IntelligentStandards.com

I've seen both of these before - way more than once.

They still get me every time.

This one is about Jason McElwain - an autistic special ed student at Greece Athena High School in New York. I won't spoil it for you - just watch.

The next one is a car-phone salesguy from Great Britain named Paul Potts - if you haven't heard him sing, you'll be blown away. Even if you don't like opera. You will be blown away. The following is from Britain's Got Talent - the obviously British version of America's Got Talent and brainchild of American Idol's Simon Cowell... (or maybe it's Simon Cowell's American Idol)... anyway - watch and listen. You will not be disappointed.

Simon's expressions are priceless - as he goes from "Yeah? opera? whatever..." to "just a sec.." to "WHOA!"

No matter how many times I see these clips, they blow me away. If you're having a bad day, if you're feeling down about any situation in life, if you're just tired...watch these clips - they're stunning and they'll make you forget all that's wrong with humanity and remember all that's right. There's really nothing more to say.

 

Alright - I don't get motivated to write about things like this much, but I just caught Joss Whedon's Serenity movie on DVD.

My wife and I got hooked on the Firefly series a couple of months back and are now fans.

If you're familiar with the series, you may be thinking- "Dave, as usual, you're late to the party! Why bring this up now?" IF you're not, you probably think I should get a life.

Well now.

All I can say is, "busted" on both counts. But I guess it's better late than never.

If you haven't checked out the series, you should. It's that good. Firefly is literally the best tv series I've seen since Star Trek - The Next Generation. And not because it's some kind of space drama... because it's good.

Now - for what I do not understand. WHY would anyone in their right mind cancel the show? Fox executives - can you hear me? There's an untapped market here.

There are many imponderables in this world... from the "war" on terror, the "war" on drugs, panic - sheer panic - over perceived threats of illegal immigration, "political correctness" run amok, down to the idiots on the school board in my county. I don't mean to digress or minimize any of these other "issues" - but canceling Firefly? What are these people smoking?

Ah well. I guess I shall have to be content with the DVD set and the movie... And the hope...that maybe... just maybe... someone will awaken and realize what a gem they had in Firefly. Seriously - humanity needs more of the quality storytelling like we see in Firefly and again in Serenity and less - a lot less of the dumb stuff that will ultimate rot our brains and turn us all into Reavers.

D

PS - spend some time on the fansites out there Google knows where they are. Here's a few to get you going.

• http://fireflyfans.net
• http://bigdamnsequel.com/
• http://www.canadianbrowncoats.com/

 

"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just." -- Thomas Jefferson

I read the following post on another blog today. It started with a quote attributed to Barack Obama:

"And if that child should ever get the chance to travel the world and someone should ask her where is she from, we believe that she should always be able to hold her head high with pride in her voice when she answers, "I am an American." That is the course we seek. That is the change we are calling for."

The blogger then goes on to say,

So to Obama, it would be a change for an American child to be proud of her country? This guy is not only unfit to be President, he's a disgrace to the Senate and a poor excuse for an American.

Excuse me? In no way can I make the jump that Obama's quote (which appears to be accurately attributed) somehow makes him either unfit to be President, a disgrace to the Senate, or a poor excuse for an American. Do the folks at rightwingnews really believe they've got the corner on who can criticize our government and still be patriotic?

In fact, I would say that it is very patriotic for Senator Obama, or anyone, for that matter, to wish and yearn for a better America. I don't think it's the least bit unpatriotic to criticize things we see wrong with our country and call upon the citizenry to work to address them. Throughout this country's history, America has done many things of which we would and should not be proud.

And Americans have certainly done things in the name of "keeping us safe" during President Bush's time in office that many reasonable and patriotic individuals across this country would find "un-pride-worthy." But it isn't limited to President Bush - we have had lapses in our National morality dating back to the founding of the republic - everything from the treatment of the native Americans, to slavery, to segregation and Jim Crow, to the interment of Japanese Americans, to the more recent practices of "torture" and extraordinary rendition. There's plenty out there for us as a nation to be ashamed of.

So, SPARE ME.

SPARE ME the faux patriotism.

SPARE ME the puffing about who isn't patriotic because he isn't wearing a flag on his lapel, or doesn't have his hand over his heart.

Just SPARE ME.

Thomas Jefferson's statement that he 'trembles for [his] country when reflecting that God is just,' must mean that he sees an imperfect country. Perhaps even an unjust country. Perhaps... just perhaps ... a country that has done downright evil things. Otherwise, why might he tremble? We can only speculate. But he did seem to recognize there are things wrong with America that we must be vigilant against.

Thomas Jefferson's words were right when he said them, and they still hold true today.

Perhaps the folks at rightwingnews don't consider Thomas Jefferson to be a true patriot after he dissed his ... OUR ... country - that I do not know.

But I do know that it is the height of patriotism to look for that which is wrong with our country -

It is the height of patriotism to point out that which is wrong with our country -

And it is the absolute height of patriotism to aspire to improve that which is wrong with our country.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

D