10 - 2007 | ***Dave Does the Blog

“Singing a song of angry men”

It’s looking pretty likely that there will be a writers strike in Hollywood this year — and sooner than Hollywood expected. Instead of waiting, however, WGA members received an e-mail…

It’s looking pretty likely that there will be a writers strike in Hollywood this year — and sooner than Hollywood expected.

Instead of waiting, however, WGA members received an e-mail just moments ago announcing a strike authorization vote — the results of which could be revealed in the next 10 days. If they vote to strike, the group could pack up their laptops when its contract expires on Nov. 1.
This would majorly tighten the noose around the necks of the guys holding the purse strings, because movie studios won’t have had time to fast-track blockbusters to see them through a strike, and most fall TV shows will only have 10 or 11 episodes in the can at that point.

I tend to support writers and other creative talent in these sorts of disputes (with a leavening of awareness of how unions can often be unreasonable, even if they call themselves “guilds”). While it is by no means a balanced presentation, this summary of the WGA reactions to the studios’ proposals makes it pretty clear why the writers are taking this step — such fun things as removing writer names from advertising, not giving residuals until the (infinitely regressing) event of a project reading “profitability,” etc.

Should be interesting to watch.

1500 Miles to … Nowhere?

So I’ve been continuing with the (this year) 1,500 Miles to Nowhere challenge, courtesy of Marn, though I haven’t been posting the milestones here (or at the site). I’m…

So I’ve been continuing with the (this year) 1,500 Miles to Nowhere challenge, courtesy of Marn, though I haven’t been posting the milestones here (or at the site). I’m probably going to fall short this year … I’ve gone almost 1100 miles, but have 410 miles left, 89 days to go, am averaging just under 4 miles per day but need to be doing 4.6. I suspect that my pedometer earlier in the year was underestimating, but, whatever — it’s something I’m tracking and doing, huzzah.

But next year, I might tackle things a little differently. The Eowyn Challenge site — originally set up leading up to the last LotR movie, offers some annotated “trips” you can track. Based on the work of Karen Wynn Fonstad, author of The Atlas of Middle Earth, you can do things like walk “with” the Hobbits from Bag End to Rivendell (458 miles). That could be kind of fun (“On This Day in My Walking …”)

I want to poke at the site a bit more at the end of the year, but it could be a pleasant way to track my ongoing walking habit.

“When You Chuck-E-Cize, Anything is Possible!”

An eleven minute training film for folks dressing up as Chuck E. Cheese at those awful pizza restaurants. Don’t forget the Lysol! (Yes, we still owe Kitten a trip there.)…

An eleven minute training film for folks dressing up as Chuck E. Cheese at those awful pizza restaurants. Don’t forget the Lysol!

(Yes, we still owe Kitten a trip there.)

(via Mary)

Tombs

The Ten Most Fascinating Tombs in the World. I’ve been to two, and Margie, I believe, to two — with just one overlap. Any guesses?…

The Ten Most Fascinating Tombs in the World. I’ve been to two, and Margie, I believe, to two — with just one overlap. Any guesses?

Oops, I Fugued It Again

How to write a fugue. A la Brittney Spears. Really. (via BD)…

How to write a fugue. A la Brittney Spears. Really.

(via BD)

I’m too sexy for my IP

Who’d have thought your IP Address could be Not Safe For Work? (via BD)…

Who’d have thought your IP Address could be Not Safe For Work?

(via BD)

Episcotrivia on a Wednesday afternoon

So at what point does the national church actually step in and start taking disciplinary action against bishops — and priests — who decide that they are pulling up…

So at what point does the national church actually step in and start taking disciplinary action against bishops — and priests — who decide that they are pulling up stakes and leaving the Episcopal Church. Especially when they are doing so in a pre-announced and deliberate fashion? Via Ginny, we have:

The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth announced October 1 that it will ask its upcoming diocesan convention to “take the first step needed to dissociate itself from the General Convention of The Episcopal Church and to begin the process of affiliating with another Province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.”
According to a statement posted on the diocese’s website, the Standing Committee will propose five diocesan constitutional amendments, which must be approved by two successive meetings of the convention.
The convention meets November 16 and 17 at All Saints’ Episcopal School, Fort Worth.
“We believe it is time to separate our diocese from General Convention religion and to join an orthodox Province of the Anglican Communion,” the Very Rev. Ryan S. Reed, president of the Standing Committee, said in the statement.

