First off, your heart has to go out to the people of Haiti. This is most likely going to go down as one of the major disasters in recent years up there with Katrina and the Asian Tsunami. In fact, as I've watched the photos stream out of the affected area this evening, it's reminded me a bit of the pictures that came out of New Orleans after Katrina: people wandering aimlessly, structures damaged, and human bodies piled up in the streets. Of course, the death toll will most likely dwarf Katrina, largely because for all of our failures during Katrina, the rest of the nation had the means to deal with the aftermath. It took longer than it should have, but we were able to get food and water in and we were able to go in and try to rescue survivors.
Not much of that is going in Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. After the quake people are dying from lack of water, food, and basic medical care in a nation that was barely managing in the best of times.
When we see things like this, it's human nature to wonder why....why do these disasters happen? Before the founding of modern science, the best way we humans had to explain this was through religion. Perhaps God was judging the affected area. Perhaps God is trying to teach the rest of us to value what we have. There are many justifications.
The "Reverend" Pat Robertson put forth his theory today. In his deluded brain, the nation of Haiti is cursed because they made a "pact with devil" saying they would serve him if he helped them win independence from the French.
Yes that's right folks. This crank thinks he gets that on a direct line from God himself. This is the same guy who said 9-11 was a judgment on the USA because we're so tolerant of homosexuals.
Put your religious views aside for a second. Aren't we past this as a society? This is the equivalent of drilling holes in people's heads to cure mental illness by letting the evil spirits out. To actually suggest that some supposedly loving deity is sitting up there and deciding to smite some of the poorest people on earth like this is pure foolishness. If this is the way your God acts, I want no part of him. This wouldn't be such a big deal, except that there a lot of really deluded people in this country who buy all of this hook, line, and sinker. They will sit in judgment of these poor people. If you're really gonna follow the bible, I think there's a bit in there about judging not.
What this actually betrays is the fact that many of us, including a lot of us who hold to the more conservative and religious ideologies, are scared. Scared of change, scared of progress, scared of people and cultures who are different than us. When you think Haiti, most think of voodoo. Voodoo is one of many faiths that permeate the Caribbean and Latin America. Native religions and traditions that have grown to incorporate ideas and symbols of Christianity as they have evolved. That's WEIRD, though, right? It's weird because it's different. They may sacrifice a chicken or do whatever it is you think they might do, whether you're right or not, but in the final analysis it's no stranger than consuming bread and wine that's been transformed into the flesh of a 2,000 year old dead god. It's also no stranger than believing a boy from upstate New York was given the one true revelation of the word of the 2,000 year old dead god, especially given that there many of those types running around at that time. Folks, all of your religions seem weird to an outsider. Deal with it.
We shouldn't even be bringing religion into this. You want to know what caused the quake? Read it here. Science has this figured out folks. Hopefully through the continuation of geosciences, someday we'll be able to predict these kinds of things. When that day comes, it will be the result of scientific inquiry and discovery, NOT divine revelation.
If you're a religious person, put your faith to the good, as most people do during these times. Pray for those affected, give to your church groups that will be sending supplies. Don't get involved in the blame game of the whacko Christian right.
If you're not religious, we can certainly direct our thoughts in their direction, and there are plenty of charities that we can get involved with that don't fly under the flag of a religion, including the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.
In times like these, everyone needs to come together from all around the world, regardless of faith or lack of faith. We need to work together as human beings to help those who desperately need it.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Movie--"District 9"
So last night we got a free rental code from Redbox. Most of what we wanted to see we got for Christmas, so we decided to check out the Sci-Fi movie District 9.
Ummmm....
Well, I liked the concept. A bunch of alien refugees get trapped here on earth when their ship runs out of gas or something. Us humans build them their own little area outside of Johannasburg for them to live in. That area is District 9, and becomes a slum. Anyway, the humans get tired of the aliens and want them moved into a new slum, and hijinx ensue.
The story ends up being more about a douche bag guy who works for the agency that handles these aliens. He gets infected with some black oil and starts to gasp...become alien! Straight out of the X-Files!
Anyway...after that, ET decides to phone home and that's about it.
The good: I think the film presented a legitimate commentary about how we treat people who are different or from other cultures. In the end the douche bag, faced with becoming more alien himself, confronts his attitude. Plus, as I said, the concept was cool.
The bad: As my wife described it, it was like the person who wrote it got off on ultra-violence, X-Flies, The F word, and Transformers. I am not easily offended but every other word was literally the F word, and it served no purpose at all. Had it just been the military guys, maybe. Plus it just got old. About half way through, I was thinking 'is it over yet?'
So if you like movies where people get their heads blown off or blown up in full view of the camera, and if you enjoy the fact that the writer probably got paid a few thousand dollars for every time he used the F word, then check it out.
If those kind of things make you uncomfortable, you should pass on this one.
I'd rate it 2.5 out of 5 stars, any positive value in the film coming from it's commentary.
Ummmm....
Well, I liked the concept. A bunch of alien refugees get trapped here on earth when their ship runs out of gas or something. Us humans build them their own little area outside of Johannasburg for them to live in. That area is District 9, and becomes a slum. Anyway, the humans get tired of the aliens and want them moved into a new slum, and hijinx ensue.
