Site Issues

Unfortunately, I'm having some issues with the current template. I've modified it quite a bit and somewhere may have really screwed it up. Either way, I'm working on the issue and hope that I can rectify it soon.

In the interest of simplicity...

As you can see, I've completely changed the template, as the general rule that simple is better seems to apply to blogging. I grew tired of the old look: it wasn't versatile to my needs, nor was it really that great looking aesthetically anyway. My plans for the future are to further customize this template (which I've already done some work to) and at some point place this into a seperate folder, allowing for akook.com to have an actual index file filled with all sorts of neat things. :)

Robbers Urged to Care for 'Scream'

The New York Times > International > Europe > Robbers Urged to Care for 'Scream'

When I first heard this news yesterday morning, I would assumed the theives would have been caught momentarily. However, that is not the case. Apparently, they have little or no leads as to who the gentlemen are that stole Edvard Munch's 'Scream' and 'Madonna.'

Here is a picture of the famed painting 'The Scream':



I remember buying a $10 gray-scale version of the famous painting in poster format during my sophomore year in high school. It really is a shame--the painting means a lot to me and I assume more to many other people.

Kerry TV Ad Pins Veterans' Attack Firmly on Bush

The New York Times > Washington > Campaign 2004 > Kerry TV Ad Pins Veterans' Attack Firmly on Bush

I'm sure many of you have been following this issue as closely as I have. Where I stand so far is that there are clear Republican connections to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth--and I don't think anyone would disagree with me there---however, simply because Bush is a Republican does not prove that he has direct connections with the SBVfT.

The allegations are that (a) the primary contributors are Republican and (b) one of the Vets in the television advertisement is actually on the Bush campaign.

The first point gives little credence to the idea that Bush is in some way responsible for this. This can be cleared up with an example of an hasty generalization: All husbands are men. Some husbands kill their wives. Therefore, all husbands kill their wives. Of course, this is absolutely false; and I only note it to confirm the idea that because some Republicans condone this behavior, we cannot therefore conclude that all Republicans condone this behavior.

The second allegation, however, is more problematic. I briefly watched part of an interview with an attorney for the Democratic party and someone with the Republican National Party (his title escapes me at the moment) this morning. Basically, the Kerry campaign has filed charges against Bush to the Federal Election Commission concerning this issue and the alleged evidence is this man who is allegedly, part of the Bush campaign. The rebuttal is that he is merely a "low level volunteer." If the FEC finds the Bush campaign involved with the SBVfT it will be quite a conundrum for the RNP and could cost the election in my opinion.

As a final thought, I won't rule out the possibility, however, based on how this has all played out and the reactions of the RNP to the initial advertisement, I don't see a direct connection. But even the indirect connection could prove to be detrimental

A Kook at the Kastle

I haven't been to a club where a prominent dj was spinning for quite some time, and as me and some newly aquired friends saw that Darude was in town--at the Kastle in St Louis--we took advantage of the occasion. I remember a few years ago when Sandstorm came out and despite the fact that I grew wary of the song given it's repetitive play everywhere, he put on a vivid show and his sound has since refined quite a bit. He did some sampling, but it seemed that most of the work was his.

Anyway, it was fun and--as usual--I danced for roughly three hours. I was actually the only one on the floor for the first hour, which was odd. In Dallas that never happens. And it was even stranger that most of the other clubbers were watching me with excitement. I mean, I've gotten pretty good at dancing over the last few years--but I'm not that good.

But it was cool mainly because we all got in for free as we happened to be following some VIChick who said we were with her. Yippee.

MSNBC - Kerry blasts Bush over veterans ad

MSNBC - Kerry blasts Bush over veterans ad

Here is a quoted passage from the above story by The Associated Press:

Speaking of the organization airing the ads that challenge his war record, Kerry said, “Of course, this group isn’t interested in the truth and they’re not telling the truth. ...

“But here’s what you really need to know about them. They’re funded by hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Republican contributor out of Texas. They’re a front for the Bush campaign. And the fact that the President won’t denounce what they’re up to tells you everything you need to know. He wants them to do his dirty work.”

