Barnson.org

The 2006 airshow at Hill Air Force Base is set to start at 8 AM at Hill this Saturday, June 10, 2006.

I’m kind of excited! I haven’t been to an airshow since Andrews Air Force Base as a kid. We’re packing up two families, taking a pair of vans, and planning on having a good time.

When was the last time you were at an airshow? Would you do it again?

Beyond the Marines rappelling from a helicopter, the main thing I remember from my last airshow was the fierce sunburn…

If you, like me, have ever bought something off of eBay, and then realized you could have gotten a better deal after you’d already committed to buy, then this cautionary tale may be for you if you hope to refuse delivery:

Vigilante eBayer obtains refund in person. (Warning: some strong language)

At the Dead hunt Premiere, the first gathering of Barnsonians without an actual Barnson. The world stands in awe of Rowan, Timpane, and Wandering Moose!! Rowan and Wandering moose traveled great distances to see Timpane’s little movie.. and Timpae is gushing with appreciation.

Again, HUGE T%HANKS to these guys.. it made me feel really good to have their support.. and a special thanks to Jon, who i haven’t seen in years, and who I know better because of this site than I ever did in HS.. it was a gesture that did not go unnoticed.

Also, thanks to Rowan for the chicken fingers.

EDIT by matthew: Linkage, image resized.

Saw Al Gore’s film last night. Well worth watching. In my opinion, a sobering, well-reasoned look into the global warming situation.

And before people start diving for their respective fox-holes for yet another round of a battle that’s already been fought on this board, I’ll let you know I’m posting this more as a critique of the quality of the documentary then anything else.

Even as a liberal who believes that Bush and nearly everything about his administration was a very, very bad idea, I was pretty disgusted with Fareneheit 9/11. It was pure conspiracy theory, and flimsy at best. The Da Vinci code was based on more solid evidence, for God’s sake, and told better too. Most documentaries have a point to prove. That’s to be expected; if someone didn’t care about an issue, or see a problem in a situation, why would they go to the trouble of filming something about it? I don’t ask that a documentary be completely objective (there’s no such thing, anyway), I just ask that there be some semblance of fact, and that thrust of the film’s argument be derived from a cohesive, logical relationship to said facts.

I found “An Inconvenient Truth” to be such a documentary. Yes, there’s a little bit of biography about Al Gore himself, a little bit of heartstring-tweaking. But the majority of the documentary is simply him laying out a logical argument for his position in which every single time he makes a statement, he backs it up with scientific research. I don’t think he offers a single opinion without providing hard, measured findings from the scientific community.

So essentially, he’s looking at empirical evidence (very little of which, I believe, is in dispute by anyone in the scientific community), and using it to structure an honest argument.

I don’t know, that struck me as the sort of thing that would appeal to the bloggers on this domain.

My favorite kind of argument, the one most likely to change my mind, is where someone comes to me with statistics and evidence, then, without voices being raised, an appeal to a higher power invoked, or any person being demonized, presents it in a way that says “This is the conclusion I drew. Do you draw the same?” Extra credit for going on to say “This is a proposed solution to the problem.”

Matthew changed my mind about the Second Amendment with this particular type of argument on an old, old post on this board. I believe “An Inconvenient Truth” to be a similar sort of argument, and it receives my recommendation.

I’d, of course, be interested in hearing what anyone else who saw it has to say about it. Who knows? Maybe it is a horrifically manipulative film that makes Michael Moore by comparison look like David Hume, and I’m a dumb sheep who doesn’t realize it. 😛 But I don’t think so.

I think nearly everyone on this board has stated at some point that they are men and women of science and of reason, which is why I thought of you all when I watched this film. My own personal style of argument relies on drama, emotional manipulation, weaving a good story to take bits of the truth for my own end, and liberal use of subtle self-deprecation in order to disarm someone’s reservations (I might even be doing that RIGHT NOW, mwa ha ha). This did not look like the kind of movie I would have made. But it did look like a movie many of you would have.

Hey! I’m looking forward to seeing Rowan and Wandering moose at the Dead Hunt premiere in Edgewood MD this Sat. night. I wanted to extend an invite to all others who might want to come and see the flick!

