Offbeat News: Flatscreen TVs for prisoners, magicians, and more.

So apparently prisoners in Oregon can earn a flatscreen TV for their cell.  I want a flatscreen TV.  Of course, they´re only 7″ TVs, but it does mean they don´t have to go out to the common room and argue with Bubba about what to watch.  I wouldn´t want to argue with Bubba either.  

In other crazy news, you can now go golfing in Kabul.  There´s no green, no water hazards (but the same rules apply), and no mines.  Whew.  That´s a relief.  Talk about your hazards.

  People who know me know how I feel about technology and the church.  In fact, I´m working to start a company developing Christian technology and solutions.  However, I think that this may be a bit far.  Although (and I hate to say this) the problems that they´re facing are rather humorous.  In a sick sort of way.  I believe that technology is a tool that can be used.  I don´t believe it is a way to commune with God.  For heaven´s sake (literally, perhaps) – if you´re going to pray, just PRAY.  Don´t log onto a website as a cartoon character and get on your digital knees.  Good grief.  The title is aptly named, though.  Ship of Fools. 

 

Dr. Love´s Super Baby Making Show.  Yes, you read that right.  It´s a new reality show in the works.  ´Cmon people.  If the Ship of Fools was a step too far one direction, surely this goes too far the other way.  But you have to give Singapore credit. It has some serious birth problems.
“A worldwide survey last year by condom maker Durex showed that Singaporean couples had sex on average just 96 times in 2003 — making them the least sexually active respondents among the developed countries surveyed. Singapore has made baby-making a top national priority after it recorded its lowest-ever birth rate last year since independence in 1965. “
Talk about your boring place to live.

This talking toilet seems a bit overboard to me.  But it certainly sounds funny.
“Hello, what are you up to then? Put the seat back down right away, you are definitely not to pee standing up … you will make a right mess…”

 THIS HAS TO BE THE COOLEST COP CAR EVER.  I guess it´s good to be state police in Italy.   

Alaska buries its dead.

This article on CNN tells us that Alaska is starting to bury its dead.  There´s something you never think about.  Apparently (and with a little thought obviously) it gets so cold up there that digging a grave during the winter months is simply impossible.  Or at least unrealistic.  So everyone that dies during those winter months goes into storage.  As the ground thaws now they can be buried. 

Something about this is funny.  I don´t know why.  It probably shouldn´t be.  But it is.  And it certainly gives rise to numerous script possibilities for a cheesy horror movie.  “Alaska´s Dead”, or “Cold Storage” or something similar.  Kind of makes you wonder what other regional complications are, and how they deal with their dead.

Summer Outdoor Thoughts

I´m looking forward to participating in some outdoor activities this summer.  I love to camp and hike, despite the crappy shape I´m in.  Yeah, you try sitting in front of the computer as much as I do (don´t ask, but with three businesses…) and staying in shape.  Seems like a priority change might be in order.  Soon.

Anyway, if you´re also interested in getting out and about, might I suggest that you do some basic research first?  This summer is bound to be an active one for thousands of people.  Try finding some lesser known areas; avoid the crowds and enjoy yourself more!  Check out the National Park Services site.  Also, this article on CNN basically sums it up.

They´re saying that this year may be a record year for the West Nile Virus.  And in the great Pacific Northwest the wildfire hazard is also going to be epidemic this year.  According to KiroTV.com, fire danger levels are currently (as of May 2004) at the level they´re usually at in August.  Oh joy.

Personally, I´m looking foward to a trip to Ocean Shores.  I´d also like to explore a bit and find some places I haven´t been before.  Which shouldn´t be tough, since most of my camping experience has been at Leavenworth.

Only in America.

According to CNN (and Reuters) McDonalds intends to offer DVD rentals via an “experimental DVD rental machine” owned by DVDPlay.  The kiosks will hold 30 – 40 of the newest release titles, and people can rent them for $1 / day.  I´m assuming that it requires Credit Cards in order to hold people accountable. 

Is McDonalds going to start selling video games, too?  Maybe they should hook up with Amazon.com. 

Societal Reform according to Chris

Society today, in 2004 in America, is ludicrous. People who have no intelligence or common sense can do something INCREDIBLY stupid and turn around and get filthy rich by suing someone else. People who break the law often have more rights than those who have been violated. The world is becoming emotionally scarred by the constant barrage of violence that comes out of our entertainment and information resources, from movies to the news to video games to TV.


Now don’t get me wrong about this. I’m not saying that violent video games, movies, or information necessarily lead to violent behavior; I’m not particularly prone to violence, and I regularly watch violent movies and play violent video games. And I’m not saying that stupidity, violence, greed, or any of the other “social ills” are anything new. What I am saying is that America is treading a path that can only lead to darkness, not the enlightened society that so many would have us believe.

For example, why is it that someone can break into a house, illegally and of their own free will, get hurt, and turn around and sue the home owner?

Why is it that a man could put has brand new Winnebago on cruise control, get up and go back to make himself some coffee (resulting in a crash, of course), turn around and sue Winnebago for over a million dollars (and a new Winnebago) – and WIN – in a trial that actually went to court?

Why is it that a man can shoot his neighbor’s dog with a pellet gun (who happened to be tethered to a pole in the ground), accidentally get close enough to the dog that the dog attacks him, and then turn around and sue his neighbor for medical expenses?

Why is it that a burglar, who robs a home while the family is on vacation and gets locked in the garage for three days (forced to dine on dog food and coke), can turn around and sue said family for trauma and anguish?

Does our legal system even work any more? Of course it does. How many violent and dangerous people would be on the street today if it didn’t?

The problem lies not (at least 100%) in the legal system. It lies within the jury. Within the everyday people it is meant to protect. Because those people are not perfect, the legal system cannot be.

I, for example, believe that if some individual is going to willfully, knowingly violate my rights to safety, to freedom, to security – whether it be to break into my home or to steal my car or . . . I firmly believe that said individual no longer HAS any rights. That person made a choice. A choice to break the law, to infringe on my rights and endanger not only myself but those around me. So if they trip and fall and break a leg, then that’s the cost. If they fall on a knife, then that’s the cost. If they get locked in the garage and starve, then that’s the cost. They have NO rights left. The fact that they could turn around and sue ME? For what, using my house? Securing my possessions? Protecting my family? I don’t think so. I think that’s absolutely ridiculous.

Endanger me or those I care about, willfully violate my rights, and lose yours. Turn the tables around – if I willfully violate you or your rights, by breaking into your home uninvited (for example), then I have chosen to give up my rights. Simple as that.

And I think that those of us with any sense left need to stand up and put on the brakes of society. Enough is enough. If Tim Eyman can put initiatives in front of the voting public, so can anybody else. Societal change starts with our caring enough to speak up. So shout loud.

Ok. My rant for the day is over.

Finally.

2004-05-20 19:56:20

Well, the new version of christindall.com is finally up and running. It has been so long since a decent version was up here, and since there was actually real, live content, that I´m not sure what´s gonna happen! Among the new features is this pseudo-blog (apologies to bob for not using what he recommended, but since my whole site is coded by hand and customized I decided I would do it this way), a photo gallery (I KNOW there´s nothing in it, but give me some time – good grief!, a musings page . . . As time goes by I intend to start studying photography “for real”, and at that point I´ll add a resources section that will contain articles, sites, and whatever with what I´m learning.

Anyway, enjoy, and for now you can´t leave me comments so don´t bother trying. Someday. Someday.