The Mattrix Reblogged

in the fourth and final installment of Clarke's Space Odyssey series, 3001, Astronaut Frank Poole is revived 1000 years after he died on the Discovery One mission. One of the pieces of technology that Frank has to cope with is called the Brain Cap. It appears that our Japanese friends are well on their way to developing this technology with time to spare...

MATT

In my hometown of Dayton, Ohio...the Air Force has invented transparent aluminum. Although, Scotty might have been involved...

MATT

Add the Romulan Cloaking Device to the list...

MATT

Our stalker friend is back with more bile... We'll cut the stuff about his wonderful and exciting holiday weekend...I'm happy for him that he had a good time in a red state doing things that we do here in flyover country, let's just leave it at that.

But I'm not going to let him get away with the same old nonsense...

Oh, and for all the rabid conservatives who have used today as a pulpit to label liberals who speak out against the invasion of Iraq as "treasonous," here's something to keep in mind: The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, is meant to celebrate the birth of our nation. It's not meant to be a podium to bolster support for this "war" in Iraq; it's meant to celebrate all the men who created this country centuries ago. The folly of our leaders today should not be associated with this remarkable day in our history, for the future will show the errors of this administration. It's America's independence we celebrate, not a foolhardy "war."

I've checked our entries over at WMD for the Fourth of July, and quite frankly, if I didn't know the guy spent so much time on our site, I'd say he hasn't read any of our stuff.

I do think that the T-Bomb (that's "treason" for you blues out there) is being tossed about on both sides of the aisle without much thought or care...

I see no posts wherein we made any attempt to use the holiday to bolster support for the war or do anything other than celebrate the birth of our nation and the symbols of that nation. The folly of leftists who can't understand what freedom really means for the people of the world, should really be careful about throwing stones in glass houses.

However, since you cannot stop yourselves from being stupid, why don't you do us all a favor and put your money where your mouth is. M&M (you don't deserve to have your full names used, but you know who you are), since you now wrap yourselves in the flag and constantly proclaim your superior love of this country, why don't you serve it in the most honorable way you know how to profess: in the Armed Forces. Why not enlist? That's right, you're fat, lazy, and useless. You have no serviceable skills for the military. They don't want you, so I guess it's a great thing you have no intention of trying to enlist. How fortunate your patriotism only came to fruition at a point where they can't even use you on the front lines. It takes a chickenhawk to fawn over an adminstration replete with chickenhawks.

You know what? I love it when the ignorant call the enlightened stupid...it shows just how little they actually know.

Ah, the old lefty Chickenhawk Defense...this is going to be good...pay close attention E (honestly, why not just link to us like I link you when I deliver these little chats - we all know who you are talking to, Eric...)

I am just as entitled to support the war as you are to criticize it (in fact, I did criticize the planning of the war today, if you care to read it on WMD, BNN, and MVCA) because I, like you, are an American citizen and have the freedom of speech. Something that we all were celebrating on the Fourth of July, if you'll recall your lecture in the previous paragraph... Let me ask you a question, Eric...purely hypothetical of, course. Can you speak out against slavery if you never owned a slave? Don't worry, I don't actually expect you to answer. That's the whole irony of the Chickenhawk Defense...it is employed by cowards who can't otherwise defend their positions and are trying to silence those who have a different point of view.

You ask me if I have served or am planning to enlist. I notice that you have been asked the same questions by a commenter on your thread. I also notice that you are dodging the questions being put before you. I will answer your question.

I AM SERVING.

That's right. And so is Mark.

We are doing what every President has asked of young people...we're teachers. You know, shaping America's youth. Yeah, I do it part time because that's what I'm able to contribute right now what with my job and all...I do have to pay taxes, you know. Else, where would all that money come from to pay for all this stuff the government is providing for "free"...

At some point, you are really going to have to consider getting some professional help in getting over this obsession that you have...it just isn't healthy.

And I care.

7/8 Update

Allow me to clarify a point or two...

