Art Image of the Week: One of My Own

This a piece I did for the Magers Hall Paint Project. Since I live in Magers’ “Inferno House” I decided to enter in the running. Our Hall’s theme was “Dante’s Inferno” and we had to interpret it without being “too scary”. So this is what I arrived at: Charon, the ferryman to Hell.

The Ferryman by The-Undead-Poet (Ethan Bright)

Quote of the Week by Mark Twain

“Only one thing is impossible for God: To find any sense in any copyright law on the planet.” ~Mark Twain

This is ironic that I found this quote today. Earlier I was reading about a copyright law that just passed in congress called the “Orphan Art Act” or something like that. Basically it states that if an artist puts his or her artwork on the Internet outside companies can claim it as their own and sue you, unless the artist registers the artwork as theirs, which will have a price tag I read. So now, in addition, to most of us artists not being paid as it stands for our work we’ll have to pay to keep it ours. Luckily the bill has went to the House of Reps, and the nation’s artists still have a chance to block it. Finger’s crossed here!

Word of the Week: Gallimaufry

gallimaufry

(gal-li-maw’-free) n. a hodgepodge, jumble; a mixture of diverse things [From French galimafrée “a stew, hash, ragout,” from galer “to make merry” + mafrer “to eat heartily.”]

from the Word Archive off Google

I chose this word because of the way it is spelled. It caught my eye quickly, because of its uniqueness. So I chose to use it, respond as you will.

Obama / McCain Debate

Friday’s unique free-form debate format offered the best insights so far into the vast differences, values and style of Barack Obama and John McCain, and how they would approach the challenges that only a president can decide. It was the stunning contrast in personal behavior, not their answers, that was most revealing.

Given the time spent on the economic crisis, Jim Lehrer had time for only five “lead” questions on national security–on Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, and homeland security. Other major issues will have to await later debates. But there was enough time for many intense and revealing exchanges. With a command of both the facts and the underlying issues, and a reassuring manner, Obama convincingly passed the key test of the debate–is he qualified to be Commander-in-Chief? But the real insights came in the revelations about the way each man thinks under pressure, and the way they interacted.

First, note a recurring pattern: With the exception of Iraq, where the disagreement began with Obama’s opening sentence, Obama usually began by laying out broad themes, often mentioning instances of agreement with McCain–frequently using phrases like “John is absolutely right”–before going on to stress their differences. This is unusual, and part of what makes Obama a unique leader; I do not recall any previous major party candidate in a debate volunteering so many instances of common ground with his opponent. McCain’s response struck me as odd and even ungracious; he has often proclaimed he would work across the partisan divide, but he undermined his own claim by completely ignoring Obama and his comments. Instead, he attacked Obama repeatedly, using phrases such as “Senator Obama just doesn’t understand. . .” at least ten times.

The manner in which each man approached problems was strikingly different. McCain understandably emphasized his own personal experiences, but almost never made clear what he thought was the larger purpose of policy. Each problem was treated on its own, and McCain’s proposed policies were invariably confrontational. John McCain’s world focuses almost entirely on threats. Obama usually agreed with McCain on the nature of these threats, but his proposals for action were more insightful, sophisticated, and comprehensive, and, unlike McCain’s, included the use of diplomatic and economic and moral power.

These striking differences were not simply debate tactics; they highlighted differences between the two men that are in their DNA. One is the product of the brawling traditions of the United States Navy, and survival under unimaginable conditions in a Hanoi prison. John McCain has prevailed in life not by seeking common ground (ironically, the most notable exception was his historic voyages of forgiveness to Vietnam). What has kept him energized (and alive) is his enormously combative style, which he proudly calls “maverick,” and his quick, sometimes pre-emptive attacks on opponents. It is not a criticism to say that he is a gambler; he said so himself in his memoirs and in the debate.

Although Barack Obama articulates his positions in a calm, methodical, and understated way, he is clearly just as tough as McCain, or he would never have come this far in life, against unbelievable odds. But he thinks about how to solve problems in a manner much more conducive to successful governance than McCain. While he made clear he is ready to use military force if necessary, his life and career embodies the search for common ground between peoples of different backgrounds, different races, different points of view. During the debate he often emphasized the non-military aspects of American power–including diplomacy backed by American muscle, the restoration of respect for the nation, and the direct link between America’s economic strength and its national security.

Astonishingly, McCain had virtually nothing to say on any of these issues–yet these are the tools that must be precisely balanced and deployed with skill if the nation is to regain its leadership position in the world.

This difference was reinforced by the much-noted failure of McCain to look in Obama’s direction or address him directly during the debate, and by the grim looks that left many viewers with the impression McCain was just plain angry.

