From IMDB
Grandpa: "Losers are people who are so afraid of not winning, they don't even try."
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Inkscape Web Album
I've started a shared web album and it has some drawings that I have made using the Inkscape program aptly named Inkscape.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Techdirt: Why We Should All Want Politicians Who Plagiarize
Techdirt: Why We Should All Want Politicians Who Plagiarize
There's been a rather bizarre debate about plagiarism kicked off by charges from Hillary Clinton's campaign that Barack Obama has "plagiarized" some of his speeches. This isn't a political blog, and I won't get into the politics of this, but we do talk about plagiarism here, and it's a ridiculous claim. In the past, we've noted that it's time to rethink the concept of plagiarism, and even pointed to Jonathan Lethem's fantastic defense of plagiarism, which was entirely plagiarized itself. Many people wrongly confuse copyright and plagiarism -- even though they are two separate things. Copyright has nothing to do with making sure someone gets credit for their work. What some people want to call plagiarism, others are realizing is actually a form of collaboration. Ideas and words do not come to us uniquely as a burst of inspiration -- but are built on what we have all learned from others. When anyone speaks, they are "plagiarizing" others in some form or another. Name a political candidate who has only uttered his or her own words, not taking anything from anyone else and improving on it in their own way.
Thankfully, various speechwriters have come forward to ridicule the charges of plagiarism, noting that all political speeches pull from others, and when is the last time you heard a politician credit his or her own speechwriter for a speech he or she had just given? Copyright expert William Patry has blasted the charges as well. In fact, most of the commentary seems to be about what a lame tactic it is. Most amusing of all, perhaps, are the false claims by one news organization that it broke the story. Think about that for a second: a news organization is demanding undeserved credit for breaking a story on a politician who, by omission, failed to credit where his ideas came from. Which is worse? Claiming credit for something you did not do, or failing to credit a friend and advisor who provided you with an idea you built on?
But the key point here is that I want a politician who plagiarizes. I want a politician who takes the ideas of others, mixes them around and comes out with something better. I want a politician who doesn't think that all good ideas spring from his or her head alone, but knows that by listening to others, and by internalizing those ideas, remixing those ideas and building on top of those ideas something better, something more profound, something more meaningful can be produced. Any politician who chooses not to build on the ideas of others and who insists that only he or she creates the speeches and policies put forth is not a politician worth following.
from Mike Masnick
I was just composing an entry on this, but this person sums up my thoughts pretty well.
There's been a rather bizarre debate about plagiarism kicked off by charges from Hillary Clinton's campaign that Barack Obama has "plagiarized" some of his speeches. This isn't a political blog, and I won't get into the politics of this, but we do talk about plagiarism here, and it's a ridiculous claim. In the past, we've noted that it's time to rethink the concept of plagiarism, and even pointed to Jonathan Lethem's fantastic defense of plagiarism, which was entirely plagiarized itself. Many people wrongly confuse copyright and plagiarism -- even though they are two separate things. Copyright has nothing to do with making sure someone gets credit for their work. What some people want to call plagiarism, others are realizing is actually a form of collaboration. Ideas and words do not come to us uniquely as a burst of inspiration -- but are built on what we have all learned from others. When anyone speaks, they are "plagiarizing" others in some form or another. Name a political candidate who has only uttered his or her own words, not taking anything from anyone else and improving on it in their own way.
Thankfully, various speechwriters have come forward to ridicule the charges of plagiarism, noting that all political speeches pull from others, and when is the last time you heard a politician credit his or her own speechwriter for a speech he or she had just given? Copyright expert William Patry has blasted the charges as well. In fact, most of the commentary seems to be about what a lame tactic it is. Most amusing of all, perhaps, are the false claims by one news organization that it broke the story. Think about that for a second: a news organization is demanding undeserved credit for breaking a story on a politician who, by omission, failed to credit where his ideas came from. Which is worse? Claiming credit for something you did not do, or failing to credit a friend and advisor who provided you with an idea you built on?
But the key point here is that I want a politician who plagiarizes. I want a politician who takes the ideas of others, mixes them around and comes out with something better. I want a politician who doesn't think that all good ideas spring from his or her head alone, but knows that by listening to others, and by internalizing those ideas, remixing those ideas and building on top of those ideas something better, something more profound, something more meaningful can be produced. Any politician who chooses not to build on the ideas of others and who insists that only he or she creates the speeches and policies put forth is not a politician worth following.
from Mike Masnick
I was just composing an entry on this, but this person sums up my thoughts pretty well.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Big 3-0
I turned 30 on Saturday. I don't feel any different. I didn't lose my eyesight or anything the minute after I turned one year older. I actually feel better now than I did when I turned 25, maybe even 21. I ache less now than I have in the past, which I believe is due to my healthy change in the past seven months. I do have aches and pains, but I've had most of those since I was 19. The only new one is my shin, which I call the shin-rometer, and it's kinda useful at times.
I have done some changing in the last few months, dressing a little more "womanly". Who knows if it's because of the magic birthday, my weight loss, or just growing up, or a combination of those things. I'm thinking about letting my hair grow out, but I dread the time before it gets there. My hair does grow pretty fast, so it might not take long. Who knows?
