tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115596292012-01-15T13:07:36.064-06:00This was created for me to express my musings. Whether or not you agree with what I have to say, I hope you find it well-reasoned, silly, or just plain weird, depending on the mood of the post. If not, oh well. Regardless, comments are welcome and encouraged from anyone, member or not. WARNING: Vulgarity and possibly adult material may be contained herein, but vulgarity is far more likely. Adults Only!!!Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.comBlogger3301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-20766632102313964932012-01-05T17:58:00.003-06:002012-01-05T17:58:52.159-06:00

I've given a lot of thought to matters of faith lately. I still love the people I grew up with in my church and other people of faith I have known. Many were great examples of how to be a decent human being. I remember countless Sundays spent singing in the pew, and I still have my favorite hymns. This is who I am, and even if I could deny these influences, I wouldn't want to. All of this makes

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-78119349391057855562012-01-03T08:59:00.004-06:002012-01-03T09:26:54.466-06:00

The last two and a half years have been... interesting, and they promise to stay that way for the foreseeable future. I still think about you, my blogging friends.I've looked at America, and I truly don't recognize it anymore. I love the America I grew up in, where you didn't have to fear the Blackwater-ized cops, where you didn't get irradiated, sexually assaulted, or strip-searched as part and

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-49873819000255394442009-07-22T11:53:00.000-05:002009-07-22T11:53:49.246-05:00

I refer, of course, to Dr. Regina Benjamin, the woman who may and should become our nation's next Surgeon General. She is a truly remarkable woman and humanitarian who has touched the lives of many through her work in the small, poor community of Bayou la Batre, AL, and through other jobs she has held through the years, including her membership on the Board of Trustees for the American Medical

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-26968399134816910062009-07-22T11:15:00.000-05:002009-07-22T11:16:40.941-05:00

Naturally, I will go with the Ricci case, and I will preface it with an expression of my utter contempt for her colleagues who concurred with her in this decision. The laws of this land do, or should, grant and affirm the basic human right to an equality of opportunity. What it cannot and should not do is guarantee an equality of outcome. By that, I mean that I should have the same opportunity to

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-68640770851587709182009-07-06T18:28:00.001-05:002009-07-06T18:29:47.899-05:00

Since it has now been three days since the political death of a star of the Republican Party, I find it fitting to now have a funeral. With every funeral comes one or more eulogies, of varying quality. In that vein, I will share my eulogy to Sarah Palin's career. Enjoy.I knew Sarah Palin's career very well. Well, not at first, since she represented a tiny 3 EV state that is even more solid red

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-71491458996311945532009-07-04T15:11:00.002-05:002009-07-04T15:25:22.769-05:00

Once again, I would like to express my condolences to the supporters of Sarah Palin's career. For those who loved her incoherent rambling, her absence from the Alaska governor's mansion will mar an otherwise bleak existence. Fortunately, we will still have the memories, and I'd wager, a Fox News show where she can talk about moose, lipstick, and hockey moms to her heart's content with the

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-88830681959255002872009-07-03T20:29:00.000-05:002009-07-03T20:30:27.984-05:00

Namaste. In the last few weeks, we have lost several truly great Americans, people who have touched our lives and our hearts: Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, David Carradine, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays, just to name a few. Each one of those was a devastating blow, made even moreso by the proximity of those deaths. However, I write today to mention, in mourning, the death of a true American

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-72294330947343939542009-06-16T21:16:00.000-05:002009-06-16T21:17:20.107-05:00

Before I start, I must admit that I do agree with Michael Savage about one thing: His real last name is bad enough to warrant the use of such a cheesy pseudonym. However, I do find it more than a bit fitting that such an extremist jerk would have the last name "Weiner". And though I would protest most of his views with my dying breath, I wish him the best of luck in his libel suit against UK Home

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-80263934724961481552009-05-12T15:58:00.002-05:002009-05-12T16:29:18.061-05:00

And apart from my opposition to all forms of capital punishment, I have no problem with such an unusual sentence. I am, of course, referring to Lam Luong, who tossed four children, the oldest of whom was 3 years old, off the Dauphin Island Bridge. As I predicted, Circuit Judge Charles Graddick upheld the jury's recommendation of death for Lam Luong. While I feel it is wrong for the state to take

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-84571428382178604722009-04-23T19:07:00.000-05:002009-04-23T19:07:54.453-05:00

First, I would like to welcome Becky C. at Just a Girl in Short Shorts to my blog roll. I find her posts engaging and thought provoking. While I disagree with some of her politics, in many civil liberties issues, we have common ground.Second, you may notice my Obama button is gone. That's simply because the election is over, and we need to move on with our lives. While I think Obama has done a

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-10280706970328624092009-04-21T21:49:00.000-05:002009-04-21T21:49:55.819-05:00

I read the most interesting and disturbing article today. It was also all over CNN and other major news outlets. I refer, of course, to the Supreme Court hearing a case of a 13 year old girl being strip-searched in school. I don't care what you think about the United States' drug policy. This is a clear Fourth Amendment issue. Ask any police officer what would happen if someone were suspected of

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-6671179001885616412009-03-22T14:00:00.001-05:002009-03-22T21:44:34.391-05:00

I have mentioned my conversion to an opposition against capital punishment. Still, there are some cases where I would light no candles and raise no voice of protest were their light to be extinguished by the state. One such case is Lam Luong. A little bit over a year ago, I made a post about his crime on this blog. He tossed four children, the oldest of whom was a mere three years old, off the

