August 23, 2004

Optimism as a revolutionary act

Change This - We're betting that a significant portion of the population wants to hear thoughtful, rational, constructive arguments about important issues. We're certain that the best of these manifestos will spread, hand to hand, person to person, until these manifestos have reached a critical mass and actually changed the tone and substance of our debate.
posted by dobbs at 11:34 PM PST - 11 comments

George Takei behind barbed wire

"The camp is in northern California, almost at the Oregon border. It has an almost mockingly poetic name, Camp Tule Lake. It as there in a barbed wire camp built on a wind-swept dry lake bed that I spent two and a half years of my boyhood after a year and a half in another internment camp in Arkansas...These pilgrimages back to a little remembered time in our history help enlarge my appreciation of the preciousness of our American liberty and my awareness of its fragility. They also deepen my understanding of the painful human price paid by such failures of our democracy." Star Trek's George Takei (the unflappable Mr. Sulu) revisits the internment camp of his racially-profiled boyhood.
posted by inksyndicate at 10:50 PM PST - 11 comments

The Curious Case of George's Medals

The Curious Case of George's Medals. Does this picture contain a medal that GW Bush did not earn? All day at the Democratic Underground they've been congratulation themselves for finding the smoking gun. Is it really that easy? Acutally looking at a picture? Must the president *now* release his records to prove that he wasn't wearing a medal that isn't documented in any of his records?
posted by tsarfan at 10:42 PM PST - 76 comments

Utopian Surgery

Utopian Surgery: Early arguments against anaesthesia in surgery, dentistry and childbirth. [Via Long Road to Paradise.]
posted by homunculus at 10:08 PM PST - 3 comments

It's a battle of the Baldwins

The upcoming entertainment lineup for the GOP convention next week is mostly country music, but this article mentions that Stephen Baldwin will be there. Yep, you heard me, a Baldwin. Alec Baldwin was at the DNC last month, and now it's brother vs. brother, Baldwin vs. Baldwin. Remember when you're voting this fall that it's basically a best of the Baldwins contest. You either like Alec, or Stephen, but not both. Now choose your poison Baldwin. [via devoter]
posted by mathowie at 9:16 PM PST - 37 comments

So, not cutting off the hands, eh?

Islamic law, traditionally, as practiced in countries such as Iran, is being considered by courts in Ontario, Canada as to whether it should receive status as a legal manner of settling disputes through arbritration. Canadian women are worried it will be unjust.
posted by shepd at 9:00 PM PST - 19 comments

Don't Hold Back Folks, Let Us Know How You Feel

An Ugly Buildings Hit List seems to be developing in Scotland. The president of the Royal Institute of British Architects is calling for the demolition of the ugliest buildings in Scotland. The Architects have their list, and the press is asking the public to chime in as well (with pictures).
posted by mmahaffie at 8:18 PM PST - 10 comments

Why don't you pretend I'm working?

Outsource Your Own Job! -- "Says a programmer on Slashdot.org who outsourced his job: "About a year ago I hired a developer in India to do my job. I pay him $12,000 out of the $67,000 I get. He's happy to have the work. I'm happy that I have to work only 90 minutes a day just supervising the code. My employer thinks I'm telecommuting. Now I'm considering getting a second job and doing the same thing." " via BBspot.
posted by Space Coyote at 8:00 PM PST - 23 comments

boom chicka wow wow...

D.Film Moviemaker --a cute little toy (just pretend it's Friday, ok? flash, i think.)
posted by amberglow at 7:17 PM PST - 6 comments

'In the penthouse of the Ivory Tower'

' "Oh, you're going to the MLA? What a riot. They're a bunch of sitting ducks." I hadn't been planning to shoot at them, I said'. Lewis Kraus attends the 119th Annual MLA Conference, and asks what it means to be an English professor after the 'crisis of the humanities'.
posted by Sonny Jim at 3:41 PM PST - 10 comments

Do's and Don'ts of Photography.

Do's and Don'ts of Photography. According to Viceland your photos are cliche. Some NSFW language and images.
posted by trbrts at 3:27 PM PST - 22 comments

DCist

DCist. Like Gothamist, but for Washington, DC.
posted by brownpau at 1:20 PM PST - 7 comments

i see bubbles

The next big one has long been in the works. A most bubble-licious swimming center (flash, non) and an equally dramatic main Olympic stadium design were chosen among the shortlist. Does this get an armchair architect's heart racing or what?
posted by of strange foe at 12:17 PM PST - 15 comments

Tasteless Costume Ball

Snatch first prize at a Halloween party! There's plenty of, umm, interesting costumes over at Ronjo. The kids' ones aren't of the pimp and ho caliber, but the doggie pimp is excellent. Or you could just become a prophylactic superhero in your spare time.
posted by bbrown at 12:01 PM PST - 15 comments

Just Cause Law Collective

The Just Cause Law Collective is an excellent resource for outlining what your rights as citizens or non-citizens are within the U.S. in text and illustrations that are understandable by the layperson. It also includes advice on how to survive police encounters and a special section for activists. via BoingBoing
posted by substrate at 9:57 AM PST - 22 comments

Girl Hanged

A 16 year-old girl was hanged in Iran for having a "sharp tongue," i.e. back-talking the judge.
posted by tbc at 7:49 AM PST - 140 comments

Broadband vs Dialup

There are now more home internet users using broadband than dialup in the U.S. - Does this mean that web designers will continue down the same path as some programmers and create bloated code? Are the days of trying to be efficient and keeping pages less than 70k a thing of the past?
posted by tomplus2 at 5:08 AM PST - 29 comments

The Frugal Frankenstien

How to Build Your Own Scientific Laboratory For Free: Parts One, Two, and Three. (Though I suppose if you have a bit of cash and happen to live in Boston, you can always check out the MIT Swap Meet to pick up those endless piles of oscillators or half-functioning VAX computers you almost certainly need...)
posted by kaibutsu at 3:03 AM PST - 2 comments

New Labor Laws

Many of you will lose your overtime benefits today. Welcome to Monday morning!
posted by RavinDave at 1:40 AM PST - 65 comments

Godchecker

Godchecker.com -Your guide to the gods
posted by Grod at 12:49 AM PST - 14 comments

« Previous day | Next day »