The DIY TARDIS

I build something out of Lego bricks and I feel a warm sense of achievement. Then I see videos like this and…well, yeah.

Double Taxation

Last night as I was watching the State of the Union, I was also texting with a conservative friend of mine. He was defending lower tax rates for income like Romney’s and Warren Buffet’s. The idea seemed to be that since they had already paid income tax on the money they used to make those investments, they shouldn’t then pay taxes on money earned by those investments, because that’s double taxation, and that’s bad. My same friend also made the point that if it’s taxed at the same rate as regular income, then it would unfairly impact seniors and others who depend on investment profits and interest for retirement income.

The double taxation argument holds no water for me. Not even slightly. Why should it? Look, as it stands I experience double taxation. I live in Arizona. The sales tax rate here is about 7.3%, with 2% on food in Phoenix. This means that I buy things with income I’ve paid taxes on, and then I pay sales taxes on those items. Same with anyone who pays property taxes. You bought a house with your income that has been taxed and now you pay taxes on that house. Sure, it’s annoying in some ways, but by the very nature of taxation, just about tax after the standard income tax is a double tax.

As for the retirement argument, that’s more valid, but there’s a simple way around it. Just make it so that, say, any income through investments and the like is taxed at about 15%, as it is now, but then scale it up from there, just like with income tax, and top it off at around 35%. I mean, if you’re like Romney and earn $42 million in investment profits and the like, possibly you can afford to pay that at a normal tax rate.

So, yeah. Double taxation may be a thing, but we all do it, and I have no objection to saying that if you’re pulling in investment income at an extremely high level, it should be taxed just like any other income.

Every Story

Well, now. The next time I complain about how long it takes to edit one of my videos that none of you watch, remind me of this.

Big Finish Review – Doctor Who – “The Curse of Davros”

NAPOLEON: Who told you I loose at the Battle of Waterloo? FLIP: Abba.

(special thanks to Big Finish for providing me with a review copy!)

It’s been a year since Philippa ‘Flip’ Jackson found herself transported by Tube train to battle robot mosquitoes on a bizarre alien planet in the company of a Time Lord known only as ‘the Doctor’.

Lightning never strikes twice, they say. Only now there’s a flying saucer whooshing over the top of the night bus taking her home. Inside: the Doctor, with another extraterrestrial menace on his tail – the Daleks, and their twisted creator Davros!

But while Flip and the fugitive Doctor struggle to beat back the Daleks’ incursion into 21st century London, Davros’s real plan is taking shape nearly 200 years in the past, on the other side of the English Channel. At the battle of Waterloo…

Starring Colin Baker (The Doctor), Lisa Greenwood (Flip Jackson), Terry Molloy (Davros), Ashley Kumar (Jared), Jonathan Owen (Napoleon Bonaparte), Rhys Jennings (Captain Pascal), Granville Saxton (Duke of Wellington), Robert Portal (Marshal Ney), Christian Patterson (Captain Dickson), Nicholas Briggs (The Daleks)

Ah, good ole Davros. What a fun guy he is. Ever since he first popped during the Fourth Doctor adventure “Genesis of the Daleks“, it’s been nigh impossible to have a TV story without him. Well, at least until the new series, and even then they trotted (rolled?), him out at one point. There’s a good reason for this. He’s a very interesting character, when used right, and can provide a much better antagonist for the Doctor than the daleks do by themselves.

This story is a great example of one where he’s very well-used. I really liked this story because basically everything about Davros’ plan made sense from his twisted perspective. Yes, within the first five seconds or so of the Doctor’s first appearance, I figured out what was going on, but even then I had only half of the plan. The time travel stuff wasn’t something I was expecting, but I enjoyed it, particularly Flip’s reaction to Napoleon. And of course I loved the snippy dialogue between Davros and the Doctor.

