September 2, 2004
War starts with a W
The full text of George W Bush's acceptance speech. I feel less safe now than I was before, but as of this week it looks like he's going to win.
biographical database on great ideas
Malaspina Great Books. A biographical database on culture, in categories.
Pen Pal Soldiers
A group of pre-schoolers in Maryland got to meet their Army Reserve pen pal. Fourth graders in New York met their Army pen pal. Sixth graders in Mississippi mourn their National Guard pen pal.
A Kantian Rationale for Desire-Based Reasons
"Suppose you are looking for your keys. You check your pocket, then a table by the door, and you finally notice them sitting next to a pile of mail. "These are my keys," you say. Clearly the word "these" refers to your keys. but on what does this fact supervene? Which conditions are such that, necessarily, if they obtain, then your use of 'these' has the referent it does?"
Philosophers' Imprint is a web site devoted to the free dissemination of philosophy scholarship. The above by Susanna Siegel, Assist. Prof. at Harvard.
Native Languages of the Americas
Native Languages of the Americas: Preserving and promoting American Indian languages.
Daily links to lefty internationalist articles with a British bent
Selves and Others. Daily links to leftist internationalist articles, with a British bent.
One neat thing is that the site builds pages for its contributors. You like Naomi Klein? Arundhati Roy? Sidney Blumenthal? George Monbiot? Andreas Whittam Smith? Michael Moore? Mickey Z? Seymour Hersh? It's like they've each got their own newspaper.
The Night They Missed the Horror Movie
Stories by Joe R. Lansdale If you're a fan of Joe Lansdale (or wonder who came up with the idea for Bubba Ho-Tep), this site's for you. A different short story is posted every Thursday. Most of the stories are from his early years.
Kobe
New York's Finest Sweep Up Streets
Protests at RNC test appropriate response
An eyewitness account by I Can't Believe Its A Democracy - "I just have to pause here for a moment to make an observation. How many times have I seen an interview with an arrested protester who claimed he or she had done nothing to provoke the police. Almost always my reaction has been, "Yeah, sure." Only now I was seeing this very situation unfold in front of my eyes. These protesters, while certainly noisy, had obeyed police instructions down the entire length of the street. Now they were being treated as if they had gotten wildly out of control, but they hadn't. I know, because I was there."
Another account from Captain Normal (also an eyewitness and even got arrested and held for 24 hours without being charged or being able to contact a lawyer) discusses a family of French tourists caught up in the sweep as well as some of the other residents of "Gitmo on the Hudson".
An eyewitness account by I Can't Believe Its A Democracy - "I just have to pause here for a moment to make an observation. How many times have I seen an interview with an arrested protester who claimed he or she had done nothing to provoke the police. Almost always my reaction has been, "Yeah, sure." Only now I was seeing this very situation unfold in front of my eyes. These protesters, while certainly noisy, had obeyed police instructions down the entire length of the street. Now they were being treated as if they had gotten wildly out of control, but they hadn't. I know, because I was there."
Another account from Captain Normal (also an eyewitness and even got arrested and held for 24 hours without being charged or being able to contact a lawyer) discusses a family of French tourists caught up in the sweep as well as some of the other residents of "Gitmo on the Hudson".
my friend my friend, my friend ...
Rank That Fruit!
Iraq In Transition: Vortex or Catalyst?
Iraq In Transition: Vortex or Catalyst? (PDF)
A key message of the report is that should Iraq fragment, a sectarian struggle between the Shi’a majority and Sunni minority is more likely to flare up in the context of a political breakdown. Al Qaeda and other militant Sunni groups will contribute to the polarisation between Sunnis, Shi’a and other religious groups in Iraq. A fragmented Iraq could provide a breeding ground for new militant factions, both Islamist and non-Islamist. Press release
A key message of the report is that should Iraq fragment, a sectarian struggle between the Shi’a majority and Sunni minority is more likely to flare up in the context of a political breakdown. Al Qaeda and other militant Sunni groups will contribute to the polarisation between Sunnis, Shi’a and other religious groups in Iraq. A fragmented Iraq could provide a breeding ground for new militant factions, both Islamist and non-Islamist. Press release
Sculptor Tom Otterness
Selected sculptures from Free Money and Other Fairy Tales and Tom Otterness on Broadway, from the artist best known for his New York public art. Crying Giant was originally designed for the Trade Center Memorial Competition. Other exhibitions as well, including Fairy Tale Sculptures by the Sea. His work is rarely mentioned without the word "whimsical."
(WTC mentioned on MeFi here, and Otterness also mentioned here).
IM: Not Just for Kids Anymore
Adults are picking up instant messaging in record numbers, with 50% of those over 35 using various systems. This study was funded by AOL, which has a major stake in the instant messaging market through its popular AIM software. But most people who use IM in the workplace are still using free and unsecured systems, despite the availability of secure versions in enterprise software and products like IM Secure.
ET phone earth?
Between Pisces and Aries, a strange signal from space. Communication from an extraterrestrial civilization? Probably not, and an article in Nature suggests it would make more sense to use FedEx.
NekkidManMarch
It's marching season again in the UK. They always cause a heap of trouble for all concerned [NSFW unless your workplace is tolerant of full frontal noodlety]
Games Republicans play.
Let's Play "Spot the Crosses!" Can you find any in this picture? Others can... and they're pissed!
"My God, where do they come up with this stuff? Does it look to you like it's a cross? I don't think so." - Karl Rove
When Cheney was speaking, our nation's Great Seal was "crucified" -- which is kind of appropriate, come to think of it...
"My God, where do they come up with this stuff? Does it look to you like it's a cross? I don't think so." - Karl Rove
When Cheney was speaking, our nation's Great Seal was "crucified" -- which is kind of appropriate, come to think of it...
"We lost our whole squad that day,"
Echo Company An emotionally trying account of an ambush in Iraq this past April that took the lives of twelve Americans and who knows how many Iraqis, from two journalists who were there. Included is a timeline, audio & video, photogalleries, and reactions from the friends and family they left behind. You can read a USMC account of the memorial service here.
via Editor & Publisher [Flash/Real]
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