The story ends up being more about a douche bag guy who works for the agency that handles these aliens. He gets infected with some black oil and starts to gasp...become alien! Straight out of the X-Files!
Anyway...after that, ET decides to phone home and that's about it.
The good: I think the film presented a legitimate commentary about how we treat people who are different or from other cultures. In the end the douche bag, faced with becoming more alien himself, confronts his attitude. Plus, as I said, the concept was cool.
The bad: As my wife described it, it was like the person who wrote it got off on ultra-violence, X-Flies, The F word, and Transformers. I am not easily offended but every other word was literally the F word, and it served no purpose at all. Had it just been the military guys, maybe. Plus it just got old. About half way through, I was thinking 'is it over yet?'
So if you like movies where people get their heads blown off or blown up in full view of the camera, and if you enjoy the fact that the writer probably got paid a few thousand dollars for every time he used the F word, then check it out.
If those kind of things make you uncomfortable, you should pass on this one.
I'd rate it 2.5 out of 5 stars, any positive value in the film coming from it's commentary.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Book Thoughts: "Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam" by Stephen W. Sears
As I've delved more seriously into Civil War Histories, I found that Stephen Sears' writing is pretty much beyond equal. In particular, I found this book first rate both as a work of military history and as a historical narrative.
As with most reputable Civil War histories, in this book Sears doesn't just cover the battle that occurred along Antietam Creek, but the entire campaign that led up to the the bloodiest single day in American History. In particular, I found the discussion of the Battle for South Mountain to be particularly riveting.
As for the section on Antietam itself, Sears gives the reader an excellent sense of what it might have been like to witness what many soldiers described as some of the most savage and violent fighting of the war. The sections on the battle for the cornfield and the sunken road are page turners in the tradition of a great novel. He also describes in extreme detail the aftermath of the battle including the human toll and the devastation of the land around Sharpsburg.
What's also interesting about the book is the rather in depth character study of General McClellan. The "Young Napoleon" wrote frequent letters to his wife and his political friends during the Maryland campaign and Sears uses these to give us a valuable insight into the mind of the Union commanding general, a general who would be relieved of his command for the final time not long after the battle.
A great historical book. A definite must read for Civil War buffs.
As with most reputable Civil War histories, in this book Sears doesn't just cover the battle that occurred along Antietam Creek, but the entire campaign that led up to the the bloodiest single day in American History. In particular, I found the discussion of the Battle for South Mountain to be particularly riveting.
As for the section on Antietam itself, Sears gives the reader an excellent sense of what it might have been like to witness what many soldiers described as some of the most savage and violent fighting of the war. The sections on the battle for the cornfield and the sunken road are page turners in the tradition of a great novel. He also describes in extreme detail the aftermath of the battle including the human toll and the devastation of the land around Sharpsburg.
What's also interesting about the book is the rather in depth character study of General McClellan. The "Young Napoleon" wrote frequent letters to his wife and his political friends during the Maryland campaign and Sears uses these to give us a valuable insight into the mind of the Union commanding general, a general who would be relieved of his command for the final time not long after the battle.
A great historical book. A definite must read for Civil War buffs.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
My top 20 albums of 2009.
Welcome to 2010 everyone. The new year means I post my top 20 albums of the previous year. They are.......
1. The Decemberists--The Hazards of Love
2. Mono--Hymn to the Immortal Wind
3. Them Crooked Vultures--Them Crooked Vultures
4. John Mayer--Battle Studies
5. Dave Matthews Band--Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King
6. Silversun Pickups--Swoon
7. U2--No Line on the Horizon
8. Neko Case--Middle Cyclone
9. Great Lake Swimmers--Lost Channels
10. Pearl Jam--Backspacer
11. Arctic Monkeys--Humbug
12. Julian Casablancas--Phrazes for the Young
13. Porcupine Tree--The Incident
14. Alice in Chains--Black Gives Way to Blue
15. William Elliott Whitmore--Animals in the Dark
16. Animal Collective--Merriweather Post Pavilion
17. Bob Dylan--Together Through Life
18. Dinosaur Jr.--Farm
19. The Dead Weather--Horehound
20. Sonic Youth--The Eternal
1. The Decemberists--The Hazards of Love
2. Mono--Hymn to the Immortal Wind
3. Them Crooked Vultures--Them Crooked Vultures
4. John Mayer--Battle Studies
5. Dave Matthews Band--Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King
6. Silversun Pickups--Swoon
7. U2--No Line on the Horizon
8. Neko Case--Middle Cyclone
9. Great Lake Swimmers--Lost Channels
10. Pearl Jam--Backspacer
11. Arctic Monkeys--Humbug
12. Julian Casablancas--Phrazes for the Young
13. Porcupine Tree--The Incident
14. Alice in Chains--Black Gives Way to Blue
15. William Elliott Whitmore--Animals in the Dark
16. Animal Collective--Merriweather Post Pavilion
17. Bob Dylan--Together Through Life
18. Dinosaur Jr.--Farm
19. The Dead Weather--Horehound
20. Sonic Youth--The Eternal
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