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June 30, 2004

GUEST BELI-BLOGGER FORD CHURCH: MEDIA AND SPIN

I try to tune in to the O'Reilly Factor, because I know that is where my parents get a lot of their news from and I want to stay in touch with what millions of Americans hear each week. I recently sent the following email to Bill OíReilly after he was criticizing the New York Times for promoting a liberal agenda. Here is what I had to say:

"The left complains that main stream media, such as the O'Reilly Factor, promotes a conservative agenda, and you complain that media outlets, such as CNN and the New York Times, promote a liberal agenda. See this crazy merry-go-round we are on? Solution: All media outlets should have a duty and a responsibility to be independent, present both sides of an issue, and let their audience exercise critical thinking to form their own views. Criticizing a liberal agenda to promoting a conservative one is exactly why the ëNo Spin Zoneí is just a farce."

I was also concerned about the Fox News claim that the Bush Administration never linked Saddam to Al-quaeda or the September 11th attacks. But this is not true. Bush's letter to Congress on March 18th, 2003 made a link to Iraq and September 11th and Bush's "Mission Accomplished" speech stated Iraq was an ally to Al-Quaeda. Check out the following article on Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting.

I know politics is a heated arena, but do you think it is possible for media outlets to truly be independent without promoting their own spin or slant? I don't know.

Posted by Guest Beli-Blogger Ford Church at 10:20 AM | Comments (14) | TrackBack

June 25, 2004

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1: Social Security has accumulated trillions of dollars in liabilities to workers who are already retired or who will retire soon. As the program's problems become more apparent, there's growing support for the concept of privatizing the system. Are you in favor of privatizing Social Security?

Q2: Loved and reviled, respected and resented, former U.S. President Bill Clinton is one of the more polarizing and complex politicians of our time. As the President, Clinton presided over a period of dizzying economic growth and technological progress, but his time in office was also marked by a string of scandals, most notably the Monica Lewinsky debacle and subsequent impeachment trial. Earlier this week Clinton's publisher, Knopf, released the 42nd President's highly anticipated and promoted memoir, My Life, which is expected to debut next Sunday at number one on The New York Times bestseller list. Are you planning on reading My Life?

Q3: Where were you ten (10) years ago, and what were you doing?

Q4: Would you rather wash your car by hand or take it thru a carwash?

Posted by Mikal at 5:18 AM | Comments (11) | TrackBack

June 24, 2004

A co-worker circulated the following alert yesterday, which seems like something everyone should know about.

Imagine This: You walk across the parking lot, unlock your car, and get inside. Then you lock all your doors, start the engine, shift the car into reverse, and as you look into the rearview mirror to back out of your parking space you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window.

You shift the car into park, unlock the doors, and jump out to remove the paper (or whatever it is) thatís obstructing your view... but when you reach the back of your car, a car-jacker appears out of nowhere, jumps into your car, and takes off! Your engine was running, (ladies, chances are that your purse would still be in the car, which means you just lost your car and purse) and your car-jacker practically mows you down as he speeds off in your car.

Recommendation: Just drive away and remove the paper thatís stuck to your rear window later, and be thankful that you read this message. I hope you will forward this to friends and family... especially to women! A purse generally contains tons of identification, and you certainly do not want someone getting your home address. They already have your keys!

June 23, 2004

Lewis Black Cracks Me Up: Lewis Black has performed his caustic, cranky, bile-spewing, dead-on comedy at clubs throughout the U.S for years, for which he's received considerable critical acclaim and lots hate mail, I'm sure. In a recent commentary on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Black tells us that from wars and spelling bees to hockey and the horses, the United States of America loves a winner. Click Here to watch for yourself, and be sure to stick around long enough for his commentary on LL Cool J and Carol Channing. Classic stuff!

Dave Matthews Concert: My buddy Rick Epstein, a Denver/Boulder architect, and his wife Lisa, both of whom I know from my days in Colorado, were in town on Monday evening for the Dave Matthews concert up at Verizon/Deer Creek. Rick and Lisa (pictured here with their adorable children, Zivy and Micha) were kind enough to score me a ticket to the concert, so on pretty short notice I got to see great friends, listen to some good music, experience a so-so contact high, and pose for a group shot for an upcoming Abercrombie & Fitch catalog. Not bad for a rainy Monday night in Indiana.

