Pontiac and Credibility

If there's one thing that Pontiac needs these days, it's credibility. You may call this by many names: desirable product, buzz, an identity. But what it all boils down to is getting people to understand who Pontiac is and believe it's true. And it's not too hard to figure out who they want to be; they are "Driving Excitement", remember? Who believes it though? I've driven some Pontiacs; I wasn't excited.

But I'll tell you this, they have a couple serious cars to back up that claim. In particular, the GTO and Solstice. One has 400 HP, a wicked interior and a price you would expect from Hyundai. The other is a frontal assault on the sport roadster market that Mazda's Miata has dominated since time immemorial. Both of these are great cars that hit right at the heart of what sports cars can be. But these are not enough. Pontiac needs more, and by more I mean another car (or two or three) that hits at its core reason for existing. Here's my next move.

I suggest another body blow to the sports car market: a fighter for the WRX and Evo. What would this take? Seriousness, for one. GM loves to be everything to everyone and end up mediocre, but to compete in the market today you just cannot do that, especially not with a brand like Pontiac. The vehicle must not only fight the two behemoths, it must win, and it must win rally races. This will take a focused, almost niche, vehicle, but credibility is paramount, remember? Nothing is more credible than being able to buy a car that is, in large part, raced insanely down back roads through forests. Simply film some races and your marketing is done. Moreover, it must be an in your face, no compromises all-wheel drive beast with styling and attitude. Make it ugly for all I care, but make it functional and fast. Body cladding and fake hood scoops are a joke. Nostrils and duct work to cool massive rotors, diffusers and ground effects to divert atmosphere and huge gauges with minimalist interior finishing to aid racing are functional and respectable. Besides that dusting the competition makes just about anything cool in this world.

Finally, this will open the possibility of selling the car in detuned mode, Subaru Impreza style. The mass of cars will move in this trim, but the reason for it will be the beast up the price ladder. A move into this market would make Pontiac one heck of a car company. Who else produces a trio of cars like the Solstice (quite nearly the best roadster on the market), the GTO (is there even a competitor for this muscle car? Ok, maybe the Mustang) and this WRX fighter? All they need now is a name. It could be the G4 (to go along with the G6, since it would have a blown four-cylinder as opposed to the 6's in the G6). Have a better name? Let's hear it.

Unfortunately, none of this will likely happen. GM is spent just from the Solstice, and they would need this car now. A surprise attack at the NAIAS would be magnificent, and its that sort of work that is needed at GM these days. Perhaps they are applying themselves somewhere else and another coup is imminent in a different division. I hope so, but I doubt it.

Japan and missiles

Though the Japanese are decimating the United States auto industry and some are upset over their trade practices, Japan is still a staunch ally of the United States as whole. So it comes as no surprise, considering this and Japan's proximity to North Korea, that we are helping them with missile defense. The project seems a good idea to me, for both the United States and Japan. Neutralizing the threat of North Korea is a good thing; they've had carrots offered for years with little positive response. This a "big stick" that we (and Japan) can carry that is merely defensive, and it will help encourage positive movement by North Korea (and possibly other such countries).

Yes. We need this.

Ross, again, has insightful commentary on Christianity, this time with respect to our culture. A must read. I'm interested to see what else he has in store for his stay at The Daily Dish.

A magnificent clarification

Check out this post by guest blogger Ross at The Daily Dish (Sullivan). I may disagree with the Catholic Church on some things, but in this arena I think we stand side by side. And this little post seems to get it, the reason why science and a faith in God are compatible. It also is one of the few posts on any blog that acknowledges one of the significant driving forces that keep people from being comfortable with evolution: the evolutionary biologists themselves. I don't see how proving evolution disproves God any more than all the previous scientific advances disproved God (and yes, he's still alive and well). But these biologists think otherwise, and they often fail to separate their science from their beliefs. One I accept. The other I don't.

Apparently...

...I'm not a real man. At least now I know.

Chrisitans on torture

An interesting series of commentaries on torture by various American Christian figures can be found here. I don't know much about any of the authors, but the commentaries themselves seem thoughtful. Take a look; the more we think about this issue, the better. Clearly, our national urge is to employ any tactics available, and if we are to keep ourselves clean of immoral actions we must have clear heads and reasoned thoughts with which to fight.

