Archive for the ‘short films/interviews’ Category

Christopher Hitchens nails it in two sentences

Posted: November 14, 2010 by datechguy in internet/free speech, opinion/news, short films/interviews
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I am really going to regret when Christopher Hitchens is gone, and I confess it will be for my own loss of a person who’s writing gives me pleasure and his almost Cryanoistic honesty to his own beliefs (even when they are horribly wrong i.e Christianity) rather than for pity as he has lived a pretty interesting life and everybody has to die eventually.

The latest interview of him in the London Observer conveys all of the joy of reading Hitchens that I have but there is one line that is so important and so true and so totally ignored that it should be screamed from the mountaintops to everyone particularly to Thomas Freedman and the left:

As an aside on Mugabe, he makes one of those observations that are so precisely to the point that you wonder why so few other commentators ever get round to coming to it emphasis mine. “Darfur, Zimbabwe, Burma, North Korea, anywhere that the concept of human rights doesn’t exist, it’s always the Chinese at backstop. And always for reasons that you could write down in three words: blood for oil.”

This is the most vital part of the piece for two reasons. the first being that he cuts to the truth of the current world situation in two sentences, but the second is due to the interviewer Andrew Anthony unintentional indictment of the entire intelligentsia of the world who have not been willing or able to speak that basic truth.

Red China (and yes I use Red deliberately) has long supplanted Russia as the main focus of human rights abuse and supporter of same around the world. The rest of the world fearing their military and coveting their potential economic power ignore this truth but the reality is there. Hitchens is willing to say it. Nobody else dares because they see no personal profit in it, much easier to make a living hitting the United States.

As I said I’ll miss Hitchens when he is gone, and so will millions who stand up for freedom of speech around the world.

My Interview with Ann Marie Buerkle

Posted: November 14, 2010 by datechguy in congress, elections, opinion/news, politics, short films/interviews
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Following up on my last post I spoke to Ann Marie Buerkle this week:

DaTechGuy: How are the absentee ballots looking so far?

Ann Marie Buerkle: They are looking pretty good absentee ballots are breaking more from areas I’ve done well in.

DTG: So what kind of tactics have you been seeing the other side running?

AMB: Well first of all they asked for a manual count, the Judge has rejected that temporarily. No problems have come up with the machines. The DCCC and the Unions are here in force and their campaign has asked the media to in a memo to hold off reporting on the race. They’ve even been contacting voters at home to find how they voted! (DTG as I’ve reported here)

DTG: Has there been any issues with Military Ballots?

AMB: No they have steered clear of them, so far.

DTG: I guess that is the last resort, What kind of operation are they running?

AMB: The goal seems to be to disqualify as many republican ballots as they can, they are objecting to absentee ballots at a ratio of 3-1 compared to us.

DTG: And what about the congressman himself?

AMB: There has been sign of him, he has not make a statement or an appearance since election night. On Veterans day he didn’t even put in an appearance or a statement, very very unusual.

DTG: Speaking of unusual a lot of people seems to have been taken by surprise by your lead.

AMB: John McCain only took 43% of the vote in this district.

DTG: And there was that poll we talked about during Stacy McCain’s and my visit.

AMB: We worked very hard in Monroe County and took it 55-45. No Republican had ever taken Monroe county before. We did even better in Wayne county with 65% of the vote and I have to mention the grass roots effort in the town of Webster, simply masterful, volunteers knocked on every door and left materials at every house more than once. I can’t say enough about our volunteers.

DTG: And as the count goes on what will you be up to?

AMB: I will be attending the Congressional Freshman Orientation event in Washington.

DTG: Yeah with the current popularity of the president that a losing proposition, no wonder they are all in now. Finally with all the Union and DCCC help against you I presume you could use a few dollars to keep up.

AMB: Yes we need to be able to match them as they try to disqualify enough republican absentee ballots to manage a win.

DTG: And where can people give?

AMB: They can give at our post Election Fund here.

DTG: Ann Marie Buerkle thank you for your time

Voices of Main Street Chris Vasiliadis of Williams Resturant and Tavern

Posted: November 13, 2010 by datechguy in business, economy, oddities, short films/interviews
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Chris has been in business for 27 years so he knows how to stay in business during good times and bad:

His advice keep up or increase quality, decrease quality and give some low-end options for people who can’t afford a $20 steak but can afford a $9-$12 meal.

It sounds like some business didn’t take that advice:

The manager of Don Otto’s – a recently shuttered food market in the South End – is blaming neighborhood patrons for its untimely demise, cooking up an angry message to fair-weather fans of the Tremont Street eatery.

Blaming the customer? It gets better, or worse depending on how you look at it.

“People don’t understand their purchases make a difference, and that by buying something that wasn’t exactly what you want, it gets you closer to what you want. It’s an investment.”

It’s not our job to provide you with what you want. It’s the customer’s job to buy what you don’t want to keep me in business.

And unlike Tom Kahale advice Don Otto’s believes price should be no object.

Among their customers were U.S. Rep. Barney Frank and Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who has stopped by for their locally made lasagna. But in this economy, $28-per-pound steak and $8 cartons of eggs was not a recipe for success.

The arrogance is simply astounding. That’s why Don Otto’s is out of Business and Williams is about to start its 28th year without the advantages of a major metropolitan area or customers like Tom Menino or Barney Frank.

Some Tea party Express videos

Posted: November 2, 2010 by datechguy in congress, elections, internet/free speech, local issues, media, opinion/news, politics, short films/interviews, special events, tea parties
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Here are some videos from the day:

Before the crowd comes:

Jerry talked to me first

So Did Steve and Denise:

and Richard and Shirley:

And Linda:

I ran into Jen Caissie’s mom but didn’t know who she was when I started:

If you don’t know who Jen is here’s jen:

Since the left came to protest and unlike the tea party people decided to assault a driver who disagreed with them

The Media found the protesters interesting and the police stayed on top of them the entire time:

When things were done I talked to Ron:

And checked back with Jerry

It was a good little rally, not in the class of the Boston event but still effective. At least effective enough that it worried the left. Their actions during the pledge and the national anthem combined with the assault did more to hurt their cause than anything else.

Update: Leftists nuts in VA too, at least they didn’t assault anyone.

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