Aliens Exist, and Splenda is Bad for You!: Back on March 23rd of last year I posted a piece to the Beli-Blog titled "Aliens Really Do Exist." Since that time, a number of people have found the link and have chosen to share their alien-related stories. Click Here to see for yourself. On the Artificial Sweetener front of things, back on March 26th of last year I posted a piece regarding my concerns with Splenda, and since that time a number of people have commented similarly. Click Here to read what people are saying about Splenda.

June 21, 2004

From an e-mail message I received over the weekend from Christina: Welcome to another edition of "getting to know your friends". Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun! Just copy (not forward) this entire e-mail and paste into a new e-mail that you can send. Delete all of the answers to the questions and respond to each question as it applies to you. Then send this to people you know, including the person that sent it to you. You'll learn something new about your friends.

1. WHAT IS YOUR FULL NAME? Michael (Mikal) Evan Belicove

2. WHAT COLOR PANTS ARE YOU WEARING? Iím not wearing pants, right now that is :-)

3. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? A Carolyn Dawn Johnson song entitled ìI Donít Want You To Goî

4. WHAT'S THE LAST THING YOU ATE? A giant strawberry

5. YOU WISH ON STARS? Only shooting ones

6. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Chestnut or Fuzzy Wuzzy Brown

7. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW? Sunny and unseasonably cool for the first day of summer (woo-hoo!)

8. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Richard Epstein, Architect Extraordinaire

9. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU THESE QUESTIONS? Yes

10. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? So far, tired

11. FAVORITE NON ALCOHOLIC DRINK? Yoo-hoo

12. FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK? Baileys Irish Cream

13. FAVORITE SPORT? Tennis

14. HAIR COLOR? Brown

15. EYE COLOR? Brown

16. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, but I do wear glasses

17. SIBLINGS? One brother, one sister

18. FAVORITE MONTH? December

19. FAVORITE FOOD? Pizza

20. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Bicentennial Man

21. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR? Itís a toss upÖ either Thanksgiving or Christmas

22. WHAT DO YOU DO TO VENT ANGER? I talk it thru

23. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD? A bicycle and the hand-held electronic game, Blip

24. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter (Fall, actually)

25. HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses

26. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? Vanilla (ice cream); Chocolate (candy)

27. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO WRITE / RESPOND BACK? Want, yes! Expect it, no!

28. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Someone with a blog of their ownÖ maybe Cindra?

29. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT? Slept soundly and snuggly

30. FAVORITE SMELLS? Mint, fresh cut grass and autumn leaves, bakeries, and eucalyptus

31. WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Possibilities

32. WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? Expectations

33. PLAIN, BUTTERED OR SALTED POPCORN? Buttered

34. FAVORITE CAR? Land Rover Discovery SE

35. FAVORITE FLOWER? Tulips

36. HOW MANY KEYS ON YOUR KEY RING? Seven (7)

37. CAN YOU JUGGLE? No, but Iëd like to learn

38. FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK? Thursday

39. WHAT DID YOU DO ON YOUR LAST BIRTHDAY? Took time out to say thanks

40. DO YOU OWN A DONOR CARD? No, not yet

June 18, 2004

Q: Name an item of food that you once hated but now like?

Q: How do you feel about actor Sylvester Stallone, L.A. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, actress/comic Ellen DeGeneres, and actor Tom Cruise all being given the honor of carrying/running with the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch?

Q: Have you ever been booked on a flight that was canceled? If so, what were the circumstances, and how did the flight's cancellation impact your plans? If this has never happened to you, how do you think you'd react if it did?

Q: What was your worst summer or part-time job?

June 16, 2004

Sorry for the lack of posts since the weekend... I resigned from the job/company I'd been with for the last year-and-a-half last Thursday, and I started a new job with a new company this past Monday... all of which has made things a little more hectic than usual. Anyway, since things are starting to settle down a bit, here's a little something to consider:

A recently study incorrectly shows that people who live in neighborhoods where shops and businesses are within easy walking distance are seven percent (7%) less likely to be obese than those who use more conventional means to get around.

"We found that an average person living in a compact community with nearby shops and services is expected to weigh 10 pounds less than his counterpart in a low-density, residential-only subdivision." -- researcher Lawrence Frank, associate professor at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

When it comes to tackling the mounting obesity epidemic, we are inundated by messages of personal responsibility. It's simple... just eat a well-balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and get plenty of exercise, and you will see the pounds melt away. From Oprah and Dr. Phil to the Duchess of York, overweight Americans are encouraged to "get with the program." But, what if you live in a low-income neighborhood of Indianapolis, your family food budget is $40.00 a week, the nearest full-service grocery store is at least a bus ride away, and on the way there you pass more than fifteen fast-food restaurants? Chances are that you would have a serious weight problem. For people in communities like this, the most widely touted nutritional and physical remedies are financially out of reach, leading many health experts not at the University of British Columbia to argue that winning the battle against obesity is more a question of economics than a matter of personal behavior modification.

