Mister Pterodactyl
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
 
I got an email yesterday
Really? You're thinking. An email? You? Holy $^&#! Tell us quickly!

Well OK.

It came from packers-html2@list.packers.com. Which is curious since the Packers newsletter I get (available from the official website) comes from packers-html@list.packers.com. It did have a Packers.com banner at the top, and since ... well, just read the text:

"Finally, someone is standing up for the fans!
State Senator Dave Hansen and State Representative Kitty Rhoades are introducing legislation that would end the standoff between cable providers and independent programmers like NFL Network.
The Fair Access to Networks (FAN) Act sets up a dispute resolution process that allows an neutral arbiter to select between competing proposals for carriage of NFL Network.
If passed into law, the FAN Act would ensure NFL Network will be available in some form to subscribers of big cable companies like Time Warner and Charter Communications.
As you might know, Packers fans who live outside of Milwaukee and Green Bay will not be able to see the November 29th Packers-Cowboys game that will be shown on NFL Network. On top of that, Time Warner and Charter subscribers do not have access to NFL Network's 24/7 football programming. As the Packers march toward the playoffs, there isn't a better time to have access to behind-the-scenes NFL information shown daily on NFL Network.
In order to get the bill passed, fans like you need to let your legislators know you support the FAN Act, and you'd like to see them sign on as a co-sponsor of the Hansen-Rhoades bill.
You can contact your elected official by either: Calling the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-362-9472. The Hotline will be able to get a message to your state legislators.
Or, click here to send your legislators an email."

The link goes to a pretty blatant NFL Network propaganda site. Just as an example, click the 'truth about cable monopoly' link and be treated to the fact, among others, that cable companies want fans to "spend hundreds of dollars a year for additional channels they don’t want," and at the same time have "moved NFL Network to a pay-extra sports tier." Why would people choose to pay extra for (what I assume is) non-basic cable they don't want?

"Please email or call TODAY. Tell your legislator to sign on as a co-sponsor of the Hansen-Rhoades FAN Act. It is time the fans have a voice!
To learn more about the FAN Act, visit www.football247wisconsin.com today."

I don't need another bunch of talking heads doing canned 'analysis' of this week's games. And my informal poll suggests that the game-time announcers are moderately south of stellar. On the other hand, if I could get weekday replays of good games from the previous weekend, and original Super Bowl broadcasts too (both available, apparently), it might be worth it to me. On the other (other) hand, what happens during the offseason? If I were to write my congressman about this issue, it would be to tell him to just stay out of it.

On the other other other hand (note classic stage reference), I live in the Milwaukee TV market, which really takes the edge off the urgency for me. Enjoy the radio broadcast, suckers!

- posted by Dactyl @ 9:57 PM 5 comments
Friday, November 16, 2007
 
You Are an Alien

You're so strange, people occasionally wonder if you're from another world.
You don't try to be different, but you see most things from a very unique, very offbeat perspective.
Brilliant to the point of genius, you definitely have some advanced intelligence going on.
No matter what circles you travel in, you always feel like a stranger. And it's a feeling you've learned to like.

Your greatest power: Your superhuman brain

Your greatest weakness: Your lack of empathy - you just don't get humans

You play well with: Zombies
What Kind of Monster Are You?

- posted by Dactyl @ 12:08 AM 5 comments
Thursday, November 15, 2007
 
Below, and above, quizzes found via Tink. Another occasional visitee. Maybe I should have a new sidebar category.

And I tried to manipulate the politics quiz to come up Clinton or Edwards, but ran out of patience faster than it took to finish thi
- posted by Dactyl @ 11:56 PM 0 comments
 
My George Bush Conspiracy Theory

George W. Bush made Britney Spears lose custody of her kids so that Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, oil companies, the Jews, and white men could offend welfare recipients.

Create your own at Buttafly.com


- posted by Dactyl @ 11:53 PM 0 comments
 
Which 2008 candidate do you hate the most?

The candidate you like least is Democrat Dennis Kucinich. He opposes Iran sanctions, opposes a troop surge for Iraq, is in favor of banning assault weapons -- this guy is your worst nightmare!

Take the quiz at Buttafly.com


- posted by Dactyl @ 11:52 PM 1 comments
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
 
The truth is out there
I am still searching for the link, but some time ago (week or two) I saw an account of a John Edwards event at which a man said to him, "if people around here knew what was really going on there'd be a revolution overnight."
At the time I read it and moved on. Just another one of that type of person who likes to whine about the government, right? But it stayed with me.
So today it popped into my head and sort of spun in another direction. "If people around here knew what was really going on there'd be a revolution overnight." Let's parse that a little more carefully.

1) Something's going on that is not common knowledge.
2) This something is pretty heinous - so much so that, if they knew, people would completely flip out. No rallies, no letters to the editor, no 'throw the bums out,' just straight to open revolt against the lawfully elected government of the United States.
3) Unlike most of the "people around here," this (presumably hairy and wild-eyed) gentleman knows the above facts.

So he knows that something's going on, and he must have some idea what it is if he thinks it's bad enough to cause a revolution. Right? Again, still searching for the article, but my sense was that his comment was intended to be negative. [Seriously. Stay with me.] Something's going on, and I don't like it, and if other people knew then they wouldn't like it either and by god we could do something about it. IF ONLY PEOPLE KNEW!
But he knows about it, and he's not doing anything.
So what does that make him? Think about that for a minute.

Maybe he's just a dipshit who likes to complain instead of do. If he knows something that would cause such a reaction, why isn't he doing something? Why isn't he telling people the truth? Why isn't he revolting? [Possible poor choice of words there...]

Maybe he's a tragic figure, cursed with knowledge but without power to make a difference, damned to carry his burden forever knowing no one will believe him.

Or, maybe he's in on it. Maybe he's part of the conspiracy to do (something?) and keep the rest of us in the dark. And maybe he's not afraid to go around talking about it because he knows nobody will really believe him, because we're all just a bunch of sheep who'll just assume, y'know, tragic dipshit, and never think past that. Like I did until now. He's seen X-Files. Nobody ever listened to Mulder either. He knows he can go around saying things like "if people around here knew what was really going on there'd be a revolution overnight" and still get away with (whatever) because nobody is really paying attention anyway.

So next time you hear somebody say something like that, grab him. Make him explain what it is that's "really going on around here." Because The Truth Is Out There, and I wanna know.
Or, y'know, maybe he really is just a dipshit. A whiny, tragic dipshit. But just in case...

Speaking of, do you know what Edwards' reply was? "I hear you, brother." Hmmm..

I'll put the link up when I find it. Keep your eyes open. Watch your backs. Et cetera.

- posted by Dactyl @ 8:47 PM 6 comments

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