CommonException[dot]com

I just read Michael’s latest post and he brings up an interesting thing he noticed his last trip to the movie theater. During a trailer for the movie Friday Night Lights, he spotted something that looked familiar. Poyntz Avenue in downtown Manhattan, KS. At least it looks like it. A lot like it. My guess is that they only used it for the trailer as a convenient backdrop for those words at the beginning, but I could be wrong. Still, I don’t remember hearing anything about a movie being filmed here recently, so I’m guessing if it is in there it’s just a brief glimpse. Think it’s really Poyntz or just a coincidence? Nice use of the song Until the Day I Die by Story of the Year in there as well.

Currently Playing: Story of the Year - Until the Day I Die

Should I bite my tongue?
Until blood soaks my shirt
We’ll never fall apart
Tell me why this hurts so much
My hands are at your throat
And I think I hate you
But still we’ll say, “remember when”
Just like we always do
Just like we always do

I don’t often remember my dreams, but when I do they’re usually pretty random with people I don’t know. Occasionally I’ll dream about a celebrity or something and those dreams just make me laugh. Even less frequently though I have a dream about someone I know. A few nights ago it happened for the first time in a long time. The dream didn’t last long, but I was with a girl I know and I remember waking up and thinking it was odd. Let’s just say we were “close” (not that close). Still, in the dream I could tell I felt things that I don’t feel when I’m awake. Or is it that I don’t realize I feel it?

Sometimes I wonder if these types of dreams don’t mean something because they happen so infrequently. It seems like when I do dream about someone I know it comes completely at random. It’s usually not any of my close friends or whatever girl I think I have a crush on at the time. It ends up being that person that is around, but I’m not overly close to. This is actually the second time I’ve had this type of dream. It’s strange, but it’s the kind of thing I can’t get out of my head. What do you think? Does it mean anything or was it just random? Leave me comments…and don’t bother asking who it was

As I started writing this, my sister pointed me to this site about John Kerry’s time in Vietnam. Interesting to say the least. Sadly, it helps to reaffirm my thought that there is no good candidate for President.

Currently Playing Watching: Home Improvement then Everybody Loves Raymond

In all honesty, I would prefer to forget that I ever paid to see Michael Moore’s “documentary” film, but the media keeps publishing stories about it and for some reason I keep reading them. I don’t really expect anyone to look at this in its entirety, but here is a list of 59 deceits in Fahrenheit 9/11 by Dave Kopel. I have yet to read much of it at all (though I plan to read as much as I can), but just from the intro I can see that the writer goes about his critique in a way that mirrors my mindset as I sat and watched (fought off sleep?) his film. This paragraph from his report sums up my thoughts rather nicely:

Quite obviously, there are many patriotic Americans who oppose George Bush and who think the Iraq War was a mistake. But Moore’s deceitful movie offers nothing constructive to help people form their opinions. To use lies and frauds to manipulate people is contrary to the very essence of democracy, which requires people to make rational decisions based on truthful information. It’s wrong when a President lies. It’s wrong when a talk radio host lies. And it’s wrong when a film-maker lies.

I’m not saying that I knew as I was sitting in the theater that specific bits of information of the movie were deceitful or downright false. Still, a part of me was realizing that Michael Moore has his own agenda as much as President Bush or anyone else, and why wouldn’t he stretch the truth or twist things around to show people what he wants them to see? It boggles my mind how many people sat through the movie and took every word of it as “fact” simply because it was labeled by some as a documentary, a word almost synonymous with facts and truth. I’m not saying that good points weren’t made or that he didn’t bring interesting things to light, but the way in which he went about it really bothered me. Thoughts from Boston University Law Professor Randy Barnett:

…I was struck by the sheer cunningness of Moore’s film. When you read Kopel, try to detach yourself from any revulsion you may feel at a work of literal propaganda receiving such wide-spread accolades from mainstream politicos, as well as attendance by your friends and neighbors.

Instead, notice the film’s meticulousness in saying only (or mostly) “true” or defensible things in support of a completely misleading impression. In this way, Kopel’s care in describing Moore’s “deceits” is much more interesting than other critiques I have read, including that of Christopher Hitchens. Kopel’s lawyerly description of Moore’s claims shows the film to be a genuinely impressive accomplishment in a perverse sort of way (the way an ingenious crime is impressive)–a case study in how to convert elements that are mainly true into an impression that is entirely false–and this leads in turn to another thought.

If this much cleverness was required to create the inchoate “conspiracy” (whatever it may be, as it is never really specified by Moore), it suggests there was no such conspiracy. With this much care and effort invested in uncovering and massaging the data, if there really was a conspiracy of the kind Moore suggests, the evidence would line up more neatly behind it, rather than being made to do cartwheels so as to be “true” but oh-so-misleading. If the facts don’t fit, shouldn’t we acquit?