(Via Sullivan.)

Finally...

...Bush is giving some real speeches. I think we're doing good work in Iraq, and I'm encouraged to hear the President supporting the troops with solid rhetoric. I do believe that we need to win this war, and though things have gone terribly wrong, there is really no choice now. Regardless of what else may have been a mistake, it is not a mistake to finish this. The President needs to express this and convince the people that they should get behind him. That's his job, and I'm glad to see he's beginning to do it well.

Ahmadinejad: no comment needed

Read. And read. How do you respond to something so obscene?

Safest of 2006

The IIHS has recently released its list of the safest 2006 cars. The list and an explanation of the criteria can be found here. Some have noted that vehicles from manufacturers such as Toyota, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz etc. are not represented. Judging from this paragraph

"A number of automakers requested early tests, and based on our discussions with the automakers we believe no other 2006 models would meet our Top Safety Pick criteria," O'Neill says. A number of major automakers including BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota, and Volvo aren't represented in the first set of winners.

it seems that no other models would have won if they had been tested. Thus, the ones shown are the best of the model year.

Sullivan Responds

I have to say, this response is better than I expected. (Sorry for the required registration.) Take a look for yourself. The essential result of this essay, as I see it, is an admission that torture may be used in the highly improbable scenario of massive imminent death with a known source of information to disrupt it, but it should still be outlawed and should never be used in any other case. The person in power (the President most likely) would have to break the law to stop the massacre, but if it was appropriate Sullivan assumes pardons will be applied as necessary. I like it. In the situation when torture is morally justified, it is still used; however, every possible means of containing torture is implemented, including perilous legal repercussions for those who employ it. If someone is willing to sacrifice a person to torture, they better be willing to sacrifice themselves to the law and the mercy of the courts. Again, I like it.

Saturn

Here's an interesting article regarding Saturn, and Mickey Kaus has fantastic commentary. A must read is his "Chatterbox" piece from years ago.

It's a terrible idea...

to impair motorists' ability to control their cars in the name of safety. In some circumstances, you need all the speed you can get to avoid a catastrophe, and making it difficult to summon whatever power your car has is not smart. Besides the fact that I don't like this whole class of ideas, this one has fundamental conceptual flaws. What does "significantly exceed the speed limit" mean? Many cars have top speed governors anyway, but they are set so high as to not impose on normal driving (at least here in the U.S.). It seems to me any system like the one proposed that is set to intervene at a speed where it will make a difference will also cause safety problems. The alternative given in the article, a speed warning system linked with GPS, is fine with me; sometimes I just don't realize the speed at which I'm traveling. But that gives the choice, and full control, to the driver. And that's a good thing. Now, if we would just train our U.S. drivers properly...

Rally Racing

This is why my wife would never let me drive race cars. But hey, they both walked away.

Krauthammer on torture

An essay by Charles Krauthammer regarding the debate over torture. An interesting read, and one with many points that I'm not sure I can refute. I'm waiting to see Sullivan's response as well.

LCA

Check out Toyota's Life Cycle Analysis data for the Prius here. The site is in Japanese, but some more insight can be gained from using Google's translator. Not surprisingly, the Prius seems to come out ahead (if I'm reading things correctly). Imagine that, Toyota puts positive environmental data about the Prius on their website. Also, the Toyota data is discussed on Autoblog here, though I have found the commenter who introduces the data to be militantly pro-hybrid. Perhaps the commenter is militant for a good reason, and perhaps Toyota is right. But an impartial third party study is a requirement for me to fully lose my skepticism.

People for the American Way

Read.

Ok, so "protecting traditional values" MAY be a euphemism for laws with which I don't agree. But other than that, Paul has a point.

My Christian Brothers and Sisters

Here's an article showing Christians worshiping despite some pretty intense persecution. Their faith and love of God is quite amazing, and it is clear from this prominent news article that it has caught the attention of many people. Pray for them, and pray that their faith and love would speak to many, even their persecutors.

