CBS and bloggers just as much as there is one for the leftists. One of those problems is that a blogger was the one that outed their unimpeachable memo against Bush. Within a few hours, anyone with an IQ above two digits was rolling on the floor laughing at them. For CBS, bloggers continue to be a problem because they aren’t letting go of that egregious ethical snafu. One of the more amusing questions in the article was this, and I quote, “While many are must-reads for political junkies, are some Internet blogs also being used as proxies for campaigns? In the nation’s hottest Senate race this past year, the answer was yes.” After I got off of the floor from reading this, I was forced to ask a similar question regarding them and what they were doing when they released that memo. This is now known as "Memogate." It was interesting to see that for some strange reason they only seemed to be concerned with conservative blogs. There was no mention of organizations such as Moveon.org or many of the other George Soros projects. I do have to say I was quite pleased to see that George Soros was met with total failure in what he called the most important task in his life. I am also glad to see he and many of the other leftists are many million short. To them, it was probably money wasted. To me, it was money well spent. Nice job boys. To listen to the media, as we got closer to the election one would have thought there was only one site out there that was anti-Kerry, and that one was the Swift Boat Vets site. That was put together by a bunch of average guys with a legitimate beef, and it outdid Moveon.org. One site was done by a few average guys, and one was done by really big money. I doubt the left understands just yet what "grassroots" mean. To some on the left, "grass roots" are probably thought to be the part you don’t cut so you can grow and smoke some more. But back to that article before I move on to bash a few more left-wing sites: The only acceptable conclusion that can come from the blogs and the ol' "what to do" regarding them is this: They have exactly the same First Amendment rights as you or I do. That will be the end decision. Bloggers will have to be treated the same as reporters. Some of them should make press passes and declare themselves the Internet version of CNN. Many of them are actually faster on the draw than CNN these days anyway. If the nice people at CBS want to start to appear rational instead of partisan, they might want to mention some of the left-wing bloggers and sites. The article even mention a hypothetical situation regarding one paper finding out that the New York Times has a reporter who is working on the Bush campaign. There is a rather obvious conclusion in there. too. Yes, the New York Times would fire them. They would probably also commit hari kari. Let us hope. Since the air is still crackling with all of the excitement of the conspiracy addicts, here’s one for you. There is one site that claims the Pentagon wasn’t hit with a jet. As I wrote earlier, a jet hit it and the evidence is there. A French writer started the claim that the Pentagon wasn’t hit. Anyone over there that believes it shouldn’t drive or vote. But in the spirit of conspiracy growth, I have a question for the left-wingers: Why weren’t Teddy Kennedy and J.F. Kerry out in front of the pentagon playing hopscotch? What did they know and when did they know it? I was also sent a link last week to an apparently unbiased left-wing site called truthout.org. I noticed a lot of antiwar articles and there was even one by some guy claiming the marines are just killing anything that moves. When he runs for office, a precedent has been set. Talk to Kerry before you run for office okay? There were a lot of articles like that over there. I did a little investigating regarding that site and found something rather interesting about it. One Mark Ash in Los Angelos registered the site. The most alarming part was this: At about the time Mohhamud Atta and his crew of benighted freaks were shaving all of the hair off of their bodies and bathing in milk in preparation for the terrorist attacks, something else was happening. Truthout.org was created at 22:56:42 UTC on September 10th. What did he know and when did he know it? And that’s how stupid conspiracies are started. R.A. Hawkins Web Site Contact Back to Top |
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No column this week. Kerry L. Marsala Web Site Contact Back to Top |
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Jonathan David Morris: The Spies Inside My Computer, or: Why Can't This Be Love? I like how you can’t look up song lyrics online anymore, because whenever you do you get 69 self-installing spyware programs that pop up ads, install search “companions,” and generally kill your PC’s speed. I came to this conclusion a couple of days ago, when I tried looking up the words to Van Halen’s Why Can’t This Be Love? It used to be that you could get away with something like this. When I first got online back in early ‘96 (a late bloomer, I think), I was all excited because I finally had the chance to figure out the words to Weezer’s Undone (The Sweater Song), which had bugged me for two years. It seems quaint, I know, but it starts with a conversation that’s kind of hard to hear. I just had to know what they were saying. And once I did, I was