Stargate Universe is unbearably bad. Not one of the characters is in the least bit charming, interesting, funny or realistic. They took Stargate, took out all the good parts, added a copious amount of melodrama and hired horrendous actors. GOOD JOB!!
(ok, they did just fly through a star, which is pretty cool)

Dollhouse has had two very good episodes in a row. Topher? Ethics? What?

In the last week, I've finished Babylon 5 Season 1 (started 2 years ago) Season 2 and Season 3.
I'm just hoping that I'm not in for an anticlimax now that I've gotten a few episodes into Season 4.
So far, awesome show, and very well-written for a sci-fi show.
I wish there was more Alfred Bester (Take me to your nucwear wessels!)
and less Delenn (that "accent" is killing me)

Also, the Babylon 5 / Star Trek DS9 comparisons are striking
White Star = Defiant
Babylon 5 = Deep Space 9
Sinclair = Sisko
Ivanova = Nerys (sorta)
Garibaldi = Odo

Ok, not totally the same, but one of these shows OBVIOUSLY had some influence one the other.

Can we hire better protesters please? I like my political dissenters to at least know what they disagree with. I guess you can't expect much out of a crowd inspired by the likes of Glenn Beck.


9.12 DC TEA PARTY - MARCH FOOTAGE WITH INTERVIEWS

Ok, I've got a little "entertainment center" here at my house that I'm trying to bend to my will. The components are:
48" LG HDTV
Sony Playstation 3
Comcast HD Cable Box
Nintendo Wii
Laptop with PS3MediaServer
Computer tower (soon to be connected to TV via HDMI)
1TB HD (ntfs formatted, so it won't work with PS3)

I want to turn my tower into a kickass media server, but I hate running windows, but I can't erase everything to install Linux... AARRRRRRGGGG
I can play video files over the LAN from my lappy to the PS3 in pretty much any format... so that's good. I just wish PS3MediaServer was a tad more stable. 

I got a polarizer filter for my SLR, so I need to take that for a spin.
I am so glad that I have my work's macbook at home. I don't know how I'd survive without it.

I'm starting to realize that the crazy politicians (Bachmann, Palin, Wilson, Huckabee, etc) are from the exact same religious culture that I came from. Yikes.

In other news, it's been a really really really long time since I posted here last.

Really really long time.

In other news, I miss True Blood already. It's cheesy and silly, but the characters are amazing to watch. 

I hope Stargate Universe isn't horrible. 

I've always been a futurist, and among my many obsessions is the future of the human mind. The idea of teleportation has always been a problem with me, since during the process of transportation, the body is destroyed and reconstituted. In this case, is the body merely a copy of the original? Does the original cease to exist? For that reason, I will never partake in teleportation.

More recently, the show Dollhouse has raised a similar question. If the contents of a human brain can be saved and stored, what are the implications? If the contents of your mind are separated from your body, which part is really you? Are you the container or the contents?

To me, it seems that humankind fights to affirm the cynic's point of view that a good human being is an exception to the rule. Every time I try to find a person or group with which I can agree, I am always disappointed by details and/or certain individuals. Therefore, here is my a-religious screed.

I do not choose to believe in the human notion of god. If a "higher" being is revealed by science, then I will "believe in" that being.
I will make no effort to "convert" anyone to atheism.
I will take no offense at religious belief. That said, I do take offense at efforts to "convert" non-believers through dishonest tactics.

If I was to have a "supernatural" experience (which I have had on several occasions), it will not affect my decision to un-believe, due to my knowledge of mind-altering substances such as fear, guilt, (il)legal drugs, and being alone in the woods surrounded by bears raptors.
But most importantly, if my experience is unprovable or intangible in nature, then it should not be accepted as fact or granted with belief.

I hold that the right to education is the greatest and most unalienable of human rights. Education is the most powerful tool in the human arsenal. At the same time, blind ideology is the worst of all human motivations.

Finally, my respect for others religious beliefs does not extend to instances when beliefs are presented as facts. In those cases, I will use the full power of logic to defend the realm of facts against the realm of beliefs and superstitions.

There was an empty space between emailing and chatting. It was desolate; not important enough for email, and not urgent enough for an instant message. Then came twitter, which allows us to post inane comments and start pointless conversations to our heart's content. No requirement to respond, no requirement to do anything. It is freedom.


Ok, yeah, I just discovered that I actually like twitter...

Galactica as a contemporary version of Virgil's Aeneid?
Awesome.

Where do I start? From the lackluster GOP presidential candidates, to the disaster that was Sarah Palin, to the retardation hitting the fan from Utah to Washington, the past year has seen nothing but fail from Republicans everywhere. To be honest, I like our little two party system. I like having a choice between different ideas. Unfortunately, the current choices are: Liberal Socialism (not too bad in my opinion, and actually still very capitalist), Social Fascists (I'm looking at you Michele Bachmann), and Socially-Liberal Laissez-Faire types (Libertarians, I know you exist somewhere besides the internet). I would mention that Republicans are supposed to be fiscally conservative, but then I remember this guy named Bush.

I will admit that the economy is pure voodoo; no-one has a clue how to fix it once it's broken. Putting aside economic issues, we are left with ideology and social issues. Here's my advice for the future of the Republican party: STOP TELLING PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE THEIR LIVES. So simple. The gays aren't going to destroy the country. There is no militant homosexual agenda. There is only the militant ignorant, homophobic, hate-filled agenda. Just stop. Religious people, turn your bible toward the gospels and don't look back. Also, science is your friend, stop trying to pollute our educational system with fairy tale crap.

As for economics, laissez faire has had its way for more than 20 years (Clinton was no socialist). A little bit of socialism got us out of the great depression (Yes it did, look it up) and gave us a good many social programs that we would rather not live without. Give (a little bit of) socialism a try. Obama's not perfect, but give him a chance to impress. Just make sure to give credit where it's due next time an election rolls around, k?