June 12, 2004

The world lost a great entertainer last week, and I'm not just talking about Ronald Regan. Death stilled one of America's most original voices on Thursday. Ray Charles, who scored hits in blues, jazz, rhythm & blues, country and pop, died at the age of 73. His achievements may be ancient--or unknown--history to some, but he almost single-handedly created soul music, bringing the fervor of gospel music to commercial R&B. From "Georgia On My Mind" to "Hit the Road, Jack," Ray Charles left an indelible mark on the world.

While many will remember him for his performance in "The Blues Brothers," it should come as no surprise to some that I'll remember him most for his role in the 1996 movie, "Spy Hard," in which he played a bus driver. If you saw the movie (a hundred times like I did) you'll fondly recall this classic line:

Next stop, Sunset Boulevard! I guess it's Sunset Boulevard.

The Indianapolis Star newspaper reflects on Charles best though with this editorial, from this morning's edition:

Myriad words will be devoted to discussing the role the late Ray Charles played in transforming popular music by remixing blues, jazz and gospel music into modern R&B. A few obits will even mention that "the Genius" overcame poverty and blindness to become an icon of pop culture.

Yet few will note how he bootstrapped his way to the pinnacle of modern American music. The life Charles lived proves that one can overcome desperate financial straits and disabilities with high expectations, hard work and a willingness to take risks. Such an idea is heresy for many Americans, who think the impoverished are condemned to misery. That many of the poor manage to join the middle class, if not achieve fame and fortune, rarely factors into such thinking.

Charles grew up in a home without running water, watched his younger brother drown in a tub and lost his eyesight to glaucoma by age 7. His home was dysfunction personified; his father lived under the same roof with both Charles' mother Aretha and his first wife, before abandoning the household.

Yet as Charles wrote in his 1978 biography, "Brother Ray," he didn't grow up with lowered expectations. His mother taught him how to stand on his own, teaching him how to chop wood and cook his own meals. From the owner of the Red Wing CafÈ in his hometown of Greenville, Fla., Charles learned how to play the piano. While learning classical music at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, he spent his free time imitating Nat King Cole.

Realizing he would never achieve success as a bit player in other people's bands, he quit a gig with blues singer Lowell Fulsom and struck out on his own. As he struggled as a solo act, he realized that he had to stop imitating his idol Cole's silky styling and be a true original.

"I knew I had to have faith in myself. I had to buy my own line," wrote Charles in "Brother Ray."Exactly.

Exactly, is right!

June 11, 2004

Q: What sorts of things did you enjoy reading as a child?

Q: Are you now, or did you ever, mourn or grieve over the death of former U.S. President Ronald Regan?

Q: Have you ever had a role in a theatrical performance? If so, what did you play? If not, is there a role that youíd like to play?

Q: If and when your hair turns gray, will you let the gray in or will you use an over-the-counter product to turn it away?

June 8, 2004

It's another busy week in the life of Mikal, so here's a little something to keep everyone entertained until he returns at the end of the week with another FFF.

June 7, 2004

Trip to Chicago: I left work early last Thursday in order to head up to Chicago for a trade show related to work. This was my first solo driving trip to the Windy City, and I've gotta say, it's a really easy drive. Ever since I moved to Indiana I've had these ideas about the drive to and from Chicago. I'd convinced myself that I wouldn't be able to handle either the 'long' drive or the big city traffic. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Both ways took just three-and-a-half hours, and the 'big city traffic' wasn't any worse than a slow traffic day here in Indianapolis. What surprised me most though was that I didn't get lost. I made it from my doorstep in downtown Indy all the way to my buddy Luke's doorstep in the historic Bryn Mawr district of Chicago without missing a beat. In short, I feel like I've overcome some self-imposed obstacle. I arrived in Chicago safe and sound by around 8:00 p.m. on Thursday evening, and made it back to Indy by around 6:30 p.m. last night. All-in-all, it was a great trip (even if it was self-financed). I got to hang out with Luke, who was my roomie for a while back in Boulder, and I spent three amazing days among professionals from across my industry at this really great trade show called Book Expo America.