hooked. This Net thing really was an “information superhighway.” Suddenly learning and looking stuff up was cool. But, of course, the Web isn’t all peaches and cream—or maybe it is, but sometimes the peaches are moldy and the cream has gone bad. I was reminded of this the other day when I typed that Van Halen number into a search engine and clicked on the first solid lead. I wanted to know if I was singing the song in my head correctly (I’d still like to know why it was in my head to begin with). The site that I ended up visiting blasted me with pop-ups; when I closed them out, new ones appeared—I couldn’t keep up. And meanwhile, behind the scenes, a more devious scheme was unfolding, as the lyrics site treated me to a bunch of those evil, self-installing spyware things. I now want to rip out my hair. A few months ago, a program called CoolWebSearch installed itself on my computer. According to Spyware Guide, “CoolWebSearch is a name given to a wide range of different browser hijackers… all used to redirect users to coolwebsearch.com and other sites affiliated with its operators.” For their part, the folks at coolwebsearch.com scold surfers for “neglect[ing] the security of their browser;” they swear up and down they have nothing to do with the insidious CoolWebSearch hijacker. Indeed, they refer to themselves as “The Search Engine You Trust.” (I wouldn’t trust them enough to link to their page as a source.) After repeatedly removing the program from my computer several months ago, only to see it magically reinstall itself two days later, I finally had no choice but to tap the mat three times and reformat the entire stinking machine. I could’ve sworn I was done with this issue, but no—no, of course not. It’s back. And this time, it brought friends. As we speak, there’s an assortment of unwanted, unwelcome programs on my computer. They do fun tricks, like putting “Free Platinum Card” icons on my desktop. They also underline keywords in the text on my browser—words like “spam,” “virus,” and “Yahoo.” If I click on them, they direct me to begin2search.com, enchancemysearch.com, and mydietpatches.com (as if I would even consider using their diet patches), just to name a few. Sometimes they skip the formalities: Instead of links, they simply redirect me when I try to access any website whatsoever. I sort of appreciate this, though. I mean, if they’re going to frustrate me, they might as well just go ahead and frustrate me—get it over with, eliminate the middle man. One of my favorite programs is an adware ditty called Surf Sidekick. You see, what it does is, it surfs the Web along with me—a regular sidekick—helpfully popping up ads for Verizon’s SuperPages.com and other goods and services. I can receive a $500 JC Penny Gift Card, for instance, via i-DealRewards.com. ("Join now and get rewarded!") I can also settle on a mere $100 Gift Card if I answer another ad’s poll question: “Did Bush deserve to be reelected?” (A variation: “Are we better off without Kerry?") Or I can go for the door prize: A “FREE Diamond-Studded CELL PHONE!” from PinkPhone4Free.com. I like that one. I wouldn’t mind a diamond-studded cell phone—especially if it’s free. The best is when I try to uninstall these programs. They actually have the nerve to ask if I’m “sure” I want to go through with it. Then they reinstall themselves after removal, and again they ask if I’m “sure” I want to get rid of them. Listen: I’m not “sure” I wanted this stuff on my computer in the first place. And even if I did, I’m pretty sure I was “sure” the first time I uninstalled them. Where were all these second chances when I was looking for dates in high school? I guess my biggest complaint here is just the fact that these things are so smug. They know what they’re doing, and they know you know what they’re doing—so they rub it in and play dumb. One ad that keeps popping up for me says, “WARNING! You may have critical errors on your PC.” Gee, I wonder who put them there? In the bottom left corner is some fine print: “This ad is not brought to you or sponsored by the Web site(s) you are viewing.” Oh, so it’s an ad now? And here I thought it was just a ghost in my computer trying to help me. I’m such an idiot! Clicking on the disclaimer reveals little else; a box pops up to say the ad “may” be sponsored by a competitor (I guess they’re not sure yet). Clicking on the actual ad brings you to errorguard.com, where you learn about ErrorGuard software—which, luckily, “detects and repairs errors” on your PC. How convenient. They install stuff on my computer without my permission, and then I can use their software to get rid of it. A link at the top of the ErrorGuard homepage offers the chance to “Tell a Friend” about this software. Well, let me just tell you directly, my friend: As far as I’m concerned, ErrorGuard can GoScrew itself. Suppose I came to your house with a sledgehammer tomorrow and smashed in three of your windows. It’s an appropriate analogy, I think, since we’re talking about computers. So suppose that’s what I did. I smashed in three of your windows. And then I said, “Don’t worry. It just so happens I install windows for a living. This won’t cost more than a couple of hundred bucks. And you know what? It’s Christmas. I’ll knock off another $50.” What would you say to me? Would you thank me for the bargain? Or would you be so ungrateful as to bitch