Thu, 15 May 2008  Important things to be aware of folks:Jury Clears Former Galveston Photographer Nice score for the 1st Amendment here. Case Leading To DA Resignation Finalized Wait, abuse of power that isn't whitewashed? Are pigs flying? For all the negative things we see, there are still those rare, beautiful moments where justice is served and our rights are protected. Shame it doesn't happen more often, but it's nice to see it at all. Category: Blog Post -- posted at: 10:00 AM Comments[0] |
Fri, 9 May 2008  This week we're tackling a topic that hits close to home: the fate of the creator. Is the realm of the creative artist being threatened, a climate change afflicting one of the defining characteristics of the human mind? Is the sun setting on the artist? These are certainly tough times for creators, but maybe it's not all gloom and doom. Also, Darth Vader on the rampage with crutches! Enjoy!
Opening Music: "Alright" by Flower Of Cables Closing Music: "Blau.ton" by Rauschwerk Comments[1] |
Wed, 7 May 2008 No words can express how funny this was to me. Even if I wasn't for Obama, this would be a gut buster. The force choke on Dean is a masterstroke. Category: Blog Post -- posted at: 10:00 AM Comments[1] |
Mon, 5 May 2008 This week I'm putting out an early solo show special that was originally supposed to be wholly focused on Grand Theft Auto IV, but rapidly changed into a show covering a few topics. Part of it came from a recent obsession of mine with Chernobyl, and part from seeing Iron Man. Don't worry, GTA is still in there but now the stew has been seasoned and a little extra flavor never hurts. Enjoy!Opening Music: "Alright" by Flower Of Cables Closing Music: "Blau.ton" by Rauschwerk Comments[1] |
Fri, 2 May 2008 So after a frank (and appreciated for it) comment by Crescendo on our Twitter presence I really sat down and thought about whether there was any real benefit to the site from Twitter.The answer? No. Therefore I have ripped itf out and replaced with something that might actually benefit us: possible sponsorship! You'll notice to the right a giant shiny button that is a link to a survey that could actually get this shipwreck some financial stimulus, and all we need is your help. To get our site considered, we need at least 250 responses and while out audience is small, it is loyal and it's more than that number so this can be done. If you enjoy the show, please take a few minutes and complete the survey. For those who only listen to the show, I'll be mentioning it over the next few weeks. Again, this could really help us out on supporting the show and I don't like the donation model so this is the only other way I see any income to support and grow the show. Help out if you can! Category: Blog Post -- posted at: 10:00 AM Comments[3] |
Tue, 29 April 2008 Hey guys,Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know what the schedule is looking like for this week. There won't be a regular show on Wednesday, instead I'll be helming a solo GTA IV special that will probably come out on Saturday. I need to have adequate playtime for the big game, and let's hope mine doesn't lock up as some people are reporting. We will have a regular show next week, but in all honestly this week is GTA week for me and I want to sit back and hopefully enjoy the hell outta this game. If not, I also picked Mario Kart for the Wii just in case. Oh yeah, we're now on Twitter! Not sure how much of the output will be worth reading, but feel free to follow us. Have a great week! Category: Blog Post -- posted at: 10:00 AM Comments[3] |
Fri, 25 April 2008 Today I've had two stories on my mind, both really making me question how I feel about the concept of justice in this country. It's a difficult issue for me, since I have conflicting opinions based on both direct experience and things I've read. Police brutality and abuse of power are some of the worst 'gray areas' we have to wrestle with, since there is no clear way to either classify the problem or solve it.I'm not sure how many of you outside of the United States are aware of the Sean Bell verdict, which has sparked outrage in my home state of New York today. The basics of the story are that a 23 year old black man named Sean Bell was shot 50 times outside of a Queens nightclub in November of 2006 by 3 police officers, one of whom fired 31 rounds. The officers have said they believed that one of Bell's companions was reaching for a weapon, although once the smoke cleared no weapon was found. The judge in the case who cleared the officers today said that the testimony was simply not convincing or consistent. Apparently part of this is in relation to a large wrongful death suit being filed by the family, with the intimation being that some of the witnesses called being motivated more by money than truth. The verdict sparked anger within the black community, once again raising the specter of racism within the police force. The other story that caught my eye today was that of a Chicago man who has