Darwin's Darkest Hour

I just watched this "very special movie presentation" on PBS which was produced by Nova and National Geographic and called Darwin's Darkest Hour.  It dealt with Charles Darwin and his struggle to get his ideas published as original while being austricised by the still very church-centric public.  Darwin never claimed that there was no God, he just believed Christianity to be the wrong path, and this gave the media at the time enough fodder to demonize him.

Despite the drama involved, I only came away with one thought...

This is Charles Darwin when the film takes place:

This is the actor they hired to play Darwin, Henry Ian Cusick :

 

Notice a difference?

Being a bald, ugly (though admittedly not as smart) man like Charles Darwin, I take exception to this representation.  You can't tell me they couldn't have hired a bald actor or (heaven forbid) shaved Cusick's head for some semblance of historical accuracy.

I know that bald isn't sexy, but WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHARLES FREAKIN' DARWIN HERE!  Sexy shouldn't factor into it!

The Cleveland Show

I'm not the biggest fan of Family Guy or American Dad, Seth McFarlane's popular animated shows on Fox.  My favorite animated Fox shows were the Simpsons (for the nostalgic remembrance of when the show was really good) and King of the Hill, which is the most consistently good show on the network.  Now that King of the Hill has been canceled, Fox has decided to replace it with The Cleveland Show, and the premiere was tonight.

Half an hour of the least interesting, most boring television I have ever seen.  Not one chuckle.  Besides Cleveland being one of the least interesting characters on Family Guy I don't see how the brass at Fox figured he could hold his own show, especially with such a derivative supporting cast.

I won't be watching it again.

Did I mention that I hate it when I'm right?

Good thing it doesn't happen very often.  Too bad tonight is one of those nights.

More riots in Oakland (follow link)

Blogfest 09?

Wow.

I've never added so many posts in so little amount of time, but things are just really happening around here.

First, the news vans showed up:

Then the news helicopters:

Then the police:

Then city maintenance trucks carrying newspaper vending machines:

Then the protesters showed up:

In their hippie-mobiles:

Now, it's not that I entirely disagree with the protesters - I don't.  There is a truth to the belief that the leaders of the world's economy are just backstabbing money-grubbing greed-mongers who relish in hobnobbing with the world's rich by keeping the poor in their perceived place.  I do feel that holding protests (violent or otherwise) only seeks to stroke the ego of the protesters.  You see, the people in charge only take notice when you beat them at their own game.  If all you're doing to change the world is chanting and waving a sign because you spent the last twenty years too strung out on hemp and a vegan diet to be able to fight and think about anything more constructive to do in the name of world equality, then you kind of deserve it when the communist leaders you elected forcibly take your land and send you to the slave mines.

And for you right-wing young republican types, even hippies need to use the bathroom:

You're more alike than you think!

I hate it when I'm right.

Yesterday I said that any protester that attacks a local business is a mouth-breathing idiotic hypocrite.   Given last night's monkeyshines in Oakland, I stand by this statement.  Although most of the businesses attacked were the bastions of corporate America, there is simply no excuse for this type of protest.  The average age of those arrested leads me to believe that at least some of them are College students, probably in Oakland.  Because of the physicality of the crimes this almost certainly means that these anarchists are attending the University of Pittsburgh (lets face it, I could kick the collective pasty asses of 99% of Carnegie Mellon's student body *cough*NERDS*cough*).  I don't know for sure, of course, but you can find a partial list of the morons here.

Why do Pittsburgh riots almost always happen in (or at least start at) Oakland?  Obama gets elected? Let's riot!  Steelers win the Super Bowl?  Let's riot!  It could just be the combination of the college crowd and readily available alcohol, but most of these people are pre-med.  That means that many of the same people breaking windows and throwing bikes at police officers are the people giving you an operation in the future: 

"Dude, capitalism sucks!  I'm gonna sell your organs in protest!"

"To who?!"

"Um, communists!"

Seriously, protesters - the world leaders aren't going to listen to you anyway.  Most of them are either smart, aware of your plight, and unconscionable or they're just unconscionable.  They don't care.  Whatever problems you're trying to bring to their attention, it doesn't benefit them in the slightest to give a damn.  All that you're doing by getting aggressive is giving the angry white guys with uniforms, tear gas, batons and shaved heads a much-yearned-for reason to bash your heads in using said implements.  Just chill out, dance for the cameras, and whine about it in your blog tomorrow.

Outhouses on the Highway

I was originally going to title this entry "Pittsburgh under Siege," but as that is a headline most locals are likely apt to use to describe the current state of the city thanks to the G-20 summit, I thought that I'd use one more sanguine.  As I have neither the inside track, reasonable press information, or more than a passing interest on the summit, I have instead opted to give my own observations on the situation from the point of an everyman. 

Tip #1:  If you are considering driving to Pittsburgh during the summit, do yourself a favor and don't.  There doesn't seem to be anywhere into the city for non-bus transportation, the "T" is closed for obvious reasons, and even if you managed to get into the city, there is absolutely no parking anywhere (even the parking garages are closed).  Plan for extra time for circumventing the city as well - there are so many police, state troopers, and military personnel stationed at every bridge and tunnel that drivers who are normally stupefied by driving our streets are even more stupid and slow today.  All access to the David L. Lawrence convention center is blocked by iron fences and cement highway dividers.  The police have even erected porta-potties on the closed off on-ramps (hence the title of the article).

 

Tip #2: If you have to go, I mean absolutely have to go downtown during the summit, be prepared to deal with the whole town smelling like horse manure.  For some odd reason, the city has horsed Police officers marching around in formation.  I fail to see what the point of these officers is; all of the parks and recreation centers downtown are pretty accessible without the horses, and the cleanup will likely take days after the G-20 is over.  Perhaps it's to make the third-world delegates feel more at home?

