Rome?

I'm too exhausted and it's too late for me to post much about this. All I can say is that I believe America to be on the slow but sure road to extinction when we refuse to eliminate pedophile rapists. No doubt other people will think its a sign of civilization that we don't kill vermin like this. To those people I reply that you are destroying the morals of this country. But hey, what's that matter. It's not as if declining moral codes ever caused the fall of an empire... oh wait.

I haven't read the entire opinion yet, but from what I have read it seems that the majority's main argument is that social mores have shifted such that killing crap like this would be "cruel and unusual." While the mores may have shifted, I also think such behavior as a Nation is self-destructive and sad.

Nevada, TX

So I'm pretty dang busy this summer - and I feel like the rest of it is already filled with obligations. This makes it tougher to find adventures and stuff going on, but an idea popped into my head to highlight some of the Texas towns I pass on my way to and from work. This week's town is Nevada, TX.

Now, you're probably saying, Nevada TX? and pronouncing it incorrectly. You see, it's pronounced Ne-VAY-da. Yup, and it's a real winner.

Here's the sign, and I think the population is maybe a little on the generous side.
Most of the town consists of doublewides or really nice 1-2 acre mini-mansions. Quite the wealth disparity. I'd guess the majority of the town works the surrounding fields doing corn or wheat. Here's a picture of the biggest store in town.
Other than that, the nicest building in town is the Baptist Church.
Nevada seems like an ok small town that's been down on its luck for years. Right now its at the edge of Metropolitan Dallas' expansion, so real estate prices are probably jumping or poised to jump significantly in the next 5 years. Maybe then they'll have more of a city park than this:

Chipped Tooth

So about 10 years ago I was playing basketball in the MTC and nicked my tooth. It was on the backside of my front big tooth - I could feel it but nobody could see it. Well, with time it apparently weakened the tooth, because on Thursday it chipped off. After some frantic phone calls, a very generous dentist offered to fix my tooth Friday morning at 9:30. Turns out my great-grandfather was his stake president at BYU eons ago. Anyway, my tooth is more or less better. Not perfect, and I can still tell a difference because its my tooth, but its not noticeable unless you're really checking out my teeth. Here's a pic of the chip before and after the 'reconstruction.'

Running Down Deer (literally)

So a little while back I read an article in Adventure Magazine about Navajo running down deer on foot. I thought that sounded pretty sweet, so this week I did a little more research about this.

Sadly, the old ways have largely disappeared and are replaced with people on ATVs and crap like that, so there wasn't exactly a club of people who do this sorta thing. Anyway, my research led me to these 2 related things:

1) New York Times article from way back when.
2) Running After Antelope

Neither of these sources sound totally legit. Still I think a really hungry man might be able to do something like this. Or a really crazy one.

Suburbia

A trend I've seen lately around Dallas and Salt Lake are neighborhoods where you can live in a condo upstairs and they have shops down on the ground level. I think they look nice and trendy - a place I could see myself living in should I remain single for several more years. It'd be nice, to have shops and restaurants in walking distance. But I don't think it would make for a good place to raise a family - for all sorts of reasons.

So when I read this article it made me think about the direction America is moving with its housing. Are we going to become a country where the suburbs are dominated by crime? Will there be no place for kids to ride bikes and run amok?

Random bits

So instead of studying tonight I played around with Picasa for a bit, making that eyeball photo up at the top of my blog. Basically I filtered out all the other colors but the blue in my eye. Here's the instructions. I think it's cool, so it'll stay for a bit.

In other random bits:
1) I've been thinking a lot lately about the differences in people. I generally make no qualms about my dislike of morons, and I think everyone in America can become as successful as they push themselves to become. But sometimes I think we push people to become more than they want to be, and I'm not sure we should. Example: Should we push a pizza delivery man to quit his job and go to school? If every pizza dude did that, who'd deliver my Papa Johns? All I'm saying is that while we should obviously push, help and encourage loved ones and those seeking advice/help... but that in a capitalist society there are different levels of workers, and we can't all be at the top. In a perfect United Order type society, those distinctions would disappear. Unfortunately, we're not there yet.
2) Life is fragile.
3) I'm exhausted.
4) While I'm enjoying watching the Celtics-Lakers, basketball, and particularly the NBA is a joke. I'll be happy to recant this when someone can adequately respond to this quote: Michael Wilbon recently wrote in The Washington Post - "The larger point here is that nobody has ever known what is and what isn't a foul in professional basketball. … It's as subjective as anything in sports, calling a foul. You can't get a consensus from people who've been in and around the game for 100 years."

Dirty Harry

So I think I was born just a few years too late to truly appreciate the Dirty Harry movies. Every time one's on, I usually just get bored - a common problem with my generation, but eh... whatever.

Nevertheless, I think Clint Eastwood's a great actor, and while I don't pretend to know much about his politics & lifestyle, what he says in this article resonated with me. Be warned, he uses a foul word or two, but I just love that he says that Spike Lee should "Shut his face." I also like the fact that he disagreed with Arnold about putting a toll road through a National Forest and got booted from the California state park commission. In short, while I don't pretend to know enough to whole-heartedly endorse the man, Clint seems like a guy who sees the world a lot like I see it, so without further adieu the link.

Indiana Jones rant

So I've taken some time thinking about Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. After pondering it more, I have made up my mind: don't go see this movie. In fact, don't go see anything George Lucas has a hand in making in the past 15 years.

I don't really have a problem with Harrison's acting, the Shia, and I was actually really excited about Karen Allen's return. But I do have serious problems with the plot. Here, let me compare it to something everyone understands: If you liked Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace you will like this movie. Why? Because both were written by the same idiot and both destroy character's and themes we've loved for years. If on the other hand, you thought more of the Phantom Menace than I, I don't know why you're reading my blog but you will like the new Indiana. Who wrote both? George Lucas. (hold up, I'm filled with desire to spit after writing his name. ok, I'm better now)

In my opinion, Stallone should have written this movie. (I'm joking... kind of.) Why? Because Stallone gets the characters he's resurrected. Rocky Balboa was great because it made you remember Rocky, what he was, and then you see what a broken down man he's become, how badly he wants to go out on his terms, and a great fight. Rambo was incredible because it took a killing machine jaded by time and corruption, had a sweet battle, and pulled no punches about what was happening and why. Even Live Free or Die Hard did a good job reviving a character long out of the limelight by giving him a plot equal to previous movies.

George Lucas fails because he thinks we care about some freaky Crystal Skull myth. He doesn't get why the original Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies rocked. Here the plot stinks, and guess what? As fun as it was to see Indiana Jones, Indiana Jones with no plot stinks. Pop in one of the first 3 movies. Or if you feel like going to the theater, go see Iron Man.