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-7734674037312973412009-01-22T21:08:00.000-06:002009-01-22T21:08:32.885-06:00

I felt great joy when I saw that President Obama has formally denounced torture and announced the closing of secret prisons and the detainee center at Guantanimo Bay. I also felt great joy when he announced an immediate halt to the military tribunals at the same. These are long-overdue changes to policies by the previous administration that critically damaged our standing domestically and

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-76329479783009017812009-01-21T14:13:00.000-06:002009-01-21T14:13:52.329-06:00

Looking on the last eight years, I cannot help feeling that former President George W. Bush was a fundamentally nice guy who, nevertheless, was completely out of his depth. I do not say this to excuse his behavior or his awful, sometimes even criminally bad, choices while in office. We have had presidents who were good men but awful presidents, such as Carter, while we have had presidents who

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-66452581885796287252008-12-28T19:29:00.000-06:002008-12-28T19:29:40.914-06:00

First, some definitions: A "face palm" is when you're slapping your face in exasperation over something being stupid. "Epic" roughly means "amazingly huge". Hence, "epic face palm" means that someone did something so amazingly stupid that it almost defies belief.I know it's unlike me to post anything while the issue is still a hot topic, typically allowing cooler heads to prevail and the

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-32707917162239626472008-12-17T21:06:00.003-06:002008-12-17T21:33:23.527-06:00

I have always prided myself on being true to myself, on being honest when I chose to express my feelings. With that in mind, I recalled something I said years ago: If I'm ever desperate enough to consider searching for a date on the internet, I will convert to Catholicism and become a priest. Thing is, though, I'm finally almost that desperate, and I have no interest in converting to Catholicism

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-81801870799895595112008-12-08T21:32:00.000-06:002008-12-08T21:32:33.788-06:00

One crow, sorrow. Two crows, joy. Three crows for a girl. Four crows for a boy. Five crows for silver. Six crows for gold. Seven crows for a secret that's never been told.~The Crow: City of Angels, "Ashe Corven"Draw your own conclusions from the above quote. I find it works in this situation on a number of levels. I counted only one crow as the sentence was delivered to Orenthal James Simpson,

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-91627259894890254362008-12-02T21:46:00.000-06:002008-12-02T21:48:20.248-06:00

I recently listened to this album all the way through, and I'm still reeling from it. Julie Christmas' vocals go from creepily quiet to primal growling with alarming frequency and speed. As a whole, the album is a tour de force that makes just about everything else sound like Creed or Trapt. Although it is only 9 songs, we're talking about 42 minutes of thundering drums, guitars that will set

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-50289737198727302522008-11-13T17:38:00.000-06:002008-11-13T17:38:10.560-06:00

I want to make it absolutely clear, as I have before on this blog, that I feel gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people should have the same rights and privileges afforded to all other people. That includes the same caveat I include for all others: As long as they harm none, and do not engage in incest or other criminally deviant manners that cause the harm of others, especially children.

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-35773910307174074702008-11-05T19:28:00.001-06:002008-11-05T19:31:35.478-06:00

The above image is for use as a parody, knowing Mel Gibson's rabid anti-Semitism and other less than pleasant personality traits. Still, the image of William Wallace refusing to bow to the English crown is indelible.Intellectually, I knew yesterday would turn out roughly the way it actually turned out. However, try telling my heart that. I was on pins and needles, and though I succumbed to the

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-42861863666786582162008-11-03T21:21:00.001-06:002008-11-03T21:29:13.246-06:00

With less than two hours until the first polls open, I'm in the mood for a little bit of prognosticating. Of course, I could be full of shit, but what else is new? :PI think I'll go with a conservative estimate and pick Obama 349, McCain 189. I predict the following states will break for Obama: Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin,

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-37750179446090971012008-10-23T20:53:00.000-05:002008-10-23T20:54:02.658-05:00

With the increasingly obvious disintegration of the Republican Party, much like its predecessor, the question becomes, "Now what?" The unholy alliance between the various factions is fracturing, with the paleos becoming the voice of the modern GOP, much to the consternation and disgust of the intellectual wings of the party. The most recent, and damning yet, defection was by none other than C.C.

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-34774197133903115122008-10-14T20:03:00.001-05:002008-10-14T21:19:35.136-05:00

Believe it or not, this is not necessarily a question of religion. I am aware of the many atheists and agnostics, or few as it were given how few people actually hit my blog at all, who visit this tiny corner of the blogosphere. I have done some thinking recently, and I thought about my faith, my family, and my childhood, and what exactly I value. When I really gave it some thought, my answer

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-71468168744657161952008-10-12T17:01:00.000-05:002008-10-12T17:01:14.816-05:00

Governor Palin, the answers are as follows: Roman Abramovich and Roman Kopin are the former and current governors of Chukotka, respectively. Dmitri Medvedev is the current President of the Russian Federation. Dennis Fentie is the current Premier of the Yukon Territory. Geraldine van Bibber is the current Commissioner of the Yukon Territory. Gordon Campbell is the current Premier of British

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-50717813539170618502008-10-04T20:49:00.000-05:002008-10-04T20:49:32.670-05:00

