I'm an early adopter (My wife would say, "Gadget geek"). As such, I've been burned a few times (MiniDisc, Atari Lynx, ReplayTV, DAT), but have also been on the cutting edge of a lot of cool new technology. I am also an avid film enthusiast. I love DVD and even went so far as to eBay a laserdisc player for some stuff that was (and is) only available in that format. As HD content was set to debut, I knew I would be on board, and when the next gen gaming systems came out, blu-ray support clinched the deal for a PS3. Through all the rabid, fanboy flamewars on hidefdigest, aintitcool and others, my satisfaction in my choice has steadily grown. Here's why: HD-DVD and Blu-ray offer IDENTICAL picture/sound quality on go-forward releases (VC-1 and TrueHD). I am astounded at how gorgeous the pictures are. Simply stunning. Blu-ray has the edge in studio support. Universal's HD-DVD-only stance hurts, but blu-ray has Fox, Disney, MGM and of course, Sony/Colum...

As I find myself considering the bravery of a woman's simple act of quiet defiance, I am called to ponder the cowardice of this administration's denial of Geneva protections to "terrorist" detainees. On a day when our nation mourns the passing of a civil rights icon, I am reading revelations of CIA-run prisons in foreign countries . Prisons, one presumes, where Abu Ghraib tactics are used to extract information from detainees with no regard for the very rights we purport to protect. I joined others in taking another blogger to task for his use of stunningly racist imagery in an attack against a Black Republican candidate. It's possible that there were more posts to that thread than any other in his site's history. Today, I find myself wondering if there will be a similar outrage over the far more serious accusations of government mandated torture centers across the globe. As Dubya blithely tramples his promise to fire anyone invloved in the Plame leak, Fitzger...

Others have memorialized this woman for her legendary stand against racism and oppression. The Detroit Free Press is blogging the funeral here . For my part, I will commemorate her passing with this simple photograph.

For a while now, the GOP has been floating the "legal technicality" defense regarding the Plame Investigation (now indictments). Basically, the leak had no teeth, so Fitzgerald chased down a lesser charge to cover his tracks. However, to paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, "You go with the indictments you HAVE, not the indictments you might want." During Fitzgerald's press conference, it became clear that he was intensely interested in only bringing indictments that he felt confident in prosecuting successfully. Interestingly, he made some crucial points about the indictments he did issue. National security was at the heart of the leak charge. CIA operatives have dangerous jobs and about the only security our nation can offer NOCs is that their identity won't be revealed. The leak was despicable and our safety has been threatened because of it. He also subtly implied that the specifics of the law may be too vague and narrow as written. The indictments are for ...

Following up on yesterday's post about Lott's predilection for the taste of his own foot, comes this one ... Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time for an intervention...

So Trent "Foot in Mouth" Lott posits "In a month, who will remember the name Harriet Miers?" Hmmm, maybe her most important client, the President of the United States?!?! Damn, Lottie, the man promised to build you a nice, new porch and all you can do is pimp-slap his personal attorney. Didn't losing your Senate Majority Leadership during " Operation Credit Strom " teach you anything about sound bites? Sheesh. Still, I can't help thinking progressives lost their best shot at a moderate in this woman. We ultimately discovered very little about Miers, but her positions on Roe in particular were hardly set in stone. Further, the granite tough united front of the GOP was fissuring to say the least. A few more weeks of of fringe Right bickering and sniping, followed by a week or so of confirmation hearings would have shined the spotlight on Dubya's eroding influence. As others have noted, it would have been a true watershed moment had Democrats sup...

I play referee between two respected blogger/pundits. They happen to be Black. Steve Gilliard kicks things off with a post that defies description . Robert George weighs in after dropping hints to Andrew Sullivan and, one imagines, a few others... My comments to Steve Gilliard are here . To Robert George here . It seems to me that Steve has pushed the envelop too far, yet again, while Robert has played to "liberals are racist too" card, one more time. The posts are racking up on both sites... Definitely worth a look see...

