Wow. I was up all night planning my invasion of France & Poland but this guy has led me to seriously question my intentions. God bless you, sir!
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 7:39 AM on July 5, 2008

He's not a ninny. He's terrified of seeing his country start another war, exterminate another nation, or corrupt itself once again with fantasies of triumph. If he's engaging in civil disobedience to represent that fear in the public square, then I promise you that somewhere, at least one of his teachers is smiling...however uneasily.

That's some industrial strength projecting there. Seems much more likely that he was just mentally ill.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 9:17 AM on July 5, 2008

I disagree for all the reasons I outlined above. There's no need to speculate on mental illness when the actions are perfectly comprehensible from within a given cultural frame of reference. Moreover, I think it's very likely that Mme Tussaud's was being intentionally provocative and culturally insensitive. They probably considered the possibility of defacement and reckoned that any controversy would drive ticket sales.

Rrrright. Except that they're... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 10:02 AM on July 5, 2008

See also
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 5:01 AM on July 2, 2008

But it did raise a good question. It IS clearly possible to dress modestly without looking like Laura Ingalls -- so is there something else going on there?

Good question -- my take is that the radical elements of the LDS church see themselves as returning the religion to its 'true roots' and this clothing style hearkens (sp?) back to the time when the church was in its formative years. That's why the ladies don't dress like Ahmedinejad's smokin' hot... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 5:11 AM on July 2, 2008

I was in love with the movie up to the point where humans entered the picture and the first 'real' dialogue came in. It was so skillful in telling this nearly wordless story that it felt like the spell was broken once it got more conventional. Don't let that stop you from seeing it though, it was sooooo much better than 'Cars'.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 1:06 PM on July 1, 2008

No love for Godspeed You! Black Emperor?
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 7:19 PM on June 24, 2008

No offense intended, but that Jimmy Dean thing was awful in 1961, and still is. Someone talking (or reading "poetic" content of some sort) over a limited rhythmic vamp, is not technically, or historically, a "song". Never was, never will be. (see "Rap") It may or may not be interesting or valuable as a story, a rhyming scheme, or in a sociological or political context or whatever, but it's hardly a song, in the true sense, except as a semantic... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 5:17 AM on June 19, 2008

1. Get something shocking
2. Juxtapose with something banal
3. Profit!
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 6:29 PM on June 18, 2008

Just curious, where is he getting the money from at this point?
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 5:10 AM on June 18, 2008

I wonder how many of these people have microwaves and portable phones, both of which transmit radio waves in the 2.4 GHz frequency as WiFi.

(My guess is "all of them".)

Oh, well. At least they get attention and a reason to feel like they're special.

Thanks for that, I was wondering that exact thing but I couldn't remember what other things were on that same spectrum.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 12:40 PM on June 17, 2008

I read Zambrano's comment as validation that I am spectactularly good-looking. And that's actually correct.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 12:46 PM on June 17, 2008

Countdown to Cory Doctorow blogging it in 5....4.....3.....2....

Hey, did you know he has a new book out?
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 2:15 PM on June 16, 2008

"If Michael Savage, Ben Stein, Sean Hannity, Tom Delay, and Rush Limbaugh are all attacking you, you must be doing something right."

OR....you could be the leading democratic party front-runner and nothing you say or do could ever be wrong in the eyes of YOUR mob....so the OTHER mob simply needs ratings too. I think it has less to do with "doing something right" and more to do with unceasing lip flapping, ass kissing, and verbiage before... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 11:10 AM on June 15, 2008

Isn't anyone a bit troubled by Obama's abrupt about-face on the Jerusalem question? Forget the issue itself (That way madness lies.), but the fact that he took an unequivocal stance on a united Jerusalem one day, and backpedaled like Lyle Lovett walking into a barbershop the next. Either he gave in to pressure or he didn't understand the issue in the first place. Neither reflects well. Maybe there's a middle ground I don't see.

