King Ralph

Have you ever seen this movie? A Vegas lounge singer is made King of England. His first state affair is conducted mostly in a bar while throwing around darts. It's wildly successful.

This story made me think of it and laugh.

Superman

Saw Superman Returns last night with a couple friends. Too late, really, but it was a last minute thing before one goes off to see his dad, who seems to be near death. I liked the movie, the score to the original movies is reused, but hits you with more force than I recall from the movies before.

There is a reason that I have seen various "clever" movie reviewers alternatively title the movie "The Passion of the [Kryptonite, Superman, Kryptonian, and Kent]." The "I am sending you, my only son, to save the world" theme is repeated often enough, and I was more forcefully reminded of it twice... no... make that three times toward the end of the movie.

My roommate was skeptical at first about the intentional parallels. He really wanted a script written by Kevin Smith to be used, with the movie focusing on a titanic clash between Superman and Brainiac and anything that deviated from that vision was anathema to him. But we talked about it - Superman does seem to be a sort of Christ figure in many ways, if only because he represents so intrinsically what we believe to be good.

The similarities and dissimilarities are worth discussing, but I'll give y'all a chance to see the movie first. Don't want to spoil anything now.

August 9

The all-important day to honor my entry into the world is fast approaching, and a website has just launched to give you a proper way to pay tribute.

http://silverandblueoutfitters.com/store/

Which is to say that stuff like this is pretty cool. The birthday thing is, mostly, a joke. It just gives me a good excuse to say "look at this cool Nevada merchandise." The idea of turning 28 while not only being single but very reminded of the fact by current events stinks - I haven't enjoyed a birthday in years for that very reason. That my hair is begining to go gray before I've been on a single date is not something many people can identify with. The upside is that at 28.5 I'll be halfway to retirement, as far as how long I've been alive. looking forward to (pension-supported) retirement at 57 isn't too bad of a deal. I had looked forward to retirement as a time to travel the country with my wife to take an RV to all the national parks, or something like that. I'll still do so even if I'm alone - hopefully by then I'll have been able to adjust to the idea.

Immigration

"If 200 years from now America will be filled with people who know and love the ideas of Jefferson and Madison -- but these people are overwhelmingly dark skinned -- will this be good or bad?

That's the question I asked Pat Buchanan when I debated with him about the content of his book, The Death of the West. He said it would be..."

I tend to give "conservatives" the benefit of the doubt. I assumed the answer would be that it would be a good thing, without hesitation or reserve. I was ashamed of my political affiliation when I saw his answer.

Kids

Confession: it could well be that part of why I go to Coram Deo is to play with Dawson's sons. I don't think I'd be much of a babysitter, mostly because I just want to play and am not as good at the responsiblity thing. I get to play the human jungle gym, act like King Kong, and wrestle with them. Now that his daughter has learned the use of her legs, she also seems more friendly, though I doubt I'll pick her up by the ankles and use her as a human shield. Noah and Luke seem well taught to protect Macy.

As they were subduing me the other evening, they decided it would be a good idea to start feeding me. Luke walked over to the fruit, grabbed a grape, and proceeded to put it in my mouth. Seeing that I liked the first one ("Is that good?" "Yes, thank you."), he did it again. And again. And again. Perhaps seeing my attention shifting and not to be outdone, Noah grabbed some watermelon and helped to feed me. At one point, I got a piece of cantelope, too.

They also regaled me with tales of their adventures at the rodeo. Noah saw a cow with very small horns, Luke saw a black horsey. Luke also made sure to mention several times that he screamed. This seemed important to him, and since I make a habit of yelling myself hoarse at football games, I can understand why. Back and forth they went, both trying to talk over the other, so I did my best to listen to one, then to the other, and not let either feel left out.

As Noah was later climbing on my head, and trying to push my nose back into my head, he told me about the wonders of chocolate milk. He described how they had milk in their fridge, and that was good to drink. They also have syrup, which you put in the milk and stir with a spoon to make chocolate milk. To him, it sounded almost like magic - "Guess what we can do!" I suppose in a way, it is.

Finally, as I was leaving, Noah asked if I was going bye-bye. Yes, I said. It's time for me to go. He then went straight to the front door, and stood with his back to it, arms stretched out to hold it back. "No. You can't go bye-bye." I slowly opened the door, and moved him out of the way. Once I made it outside, he leaned out the door and asked "You come back next week, right?"

How can I refuse?

Charity

Warren Buffett, the world's second-richest man valued at over $44 billion dollars, has announced his plans to give away about 85% of his wealth. The way he is doing it is interesting to me - very rational. The interview at the end of the article is even more interesting to me. That he is following through with a principle he mentioned 20 years ago is worth noting - that a very rich man should leave his children enough to do anything. He should not leave them enough to do nothing.

Biopharming

What if there were a way to cheaply produce protiens that, when added to rehydration solutions given to dehydrated children in Africa significantly reduced (by more than 20%) the duration of the diarrhea that "is the number-two infectious killer of children under the age of five (surpassed only by respiratory diseases), accounting for two million deaths a year. "

What if this cheap manufacturing was also eco-friendly, in that its primary components were CO2, water, and solar power?

Cheaply reproducing naturally occuring protiens (also found in breat milk, saliva, and tears) in an environmentally-friendly way to save children in deeper poverty than most of us can imagine is a good thing, right?

Not everyone thinks so.

Black Rock Desert

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Originally uploaded by renowiggum.

It's a big, flat, unique place where one can feel as alone as is possible in the world. Had I not had a couple friends with me, I would have passed the night without having another human being within at least 5 miles of me. This is what it's like where the horizon stretches 20-30 miles (or more?) to the north, 15+ miles to the south, and 3-4 miles East and West.

I took lots of pictures, and was pretty happy with some of them. On a friend's advice, I started using Flickr to make some accessible to others. I still use MorgueFile for stock images for the world, but Flickr gives me a way to share more personal images of friends, family, and the things I do with my time.

Intuitive and Concrete Knowledge

There's a tremendous difference between knowing something will happen in an abstract way and getting concrete proof that it has happened. I always think that the former will prepare me for the latter. I'm always wrong.

Helping the Poor

Zimbabwe is seemingl on the verge of collapse. Inflation running that greater than 1,000% with unemployment near 80%, with the military used to prop up a seemingly inept dictator. Why do I not trust socialism? Because I don't trust the government any more than I trust anybody else - but there are far fewer checks on the government.

By evicting the white farmers who owned the land (and who knew how to use it), Zimbabwe ran out of town those people best equipped to use the land. As employers and a part of the community, they were a key part of Zimbabwe's growth in the mid 1990's. Poor harvests the past several years have been blamed on little rain and the Western sanctions targeted at President Mugabe's leadership. But note:

Last month, the United Nations distributed emergency food aid to an
estimated one-quarter of Zimbabwe's 12.5 million people. International aid
officials say many are surviving on one meal a day -- or less. Despite the best
rains in 20 years, the government predicts this year's grain harvest -- in a
country once known as the breadbasket of southern Africa -- will be half the
size of the 2001 harvest, when the eviction of white commercial farmers began.

If you want the poor people fed, let the farmers who know how to use the land use it. Don't seize it, give it to those who can't use it, and blame someone else.