You claim that you have foreign policy experience because you are the executive of a state that borders Canada and is close to Russia. Being such a great foreign policy expert, perhaps you can tell me which of the following people you may have had cause to meet during your tenure, and why. If you have not met these people, please provide a reason.Roman AbramovichRoman JakobsonRoman KopinVsevolod

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-19182299117216890662008-10-01T17:59:00.000-05:002008-10-01T18:00:04.258-05:00

This is a quick little post based on a rather pleasant trip to the Yahoo political dashboard. First, a brief rundown of what's happened. Obama is up 5% in Colorado, 6% in New Mexico, 5% in Wisconsin, 5.6% in Minnesota, and over 6% in the following key states: Michigan, Iowa, and Pennsylvania. All of that is the appetizer. Here's the meat of it: Florida has shifted to a 3% Obama lead from a solid

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-33036972229913483002008-09-29T17:56:00.000-05:002008-09-29T17:56:46.722-05:00

First, the good weekend: CNN polls scored the debate 51-38 in favor of Obama. Obama did not score a knockout, but he did get some good licks in, including the best shot of the night. Also, today's issue of USA Today had some very encouraging numbers for the junior Senator from Illinois. And that's not even counting what I noticed last night on RealClearPolitics, with North Carolina joining

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-19048201144405993502008-09-21T16:16:00.000-05:002008-09-21T16:16:27.366-05:00

All of the states for which I have changed the alignment are within the margin of error. It is worth noting that, in Florida, Obama has narrowed McCain's lead from 5% to 2.8% in less than one week, and his lead in Colorado, Michigan, and other key states have expanded again.Let's examine four possible scenarios I consider well within the realm of possibility.Scenario 1 has Obama 273, McCain 265,

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-67597116438573784032008-09-18T13:45:00.000-05:002008-09-18T13:45:55.854-05:00

I had meant to do a number of posts in the last week, but realizing I was not in the proper frame of mind to do so, I opted to be silent and not expose my folly. This, however, is something I found interesting and did not fully understand until last night, and with that understanding comes a troubled mind. It seems that with a tie or a plurality, which is not very likely given our current

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-129136446115372822008-09-10T09:59:00.001-05:002008-09-10T23:15:06.356-05:00

The seventh anniversary will occur tomorrow, and in all that time, we've learned the wrong lessons. A large part of me wants to be angry, but I just can't manage it right now. Either way, I can do nothing about it alone.On September 11, 2001, 2,974, excluding the 19 hijackers and the 24 people still missing, lost their lives. Many more are suffering, physically and/or emotionally, as a result of

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-84803287122743838962008-09-04T23:42:00.000-05:002008-09-04T23:43:00.115-05:00

It would indeed be ironic if, in the name of national defense, we would sanction the subversion of those liberties which make the defense of the nation worthwhile.It is those words upon which I reflect tonight. I spoke to a mindless Republican drone earlier today who said that I supported Senator Obama because I'm a Democrat. The simple truth is the reverse: I became a Democrat long after I

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-70827994696814447052008-08-31T21:09:00.000-05:002008-08-31T21:10:03.502-05:00

First, yes, I do live on the Gulf Coast in an area that may be impacted by Gustav, though I'm on the outer reaches of that. My thoughts and prayers, and I think it's reasonable to assume, those of the few people who read this blog, are with those in the Greater New Orleans metro area, other points in Louisiana, and Mississippi, as well as those in low-lying and flood-prone parts of coastal

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-19797013498513432902008-08-30T00:01:00.000-05:002008-08-30T00:01:28.595-05:00

I spoke with one independent who was undecided before witnessing Senator Obama's acceptance speech. His reaction was the same one I felt: He wished the election were tomorrow so he could vote for Senator Obama. There has simply not been a political speech of this heart-felt brilliance since perhaps the acceptance speech given by JFK 48 years ago. In a real sense, I think Senator Obama won the

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-75989506846059573152008-08-26T14:59:00.000-05:002008-08-26T14:59:25.563-05:00

I've read about some disagreement within the Democratic Party about how hard to attack John McCain. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't those of us who have contributed to the Obama campaign actually TRYING to get him elected? Fuck me sideways! To those lotus-eaters who are afraid of going negative (that means you, Mark Warner), need I remind you that politics are simply another form of war?

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-54550036017292211262008-08-22T21:10:00.000-05:002008-08-22T21:10:32.395-05:00

I can honestly say that I am amazed by President Bush's accomplishments while in office. He has managed to utterly bankrupt this country and destroy the foundation of the liberties we once enjoyed. It took this nation over 220 years to achieve what it had when President Bush took office, through the hard work of generations of our people, through the infusion of new blood through immigration,

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-40211058486554311732008-08-18T20:15:00.000-05:002008-08-18T20:15:14.151-05:00

I read this article about Nevada's new sex offender laws. This law would allow the state to post the names, home and work addresses, photos, and vehicle descriptions of those convicted of a sex offense since 1956. Naturally, this is being challenged by those who believe our Constitution should be used as something other than toilet paper upon which we wipe our collective asses. The easiest,

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-11277326705388903452008-08-04T18:51:00.002-05:002008-08-04T18:55:27.623-05:00

Given that I am doomed to fail on the second given the first, I can at least share someone else's point. Enjoy the next two videos. The first will have you laughing and thinking, and the second will bore you into a coma but has a good point. Frankly, on the second one, I didn't quite make it two minutes, but I got the gist of it, I would hope. Enjoy.