Of course the performances are excellent as usual, with particular kudos to Baker and Molloy for pulling off two very difficult tasks. Baker continues to prove time and again that his performance as the Doctor was not why the show got cancelled and he got fired. I also really liked Greenwood as Flip and Kumar as Jared, though their relationship frequently put me in mind of Rose and Mickey, and it doesn’t help that Flip’s accent is more than a little like Rose’s. And, of course, it’s always fun hearing Briggs (who also directed), doing the voice of the daleks, though it does mean that in my mind’s eye I often picture the more modern dalek design than the old one, but, well, such is life.

I don’t have any real complaints about this story at all. It really hit on all cylinders. Excellent all around and a great example of Big Finish’s work. In fact, if you’re someone who is completely new to the audios, I suggest you follow this link and buy a copy. Only $13 to download. What’s not to like?

Live-Blogging the State of the Union

Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin.

7:07pm MST – I find it amusing when commentators say, “I think we’ll hear the president say X”, when they have a copy of the speech right in front of them.

7:09pm – Apparently the most conservative justices aren’t there. That’s inappropriate. I don’t care what your politics are, if you’re on the Supreme Court, you should be there.

7:10pm – Here we go!

7L11pm – Starts by basically announcing the end of the war in Iraq. Sensible, though the line about it somehow making us safer and more respected around the world is total bullshit.

7:13pm – Now mentioning bin Laden. I think I get the idea here. He’s going to start reminding America of all the ass-kickery he’s done.

7:15pm – Nothing like a little sucking up to the so-called “greatest generation”.

7:16pm – Everyone gets a fair shot and plays by the same rules. We can only dream.

7:17pm – Now he’s reminding us of how he got into office on the back of a recession and how the bankers basically screwed this country. Good, I hope people are paying attention.

7:18pm – Mentioning the three million new jobs is a good thing, as is mentioning the new rules for Wall Street. I do roll my eyes a bit about the notion that we’re somehow going to become a massive manufacturing powerhouse to the world.

7:21pm – That’s right, kids. Obama helped save GM. McCain would not have. There’s all you need to know.

7:22pm – What he isn’t saying is that makes business sense for companies to bring jobs back to the USA because our wages have dropped.

7:23pm – I am 100% in favor of removing any tax deduction for companies that move jobs overseas. The idea of cutting taxes for companies that stay in the USA and hire in the USA is good, too.

7:25pm – Eric Cantor looks pissy at the notion of taxes being lowered on American businesses. How sad.

7:27pm – Speaking up in defense of balancing our trade rules.Not a bad idea, but I’ll believe it when I see it. China has no interest in balancing our trade with them, and no interest in enforcing copyright laws, etc.

7:29pm – Mentioning that American companies are having problems hiring skilled workers and the like is a good thing. We really do need to refocus on the sciences in our schools (says the guy who is majoring in sociology, but, hey, someone has to flip your burgers).

7:32pm – This sounds like a call to end the stupidity of “No Child Left Behind,” especially the part about not teaching to the test. Sounds good to me.

7:32pm – He’s calling on every state to pass rules mandating that all students stay in school until they graduate or turn 18. I can’t complain about that! I think it’s a splendid idea.

7:33pm – “…stop the student loan rates from doubling in July.” I can get behind that. I can also get behind extending the tuition tax credit and adding more work-study jobs, something I’d be quite willing to do.

7:34pm – “Higher education can’t be a luxury…” Wow, what an elitist, eh?

7:35pm – Revisiting the Dream Act. I really hope we can get that one passed and hope that we can find ways to keep other people here that we educate.

7:36pm – Chuckles McCain stays seated while others applaud the notion of comprehensive immigration reform. Tell me why he’s so in favor of our current immigration system?

7:39pm – During the applause I keep hearing a sound that’s almost like a phone ringing. It’s driving me nuts since I keep looking at my phone each time it happens.

7:41pm – Developing natural gas resources safely and requiring companies to disclose what chemicals they use. Sounds good to me.

7:42pm – This is a reminder that Solyndra was using experimental technology and sometimes experiments fail. This is true, and we need to keep trying for solar, wind and the like.

