Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Congrats, Helio & Julianne

So it's old news by now that Helio and Julianee are the DWTS winners. I was behind them from the very beginning, though several other stars were better dancers. It definitely illustrates that the winning the competition is one part talent, one part effort and at least one part popularity.

The judges have said that this season holds the most talent. I disagree. I feel that any of the top three finalists from season three (Joey McIntyre, Mario Lopez and Emmit Smith) were better dancers than either Mel B or Helio. Though there was a lot of discarded talent early on in this competition (Sabrina Bryan, Albert Reed). Again, it's at least as much about popularity as it is about technique. How else could Marie Osmond have made it to the finals?

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Chase Bank Down!

Okay, I never even knew is was possible for an entire bank to be "down." But it is.

I tried checking my balance online, and got a message saying the system is down. Okay, fine--I'll call customer service for the balance.

When the representative picked up, she simply said, "I'm sorry, our systems are down and we cannot provide you any information."

So even the bank can't access the account info? Bad news.

Act of terrorism? Massive hardware failure? Global warming? It must be pretty big, whatever it is. I'm wondering if there will be a news story out there soon about this...

Anyone else have any updates? Sound off!

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UPDATE:

Looks like everything is back online--and there's finally a story about it in the news. At least now I know I'm not broke.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

I Hope the Writers' Strike Lasts

The Internet is simply abuzz with sympathy for the poor underserved, underappreciated Writers Guild. In fact, today many blogs will "go dark" as a show of support--replacing their regular content with WGA solidarity statements.

As I'm not part of the Writers Guild, I really don't care what happens to them. There's no TV show or movie I can't do without. I felt much the same way about last month's impending Michigan government shutdown. It's not like I get much from it anyway.

Come to think of it, maybe a decline in quality TV programming will compel more families to spend evenings together away from the tube. So to that end, I too fully support the writers in their strike. If we're lucky, it will last long enough to trim some of the Hollywood fat, and force people like Julia Roberts to settle for less than a $40 million take from a money-losing movie.

At the very least it may distract them from their environmental and political wacktivism.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Weather Channel Founder Disagrees with Global Warming Elite

Can the founder of the Weather Channel be blackballed by global warming elitists?

Yes, I believe they can.

Here's what that guy, John Coleman, said:
It is the greatest scam in history. I am amazed, appalled and highly offended by it. Global Warming; It is a SCAM. Some dastardly scientists with environmental and political motives manipulated long term scientific data to create in allusion of rapid global warming. Other scientists of the same environmental whacko type jumped into the circle to support and broaden the “research” to further enhance the totally slanted, bogus global warming claims. Their friends in government steered huge research grants their way to keep the movement going. Soon they claimed to be a consensus.

Environmental extremists, notable politicians among them, then teamed up with movie, media and other liberal, environmentalist journalists to create this wild “scientific” scenario of the civilization threatening environmental consequences from Global Warming unless we adhere to their radical agenda. Now their ridiculous manipulated science has been accepted as fact and become a cornerstone issue for CNN, CBS, NBC, the Democratic Political Party, the Governor of California, school teachers and, in many cases, well informed but very gullible environmental conscientious citizens. Only one reporter at ABC has been allowed to counter the Global Warming frenzy with one 15 minutes documentary segment.

I do not oppose environmentalism. I do not oppose the political positions of either party. However, Global Warming, ie Climate Change, is not about environmentalism or politics. It is not a religion. It is not something you “believe in.” It is science; the science of meteorology. This is my field of life-long expertise. And I am telling you Global Warming is a non-event, a manufactured crisis and a total scam. I say this knowing you probably won’t believe a me, a mere TV weatherman, challenging a Nobel Prize, Academy Award and Emmy Award winning former Vice President of United States. So be it.

I have read dozens of scientific papers. I have talked with numerous scientists. I have studied. I have thought about it. I know I am correct. There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril. I am incensed by the incredible media glamour, the politically correct silliness and rude dismissal of counter arguments by the high priest of Global Warming.

Yeah, this guy's pretty much toast. He dares to contradict the "high priest of Global Warming." Personally, I think it's too late to change our societal bent toward this ridiculous notion. Too many companies have invested in appearing "green." Too many egos will be hurt to accept that they have been duped into espousing global warming. And too many elitists have too much power at stake to watch it evaporate in the face of sound reasoning that has a voice.

Only after a decade or two will society accept its folly--long after it has paid a heavy price for its beliefs.

By the way, here's an excellent (and rare) contrarian piece from 20/20.