Now, how do I say.. it’s not exactly art.. its, well.. its a B-Movie, extremely low budget.. but despite that its kinda fun, and well.. hey, I’m in it, and I wrote the music.. and since there will be 3 Barnsonians there, I thought I’d throw a final invite online. Email me or post a response here and let me know! justin@timpane.com

“So this is how liberty dies. To the sound of thunderous applause.” Padme, Star Wars III

From SFGATE.com:

The Supreme Court scaled back protections for government workers who blow the whistle on official misconduct Tuesday, a 5-4 decision in which new Justice Samuel Alito cast the deciding vote.

In a victory for the Bush administration, justices said the 20 million public employees do not have free-speech protections for what they say as part of their jobs…

Stephen Kohn, chairman of the National Whistleblower Center, said: “The ruling is a victory for every crooked politician in the United States.”…

“It’s a very frightening signal of dark times ahead,” said Tom Devine, legal director for the Government Accountability Project.

Today is Memorial Day. I extend my gratitude to the service men and women who have kept and are keeping our country free and prosperous.

Annuit Cœptis Novus Ordo Seclorum.

The military history of my family is interesting. My brother, Jeff Barnson (who most of you don’t know, as I was adopted and he was my adopted brother, two thousand miles away) served in the US Air Force and is now a civilian pilot. My father, Bill Barnson, is a retired colonel in the US Air Force. My brother, Jay Barnson, was slated to enter the Air Force, but medical problems prohibited his entry (much to his relief, I think 🙂 ). My brother, Brian, served in the US Navy.

I guess I’m the aberration. I flirted with joining the US Army, and qualified to join them as a pianist, but decided to stick with cushy civilian life. I haven’t regretted that choice, in light of recent military deployments with which I disagreed, but I have enormous respect for those who have put their lives where their mouths are.

At the same time that I am grateful for those who serve in the military to preserve our freedom, I am deeply troubled that those freedoms are being eroded from within.

I am troubled because today, I cannot protest en masse with my fellow citizens within view of a seated US President. I will be removed to a “free speech zone”: a fenced, barricaded, razor-wired holding pen for those people who disagree with the President, often miles from the location where he is speaking. Those who support the President, however, may hold their support signs in full view of the cameras and our elected representative. I thought all the public property in the entire country was supposed to be a free speech zone.

I am troubled because my country condones the use of torture. We obey the letter of our treaties by not torturing our citizens and visitors within our borders, but by shipping them to third-world countries which will torture them on our behalf. It is a most cruel and unusual punishment to be deported, beaten, and tortured for information without a trial.

I am troubled because today, the average citizen cannot afford to run for high public office. Only the independently wealthy have much of a chance of succeeding; recent studies indicate that the average congressperson must have at least $2 million in cash to have a hope of winning a House seat. We seem to be turning into a country where only the wealthiest 2% of our population controls our legislative and executive branches. All men are not created equal, it seems.

I am troubled because the Executive and Legislative branches, together, are attempting to strip the Judicial branch of its authority to strike down certain types of legislation. In the name of “reducing judicial activisim”, they are attempting to turn our trinity of checks and balances into a duality, where all the power is concentrated in the hands of those who make and enforce the laws. This way lies, not democracy, but only tyranny.

I am troubled because we are on the brink of passing a national Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage. The Consitution is a document which outlines the structure and form of our government, and enumerates our rights. Such an amendment would be the only current amendment restricting the full exercise of these rights to a particular portion of the US population. It’s noteworthy that the only other amendments restricting the rights of citizens dealt with slaves and alcohol consumption, and have been repealed.

I am most troubled because our soldiers, the bulwark of our successful sovereignty, are being used to defend our “freedom” abroad, while our legislators and executive branch seem hell-bent on limiting our “freedom” at home. Non-warranted “sneak and peek” searches. Unlimited government access to telephone records. Aforementioned “free-speech zones”. Refusal to sunset the PATRIOT act, which grants unprecedented autonomy to law enforcement.

I can’t shake the feeling that we are being bilked in an enormous shell game. While we’re “watching the ball” on morality and traditional family, the hard-won rights fought for by our Founding Fathers are being repressed, little by little. Not enough to create a revolution or profound public resentment, but just enough at a time to get us used to the weight of the chains with which we will one day be shackled.