I mean, it’s one thing for Rev. Joe-Bob Smith to decide he’s going to leave TEC and join some other organization today. To announce a plan over the next couple of years to do so … seems … sort of like mentioning to your boss that you’re looking for another job, as soon as you have your resume put together and you’ve earned your stock options at the end of the year. It’s tacky at best, and rude at least.

The other resolutions would remove from the diocesan constitution’s preamble any mention of the Episcopal Church, change the constitution’s first article from one acceding to the authority of General Convention to one titled “Anglican Identity”; give the diocesan convention authority to elect deputies to “extra-diocesan conventions or synods” with all mention of General Convention deputies deleted; remove the required agreement of the diocese to enact canons which are consistent with those of the Episcopal Church; and allow the diocese to move its cathedral to a parish other than one in Fort Worth.

Interestingly enough, the proposals would allow dissenting (from the dissenters, i.e., loyal to TEC) parishes in the diocese to leave (or get booted out). Which, of course, is bass-ackward.

Bottom line, if the conservatives want to leave, the door is right over there. If they want to check into a building across the street and call themselves “The Free and Non-Gay-Loving Nor Woman-Ordaining Real True Anglicans of Fort Worth,” they can do that today. Acting to depart as a diocese is kind of like (to extend the metaphor) planning on how to leave your job but keep office and parking space. Or, ecclesiastically, like a group of us parishioners back in pews 5-7 Left deciding we’re going to hold our own church services on Sunday, right in that spot, with our own choir and preacher.

The diocese does not have an ecclesiastical existence outside of the national church that created it. The individuals certainly do — and are free to (dis)associate as they will. But they are not then the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, and pretending they are is like a sad ghost story. It’s tacky, rude, and wrong.

And on that note, closer to home, Rev. Don Armstrong may not have that title before his name for long — at least not as an Episcopal priest. The Standing Committee for the Diocese has passed its final judgment on Armstrong regarding his financial shenanigans,

The five member panel – made up of clergy and lay people elected at Diocesan Convention – also sentenced Armstrong with deposition from his ministry as an Episcopal priest.

That’s “defrocked” in lay terms.

Armstrong has two weeks to respond, and in 30 day Bp. Rob O’Neill will pronounced final sentence — which can be less, but not more, than the Standing Committee’s judgment. I have no idea what Bp.Rob will do, but I am sure to a moral certainty that Rev. Armstrong will bluster, or guffaw, depending on what audience he’s addressing at the time.

Annoying Blog Problems ‘R’ Us

Comments not working. Zillion apologies. Problem reported, under investigation, but going to bed now. UPDATE (3-Oct): Okay, working better. Still getting some odd errors for some of the MT tags,…

Comments not working. Zillion apologies. Problem reported, under investigation, but going to bed now.

UPDATE (3-Oct): Okay, working better. Still getting some odd errors for some of the MT tags, but everything seems to be functioning. Or functioningish.

UPDATE TO UPDATE: No, not working nearly as well as at first blush. Comments do actually go in (generating an error) — if you can get to the comment page. But sometimes it takes a rebuild to see them, and there are still on-screen errors.

UPDATE TO UPDATE TO UPDATE (fin): And, thanks to the Hosting Matters crew, we’re back in business. Yay!

Travel potpourri!

Random stuff I scribbled down to blog about while on my trip: Self-contained Taser shells! It’s taserrific! For whatever reason, I’ve been encountering the term “bespoke” more and more often…

Random stuff I scribbled down to blog about while on my trip:

Self-contained Taser shells! It’s taserrific!
For whatever reason, I’ve been encountering the term “bespoke” more and more often of late. While originally referring to custom-tailored suits on Savile Row, it’s now used in IT to refer to any customized output (a “bespoke report,” for example).
I’m fascinated that while the US media covering the current dissident-bashing in SE Asia refers to the country by its newfangled name Myanmar and its capitol as Yangon, the BBC still uses the old-fashioned colonial Burma and Rangoon. Evidently everyone is confused.
Pity poor Alabamans … not only do they have to live in Alabama, but nobody in the state can sell them sex toys. It’s not illegal to possess them, mind you, nor is it illegal to buy them elsewhere and transport them across state borders, but it’s illegal to sell them. Unless, of course, you’re marketing them as “bona fide” medical devices.
Add to John McCain’s goofballness his mind-numbing ignorance of the US Constitution. “”I would probably have to say yes, that the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation.” Right. And that’s in Article … which one, now?
Yeah, I know the Dems really want to steer clear of the whole “Party of Tax Increase” meme — but, honestly, I think an Iraq War Tax is an excellent idea. If we’re going to be there, it should hurt (beyond the cost of coffins and body bags and opportunity costs of the billions being spent). Funding the war by not funding other things (especially now that Dubya has magically “gotten religion” about vetoing spending bills).
Did you know that if you are renting a car from Hertz (at least), you can drive through the EZPay lanes of the various tollways in Houston (at least) and the toll will just get added to your rental bill (with a small convenience fee)? I was told this by a senior manager today, which made the drive back to Bush Intercontinental a lot more convenient than the drive from Bush Intercontinental. Of course, if I get a $250 fine slapped onto my Hertz bill, she is never going to hear the end of it.
No matter how much you are tempted to do so, there is absolutely no long-term benefit to laughing at a TSA agent named Phlegm. Really.

The Greatest Threat You Face at the Airport!!

Who knows where those other people’s feet have been!? Every time you fly, you must remove your shoes before proceeding through airport security. You are exposed to infectious contaminants…

Who knows where those other people’s feet have been!?

Every time you fly, you must remove your shoes before proceeding through airport security.
You are exposed to infectious contaminants others have left behind!
-Bacteria
-Viruses
-Warts
-E. Coli
-Use you imagination…
KLEENFOOT
protects you and your family from dangerous diseases. Simply remove your shoes, slip Kleen Foot on and stroll through security with confidence.

Read the goofy ads in the flight magazine! Get Kleenfoot! Save your feet! Impress your fellow travellers! Draw unwanted attention from the TSA!

Travel Log

The round trip to/from Houston was pretty painless. Continental — which would have been the second big carrier at DIA during the initial plans, which came to a screeching halt…

The round trip to/from Houston was pretty painless.

Continental — which would have been the second big carrier at DIA during the initial plans, which came to a screeching halt when they filed for bankruptcy, leaving us to the tender mercies of a United monopoly — did a nice job, but the flights both directions were only half full at best. In both cases, at check-in, I was able to commandeer an exit row seat, including one without a seat in front of it. Leggy …

My scoffing at bottles o’ stuff came back to bite me slightly on my departure. It was a slow night at DIA, so not only did TSA Guy #1 wait for me to pass through the magnetometer and almost get to my stuff before asking me to go back through but this time run the paperback book in my pocket through the X-Ray, but TSA Guy #2 spotted the Forgotten Bag o’ Bottles in my suitcase and searched the whole thing for … stuff. I apologized for neglecting to pull out the bag, and he let me pass.

Thank goodness I wasn’t carrying a violin.

As it was, I almost left my book there, though. Noticed it just as I was about to get on the train to the concourse.

If I didn’t mention it last time, there’s a Ben & Jerry’s going in at Concourse B, and also a Paradise Bakery & Cafe. There’s a B&J going in at A, too. They’re actually getting some decent eateries at DIA.

I also didn’t mention that Frontier has expanded their footprint in the terminal building significantly, occupying almost an entire section on the East side, with many, many, many more kiosks as well. Reaction to the the Blizzards of ’06? Or a sign of success?

I’ll also note with pride that I finished the crossword. In ink. With only one partial scratch-out. Ta-dah.

Continental fed me a small sandwich and associated goodies going and coming. Nothing to write home about, but not horrid, either, and a definite uptick from a bag of pretzels or mixed salty bits.

Not bad, from a travel perspective. And we let out early, so rather than getting home at Midnight, I was home by 8:30p. Huzzah!

Let’s Get Physical!

Had my Physical on Monday afternoon before rushing off to the airport. Long story short, after all the poking and prodding and peering, I have a fairly clean bill…

Had my Physical on Monday afternoon before rushing off to the airport. Long story short, after all the poking and prodding and peering, I have a fairly clean bill of health (pending an opportunity to fast for 12 hours then go in for a lab panel).

Only sketchy element was a BP of 140/80 when I came in, which settled down a bit after some chit chat. Not that I’m STRESSED or anything, mind you. But I’ll monitor that a bit. Note that 140/90 is the Official Definition of High Blood Pressure. Since in the past I’ve shown much more reasonable blood pressures, I’m thinking this is more situational than systemic, but, as I said, I’ll monitor it.