Bush spokesman Steve Schmidt said, “That charge leveled by Senator Kerry is absolutely and completely false.”

“The Bush campaign has never and will never question John Kerry’s service in Vietnam. The president has referred to John Kerry’s service as noble service,” the Bush spokesman said.

Kerry said, “Of course, the president keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that. Well, if he wants to have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: ‘Bring it on.”’

Kerry’s comments drew boisterous cheers from members of the union that had endorsed him last year at a time his candidacy was struggling.

Kerry makes an obvious hasty generalization by asserting that because a Republican group endorses the idea that John Kerry is a liar that therefore all Republicans must endorse the idea that John Kerry is a liar. Bush hasn't really discussed the issue, primarily because it isn't germane to the election. Instead, Bush has focused on relevent issues, for example, Kerry's performance as a Senator--what he voted for and why (when he felt apt to being around at the time of the voting *cheap shot*), what he plans to do now and in the future, and so on.

And furthermore, the fact that John Kerry cites the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" as "a front for the Bush campaign" is even more appalling. This becomes more than simply making a generalizing mistake: it becomes libelous. The Kerry campaign ought not to blame his opponent for independent issues; instead, he might think about focusing on why the Hell he'd make a good leader.

FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Bush Strikes Back at Kerry Over Iraq

FOXNews.com - You Decide 2004 - Bush Strikes Back at Kerry Over Iraq

Now that Kerry has admitted he too would have gone to war with Iraq, what leg does the left have to stand on? At least we know ONE policy of Kerry's ;)

CNN.com - Anti-Kerry veterans group releases critical ad - Aug 5, 2004

CNN.com - Anti-Kerry veterans group releases critical ad - Aug 5, 2004

Bill O'Reilly touched on this issue earlier tonight, saying it was a rather despicable tactic. I tend to agree with him there, and further acknowledge the fact that Bush probably had nothing to do with this. If he did--and it leaked--he would never see the end of it. The real question here is: why are we so focused on Kerry's past? It's simply a red herring. What we should be concerned with is what Kerry did (or didn't do *snicker*) as a Senator, and what he plans to do in the future, his policies, his ideas, etc.

Buy the t-shirt here!

ABCNEWS.com : Witness: England Identified As Abuser

ABCNEWS.com : Witness: England Identified As Abuser

After reading so much of this filth, it becomes unclear what we're fighting for. The odd part about it is I'm not sure the military personnel being convicted of mistreating prisoners are even aware that they did anything really wrong. They all seem to be concerned with the idea that they were simply following orders--but when one looks at the pictures, it is quite clear these orders were not objected to.

A really good link for updated photos: http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/iraqis_tortured/

Could the dinosaurs fly? : HindustanTimes.com

Could the dinosaurs fly? : HindustanTimes.com: "
London, August 5"

Click the link above to find specific information regarding the recent finds in archeology. Apparently, there have been significant finds which would prove the archived (picture) was really a primitive bird. Debate has gone back and forth for quite sometime, however, the evidence suggests that the archived shared similar characteristics to modern birds--namely, the brain to body size ratio, the acute eyesight, and most importantly, the ability to control balance and movement more effectively, via ear structure and enlarged parts of the brain which perform this function.

I find the short article interesting because it simply further proves that evolutionary theory is a good working model and is adequate in helping determine the history of life itself.

Legend of the Red Dragon

At the tender age of fourteen, my family purchased our first computer. At the time, we had a 2400 baud modem and as I didn't really understand the Internet (I had no idea there was such a thing as a search engine, so I thought you just had to randomly type in URLs) er...AOL's version of the Internet; and when I got bored of running rampant in AOL Chat Rooms with annoying programs such as AOHell and began logging on to various local BBS boards to pass time instead. I am indebted to an old friend of mine, Joseph Nebrensky for this--present whereabouts unknown. When we weren't programming with QBasic, playing Shadowrun, or other such nonsense, we were ruling the L.O.R.D. boards. I remember I had an exciting name, BluTy SalVaTioN. And I kicked total ass.