7:43pm – End oil subsidies? I love that Republicans remain seated and motionless for that notion. But I thought they wanted to end government welfare? I also remain baffled that the idea of having a cleaner environment is somehow not worthy of applause.

7:45pm – I keep seeing an odd camera angle that makes it look like holy beams of light are falling on the president. I tell you now that Fox News will find a way to complain about this.

7:46pm – Good to remind us of the great public works programs under FDR and Eisenhower both. I also like the call for rebuilding our infrastructure, something that needs to be done soon and will only get more expensive the longer we wait.

7:47pm – I like the plan to help people refinance their mortgages. I bet the banks aren’t too pleased about it.

7:48pm – “No bailouts, handouts or cop-outs,” directed toward big corporations. I’m pleased about that.

7:50pm – Spilled milk joke: really? Really? Gads. Don’t give up your day job, Mr President.

7:51pm – Reminding us of the real positive changes in the health care reform bill. The changes almost everyone likes. Good idea.

7:52pm – Reiterating that there will be no more bailouts for the banks. I hope that’s true.

7:53pm – A financial crimes unit. Wouldn’t it be just fun to watch a reality TV show based on that? Ok, probably not, but the highlights from it would be fun.

7:54pm – Eric Cantor looks like he’s passing a kidney stone at the idea of passing an extension on tax cuts for the poor and middle class.

7:57pm – So close to invoking the 99% meme!

7:59pm – reducing our deficit through a shared sense of responsibility. Personal responsibility and the sharing thereof is not the practice of the GOP.

8:00pm – Just mentioned that most Americans assume nothing will get done this year. This was right as I was about to type just that, so…yeah.

8:01pm – A bill to ban insider trading by members of Congress. Hands up everyone who didn’t know that was illegal already, same with the stock ownership rule.

8:03pm – An appeal for calm and unity. It’s a nice idea, but especially in an election year like this one, it just isn’t going to happen.

8:04pm – Calling out the Republicans for their hypocrisy about government spending. A smart idea.

8:06pm – Hope he’s right about Syria.

8:08pm – The expected boilerplate about Iran and nukes. I don’t imagine it will amount to much. I mean, really, how many people are willing to have another ten year war in the Mid-East to stop Iran from maybe, possibly, having a nuclear bomb that they might maybe, possibly, use against Israel?

8:09pm – I find it interesting that he mentioned Burma. The situation is improving there, as are our relations, and that’s not getting as much coverage as it should.

8:10pm – Getting a bit jingoistic for my tastes. I know he has to, but I still roll my eyes.

8:12pm – Yes, yes, we all know our soldiers are just the bestest, most amazingest people ever, ever and we have to give them everything they ask for! Cause, you know, they already get paid and get lifetime benefits when the vast majority of them never see combat. But, hey, why not give them even more? I bet all the “cut spending” Republicans won’t want to cut any of that spending.

8:13pm – Pointing out that it no longer matters if you’re gay or straight in the military. For those of us liberals who are sometimes disappointed by Obama, it’s remembering that under his watch DADT finally ended.

8:16pm – And that’s that, after the usual stupid religious sign-off.

It wasn’t a bad speech. I don’t feel particularly inspired, but I do believe he did an excellent job of reminding Americans of the successes we’ve had under his administration and calling out the Republicans, however slightly, on the lies they’ve been campaigning on.

So, it Might Be Newt

I didn’t really comment on this the other day, but, wow. Newt in South Carolina, eh? Good on him for a good performance. I suppose it’s probably not all that hard to beat up on a Ken doll with Reed Richards hair, but still.

In many ways I feel that for the GOP nominating Newt would be one of the worst things possible. He’s frankly just not that electable, and his marital past will likely continue to be an issue for him. For the record, I don’t care about it one way or the other, though I do find it somewhat rich given his behavior toward the Clintons in the 1990s. I also don’t mind if someone wants an open marriage, though I do feel that telling your wife you want one after you’ve already fucked someone else is perhaps a bit tacky.