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-50595531833461672152008-07-14T20:13:00.000-05:002008-07-14T20:13:48.698-05:00

Have you ever experienced a wave of ennui so deep that your thought processes seemed to slow to an unbearable crawl? Not sorrow or depression, just a bit of malaise that lasted a day or more? Perhaps it will sound a bit emo of me (okay, not "perhaps", more like "definitely"), but I did recently, and I found a cure. When I was younger, I listened to Nine Inch Nails because it reflected my anger.

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-6182928914525008602008-06-26T19:14:00.000-05:002008-06-26T19:15:17.302-05:00

I have been reflecting on the SCOTUS's recent decision to overturn the death penalty in the case of child rapists. Naturally, that also led me to reflect on the changes in my opinion on capital punishment in general, but I will get to that later.Although I am not a parent, I find the abuse and rape of children, especially those under 12, a crime whose horror has few parallels. I wish nothing more

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-11701047829255675672008-06-09T16:33:00.000-05:002008-06-09T16:33:23.929-05:00

I saw on Media Matters that E.D. Hill of Faux News referred to the knuckle tap between Senator and Mrs. Obama as a "terrorist fist jab". Granted, she said that as a question, but what the everlasting FUCK was that crazy, self-righteous cunt trying to get at? Fuck me! Has that stupid bitch never seen a Spike Lee movie or watched a single sporting event in the last several years? Jesus FUCKING

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-28164859216382849792008-05-22T21:48:00.001-05:002008-05-28T19:34:32.370-05:00

I have refrained from commenting on the raid of the FLDS compound, despite serious qualms about Fourth Amendment issues regarding the seizure of 450 (or does anyone know the true number?) children. I have refrained because I did not wish to raise hell without cause and serious contemplation, and without more facts. I write now because I finally have enough to form and express an informed

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-88079313437565878612008-05-09T20:10:00.002-05:002008-05-09T20:14:11.780-05:00

As you may have noticed, I added a little something to my website during my sabbatical. While I could give a bunch of excuses about being tired, or not having much to say, or having a lot of thinking to do, the simple truth is that I just got out of the habit of posting. Perhaps it was good for me. Perhaps not, but regardless, it happened, and I think it was necessary.I did some deep soul

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-57014141406170775152008-04-14T19:17:00.000-05:002008-04-14T19:18:01.409-05:00

I've done a bit of reading about vegetarianism and veganism lately, and I must admit that I'm more than a bit curious about it. I have no interest in the ethical concerns regarding the farming of edible fauna. The way I see it, we're built to be omnivorous as evidenced in a number of ways. If I were interested in the ethics of cattle farming, I would instead be more inclined towards entomophagy

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-35977004662762430712008-04-06T09:09:00.003-05:002008-04-06T09:26:09.269-05:00

One of the most difficult things to do is to admit fault. Thank you, Candace, for your part in getting me to admit that. When I see celebrities act insane, I often muse that every rich and famous person needs someone around them to keep them level-headed and to inform them when they're being an asshole. Though I am neither even remotely rich nor famous (the latter of which being a condition for

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-49341261663497929932008-03-30T13:19:00.003-05:002008-03-30T17:25:48.650-05:00

As... interesting as a recent flame war has been, I'm not going to sabotage this blog by solely devoting myself to it. Frankly, it, and that individual, aren't worth it. So, instead, I will go with an interesting question I've heard recently, and it got me thinking. How exactly does one define the term "anti-American"? The late Justice Potter Stewart famously said regarding hard-core pornography

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-49562303813022225782008-03-19T20:05:00.001-05:002008-03-19T20:06:08.939-05:00

An odd title for a post, to be sure, but an apt one. I find the concept of artificial flavoring deeply offensive when dealing with food that's supposed to be good for me, a cheap substitute for something real. For example, when I'm eating oatmeal, I don't want to see ingredients that came from some chemist's lab. I want to see oatmeal, real fruit, real nuts, real herbs and/or spices, and not much

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-66028031725433923282008-03-13T18:03:00.003-05:002008-03-13T18:37:52.225-05:00

I admit that I made a mistake when I referred to Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and John McCain as "cunts", and when I called Barack Obama a "whore". Also, I was wrong when I made a series of inflammatory remarks about 1138. For the verbiage I used and some of the tenor I expressed in my remarks, I apologize. What I should have said is as follows:Hillary Clinton is a soulless, Swiftboating,

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-62239857034752168322008-03-10T19:31:00.000-05:002008-03-10T19:31:27.388-05:00

Well, I'm sure if you've turned on a TV today, you know about Governor Spitzer of New York's involvement in a prostitution sting. Believe it or not, the title of this post is not entirely said sarcastically. While I'm sad for what it means for his family, I know that he brought it upon himself in a display of human weakness. Still, ultimately, it is they who will be innocent people punished for

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-48843971083672662692008-03-06T17:58:00.002-06:002008-03-06T18:29:08.901-06:00

Perhaps I let my temper get the better of me. Perhaps I've dealt with too many people from other parts of the country who, as soon as I mentioned the state of my birth, started treating me like a less intelligent version of Forrest Gump or an extra from Deliverance, or senile old tour guide bastards who thought that "Alabamer" (his pronunciation, not mine) was a foreign country, and then thought

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-35379279230029847542008-03-04T17:32:00.000-06:002008-03-04T17:32:39.935-06:00