Gotta hand it to Tom Delay. He takes a heckuva mug shot . In fact, he's positively beaming. This, in stark contrast to the permanent scowl that normally graces his pix. This is actually a great move on his part. Knowing that the pic would inevitably race across the Internet, he threw on a grin that would feel welcome at a TRMPAC corporate shindig. Subliminal message, "I'm happy cuz I'll be exonerated soon!" Don't take this the wrong way, Tom, but I hope you're way wrong...

Despite my description, there has not been a lot of pop culture of late. Dubya's cronies have kept me busy with other things. However, I do want to briefly comment on one of my fascinations... comic books. Specifically, the current Supreme Power spin-off feature centering on Nighthawk. Marvel's Squadron Supreme started as a barely-veiled anti-Justice League. Hyperion and Power Princess were Supes and Wonder Woman. Dr. Spectrum filled in for Green Lantern, Whizzer (WHIZZER!) for the Flash and Nighthawk for Batman. They eventually expanded to include analogues for Green Arrow, Black Canary, Zatanna, and even Firestorm among others. The problem was they always went up against the Avengers, so they always had their asses handed to them. A while back, they were given a 12-issue maxi-series that featured the team in their "own universe" where THEY were the champions. Interestingly, the plot turned on mind alteration, and the subsequent schism in the team after the technolog...

I've been off this topic because "revelations" have been flowing like California mud slides. The blogosphere has been chock full of analysis and the MSM have been elbowing each other like dateless, 39-year-olds with cake buzz at a bridal bouquet toss. But as the grand jury clock ticks its last tocks, the cross hairs appear to have settled on the VP's office. Scooter Libby in particular... but Cheney has NOT been excluded from the possibility of indictment. How big is this? To put things in perspective, the word TREASON and Vice President are being mentioned in the same sentence this week. TREASON. Ken Starr investigated everything from cronyism to "suspicious" land deals to Vince Foster to Lewinsky and all he came up with was a soiled dress. Fitzgerald's investigation pulls back the curtain on a deliberate, coordinated effort to manipulate facts in an attempt to garner support for a WAR! A war that has cost tens of thousands Iraqi lives, thousands of Ame...

No one really knows who this woman is! I don't mean to minimize her credentials, but doesn't she strike you as the out-of-town cousin who sits at the kiddie table for Thanksgiving dinner? A nice enough person to be sure, but not quite ready to sit with the grown-ups. This is a woman who has followed Dubya around like a puppy dog since his days as Governor. Do you think she realizes that he's only in office for three more years? If she's ANYTHING like the frat-boy idiot prince leading the country, then sitting with a bunch of learned jurists in black robes can hardly have the appeal of worshipping at the feet of the most intelligent man she's ever met. Which is kind of a good thing as far as I'm concerned. It means that she might just quit after he leaves town. And that would give President Wesley Clark a chance at appointing a justice.

Lots to talk about. I've been reeling from a successive volley of GOP-scandal body blows to rival the beleagured Roy Jones, Jr. I didn't post anything about the Bennett fiasco for a few reasons. As personally repellent as I found the comments (in their proper context thank you.), I was even more blown away specious Right wing attempts to explain them away. To begin, Bennett's "thought exercise" is hardly a tour de force of logic. Since there are criminals in every racial population, killing the babies of one population will reduce the crime rate in the same way that removing all red cars will reduce the automobile emissions rate. So let's be clear, Bennett's real problem is that HE introduced race into the argument. Neither the caller, nor the author of Freakonomics (whose book was under discussion) mentioned race as a factor in the premise of relating abortion to crime rate. In fact, as others have discussed, the author used Scadinavian data as part...

DeLay says he's the victim of a partisan fanatic . The investigation is meritless, no proof, yada, yada, yada... Further, he explains that Earle's "witch hunt" will cost the Texas tax payers millions of wasted dollars. The indictment hinges on the transfer of identical amounts ($190,000) to and from DeLay's TRMPAC and the Republican National Committee. Subsequently, $190,000 went to the election coffers of several of DeLay's buddies. So here's and idea... Why not just explain the money transfer fully in a way the average American can understand it? And while you're at it, please explain how a man who so tightly controls every aspect of a huge political machine that he has become arguably the most feared/revered man in American politics DID NOT KNOW that these idential amounts were flowing in and out of his cherished organization. Wouldn't that be for the best? Not that I'm asking you to Do Ronnie Earle's job, but in the interest of fai...

