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November 2002 Archives

Just like two modern-day jackasses

I guarantee that kids recreating things they see in the movies and on TV is not a new phenomenon. I am sure plenty of kids tried to emulate the cowboys in the old westerns and ended up getting hurt, or others mimicked the stunts on the Dukes of Hazzard, jumping cars, and sending homemade explosive arrows into sheds and whatnot. The difference? Media coverage today makes everything seem like and epidemic. Scare tactics and sensationalism are supposed to get you to tune in to channel X over channel Z. I don't really have a point - just an observation.

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I am just now starting to recover from a cold I got this weekend due, in large part, to the fact that our furnace went out. At times it got to be 52-54 degrees in our house and both me and my dog got our first colds of the season.

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If you can get past the horror of these photos you can actually feel sorry for the man behind the mask.

Oh Ani

Last night I caught the Ani Difranco show at Northrup at the U of MN. I was a little disappointed in the show. Everything Ani sang was good, but she had a broken foot, she only played for an hour, and she didn't play Untouchable Face or Garden of Simple. Her new style, while still good, will take some getting used to.

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I was also able to revisit one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the cities, Shuang Cheng. One of these days I will have to stray from the Sesame Chicken however, they have so many seafood dishes to choose from. Consequently, Anne out-ordered us all with her spicy scallop dish.

Tonight I am going with my wife to try a restaurant I have been meaning to go to for quite some time. Aquavit serves Scandinavian food that is actually good. I am looking forward to it.

Practically Demoralized

Seems like I always choose to be on the losing side of things....

This site is a companion to this book, WAR ON IRAQ: What Team Bush Doesn't Want You To Know which outlines why a war on Iraq at this time is very bad for the U.S. and the world.

In War On Iraq Pitt argues that, unlike the televised in-and-out Persian Gulf War; the current conflict will cause heavy casualties on both sides, the destabilization of the Middle East, and a terrible backlash of terrorist attacks on the United States. Pitt argues that a war on Iraq will give rise "to exactly the kind of Islam vs. the West al Qaeda sought when it attacked the World Trade Center a year ago."

To me it looks as though a war is inevitable and I fear the same thoughts are with most Americans. There is a morbid concession that its just a matter of time until Bush declares war, and there is a very scary lack of conviction against the "upcoming war". Its viewed as though it is another event, perhaps like the Superbowl. "Did you catch the war on TV last night?" "Yeah, did you see those cool bombs that go in windows?"

It really make me think about the "American Dream" as does this article: The Other American Dream.

Hey, at least I may be able to get some cheaper gas and a tax break out of all this.

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I never thought I would hear a cohesive argument for home-schooling. But by making one against our traditional school system, Daniel Quinn has succeeded in making one.

Practically Idealistic

I feel that I am usually very idealistic. Why is it then that every election I vote very practically? I want to vote for who I think is most in line with my views but I usually end up voting against the person who is least like them. This outlines a huge problem in American politics. People vote for the lesser of two evils instead of someone who they would really like to see get in office but seems to have no chance. The two-party system works great as a checks and balances, but as a true representation of the American ideology and mindset, it leaves a lot to be desired.

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News: No Ewes.

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See my point above about the lesser of two evils, then read this.

Photo Galleries are Up

Thanks to Mark I now have all the house building photos up in a gallery.
All content by Ben Edwards, except where noted. Licensed under this Creative Commons License.

November 2002 Media

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All content by Ben Edwards, except where noted. Licensed under this Creative Commons License.