After this weekend, I must say that, between Senator Obama and Senator Clinton, I don't know which one's Emperor Palpatine and which one's Darth Vader. The junior Senator from Illinois' cowardice and shameless pandering on the Air Force tanker contract, a deal lauded as a good call by at least one insider, will not soon be forgotten. He had my support because I mistook him for a man of integrity

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-79030345295024497162008-02-12T05:39:00.000-06:002008-02-12T05:39:47.811-06:00

First, I apologize for my silence. You know how it is, though. Sometimes, you just need a break.What I'm about to say should in no way be considered a jab at the politics of Hilary Clinton. That said, looking at the Obama and Clinton campaigns, I cannot help noticing some parallels with the "Miracle on Ice" back in 1980. On one side, you have a tremendously talented and experienced team who has

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-68028180838618842992008-01-25T21:04:00.000-06:002008-01-25T21:04:17.987-06:00

As I was webcrawling yesterday, I had the great misfortune of running across this article by Uzodinma Iweala. This brought to mind several different thoughts, perhaps the most troubling of which was an ever-increasing tendency towards morally equating non-equal acts. To wit, I was bothered by the author's choice to equate by implication the Jena Six incident and the Duke Lacrosse Frame. Any

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-17890500945305844172008-01-18T20:34:00.000-06:002008-01-18T22:30:39.702-06:00

I abandon the biting sarcasm of my previous post, and choose instead to use brutal, unforgiving honesty. This topic has bothered me for a long time, and I've wondered how to properly broach the issue. Finally, I decided to do what I do best on this blog: Piss people off and damn the consequences. Specifically, I'm taking a very hard line regarding the Democratic Party's decision to strip Florida

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-80219584585308735092008-01-17T20:04:00.000-06:002008-01-17T23:05:56.961-06:00

I post this in objection to Romney's cynical assertion that Michigan's old automotive jobs can come back, that it will go back to being like the days of milk and honey, and that everything will be great again. I also call "Bullshit!" on his assertion that he can "save the South". McCain was right: The old Michigan of the Big Three is gone for good, at least in that form, and the real future lies

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-87192255408244777272008-01-13T21:13:00.000-06:002008-01-13T21:13:31.881-06:00

“Where they burn books, so too will they in the end burn human beings.” ~Heinrich Heine. I took this quote from Wikipedia's article on book burning, and I took the image from elsewhere on the site. It is with this quote that I announce the change of my blog image change. I said I wanted controversy, and I do. I also want thought, and to express in some small part my protest against the increasing

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-23360820475426412852008-01-13T14:14:00.000-06:002008-01-13T14:14:24.752-06:00

Before I go further, the ages shown above are correct. I did not know these children, and I do not know their family. They were from Bayou La Batre's Vietnamese community, and I'm not familiar with that town. However, their story has touched my heart, and it is with great, though cold, comfort that I report that, from what I've seen on television, the Mobile County D.A., John Tyson, and Mobile

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-63758811922252814762008-01-10T20:33:00.000-06:002008-01-10T21:01:57.280-06:00

I've done a bit of soul-searching, and even before I read some rather nasty bits in Ron Paul's history, I was already shopping for another candidate since I knew he had roughly a snowball's chance in Hell of winning. After reading it, well, I'm feeling a bit Blue. While some of what Senator Obama has said about ethics almost sounds Pollyannish, his positive message and the fact that he's neither

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-4280928953737312172008-01-04T20:10:00.000-06:002008-01-04T20:11:09.478-06:00

First, the aftermath of Iowa: I'll analyze the Democratic Party side of the equation first, since frankly, that's the more interesting of the two. The outcome in Iowa was the political equivalent of the 1960 Valdivia earthquake. The significance of Obama's 8 point win over Edwards and 9 point win over Clinton simply cannot be overstated. I have simply run out of superlatives to use. Even Rush

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-25446644229239593462008-01-02T17:12:00.000-06:002008-01-02T18:11:26.562-06:00

Candace challenged me to write six true statements about myself and one lie. This is a response, but also, a friend of mine pointed me to a cool free online radio website. They have some stuff you're familiar with, and some lesser-known artists, and continually refines itself to find stuff you'll like, no matter how unknown the artist is. I'm referring to Pandora Radio, and I've never been as

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-44290049059468833112007-12-31T19:01:00.000-06:002007-12-31T19:02:02.907-06:00

Seriously, could Huckabee have his head any farther up his ass? For fuck's sake, he's the most bigoted Republican in this year's field, and that's saying something in a party that's tacked farther to the right than a see-saw with Rosie O'Donnell on it with her ass facing the east. And speaking of Rosie O'Donnell, she can fuck herself too; God knows she's too fucking ugly and WAY too fucking crazy

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-12959956689954091732007-12-28T15:15:00.000-06:002007-12-28T15:32:44.304-06:00

This dates back to March 23, 2007, but has a powerful message. I was unable to find a single factual error or logical flaw in this oration, which was predictably stricken from the U.N. record. The video is below:A follow-up statement from M.P. Professor Irwin Cotler, law professor, international lawyer, and former Minister of Justice of Canada (equivalent to the United States Attorney General in

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-88469071931673040092007-12-20T17:14:00.000-06:002007-12-23T07:35:43.584-06:00

