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“It is important to the future of our Nation to recognize that there is a problem of credibility today.” Government has an obligation to present information to the public promptly and accurately so that the public’s evaluation of Government activities is not distorted. “The administration should clarify its intent … People lack confidence in the credibility of our government. Even our allies are beginning to suspect what we say. It’s a difficult thing today to be informed about our government even without all the secrecy”
posted by growabrain at 11:46 PM PST - 19 comments

The Aquaskipper
24 pounds of water-hopping hydrofoil chicanery (wmv file).
posted by fenriq at 9:58 PM PST - 18 comments

Legend of the Red Green Dragon. LOTGD is "a browser based role playing game, based on Seth Able's Legend of the Red Dragon."

Create a character, flirt with Violet the bar wench, flirt with Seth the Bard! Survive through the worst in the forest outside of town! Host your own game!
posted by rachsumat at 9:51 PM PST - 28 comments

Select insiders will apppreciate Volume VII of Esoterica, this one being a Special Political Issue which leads with Religion and Secrecy in the Bush Administration: The Gentleman, the Prince, and the Simulacrum. Previous issues have featured articles like Sun Ra: From Ephrata (F-Ra-Ta) to Arkestra, Magic and Cyberspace and The Western Quest for 'Secret Tibet'--to name but a very few. And check out the Image Library, too. Via Other Voices
posted by y2karl at 9:44 PM PST - 11 comments

These animated cat gifs need some navigation, ok?
posted by If I Had An Anus at 9:16 PM PST - 34 comments

Zombie Dogs U.S. scientists have succeeded in reviving dogs after three hours of clinical death, paving the way for trials on humans within years.
posted by stevis at 8:04 PM PST - 39 comments

A space ring around earth is envisioned as a means to bring down global warming. I couldn't help but think of "scorching the sky" à la Matrix.
posted by Tlahtolli at 7:04 PM PST - 22 comments

The Bearded Woman

Each time she noticed,
She had meant to pluck
The three black hairs
But the days were short;
Her fingers touched her chin then forgot
Thus fatigue grew curling into wisdom.

- Jane Hirshfield
posted by DeepFriedTwinkies at 7:04 PM PST - 6 comments

Dumpster World - "Your Dumpster Diving and Curb Crawling Resource." [via Information Nation, which also links to that story of a woman who was recently unloaded into a garbage truck]
posted by mediareport at 6:20 PM PST - 19 comments

Tom Cruise Kills Oprah Quick and silly. [mov file]
posted by zardoz at 6:16 PM PST - 38 comments

[A] small enough group to fit in a moderate size university classroom: just "118 people comprise the membership on the boards of director of the ten big [US] media giants." [also seen at Independent World Television & RepublicofT
posted by dash_slot- at 5:04 PM PST - 17 comments

Afghan Children Burned Correspondent Jim Rupert and photographer Moises Saman of Newsday have just done a magnificent report explaining how and why Afghan women and children are increasingly getting burned by exploding kerosene lamps. One of the problems is that the black market is sometimes selling aviation fuel--far more combustible at lower temperatures--as regular kerosene; women and children, who usually have lamp lighting duties, are getting maimed when the lamps explode.
posted by etaoin at 4:01 PM PST - 12 comments

When Taste Politics Meet Terror: The Critical Art Ensemble on Trial. Steve Kurtz was previously discussed here. [Via Disinformation.]
posted by homunculus at 2:03 PM PST - 4 comments

Meet the new watchers California's National Guard has formed a new unit: Known as the Information Synchronization, Knowledge Management and Intelligence Fusion program, the project is part of an expanding nationwide effort to better integrate military intelligence into global anti-terrorism initiatives. Although Guard officials said the new unit would not collect information on American citizens, top National Guard officials have already been involved in tracking at least one recent Mother's Day anti-war rally organized by families of slain American soldiers, according to e-mails obtained by the Mercury News.
posted by amberglow at 1:37 PM PST - 74 comments

Was agriculture a mistake? Guns, Germs, and Steel author Jared Diamond asks this question. Originally published in 1987, it's still completely relevant today. I personally feel that memes are the real culprit, and they are inevitable in any sizable social group with a common system of communication. Could agriculture be an ancient meme which has profoundly impacted the history of mankind?
posted by mullingitover at 1:04 PM PST - 116 comments