Good luck finding anyone on Metafilter... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 11:13 AM on June 15, 2008

Those were two distinctly useless contributions to the mix. I'm going to interpret from your lack of use of any of the standard quoting conventions, that you haven't spent much time here. Otherwise, you'd see that, while it is likely true that the MeFite majority is pro-Obama, it's not blindered, unwavering support. I would put the majority of us in the guardedly optimistic category.

OK, how about some examples?
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 12:58 PM on June 15, 2008

Justinian, how about some examples that it's "not blindered, unwavering support"?
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 1:52 PM on June 15, 2008

You mean like what I posted about Obama's Jerusalem comments like FIVE POSTS before you claimed that all we did was blind, unwavering support? Where I said it was not a good comment and that it was pandering to AIPAC?

OK, I'll apologize for my confusing post. My initial response to yours came from genuine surprise at seeing anyone criticize Obama here in a genuine way and I don't want to denigrate what you did. psmealey made the generalization that "most"... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 3:00 PM on June 15, 2008

Well, he doesn't actually walk on water yet.

Actually, platitudes about 'hope' and 'change' greatly enhance this ability, so it's coming any day now.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 3:05 PM on June 15, 2008

Justinian, fair enough. And I agree with the points you've made.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 3:33 PM on June 15, 2008

psmealey, I'll suck it up and admit to some unclear wording in my original post. I'm not claiming that no MeFite ever criticizes Obama, I am saying that there is a marked lack of criticism of him. I'd like to see a few links that I might have missed that offer some substantial criticism. So far browsing through the posts tagged with Obama hasn't helped much. I'll be the adult here and refrain from name calling.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 6:14 PM on June 15, 2008

This has certainly been instructive. I make the observation that MeFites seem to lack skepticism of Obama, the response back is nuh-uh because we say so, and when I ask for some evidence otherwise I'm told to go construct some. Thanks guys!
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 11:16 AM on June 16, 2008

He's a DJ on one of the radio stations in Grand Theft Auto IV.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 10:39 AM on June 16, 2008

When the most high profile liberal writers lose all sense of decorum you know we've gone through the looking glass as a nation. Sounds similar to the Vonnegut interviews before his passing. These are the canaries in the coal mine right before the CO takes em. Instead of heeding their warnings we write them off as bitter curmudgeons so as not to interrupt our solipsistic existence.

OK, so I should be watching for liberal writers to become greater and greater nonsensical... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 3:14 PM on June 15, 2008

it's unfortunate that of a population of 300 million people, only two men will tell you the truth. without george carlin and gore vidal, the candle goes out.

Wait a minute kitchenrat, you didn't include yourself in that count, so... is this like one of those "island of truthtellers/island of liars" brain teasers?
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 3:29 PM on June 15, 2008

I remember in high school a police officer came in to 'talk about child abuse' and ended up showing us slides of horrific abuse for over an hour - burns, cuts, blood, the works. A few students left the room during the presentation. Looking back on it now it seems like some sort of sadistic passive-agressive exercise with no real purpose.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 8:00 AM on June 13, 2008

Wait, I thought everyone moved to Canada after the last presidential election?
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 6:40 AM on June 11, 2008

I can just imagine the reaction of the MeFites if this was an article about Christian banking. Pray tell, how do gay & lesbian owned businesses fare in the Muslim world?
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 4:47 PM on June 6, 2008

...and I just loved these 2 sentences:

Islamic Banking - ethical investment by definition - offers devout Muslims a wide range of Sharia compliant, financial products.

Finally, western governments have caught on as well - England and Hong Kong both have plans to issue Islamic bonds, hoping to tap into offshore oil wealth.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 5:00 PM on June 6, 2008

...And the workers rose up to seize the means of production from The Man, New York became a Socialist paradise, and crime dropped dramatically over the coming decades.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 6:40 AM on May 27, 2008

and then it’s off to bars and parties, where you meet, and often bed, girls of widely varied hues and sizes.