Ronald Regan: The online headlines this morning all say the same thing... "Nation Mourns the Death of Ronald Reagan." I can't stand headlines such as that one. While it's true that President Regan presided over profound changes in our world, in the three days since his death, I haven't witnessed any "mourning" per se over his passing. I contemplated and considered Regan's contributions and change in health years ago (when his failing health first made national headlines), and so I wasn't all that surprised or taken aback at the news of his death. So for the Associated Press to stick this "Nation Mourns..." headline in our face is a bit of stretch, to say the least. Every newspaper in the country has had their "Regan Dies" page designed and ready to go for years (as they do, Iím sure, for the Pope and Henry Kissinger). All they needed to do on the day of his passing was write the opening line and plop down an appropriate headline. Is the nation mourning Reganís passing? I think not. Are we aware and thankful for his contributions and leadership... I am, but I'm not necessarily "mourning" what had essentially happened years ago.

June 4, 2004

Q: Actress Gwyneth Paltrow and hubby Chris Martin, lead singer of the band Coldplay, recently gave birth to a 9 lb. 11 oz. girl they named "Apple" (Apple Blythe Alison Martin, to be more exact). How do you feel about unconventional names such as the one Paltrow and Martin bestowed upon their bouncing baby girl? Do you feel their appropriate, inappropriate, a hoot, no big deal, place the child at a disadvantage in any way, etc.?

Q: Tradition tells us that in the United States and much of the western world, when a man and woman marry, the woman takes the man's last name. How do you feel about this? What about couples who combine last names in order to create a new one, or who choose to start off fresh with some random last name?

Q: If you were told you had to change your first name, what name would you choose?

Q: Have you ever had a nickname? If so, what was (or is) it? If not, have you ever wanted one (and if so, what would you like to be called)?

June 3, 2004

1. Which political party do you typically agree with?

Typically, neither, but of the two, the Democratic party moreso than the Republican party. (If anyoneís interested, hereís a link to the worldís smallest political test.)

2. Which political party do you typically vote for?

Typically, neither. Iím way too situational to be boxed in. I cast my votes based on the issues, not on the party banner under which the candidate runs.

3. List the last five presidents that you voted for.

Sorry, I donít kiss and tell!

4. Which party do you think is smarter about the economy?

While I think theyíre both pretty stupid when it comes to the economy, the Republicans win out on the no-depth chart for me.

5. Which party do you think is smarter about domestic affairs?

Without question, the Democratic party, but thatís still not saying much.

6. Do you think we should keep our troops in Iraq or pull them out?

Pull them out.

7. Who, or what country, do you think is most responsible for 9/11?

I have no idea.

8. Do you think we will find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

Depends on your definition of a ìweapon of mass destruction.î If WMD is meant to refer to nuclear weapons, no. If, however, WMD is meant to refer to chemical weapons, yes, I believe those will be found.

9. Yes or no, should the U.S. legalize marijuana?

Yes.

10. Do you think the Republicans stole the last presidential election?

Heck No.

11. Do you think Bill Clinton should have been impeached because of what he did with Monica Lewinski?

Heck No.

12. Do you think Hillary Clinton would make a good president?

Heck No.

13. Name a current Democrat who would make a great president.

Gerald Francis (Jerry) Meek, who currently serves as the First Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party. Jerry has been involved in the Democratic Party since the age of 13. He served as the National President of the Teen Democrats, was the youngest delegate to the 1988 Democratic National Convention, and has also served a precinct chair and as a congressional district officer. At the age of 25, Jerry was elected to serve as the Chairman of the Cumberland County (NC) Democratic Party, before being nominated for the N.C. House of Representatives. As an undergraduate, Jerry attended Duke University on a scholarship. He then attended the University of Notre Dame on a fellowship, graduating with a Master's degree in Government, before graduating from Duke Law School. Jerry currently practices law in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and will make a great President some day!

14. Name a current Republican who would make a great president.

John McCain.

15. Do you think that women should have the right to have an abortion?

Yes.

16. What religion are you?

I am Jewish.

17. Have you read the Bible all the way through?

All the way thru... no; but I plan to.

