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KGB's secret UFO files finally made public Files comprising the famous Blue Folder have been declassified a while ago. The prominent Soviet cosmonaut Pavel Popovich got the folder from the KGB in 1991. These days Mr. Popovich holds the position of honorary president of the Academy of Informational and Applied Ufology. The folder contains numerous descriptions of UFO flights and reports on some (mostly failed) attempts taken by the military in order to catch the aliens.
comment posted at 6:59 AM on Jan-2-06
comment posted at 10:05 AM on Jan-2-06

Steve Martin has a posse. He's only made one post so far but Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin) is blogging for the Huffington Post.
comment posted at 11:49 AM on Dec-30-05

Mel Gibson on evolution, women, and political conspiracy theory. It's an old interview but includes some topical issues.
comment posted at 12:44 PM on Dec-29-05

Of all the Christmas cards I received this year from political action committees, this one from the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep & Bear arms best summed up the holiday spirit to me.
comment posted at 10:31 AM on Dec-29-05
comment posted at 10:41 AM on Dec-29-05

Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of Racism in America, by James Loewen (author's site; Dallas Morning News; Washington Post; Dallas Historical Society; Washington City Paper; Wikipedia)
comment posted at 10:16 AM on Dec-28-05
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comment posted at 9:00 AM on Dec-29-05
comment posted at 9:25 AM on Dec-29-05

Hurra Torpedo has been to America and their tour has been documented. Did a metafilter email lead to, if not a world tour, an American tour? At least it brought joy to these children (video #3), the ecstatic witnesses to Hurra's first American gig. If you don't get a thrill from the performance, have no love for beards, or find that crack of ass does not so much smile at you as it much as it sneers, you can still try win an automobile.
comment posted at 12:28 PM on Dec-16-05
comment posted at 12:32 PM on Dec-16-05

This utterly stunning panorama of Paris by night (WARNING! 15000x520 image, 1.8mb) is almost too good to be true. You can see so many landmarks it's ridiculous - this version has them labelled for your convenience. I traced it back to Arnaud Friche's gallery of panoramic photographs of Paris, churches and cathedrals, and other cities. There are so many beautiful hi-res photographs here that I won't waste any more of your time talking about them.
comment posted at 8:42 AM on Dec-13-05
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comment posted at 4:31 PM on Dec-13-05
comment posted at 4:42 PM on Dec-13-05

Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked - Henry Jenkins (previous discussed here) points out errors in the myths we here about videogames and those who play them. It's nice to hear intelligent commentary that doesn't run along the lines of the usual messages.
comment posted at 10:38 AM on Dec-13-05
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comment posted at 3:58 PM on Dec-13-05
comment posted at 4:11 PM on Dec-13-05

Tomorrow Stan "Tookie" Williams founder of the Crips gang is scheduled to die. Many feel that Tookie has turned has life around, he's written books about his life, and has had his story made into a movie and even been nominated for the Nobel Prize Some say he deserves clemency others do not this morning Tookie was denied an appeal to the California Supreme Court and is waiting on a federal appeal. Which begs the question Should Tookie Die?
comment posted at 11:48 AM on Dec-12-05
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comment posted at 12:13 PM on Dec-12-05
comment posted at 12:13 PM on Dec-12-05

Future handgun ban? Despite reassurances made during passage of C-68 that registration would not lead to confiscation, Paul Martin is promising to enable provinces to ban handguns if elected this January.
comment posted at 7:58 AM on Dec-9-05
comment posted at 8:39 AM on Dec-9-05
comment posted at 8:49 AM on Dec-9-05
comment posted at 4:27 PM on Dec-9-05

As seen on the Red Cross's website , a new symbol has been chosen for use along side of the Red Cross, or Red Crescent. This new symbol, dubbed the "Red Crystal" was developed specifically for situations where combatants may not understand or respect the implications of the Red Cross or Red Crescent. CBC in Canada has an article on the subject. The BBC has another that explains the desire for neutrality. More information is available on the Red Cross's emblem page.
comment posted at 8:26 AM on Dec-8-05

Got access to a daily satellite feed? Win $10 000. Not quite Sink the Bismarck, but the Sea Shepherds have offered a $10 000 reward for anyone who can tell them where the Japanese whaling fleet is this summer, as it prepares to scientifically study 950 minke and fin whales.
comment posted at 2:22 PM on Dec-8-05

Wait. What?
comment posted at 8:45 AM on Dec-7-05
comment posted at 8:58 AM on Dec-7-05