DeLay as been indicted . On the karma scale, this is one step below Karl Rove getting a subpoena over the Plame scandal. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy. First Katrina, then Frist, now DeLay... Not the best month for the GOP. More later after I scour the blogosphere. Special shout outs to Ragged Thots visitors; I appreciate the link back, Robert.

A discussion I'm having with a poster on another board . This guy is a real hoot. There are posts in between, but you can follow us.

To whom it may concern: I am a telegenic, articulate, working, married father of two who owns his own house and a small business. Before you come knocking on my door, there are a few ground rules. Rule No. 1 No discussion of "The Party of Lincoln" without claiming Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms too. I know American history well enough, thank you. I also know that Thurmond was only a Democrat until the party decided to stand up for the rights of Black people. Then he jumped ship (while denying his own half-Black daughter) and led the drive to keeping a strong segregated state. Leave Lincoln in his grave (besides, we both know he didn't really emancipate very many don't we?) Rule No. 2 Liberal is not a bad word. It does not mean that Democrats love big government and spending tax dollars foolishly. That's Bush's job. Nor does it mean that I have been stroked and manipulated by a Leftist cabal that wants to think for me. Convince me on the merits of what YOU ...

A brief aside on the topic of Sista-SOULs...Ms. Rice's parents named her Condoleezza because of their affection for classical music. Her mother, a music teacher, selected Condoleezza as an interpretation of the Italian term "con dolcezza" meaning "with sweetness." Ahem. That's pretty soulful, if you know what I mean. Soulful in the way that a son might be named Anfernee in lieu of Anthony for instance. I just raise this point to indicate that even the highest ranked Black personage in the country is only a hearbeat away from being named Sforzando Jenkins because his mama thinks it sounds pretty. This is a woman who emerged onto the international scene with commendable credentials. Earning her PhD at age 26, she was a strong academician who rose through the ranks to become Provost of Stanford. She served on many corporate Boards, racked up some honorary degrees, lectured on the Soviet Union and made a name for herself as a driven, intelligent woman. And then ...

My homegirl has just posted an incredible essay about the despicable comments of Bush 41's wife, Barbara Bush. To call her the "First Lady" affords her a level of respect of which she has proven unworthy. Her comments are so perfect, I won't waste your time with my take. Just go there now.

Suzanne Malveaux just finished interviewing POTUS 41 and 42 about their fundraising efforts. Both were offering the expected statements about support when something phenomenal happened. In response to Malveaux's question about international aid, Clinton related a story about how Sri Lanka (SRI LANKA!) was working to organize fund-raising efforts among the TSUNAMI-AFFECTED NATIONS to help our folks over here. He said that as poor as these countries were, they understood that the people devastated by our disaster were poor too and they wanted to help. I tell you, a palpable sense of warmth spread through my body. Clinton had captured a single story and transformed the tragedy (however briefly) into a statement of universal caring and hope. Moments later, Malveaux dropped the bomb shell everyone had been waiting for... did this administration do enough? Papa Bush stumbled out of the gate, but Clinton recovered deftly and shot out his hand, taking control. He calmly explained th...

about this amazing tide of bullshit that this "administration," his traitorous minions, and pundits who fancy themselves policy-makers are doing to this country? I am absolutely incensed not only at the pathetic lows to which they are willing to stoop, but the blind ignorance to hypocrisy and simple truths which daily weaken our nation and our standing as a leader in the free world. Now more than ever, I am dumbfounded by these self-styled patriots who spout rhetoric that energizes a tragically-deluded "base" into desecrating a war memorial . Hannity, Limbaugh, Hitchens, O'Reilly... are punk bitches whose tax bracket insures that no one they know or care about will ever face the danger of combat. Yet, they dare to spout their ridiculous filth to high ratings and equally large paychecks from a viewership that is as close to propagandist Nazi-group think than any Western population in recent memory. Is there anything I can do? Democratic "leadership" ...