Still, beyond that, I don’t see him being electable. He doesn’t appeal to anyone outside the GOP base. I’m sure a lot of Republicans will hold their nose and vote for him anyhow, but those that don’t will likely just stay home and not vote at all. The independents certainly won’t be interested in him.

I’ll say now that if he’s the nominee, then I look for Obama to have a fairly easy reelection. Gingrich will take the South and some of the mid-western states. Obama will clean up on the coasts, Florida, possibly Ohio, Virginia and North Carolina, and will likely get Arizona. Of course I could be wrong, and it might still be Romney. I guess we’ll see.

An Overdue Decision

I respect Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), and wish her well in her recovery. That is something that I feel will be aided by today’s announcement that she’s resigning from Congress.

Now as you all know, or should know, I’m an extreme left-leaning Socialist who is by default a Democrat since we don’t have a viable Socialist party in this country. That said, I feel that frankly she should have resigned as soon as she was physically able to do so. Remaining in office long-term wasn’t something that was likely to happen and she should have stepped aside a while ago so that the party could have tried to get someone else into her seat.

I do wish her all the best, and I hope that she recovers enough to run for office in the future. For now, I think she’s making the right choice.

On the Sofa – “The Big Big Finish Special!”

Here we are! Three different videos for your enjoyment.

Mostly talking about the new series and the recent, and upcoming, DVD releases.

And finally part three!

Discussing the various Doctor Who spinoffs as well as the series itself.

LINKS:

“Invasion of the Dinosaurs”

“The Android Invasion”

Big Finish

Gallifrey One

Big Finish Review – Doctor Who – The Lost Stories – The Fourth Doctor

(special thanks to Big Finish for providing me with review copies!)

Big Finish is continuing their introduction of Fourth Doctor audio adventures with this, a “lost story” from the Tom Baker era. It’s worth noting that when you get this set, you get 300 minutes of audio goodness, and you get an entire set of extra features. Yes, the price is a bit steep, but believe me: it’s worth it!

Staring Tom Baker as the Doctor and Louise Jameson as Leela.

The Foe from the Future

“The Grange is haunted, so they say. This stately home in the depths of Devon has been the site of many an apparition. And now people are turning up dead. The ghosts are wild in the forest. But the Doctor doesn’t believe in ghosts.

The TARDIS follows a twist in the vortex to the village of Staffham in 1977 and discovers something is very wrong with time. But spectral highwaymen and cavaliers are the least of the Doctor’s worries.

For the Grange is owned by the sinister Jalnik, and Jalnik has a scheme two thousand years in the making. Only the Doctor and Leela stand between him and the destruction of history itself. It’s the biggest adventure of their lives – but do they have the time?” – bigfinish.com

The Foe from the Future: Paul Freeman (Jalnik), Louise Brealey (Charlotte), Blake Ritson (Instructor Shibac), Mark Goldthorp (Constable Burrows), Philip Pope (Father Harpin), Jaimi Barbakoff (Supreme Councillor Geflo), Dan Starkey (Historiographer Osin), Camilla Power (Councillor Kostal)

This was a long story. At six parts it’s equal in length to TV stories like “Genesis of the Daleks” and “The Talons of Weng-Chiang.” At times in the show’s history, that’s led to very bloated stories. In this case it really works to the story’s advantage. At no time did I feel like it was padded, and that’s not often the case even with some four part stories.

Tom Baker and Louise Jameson are as one would expect: excellent. Baker still doesn’t sound quite like I’m used to from the TV series, but the more I listen, the more I come to accept things as they are now. And special recognition needs to go to Louise Brealy, who creates a character I could easily see as a companion. Come on, Big Finish. Let’s give Four a new companion all his own!

As for the villain of the piece, well, Jalnik frankly isn’t that interesting. He’s kind of a stock Who villain, and while that isn’t really a bad thing, I do kind of wish they had done more with him.

That said, the story was otherwise wonderful, all the acting was great, and I’m pleased to report that Big Finish has (or, if you’re English, have), another great work on their hands!