When I say that Mark and I are teachers...I am NOT referring to our blogging. Bloviating ones thoughts for the world to see isn't educating...and that isn't the purpose of our blog anyway.

As a studio teacher of trumpet, I have the unique opportunity to mentor some great kids. I'm quite proud of all of them, but there are a few that stand out. One is currently at The Citadel and another is currently at the U.S. Air Force Academy. I encouraged both of those kids to follow their hearts when they asked for advice on what they should do next.

You can make the argument that being a teacher isn't dangerous...and unless you're in a public school with absolutely no discpline being enforced, I'd question that argument as well...but you absolutely can not deny that being a teacher is a service to our country and the next generation. Teachers contribute as much to our success as a nation as do our uniformed military and first responders. Are we on the front lines? No. But we've instilled values and character along the way to those who are...

I don't call myself a hero because I teach part time. But I'll be damned if I let somebody say I'm not contributing to my country.

I'm not wasting any more time on this nonsense. People who read both sites can determine just whom is slandering whom. I am proud to be an American. I am proud of what our flag stands for. And I am every bit as entitled as any other American to express my opinion...and that is why I'm proud of my country. If you have a problem with that, it is your problem. I'm always willing to debate the issues with anybody, but I won't bother giving an open forum to people who resort to personal attacks when their arguments fail to persuade. It just isn't worth it...and I don't like what responding to the personal attacks makes me...I am really not that interested in dwelling in the lowest levels of any fever swamp. Most rational people understand that...

MATT

From USA Today, we learn that a physicist is planning to create the replicator:

Gershenfeld's ultimate goal is to invent home fabrication machines that will be as common as Hewlett-Packard ink-jet printers. They will be able to make anything: custom Barbie clothes, MP3 players, cow-shaped cream pitchers, Barry Bonds baseball cards from the 1980s when he looked skinny — you name it.

"We're aiming at making the Star Trek replicator," Gershenfeld says, referring to the machine on the USS Enterprise that could conjure up a cup of coffee or a toenail clipper on command.

How far along is Gershenfeld? Well, in one sense, not very. His fabs look like a cross between a computer and a high school shop class. The gadgets include a laser cutter and a milling machine, and together they make parts that must be assembled rather than churning out whole finished products. Users have tended to make one-off oddities, including a bag for silencing a scream in case you just have to let one loose in a crowd.

But Gershenfeld argues that his fabs today are the historical equivalent of 1970s minicomputers.

Godspeed, man...

MATT

Let me take a moment to address this piece of vile self-aggrandizing bile.

First of all, the SOC website had a statement up shortly after the story broke in which we expressed our shock and dismay at the charges against a high-ranking member of our fan club. If those charges are proven true, and they haven't been but that doesn't stop this worm from spouting his vindictive diatribe, then we support the prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. These charges are disgusting and we were as shocked and appalled as everyone else who has learned about the story.

What this little man doesn't know is how many phone calls I and the senior staff put in to the membership and to our allies in the fandom community. He doesn't know about the many emails of support we have received. I resent the implication that we condone this sort of atrocity because we adamantly condemn this sort of thing.

And while SOC itself has died because of this situation (feel free to party, little man), significant numbers of the membership has expressed a desire to reform the group with new regulations that would prevent this sort of thing from ever happening again. We learn, and we get better. We survive and become stronger.

A little aside about how this guy left the SOC. He did send out messages on every officially sanctioned SOC board he knew of...and they were deleted. But his message did get out. And the results: the membership was glad he left. Those who weren't glad were indifferent to him anyways. That's the legacy of this guy in SOC: an insignificant bore that failed in every capacity to work well with others.

And that is my final word on this subject. Should the little man in question happen to read this, don't bother attempting to gauge me in any sort of dialogue; I'm not interested in wasting my time.

That is all...

Update

Jeez, little man, if all you got is a little misspelling problem, you are smaller than I thought...

MATT