Sexy Furniture. "The shape of a woman, her organic architecture, combined with my passion for wood inspired me to sculpt these sexy designs." Passion for wood, indeed. NSFW.
comment posted at 3:19 PM on Dec-5-05

Arrest warrant issued for Tom Delay. A Texas court issued a warrant today for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's arrest, and set an initial $10,000 bail as a routine step before his first court appearance following indictments for money laundering and crimimal conspiracy. Lawyers for Tom Delay scrambled yesterday in negotiations with Texas authorities in an attempt to have Mr. Delay avoid the indignity of public arrest and handcuffing.
comment posted at 3:44 PM on Oct-19-05

The Torture Question tonight on PBS by far, television's most in-depth look at how the controversial interrogation policy evolved after a major power struggle within the Bush administration. (via Rocky Mountain News) The problem, of course, is that it's often the things we'd rather not think about that we most need to hear, especially when those things are actions taken in all of our names with an eye toward making us safer. Ellen Gray Watch a preview here.
comment posted at 9:30 AM on Oct-18-05

On Oct. 3, the day the Miers nomination was announced, Mr. Dobson and other religious conservatives held a conference call to discuss the nomination. One of the people on the call took extensive notes, which I have obtained. According to the notes, two of Ms. Miers's close friends--both sitting judges--said during the call that she would vote to overturn Roe.
comment posted at 3:54 PM on Oct-18-05

Seen something like this on one of your credit or debit cards recently? 09/25 DIGITAL AGE 888-529-98 CYPRUS, SE $24.99 Join the crowd. You might remember something from earlier in the summer, when CardSystems Solutions reported a security breach that had gone on for months. Or maybe you remember a bit of more recent news, when "a California judge ruled Friday that Visa USA Inc. and MasterCard International Inc. don't have to send individual warnings to thousands of consumers whose personal account information was stolen during a high-tech heist uncovered earlier this year."

My family was hit on three different cards from three different banks in less than a week. Doesn't seem to matter if you ever used the card online or not. Any guesses where "Digital Age" is getting all these valid credit and debit card numbers? Anyone? So, please, check your statements and be prepared to cancel your card immediately if you've been hit, too. Nothing good will come of these criminals being able to make additional charges against your accounts, using different shell companies to hide themselves, continuing to do this sort of thing for years
comment posted at 11:18 AM on Oct-14-05

How To Contact Celebrities.
comment posted at 2:14 PM on Oct-13-05

NHL Academy. Become an NHL star at home, at your own pace. [flash + sound ]
comment posted at 12:41 PM on Oct-13-05

The solution?
comment posted at 12:49 PM on Oct-13-05

World's Nation's Tallest Jenga Tower Nerd builds amazing Sears Tower out of 15,000 Jenga blocks, complete with blinking antennae.
comment posted at 4:12 PM on Oct-12-05

With gas prices rising, SUV sales (16-20 mpg city) have been declining. What are some alternatives for urban commuters? Prius (56 mpg) and other hybrid vehicles. SmartCar (50 mpg city; available in Canada, but not the US) and other microcars. Electric motor scooters and bicycles. Electric cars like the General Motors EV1 seem to be stalled, although people are working on a battery-powered SmartCar. What about hydrogen vehicles? In the medium term, MIT's Laboratory for Energy and the Environment doesn't think they'll outperform hybrids (full report). A comparison of fuel-cell and battery electric vehicles gets into some of the details of how they work.
comment posted at 3:54 PM on Oct-11-05

Fred and Ethel resurrected as corporate shills "Through the magic of Hollywood, famously tightfisted Fred (William Frawley) and his irascible wife, Ethel (Vivian Vance), are brought back to life in a series of entertaining vignettes," California-based PacifiCare said in a release about its new television advertising campaign. Using body doubles, voice impersonators and computer-generated imagery, the national TV ads that will premiere in mid October will enable the two long-dead actors to "speak" once more. And, oddly enough, they'll be talking about PacifiCare's new drug plan.
comment posted at 2:45 PM on Oct-10-05
comment posted at 3:01 PM on Oct-10-05

FEMA to reimburse churches. Washington Post story: "After weeks of prodding by Republican lawmakers and the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said yesterday that it will use taxpayer money to reimburse churches and other religious organizations that have opened their doors to provide shelter, food and supplies to survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita."
comment posted at 10:12 AM on Sep-27-05
comment posted at 10:34 AM on Sep-27-05

Losing Gilligan and Maxwell Smart just a few weeks apart is sad. What great memories of a very funny show and a funny man.
comment posted at 1:11 PM on Sep-27-05