Hopefully this will be the last from me on Michael Moore (unless it’s more stuff of the cartoon variety), but I make no promises. Frankly I’m tired of hearing about it, but if I happen to spot other interesting stuff, I’ll probably put it on here. Don’t stop reading over it. I highly recommend clicking that Christopher Hitchens link up there. It’s also worth reading or at least skimming. Plus he made one comment that made me laugh out loud: I never quite know whether Moore is as ignorant as he looks, or even if that would be humanly possible. I’m starting to like this guy more and more, hehe.

Some more interesting news later after I watch a comedy that should require little or no thought of anything political or otherwise

Currently Playing Watching: 50 First Dates

Though I’m sure I have far more interesting things to post about, I simply wanted to share this image I happened across a minute ago:

I have to work at 7am and I really need to be in bed instead of wasting time on the internet. Those other interesting things will follow. Sometime.

Unfortunately, all the pictures Dylan posted here are no longer on the server.

Well I went home last weekend and took my little digital camera and took some low quality pics. Here is the tale of my adventure.

Starting towards home I see but what else in our ag based Kansas Economy. MOO

I liked the K-State in the mirror too

I have always wanted to stop here and see what they have… I guess they even have an ice cream bar

Then what could a road trip be without road construction??

At last I stop in Hays for a late lunch. Chicken was ok but nothing to brag about

Now corn at 75 mph…

almost too exciting

And if you look long enough this old machine kinda looks like a big animal of some sort… or maybe im just crazy.. probably both

And now you can definately tell im in western KS… you can see probably 60 miles here… maybe further??

I had almost forgotten how many of this long coal trains went by my hometown. Used to count them when I was little (I think my parents always asked me how many there were…. probably just to keep me occupied)

One of the things I think westen KS beats Eastern by far…. Sunsets

unfortunately this one didnt turn out too well

And for the “high point” of my trip… the turn off for Mt. Sunflower

And Give me a home where the buffalo roam. People that own these are related to me somehow… don’t really know how

When have you ever seen a cool firetruck like this in a city??

Oh and this is the fair parade

And a pic of my Mom.

This guy had to be about passing out!!

Has to be pretty close to my dream car…..

I thought the cougar stuffed animal was a nice touch

This is a sweet car too… One I would like to own but not drive

Couldnt be a country trip without some far equiptment… old and new

And now the local transportation.

For many

or for one

Well here comes the Possee to run me out of town so thats all for now

Sorry about the long delay in posting… hopefully more lata

Currently Playing: Plankeye - Playground

and this is just a cool pic taken by one of my friends in Nebraska

This just gives me a warm fuzzy: Family Guy will be aired on Fox for the first time in three years! Trying to get people back into the swing of things before the new season next summer? Oh yeah

Currently Playing Reading: The Da Vinci Code …It has me hooked. Besides, I’m at home and I don’t have much music around.

Oh, and notice the Save the iPod link on the right. Go there. Help fight for the iPod and other things we all know and love.

Another group speaking out about liberties taken by Michael Moore for the sake of his stupid movie. Apparently he doesn’t like a president with an agenda, but he doesn’t mind misrepresenting the news. How ironic.

Currently Playing: Home Improvement

I told my family a while back that I didn’t think I would be back home before the start of the new semester. Yesterday I started wondering why I had ever said that. I have several days with no work and no food, I have laundry to be done, clothes to buy, food to buy, a car to get fixed…why wouldn’t I go home? So when I talked to my sister today a little before 2pm and she said she and my mom were about to go to a big sale at JC Penney, I said, “Ok, that’s it. I’m going home.”

It was a VIP Sale where they stayed open late. I managed to pick up quite a bit of stuff I needed for a pretty good price. My mom and sister found some stuff as well and we went home feeling pretty good about how much we saved.

The reference I made up there about fixing my car is due to a safety recall my dad told me about the other day. Something about the ignition lock and shifter lock…it sounded to me like it wouldn’t be a big problem if something did malfunction but I figured I would try and get it taken care of since it’s free. The rest of the day tomorrow will be filled with laundry and maybe a movie. I’ll probably also work on finishing The Da Vinci Code which I am loving so far.

Oh yeah, about 30 minutes ago I saw a prank on a live newscast! One of the main anchors was talking about someone who was getting married and standing in front of one of those projection screens. When they were supposed to put up the picture of the two getting married, instead they flashed up a modified picture of this really ugly woman. The guy looked at it and did a doubletake before saying, “Very funny guys. Now put up the real picture.” He could hardly finish what he needed to say he was so flustered. I was cracking up!