In the spirit of mass consumerism and a complete and utter disregard for the family togetherness that should be and has historically been the focus for most Western holidays over the course of the last couple of millennia or so, I'm not going to focus on what makes me happy. Instead, I'm going to fart on Santa's lap a few times and make a few wishes, and no one would have to wish for them if the

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-88083076665875705412007-12-06T20:51:00.000-06:002007-12-06T20:51:34.017-06:00

For the second half of my posting tonight, I'm going to clarify what I posted earlier a bit. While I wrote and stand behind my list of my four favorite concepts, I did not wish to slight the other 39 teams, all of whom are working very hard to see their respective visions come to life. I have nothing but respect for each and every one of the signatories of the Automotive X Prize letter of intent

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-16603075446685545472007-12-06T19:47:00.000-06:002007-12-06T19:48:02.742-06:00

Tonight will be a rare two-post night. I'm not going to bother to look to see when the last one was, but I know it's been months. As stated in the headline, the University of South Alabama will have its first NCAA-sanctioned football in the school's 44 year history, starting in the 2009 football season. This is a story I've been watching with great interest, though I didn't allow myself to hope

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-27286135683977014172007-12-02T16:05:00.000-06:002007-12-02T16:06:17.602-06:00

First, you may have noticed that I have made some changes to the layout of my blog. Frankly, I was wanting to add more stuff to it that was not supported by the current template, so I took the big leap and changed it. The current design and coloration stays true to my particular aesthetic sensibilities while remaining readable. Expect more changes to occur as the mood strikes me, though the

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-90632002896300439532007-11-25T19:36:00.000-06:002007-11-25T20:38:16.681-06:00

At first, I was going to call this post, "I now have man-boobs," but ultimately, I thought that would be oversharing. Also, I felt it would be sadly apropos to make a reference to one of the most prominent Republicans of the last century. I decided to do that as an example of how depraved an overwhelming majority of the leadership of the "conservative" wing of American politics has become. I

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-41711044630310937772007-11-17T18:37:00.000-06:002007-11-17T19:34:39.494-06:00

I mentioned that, back in my high school years, I walked that fine line between genius and insanity, and my feet ended up bloody. In less than 2 years, I wrote 150-200 poems, a couple of dozen short stories, a few extremely bad songs (though they could have been hits today with the extreme shittiness of modern pop music), and 3-4 short one-act plays, all in a bid to express what was going on

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-6736788317770147442007-11-12T18:09:00.000-06:002007-11-12T18:27:38.399-06:00

I've occasionally referred to my childhood and teenage years belonging to an evangelical Christian sect, but I've always dodged or avoided mentioning which sect. This has not been out of any shame or fear. In fact, I have many very fond memories of my childhood in that church, though not so many fond memories from my teenage years. In all fairness, though, I don't have all that many fond memories

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-66801104782933243622007-11-01T22:21:00.000-05:002007-11-01T22:21:56.494-05:00

First, I acknowledge that it is at least possible for people on both sides of the legal debate find child abuse and child pornography abhorrent. For those against the various extant laws, some debate the penalties associated with the crime, while others debate the ethics of criminalizing indirect harm of minors. Of course, some on both sides of the debate are pedophiles, their public stances

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-70138837686211706182007-10-10T16:58:00.000-05:002007-10-10T16:58:31.654-05:00

First, I'm citing his most famous book, The Prince, not his Discourses on Livy, which some argue is the greater of his political writings. Nevertheless, it is probably the first book of political science in the modern sense of the term, as opposed to the idealism of his predecessors and his contemporary detractors, such as Erasmus. Also, it is the work with which more are familiar, so it is,

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-69556341364217272312007-09-27T19:44:00.000-05:002007-09-27T19:44:20.711-05:00

In Georgia, a 60-year-old woman was arrested, strip-searched, deloused, and put in prison clothes for daring to ask why Georgia Transmission Company workers, including one off-duty police officer, were on her property. The rat-bastards claim she was threatening them, but exactly what threat does an unarmed 60 y.o. woman pose to several men? I hope she wins substantial punitive damages as a

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-39089257824798108492007-09-20T18:03:00.000-05:002007-09-20T18:03:44.296-05:00

I'm sure many of you, by now, have seen footage of a woman who was not resisting arrest getting tasered multiple times by a rogue police officer. This woman, who, understandably, was in a lot of pain, was later tasered again once she was cuffed and in the back of a police vehicle. In the video, available on ABC 2, she can be seen trying to kick her way out of said police vehicle AFTER she had

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-73712413867080393552007-09-19T18:43:00.000-05:002007-09-19T18:59:53.491-05:00

By now, I'm sure that my very few readers are aware that I take a long time to form an opinion on matters of import. However, after reviewing the known facts about the Jena Six case, I'm only confused on one matter related to this case: Is it pronounced "Gina" or "Jenna"? I've seen Jesse Jackass on television pronouncing it "Gina", but citing him as a source on, well, pretty much anything is

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-84359066218205978812007-09-17T20:04:00.000-05:002007-09-17T20:04:37.358-05:00

First, a small complaint: Why did they have to rename Division I-A and I-AA the "Football Bowl Subdivision" and the "Football Championship Subdivision", respectively? Is this tacit acknowledgment that the Bowl Championship Series is BS?Some of you may know that I'm a huge Alabama fan. It's something I was born with, something I was raised loving, and something I hope to pass on to another