Bush can be (is?) an idiot

What is he thinking? A measure that passes by a huge margin in the Senate, is supported by a majority of the electorate, and is, by the way, simply calling the US to abide by common norms of decency and morality should be vetoed? Apparently, in the world of Bush this is how things work. The ban on torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners has already been threatened with a veto should it make it through the House, and its prospects of doing even that are looking grim as well. While I applaud Bush for taking the fight to the terrorists and having the backbone to take on a necessary, but unpopular at the moment, war, I can't agree with his choice to use torture and other almost-torture techniques to wage said war. The administration claims to need these tactics in certain cases to prevent imminent attacks, but I expect my elected leaders, the supposed cream of the crop of our country, to be better than that. I want the job done, and I want it done right. If Bush can't protect our country without using torture, he should find someone who can. It's not like they don't exist. Though apparently, they don't exist in the White House.

Quote of the Day

We were the future of rock.

-The late, the great Five Iron Frenzy

The numbers

I ran some simple numbers as a way to illustrate my point below, that hybrids probably aren't as useful as they're made out to be. Here, I want to illustrate the economic differences between hybrid and non-hybrid cars. I chose the Honda Civic and Honda Civic Hybrid to compare since they are about as close to each other, minus the drivetrain, as can be. So, here we go.

First, the hybrid. Base price $21,850. This includes all kinds of good stuff like side air bags, abs, cc, ac with climate control, a CD player and a continuously variable transmission. All in all, this car is pretty well equipped. The EPA mileage estimate is 49/51 city/highway.

The non-hybrid. Here things get a little tricky. The hybrid is sold as one trim level only (with a nav option), so we have to pick the corresponding non-hybrid trim level. However, if you are interested in saving money, you may not care for all the fancy tidbits and would go with a more lowly Civic. So, here I have compared the uplevel EX, which corresponds with the Hybrid well in the features department (and even has some things not on the Hybrid), and the less well equipped LX. Both have equivalent mechanical specs (and both are evaluated with an automatic transmission).

EX. Base price 19,060. This car seems to have every feature mentioned for the hybrid, except that the automatic is a traditional five speed. The EPA mileage estimate is 30/40 city/highway.

LX. Base Price 17,310. I couldn't tell from Honda's website all the differences between this and the EX, but I'm certain it's missing various bits like the nice CD player, a moonroof, outside temperature display etc. Perhaps all these are worth 1700 dollars, but I wouldn't pay for them. The mileage is the same as the EX.

So, if we take the price difference between the two standard models and the hybrid, we get $2,790 for the EX and $4,540 for the LX. If we keep the car for 150,000 miles (we're saving the environment here, we keep our cars for a long time) and take an average of city and highway mileage as our average mileage over the life of the car, we see the hybrid saves 1285.71 gallons of gas over the others. To make up the purchase price differential of the hybrid, gas would need to be only $2.17 for the EX and bit more at $3.53 for the LX. Clearly, the hybrid can make up it's purchase price over the EX, and will likely do so for the LX as oil becomes increasingly scarce.

However, there are other factors. I've heard through the grapevine that a $700 tax credit is available for hybrids, adding to their appeal. This does not negate, by a long shot, the likelihood of having to replace the hybrid battery, something that has been rumored to cost about $6,000 - $10,000. And, there may be other maintenance costs associated with the complex drivetrain. Let's just look at these two additional factors however.

Adding in a $6,000 battery replacement and a $700 tax credit, we find a price differential of $8,090 for the EX and $9,840 for the LX. Remember, this is just differences in the cars. Each car has similar mechanicals other than the hybrid parts of the drivetrain, so I assume these other parts will fail similarly. These numbers require gas prices of $6.29 for the EX and $7.65 for the LX. Relative to the US now, these are stratospheric. Relative to the rest of the world, e.g. Germany, this isn't out of reach.

So I stand by my conclusions. Hybrids are very cool, and they may help us be independent of certain oil producing states. But economically they aren't a slam dunk. As for assessing their environmental impact, that's more work than I can spare right now; a full life cycle analysis including production wastes for materials, emissions during use and final disposal is no small task. Maybe if I go for a second Ph.D I'll see if anyone wants to fund that work.

Here they come to save the day!

