Saturday, January 03, 2009

Question of the Day

A couple has two children both of whom suffer medical problems though the exact nature of the problems have not been diagnosed. The reason for the lack of a proper determination of the illness: the parents possess religious beliefs for a religion in which the religious doctrine does not accept that there are mental illnesses or neurological disorders and, further, does not accept certain forms of medicine as reasonable treatments for illnesses.

Instead of drug use to treat mental conditions, the religious doctrine states that healing should be spiritual.

Question: Does the state possess an interest to intervene on behalf of the family to diagnose the medical condition and, if one is found, to provide treatment for the children even if it counters the religious beliefs of the parents?

College Football Fans of the World, Unite; Or, More Likely, Sit and Take It For Another Five Years

Well, it seems that the College Football Corporate Bowl Season is about to implode yet again. Of course I am speaking of the delicious irony provided by the Utah Utes at the hands of Nick "There is no need for me to honor my contract" Saban's Losing Tide....

Let's recap, shall we? The only undefeated team in Division I, the Utes from Utah, could not play for the National Championship because they are not in one of the major divisions as determined by college presidents from the major football factories who do not want to share revenue with anyone.

Instead, the powers that be scheduled the Utes against Alabama, a team that went undefeated until their conference championship game and, fortunately for those who dislike College Football, that loss eliminated 'Bama from contention. Yet, a funny thing happened on the way to the Utah's destruction by the hands of Alabama: Utah demolished Alabama.

Now, Florida and Oklahoma, teams that each have one loss, will play for College Football's National Championship sometime this year. Oklahoma received an invitation to the game somehow even though they finished with an identical record as Texas and Texas beat them on a neutral field when those two teams met around midterms. Florida received a trip to the big dance by virtue of beating Alabama in the SEC title game.

At this point I would prefer to watch Oklahoma beat Florida, Texas beat Ohio State, and Utah proclaim they are the National Champions while USC, another one loss team, sits on the sidelines and cries over the fact that the powers that be only let them play in the Rose Bowl each and every year...

Wow this is an exciting way to determine a champion...And to think, since ESPN has the rights to the Bowl games until 2014, nothing will change.

Friday, January 02, 2009

Here's to the Oxymoron Family Ushering in 2009!!!!!

Existentialism: A Bonus Question

Why did you break your chains and leave the cave?

Existentialism: The Three Most Important Questions

First, do you think I should thicken?

Second, to what end?

Third, can I count on you?

To clarify: Is it possible to grow? What are the limitations to my growth, especially in light of the necessary pain that will need to be endured? Can I trust you, especially in light of disillusionment, despair, and a growing sense of disconnection with the workd and others?

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Ha Ha!!!

Hey Texas. It is already 2009 here. What is taking you so long?

Happy New Year!!!

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Soundtracks

Solon and I are in the car thinking about how hard it is to compile a really good soundtrack. So I pose the question: what are your top ten soundtracks? In thinking of the best from our generation, here are our favorites (in no particular order):

Singles
I Am Sam
Judgement Night
Garden State
The Crow
Romeo and Juliet
Pulp Fiction
Reservoir Dogs
The Last Time I Committed Suicide
Trainspotting


Honorable mention:
In Good Company
8 Mile
Dirty Dancing
The Big Chill
Forest Gump
Purple Rain (Harrogate?)
Clerks
A Hard Days Night
Magnolia
Stand By Me
Help!
The Graduate
Natural Born Killers

Next Year, Be Brave

An inspiring television sequence. Whoever chose this particular song to go with this particular sequence: Tip of the Hat to Ye!!!!!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Tuesday's Musical Tribute.... Bentham Wins!!!!

We drove to the dreaded Ikea this morning to find cheap but comfortable furniture.For some reason our Ikea experience was rather tolerable, even I dare say enjoyable, unlike the last time the four of us attempted to shop there. Let's just say that no one needs to be institutionalized this time....
It is Tuesday Harrogate, Tuesday.

Of course, we have a new Ikea experience to discuss. Ikea in Brooklyn is in a rather dodgy area of Brooklyn, along the waterfront by the Battery Tunnel. To get to the store, you must drive through what looks like a terrible neighborhood, highlighted by the Police "Crime Scene" yellow tape that closed a block near the store. Yet, that was not the only spectacle to be seen.

In the spirit of Jeremy Bentham, the NYC's finest deployed a panopticon of sorts, the Police Watchtower, which contains four cameras. Normally this type of equipment is used for crowd control. Now, they have been employed to prevent crime and, according to the NYC PD, they have worked already in other areas of Brooklyn, even at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge (see below).



To celebrate Bentham's victory, here is "All Along the Watchtower," since "you and I have been through that and this is not our fate."



To listen to the Dylan version, click here.