Muppethouse

Right Winger

Friends have told me consistently that they they think I am sort of a “right winger”, which I find fairly amazing and irritating. To be fair I would probably be similarly irritated if I were called a “left winger” – but in any case I was thinking this morning at all of my views that must lead to this conclusion…

anti-imperialism taking a heavy-handed approach and imposing on other countries, whether through economic hit-man style financial impositions or bombing is wrong.

anti-corporatocracy yes, our government is in the pocket of large corporations. yes, this is bad for individuals.

atheist most right wingers are atheist right?

firearms for the masses is dangerous although I fully support our right to keep arms, I think packing a gat at the Costco is very dangerous – kinda like swimming pools and motorcycles.

civil liberties as it turns out, I think all people – yup all types (even Scientologists, racists, and gingers) – have the same right to life, liberty, and property.

anti-captial punishment Penn and Teller firmed me up on this one, but people do bad things for financial gain, compulsion, or stupidity – the death penalty is not much of a deterrent in any of these cases – it’s mostly just to make people feel better. Killing is bad.

pro-choice killing is bad, and killing babies is bad, but at the end of the day I support a woman’s right to choose

So you can see where people would call me a right winger right? Actually, if you can maybe you can explain it to me. I think it comes down to this – if you believe in rationality, free trade, and fundamentally reject the idea that wealth redistribution (whether through corporate favors or high taxes on the most productive members of our society) – then you are “right wing”. Am I right?

Posted in Rant | 4 Comments »

Stretch ’til it Hurts

Television consumers want bigger, brighter, and higher resolution displays. We look down upon a measly 1080i – yet at the same time I see more tolerance of completely fuct aspect ratios. Sure, is fun to laugh at screwed up proportions when looking at a fun house mirror, but now we just cannot escape it. In sports bars, building lobbies, and in our own homes we are increasingly tolerant of 4×3 aspect ratio pictures being stretched to 16×9. It drives me batty and gives me a headache. Why is it okay for a square to be a rectangle? Why is that fat lady on the tv the same width and height?

Today I came across the perfect illustration of this sad sad stretched world in which we live. The main video page for CNN has EVERY VIDEO STRETCHED. It is a tiny box in my browser, not constrained by the physical dimensions of a real television or a wife that says “what are those black bars on the side… fix it”. Yet this huge media company thinks that this is okay. Until Joe public starts demanding non fun house video we have more whack stuff like this to look forward to. Shame on everyone. Stop stretching and squeezing.

Posted in Rant | Comments Off

Comic Sans

For years I have loathed comic sans, but until recently I felt relatively alone. A tear rolls down my cheek as I realize there are others like me – that also become instantly enraged at this font that seems to spread through documents faster than SARS through Korea.

I give you the ban comic sans web page. Enjoy.

Posted in Rant | Comments Off