and moan about how you “wouldn’t have to pay a dime” if I hadn’t smashed in three of your windows? Chances are good you’d go with the latter. And that’s if I’m lucky. If I were you, I’d call the police on me. Immediately. Because this amounts to extortion. Same goes with this spyware stuff. It’s an identical, extortionist scheme. In fact, another one of the programs that installed itself on my computer, Virtual Bouncer, is actually referred to as “extortion ware.” These things are like mosquitoes. They suck you dry as if it’s their right. Think about it. Here you’ve made an investment on a computer, and a further investment on Internet access. All you’ve done is had the gall to use what you paid for. And this is what you get? It’s not just annoying. It’s sick. In no other avenue of business would you tolerate this kind of behavior—not in a restaurant or a department store, and certainly not in window installation. Obviously, there are things you can do to protect the security of your computer. You don’t need the people at CoolWebSearch to point this out. But it’s still pretty uncool that you need to protect yourself from these yahoos at all. Jonathan David Morris Web Site Contact Back to Top |
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Large numbers of teachers believe themselves incapable of meeting the learning expectations placed on their institutions by the No Child Left Behind Act. Like the characters in Atlas Shrugged, they find themselves having to deal with problems they did not create within the constraints of a system designed to fail. In order to remain in their chosen profession, those caught in the middle must place blame elsewhere in order to find an “out.” Those who refuse to “work within the system” disappear. Mediocrity rises to the top and excellence disappears. Public education has cried “wolf” one too many times claiming that lack of money is what is wrong with our schools. The public is not voting for tax increases. School districts have had to resort to other means to assure that their increased public funding habit is met. Lawsuits have been filed against state governments for not providing the financial means necessary for an optimal education. “Activist judges” who use rule based on research generated by the very mouths this research is designed to feed have ordered governors and legislators to come up with more funding. Educational mandatory mental health testing not only provides an “out” for academic failure by providing labels that excuse individual actions, it generates more funding to provide special services for those labeled with deficiencies. The New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (NFCMH) represents a massive victory for those activists and lobbyists who champion the cause of pharmaceutical companies who produce medication for those deemed “mentally ill and unable to function in ‘normal’ capacity.” It is a blow against those fighting to preserve the rights of individual liberties guaranteed under the US Constitution. With individual liberty comes individual responsibility, but that is not expected of someone excused from the standards that apply to everyone else. The NFCMH has made it easier to justify irresponsible behavior such as impulsiveness and other unrefined character bi-products of the “me first” and permissiveness era, heralded in by Dr. Spock. Today’s children are granted adult rights while retaining minor status, for example; having an abortion without parental consent and being guaranteed their right to privacy in other areas, as well. Judicial activism selectively emancipates minors. Those who behave irresponsibly while accepting no responsibility can site a variety of mental disorders as their “modus operandi” and dismiss the consequences of their actions! Just look at the liberals who can’t get over Bush’s reelection. They’re not bad sports. They have Post Election Selection Trauma as a result of losing the election. Their inappropriateness is justifiable given that they cannot help themselves. The therapists are making beaucoup bucks helping them adjust to reality, and these blowhards don’t have to be responsible for their disregard for civility. Rather than address the real problem—which is inadequate teaching and classroom management stemming from poor pedagogy—children can be labeled with a mental disorder that excuses their academic performance and behavior. Public education, seemingly forced to account for their performance, has been dealt the ultimate trump card. The Orwellian conclusion to legislating away accountability is that whether or not a child performs is no longer up for discussion. What matters ultimately is the excuse given for not meeting expectations. A label changes everything. But labels can be quite damaging for those assigned a disorder. Imagine patient McMurphy talking to Nurse Ratched in the story, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The 2002 Patient Confidentiality Law does not even give an individual the right to see his/her own medical records. Being labeled as a mental case certainly compromises a person’s credibility, and in the worst case can get a person committed. McMurphy gets a lobotomy in the end. Who decides what is in the range of normal? There are 374 Diseases listed in DSM IV, including, “Math Disorder,” “Shopping Disorder,” and “Disorder of Written