Paul Winchell the voice of Tigger passed away on June 24th at the age of 82. In addition to his famous voice, he also helped develop the artificial heart , held over 30 patents, had a plan to feed the hungry with tilapia, was a ventriloquist and was the voice of Gargamel. One day later the voice actor for Piglet also passed away. With Thurl Ravenscroft, the voice of Tony the Tiger, succumbing to prostate cancer in late May, it may be true that celebrities die in threes. Or does tiger voice actor Jim Cummings have something to worry about?
posted by phirleh at 12:15 PM PST - 16 comments

A followup to this story from June 10th, The state of Tennessee is FINALLY investigating allegations of child abuse at Refuge, part of Love In Action International, Inc. But will this investigation actually do anything? And what has happened to Zach? No one seems to be talking...
posted by OhPuhLeez at 12:11 PM PST - 8 comments

Make some science. Take a survey.
posted by WolfDaddy at 12:04 PM PST - 9 comments

Come into the Channel ... If you are only here for twenty-four hours, all will be over and six centuries of shame and insult will be avenged'. See you at Pompey tomorrow to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar.
posted by TimothyMason at 11:40 AM PST - 7 comments

The Department of Education is introducing into all of its elementary and middle schools “Operation Respect: Don’t Laugh at Me,” an intensive curriculum in character development. Operation Respect home page and the "centerpiece" song page (Autoplay Music Warning!) Related dontlaugh.org.
posted by spock at 10:42 AM PST - 90 comments

Harlan Erskine Photography The catalogue for Walker Evans's exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, prepared by John Szarkowski in 1971, opened with a quotation from Walt Whitman: "I do not doubt but the majesty and beauty of the world are latent in any iota of the world ...I do not doubt there is far more in trivialities, insects, vulgar persons, slaves, dwarfs, weeds, rejected refuse, than I have supposed..." This passage has been quoted countless times in the context of photography with good reason. It allows us to sum up the difference between photographing flowers and photographing a milk bottle on a tenement fire escape. Erskine says he tends to gravitate to photographing the milk bottle and not the flower.
posted by Francesnash at 9:09 AM PST - 27 comments

Judaism on trial. After thousands of prominent Russians, including a chess champion and 20 members of parliament, demanded that Russia ban Judaism and Jewish organizations, the state prosecutor is investigating the Shulhan Arukh, a 16th century book of Jewish law (and early example of hypertext), for causing incitement and expressing anti-Russian views. Judaism used to be placed on trial regularly during the Middle Ages, and, except for a famous episode in 1264, it always ended badly for the Jews. So what is going on in Russia?
posted by blahblahblah at 8:35 AM PST - 37 comments

Roger Moore's fantabulous eyebrows
posted by Robot Johnny at 8:17 AM PST - 35 comments

The Supreme Court's Big Day

The court chose not to review the controversy surrounding "reporter's privilege" in withholding the names of confidential sources; meaning reporters may continue to be jailed or fined for refusing to name sources in court.
 
In Brand-X, the Court decided 6-3 that cable providers did not have to allow competitors to access their lines (the way DSL companies do). FCC opponents had been hopeful the Court would find the other way, opening new markets for competition and service options.

The Court ruled one of two Ten Commandment displays are unconstitutional. The decalogue display on a courthouse wall in Kentucky was found 5-4 to be an unconstitutional endorsement of religion because it was serving a religious purpose. However, the Ten Commandments display on the grounds of Texas' state capitol were found to be constitutional.

The Court finally decided the MGM v Grokster case. The Court found unanimously that the file sharing service can be held liable for the copyright infringement of their users.
posted by falconred at 7:59 AM PST - 57 comments

Commies with headphones.
posted by crunchland at 7:37 AM PST - 18 comments

The Supreme Court broadly expanded eminent domain in Kelo V. New London last Thursday. The city of Freeport, TX wasted no time. City attorneys are preparing legal documents to seize three pieces of waterfront property from two seafood companies for construction of an $8 million private boat marina.

Coming to a city near you soon?
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 6:40 AM PST - 129 comments

Cumulonimbus Mammatus - interesting looking clouds
posted by Gyan at 3:06 AM PST - 16 comments

Richard Whiteley has died aged 61, after failing to recover fully from pneumonia and heart surgery. He will be sadly missed.
posted by mnemosyne at 2:41 AM PST - 27 comments

What Really Happened. The history the government hopes you DON'T learn!
posted by srboisvert at 2:03 AM PST - 39 comments