The Valley of Death

“A century after his Great-Grandfather Cornelius vanished in the Amazon rainforest, Edward Perkins is journeying to the depths of the jungle to find out what became of his ancestor’s lost expedition. Intrigued by what appears to be a description of a crashed spacecraft in the diaries of that first voyage, the Doctor and Leela join him on his quest. But when their plane runs into trouble and ends up crash landing, everyone gets more than they bargained for.

The jungle is filled with giant creatures and angry tribesmen, all ready to attack. But in the famed lost city of the Maygor tribe, something far, far worse is lurking. Something with an offer to make to mankind. Who are the Lurons and can they be trusted? Will the Doctor defeat the plans of the malevolent Godrin or will he become just another victim of the legendary Valley of Death?” – bigfinish.com

The Valley of Death: Nigel Carrington (Emissary Godrin/Dr Summersby/Announcer), Delia Lindsay (Overlord Saldor/Newsreader), Jane Slavin (Valerie Carlton), Anthony Howell (Edward Perkins), David Killick (Professor Cornelius Perkins), Richard Bremmer (General Hemmings/Valcon/Taxi Driver)

This was an interesting one. I’d thought it was going to be a big adventure in the Amazon rain forest, dealing with tribesmen, strange creatures and nasty weather. It was that, to a point, but then about halfway through it became something altogether different.

I did feel that the bad guys were, at times, a little over the top; a little too “see how gloriously EVIL I am! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” But on the other hand, that fits well with the era of the show, and it also gets explained at the end, which was something quite unexpected

But for all the over the top nature of the villain, he was still quite interesting, and kept me guessing as to exactly what was going on. And also in keeping with the era, I loved how they had a ready explanation for why the Brigadier wasn’t on hand to deal with certain things as they came up.

Baker and Jameson are still doing well with the roles, and the guests, especially Slavin and Howell, are wonderful in their roles. Carrington chews so much scenery that it’s probably for the best that this is an audio production, as I doubt they could have afforded to constantly replace the sets on a TV show.

In almost every way this felt like an authentic adventure from the late 1970s. Everything really fit well, and in my mind I was able to visualize exactly how it would look; from the cheap airplane miniature to the odd swapping between film and video tape. Admittedly, this is somewhat helped by the fact that I had, just the night before, watched “The Android Invasion”, which shares a couple of elements with this story.

With the great authenticity, excellent story and wonderful acting, this is one I can recommend wholeheartedly. So far Big Finish is batting a thousand on the Baker audios. I hope this trend continues.

AUTHOR: Robert Banks Stewart, adapted by John Dorney; Philip Hinchcliffe, adapted by Jonathan Morris
DIRECTOR:
Ken Bentley

Badger’s Bible Project – Ruth

Yes, kids, for the first time we get an entire book of the Bible in one post! How exciting! Of course the entire “book” is only three pages, but there you are.

I will say at the outset that this book surprised me. There’s no god, there’s no angels, there’s no genocide, there’s no smiting. There’s just a lonely, middle-aged woman and her daughter-in-law trying to make a life for themselves, and that’s far more interesting, inspiring and heartwarming than anything I’ve read so far (which, admittedly, isn’t saying much).

We begin with Naomi, a woman who lives in Moab. She’s married and has two adult sons (Mahlon and Chillion), who have married women named Ruth and Oprah. So, apparently the divine Ms. O is older than we’d all suspected. Anyhow, Naomi’s husband dies (Ruth 1:3), and then this:

“Then both Mahlon and Chillion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband” – Ruth 1:5

How unpleasant, and though that’s not something most of us have experienced, I think we can all empathize. What a horrible thing that must be to go through, especially since, as there’s no mention of grandchildren, the sons probably died fairly young. From what I can piece together from my somewhat fragmentary knowledge of ancient Jewish marriages, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the sons were in their mid-teens at the time of their deaths, which would be really horrible for their mother.

