http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/28/tsunami.diver/index.html
Faye Wachs said she was impressed by the efforts of the Thai government and the International Committee for the Red Cross, but "she was appalled at the treatment they got" from the U.S. government, her mother said.
At the airport in Bangkok, other governments had set up booths to greet nationals who had been affected and to help repatriate them, she said.
That was not the case with the U.S. government, Wachs told her mother. It took the couple three hours, she said, to find the officials from the American consulate, who were in the VIP lounge.
Because they had lost all their possessions, including their documentation, they had to have new passports issued.
But the U.S. officials demanded payment to take the passport pictures, Helen Wachs said. The couple had managed to hold on to their ATM card, so they paid for the photos and helped other Americans who did not have any money get their pictures taken and buy food, Helen Wachs said.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Thursday, December 23, 2004
A Truly Inspirational Young Man
Cameron Duncan
I just watched the 4th disk of the extended version of Return of the King and I watched the special about Cameron Duncan, a young filmaker and athlete from New Zealand who died of Cancer at the age of 17.
His films are included on the disk and they are exceptional, especially for someone so young. If you just bought the Extended version of ROTK, I highly reccommend that you watch this first, because the whole movie will mean that much more to you afterwards.
I just watched the 4th disk of the extended version of Return of the King and I watched the special about Cameron Duncan, a young filmaker and athlete from New Zealand who died of Cancer at the age of 17.
His films are included on the disk and they are exceptional, especially for someone so young. If you just bought the Extended version of ROTK, I highly reccommend that you watch this first, because the whole movie will mean that much more to you afterwards.
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Blogs from Iraq
An Iraqi girl who runs the
Riverbend Blog Describes what life is like in Iraq under the occupation. Her stories about the fuel shortages are interesting because they are so conspicuously absent from "mainstream" (i.e. corporate) media.
Riverbend Blog Describes what life is like in Iraq under the occupation. Her stories about the fuel shortages are interesting because they are so conspicuously absent from "mainstream" (i.e. corporate) media.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
New Disease Sweeps Washington
The Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of sexually transmitted disease.
This disease is contracted through dangerous and high risk behavior. The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim (pronounced "gonna re-elect him"). Many victims have contracted it after having been screwed for the past 4 years, in spite of having taken measures to protect themselves from this especially troublesome disease. Cognitive sequellae of individuals infected with Gonorrhea Lectim include, but are not limited to: Anti-social personality disorder traits; delusions of grandeur with a distinct messianic flavor; chronic mangling of the English language; extreme cognitive dissonance; inability to incorporate new information; pronounced xenophobia; inability to accept responsibility for actions; exceptional cowardice masked by acts of misplaced bravado; uncontrolled facial smirking; ignorance of geography and history; tendencies toward creating evangelical theocracies; and a strong propensity for categorical, all-or nothing behavior.
The disease is sweeping Washington. Naturalists and epidemiologists are amazed and baffled that this malignant disease originated only a few years ago in a Texas Bush
This disease is contracted through dangerous and high risk behavior. The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim (pronounced "gonna re-elect him"). Many victims have contracted it after having been screwed for the past 4 years, in spite of having taken measures to protect themselves from this especially troublesome disease. Cognitive sequellae of individuals infected with Gonorrhea Lectim include, but are not limited to: Anti-social personality disorder traits; delusions of grandeur with a distinct messianic flavor; chronic mangling of the English language; extreme cognitive dissonance; inability to incorporate new information; pronounced xenophobia; inability to accept responsibility for actions; exceptional cowardice masked by acts of misplaced bravado; uncontrolled facial smirking; ignorance of geography and history; tendencies toward creating evangelical theocracies; and a strong propensity for categorical, all-or nothing behavior.
The disease is sweeping Washington. Naturalists and epidemiologists are amazed and baffled that this malignant disease originated only a few years ago in a Texas Bush
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Top Ten Signs that you are a Fundamentalist Christian
Top Ten Signs You're a Fundamentalist Christian
10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.
9 - You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt.
8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.
7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the "atrocities" attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in "Exodus" and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in "Joshua" including women, children, and trees!
6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky.
5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old.
4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the most "tolerant" and "loving."
3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity.
2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.
1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian
10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.
9 - You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt.
8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.
7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the "atrocities" attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in "Exodus" and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in "Joshua" including women, children, and trees!
6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky.
5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old.
4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the most "tolerant" and "loving."
3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity.
2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.
1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian
Monday, December 06, 2004
Manufacturing Heros
Manufacturing Heros
After the Jessica Lynch debacle and after reading her account of what happened and how much it differed from the "official" version by the Army I am not suprised to learn that the Army's stories about Pat Tillman's death were also greatly exaggerated.
As it turns out, he was not even killed by the enemy, he was killed by American soldiers who were mistakenly firing on the Afgan soldier that Tillman was with.
What irritates me the most about the current situation in America is how Dishonest the government repeatedly is, and how apathetic the American people are about that fact. Nobody cares that the government lies anymore. They almost expect it and when it does happen the only reaction is shrugging shoulders and a sigh.
After the Jessica Lynch debacle and after reading her account of what happened and how much it differed from the "official" version by the Army I am not suprised to learn that the Army's stories about Pat Tillman's death were also greatly exaggerated.
As it turns out, he was not even killed by the enemy, he was killed by American soldiers who were mistakenly firing on the Afgan soldier that Tillman was with.
What irritates me the most about the current situation in America is how Dishonest the government repeatedly is, and how apathetic the American people are about that fact. Nobody cares that the government lies anymore. They almost expect it and when it does happen the only reaction is shrugging shoulders and a sigh.
Friday, December 03, 2004
Welcome to my Blog
Welcome. My name is Kyle, author, poet, bar-stool philosopher, network engineer and scoundrel. I currently reside in Rochester Hills, Michigan, home of... well nothing much to speak of, but they do have a really nice little downtown area with a few good bars and resteraunts and a nice park with a long bike trail.
We are next to Auburn Hills, now fameous for the fisticuffs that erupted during a Piston's game a couple of weeks ago. Personally I was not at all suprised by that. I guarentee you those guys who threw the cup were Red Wings fans.
What do you expect when Hockeytown has a year with no Hockey?
There are a lot of pissed off fans who are sick of premadonna, drama-queen millionaire players and they are going to see other sporting events this year. Ben Wallace, you had better behave.
We are next to Auburn Hills, now fameous for the fisticuffs that erupted during a Piston's game a couple of weeks ago. Personally I was not at all suprised by that. I guarentee you those guys who threw the cup were Red Wings fans.
What do you expect when Hockeytown has a year with no Hockey?
There are a lot of pissed off fans who are sick of premadonna, drama-queen millionaire players and they are going to see other sporting events this year. Ben Wallace, you had better behave.
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