Expression.” Psychiatry doesn’t require “the identification of physical symptoms to diagnose a disease.” The medicines used to treat these alleged problems have been scientifically proven ineffective, but they are associated with some horrible side effects such as violent behavior or psychosis. This could explain some of the school violence in the form of shootings over the last 10 years. It’s hard to imagine that there is no proven, “genetic/biologic cause of any single mental illness, but no tests have conclusively proven chemical imbalance because there is no identifiable chemical balance. Programs such as “Title One of the Federal Code,”“Children With Disabilities Act,” and the “Supplemental Security Income” provide schools additional funding for each child diagnosed with a “disorder,” giving schools an incentive to identify more kids with “special education” needs. Behavior disordered children who aren’t expected to achieve and do not adopt a moral code are perceived as victims of their upbringing. But in the long run, misbehavior and disrespect for authority in the classrooms translates to crime in the streets. How many parents are afraid to spank a child for fear of being cited for “child abuse?” “Tolerating” a child’s excessive behavior is seen as a positive parental trait. Educators, not students, are supposed to adapt to any given situation. Given these circumstances, everyone in the whole village is needed to take responsibility for the child except for the family. Judicial activism, bad pedagogy, and labels all erode the individual rights and responsibility necessary to maintain our system of government. We are sacrificing the freedom to pursue life, liberty, and happiness by shirking our responsibilities and giving the decision-making power to the government and not the people. One must play the cards that are dealt and make the best of a given situation. Excuses do not keep the trains running. Fifth
Cavalry or Fifth Column No
Child Left Unmedicated Nancy Salvato Web Site Contact Back to Top |
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We all know it - ain't nobody's business, but his own. But media executives are all excited that the public could get a fresh look at the man, who brought us so much memorable entertainment. Even the thought of a walk on the wild side with Bill, gives a rush to the faithful. Hasn't it been far too long since the hero of the voyeur crowd - had their man back? O'Reilly has it right!
Even the new king of cable thinks this one is really "Ridiculous" . . . How could this happen, you say? Well, after the remake of Crossfire - why not let the "First Felon" show Carville and Begala a few tricks of his own! The Cajun even says " . . . he's a courteous man; he talks to people." Well that's for sure. Who else talks better than Slick Willie? Just ask that other Willie - Cathleen and Juanita Broderick . . . Now how can Bubba TV miss with content like this! If Harry Thomason brokered a meeting where the ex-President heard an offer from NBC, why should we not think he would be just as successful as he was during that infamous Clinton press conference? With agents like him, you wouldn't need to hire William Ginsburg to represent you, in contract talks. Ah, those were the good old days . . . Peggy Noonan thinks "his entire presidency seemed like daytime TV--a talk show followed by a soap opera followed by a news bulletin followed by another talk show." So why not go for it Mr President? Maybe Jay Leno has a point - the former president "couldn't do a late-night show because he couldn't do Clinton jokes. You can't do a late-night show without Clinton jokes." Let's not be discouraged so quickly. Consider the different segment options:
Advertisement is a cinch to sell out. Cigar Aficionado magazine and Tide detergent are naturals. And Rosie O'Donnell likes you so much that she would do a 'Blue Light' dress special from K-mart . Sweeps week could feature the Life of a 'Crooked Man', both in and out of the chambre à coucher . . . Even President Bush has said when asked "Will you be a guest?" the president smiled back: "I might, I might." Maybe you could ask W why his Justice Department Fails, Again, To Grant Limited Immunity To Huang For His Full and Complete Testimony. Larry Klayman might like to know! With all this potential how could you disappoint your public? Surely all those Chinese residuals mean you don’t need the money, but just think about how many new intern babes you will meet . . . But if that doesn't arouse now, as it once did, you could discuss political integrity with the majority leader: "...[He] took an oath to tell the truth and the whole truth. As a grand jury witness, it was not for him to decide what would be material. That was for the grand jury to decide. Of all people, Federal Judge Walter Nixon certainly knew this. So I am going to vote 'guilty'... He misled the grand jury. These acts are indisputably criminal and warrant impeachment." -- Senator Tom Daschle on the impeachment of Judge Walter Nixon You owe it to your fans and the country. Take the offer and go on the air. We still want to know the meaning of "IS" . . . and you are the only one who can make it sound, so gooood.
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©2004 by their respective authors. Reprinted by permission. |
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