Hybrids that is. Their power to free us all from the chains that bind us to radical wahhabis in Saudi Arabia and mad communists in Venezuela is astounding. They single handedly eliminate the mass over consumption that has characterized humans since the dawn of time, pump high quality West Texas crude back into the store houses of the earth whence it came and replant the rainforests of South America that the rich farmers there have brazenly burned to sate their need for excess. Oh those wonderful hybrids.

Again with the sarcasm. Hybrids are marginally useful. Economically, their extra cost is almost outweighed by their decreased fuel consumption. There is a valid argument that if everyone owned one, the extra autonomy we would have from those aforementioned oil producing countries would be worth any financial burden not covered by fuel savings. But that's about as far as we can go.

First, not everyone is going to buy one. Many of us are, unfortunately, environmental cads and would rather eat dirt than drive a Prius. And, what may come as a surprise to some upwardly mobile urbanites, some of us actually need a different vehicle. Second, hybrids are not the economical slam dunk that they're hyped as. I already noted that their gas savings might cover their extra cost (more likely if gas prices rise, as I think they will), but then there's the maintenance costs, something that will undoubtedly be higher for hybrids than conventional vehicles, though how much higher is still up for debate. And finally, they really aren't environmentally sound. Sure, they save some oil and avoid forming some smog. But, there is no evidence that these savings outweigh the extra costs of producing the hybrids. The huge, terribly toxic batteries need to be disposed of at some point. Any exotic composites and/or polymers used in their bodies likely cannot be recycled as well as the traditional aluminums and steels. And, what I think may be their Achilles heel, I still have not seen evidence that the added energy needed for manufacture is recouped by the end of the car's life. As an example of a simpler system where this issue is in play, look at solar cells. I read somewhere (I don't remember the source, so take this anecdote accordingly) it takes a typical solar cell eight years to produce the energy it took to manufacture that cell. Applying this to hybrids, I'm not sure the extra energy needed to make the batteries, advanced drivetrain, lightweight body etc. is saved by reduced operating costs. And don't forget, assuming we're in the USA, that energy probably comes from electricity generated by burning coal. Not exactly the environmental savings hoped for.

All in all, hybrids are an interesting idea. If you have the money and are geopolitically aware, it may make sense to buy one. You'll be doing your part to marginalize those extreme states fueled by black gold. On the other hand, there are many other, likely better, options if all you want to do is save some money and the earth. This discourse was inspired by a comment on NPR's Left, Right and Center, where Arianna Huffington said that inflation fueled by rising oil prices would mean more hybrids. If she meant that as a commentary on society, she's probably right. People will buy them to save money even though they aren't the best choice for doing so. If she meant that as a prescription to fight inflation, well I think I've made my point.

For all the rocks I've been throwing though, it turns out I live in a glass house. I kind of want one. A Prius that is. Why, you might ask after my acerbic dialogue condemning all things hybrid? It's pretty cool, the Prius. I love hatchbacks. I think they look very sharp in the dark red Toyota chose. And, while I don't think they'll save the world, I also don't think we'll go down in flames from everyone buying a hybrid. I still believe there are better choices if all you want is economic and environmental savings. But, I am thoroughly a geek, and the Prius is a fancy way to satisfy my geekiness. Also, I do believe gas prices will continue to rise significantly, and as that happens the financial incentive to drive a Prius will become real. Will I actually buy one? No, probably not. My sensible side will kick in long before I sign on the dotted line.

Miers

Harriet Miers. The best way to say what I think on this is to characterize her as an "interesting" pick. GWB seems to think she's cool. There's a few staunch conservatives out there who think he's cool, and so by association she's cool too. I don't know. On the one hand, maybe she'll be good. Maybe she'll interpret the constitution with amazing legal insight and the fortitude to apply laws instead of making ones she'd like to see. Maybe. On the other hand, why can't we have a conservative nominee with the mental ability of a heavy weight champion? Do they not exist? (For all you orthodox liberals out there, that's rhetorical. Yes they do.) So I'm a little disappointed.