Wow, if only. I guess all the video gaming wasn't conducive to meeting girls of any hues or sizes.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 6:22 PM on January 30, 2008

A couple of years later I moved and started working. I started noticing characters in movies who were in their 20's and played video games all the time. I noticed professional athletes talk about playing video games. At some point, I got a sense about how widespread it is. I still am not used to it. I still think the whole thing is amazing. The idea of adults playing video games with any sort of frequency or seriousness strikes me about the same as it would if adults started using... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 6:35 PM on January 30, 2008

More evidence that Katamari Damacy corrupts young minds.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 5:50 AM on November 20, 2007

Ditto what others have said about not using the classroom to preach. But these are left-wing fundamentalists, and in this they are no different from Pat Robertson -- theirs is the right way, and any deviation from this path must be rooted in hate or racism. Question authority, indeed.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 6:31 PM on November 10, 2007

Dad?
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 7:36 PM on October 23, 2007

Those darn conservatives at NPR!!
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 9:15 PM on September 29, 2007

Don't nuke me, bro.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 6:36 AM on September 25, 2007

An attack on Iran would be illegal under the UN Charter, which only allows the use of force in cases of self-defense or when authorized by the Security Council.

Hell, even Clinton violated that one.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 6:37 AM on September 25, 2007

i really find all the posturing about attacking iran very amusing (and tiresome). the US can't even pacify iraq, what is it going to do about iran?

as i see it, the only way (given the need to maintain a presence in iraq) the US will ever be able to start and finish a conflict with iran is if it well and truly kills everybody in the country. it can't be occupied because there aren't enough troops, even if there were enough troops the US wouldn't be able to... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 6:51 AM on September 25, 2007

Since when was the war in Afghanistan "deeply unpopular"?? The opposition to the action in Afghanistan was nowhere near what it was for Iraq.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 7:28 PM on August 29, 2007

Also, what was illegal about the war in Afghanistan?
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 7:30 PM on August 29, 2007

I'm building a steampunk Disney-themed Katamari out of old clock parts with an abusive EULA that forces you to read through posts from my friend Violet Blue in order to get a rootkit installed on your machine. SEX!

There, now you don't have to read BoingBoing for the rest of the year.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 7:37 PM on August 28, 2007

Ditto to everything above. Genius. Also batshit crazy, which may be part & parcel of genius.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 5:23 PM on August 16, 2007

This description made me think of Bad Ronald, which is the most badass TV movie of the 70s. That is all.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 3:59 PM on August 15, 2007

It's cruel to make fun of such a person because that's all he's ever known and he's a product of his culture. It's better to make fun of Christians from the southern US, because that's all they've ever known and they're a product of their culture.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 4:53 AM on August 12, 2007

I'm Barbara Streisand...

Finally my chance! You're a pompous, self-righteous bitch.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 5:59 AM on July 13, 2007

The Madrid train bombings certainly seemed to work in getting Spain to pull out of Iraq.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 5:52 AM on July 13, 2007

Innovation isn't exclusively driven by the private sector. Plus new hospital equipment is in demand in every industrialized nation -- all but one with public healthcare.
posted by NailsTheCat

I don't think anybody's arguing that it's "exclusively" driven by the private sector, but that it's overwhelmingly driven by the private sector.
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 8:44 PM on July 3, 2007

The United States has 10 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, at $4.5 billion each. The Iraq War has cost over $423 billion and we're spending about $8.4 billion per month.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:44 AM on July 3

So by the logic that defines socialized medicine as 'free', war is free too! Bonus!
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 8:54 PM on July 3, 2007

If you're glad that Antioch is being shut down merely on the basis that it somehow annoyed or embarrassed you, I'd encourage you to re-examine your civic priorities. That kind of reaction embodies the "self-hating" liberal phenomenon, which has allowed rightist to make more inroads than any single other factor.

Actually, it does go beyond just being annoyed. If the faculty and students at Antioch are anything like the far-left fascists... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by mattholomew at 6:04 PM on June 13, 2007