The United States is a nation of contrasts and contradictions. Side-by-side on our one-dollar bill stands the National Seal, with the phrases “Annuit Cœptis” and “Novus Ordo Seclorum” proudly emblazoned thereon. “Our undertakings are favored in this new secular order”*. On the other side reads, “In God We Trust”.

The freedom we fight for is, at its heart, the freedom to disagree. We disagree without fear of punishment. Without fear that our homes will be illegally searched and siezed. Without fear that our right to defend our selves will be stripped from us, or that our churches will be raided. We disagree with ourselves, all the way down to our currency.

This is as it should be.

I hope that we may be blessed with a peaceful year until next Memorial Day, and that our soldiers at home and abroad may be preserved from harm.

(* Yes, I understand that this may also read “He (God) has favored our undertakings” and “A New Order of the Ages” or “New Worldly Order” as well. Some consider “secular” a mistranslation; I think it’s poetic in the current context.)

This article captured my problems with all those fancy advances in cell phone technology:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/biztech/05/29/cellphone.usability.ap/index.html

Actually, it’s really not the advances in technology that cause me problems. It’s the marketing losers who figure that the application of the technology needs to be packaged to consumers in the form of a cell phone with a built-in camera, internet interface, chat mechanisms, mp3 player and keyboard. Memo to cell phone marketers: the phone is not a personal computer, so stop trying to replicate how people use computers on a cell phone.

If I could go back and meet anyone in the annals of human history, it would absolutely be to meet Alexander Bell prior to his voice transmission breakthrough. I would want to explain to him the terrible truths about industrial engineering and human ergonomics. In terms of human performance, holding up a receiver cradle to the side of one’s head is one of the most obnoxious things I’ve had to deal with since birth (the other being payroll taxes). What was he thinking? The human species would have been better off if Bell had actually given proper thought to the design aspects of the bi-directional phone, and included bluetooth technology for a wireless headset before rushing to patent.

Alas, the phone companies are still muddling with my experience today. I do not understand why there are phones embedded in a device that I use primarily to talk to other people. Because I like using the full extent of written language to express my thoughts to others, I do not appreciate having to use a miniature keyboard to send ugly, truncated syntax. Viewing the internet over a tiny screen is lame. Having to charge my phone every night achieves a high level of lameness. Trying to review and make changes to MS Office docs over a 2″ screen is exceedingly lame.

Actually, I think I understand why marketers have modeled the fusion of voice communication and entertainment. The functionality appeals to teenagers. Did you know that teenagers don’t use their voice mail? I found this out from my teenage cousins who told me that using voice mail is an unknown practice. Teenagers call each other and then resort to texting if there is no pickup. Teenagers are the most destructive force on the planet and we should not bow to their demands.

Voice communication as a desirable, primary function seems to be on the demise. Here’s what I might like:

-A phone that is basically a headset device. Nothing else. No hands are involved in the operation. -A headset device that is voice activated. -Phone numbers and contacts stored inside the headset. -Powered by a combination of solar thermal energy and internal battery. -It’s used just to talk to other people around the world.

okay techies.. heres a quick inquiry.

I have M4a files. I want them to be mP3 files I can play on my mp3/cd player in the car.

Ideas?

Fart jokes never get old… I got this one in my email.

An old man and his wife have gone to bed. After laying there a few minutes the old man farts and says,”Seven Points.”

His wife rolls over and says, “What in the world was that?” The old man replied, “It’s fart football!”

A few minutes later the wife lets one go and says – “Touchdown, tie score!”

After about five minutes the old man farts again and says – “Touchdown, I’m ahead 14 to 7!”

Not to be outdone the wife rips another one and says, – “Touchdown, tie score!” Five seconds go by and she lets out a squeaker and says – “Field goal, I lead 17 to 14!”

Now the pressures on and the old man refuses to get beat by a woman so he strains real hard but to no avail. Realizing a defeat is totally unacceptable he gives it everything he has but instead of farting he poops the bed.

The wife looks and says, “What the heck was that?” The old man replied, “Half-time, switch sides!”