Then I had this thought. My wife is currently in law school. A fairly prestigious one. She's graduating this year, has a clerkship with a federal district court judge lined up and a potential job after that clerkship available with a fairly well known law firm. Given a few years to establish herself, my wife will be MORE QUALIFIED FOR SCOTUS THAN HARRIET MIERS. A more prestigious (and one would expect rigorous) education. Much more judicial experience (my wife also interned for another federal district court judge). And, with time to establish herself, a competitive experience as a lawyer (okay, so Miers was a managing partner at her firm, maybe she wins this one). In any event, two out of three isn't bad. Now, my wife is a great woman, extremely competent, but she has not (yet!) established herself as a leader in constitutional law. But she hasn't even graduated law school. Why couldn't dubya find a scholar of greater renown? Is Miers really the best one out there?

Superpower

"Watch out judge, we're a superpower. Don't make us add you to the axis."

-Denny Crane

Prisoner Abuse

I tend to support our administration in what they do, generally giving them the benefit of the doubt. I figure that if they aren't as evil as many left-leaning pundits would have us believe, then probably these are ordinary people running our country in the best way they know how. It doesn't hurt that I tend to agree with their policies much more than I do with the Democratic agenda.

However. In recent and not so recent reports we have been made aware of the (alleged) tactics of this administration's army during prisoner interogations. Some of the accounts are sickening, but many of them are rightfully not given the full weight of truth due to their source. What has come about now is a seemingly reliable person with extensive knowledge of army practices directly confronting our leaders. There is an account here of Capt Ian Fishback's actions and the response of Senator John McCain. There is another report here.

If these allegations turn out to be true, and there are so many of them from such reliable sources that it's hard to believe they are all false, then I can give this administration the benefit of the doubt no more. This behavior is unacceptable, and when we have frontline soldiers telling us they would rather die than behave like this, I think we can all agree it has to stop. I'll admit, I first read in "Bush at War" that the "gloves came off" (I'm paraphrasing) and thought that was probably a good thing. But no more can I support that philosophy, seeing where (and how far) it has taken us. Thus, I am extremely pleased to hear Senator McCain is on the case. If there's anyone with the credibility to convince people and the spine to see reforms through, it has got to be him. Moreover, I'm equally pleased to hear that Capt Fishback is a devout Christian. Too many people think this administration speaks for those of us who are incommunicado Sundays at 10. Now there's someone showing us what real Christians do, at the expense of his career. God speed, Capt Fishback.

Via Andrew Sullivan

Six more weeks of summer, or something like that

Recently I saw my first one of the year. My first Robin? No, it's a little late for that. My first shooting star? Not quite.

It was my first in person sighting of Pontiac's new Solstice. It's finally out of its hole, and since there was no shadow evident I think we'll be seeing six more weeks of summer.

The Solstice is a direct competitor to the Mazda MX-5 (i.e. the Miata to everyone who doesn't work for Mazda's advertising agency), and the initial comparison tests (e.g. Car and Driver's recent informal back to back drives) have given a slight driving dynamics edge to the MX-5 but an overall advantage to the Solstice. Having not driven one, I can't comment on the Solstice's dynamics. What I want to rant about is its looks and style.

The Miata is a bit "soft" for some people, though realizing that it's based on the Lotus Elan does a lot for my appreciation. However, I love the Solstice's styling. It's very dramatic, and I think I see a bit of the British bug-eyed look in it as well. Many of the parts are borrowed from other vehicles, but the overall look never lets on about it's patchwork underpinnings. To me, this is the best sort of design, and if Bob Lutz were here I'd give him a big hug in appreciation for pushing this car through. He'd probably punch me, but it'd still be worth it.

Pinko commies

From Cross-examination on Boston Legal:

"Wouldn't you agree that all vegetarians are communists?"

Yes, yes I would.*



*I can never remember whether sarcasm is denoted with italics or bold, so I usually just leave it in plain text.

Saab

If a blog isn't for airing one's own opinions about subjects that probably only interest you and five other people in Sweden, then I don't know what it's for. In that spirit, I want to wax poetic about Saab, the nordic car company currently being helmed by General Mediocrity (GM). Now, I shouldn't get too tough on the GM boys, as I like some of what they've done. But, they seem to enjoy living dangerously close to a nose dive into the k-car and last generation Hyundai pool. As in, no one knows, no one cares.

