My dear mother got me a Nook for Xmas! I hear that I was pretty lucky as the current expected shipping date for any new orders is Feb 1.



I have to say that I am very impressed with the device. Unlike the Kindle, the Nook offers support for multiple formats including Epub. The nice thing about this is it is a pretty popular format for finding ebooks in. If you can't find a book in epub format, Stanza is good for easily converting anything from .lit or even Amazon's format into Epub with a few clicks.

Here is an image of just a simple Epub I pulled off the net.



Even better is its pdf support! Most ebook readers can read pdf's but seem unable to process images that are present in the document. But, the Nook is a horse of a different color. Looky here.



I know, the text is small. But you have to set the font to small else the pdf blows up and the pages are distorted. Not unreadable distorted, but enough to push things around and mess with the pictures and what not. All and all, this is a great device for all you readers out there.

It took 10 years, but someone finally decided to write the review that Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace truly deserved. I could never figure out why this movie rubbed me the wrong way. Probably because I never really thought about it, but this guy summed it up for me beautifully. Basically, the story made no sense (as well as screwed up some of the things we were told in the previous episodes); characters were not relatable and even harder to care about; I could go on, but I would take away from the actual review. Basically, it was like watching a documentary.

I won't mention anymore of the review's concept except for the author's final and brilliant point about George Lucas. George Lucas has always been against the established Hollywood way of making movies. I'd go so far as to say that George Lucas is a living inspiration for all the smaller, garage founded studios out there. But, I think Lucas Films has gone the way of many successful movie studios, and additionally, George Lucas himself has gone the way of many once talented directors/writers into the unchecked, can-do-no-wrong-so-therefore-anything-I-do-can-not-be-wrong mentality.

Anyway, I let the review speak for itself.

Here are parts two, three, four, five, six, and seven.

Is this what you had in mind, or has the line been crossed yet?

I can't say that I am a big conspiracy theorist. I love to read about them and see the creative ways that people piece seemingly unrelated coincidences into massive plans of corruption and quests for power. The theory that seems most compelling to me is the "One World Order" theory. You know. That one that says there is a secret, shadow government that truly runs all the world's affairs from a single room, and all elected politicians in the richest companies are actually controlled by these guys (or gals). Exciting and compelling stuff, wouldn't you say?

Now there are plenty of variations on this theory. Is it a group of religious figure-heads? Free Masons? Who knows. But one of the predominate theories--especially after the economic crisis--is the idea that these puppeteers are actually bankers. Big shots in the financial industry with the money to effect elections and even war through armaments. Now, like I said, I don't put too much stock in these theories being actually true, but something did happen today that made me instantly think of this conspiracy theory in particular.

Today, a Senate panel decided to back Ben Bernanke for a second term as head of the federal reserve. Bernanke? The same guy that didn't see the "worst economic crisis since the Great Depression" (quoted for President Obama) coming? The guy who said unemployment wouldn't exceed 10.1% which soon reached a high 10.5%? Well that alone wouldn't make the case for some group of powerful bankers influencing the decision of a Federal Reserve Head. Bernanke would have to be of some use to them. Give them some edge. Well it just so happens that Bernanke does that.

One of the primary duties of the Fed Chairman is to set the Fed Discount Rate. For those of you less than acquainted with the workings of the Federal Reserve, the Discount Rate is the rate at which banks can borrow cash from the federal reserve in order to pay loans and hand out to customers. It gets all really technical. If you are still interested, check out Wikipedia. Anyway, so Bernanke has kept the fed rate low at .5% (how many of you would like that rate for your mortgage?).

So what? Doesn't mean they are getting rich off this. Aren't they? Ask yourself how banks are able to pay back TARP money in record time. Well, one way is to buy treasury bonds, which are a guaranteed up to 4% return. Even the two year bond yields .55%. So they can borrow money at .5%, use it to buy bonds for a modest return will little work on the part of the bank.

Let's face it though, it is just a conspiracy theory right? And lest we forget, failure at one's job is a resume enhancement in Washington, so all this is just business as usual right? It is all just a coincidence that with Bernanke in charge and keeping Fed rates low, banks are making bank (so to speak) while the rest of us continue to suffer, right? Right?

So, in an act of defiance to the Democrat agenda, Tom Coburn uses a parliamentary procedure and has a single 700+ page amendment read aloud on the Senate floor. Imagine! Reading a piece of legislation that will effect the lives of millions of American's health care and pocket books. Such defiance!

The amendment was offered by Vermont Independent (self-described Socialist) Bernard Sanders. His amendment's :

aim was to establish a single-payer, or government-run, health care system in the United States. Under Sanders' amendment, the nation's Medicare program would be extended to every U.S. citizen.

After about an hour of reading, Sanders pulled the amendment, thus stopping the reading.

So let me get this straight. All we have to do is read the stuff Democrats want on the floor of the Senate, and they will pull it? Are the things they offer so horrendous that if they were simply read aloud, that they will make a fast turn about, pull their ideas, and throw them in the trash? Had we known it would be that easy, I image the Tea Party protesters would have just stayed home.