Fool.com: PayPal Pays a Price [Motley Fool Take] August 2, 2004

Fool.com: PayPal Pays a Price [Motley Fool Take] August 2, 2004

Recently PayPal sent Emails to all of its members addressing a lawsuit settlement which began in 1999. I am simply noting this in order to urge those of you who have PayPal accounts NOT to submit a claim form. I can't speak for those who were inconvenienced by frozen accounts and whatnot, but I can speak for myself. PayPal has been a genuine service, it's customer support team is very friendly and informative--I called a month or so ago to ask a question about my PayPal Merchant Card. In my opinion this lawsuit is worthless, notwithstanding the fact that if you or I or anyone submits a claim, the check will more than likely be under a dollar. And that's not worth any of our time anyway.

FOXNews.com - The O'Reilly Factor - Ben Affleck Talks Politics

FOXNews.com - The O'Reilly Factor - Ben Affleck Talks Politics

Yeah, it's been over a week since this interview, but I just had to throw this out...

"You know, I want to tell you something. I respect you. I didn't know you before tonight. You come in. You answer the questions. You're not bomb-throwing. You're not a hater. And all Americans should applaud you. You're 30 years old" -- Bill O'reilly

And a damn fine picture that is Ben!

Ponderable:

What kind of Mental Ward would hire a man with the last name "Hacking" anyway?

Political Terror--Warmongering Twits in Anti-War Action

It occurred to me as I was searching for that crazy myth, the American Dream, that perhaps I’ve lost complete control. Is it just me being some twisted mental case, or are we in deep shit--as it were? Perhaps I’m babbling on and on but the idea that we elect into office some deep-pocketed anti-warmonger, who, on the other side wants to kick some serious global ass--is that a contradiction?--seems to disturb me somewhat. Then again, the current oil-drilling religious nutcase really doesn’t seem to be concerned with our best interests either. Let’s take the country back, they both say. Let’s kick some ass. Yeah. What are we to do with this?

Kerry’s lost some brownies after that spectacle of fireworks and balloons and divided promises no one in their right mind could ever swear oath to provide. Yet, Bush’s inarticulate nature and mangled version of foreign policy frightens me even more to the very core of my being. Maybe we deserve it all after all. Either way, I think I’ll be the first to wear my helmet outside. Those bastards will never get me--I’m protected. Is it we who put these slackers in Washington? Goddamn, the bogeymen in our closets have all collected on Capitol Hill. They’ve got us by the balls and there’s no turning back, I think. But now I’m digressing. Are we really crazy enough to challenge the counter-nations among us? And if so, do we have the right? Or are the mean-spirited angst-ridden ethics of the sixties completely lost on this degenerate generation? Have we lost all sensibility and pride and patriotism? Oh fuckit, let’s just be escapist pigs and campaign against the war and spend our times beating each other to bloody pulps because of it. That’s the solution--I think. Make us the butt of our own jokes yet again. Should we lose sleep over all of this crazy shit? Or should we--as it were--abandon our capitalist posts and drive ourselves into battle with our H2s to save the oil? Perhaps if we were all Generals or something, then things would get done, I think. All leaders and no foot soldiers: that’s war in 2004. We could spend all of our time critiquing the battleground, and less time getting killed. Of course, then the bastards might take us all. These maggots we worship in non-partisan houses, secretly overriding their outspoken speeches with esoteric truths so vulgar and obscene, as it would really probably be better that We the People not know of them. This is the same lonely trip Kesey took in his early years at Stanford. Or, maybe not--I’m not really so sure. But again, I’m digressing. Let’s focus, if only for a second, on the real issue here. Is there an issue? Could we all simply go on about our daily lives, working and sleeping and fucking and so on? I think so--I have no kids, so I can’t be to blame. But I’ll stay involved anyway. Yeah, Rock the Vote, as it were. That’s what they say anyway. So remember to vote kids and vote often.