Two thoughts on the matter:

First, that the response from some Muslims is downright disturbing.  With a response like that to a newspaper cartoon it’s hard to imagine how any nation that allows free speech could manage a positive relationship with some Islamic nations whose populous and government react as they did.

I’m not entirely sure I’ll be able to make my second point clear but I’ll try.

I’m disappointed that newspapers published this comic in the first place.

I believe in free speech and I would not approve of a government preventing the publishing of something like that cartoon if a paper(s) chose to do so.    Yet there must be some journalistic canon where it says that news organizations should report and comment on the news, and at the same time try to avoid as a organization making news, becoming a part of the news themselves, or fanning the flames of an already dangerous situation that can have serious consequences for other people.  Granted reporting some facts could cause serious situations to occur, but it isn’t as if some lame cartoon is a fact or vital news that needs publishing.

I do not believe that the paper(s) involved here had any way of predicting the level of outcry in this case, but I would like to think there are some news organizations out there that might look at such a cartoon and say:

You know I’ve no problem with this cartoon, but clearly many Islamic people feel persecuted by westerners and depicting their prophet in the first place is not going to be enjoyed, and depicting in this manner is surely to be taken as seriously offensive.  The result may be far more damaging to real world politics and real people than anything positive that may come from this cartoon.

Just to be clear I’ll say that I don’t think the fallout from this event is the paper(s) or cartoonist fault.  Yet I think there must be some journalistic rule that might direct a publication to take some caution when publishing something that may have serious has serious consequences.  Perhaps the line I’m drawing is too grey, or might not even apply here as it is hard to imagine the severity of the results, but I think there is something there to be considered. 

Skyway Ride

The Twin Cities are somewhat well known for their skyway system, or so it seems.  Why that is I’m not sure, connecting large buildings via skyways seems totally logical to me and I’m sure it must be done elsewhere as well.  Even so I always hear people from out side the Twin Cities talk about how cool the Skyway system is. 

Anyway the skyways recently become even cooler as the Red Bull folks sponsored a bike race thru the St. Paul Skyways (Minneapolis was the first choice but they were too wussy to do it). 

It is just a short one mile race but it is a neat idea nonetheless.  The organizers said on the radio that after they announced the race they received a ton of inquires from professional racers asking how they can be invited and if they’re going to do it again.

Cheney Hunting Accident

This whole Dick Cheney hunting accident is disgusting.  Not the accident, the media.  I do not like the Bush administration, but it was just a hunting accident…  It has nothing to do with politics and the media spends its time wanking around this non story when they could be reporting real news.  * sigh

*Table and Chairs

I ordered and received my table and chairs this past week.   After three years in the new house I finally have a proper table rather than my old card table and crappy free table smashed together. 

The only downside was that the table and chairs came in boxes that were excessively packed with packing materials.  The boxes for chairs and table both contained one large box after another encapsulating each other, followed by tons of foam and various items.   Unpacking everything was about 70 % the work, assembling everything else took much less effort. 

For the second week in a row I’ll have a ton of cardboard to recycle.  I’m one of the few people on the block who recycles things.   I’m sure my local recycling guy hates me already as I’m probably the only person he has to get out of his truck and go into the cold to get my stuff.

Wedding Stuff

Bad Wedding Night Ideas

Figuring that staying at one of our parent’s house on the wedding night wasn’t such a good idea I had some people look into finding a nice place for us to stay since we don’t live in the town where we’re going to be married in.  I was given explicit instructions from the fiancé that the place be nice and not the Super 8!

After someone checked out a place for me and I got the details I made a reservation.  Then my fiancé called noting suggestions for places to stay from her mother. 

The first suggestion was that we stay at the hotel where a block of rooms have been reserved for wedding guests.   I’ve always heard that this is a terrible idea.  I do not like the idea of going out for ice only to have to converse with in laws, relatives, and whoever else wants to take up my time when I should be doing other, things.

Another idea was a bed and breakfast like place that sounded nice, but . . . the lady who runs the bed and breakfast lives there.  Call me crazy but I’d like a bit more privacy than that. 

We shot down both ideas and we’re going with the nice anonymous hotel that nobody knows about plan.

Grandma

My grandparents on my father’s side are some of best people in the world.  They’re those served in WWII, adopted 7 children, saved a buss load of nuns and etc. types.  Good people who wouldn’t say a bad thing about anyone.

Anyway my Grandmother has been in a nursing home type environment for a long time here in the Twin Cities.  Fortunately it is a nice facility.  It is one of those big communities where people buy a condo like house and there is a nursing home attached amongst a myriad of other activities, places to eat and things to do.  So my Grandfather can go down and pickup Grandma and take here home during the day, and then take her back to her medical appointments in the nursing home when the time comes.

Anyway my Grandfather is quite healthy (he’s over 70 and I swear has more energy than I do).  He wants to attend the wedding, but my Grandmother is not really in a condition where she can travel (and it’s likely to make any sudden improvements at her age).  Word is that Grandpa is working up the courage to ask Grandma if it is ok if he goes without her, he doesn’t want to hurt her feelings, or leave alone, but he really wants to go.  Sad. : (

Honeymoon

I’ve been tasked with coming up with some honeymoon plans.  After doing a bit of research I’ve come up with a couple options.

Las Vegas – Cheesy, but it is an easy and relatively inexpensive to plan (at least until I gable away all my money).  I’ve never been there, but it seems like it could be an entertaining place.  I’d be risking my record of 6 lifetime trips to a casino and always coming away with more money than had when I arrived, but you can’t win them all.

New York – I’ve never been there, the fiancé has and wants to go back.  We both enjoy the arts and the theater so there would be no shortage of things to do.  After doing a little research I found that it is not entirely too expensive to stay in the city.  New York would be $$$ but I’ve got some extra dollars saved and I don’t mind splurging in this case.

San Diego – This was an early suggestion from the fiancé but I kind of nixed it as I figured we’d have to do some driving to get from place to place and the fiancé and I in the same car driving someplace sometimes involves friction.  Something I’d like to avoid on the honeymoon ; )  Then I talked to some folks who have been to San Diego on vacation, never drove around, and only once or twice had to take a cab someplace and had a great time.

San Diego seems to have some interesting things to do in addition to the Sea World, San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park activities and we’d both like to see those anyway.

The only question with San Diego is where to stay.  I like the idea of staying in the city where restaurants, entertainment and transportation are easily available.   

The fiancé likes the idea of staying at one of the pseudo resort places on the ocean or something like that but I’m a bit concerned.  All of the hotels on the beaches say they’re close to the city but I’m a suspicious.  I’ve seen places in my own city that say they’re only x miles from … and while they might be that far geographically it is a lot farther in practical terms.  I’d rather not have to spend $20 on a cab every time we leave the hotel, or god forbid be stuck eating at the hotel because we’d rather not run into the city or something.

Anyway in my mind San Diego tops the list right now but I need to do more research.