The overall effect was exactly the opposite of what McCain hoped to achieve: Obama showed that he could handle the frontal assaults of an aggressive and seasoned senator-war hero in the very area McCain was perceived to be strongest. Obama offered the larger vision for the nation–and a reassuring sense he would approach issues with the seriousness they required. The gambling, brawling style of John McCain has its attractive side to Americans, but it is not what we need in the White House in these troubled times.

from: The Huffington Post

OPINION:

Hmm…this is quite a viewpoint. But I have to say, if I didn’t have a good idea of who I’m going to vote for anyways, this would look like a flop for the McCain campaign. Obama is playing a strange style for Americans, as it says above. He starts by finding common ground, very interesting, where McCain attacks. That sounds like a bad move for president right now. We need a more level-headed and reserved president at the helm if we want to reestablish America as a main player in the world.

Cartooning Possibility? (Northwind Response)

This might not be the biggest issue in the Northwind this week, but it strikes close to home for me. I was reading through and trying to decide what to write about and then when I got to the comics section I, of course, had to read them. At the bottom there was an add that asked if “you”, the reader, could do comics better. Maybe I could, I thought to myself. I would be dumb if I didn’t at least try it right? I will be investigating this in the near future.

Egyptian Mythology

Anubis, in Egyptian mythology, is the God of the Underworld and mummification. He used to also be titled the God of Evil until the discovery of Set. Egyptian mythology has always had a spot for me, and so does Egypt in general. The pyramids alone are worth delving into the culture. I first really started getting into these myths because of the old RTS game “Age of Mythology” then continued with my mythology class in High School. Anubis is just my favorite “God of the Underworld”.

GENZOMAN from Deviantart

FBI Investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI is investigating four major U.S. financial institutions whose collapse helped trigger a $700 billion bailout plan by the Bush administration, The Associated Press has learned.

Two law enforcement officials said Tuesday the FBI is looking at potential fraud by mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and insurer American International Group Inc. Additionally, a senior law enforcement official said Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. also is under investigation.

The inquiries will focus on the financial institutions and the individuals that ran them, the senior law enforcement official said.

The law enforcement officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigations are ongoing and are in the very early stages.

Officials said the new inquiries bring to 26 the number of corporate lenders under investigation over the past year.

Spokesmen for AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac did not immediately return calls for comment Tuesday evening. A Lehman spokesman did not have an immediate comment.

Just last week, FBI Director Robert Mueller put the number of large financial firms under investigation at 24. He did not name any of the companies under investigation but said the FBI also was looking at whether any of them have misrepresented their assets.

Over the past year as the housing market cratered, the FBI has opened a wide-ranging probe of companies across the financial services industry, from mortgage lenders to investment banks that bundle home loans into securities sold to investors. Mueller has previously said the FBI’s hunt for culprits in the nation’s subprime mortgage crisis focused on accounting fraud, insider trading, and failure to disclose the value of mortgage-related securities and other investments.

The investigations revealed Tuesday come as lawmakers began considering whether to approve emergency legislation that would give the government broad power to buy up devalued assets from troubled financial firms.

The bailout proposed by the Bush administration is aimed at helping unlock credit and stabilize badly shaken markets in the United States and around the globe.

In the past two weeks, the government has taken over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the country’s two biggest mortgage companies, with a bailout plan that could require the Treasury Department to put up as much as $100 billion for each of them over time if needed to keep them afloat as mortgage losses mount.

Last week, the Federal Reserve provided an emergency $85 billion loan to AIG, which teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. Lehman Brothers was forced to file for bankruptcy after attempts to engineer a private rescue fell apart. All the companies were laid low from bad bets on complex mortgage-related securities.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke made the joint decision last week that the only way to stop the carnage was to deal with the root cause of all the troubles, billions of dollars of bad mortgage debt sitting on the books of major financial companies. This debt has triggered the worst credit crisis in decades, causing credit markets to essentially freeze up despite the fact that the Fed joined with major central banks around the world to pump billions of dollars of reserves into the financial system.

Additionally, the FBI is investigating failed bank IndyMac Bancorp Inc. for possible fraud. Countrywide Financial Corp., formerly the nation’s largest mortgage lender and now owned by Bank of America Corp., is also under scrutiny.

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

REACTION:

Hmm, well let’s see. If these companies did in fact partake in this fraud it is BS. We all know what I mean by those two letters! It would be like dumping down good money a drain, that the tax payers have to make up. If this turns out to be true I will not be happy.

Quote of the Week #3

A poem is never finished, only abandoned.

Paul Valery (1871 – 1945)

This is an interesting quote to me. What it says to me is: even after a poet publishes a poem it is never done because it will say something different for each person that reads it. So the poem is abandoned to the world of the reader, but it is never finished.

Word of the Week #3

numismatics \noo-miz-MAT-iks; -mis-; nyoo-\, noun:
the collection and study of money (and coins in particular).

http://www.dictionary.com

I had no idea there was a “study” of money. I always thought: it was made, people spent it, it eventually got old, and then people collected it. My grandfather is a big coin collector, so I’ve seen my share of really intricate old coins, and I have to say it looks like a fun practice. I just didn’t know there was a study of money.

Heart Attack

The most shocking thing I read in the Northwind was the student who had a heart attack. That’s an unsettling thing to think about. Heart attacks are becoming more frequent in younger people more and more. That disturbs me a lot. I feel terrible for the student, don’t get me wrong, but I think its just another warning sign for the public to watch out for.