The following post is a response to Rush Limbaugh and his response to a showing of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Before I get to the letter, I want to set the record straight. I love Rush Limbaugh, and I love SVU. The following is not an attempt to smooth over a school yard bickering between two of my friends, rather I think the episode in question has much more to say about the Left and not much about Right Wing radio talkers.

Most of all, I would invite Rush (and you) to watch the SVU episode and come to your own conclusions.



Dear Rush,

To start out, let me offer Mega Dittos to you and your staff. Regardless of what any might say about you and your show, I am and remain a loyal fan and 24/7 subscriber, but I must take issue with some you mentioned on your show. I would of called in to discuss this with you had I heard you discussing it at the time (your show is an hour behind in the Tulsa, OK area), and even had I gotten through to Snerdley, I probably still wouldn't have gotten through because you only spent so much time on the subject (I have gotten through before only to be let go because you moved on in subjects and it wasn't open line Friday). But, thanks to the internet and your 24/7 email on your website, I hope you still hear what I have to say.

On, your Dec. 14th show, you took the opportunity of a caller referencing an American Thinker piece to lambast the most recent Law and Order: Special Victims Unit's newest episode. I have to admit, that after seeing a few previews, I wasn't sure how I would accept the show, but after watching the entire show, I came away with a different view. Now, it is not often that I disagree with your analysis of an issue, but I believe your thoughts on the SVU episode is a tad baseless as you yourself said you did not watch the show itself. Thought I don't expect you to become a fan of the show, I am hoping that this might clear some things up.

To sum up the episode, Detective "Fin" Tutuola (played by Ice-T) has fall into a investigating a series of child murders. All of these victims turn out to be "anchor babies", and the perp is a nut who is said to have been influenced by a Right-Wing talk host (who carries a cigar around I might add). In the middle of this fight is a bleeding heart, liberal attorney who decides to defend the perp even though the man attacked him at his own law office.

Now the part that you and others are taking offense to is one that I can understand. The liberal attorney (played by John Larroquette) is sitting on a bench with Fin when he mentions that you, Beck, O'Reilly, and others like you are a poison on this society. While I can understand your distaste for this statement, you have to understand who it is coming from. This attorney is a parody of the Left today. Instead of blaming the perpetrator of the murders for the actual evil they were, he builds his entire defense on a TV and/or radio show he watches/listens to. And this is problem with the Left today.

You and others have said that the Left does not view perpetrators of evil through a lens of reality. Instead they seek to blame society or their ideological enemies for the evil they dish out. The defense attorneys of KSM blame America for 9/11; Clinton blames you for Oklahoma City; Obama and the Democrats blame Bush for the current economic recession and Republicans for their inability to keep their own party in line. Never do they look at the actual problem, rather they use the risen problem as a platform to public denounce those they disagree with.

The worst part with this way of thinking is the final outcome that follows, and SVU demonstrated this in the last 10 minutes of the show. John Larroquette's character ends up getting a not guilty verdict for his client. The man who murders three children gets away with it, and the attorney finds this to be a victory. At least for a few seconds. During the momentary celebration, the murderer whispers something inaudible into the attorney's ear. Suddenly his smiling face turns to horror. The show when fast forwards to Fin arriving at the attorney's office with the attorney standing over the dead body of his client. Fin learns that what the murdered whispered into his ear was something like this (paraphrasing): "Thanks for getting me off. Now, I can kill the rest of those kids."

As always, the Left comes to the realization of Evil's existence too late in the game. The problem was not the cigar carrying, talking head that the liberal attorney sought to truly put on trial, the problem was this single extremist murder who used the talking head as an excuse to kill others he didn't like. But by the time the Left realizes it, all other options are exhausted or it is too late for any of them to work.

I can see how one or two lines in the show might have angered yourself and others, but just like your show, listening to only a few lines misses the true message you are trying to get spread. I feel like Law and Order: SVU has fallen victim to this in this case. Not saying they don't attempt to push some political agenda every now and even, but I truly believe that Law and Order as a whole is more about the ups and downs of crime and out legal system, not necessarily a ideological opinion. I hope this cleared things up for you.

Sincerely, your loyal listener and 24/7 subscriber,

Robert

Wow... that's it? I figured it would be more.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of voters nationwide say they’re at least somewhat angry about the current policies of the federal government. That figure includes 46% who are Very Angry.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 27% are not angry about the government's policies, including 10% who are Not at All Angry.

Don't get me wrong. This is a good direction. It tells me that people are starting to wake up from this childish idea that the government can solve anything, but I have a feeling that most of these people are basing their opinion on the direction of the economy which is continuing to go south, and not the fed's continue involvement in sectors they have no business or credibility involving themselves in. They probably still hold out "hope" that with the right leadership, their lives would be better.

This is the real lesson Americans need to relearn. There is only one person who can make their lives better, and that is themselves.

Thank goodness!




Is it just me, or does the Left suddenly declare debates completed when they are starting to lose?