 

Tip #3:  Seriously, why are you trying to go downtown anyway?  Market square is torn to hell, most of the businesses are boarded up and/or closed for the summit, there aren't any protestors to speak of, nothing but roadblocks, Subway sandwich shops, and paramilitary personnel who are just looking for an excuse to use those cool-looking gas masks as they put their shiny riot gear to some use.  If you want to see what an abandoned and desolate Pittsburgh looks like, just go there on a Sunday afternoon.

 

I also noticed that several businesses in Southside were closed and boarded up.  Now, I may seem a bit stupid at times, but even I can't figure out how Pittsburgh's bohemian art center feels threatened by anti-capitalist nut-jobs.  The shops are mostly small-town affairs with very little profit margins and a definite feeling of community (hey, the freaks gotta live somewhere, right?).  Anyone threatening these struggling establishments in protest isn't just a mouth-drooling idiot, they're also hypocrites.

Tales From the 'Burgh

In my few years in Pittsburgh, I have had some rather unfortunate experiences with deliveries to my house.  Though I have yet to have anything directly stolen from my postbox, getting things delivered to my front door has proven in the past to be an arduous task.  I've waited for a whole fruitless day for the bell to ring, only to find out later that the driver says that they attempted delivery (DHL).  I've taken time off of work to be at my door when they said expected delivery was around noon, only to have them drop it off around six (UPS), and I've had others wait until I take twenty minutes out of the day to get some lunch from around the corner before they decide to deliver it (Federal Express).  I know where every service depot is around the area, because I've had to go there to collect items the inept delivery men have failed to get into my hands.

The setting is Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009.  The cell phone that my sister and brother-in-law were helping me to update is due to arrive, and I have to be home to sign for it.  Now, to most people this isn't that big of a deal, but those that know me well know that I don't often update my cell phone.  In truth this will be the third and most likely last time this decade, and only now because my last cell phone is dying and I can't find a replacement lithium ion battery for it.

Don't read too much into this.  It's not that I was extremely excited about getting the new phone, it's just that I don't have anything else going on in my life at the moment.

This is the story of that saga:

(From the journal of Michael Adams)

Wednesday, 9/23/09

Today is the day that I finally replace my old and worn-out cell phone.  I am determined to not let the FedEx delivery man cheat me today.  I set my alarm for 8:00 AM, but it didn't go off, so I have been up since 9:00, on the balcony waiting for the delivery.

9:00 - 10:00= Random people walking by, the USPS carrier came around 9:30, leaving my post to collect.  Went downstairs to get it.  Just stuff for Isaac.

10:02= A man that I am fairly certain does not live in the neighborhood parked in front of the building.  As he is driving a Cadillac, I think that he'll be able to pay the parking fine if he is there for more than two hours.  I'm counting it off.

10:19= I just saw a FedEx truck pull into the buildings over by the church.  I hope this is their next stop (yeah, right).

10:20= It's pulling out now.  It's coming this way... and it just passed me.  What the f***?

10:22= Went inside to check tracking to make sure the driver didn't mark the package as "attempted to deliver," but maybe the system hasn't updated yet.  Logged the time when I came back outside.

10:25= OBSERVATION: There are a lot of helicopters flying around today... for G20 summit?  I'm curious to see downtown, but I'm not leaving my post here.

10:27= HOLY SH**, the FedEx guy just passed the house going the opposite way.

10:28= Something smells like barbecue.

10:32= I'm going back in to check delivery status.

10:34= Still "on truck for delivery."

10:35= Starting to look like rain.

10:41= Here he comes again... and he just turned down East Ohio Street.

10:43= Military choppers over the Allegheny.

10:51= The guy with the Cadillac works at (or owns) Rita's, so I'll let it slide.

10:57= Status is still "on truck for delivery."

10:59= Weird looking guy in hoodie just tried to open building's doors.

11:02= Ambulance on E. Ohio moving toward Allegheny Center.

11:12= Weird-looking guy in hoodie apparently has keys to the building.

11:15= Still "on truck for delivery."

11:23= Fred (on a bike) and Nick came to the door.

11:24= People walking around with neon green stickers on their lapels.

11:30= Went inside (briefly) to check status and bank account.  Status was still "on truck for delivery."

11:34= Saw the UPS van for the third time today. Can FedEx be far behind?

11:37= Saw a truck towing a city bus.  It's starting to rain.  Man, I wish I could leave to go get some food.  It's raining pretty hard.

11:38= Had to abandon my post for fear of getting the journal wet.

11:41= I moved operations to the steps of the building's lobby, at least until it stops raining.  It feels good to sit down.  Not much of a view, but I can see if someone comes to the door.

11:44= Wish I was out hiking in this.

11:48= The rain has all but ceased.  What a ripoff!

11:56= The sun is out.

12:00= Hour four begins.

12:01= Another USPS truck goes by.

12:09= Went back to the balcony.  Chico seems peturbed.  He probably wonders what the hell is going on.

12:11= Brought a chair out onto the balcony.  My view is more obstructed, but I'm getting tired of standing in one spot.

12:13= There goes DHL's truck.  S.O.B.s!

12:17= Rita's Cadillac man is tying more balloons on the rail outside of the building.

12:24= There goes yet another USPS truck.

12:25= Lots of cop cars heading toward Allegheny Center.

12:30= Nick just left the building.

12:35= Kind of early for kids to get out of school, but there's a bus dropping them off.

12:38= Here comes another FedEx truck... is he stopping? No... Yes!

12:41= Success!