Which brings me to Saab. I've never owned one, never driven one, but I want one. Why you ask? For two reasons. One, they're different. Or they were different. Even up to a few years ago the Saab 9-3 could be had as a hatchback, with a mildly funky exterior design. No one would mistake the car for anything else, and that wasn't because it was so ugly. Think of Porsche, with their famous upside down bathtub designs. Not ugly, but you never get them confused with any other make. Two, in my opinion Saabs have always had superb interiors and seats. At auto shows they are always my favorites at their price points, surpassing the Lexi, BMW's, etc. for design and comfort. This is atleast in part to their differences from the other makes, in addition to their inherent quality.

So, those of you who know about Saab may ask, what's my gripe? Nothing's changed about the interiors, the SportCombi brought back the hatch, and we may even see advances in driving technology, like a change to a complete lineup of all wheel drive. My complaint is a lack of punch. Yes the interiors are nice, but have they advanced while retaining their strengths? Yes the SportCombi has a big door on one end, but let's face it, it's not really a hatch. It's a mediocre attempt to capitalize on nostalgia without risking offense of the masses. And finally, my biggest gripe is the lack of zeal in the cars. I personally think they look and feel good, but stacking them up next to the competition on paper leaves you wondering if they are really the best buy for your money. I may like a lot of things about them, but I don't like them enough to buy a machine that just can't compete with its competition. I want to buy one with a clear conscience, but I can't now. And this is where GM comes in. It seems that lately this is a hallmark of GM vehicles. Almost competitive, but not quite. They're in the middle of their "American Revolution", so maybe this is changing. I hope so. But right now they are convincing me that they just can't build a competitive vehicle. And though I like the company and those who I know who work there, I'm going to buy a competitive vehicle. Saab, convince me otherwise. Give me a sleek swedish hatch, sporting the latest safety equipment (which you are already doing with the new 9-3, bravo), the trademark interior, enough luxury to keep me relaxed on my commute, and a reason to take the curves a little too fast. You might just find a new customer.

Oh, and keep the griffin's head. I love that tongue.

Wrong department

Pat Robertson has been, and rightly so, roundly condemned for his remarks regarding assassinating the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. Robertson stated that U.S. special forces should "take him [Chavez] out", which was widely assumed to mean assassination, though Robertson now claims we could just kidnap him. Clearly. The Bush administration was also asked about Robertson's comments. For the most part they sanely dismissed them:

State department spokesman Sean McCormak said that Robertson's comments "do not represent the views of the United States".

Though Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfield, when asked about the remarks, replied "our department doesn't do that sort of thing." Adding, "That one is down the hall on the left."

Okay, so maybe Rummy didn't add that. But you know he wanted to.

(Information obtained through www.cnn.com)

Pike's Peak

This could be the coolest movie I've ever seen. It's an award winning short film of Ari Vatanen driving a "four wheel drive, four wheel steer Peugeot 405 T16" (www.ifilm.com) up Pike's Peak. And by driving I mean blasting up the side of a mountain in a way that is awe-inspiring and not a little bit disturbing. Have a look.

Pike's Peak

Kiss Blog's motto

Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others.

-Groucho Marx

"It's funny because it's true" part 2

"God is dead." -Nietzsche, 1882

"Nietzsche is dead." -God, 1900

From the "It's funny because it's true" file

The Supreme Court of the United States recently decided that local governments can take private property for use in development projects when they deem the project will benefit the community at large. I think this is a terrible ruling, and more than a little discussion can be found on news and commentary sites. However, we can always rely on Slashdot comments to bring an almost inappropriate level of humor to a sad event like this. Quoted form Instapundit:

STILL MORE: Slashdot: "Needless to say, the little guy loses to the commercial developer this case... "

Inevitable followup comment: "All your homes are belong to us."

Math is changing

Incredibly interesting article about the state of mathematics. It seems to me that many parts of mathematics, in particular those dealing with numerical methods, and engineering are already working in the way that this article describes. Thus, it's not surprising to me that high level theoretical mathematics could move this direction.