I also waved off a tetanus update right then and there, doing such a thing before hallooing off on a business trip sounding like not a good idea.

Potpourri for the Feast of St Dodo

Who was St Dodo? Customer Service ‘R’ Us” – Things folks should and shouldn’t say at a Chinese clothing store. You think you have a weird conspiracy theory? No,…

Who was St Dodo?
Customer Service ‘R’ Us” – Things folks should and shouldn’t say at a Chinese clothing store.
You think you have a weird conspiracy theory? No, here are some weird conspiracy theories.
Harvard legal experts rake the Harvard book store over the coals for claiming that book prices are “intellectual property.”
Is this the official Episcopal schism? “Anglican bishops discontent with The Episcopal Church announced Friday they have taken the first step in forming a “separate ecclesiastical structure” in North America in an attempt to remain faithful to the global Anglican Communion.” If so, can we kick them out now? More. More. And more. Official announcement. Who was there (more).
Do animals have souls?

Yeah, watch out for those crafty Welsh-speaking violin-players

Because, you know, they’re probably terrorists. Or, perhaps, bit players in a story by Kafka: Ms. Ghuman’s descent into the bureaucratic netherworld began on Aug. 8, 2006, when she and…

Because, you know, they’re probably terrorists. Or, perhaps, bit players in a story by Kafka:

Ms. Ghuman’s descent into the bureaucratic netherworld began on Aug. 8, 2006, when she and Mr. Flight returned to San Francisco from a research trip to Britain. Armed immigration officers met them at the airplane door and escorted Ms. Ghuman away.
In a written account of the next eight hours that she prepared for her lawyer, Ms. Ghuman said that officers tore up her H-1B visa, which was valid through May 2008, defaced her British passport, and seemed suspicious of everything from her music cassettes to the fact that she had listed Welsh as a language she speaks. A redacted government report about the episode obtained by her lawyer under the Freedom of Information Act erroneously described her as “Hispanic.”
Held incommunicado in a room in the airport, she was groped during a body search, she said, and was warned that if she moved, she would be considered to be attacking her armed female searcher. After questioning her for hours, the officers told her that she had been ruled inadmissible, she said, and threatened to transfer her to a detention center in Santa Clara, Calif., unless she left on a flight to London that night.
Outside, Mr. Flight made frantic calls for help. He said the British Consulate tried to get through to the immigration officials in charge, to no avail. And Ms. Ghuman said her demands to speak to the British consul were rebuffed.
“They told me I was nobody, I was nowhere and I had no rights,” she said. “For the first time, I understood what the deprivation of liberty means.”

Who is the International Woman of Mystery? A Welsh-born musicologist who’s been teaching at Mills College in Oakland, and who’d been working in the US for a decade. Oh, and she’s an expert in Elbert (“Pomp & Circumstance”) Elgar, and an Oxford graduate, with a doctorate from UC Berkeley … ah, that must be it … terroristic Berserkeleyite, man …

And after 13+ months trying to find out more, trying to reapply for a visa, getting folks from Parliament and Congress and the American Musicological Society to write in on her behalf … nada. No explanations, no justifications, no accusations that can be addressed or rebutted. No response as to whether her visa reapplication’s been blackballed, etc.

Kelly Klundt, a spokeswoman for Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, said officers at San Francisco International Airport had no choice but to bar Ms. Ghuman because the State Department, at its discretion, had revoked her visa. The State Department would not discuss the case, citing the confidentiality of individual visa records.

How conveniently “confidential.”

I’d note that the picture of her in the NY Times article looks a lot like my mother in younger days … but who knows what might happen to my Mom if I did.

Drinking from the Firehose

So … it’s Monday. And I have phone call’s starting at 6 a.m. and running through the time I run out the door to a doctor’s appointment from which I…

So … it’s Monday.

And I have phone call’s starting at 6 a.m. and running through the time I run out the door to a doctor’s appointment from which I am dashing to the airport for my business trip.

Among the various bits are a major system go-live today (which is not going well), follow-ups from last week’s meetings, prep for tomorrow’s meetings (which involves some huge project work for the next year), some additional stuff that was off on the back burner last week but has roared back to the fore, Plus, I need to get packed, I need to finish my travel safety planning, all sorts of keen things like that.

And, oh, yeah, the raccoon visited last night and raided the cat food (and a chocolate bar), so clean-up on aisle seven …

October is starting swimmingly. 🙂