Guess I need to get that tattoo. I heard an opinion today that women over 35 shouldn't get them, so I've got five years to make up my mind for sure. ;)
I have done some changing in the last few months, dressing a little more "womanly". Who knows if it's because of the magic birthday, my weight loss, or just growing up, or a combination of those things. I'm thinking about letting my hair grow out, but I dread the time before it gets there. My hair does grow pretty fast, so it might not take long. Who knows?
Guess I need to get that tattoo. I heard an opinion today that women over 35 shouldn't get them, so I've got five years to make up my mind for sure. ;)
Thursday, February 14, 2008
New Header
I created a new header using Inkscape. It's a free, open source scalable vector graphics editor. Sounds pretty impressive, huh? Well, it is impressive, but it's also pretty easy to use. I mean, I used it so it can't be that hard.
I made the header hoping it will bring spring in early....but somehow I don't think Mother Nature uses the internet.
Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!
I made the header hoping it will bring spring in early....but somehow I don't think Mother Nature uses the internet.
Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Newsvine - Roy Scheider, of 'Jaws' Fame, Dies at 75
Newsvine - Roy Scheider, of 'Jaws' Fame, Dies at 75: "Roy Scheider, of 'Jaws' Fame, Dies at 75"
He was one of those actors that you don't think much about until you see a picture of him or something and you say to yourself "oh yeah, I really like that guy's work".
He was one of those actors that you don't think much about until you see a picture of him or something and you say to yourself "oh yeah, I really like that guy's work".
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Reba & Kelly Concert at Tulsa
The Reba & Kelly concert on Friday was awesome. Melissa Peterman, the actress that played Barbra Jean on "Reba", opened the show with a stand-up comedy routine. She was hilarious. Every time I have seen her on T.V., she has the same amount of energy she had on the stage, and it makes me wonder if she's that way all of the time.
There was a short break after her routine. The show started with the curtain down and you hear the beginning of Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams". This was the song that Reba would sing a cappella in previous shows....but it ended up nothing like Patsy's version. The curtain rises and she and Kelly break into Eurythmics's version.
Both artists were on the stage for the whole show. Songs from both artists were sung, with each occasionally taking a roll as a backup singer.
When it came time for the duo to sing "I'm a Survivor", the theme song for "Reba", Melissa made another stage appearance. I knew some of what was coming from seeing part of previous concerts on Youtube, but she still had me falling out of my seat.
I knew that Reba wouldn't be able to make it through the show without at least one wardrobe change, and she didn't disappoint. I haven't been to many concerts, so I don't know if this is common, but as well as I can remember, Reba has always had a sort of pause close to the end of the concert, and then she would come back out for a few songs, encore-like. The same thing happened with this show, with she and Kelly coming out from below the stage, in different shirts. I laughed out loud and told Jerry that I knew she couldn't make it without changing. She used to change many times when she had the big, elaborate concerts. They closed the show with "Fancy", a personal favorite of Reba's.
The show was a wonderful blend of country and pop. Jerry was amazed by Kelly's voice, even though some of her songs weren't up his alley. The sound of the two voices together was lovely and I wished they would go on all night. I told Jerry that we could still get tickets to the concert at Kansas City, MO on my birthday, but he didn't pick up the hint.
I guess Reba will always be that one celebrity I wish I could meet. I started adding it up and realized that I have been a fan for over 20 years. My fan-dom has ebbed and flowed during those years, but one thing is certain; there will always be a Reba song close at hand.
There was a short break after her routine. The show started with the curtain down and you hear the beginning of Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams". This was the song that Reba would sing a cappella in previous shows....but it ended up nothing like Patsy's version. The curtain rises and she and Kelly break into Eurythmics's version.
Both artists were on the stage for the whole show. Songs from both artists were sung, with each occasionally taking a roll as a backup singer.
When it came time for the duo to sing "I'm a Survivor", the theme song for "Reba", Melissa made another stage appearance. I knew some of what was coming from seeing part of previous concerts on Youtube, but she still had me falling out of my seat.
I knew that Reba wouldn't be able to make it through the show without at least one wardrobe change, and she didn't disappoint. I haven't been to many concerts, so I don't know if this is common, but as well as I can remember, Reba has always had a sort of pause close to the end of the concert, and then she would come back out for a few songs, encore-like. The same thing happened with this show, with she and Kelly coming out from below the stage, in different shirts. I laughed out loud and told Jerry that I knew she couldn't make it without changing. She used to change many times when she had the big, elaborate concerts. They closed the show with "Fancy", a personal favorite of Reba's.
The show was a wonderful blend of country and pop. Jerry was amazed by Kelly's voice, even though some of her songs weren't up his alley. The sound of the two voices together was lovely and I wished they would go on all night. I told Jerry that we could still get tickets to the concert at Kansas City, MO on my birthday, but he didn't pick up the hint.
I guess Reba will always be that one celebrity I wish I could meet. I started adding it up and realized that I have been a fan for over 20 years. My fan-dom has ebbed and flowed during those years, but one thing is certain; there will always be a Reba song close at hand.
Derby Entry: Quitter
I made an entry for the latest derby at shirt.woot called "Take My Ball and Go Home". Go vote for it, if you are so inclined.
Newsvine - Texas Tech Coach Bob Knight Resigns
Newsvine - Texas Tech Coach Bob Knight Resigns
I've not always liked his attitude or actions, but it's hard to deny that Coach Knight is one of the best.
I've not always liked his attitude or actions, but it's hard to deny that Coach Knight is one of the best.
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