18. What's your favorite book?

Into The Wild by John Krakauer, in which the author recants the true story of Christopher McCandless, who immediately upon graduating from college gave nearly $30,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car in a desert--along with most of his possessions, and invented a new life for himself while on a journey that ultimately ended in the most strange of ways. Four months later, McCandless' body was found by an Alaskan hunter. How McCandless came to die, and an attempt at understanding his motives, is what Into the Wild is all about.

19. Who is your favorite band?

Iím not a huge fan of one particular band. In fact, I generally prefer solo recording artists to bands. But if I had to pick one band over another, off the top of my head, Iíd say Rush.

20. Who do you think you'll vote for president in the next election?

I donít know, but I can tell you this muchÖ it wonít be either John Kerry or George W. Bush.

21. What website did you see this on first?

A friend sent me a link to a site called The Go Fish. That's where I found these questions.

June 2, 2004

No surprise that the Democratic National Committee has launched a Blog for the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, July 26th thru 29th. What is, however, a bit stultifying is that the party doesn't have a name for it! According to the site, the leading contenders appear to be "The Gavel," "bostonDparty," "The Demosphere," and "Unconventional."

"We hope to bring back to political conventions... wide-ranging, freewheeling, and raucous discussions about the state of the nation and the state of the party," the unnamed Blog states. According to many sources, the Democrats are also prepared to issue media credentials to untraditional reporters who publish on the Internet (an online application for press passes even includes a category for bloggers, who will be chosen based on the size of their readership, their professionalism, and how much of their content is original, the Associated Press reports).

Anyone care to offer up a suggestion or two for the Dems Blog? (Republicans and Democrats alike are encouraged to play along!!!) Click here to see the unnamed Blog for yourself.

June 1, 2004

I took some time out of an otherwise hectic holiday weekend to catch the disaster flick, The Day After Tomorrow, which depicts a world where global warming triggers an abrupt climate change, resulting in a three-pronged global superstorm that unleashes tornados in downtown Los Angeles, softball-size hail in Tokyo, and unimaginable tsunamis and blizzards in and around New York City. The movie's special effects are so convincing that they leave one to wonder, could this really happen... could global warming really cause such incredible disasters?

I recently finished working on a book about global warming (not writing it, mind you... just managing its authorship). So, while global warming could push the Earth's climate past a threshold where a sudden, irreversible climate shift just might occur, almost all of what we see in this movie is total fiction.

Take for instance the 300-foot high storm surge whipped up by the intense winds of the superstorm which smashes through Manhattan. There's a little problem here--the winds needed to create a storm surge of this magnitude are probably at least twice the speed of sound (1,200 mph), yet there is little apparent wind on the ocean's surface as the waves smashes ashore, and none of NYC's skyscrapers topple in the face of such powerful winds.

Also, the movieís storm sucks vast quantities of frigid upper atmospheric air down to the surface, flash freezing any living thing caught outside. However, any graduate of an AP high school physics course could tell you that the air would warm on its descent in response to the requirements of the Ideal Gas Law, and would never be able to flash freeze anything. One scientist in the movie does remember his high school physics and asks, "But wouldn't the air warm as it descends?" But the senior scientist replies, "No, it's moving too fast!" Sorry, but the Ideal Gas Law applies no matter how fast the air is moving.

Finally, the megastorm in the movie is shown in many scenes rotating clockwise, while in other scenes itís shown moving counter-clockwise. According to everything Iíve ever seen, storm systems in the Northern Hemisphere rotate counter-clockwise, thanks to one of the laws of physics on a rotating planet known as the Coriolis force.

If you need further evidence that the movie is nonsensically skewed, consider the book which inspired Roland Emmerich to write and direct The Day After Tomorrow, The Coming Global Superstorm, by Whitley Streiber and Art Bell. Streiber is a UFO expert and author of the best-selling 1985 book Communion, a non-fiction account of his own abduction by extra-terrestrials, while Bell hosts a nationally syndicated all-night radio show called Coast to Coast AM, which specializes in UFOs and the supernatural. Need I say more?

As far as Global Warming in concerned, what is more likely than anything else to happen is this. Increased precipitation and glacial melt water from the effects of global warming could flood the north Atlantic with enough fresh water to slow down the Gulf Stream ocean current. Without the Gulf Stream pumping warm tropical water to the Atlantic, average temperatures would cool in Europe and North America by around 5 degrees in just a few years--not enough, mind you, to trigger a full-fledged ice age like the one in the movie, but enough cooling to bring snows in June and frosts in July and August to New England and northern Europe, such as occurred in the famed "year without a summer" in 1816.