This article appeared on the eurweb site today. In the midst of their in depth coverage of Li'l Kim and Supahead, they manage to sneak in some relevant social commentary. Here's my take... While I was a student at FAMU, Dick Gregory came to speak at one of our convocations. He was talking about civil rights and mentioned MLK's "I Have A Dream" speech. In particular, he referred to the passage where King longed for a day when men would be judged not by the color of their skin, but the content of their character. Our problem, as he pointed out, is that too many of us would fail the character question regardless of race. The same is true for reparations. How many folks would do exactly as Chappelle suggested in his sketch? Unlike the author, I find Chappelle to be a particularly articulate voice on the topic of race in our country and know that we are not prepared to take advantage of opportunities that do occasionally come our way. Far worse than Chappelle...

Am I the only one who thinks that Judy Miller OWES the investigation her cooperation inasmuch as she may have abetted a federal crime? Notwithstanding her willingness to swallow the bitter draught of lies by an administration architect LEGENDARY for nefarious tactics, those lies have helped to weaken our entire country's standing on the world stage. Iraq is a mess that would still be simmering in a tightly-albeit tenuously-lidded pot had Miller et al said "No Thanks" to the hawkish Kool-Aid that barreled us into war on the fear of an immediate and dire threat of WMDs. Now, she wants to hide behind journalistic ethics? A source that peddles lies for the benefit of a corrupt administration is a far cry from a TRUE whistle-blower that lays their career (and perhaps life) on the line for the sake of informing the public. Maybe journalistic protections SHOULDN'T extend to lying bastards that attempt to work the system for their own benefit. Precedent has established t...

Salon is escalating the story of Karl "Darth Sidious" Rove now that it has been confirmed that he DID pass information leading to the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame. One can only wonder... How far can Bush carry the "loyal to the end" devotion that has marked his inexplicable rise to power? If Cheney is Count Dooku, the public face of the Empire's surge to power, then Rove is Palpatine, gently pulling the strings from behind the curtain to manipulate the most powerful man on the planet. Alas, now those curtains have been swept away and Rove stands exposed--via the Internets and that pesky email. The White House's unflappable front man McClellan is harumphing and backpedaling from his traditional shows of strength. Dubya's numbers are faltering; he's lost Social Security and appears headed for the fight of his life over the Supreme Court. And now he's poised to lose his consigliere... These are the moments that make life worth living!

The prosecution's contention is that AFTER the damaging Bashir special and AFTER the rebuttal video, Michael Jackson decides to turn on the heat and molest the accuser...WTF?!?!? Does anyone believe that Michael Jackson will be convicted of this crime? E Online's daily deliberator should have the defense feeling pretty good right about now. After weeks of nearly even (and sometimes heavy guilty votes) Mijac is pulling consistent "Not Guilty" votes in the high 80s. The mother is a joke, the accuser is a foul-mouthed opportunist, three of the prosecution's smoking gun alleged victims OUT RIGHT DENIED wrong-doing. Certainly, Jackson has an unsettling penchant for interacting with young boys, but this is not the case to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt. ANY parent that would let their child interact with any ANY adult for unsupervised "sleepovers" is derelict in their duty. I certainly would never let that happen, ESPECIALLY after the allegations fi...

Salon.com Arts & Entertainment | Jackson recovering, leaves hospital : "Michael Jackson was recovering from flu symptoms and was in good spirits after a short hospital stay that prompted another delay in his child molestation trial, a doctor said." Arguably one of the most bizarre sentences in recent memory... I am at a loss on the whole MJ issue. I had wanted to side with the angels and offer benefit of the doubt because of his extraordinary weirdness; but when the Crown Prince of "celebrity" kooks, Corey Feldman, rolls on you, the writing is on the wall (or "Off the Wall" as the case may be). And then there's the British Geraldo Rivera, Martin Bashir. Gingerly stepping across an ominous slate grey tableau in a curiously ill-matched ensemble, Bashir promises startling revelations into Michael's secret world. The second of his exposes on the Pop icon, Secret World promises to focus almost exclusively on the molesation allegations that ...