Aug

31

Hmm…

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Does this (screencap) look familiar?

I wonder why they went to all that trouble?

It’s my web host’s unorthodox method of backing up the site while moving servers and waiting for the DNS to resolve.

Aug

30

Framed

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UC Berkeley professor George Lakoff on framing and the use of it by conservatives:

Language always comes with what is called “framing.” Every word is defined relative to a conceptual framework. If you have something like “revolt,” that implies a population that is being ruled unfairly, or assumes it is being ruled unfairly, and that they are throwing off their rulers, which would be considered a good thing. That’s a frame.

…

Terror is a general state, and it’s internal to a person. Terror is not the person we’re fighting, the “terrorist.” The word terror activates your fear, and fear activates the strict father model, which is what conservatives want. The “war on terror” is not about stopping you from being afraid, it’s about making you afraid.

…

Real wars are wars against countries, and in the “war on terror,” we are attacking countries. But those countries are not the same as the terrorists. We’re acting at the wrong level. Meanwhile, by using this frame, we get a commander in chief, as the Republicans keep referring to Bush — a “war president” with “war powers,” which imply that ordinary protections don’t have to be observed. A “war president” has extraordinary powers. And the “war on terror,” of course, never ends. There’s no peace treaty with terror. It’s a prescription for keeping conservatives in power indefinitely. In three words — “war on terror” — they’ve enacted vast political changes.

Aug

30

Blockade

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Everton put up a blue brick wall and stymied wave after wave of United attack to earn a point from a goalless draw. (Reports: BBC, Soccernet, ManUtd.com.)

The Old Trafford faithful chanted Rooney’s name provocatively (and somewhat prematurely) at the kickoff but they had little to cheer about at the end.

Ronaldo, Smith and Scholes all hit the woodwork while Saha couldn’t direct a header goalward from six yards out but United weren’t completely unlucky. The Red Devils were fortunate not to have a penalty awarded against them when Silvestre blatantly handled the ball in his own area while under pressure from Duncan Ferguson.

United simply couldn’t find a way past a side content to sit back and nullify every offensive move. This happened last season and it’s starting to be a recurring theme this season as well.

If there was one positive from this match, it was the assured performance of Jonathan Spector, the young American defender (and Jonathan Taylor Thomas look-alike). He managed to deal with whatever threat Everton posed on United’s left flank and even made a few good offensive runs.

United are now seven points behind Arsenal and Chelsea and while that’s hardly a worrying gap in August, it is worrying to see United struggle like this.

Aug

30

Hip-hip-hypocrisy

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The golden rule of fanboy criticism: When another fan makes a critical comment, he’s clearly hard to please, never happy about anything, whiny and nitpicky but when you make a criticism, you think of yourself as being reasonable and thoughtful.

Aug

29

Re: Rooney

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Seen on the BBC’s 606 forum:

Re: Rooney

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