died after being tased by police officers outside of a bar. This is an ongoing story and not all the facts are out, but if nothing else this is another story that emphasizes the fact that the Taser is potentially as lethal a weapon as a gun. In this case, the police have said that the man was not obeying orders and was in fact fighting with officers. Again, this story is in the early stages and there may be more facts to follow on exactly what led to the Taser being employed. Both of these stories make me truly struggle with my opinion on the police, and by extension the notion of justice, in this country. We have seen story after story detailing the excesses and mistakes by those in uniform, and we have also seen countless stories showing courage and valor and the true conflict lies in discerning what happens in between. From the one angle, the Bell and Chicago stories both could be read as officers using necessary measures to ensure their safety, and I believe that an officer must place his safety as a top priority. Can any of us look one of these men or women in the face and honestly say, "I think you should err on the side of being hurt just in case you're wrong?" I know I can't. As many of these stories as we read, we also know that officers are shot in routine traffic stops and gunned down trying to protect the innocent. That said, I must tell you that I found it remarkable that during the after verdict press conference only Detective Marc Cooper seemed to display emotion and actually apologize to the family sincerely. The other two officers and the man who conducted the press conference seemed indifferent to the man killed, if not defiant about the verdict, saying "I spell 'relief' N-O-T G-U-I-L-T-Y." Now I realize that the police department is a family, and this man is happy to see that a brother has been acquitted, but is this really the statement to make in the case of an innocent man being killed by the police? Yes, it's very possible this was a mistake but the victim was unarmed and was due to be married in a few hours. Could they not manage a little bit more sensitivity, if only for the public? To me it smells of a sense of police infallibility, and maybe that should tell us something. As for the Chicago case, since the details are still emerging I have less of a sense of who was more in the wrong here, but there have been an increasing number of these Taser deaths that at the very least should make them the last resort just before drawing a gun. While they may not be lethal by design, they clearly have a lethal potential. It is really only intent that separates the Taser from the Glock, the potential is equal in both weapons. The Taser simply should not be used as casually as it seems to be. Is it really any wonder most Americans don't believe in law and order anymore? We face frivolity and disgrace in the courtrooms and potentially murderous behavior from those sworn to protect. Again, this is not the rule but any system must be judged by the weakest of the links that form it and by that measure we have a lot that needs fixing in the "greatest nation in the world." I wonder if we'll have the bravery and maturity to do it? So what do you think? Have any of you experienced either the true promise of justice or the dark side of the perversion of law? Please comment and let me know, or just chime in with your thoughts. Category: Culture and Society -- posted at: 10:00 AM Comments[2] |
Wed, 23 April 2008 This week we're doing another show about nothing, just cause that's the kinda week it's been. Don't worry, we've got plenty to talk about and despite being sick my voice holds up pretty well. Sit back, relax and enjoy some fine dining from the good folks at Casa Del Ozone. Enjoy!Opening Music: "Alright" by Flower Of Cables Closing Music: "Blau.ton" by Rauschwerk Comments[3] |
Wed, 16 April 2008 This week we thought we'd have a short show since we had almost no time to prep a topic. Instead, we've got a slightly over 2 hour blender of both serious and silly content. From the ability to copy your brain into multiple bodies to the flavor of the Eucharist, this show hits every corner of the pinball table. Enjoy!Opening Music: "Alright" by Flower Of Cables Closing Music: "Blau.ton" by Rauschwerk Comments[1] |
Wed, 9 April 2008 This week we're back at full steam and taking on one of the truly sensitive issues of our time: racism. We've touched on this topic before in previous shows, but with the intensity of the recent flap over comments by the Rev. Wright, we felt the time had arrived to tackle the issue head on. It's a tough topic, and like anything based on opinion and personal feelings there's no one solution that fixes everything, but both of us feel that the issue is no longer discussed with much honesty. In that regard, we don't expect anyone tuning in to agree with us so much as to hear what we're saying and think about it. Enjoy!Opening Music: "Alright" by Flower Of Cables Closing Music: "Blau.ton" by Rauschwerk Comments[2] |