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-49508680253906091312007-09-13T18:35:00.000-05:002007-09-13T19:06:49.816-05:00

I, like pretty much everybody, including the experts, was surprised that Humberto reached hurricane strength before landfall. However, I'm glad that, although it made landfall as a hurricane, at least it did so as only a Category 1, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. As part of the reasoning behind my calm over this storm, I cite Dr. Jeff Masters at Weather Underground when he made this

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-32894123956327521112007-09-11T17:42:00.000-05:002007-09-11T18:39:13.382-05:00

Before anyone calls me a miserable, cynical, heartless bastard for what I'm about to say, well, all I can say is that I was actually born within the bounds of wedlock, and I take some issue with being called heartless as well, because it's impossible to get as angry as I do about what I consider very important things without a deep well of caring hidden somewhere. I'll let you know when I find

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-24705346620359315512007-09-08T17:33:00.000-05:002007-09-08T18:14:51.616-05:00

Penitentiary: Let's look closely at that word. Of course, it means a place of corrections/prison, but let's look at the root word, penitent. Penitent refers to expressing sorrow for one's mistakes. Taking that forward to the word "penitentiary", then, it would be reasonable to infer that a penitentiary is "a place for those who are contrite," or "a place to make people contrite."The reason I

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-48523193460290661622007-09-07T22:38:00.000-05:002007-09-07T22:39:03.144-05:00

Dean and Felix were truly monstrous storms. If you want to see footage of an eyewall penetration of Felix, it's available here, and stills are also available from that same flight. Please keep in mind that I am in no way intending to demean the suffering of the victims of those storms. I know all too well how awful such things can be, and they have my deepest sympathies and my sincerest best

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-8161506928556381332007-09-02T20:08:00.000-05:002007-09-02T20:45:10.514-05:00

I was on Dr. Master's Wunderblog on Weather Underground, and they were talking about how the Hurricane Hunters had to abort due to extreme graupel, and that winds of 214 mph and 200 mph were spotted at an elevation of about 300 feet. Also, a dropsonde dropped in the southwest quadrant landed in the northeast quadrant. Read this blog, and remember that it's normally a pretty jovial, relaxed

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-8117519232390656542007-09-01T14:08:00.000-05:002007-09-01T14:18:02.510-05:00

And I scored a big, fat ZERO on interpersonal intelligence. Big shock there. Maybe I'm just nonsocial minarchist. :)

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-83608714266127523062007-08-23T17:42:00.000-05:002007-08-23T17:42:25.783-05:00

Arthur Herman Bremer, the man who attempted to assassinate George Wallace (D-AL, d. 1998), will be released some time this year, according to the Washington Post, having served 35 years of a 53 year sentence. Wallace was the last, greatest hope for segregationists around the nation, and this assassination attempt put an end to his bid for our nation's highest office.What Mr. Bremer did more than

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-18352856675564096402007-08-12T13:51:00.000-05:002007-08-12T13:51:58.661-05:00

I've given some thought to the original X-Prize recently. While it led to some amazing innovations in the funding of spaceflight, increases in cost efficiency and improving the environmental impact of space flight, it didn't touch the average person. While space flight is nice, and, I believe, vital to the continuation of the human species, it lacks an immediacy, an impact on their daily lives.

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-51865937416358720432007-08-12T12:44:00.000-05:002007-08-12T12:44:38.557-05:00

Recently, I saw on the news that Presidents Bush and Sarkozy (sp?) met, and there was no talk of "freedom fries". The first time I heard that term, I recognized it for the utter dipshittery that it is. Actually, the first time I heard that term, I thought it was a hilarious example of Monty Pythonian humor, but stopped laughing when I realized some people actually took it seriously. The second

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-31387088398753504262007-08-05T20:26:00.000-05:002007-08-05T20:26:25.423-05:00

I watched Dateline tonight, about the case of David Lemus and Olmedo Hidalgo. For a summation of the story, click here. Summed up even more succinctly, we have two guys who were proven to be nowhere near the scene of the crime imprisoned for 15 years, and two men who were guilty, neither of whom will ever see any time for that crime. Two of New York's finest police officers ended up resigning

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-70960963019893205102007-08-02T20:04:00.000-05:002007-08-02T20:09:51.466-05:00

I know this is a bit late in the game, but I've finally found a Presidential candidate I can support without reservation: Dr. Ron Paul, who, although he's a Republican, more closely embodies the ideals of the Founding Fathers and who more consistently favors a vast reduction of government than any of the other candidates from the two major parties. I disagree with him substantially on social

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-68460120413690999512007-08-02T16:35:00.001-05:002007-08-02T17:05:27.607-05:00

First, I note with sorrow the passing of The Weekly World News. The absurdist humor and entertainingly fake stories were a source of much amusement and mirth. Sadly, they found they could no longer compete in the fake news business with the leader in the field of manufactured and falsified headlines in print media, the New York Times.Second, I note with sorrow the acquisition of Dow Jones by

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-25376977344251211362007-07-29T18:07:00.000-05:002007-07-29T18:07:12.094-05:00

I'm glad that, as stated by the Chicago Tribune Cheney 'fine' after defibrillator is replaced. As much of a schmuck as he is, I don't wish him, or more importantly, his family, any ill will. However, I find it an interesting juxtaposition that, a week after his alleged boss, Bush, made Cheney acting President for two hours and five minutes, Bush became acting Vice President while Cheney's