Not a lost cause yet

If you have not seen the pictures of the anti-Syria pro-democracy Beirut demonstration, take a look. It has been all over the news and is quite stunning. In case you don't know, this rally is in response to the 500,000 person pro-syria demonstration organized by Hezbolla just a little while ago. The estimates are at 800,000 for this one, clearly trumping the previous. This is great news because the party that wants reform and is most likely to end terrorist activities (i.e. not Hezbolla) has just shown their force and seems to have the ability to bring change. Moreover, the people in this demonstration feel they can do these things without fear of reprisal (as many commentators have pointed out, see the link above), and this is an important development in itself, as it helps lead to change without war.

Update: More good news.

The West Wing

I caught the West Wing on NBC the other night after not seeing it for quite awhile (the second time in three weeks, but probably years before that), and I have to say I am impressed with how well they have preserved the quality of the original award winning season(s). Jimmy Smits has been added to the cast (since the President will soon be out of office and they need a new character to fill the void). I highly reccommend watching both for the interesting points of view presented and the sheer quality of the show. I generally disagree with the opinions of the characters, but their portrayal and the intelligence given to them by the scripts overshadows any disagreements I might have with them.

Cloning

I want to draw attention to this essay by Charles Krauthammer. I agree with his opinion on this matter, and I also agree that there has been much disinformation put out by all the parties in this debate. Names of procedures are changed to hide what they truly entail, and the fundamental question of the morality of cloning is mixed up with the good results that it might produce. By all means, the results of not allowing cloning should be taken into account, but if the procedure is fundamentally flawed (in a moral sense), then I am hard pressed to see any reason good enough to justify it. Whether cloning is morally right is the central question of this whole issue, and it is the question that the public debate in this country has not yet answered or even really addressed.

Abortion

There is an excellent essay in Time about Abortion, written by Andrew Sullivan. I am ardently against abortion and, and as Mr. Sullivan states, "believe that all abortions are an immoral taking of human life". However, I find I am atleast partially swayed by this article. The object of opposing abortion is not a political victory but to save lives. If those of us who are pro-life ever find ourselves in a position that puts our political goals ahead of our moral imperatives, we need to rethink ourselves. (This statement in and of itself applies to those who are pro-choice as well, but here I am discussing those who are pro-life.) None of this is to say that we should compromise our goal of ending abortion, but if we can get closer to that goal through political compromises, why not do it?

A life for a life

Excellent article dealing with cloning and those people who are influencing the debate. I'm resolutely against creating embryos for medical research, and I'll be very interested to see whether Gov. Romney is for real or simply sees a political edge in taking this position.

The Wisdom of Russia

Here is an enlightening quote from Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking to President Bush in response to President Bush's criticism of Russia's freedom of the press (From Newsweek):

"We didn't criticize you when you fired those reporters at CBS."

Is he joking? I call this enlightening because I now understand a little clearer where Russia stands on this issue and how deeply entrenched the corruption of their press is. I'm not the most informed person when it comes to Russia, but I had assumed a higher level of understanding of the world around them on their part. And I had assumed they had atleast a minimal desire to move closer to a free country. This little glimpse into their thinking reveals to me that they are so far from having a free, uncorrupt press that they cannot even comprehend a system that is not so. Maybe that is harsh. Perhaps their lack of experience with a free system simply blinds them to the reality that is our free press. They take the few examples of corruption (most recently President Bush's foray into journalism) and assume that is characteristic of the true nature of our system. Thankfully they are wrong, and the fact that the heat is on President Bush and his columnists shows it.

Dark Matter

An extremely interesting scientific discovery, but I found the comments on Slashdot much more entertaining.

Mazda Miata

Autoblog has the new Mazda Miata. It looks like I'm still too big to fit in my favorite go kart with airbags.

First update, and is it ever lame.

Since I can't seem to get anything groundbreaking, or even remotely interesting, in my head to write about I'm moving ahead with my first update regardless of the consequences.

Best bumper sticker I saw this week:

A woman's place is in the House, and the Senate.

Yes, feel free to pat yourself on the back if you saw this and chuckled last year. I thought it was cute. This post is doubly lame because I didn't even actually see it. My wife told me about it.