So Naomi, having lost her two children and her husband, now decides it’s time to leave Moab and return home. She still has her dead sons’ widows hanging around, and doesn’t want them to feel obligated, so she tells Ruth and Oprah that they are welcome to get on with their lives. Oprah agrees, but Ruth doesn’t.

“But Ruth said:
‘Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your god, my god.
Where you die, I will die,
And there be buried.
The Lord do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me.’” – Ruth 1:16 – 17

Well, it’s a bit emo and a bit co-dependent, but frankly it’s also kind of lovely. It seems like it’s Ruth saying that she’s with Naomi through thick or thin, even if it means living in a strange land, with new people and worshiping a new god. But is there something else? I don’t know about you, but my third thought upon reading this was, “Lesbians!” Turns out I’m not the only one. I doubt this is meant to be the case. I think it’s just the sort of weird, flowery language of ancient Hebrew by way of Greek and early modern English, but I won’t say it’s outside the realm of possibility. Of course for this to be an accurate view, you have to overlook Ruth spending much of the rest of the book falling in love with a man.

Anyhow, Naomi and Ruth arrive back at Naomi’s hometown where people are pleased to see her, but she seems understandably bitter.

“But she said to them, ‘Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
“‘I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?’” – Ruth 1:20 – 21

Couple of things here. First off, according to my Bible, the name “Mara” means “bitter”, which was a surprise since I thought it meant “unconvincing snake thing“. Second, yeah, I bet she’s bitter! Her husband and sons are both dead, and she’s too old to have any more (Ruth 1:11). I can well understand her bitterness.

Anyhow, it seems that they arrived at her hometown, Bethlehem, just in time for the local barely harvest. Ruth heads out to glean some of the heads of grain from the fields owned by a man named Boaz. He sees her working, and seems quite taken by her, though he starts by referring to her as “my daughter” (Ruth 2:8), which is kind of creepy given what happens later. I assume it’s just a reasonably subtle way of showing that he’s quite a bit older than she is.

He then starts being nice to her, and she’s confused about this, and asks him why.

“And Boaz answered and said to her, ‘It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before.
“‘The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given to you by the lord god of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.’” – Ruth 2:11 – 12

Now that’s something that I like. He recognizes that he’s standing before a good and decent woman who made real sacrifices to care for someone who wasn’t a part of her blood family. I like that. I like that a lot.

Ruth likes it, too, and seems to be developing an interesting Boaz, who then does this:

“And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, ‘Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her.
“‘Also let grain from the bunches fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.’” – Ruth 2:15 – 16

So everyone seems happy at this state of affairs, including Naomi, who is very aware that Boaz, who is a relative of hers (Ruth 2:20), might be helpful to them in restoring some stability. She actively encourages Ruth to pursue him, saying:

“‘Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor: but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
“‘Then it shall be, when he lies down, taht you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.’” – Ruth 3:3 – 4

Ruth does this, and Boaz seems quite taken by her behavior. He even makes it clear to all and sundry that in fact nothing happened between them. I kind of like that idea. I find the notion of preserving a woman’s virtue to be very quaint and not out of place here.

Things kind of go from there. Boaz wants to marry her, but knows there’s someone else ahead of him (according to the law), who gets first dibs. He sorts this out by making the other man an offer he won’t accept and then the other man makes Boaz an offer he can’t refuse. The two marry and, unusually for a Bible story, everyone lives happily ever after.

I found that this Bible story was quite decent and enjoyable, once I got past the dense language. At it’s heart it’s about family and love and that’s something that hasn’t generally existed in the Bible in a positive way. It’s also interesting to see that Ruth was able to be accepted as a convert to Judaism, because it’s my understand that that sort of thing was fairly rare back in the day and can cause problems even now.

We end the book on the birth of child to Ruth and Boaz; a child that Naomi helps mother like he was her own.

“Also the neighbor woman gave him a name, saying, ‘There is a son born to Naomi.’ And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.” – Ruth 4:17

Hmmm…Is that perhaps the David, of whom even I, an atheist, have heard? Perhaps. Tune in next time for the first part of the First Book of Samuel, the first Biblical book to have an official sequel!