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-26880927226954697182007-07-26T19:44:00.000-05:002007-07-26T19:55:41.345-05:00

First, to be absolutely clear, I have no problem whatsoever with the GLBT community. As long as non-related adults are happy and involved in a loving and healthy relationship based on mutual respect, and as long as they respect my right to do the same (although "right" and "ability" are very much different issues and something I have to work on...), I'm cool. No, what bothers me is all of these

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-67912267240995752272007-07-25T14:47:00.000-05:002007-07-25T14:47:05.342-05:00

Paul, please forgive me, but you raised an interesting point in the comments section of my post.1138 said... "No, I'd put you somewhere closer to an isolationist anarchist than a conservative. "I think there are a lot of folks who thing they want what you believe you want. All I can do is pray that you never get it. A modern technological society can't run on the governmental division

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-27097775725534503762007-07-24T18:07:00.000-05:002007-07-24T18:15:09.057-05:00

First, I believe the most succinct crystallization of the proper role of government can be found in the Wiccan Rede: "An' ye harm none, do what ye will." I'm a Christian by philosophy, upbringing, and culture, yet I've never seen my political beliefs stated better.Also, don't get me wrong: If this were the 1960s, I would at least be aligned with the Goldwater conservatives. The modern

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-48531053023656705552007-07-23T19:36:00.000-05:002007-07-23T19:37:45.506-05:00

Mingle2 - Free Online DatingI would like to thank my filthy FUCKING mouth for this award. :)

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-65799599861682648292007-07-22T19:30:00.000-05:002007-07-22T19:30:11.079-05:00

As I was watching Meet The Press, it was impossible to ignore Senator Feingold's announcement that he would be putting forth a measure to censure the President, though he made a point not to rule out other people who may be the subject of a censure resolution. Last year, when he made his censure motion and only three of his fellow Democrats joined him, I respected him for his courage. However,

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-73609506944282606822007-07-18T16:22:00.000-05:002007-07-18T16:22:18.923-05:00

Democrats: Hilary brought in Bill far too early. She could very easily become the Howard Dean of this election cycle, a task made even easier by the widespread... hatred isn't too strong a term for the emotion engendered by the mention of her or her husband by those on both the left and the right. She's running this race as though it were a 400m sprint, but elections these days are more like an

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-46748620110913717582007-07-12T20:06:00.000-05:002007-07-12T20:06:53.840-05:00

I'm going back to something President Bush said on April 20, because he said something fairly similar today. He said, "My job is a job to make decisions. I’m a decision — if the job description were, what do you do — it’s decision-maker. And I make a lot of big ones, and I make a lot of little ones." Doesn't quite have the same ring as the apocryphal Louix XIV quote, "L'etat, c'est moi!"

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-15871715976694100322007-07-09T15:16:00.000-05:002007-07-09T15:24:13.595-05:00

I watched 60 Minutes last night, and aside from being entertained by Andy Rooney's curmudgeonly ranting, I was deeply disturbed by a story about David Walker. He has been derided by some as a "Chicken Little" about the nation's fiscal health, but I can find no flaws with his arguments. It's sad that he's realized that he can accomplish nothing by dealing directly with our elected

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-91061740934344561662007-07-08T01:29:00.000-05:002007-07-08T14:03:46.619-05:00

1) Spoken English is almost equivalent to a second language for me, although it's the language I grew up hearing. The written form is where I was first really able to express myself. I didn't even speak a coherent sentence until I was 3, and I didn't achieve true comfort with the spoken form of the language until much later. The causes to this day are not entirely known, but there are some

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-67998818549909256172007-07-05T15:52:00.000-05:002007-07-05T16:31:50.271-05:00

Since Glenn Greenwald's article is of a fair amount of length, I won't cite the entire article here. It is, however, definitely worth a read, and I ask that you read before continuing on with my post.If Bush is, in fact, Nietzschean in his outlook, would that make him, and by extension, his lackeys, nihilists? I would argue that the problem of corruption at the top levels of government is far

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-70830108492566748412007-07-05T15:47:00.000-05:002007-07-05T16:30:57.185-05:00

In recent months, perhaps a year or more, I have found myself very curious about the ancient Romans. Could they see the end of their empire? Were there those among them who could see that their empire, their way of life, was inexorably drawing to a close? Did they know that they had gone past the tipping point, away from civilization and into decay? Did it hurt them to the core of their very

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-5734237098773334802007-07-04T08:45:00.000-05:002007-07-04T08:46:05.026-05:00

Given the importance of this case, I felt the need to devote an entire post to it. Before I continue, I want to make it clear that Justice Kennedy is decidedly NOT one of my favorite Supreme Court Justices, especially since the Kelo decision, although, to be fair, his concurring opinion was easily the most sane and fair of those in the majority. Had he known facts that later came to light, I

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11559629.post-60601871029666339092007-07-03T20:30:00.000-05:002007-07-03T20:30:20.448-05:00

What can I say? I felt a little whimsical. There is a silver lining in the whole Scooter Libby sentence commutation: Libby is still a convicted felon, he still has $250k in restitution to pay, and he still has probation to serve. He didn't take documents out of the National Archives and destroy them in the middle of an investigation(Berger), and he didn't evade taxes and make deals with Iran

Mandelbrot's Chaoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16707481552099334302noreply@blogger.com3